Clark County News Now

Gas Prices Edge Up In Wisconsin, Across Nation – Beloit Daily News https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/gas-prices-edge-up-in-wisconsin-across-nation-beloit-daily-news/ MADISON—Gas prices are rising in Wisconsin and across the nation. Prices at the gas pump rose a nickel over the past week, as the national average gas price hit $3.72 per gallon. The main reason is higher regional prices on the West Coast and the Midwest due to refinery issues ranging from planned maintenance to a fire, according to a news release from the AAA—The Auto Club Group. But low domestic demand as fewer drivers fuel up and much lower oil prices have helped to blunt some of the impact. On Friday, the price of oil slipped below $80 a barrel for the first time since January, primarily due to fears of a recession-led global economic slowdown.

Creating A Survivorship Care Plan – Breastcancer.org https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/creating-a-survivorship-care-plan-breastcancer-org/ A survivorship care plan is a written document made up of two parts: a treatment summary that describes the breast cancer’s characteristics and includes all the breast cancer treatments you’ve received, as well as the names of all the doctors and other providers you’ve seen and their contact information. a road map of what you can expect in the years after breast cancer treatment, including any late or long-term side effects you might have, and details how your doctor plans to monitor you After you complete your main breast cancer treatment, your doctor should give you a survivorship care plan.  Many people who’ve received certain treatments for breast cancer have a higher risk of developing other diseases as they get older, including high blood pressure, heart disease, and osteoporosis. The second part of a survivorship care plan takes this risk into account and usually includes: a schedule for breast cancer-related follow-up care checkups information about other health conditions to screen for and when to screen for them a list of possible treatment side effects you might have, including any that can develop years after treatment healthy living recommendations for your unique situation Your cancer center or doctor’s office may not necessarily be familiar with survivorship care plans, so you may have to bring it up yourself:  Ask for a survivorship care plan in writing that explains all the medical issues you need to consider and lists which screening tests you need and when you should have them. Ask whether your oncologist or your primary care doctor is going to be your main contact for survivorship care, and ask which member of your healthcare team you should see for each medical issue. If your oncologist recommends you see a specialist — such as a cardiologist — and you don’t already have one, you may want to ask for a referral. If there is anything in your survivorship care plan that you don’t understand, ask your doctor or nurse to explain it. It’s a good idea to ask your oncologist to share your treatment summary and survivorship care plan with your primary care doctor — although many oncologists already do so automatically. Then you can review the plan and see which parts of it your primary care doctor is responsible for.  The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has developed survivorship care plan templates you can use as a starting point. You can also find different survivorship care plans at the American Cancer Society (ACS). Survivorship Care Plans Oct. 20, 2018 Visit episode page for more info Written by: Kris Conner, contributing writer, and Jamie DePolo, senior editor

Browns’ Myles Garrett Suffers Non-Life Threatening Injuries After Being Involved In Car Accident – CBS Sports https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/browns-myles-garrett-suffers-non-life-threatening-injuries-after-being-involved-in-car-accident-cbs-sports/ USATSI Browns‘ pass rusher Myles Garrett was involved in a single-car accident Monday afternoon following practice. Garrett suffered non-life threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital, as reported by CBS Sports Lead NFL Insider Jonathan Jones. The Browns have confirmed that Garrett, whose injuries have been described as minor, was involved in a car accident and are currently gathering more information.  Garrett had one passenger in the car who also sustained injuries that were described as non-life threatening. Both passengers were wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident. The cause of the accident is not yet known.  According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Garrett’s vehicle “flipped several times before coming to rest,” via News 5 Cleveland. The OSHP has stated that neither alcohol nor drugs were a factor in the crash. Traffic charges are currently pending. Garrett, 26, is in the middle of his sixth season with the Browns. The first overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, Garrett is a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro. He had three sacks during the first three games of the 2022 season while helping the Browns post a 2-1 record.  This is a developing story. We will provide an update on Garrett’s status, as well as any information regarding the accident, as soon as it is available.

Why Walmart’s Leap Into The Metaverse Could Help Roblox – MarketWatch https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/why-walmarts-leap-into-the-metaverse-could-help-roblox-marketwatch/ Walmart Inc. released two sites on Roblox Corp.’s “metaverse mega-platform” Monday, just in time for the holidays, and one of those sites is aimed squarely at a demographic the platform has targeted for needed growth. The descriptions for one of those sites, Walmart Land, suggests Walmart WMT, is looking to accomplish a similar goal to Roblox RBLX, : Bringing older users into the game. Roblox executives have been targeting the teenage to mid-20s demographic — both those who are new to the site as well as retaining former tweens who have been users for years — and Walmart seems to have those same users in mind with “Electric Island” music festivals and “House of Style” virtual dressing room and boutique in the game. Online concerts have grown in popularity since Epic Games Inc.’s “Fortnite” held its first virtual concert with electronic-dance producer Marshmello back in 2019. In a recent poll of 401 consumer by MarTech, the marketing data site found that most surveyed, 68%, ranked “music” as their top virtual world experience they were interested in, with “travel/tourism” coming in at 58%, with “shopping/virtual stores” and “live events” tied for third at 53%. Walmart appears to be targeting some of those most popular responses with its new release, writing in a statement that “Walmart Land will bring the best fashion, style, beauty and entertainment items directly to the global Roblox community of over 52 million daily users.” Roblox has been trying to attract older users since it went public in March 2021, noting in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission that the company’s ultimate goal was to “be a brand that serves all ages,” and that its 17-to-24-year-old user group had grown faster than its core under-13 age group over the nine months ended September 2020. In an update earlier this month at the company’s investor day presentation, executives said that users aged 17 to 24 had grown 41% in the previous year, to 13.2 million, while users 25 and older had grown 28% to 10.2 million, according to JP Morgan analysts. Those analysts kept an overweight rating on the stock, but noted in their “risks” section that “an inability to maintain players as they age, or failure to incentivize developers to create experiences for older demos, could result in a long-term player base and spend level that is below JPM and consensus expectations.” For more: Five things to know about Roblox as it goes public Bringing brands known to older users as well as experiences that can attract them has been a goal for executives. While several results are returned for “Amazon” in Roblox, it if difficult to determine whether retail rival Amazon.com Inc. AMZN, , has a comparable site on Roblox. Amazon had yet to reply to requests for comment at publication time. “Universe of Play,” on the other hand, is squarely targeted at Roblox’s core tween demographic with immersive games with various licensed cartoon characters, reward games where users can exchange virtual toys they find for in-game coins, and virtual adventures where users can fly hoverboards through the universe and encounter things like a Sharper Image drone that features the hot toys for the holidays. The company statement described it as “the ultimate virtual toy destination in Roblox, just in time for those oh-so-real holiday wish lists.” “Roblox is one of the fastest-growing and largest platforms in the metaverse, and we know our customers are spending loads of time there,”  said William White, chief marketing officer of Walmart U.S., in a statement . “So, we’re focusing on creating new and innovative experiences that excite them, something we’re already doing in the communities where they live, and now, the virtual worlds where they play,” Roblox shares closed up less than 0.1% at $35.55 Monday, while Walmart shares finished up 1% at $131.31. Roblox has been in a bit of tailspin this year when it comes to bookings, or “revenue plus the change in deferred revenue during the period and other noncash adjustments,” important because Roblox sells virtual currency on its site that may be considered deferred revenue. Read: Wall Street sees a ‘Pandora’s box of problems’ for Roblox In May, Roblox shares came under fire after the company reported an unexpected decline in bookings, and in February, the stock logged its worst one-day performance since it went public after reporting weaker-than-expected growth in bookings, dropping more than a quarter of its value in one trading session, once it became apparent that once-stuck-inside kids were finding other ways to spend their time as COVID-19 pandemic restrictions began to lift. During the past two quarters, the company has turned in back-to-back surprise declines in bookings. And shares fell a little less than two weeks ago when August metrics were released, and appeared to do little to inspire investor optimism. Roblox shares are down 65% for the year, compared with a 23% fall in the S&P 500 index  SPX, ,  and a 31% drop in the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index  COMP, .

From Mjolnir To Batarangs: 10 Of The Coolest Weapons Seen In Superhero Movies – Collider https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/from-mjolnir-to-batarangs-10-of-the-coolest-weapons-seen-in-superhero-movies-collider/ With She-Hulk currently racing towards its finale and Werewolf By Night recently receiving overwhelmingly positive first reactions, superhero properties continue to cast a large shadow over pop culture. Not to mention, the highly anticipated Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Black Adam arrive in theaters very soon. Discourse about superhero films is constantly ongoing. Fans like to debate the best characters, the best villains, and even, in this case, the coolest weapons and gadgets seen in superhero films. Batarangs As far as superheroes go, they do not get any cooler than Batman. The character has been a staple of movies, TV, comics, and video games for several decades now, and with Gotham Knights and The Batman Two on the way, Bruce Wayne isn’t going away anytime soon, either. None of the many weapons and gadgets wielded by Batman are as effective, simple, and fun as the Batarang. If you’ve ever played any Arkham games, you’ve likely wasted hours repeatedly throwing Batarangs at low-level thugs to frighten them. Cap’s Shield To put it simply, Cap’s shield defines the character. It symbolizes pride, patriotism, and the unstoppable desire to do what is right. The ownership of said shield was hotly debated during the Disney+ series, The Falcon And The Winter Soldier. By the time the series concluded, however, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) embraced the Captain America mantle and held the shield with pride. Though his time with the shield was limited in the series, we expect to see him unleashing star-spangled fury when Captain America: New World Orderhits theaters in 2024. Lasso of Truth Image via HBO Max Perhaps one of the most unique weapons on this list, Wonder Woman’s Lasso Of Truth is an object of incredible power. The magical golden object forces anybody captured within it to obey the wielder’s commands and tell the truth. The Lasso of Truth is Diana Princes’ (Gal Gadot) main weapon in the DCEU. In addition to striking fear into the hearts of villains everywhere, it has also occasionally been played for laughs. Hopefully, the Lasso will continue to play a big role in Diana’s crime-fighting when she returns to the big screen in the upcoming Wonder Woman 3. Mjolnir Mjolnir is not only a weapon of nearly unthinkable power but also completely fair. The hammer can only be wielded by a being who is worthy of its power, and in the entirety of the MCU thus far, only three people have managed to wield Mjolnir. Thor was devastated when Mjolnir was crushed in the hands of Hela, but he was blown away when he discovered that Mjolnir had reformed and was now being wielded by his ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman). Though it is unclear if Mjolnir will return to the MCU, we sure hope we haven’t seen the last of that faithful hammer. The Cloak of Levitation Image via Marvel The Cloak of Levitation is clothing, magical artifact, and trusty companion all rolled into one. The cloak has saved Doctor Strange’s (Benedict Cumberbatch) life on multiple occasions. It’s hard to think of a Doctor Strange appearance in which The Cloak Of Levitation hasn’t come to the rescue of the former Sorcerer Supreme. The cloak will certainly continue saving Doctor Strange’s life, but we’re still sad that the Infinity War scene in which Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr) and Doctor Strange swapped costumes was cut. The Batmobile This one’s pretty self-explanatory. Like everybody has a favorite Batman, we all have a favorite Batmobile. It doesn’t matter the decade, the generation, or the director; the Batmobile always has been and will always be the coolest car in cinema history. Though it often looks different from film to film, there are some things the Batmobile always is. It’s always fast. It’s always armed to the teeth. And it always comes in black. The Batmobile will return to our screens in the upcoming The Flash movie, perhaps even two different iterations of the beloved car. Stormbreaker Image via Disney Like Batman, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) has a badass and extensive arsenal. After Mjolnir was destroyed, fans assumed there was no way the MCU could give the God of Thunder an equally cool weapon. Thankfully, Thor knows Eitri (Peter Dinklage), a dwarf with the knowledge and skillset required to build an axe that can not only summon the Bifrost but also kill Thanos (Josh Brolin). Seeing Thor’s two weapons fight for his affection is one of the best jokes in Thor: Love and Thunder, and hopefully, Stormbreaker will be functioning as normal when we next see Thor. The Hulkbuster Building a suit capable of going toe to toe with the Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) is something that only Tony Stark could accomplish. Of course, it doesn’t contain the Hulk quite as quickly as Tony planned, leaving considerable collateral damage in their wake. Of course, the Hulkbuster suit is redeemed when, years later, it is worn by Bruce Banner himself. Given that he can’t turn into the Hulk, a suit capable of kicking the Hulk’s ass is the second-best option. It proves to be a reliable option, too, with Bruce playing a significant role in the battle of Wakanda before the Avengers’ eventual loss. Hawkeye’s Trick Arrows Image via Disney The Hawkeye Disney+ series was a lot of fun. It was filled with festive cheer, lovable new characters, unexpected introductions, and, perhaps best of all, more trick arrows than you could count. Perhaps most memorably, one arrow contained Pym particles which Clint (Jeremy Renner) used to shoot another arrow, enlarging it massively and sending it crashing down into a car full of bad guys. The trick arrows provided the series with some incredibly memorable fight scenes and set pieces, and audiences hope to see more of this whenever Clint and Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) return to action. Trident of Neptune (Bernadette) Image Via Warner Bros. Jason Momoa is effortlessly cool, so it should be no surprise that his take on Arthur Curry is one of the slickest superheroes to grace the big screen. Very few actors out there could pull off a gold and green superhero costume, but Momoa does so without even trying. His Arthur is charming, bold, and endearingly brave. It may have taken him a while to find the Trident Oo Neptune, which Momoa lovingly refers to as Bernadette, but it was well worth the wait. The Trident is the perfect weapon for Aquaman. The mystical weapon is powerful and enchanted, often strong enough to harm the New Gods and a symbol of the ruler of Atlantis. KEEP READING: 5 Superhero Movie Recastings That Worked (And Some That Didn’t)

Have Helium Leaders Been Lining Their Own Pockets While Not Delivering On Product? – Cryptonews https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/have-helium-leaders-been-lining-their-own-pockets-while-not-delivering-on-product-cryptonews/ Source: Adobe/FellowNeko Executives at Helium (HNT), a developer of a “decentralized wireless infrastructure,” as well as their family and friends, hoarded the majority of wealth at the project’s launch, claims Forbes. This is a $1.2 billion web3 company that said it was building a global wireless internet connection called the “People’s Network.” Helium COO Frank Mong wrote that one of the tenets of the Helium network is fairness, saying that “everyone has an equal opportunity to mine.” But Forbes has painted a very different picture of the company – an antonym of fair. Per its report, the People’s Network users have seen “vanishingly small crypto rewards,” claiming that, “Helium has made a handful of people disproportionately rich: its executives and their friends.” Lee Reiners, Policy Director at the Duke Financial Economics Center, who teaches cryptocurrency law at Duke Law, was quoted by the news outlet as saying that, “This thing was set up to enrich the founders and early supporters at the expense of everyday people.” Forbes claims to have reviewed “hundreds of leaked internal documents” and transaction data, and that it interviewed five former Helium employees, finding that, despite the project insiders promoting democracy and fairness, a majority of wealth generated in the earliest days of the project, when it was the most lucrative, went to these insiders. The authors claim to have identified 30 digital wallets that appear to be connected to Helium employees, their friends, family, and early investors. These wallets show HNT 3.5 million mined, which is almost half of all tokens mined within the first three months of the network’s launch in August 2019. Then, within six months, more than a quarter of all HNT had been mined by insiders — valued at some $250 million during the token’s peak last year. After the crash, the tokens are still worth $21 million. The authors claim that, “While Helium and its executives have publicly discussed their incentive plan — a scheme called Helium Security Tokens, or HST, which guarantees about a third of all HNT for insiders — they haven’t previously disclosed the additional windfall taken from Helium’s public token supply, worth millions, that was identified by Forbes.” This means that, when Helium rewards per hotspot hit their all-time high, a bit more than 30% went to the community, while insiders claimed the rest. Each hotspot earned an average HNT 33,000 in August 2019, while each hotspot today only earns around HNT 2 a month. So, the executives, friends, family, and certain early investors made windfalls in addition to the guaranteed dividends before earnings plummeted. The article also claims that some insiders exploited vulnerabilities known to the company to further fill their bags. ‘Nothing unreasonable’ That said, Amir Haleem, Helium’s co-founder and CEO, described the project on Discord, as “by far the most fair token distribution of any project that I’m aware of.” Haleem further said in an interview that approximately half of the initial hotspots were distributed to employees, and their family and friends. “None of those numbers feel unreasonable to me or egregious in any way,” he told Forbes. However, a hotspot linked to Haleem’s wife displayed the coordinates of a California home the couple owned, and five hotspots connected to this wallet mined HNT 250,000 in the network’s first three months – earning a total HNT 455,000 from mining rewards, worth $25 million at HNT’s peak price, and $2 million today. It is unclear when or if Haleem sold these tokens and he declined to comment, the authors said. Another example is that of COO Frank Mong. Per Forbes, in a single day in August 2021, a wallet that appears connected to Mong received almost a dozen payments – worth nearly $1 million – from two other wallets linked to him. The sum was moved to a Binance wallet. Asked if Helium should have disclosed to the community this additional insider windfall, Haleem replied that, “I don’t know why we would be asked to be in a position to reveal anything about these people…They took an enormous risk and a huge chance on paying money to build something.” Haleem claimed that some crypto projects reserve as much as 90% of initial token supplies for investors and team members, which Forbes could not substantiate, and Haleem allegedly did not provide an example. “That’s the playing field that we’re always on in crypto, whether rightly or wrongly,” he said. “The generally accepted reality is that someone has to start the network.” More than one alleged issue Helium also seems to be struggling to generate revenue from its network, claimed Forbes, adding that, between June 2021 and August 2022, just $92,000 in revenue was generated from data moving across the network – compared to the $250 million the parent company has raised from investors. Helium generates the vast majority of its revenue from people registering their new hotspots and authenticating other devices on the network. Source: Forbes The company may have also exaggerated the nature of some of its partnerships, with Helium subsequently removing certain companies from their website where they had been displayed as customers. Though the money + hype poured in, however, we found that Helium only generated $92K from its network being used over the past ~year. Just $1500 for the month of August. Meanwhile, its community has purchased more than $500M worth of hotspots, and their rewards have plummeted. pic.twitter.com/lYBZguVieN — sarah emerson (@SarahNEmerson) September 23, 2022 Helium is backed by Andreessen Horowitz and Tiger Global, among other investors. Neither of these companies appeared in the early insider group, said Forbes. At noon UTC on Monday, HNT is trading at $4.52. It’s up nearly 1% in a day and 14% in a week. It’s down 24% in a month, 74% in a year, and 92% since its all-time high of $54.88 recorded in November 2021. The company says it is currently building Helium 5G, collaborating with wireless carriers DISH and T-Mobile, while they also announced the launch of the MOBILE token to reward hotspot owners for building the 5G ecosystem. And while some applauded Forbes’ report: Others criticized it: I read it twice. They “reported” and “investigated” nothing. They know nothing about the network or how it functions. They don’t even understand how radio waves work lmao. Forbs and these “writers” are trying to cash in on the noise. Funny how they wanna talk after T-Mobile deal. — Crypto_Zonk (@therunningman__) September 25, 2022 ____

Nigerian State Official Sentenced To 5 Years In Prison For Stealing U.S. Disaster Aid And Taxpayer Refunds – Department Of Justice https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/nigerian-state-official-sentenced-to-5-years-in-prison-for-stealing-u-s-disaster-aid-and-taxpayer-refunds-department-of-justice/ Tacoma – A 45-year-old resident of Lekki, Nigeria, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 5 years in prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for his attempt to steal nearly $2.4 million from the United States government, including approximately $500,000 in pandemic-related unemployment benefits, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown.  At the time of his arrest, Abidermi Rufai was the Special Assistant to the Governor of Nigeria’s Ogun State.  He admitted a long history of using stolen identities to defraud U.S. disaster programs, including aid for Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, and file fraudulent U.S. tax returns.  At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle said, “The motivation was greed, unrestrained greed, and a callousness towards those who have suffered.” “Mr. Rufai was relentless in his scheme to use the stolen identities of Americans for fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown.  “He orchestrated ‘mystery shopper’ scams, business email compromise attempts, and filed fake tax returns to financially harm individuals and businesses. But when disaster struck, so did Mr. Rufai. Whether it was hurricane disaster relief, small business loans, or COVID unemployment benefits, he stole aid that should have gone to disaster victims in the United States.” ”Abdemi Rufai chose to exploit the pandemic for personal gain, using stolen identities of Americans to support his lavish lifestyle overseas,” said Associate Deputy Attorney General Kevin Chambers, the Justice Department‘s Director of COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and their law enforcement partners did exceptional work bringing this defendant to justice. The Department will continue to pursue fraudsters who abused these programs and seek to recover their ill-gotten gains, whether they are in the United States or overseas.” According to records filed in the case, since 2017, Rufai stole the personal identifying information of more than 20,000 Americans to submit more than $2 million in claims for federally funded disaster relief benefits and fraudulent tax returns.  The various agencies involved paid out more than $600,000. The largest amount of fraud was committed against the Washington State Employment Security Department, which paid out $350,763 in fraudulent pandemic unemployment claims to accounts controlled by Rufai.  Rufai also submitted fraudulent pandemic unemployment claims in at least 17 other states.  “The Employment Security Department deeply appreciates the tireless efforts of the Department of Justice, federal agencies and law enforcement in this matter,” said Cami Feek, Commissioner for the Employment Security Department. “We always stand ready to hold those accountable who steal public funds and we appreciate the partnership in catching and prosecuting this individual.” Rufai also defrauded the Small Business Administration (SBA) by attempting to obtain Economic Injury Disaster loans (EIDL) tied to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Between April 8, 2020, and June 26, 2020, he submitted 19 fraudulent EIDL applications.  SBA paid out $10,000 based on the applications. Between 2017 and 2020, Rufai attempted to obtain more than $1.7 million in IRS tax refunds by submitting 675 false claims.  The IRS paid out $90,877 on these claims. Rufai’s efforts to exploit disaster in the United States did not start with COVID-19.  In September and October 2017, he submitted 49 disaster relief claims connected to Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma.  He filed $24,500 in false claims and was paid on 13 claims totaling $6,500. In asking for a nearly six-year prison sentence Assistant United States Attorney Cindy Chang noted that Rufai’s scheme damaged real people who needed help. “In this case, Rufai successfully used the stolen identities of at least 238 real individuals who qualified for disaster aid and may have needed it urgently. This number does not account for the number of stolen identities Rufai attempted to use but failed.” Rufai has agreed to pay full restitution of $604,260 to the defrauded agencies, however he has not fully cooperated with efforts to identify and forfeit assets that could be used for restitution. “Mr. Rufai did not care if the disaster was the pandemic or a hurricane, or if the victim was a hard-working American taxpayer, a small business, or the U.S. government,” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle Field Office. “He could have used his influence to be a role model in his community. Instead, he stole the identities of Washington state residents and money meant for those in need.” “Mr. Rufai said, ‘The choices we make are ultimately our responsibility,’ and he is correct. This sentence is a result of the culmination of choices he made funding his luxurious lifestyle. His fraud schemes began with filing fraudulent tax returns from stolen identities to pilfering economic aid designed to help disadvantaged workers and families suffering through the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Seattle Field Office Special Agent in Charge Bret Kressin. “IRS-CI continues to provide our financial expertise to investigate large-scale fraud with our law enforcement partners.” “Rufai used stolen personal identifying information of thousands of Americans in order to defraud more than $600,000 in government benefits, including approximately $350,000 from the Washington Employment Security Department.  We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate and prosecute those who defrauded unemployment insurance programs during the global health crisis,” said Quentin Heiden, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Los Angeles Region. Abidemi Rufai has been in custody since his arrest at New York’s JFK airport in May 2021.   The Eastern District of New York U.S. Attorney’s Office assisted with detention hearings following Rufai’s arrest. This case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, and the United States Small Business Administration Office of the Inspector General, and the Washington Employment Security Department (ESD). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Cindy Chang and Seth Wilkinson of the Western District of Washington. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

LiiV Hires Product / Tech Leader – Daily Research News Online – Daily Research News Online https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/liiv-hires-product-tech-leader-daily-research-news-online-daily-research-news-online/ Media intelligence and data science holding company LiiV Group has hired Vito Covalucci as its first Group Chief Product and Technology Officer. Founded by James Ingram and Benoit Lagarde, LiiV Group includes media planning and intelligence solutions provider Telmar, audience intelligence platform Helixa, content creation studio Splashlight, and creative intelligence tech developer Splashlight Technologies. The group also provides access to a non-profit organization called the LiiV Center, which focuses on ‘unlocking human intelligence for the public good’. Covalucci (pictured) joins from Capital One Bank, where he served as Head of Product for Enterprise Martech. In this role, he led strategy for web, content experience, user data and oprimization platforms, combining these capabilities for customer acquisition optimized through machine learning engines. He is also co-founder and former Chief Product Officer of Harmonic Vibration, a mobile app enterprise technology developed to draw insights from social media streams. In his new position, Covalucci will focus on product innovation through integration of technologies from the LiiV Group’s family of brands. Commenting on the appointment, Ingram said: ‘One of our goals is to offer the highest standard of audience, media, and creative intelligence to the agencies and brands we serve, allowing them to connect deeply with consumers. Vito brings to us the product vision and technology experience needed to accelerate that goal’. Web site: www.liivgroup.com .

Putin Grants Citizenship To Edward Snowden, Who Exposed U.S. Surveillance – The Washington Post https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/putin-grants-citizenship-to-edward-snowden-who-exposed-u-s-surveillance-the-washington-post/ Russian President Vladimir Putin granted citizenship on Monday to Edward Snowden, a former security consultant who leaked information about top-secret U.S. surveillance programs and is still wanted by Washington on espionage charges. The decree signed by Putin covered 72 foreigners, but Snowden was the most prominent. Russia granted him asylum in 2013 after he fled the United States to avoid prosecution. The 39-year-old Snowden, who considers himself a whistleblower, was granted permanent residency in Russia in 2020, and his lawyers said at the time that he was applying to obtain a Russian passport without renouncing his U.S. citizenship. His lawyer, Anatoly Kucherena, told the state-run news agency RIA Novosti on Monday that his wife, Lindsay Mills, is now applying for Russian citizenship. Mills joined Snowden in Moscow in 2014. They were married in 2017. Snowden tweeted Monday night that they were parents to two boys. After years of separation from our parents, my wife and I have no desire to be separated from our SONS. After two years of waiting and nearly ten years of exile, a little stability will make a difference for my family. I pray for privacy for them—and for us all. https://t.co/24NUK21TAo pic.twitter.com/qLfp47uzZ4 — Edward Snowden (@Snowden) September 26, 2022 Kucherena said Snowden would not be subject to the partial military mobilization that Putin decreed last week to help Russia’s flagging war in Ukraine. Only men with previous military experience are supposed to be called up — though there have been widespread reports of summonses going to many others — and Snowden has never served in the Russian army. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre referred questions about his new status to the prosecutors seeking his extradition. “Since I believe there have been criminal charges brought against him, we would point you to the Department of Justice for any specifics on this,” Jean-Pierre said. Snowden’s revelations, published first in The Washington Post and the Guardian, were among the most consequential intelligence breaches in U.S. history. He disclosed the existence of the National Security Agency’s collection of millions of Americans’ phone records, a program later found by a federal appeals court to be unlawful and since shuttered. He also revealed details of industry collaboration with NSA intelligence-gathering in a separate program. Those disclosures greatly damaged the intelligence community’s relationship with the American tech industry. In 2017, Putin said in a documentary made by American director Oliver Stone that Snowden was “not a traitor” for leaking government secrets. “He didn’t betray the interests of his country,” Putin said. “Nor did he transfer any information to any other country, which would have been pernicious to his own country or to his own people. The only thing Snowden does, he does publicly.” The NSA, Justice Department and Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined to comment Monday on Snowden’s new status. But Sue Gordon, a former principal deputy director of national intelligence, said his acceptance of Russian citizenship “takes away any illusion that what he was doing [through his disclosures] was to help America.” “I do think it’s a very questionable decision,” she continued, “knowing what we know about what Russia perpetrates, to become a Russian citizen right now. I think it diminishes any patriotic argument that he might have made back then.” Snowden explained his decision to seek dual citizenship on Twitter in 2020. “After years of separation from our parents, my wife and I have no desire to be separated from our son. That’s why, in this era of pandemics and closed borders, we’re applying for dual US-Russian citizenship,” he wrote. “Lindsay and I will remain Americans, raising our son with all the values of the America we love — including the freedom to speak his mind. And I look forward to the day I can return to the States, so the whole family can be reunited,” he added. James R. Clapper, a former director of national intelligence, acknowledged Monday that the bulk phone records collection was one area where “we probably should have been more transparent” given the program’s focus on Americans. “But he exposed so much else that damaged foreign intelligence capabilities that had nothing to do with so-called domestic surveillance,” Clapper said. Said Clapper: “What a great time to become a Russian citizen.” Karen DeYoung contributed to this report. War in Ukraine: What you need to know The latest: Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “partial mobilization” of troops in an address to the nation on Sept. 21, framing the move as an attempt to defend Russian sovereignty against a West that seeks to use Ukraine as a tool to “divide and destroy Russia.” Follow our live updates here. The fight: A successful Ukrainian counteroffensive has forced a major Russian retreat in the northeastern Kharkiv region in recent days, as troops fled cities and villages they had occupied since the early days of the war and abandoned large amounts of military equipment. Annexation referendums: Staged referendums, which would be illegal under international law, are set to take place from Sept. 23 to 27 in the breakaway Luhansk and Donetsk regions of eastern Ukraine, according to Russian news agencies. Another staged referendum will be held by the Moscow-appointed administration in Kherson starting Friday. Photos: Washington Post photographers have been on the ground from the beginning of the war — here’s some of their most powerful work. How you can help: Here are ways those in the U.S. can help support the Ukrainian people as well as what people around the world have been donating. Read our full coverage of the Russia-Ukraine crisis. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for updates and exclusive video.

GRC Falls To Campbell Co. In OT – Winchester Sun – Winchester Sun https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/grc-falls-to-campbell-co-in-ot-winchester-sun-winchester-sun/ Published 5:00 pm Monday, September 26, 2022 In sports, some games have an odd feel to them. Such was the case in Alexandria Friday night when George Rogers Clark traveled to take on Campbell County. In what many viewed as an upset, the Cards (4-1) fell to the Camels (3-3), 21-20 in overtime. It was the first loss of the season for GRC after opening the year with four straight victories. Determined to keep the ball out of the hands of the high-scoring Cardinal offense, the Camels relied on a ball-control offense that limited GRC to only two possessions throughout the first half. With 3:11 remaining before halftime, the Camels broke through the Cardinal defense as running back Garyn Johnson connected with wide receiver Xavier Fancher on a 42-yard halfback option touchdown pass for a 7-0 Campbell County lead. It was the only pass attempt of the night for Johnson. With only a few seconds remaining in the first half and nearly half the length of the field separating the Cards from the endzone, it appeared that the Camels would take their 7-0 lead into halftime. However, the Cards were not to be denied. As the halftime buzzer sounded, QB Tyleik Maxwell threw for the endzone and connected with wide receiver Tate Spayd on a 44-yard TD pass. The extra point tied the game at 7 going into the break. It was Spayd’s lone reception of the evening. Coming out of halftime, it appeared as though the Cards might have some momentum. Yet the Camels were soon able to march down the field, scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run from Ayden Bauwens for a 14-7 lead at 6:45 of the third quarter. The Cards responded shortly after. During a drive that showcased two fourth-down conversions, including one reception just before it hit the ground, the Cards were able to drive to the Camels’ 6-yard line. On third-down, with only 38 seconds left in the third quarter, Maxwell was able to run in from 6-yards out to help tie the game at 14-14 heading into the final period. As the weather changed to fall, the fourth quarter appeared somewhat spooky for the Cards. The Cards’ defense forced a turnover, giving their offense the ball in Camels’ territory. However, Maxwell was intercepted in the endzone by Bauwens on the ensuing play. It was the first turnover of the year for the regularly high-scoring Cards’ offense. The Cards got the ball once more and attempted a long, 49-yard field goal from Clay Turley with only seconds remaining. However, the kick was just short and to the left. It was Turley’s first missed extra point or field goal all season. After the Camels won the coin toss going into overtime, GRC received the ball first and scored on a five-yard TD run from Kalen Washington. Unfortunately, for the Cards, the extra point was not converted. The Cards then stalled the Camels’ offense on the first two plays of their overtime possession, as Bryce Chestnut nearly came up with an interception in the endzone. On third-down, the Camels ran a double-reverse, with Jaiden Combs just barely reaching the endzone on an 11-yard run. The ensuing extra point from Kaden Rose gave the Camels a victory on their homecoming night. Statistically, Maxwell completed 12 of 23 passes for 144 yards with 1 TD and an interception. Campbell County’s Keegan Hill was 5 of 11 passing for 51 yards. Zaydin Turner led GRC with five catches for 48 yards, while Xavier Fancher led Campbell County with two catches for 51 yards. Washington was the Cards’ leading rusher with 14 carries for 61 yards and 1 TD, while Joseph Amato led the Camels with 17 rushes for 70 yards. The Cards stay on the road as they travel to Lexington on Friday, Sept. 30, for a matchup against Lafayette High School (0-6).

Little Girl Experiences First Wheelchair-Accessible Pool Vacationing In Florida – Southern Living https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/little-girl-experiences-first-wheelchair-accessible-pool-vacationing-in-florida-southern-living/ She can hardly believe it! Published on September 26, 2022 A video of a young girl enjoying a wheelchair-accessible swimming pool for the first time is warming hearts all over the world. Mom of four, Katrina Placzek recently shared a video of her eight-year-old daughter Dallas using a special pool-friendly wheelchair at Tiff’s Place, a wheelchair-accessible vacation home in Chuluota, Florida. Dallas, who was born premature at 28 weeks, has quadriplegic spastic cerebral palsy. The condition affects her limbs and makes it difficult for her to walk. Pools weren’t accessible to the vibrant youngster before her family vacationed at Tiff’s Place. “We’d never seen a wheelchair like that before. It was made out of PVC,” Placzek recalled to Good Morning America. “We sat Dallas in there and it just had a ramp and then you go around the ramp area and then it gets deep but there’s a speed bump sort of thing at the bottom so you know not to go where it drops. So if you’re a wheelchair user, you don’t go and drop at the bottom. It was really cool to see the entire house [at Tiff’s Place] was designed with wheelchair users in mind.” The mom from Illinois told GMA she started Discover with Dallas on Instagram and YouTube after a wheelchair accessible park was installed at a local playground. Thanks to the swing, Dallas could finally enjoy the playground like her siblings, which meant everything to the family. Ultimately, Placzek hopes the pool video does more than just make people smile. The sweet video also raises awareness. “I never thought of it, like how important this is, and to see how inclusion makes someone feel in front of your eyes. It was like, ‘I think I need to show the world what this means for kids like her,’ ” Placzek told GMA. “You don’t really think about it until you’re in a wheelchair because we don’t live in that world and when you have a kid that can’t go to a lot of places, you just stop going.” She said she hopes the buzz around the pool video encourages more people to design places and products with accessibility and inclusivity in mind. “The most important thing is just for people to think about disabled children and think about disabled adults when they’re making a business, or they’re designing a playground, or if the school is building a new, updated playground,” Placzek said. Thanks for your feedback!

Mortgage Payments Have Risen Rapidly Over The Last 2 Years – 69News WFMZ-TV https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/mortgage-payments-have-risen-rapidly-over-the-last-2-years-69news-wfmz-tv/ If you know of local business openings or closings, please notify us here. PREVIOUS OPENINGS AND CLOSINGS – All-you-can-eat Korean barbecue is on its way, with 88 K-Pot opening perhaps in December near the Wine & Spirits store in the Bethlehem Square shopping center.  – Air Products’ joint venture in Saudi Arabia has acquired an industrial-gas business for an undisclosed price. The Abdullah Hashim Industrial Gases & Equipment venture acquired Khafrah Industrial Gases from Paris-based Air Liquide S.A. – Anatolian Kitchen is still closed for renovations, according to a sign at the Taylor Court, Bethlehem, business.  – After 36 years, the owners of Cavaluzzo’s Pasta, Steaks & Subs in Emmaus are retiring, and the restaurant will close. – The high-tech conglomerate formerly known as II-VI (pronounced “two-six”) has taken on the name of a company it acquired, Coherent Corp.  – Palmer Township’s board of supervisors approved a conditional-use application for four industrial buildings know as “First Park 33” on Tatamy Road, between Newlins Mill and Corriere roads. – The Florida-based chain Fyzical Therapy & Balance Centers plans to open three physical-therapy clinics within two years in the Lehigh Valley. – Radish Republic, a specialty grocery store on North Seventh Street in Allentown, is closing after three years. – The Palmer Township Zoning Hearing Board made the decision to keep a cease-and-desist order against The Reserve at Palmer Pointe apartments, which township officials say were built contrary to designs submitted six years ago. – The Allentown-Based payment-processing company Shift4Payments Inc. introduced SkyTab POS, a point-of-sale system for restaurants.  – The Bethlehem Planning Commission approved three separate “mixed-use” buildings for South Bethlehem, on East Fourth Street, South New Street and West Fourth Street. – Transform Rehabilitation’s physical-therapy clinics in Allentown, New Tripoli and Whitehall are now part of Upstream, which owns or manages more than 1,200 locations in the U.S. – The Lehigh Valley’s newest Wawa opened on the east side of Nazareth Pike/Route 191, just south of the Borough of Nazareth.  – DoubleTree Hotel has expanded its catering to private jets that take off from Reading Regional Airport. – The not-for-profit Kutztown Community Partnership has discussed buying the shuttered Strand Theatre to continue its tradition, but KCP would need grants and donations to keep it going. – A man police say was drunk drove into Budd Lake Bagel & Deli II in Hackettstown, New Jersey, on Sunday night, causing the shop to close indefinitely.

SPC To Host 5K Run Glow Edition On Oct. 5 – Saipan Tribune https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/spc-to-host-5k-run-glow-edition-on-oct-5-saipan-tribune/ Participants are seen making their way through one of Run Saipan’s many races around the island. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO) The Saipan Paddling Club will host its 3rd Annual 5K Run Glow Edition on Oct. 5 at 6pm starting from the Garapan Fishing Base. The registration fee is $11 which will include glow rings. Event T-shirts will be available for purchase at $10. You can register for the event at this link: https://raceroster.com/events/2022/64763/spc-glow-run-5k. “Continuing Saipan Paddling Club’s Healthy lifestyle program besides outrigger paddling, this 5K run is another way to get our island folks out to exercise while having fun… We wanted to do something not normally done so this is what we came up with—it will be done after the sun sets so the glow materials will really come out,” said Saipan Paddling Club president and head coach Justin Andrew.  “We encourage everyone to come out and just have a wonderful time. It’s not a competition so there is really no pressure for those who take part—we just want to have fun and burn calories and stay healthy,” the veteran paddler added. Andrew said the Saipan Paddling Club thanks everyone who is helping make this a fun event. “Huge shoutout to Edward Dela Cruz Jr. of Run Saipan for his advice and guidance as well as our friends and families who encourage and support our club to keep doing these healthy living activities.” Proceeds from the event will help send the youth and young adult outrigger paddlers to Palau to take part in the Micronesia Cup Outrigger Races to be held next month from Oct. 20 to 23. Andrew said that they “are very excited for this year’s race as it will be its first time back after the pandemic.” The Micronesia Cup Outrigger Race is hosted annually which is rotated among the CNMI, Palau, and Guam. The races were canceled for the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the last time it was held was 2019 in Palau. Last year, due to the pandemic, the 5K was held virtually with about 30 participants.

UPDATE: County Provides Update On Hurricane Ian | News, Sports, Jobs – Sanibel-Captiva Islander https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/update-county-provides-update-on-hurricane-ian-news-sports-jobs-sanibel-captiva-islander/ UPDATE (Sept. 26, 2022): At about 5 p.m. today, Lee County Manager Roger Desjarlais reported that Lee County Government offices and operations will be closed on Sept. 27-28 and the tolls on Lee County bridges have been suspended until further notice. No tolls will be collected on the Cape Coral Bridge, Midpoint Memorial Bridge and Sanibel Causeway as the public prepares ahead of Hurricane Ian. Any announcements regarding evacuations and opening of shelters will be made on Sept. 27. Announcements about county offices reopening will be forthcoming. “Stay in touch, gather information and make the decision that is right for you and your family,” Lee County Board of County Commissioners Vice Chairman Ray Sandelli said. Sandelli and other officials provided updates this afternoon from the Emergency Operations Center. To watch the press conference, visit “http://www.leegov.com/storm”www.leegov.com/storm, scroll down to “social media and news updates” and click on “video.” LeeTran announced today that fares will be suspended on LeeTran fixed-route trips on Sept. 27. Also, bus service will stop early on Sept. 27 at 4 p.m. Services will resume as soon as conditions improve to allow buses to resume routes. Non-essential paratransit trips are also suspended beginning Sept. 27. The public is asked to monitor local media and meteorologists’ reports and to check www.leegov.com for storm preparation information and specific Tropical Storm Ian updates. Follow Lee County Government at www.facebook.com/leecountyflbocc. ….. ORIGINAL (Sept. 26, 2022): At about 10:30 a.m. today, Lee County reported that it is closely monitoring Hurricane Ian. Based on the increased intensity of the storm and its current forecasted track and potential storm surge and rainfall, Lee County has executed a State of Local Emergency. A SOLE helps municipalities and counties prepare for and respond to situations such as hurricanes. It helps with governmental procurement processes, helps the community receive funds for recovery, and enables the ability of government to make decisions in response to the emergency that can be subsequently ratified. Along with other information, the SOLE is at www.leegov.com/storm. County staff are evaluating storm surge models and flood models at this time. As operational decisions are made, they will be shared with local media, social media and online. They continue to coordinate with Emergency Operations Center partners, as well as state partners. This morning, Natural Resources and Department of Transportation staff are throughout the county monitoring and adjusting in anticipation of heavy rainfall later this week. The county will hold a Facebook Live event today at 3 p.m. at https://www.facebook.com/leecountyflbocc. In addition to updates from the Lee County Board of County Commissioners and county staff, there will be updates from the School District of Lee County, Lee County Sheriff’s Office and Lee County Port Authority. County operations and office hours today are normal. The Emergency Operations Center is partially activated. Residents are asked to monitor local media and meteorologists’ reports and to check www.leegov.com for storm preparation information and specific Ian updates. Follow Lee County Government at www.facebook.com/leecountyflbocc.

Purpose-Led Brands Could Diversify The Metaverse – Adweek https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/purpose-led-brands-could-diversify-the-metaverse-adweek/ Social Media Week Europe gives you exclusive access to live discussions with social media and digital marketing experts in London, 7–8 Nov. Save 20% on your pass today (ends 3 Oct.). This year, Roberto Max Salas transported 30,000 guests to Coachella. Salas, co-founder and CEO of creative agency Young Hero, knows the average person can’t afford a ticket, so instead he brought the music and art festival experience to the metaverse. The activation, which was created in partnership with media shop UEG, promoted client Absolut Vodka with a high-tech dance floor, open bar and Pride-themed, genderless clothing. WORK SMARTER – LEARN, GROW AND BE INSPIRED. Subscribe today! To Read the Full Story Become an Adweek+ Subscriber View Subscription Options Already a member? Sign in

The Best Gifts For Wine Lovers That Are More Creative Than A Bottle – Forbes https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/the-best-gifts-for-wine-lovers-that-are-more-creative-than-a-bottle-forbes/ There are people who have a general understanding of how to pair wine with food—and then there are those who have a seemingly encyclopedic knowledge of grape varieties, and who enjoy nothing more than exploring local vineyards and attending tastings. If you have one of the latter in your life, there’s a good chance you know it. And while you can always give an oenophile a beautiful bottle from their favorite region, this holiday season, consider thinking outside of the box with one of these creative gifts. Pottery Barn The best gifts for wine lovers strike the perfect balance between thoughtful and functional, helping to elevate and celebrate their beloved pastime. To help you knock it out of the park, we’ve rounded up a selection of stellar options, from wine subscriptions to stocking stuffer-sized gadgets to wine glasses. Whether the person you’re shopping for is just starting their vino journey or has been waxing poetic about lesser-known varietals and terroir for years, here’s a list of top-tier gifts that are sure to delight the connoisseur on your list. The Best Gifts For Wine Lovers In Your Life Chic Single-Serving Bottles From A New Female-Led Brand Launched earlier this month, Maie is a new female-run, California-made wine company selling some of the prettiest individual-sized bottles around. While you can get nine- or twelve-packs of any of the three single-varietal wines—rosé, sauvignon blanc and pinot noir—the brand’s Discovery Pack is arguably more exciting, as it lets you try one of each. An Insulator For Keeping Wine At The Perfect Temperature Keep wine or bubbly chilled for hours in this insulated canister by VinGlacé. It’s made from double-walled, vacuum-insulated stainless steel and features an adjustable top. All you have to do is unscrew the top, insert a chilled bottle of wine and start sipping. Crystalline, Long-Stemmed Wine Glasses Crate&Barrel Crate & Barrel Camille Long-Stem Wine Glass It’s hard to go wrong with wine glasses, especially these long-stemmed, bubble-bowled beauties, which were popularized on Scandal. But these glasses aren’t regularly on backorder just because they appeared on the hit thriller—they’re excellent glasses in their own right. An Array Of ‘Wild’ Wines For Adventurous Drinkers In Good Taste In Good Taste Uncommon Grapes These outside-the-box wines are sure to impress even the most discerning wine lovers. The set comes with eight small bottles of less-traditional wines, making for the perfect lineup for an at-home tasting. A Cult-Favorite Electric Bottle Opener Amazon Oster Cordless Electric Bottle Opener This bestselling electric wine bottle opener is perfect for parties or everyday home use. It’s cordless and features a simple push-button operation, plus it comes with a foil cutter. The rechargeable model can open up to 30 bottles on a single charge. forbes.comAmazon Promo Codes | 30% Off In September 2022 | Forbes An Adorable On-The-Go Wine Glass Enjoy a perfectly chilled glass of wine anywhere with this adorable to-go tumbler. It’s made from durable glass and wrapped in a layer of silicone for added protection, and it can hold up to 15 ounces. The tumbler is topped with a tightly sealed lid with a sliding tab for drinking and comes in a range of pretty colors, including several fun terrazzo patterns.  Wine-Scented Candles In Repurposed Bottles West Elm Rewined Green Glass Filled Candles A pretty candle is always a great holiday gift, but it’s even better when it’s a handmade candle from Rewined. These pieces are handcrafted in South Carolina and designed to evoke the aroma of your favorite wine with subtle notes of fragrance. The soy candles are also poured in recycled wine bottles, making them both beautiful and eco-friendly. An Insulated Travel Tote To Take On Picnics West Elm Insulated Double Bottle Travel Tote For the person who shows up to every event with a bottle of wine in tow, this insulated travel tote will make their job much easier, keeping wine at the perfect temperature during transit. The stately bag is made from a waxed cotton canvas and has leatherette straps. Plus, it comes in two sizes, allowing you to easily carry two or three bottles at a time.  A Wine Guide Pretty Enough To Be A Coffee Table Book Amazon Wine Folly: The Master Guide If you’re wondering whether this book is any good, Wine Folly won a James Beard award—a huge honor in the culinary world. The hardcover guide is attractive enough to use as decor on a coffee table, but it’s also an amazing educational resource on all things wine, including types of grapes and wines, wine labeling and classification, food pairings and much more. Special Wine Glasses That Enhance Tasting Notes Amazon Riedel Winewings Tasting Wine Glass Set (Set of 4) These wine glasses have an eye-catching shape, but the design isn’t just for aesthetic appeal. The Winewings collection from Riedel features flat-bottomed glasses that increase the surface area of the wine, which speeds up the rate of evaporation and produces a more distinct aroma. This set of four includes special glasses for Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, making it ideal for wine-lovers who frequently host at-home tastings. A High-End Wine Preservation System Bed Bath & Beyond Coravin Model Three Wine Preservation System Wine loses its freshness when exposed to air for too long and for those who typically only drink one glass of wine at a time, a preservation system can make a world of difference. This unique system actually inserts a needle through the cork to pressurize the bottle, allowing you to pour a glass without ever removing the stopper. The cork naturally reseals itself when the clamp is removed, keeping the wine fresh for weeks or months.  A Selection Of Europe’s Finest Cheese And Charcuterie Williams Sonoma Williams Sonoma Gift Crate European Cheese & Charcuterie If the wine connoisseur in your life also loves hosting, you can’t miss with this rich selection of cured meats and creamy European cheeses for a gorgeous charcuterie board. Meats include prosciutto and salame rustico, whereas cheeses include a Swiss favorite and a soft Italian variety; there’s also a classic Italian cake. All that’s missing are crackers for serving and, of course, wine. Pretty Stones To Keep White Wine Cool Nordstrom Anna New York Vida Wine Stones Say goodbye to ice cubes watering down not-quite-chilled wine. These pretty fluorite spheres are designed to be used in glasses of white wine, and they’ll keep your drink cool for hours without diluting it. The stones can be kept in the freezer until you need them, and you can wash and reuse them endlessly.  Felt Wine Markers To Help Keep Track Of Glasses West Elm West Elm Wine O Felt Wine Markers (Set of 12) Wine charms and markers are perfect for anyone who regularly hosts parties, as they allow everyone to keep track of their drink. These understated wine markers are sure to earn compliments, as they’re made from stain-resistant merino wool and come in a variety of vibrant colors. They also feature a scratch-free design so you don’t have to worry about damaging glasses. A Sturdy, Elegant Glass Decanter For Your Favorite Host Pottery Barn Pottery Barn Vino Handblown Glass Wine Decanter This gorgeous decanter is sure to be the star of any bar cart. Featuring a chic asymmetrical spout that allows for smooth pouring, this handblown vessel can easily accommodate a full 750-ml bottle of wine. Paired with a set of nice wine glasses, it would be a wonderful gift for your favorite host.  A Sculptural Set Of Stemless Wine Glasses Amazon Dragon Glassware Wine Glasses (Set Of 4) No matter how big their drinkware collection may be, a cool new addition is always welcome. These stemless wine glasses from Dragon Glassware are pretty enough for serving or display, and their sculptural shape isn’t just striking, it’s also easy to grip. A Wine Fridge Fit For A Sommelier Best Buy Insignia Stainless Steel 14-Bottle Wine Cooler If you really want to impress an amateur sommelier, a countertop wine cooler for their favorite beverage will do the trick. This fridge features stylish and sturdy stainless steel construction, an adjustable temperature control and racks that neatly stack 14 bottles of wine. For recipients who are short on counter space, consider the smaller and narrower eight bottle cooler. A Professional-Grade Champagne Stopper Crate & Barrel Crate & Barrel Champagne Stopper For those who like to indulge in the occasional breakfast mimosa, a champagne stopper is a useful item to have in the kitchen. This chrome-plated stopper clamps tightly onto a bottle of sparkling wine, providing just the right amount of pressure to preserve the beverage’s signature bubbles. And just like that: no more wasted champagne.  Rosé-Flavored Candy For Those With A Sweet Tooth Sugarfina Sugarfina Rosé All Day Bears Does the wine lover on your list also have a sweet tooth? Consider these pretty pink gummy bears, which are imported from Germany and infused with rosé wine from Provence. Simply pair with your favorite movie (and maybe even a glass of actual rosé, if you’re feeling indulgent). Durable, Stackable Glasses Uncommon Goods Stackable Wine Glasses (Set of 6) Sometimes, you don’t want to clutch a delicate stemmed wine glass. You’d rather, in those cases, drink your wine out of something chunkier and less fragile. Enter these dishwasher-safe vessels, made from super durable tempered glass. And because they’re stackable, they’re especially great for those who are short on space. A Bath Caddy To Enjoy A Glass In The Tub Wayfair Rebrilliant Gardner Bamboo Bath Caddy If the wine lover on your list needs a little help relaxing, you can’t go wrong ...

Ethereum (ETH) And USD Coin (USDC) Loses Value Amid Bearish Trajectory – Cryptonews https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/ethereum-eth-and-usd-coin-usdc-loses-value-amid-bearish-trajectory-cryptonews/ Disclaimer: The text below is a press release that is not part of Cryptonews.com editorial content. Ethereum (ETH) had The Merge recently, which went down as a ‘sell-the-news’ even for traders as Ethereum’s price plummeted by over 30%. USD Coin (USDC) market cap incline has stopped and started to decline after Binance converted all USDC into BUSD.  Weeks before the Merge, Ethereum was soaring amid traders’ high anticipation, and USDC market cap was rising – what a difference a few weeks can make.  Amid this murky momentum, traders have shifted their attention to The Hideaways, which analysts confirmed to have a long-term hold and a bear market gem with a potential for 500x.    Ethereum (ETH) Price Predictions Show Choppy Road Ahead The world’s second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, Ethereum (ETH), gave up all of its gains from the previous months after the completion of The Merge event.  It is the transformation of the Ethereum Mainnet blockchain from the proof-of-work (PoW) to the proof-of-stake (PoS) chain.  Traders responded to the upgrade as “buy-the-rumor” and “sell-the-news” In the middle of the market’s excitement, Ethereum’s price has been surging by 35.15% over the past three months. However, following the blockchain’s transformation, Ethereum lost 16.00% of its value and traded below the support zone of $1,440. As of September 21, 5 days after The Merge’s completion, the ETH token tumbled 8.21% to the price of $1,277.62. Looking back, Ethereum is down by 40.30% since the Merge and, much worse, dropped 58.89% since last year. One of the issues has been it’s now more centralized compared to being on PoW, an issue similar to USDC.  USDC Coin (USDC) Has Nowhere To Go & Business Development Team Have Given Up  The second-largest stablecoin and the fourth-biggest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, USD Coin (USDC), lost much of its market cap this week.  Why? Binance exchange swapped all USDC to BUSD. Over the past 24 hours, the digital asset’s volume plunged from its average exchange amount of $126,940,000,000.00 to $7,148,571,345.53. While there was FUD and rumors over USDT (Tether USD), it seems that USDC – who recently handed over the keys to their treasury to traditional finance giants BlackRock – are on the side of the government instead of the people.  So what can USDC holders and ETH holders do in this bear market? Look for bear market gems which have the potential to outperform not only in the bear market but in the next bull market too. Enter, The Hideaways.  The Hideaways (HDWY) Popularity Grows Among Large Ethereum Investors  The lack of direction in the crypto market has turned big investors’ attention to The Hideaways (HDWY). It came at the perfect moment as it’s a real-estate-focused crypto looking to revolutionize the traditional property market.  This new crypto project permits traders to invest in real-life properties, receive rental income, and stake while building gains. It also allows investors to profit from a $226.00 trillion industry for a minimum investment of $100.00. You get real yield streamed to you in ETH, USDT or USDC instead of a hyperinflationary token that trends to 0.  Buying the HDWY token enables traders to purchase fractionalized non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and get the yield talked about.  As HDWY will only be bought from the open market, staked and utilised, rather than given out for free via hyperinflationary tokenomics – we see the price going up to $5 in the long-run. A good 500x increase from here – and that still puts it at a realistic market cap.  As of September 22nd, the project has gained more than 2,000 investors, rushing before a 100.00% price rise to $0.02. Check out more info here: Website: https://www.thehideaways.io  Presale: https://ticket.thehideaways.io/register  Telegram: https://t.me/thehideawayscrypto  Twitter: https://twitter.com/hdwycrypto

Paxton Sends Letter To U.S. Senate Demanding Rejection Of A Bill That Would Undermine States’ Authority And American Energy – Texas Attorney General (.gov) https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/paxton-sends-letter-to-u-s-senate-demanding-rejection-of-a-bill-that-would-undermine-states-authority-and-american-energy-texas-attorney-general-gov/ Attorney General Paxton has joined a Louisiana-led coalition in strongly opposing the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2022 and sending a letter to Senator Chuck Schumer and Senator Mitch McConnell expressing the reasons for such opposition.   The Act would allow the Biden Administration, largely through the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), to run roughshod over states’ rights by advancing a radically impractical energy agenda, all while forcing taxpayers to foot the bill. This would be done in three fundamental and extremely dangerous ways.   First, it would grant unprecedented authority to both private companies and FERC to use eminent domain to take over large swaths of state and private land to promote energy projects hand-chosen by the Biden Administration. Second, it would likely give FERC the ability to command private companies to construct new and extremely expensive transmission facilities wherever and whenever FERC determines, so long as the Biden Administration deems that it’s in the “national interest.” Finally, it would grant FERC the authority to inflict new costs on taxpayers to pay for expensive transmission facilities that advance the Biden Administration’s radical climate agenda, even if the taxpayer is across the country and would have no access to whatever limited energy may be created.   Congress is rushing forward with this bill without giving the American people or their elected officials the proper time needed to fully consider such radical changes. It is clear that a complete rejection of this bill is necessary to promote states’ rights and American energy.  “If enacted, these ill-advised policies will in effect create substantially the same policies as the illegal and long-rejected Clean Power Plan,” the letter reads. “Certain states and companies favored by the current Administration and the current FERC majority will be empowered to distort other states’ resource and energy policy, take state and private land to construct infrastructure in furtherance of these schemes, and force the citizens who did not adopt these policies in their states to foot the bill for it all.”  To read the full letter, click here.

How Modern Display Technology Is Changing K-12 Education Spaces – ESchool News https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/how-modern-display-technology-is-changing-k-12-education-spaces-eschool-news/

Vulnerable Tampa Bay Braces For Storm Not Seen In A Century – The Washington Post https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/vulnerable-tampa-bay-braces-for-storm-not-seen-in-a-century-the-washington-post/ ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — It’s been more than a century since a major storm like Hurricane Ian has struck the Tampa Bay area, which blossomed from a few hundred thousand people in 1921 to more than 3 million today. Many of these people live in low-lying neighborhoods that are highly susceptible to storm surge and flooding they have rarely before experienced, which some experts say could be worsened by the effects of climate change. The problem confronting the region is that storms approaching from the south, as Hurricane Ian is on track to do, bulldoze huge volumes of water up into shallow Tampa Bay and are likely to inundate homes and businesses. The adjacent Gulf of Mexico is also shallow. “Strong persistent winds will push a lot of water into the bay and there’s nowhere for it to go, so it just builds up,” said Brian McNoldy, a senior research associate at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric and Earth Science. “Tampa Bay is very surge-prone because of its orientation.” The National Hurricane Center is predicting storm surge in Tampa Bay and surrounding waters of between 5 and 10 feet (1.5 and 3 meters) above normal tide conditions and rainfall of between 10 and 15 inches (12 and 25 centimeters) because of Hurricane Ian. “That’s a lot of rain. That’s not going to drain out quickly,” said Cathie Perkins, emergency management director in Pinellas County, where St. Petersburg and Clearwater are located. “This is no joke. This is life-threatening storm surge.” Officials in the area began issuing evacuation orders Monday for a wide swath of Tampa, with the St. Petersburg area soon to follow. The evacuations could affect 300,000 people or more in Hillsborough County alone. Gov. Ron DeSantis took note of the region’s vulnerability in a Monday afternoon news conference in Largo, Florida. “Clearly, when you look at the Tampa Bay area, one of the reasons why we fear storms is because of the sensitivity of this area and the fragility of this area,” DeSantis said. The last time Tampa Bay was hit by a major storm was Oct. 25, 1921. The hurricane had no official name but is known locally as the Tarpon Springs storm, for the seaside town famed for its sponge-diving docks and Greek heritage where it came ashore. The storm surge from that hurricane, estimated at Category 3 with winds of up to 129 mph ( 207 km/h) was pegged at 11 feet (3.3 meters). At least eight people died and damage was estimated at $5 million at the time. Now, the tourist-friendly region known for its sugar-sand beaches has grown by leaps and bounds, with homes and businesses along the water the ideal locations — most of the time. Hurricane Ian could threaten all of that development. Just as an example, the city of Tampa had about 51,000 residents in 1920. Today, that number is almost 395,000. Many of the other cities in the region have experienced similar explosive growth. A report from the Boston-based catastrophe modeling firm Karen Clark and Co. concluded in 2015 that Tampa Bay is the most vulnerable place in the U.S. to storm surge flooding from a hurricane and stands to lose $175 billion in damage. A World Bank study a few years before that placed Tampa as the seventh-most vulnerable city to major storms on the entire globe. Yet for years storms seemed to bypass the region somewhat inexplicably. Phil Klotzbach, research scientist in the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University, noted that only one of five hurricanes at Category 3 strength or higher has struck Tampa Bay since 1851. “In general, cyclones moving over the Gulf of Mexico had a tendency of passing well north of Tampa,” the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration said in report on the 1921 storm. Also lurking in the waves and wind are the impacts of climate change and the higher sea levels scientists say it is causing. “Due to global warming, global climate models predict hurricanes will likely cause more intense rainfall and have an increased coastal flood risk due to higher storm surge caused by rising seas,” Angela Colbert, a scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, wrote in a June report. McNoldy, the University of Miami researcher, noted that Hurricane Andrew’s storm surge today would be 7 inches (17 centimeters) higher than it was when that storm pounded South Florida 30 years ago. “As sea level rises, the same storm surge will be able to flood more areas because the baseline upon which it’s happening is higher,” McNoldy said. Amid all the science, a local legend has it that blessings from Native Americans who once called the region home have largely protected it from major storms for centuries. Part of that legend is the many mounds built by the Tocobagan tribe in what is now Pinellas County that some believe are meant as guardians against invaders, including hurricanes. Rui Farias, executive director of the St. Petersburg Museum of History, told the Tampa Bay Times after Hurricane Irma’s near miss in 2017 that many people still believe it. “It’s almost like when a myth becomes history,” Farias said. “As time goes on, it comes true.” It appears Hurricane Ian will give that legend a test in the coming days. ___ Associated Press writer Anthony Izaguirre in Tallahassee contributed to this story.

Avoid These Mistakes When You Cancel Travel Plans – Lifehacker https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/avoid-these-mistakes-when-you-cancel-travel-plans-lifehacker/ Photo: Nomad_Soul (Shutterstock) S ummer has officially drawn to a close (at long last, if you ask me), which means if you are the type of person who favors fall travel over battling crowds in the heat, this is your time. Yet with the uncertainty surrounding a COVID surge in the autumn and winter, travel plans are increasingly never set in stone . A silver lining: The pandemic forced airlines, hotels, and travelers alike to learn the best ways for how—and when—to cancel an upcoming trip. After the past few years of scrapped itineraries, here are our best hacks to minimize losing time, money, and your sanity when you need to change your vacation plans. Don’t assume you have to take a voucher Airline voucher are a good solution if you’re a regular flyer with one particular carrier, but for most of us, a voucher doesn’t pay the bills. If you cancel a refundable trip or the airline cancels your flight on you, don’t accept the voucher right away. It could be worth your time to inquire about a cash refund instead. This likelihood you’ll receive one depends on the circumstances around your reason for cancellation as well as the airline’s policies. Still, double-checking with a customer service representative could reap cash rewards. On that note… Try canceling online before getting on the phone According to USA Today (as well as anyone who has ever tried calling an airline), getting on the phone to talk to a customer service representative is rarely the most efficient option. In most cases, you can cancel online or by email and save yourself a major headache. Plus, the online route sets you up to receive a confirmation number, which you’ll need in order to ensure the cancellation has been processed. If you do need to connect with a real human, here’s our guide to navigating an airline’s phone lines. As a last resort, you can take to social media to publicly complain in the hopes that a representative will finally respond to you. G/O Media may get a commission Wait to cancel a flight until the last minute This is risky, but potentially fruitful. As The Points Guy explains, “[t]he airline is on the hook for a refund only when it cancels your flight or makes a significant change to your schedule or routing. And that’s why it pays to hold on to your reservation until the airline does just that.” Sit tight and check on your flight leading up to departure. If the upcoming flight still shows up in your reservation but it’s not available for sale to new bookings, this is a strong sign that the airline is going to significantly modify or cancel it. If you’re looking for a refund over a voucher, it pays to wait for the airline to make the first move. Cancel lodging right away Unlike the waiting game that can pay off with flights, hotels tend to have stricter cancellation policies. As soon as you know your travel plans have changed, prioritize canceling your lodging. If you’re already within the “no cancellation” window, it’s still a worth a shot to call the hotel directly. It’s far easier to talk to a real person at a hotel desk than it is to reach an airline rep, and that real person might be able to extend you some courtesies that you wouldn’t find via online cancellation. Always save your confirmation numbers One of the most simple, underrated tips of all time: Keep records of everything. From the moment you start booking, screenshot and save every email that contains a confirmation number of some kind. Keeping the numbers all in one place will streamline the cancellation process—plus, future-you might need the records of whatever credit or vouchers you collect along the way. In the future, spring for a travel insurance policy If you’re worried about losing money over canceled travel plans, consider purchasing a travel insurance policy for your future trips. When the fine print of an airline’s policy tries to deny you a refund, your travel insurance will have your back. If you do invest in travel insurance, make sure to secure it before or during booking; you’ll only have a limited time to add insurance once the booking is complete. True, not every traveler will find that insurance policies are worth the cost. It depends on your budget and how high of a value you place on peace of mind. And keep in mind, if you’re on a tighter budget, you’ll find that basic fares come with so many restrictions that there’s no room to modify or cancel your trip with any hope of a refund at all. In general, cheaper travel means less flexible travel. In those instances, dropping the extra cash for insurance might be particularly worth it.

Starbucks Says It Wants Union Bargaining To Begin – 69News WFMZ-TV https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/starbucks-says-it-wants-union-bargaining-to-begin-69news-wfmz-tv/ If you know of local business openings or closings, please notify us here. PREVIOUS OPENINGS AND CLOSINGS – All-you-can-eat Korean barbecue is on its way, with 88 K-Pot opening perhaps in December near the Wine & Spirits store in the Bethlehem Square shopping center.  – Air Products’ joint venture in Saudi Arabia has acquired an industrial-gas business for an undisclosed price. The Abdullah Hashim Industrial Gases & Equipment venture acquired Khafrah Industrial Gases from Paris-based Air Liquide S.A. – Anatolian Kitchen is still closed for renovations, according to a sign at the Taylor Court, Bethlehem, business.  – After 36 years, the owners of Cavaluzzo’s Pasta, Steaks & Subs in Emmaus are retiring, and the restaurant will close. – The high-tech conglomerate formerly known as II-VI (pronounced “two-six”) has taken on the name of a company it acquired, Coherent Corp.  – Palmer Township’s board of supervisors approved a conditional-use application for four industrial buildings know as “First Park 33” on Tatamy Road, between Newlins Mill and Corriere roads. – The Florida-based chain Fyzical Therapy & Balance Centers plans to open three physical-therapy clinics within two years in the Lehigh Valley. – Radish Republic, a specialty grocery store on North Seventh Street in Allentown, is closing after three years. – The Palmer Township Zoning Hearing Board made the decision to keep a cease-and-desist order against The Reserve at Palmer Pointe apartments, which township officials say were built contrary to designs submitted six years ago. – The Allentown-Based payment-processing company Shift4Payments Inc. introduced SkyTab POS, a point-of-sale system for restaurants.  – The Bethlehem Planning Commission approved three separate “mixed-use” buildings for South Bethlehem, on East Fourth Street, South New Street and West Fourth Street. – Transform Rehabilitation’s physical-therapy clinics in Allentown, New Tripoli and Whitehall are now part of Upstream, which owns or manages more than 1,200 locations in the U.S. – The Lehigh Valley’s newest Wawa opened on the east side of Nazareth Pike/Route 191, just south of the Borough of Nazareth.  – DoubleTree Hotel has expanded its catering to private jets that take off from Reading Regional Airport. – The not-for-profit Kutztown Community Partnership has discussed buying the shuttered Strand Theatre to continue its tradition, but KCP would need grants and donations to keep it going. – A man police say was drunk drove into Budd Lake Bagel & Deli II in Hackettstown, New Jersey, on Sunday night, causing the shop to close indefinitely.

‘I’m Gonna Turn Some Heads’: Weight-Lifting Women Talk Gym, Health Culture – The State News https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/im-gonna-turn-some-heads-weight-lifting-women-talk-gym-health-culture-the-state-news/ Efforts to make the gym a safer place for women  Studio art sophomore Amanda Roberts and kinesiology sophomore Charly May said they have seen more women in the gym moving away from cardio and beginning to pick up free weights, but it’s still far and few between. “Say I walk into PowerHouse gym at 5 p.m.,” May said. “I’m the only girl in there and I can literally feel everyone staring at me.” After study upon study, it’s no secret that social media is prone to exacerbating beauty standards and contributing to our feelings of self-consciousness. But with the rise of fitness influencers and content online, some believe the nature of this influence is changing, and not necessarily for the better. “I’ve been in the lifting community for a long time and I feel like the content that (influencers) put out isn’t really anything that benefits people,” May said. “It’s kind of just them glamorizing it and only showing the good parts of it.” Last year, members of the Associated Students of Michigan State University, or ASMSU, drafted a bill that sought to put funds towards a strictly female and non-binary gym space on campus.  At the time, education junior (then sophomore) Ella Woehlke said that while female health was so important, she always felt uncomfortable in a “male-dominated” space such as the gym. Her ideal gym vision included fewer mirrors on the walls and, instead, more encouraging quotes.  The bill was tabled.  Political science-prelaw freshman Alex Seidleck said at the time, that she has had several uncomfortable encounters that discourage her from working out in a gym. If she had a safer space, she would work out more often, she said. Promoting accessibility to physical health is the purpose of gyms, but they fall short when women want to get strong safely.  “I have no issue walking in there and acknowledging that I’m the only girl and that I’m gonna turn some heads,” May said. “But … as a beginner, I think that that can be extremely daunting to a lot of women.” May said a more informative, beginner-friendly environment might excite more women and allow them to feel more comfortable. So many people, she said, walk into the gym and don’t know where to start. Instead of feeling supported to start their journey, they quit before they can even begin. “Don’t get too big.” May is determined to compete in a bodybuilding competition someday.  She lifts weights five days a week and regularly tracks her macronutrients. Above all else, the lifestyle associated with weight lifting is something that makes her feel her best, both mentally and physically.  The beauty standard, she said, is shifting away from the stereotypical quest to be as thin as possible.  But while weightlifting becomes more of a trend, May said, what women actually want to look like becomes a gray area. Just because beauty standards are shifting doesn’t mean that things are perfect — not by a long shot. Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism. May describes herself as having a “bulkier” muscle build, something she faces difficulties for. “I’ve had a lot of girls reach out to me in the past and be like … ‘I don’t really want to look like you,’” May said. “I’ve heard that probably like 50 times in my life. There’s a huge stigma behind the fact that lifting will make you bulky.” Roberts said that more content online nowadays, particularly on TikTok, promotes being muscular. However, there is still a long way to go in the way of equal representation for women who lift. “I feel like for women, there aren’t a lot of super muscular, big influencers out there to show that it’s okay … to have nice, big muscles,” Roberts said. “It’s mostly just being thin and petite and not taking up a whole lot of space.” Despite online fitness content intending to be seen as “motivating”, studies show young people who regularly view health or fitness content online are more likely to have an eating disorder. One study forces readers to consider the format of Instagram — an image-dominant platform where users interact with content largely because of how visually pleasing it is. It is not a text-based platform; there is less emphasis on what the poster says and more on what the image shows us.  Therefore, it’s easy for “wellness” posts, not often based on scientific evidence or the advice of a professional, to win a nod of approval strictly based on what users see – which might be a toned stomach, a vibrant nutrition infographic or copious plates full of nothing but chicken and rice.  Finding Balance Roberts chooses to never look at the number on the scale.  She goes to the gym three to five times a week. She tracks her calories to make sure that she intakes enough protein but does not follow a strict diet. Her overall goal is to “be stronger,” something she said she measures by how she feels rather than her reflection in the mirror.  “#food” is the 25th most popular hashtag on Instagram, and “#fitness” clocks in at 30th. Photos of perceived “healthy” food, however, garner the most popularity when posted with this tag. Studies show that 42% of consumers use social media to gather advice about what they’re eating.  Instagram use is also shown to be associated with a greater tendency to exhibit orthorexic behaviors. The National Eating Disorder Association defines Orthorexia Nervosa as an “obsession with proper or ‘healthful’ eating.” Individuals who engage in orthorexic behaviors may compulsively check nutritional labels, cut out entire food groups in the name of wellness or show distress when their “safe” food options are unavailable. They also might obsessively follow the advice of ‘health’ blogs on social media. The more people post about this kind of lifestyle, May said, the more toxic it becomes. For herself, being healthy is about balance, and this can look very different for people. “There’s not one definition of (being healthy),” May said. “Personally for me, living a healthy lifestyle is me mentally being happy and satisfied with myself and physically feeling good. I don’t necessarily go by the number on the scale or if I’m eating clean however many days in a row … it’s about balance.”

Monday Sports Betting News And Notes: Sep 26, 2022 – Saturday Tradition https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/monday-sports-betting-news-and-notes-sep-26-2022-saturday-tradition/ We’re kicking off week 5 in the Big Ten, and here are your Monday sports betting news and notes. Week 5 Big Ten lines are out All eyes are on the big road matchup for Michigan as they play at Iowa this next weekend. Michigan opened as a 9-point favorite. The biggest spread goes to Rutgers who will travel to Ohio this weekend. Illinois at Wisconsin (-9) Northwestern at Penn State (-22) Michigan State at Maryland (-4) Purdue at Minnesota (-8) Rutgers at Ohio State (-39) Michigan (-9) at Iowa Indiana at Nebraska (-2) Monday Night Football The Cowboys and Giants square off tonight. DraftKings has the Giants listed as a 1-point favorite, while FanDuel is showing a 1.5-point spread. The Giants are one of the few remaining undefeated teams in the NFL. The undefeated season will be on the line against a Cowboys team that has handled the Giants pretty much every year for the last decade. The Cowboys, however, were prone to give up some yards on the ground so far this season, so we’ll see if Saquon Barkley can do his thing. Other sports news Rejoice! The NFL is finally rethinking the Pro Bowl. This game has been unwatchable for years (though still gets tons of eyeballs). The game is being replaced with a week-long skills competition and even a flag football game. Will it be good? Who knows, but it was time for the NFL to try something different. Georgia Tech is cleaning house. Head coach Geoff Collins has been led go after a 1-3 start in his fourth season. Georgia Tech has been terrible, so this doesn’t come as a surprise. Who will replace Collins? Names being floated include Georgia’s OC Todd Monken and App State’s coach Shawn Clark. Sports Betting Legalization All eyes remain on Ohio as sports betting remains on track to launch on Jan 1, 2023. We know when sports betting will be live, but we don’t know when the sportsbook operators will begin offering pre-registration promos to attract Ohio bettors to begin signing up. We’re keeping an eye on it. Maryland remains a state that continues to confound sports betting enthusiasts. Sports betting has been legal in Maryland for some time, but has yet to launch. This past week, the state decided to allow sportsbook approval on a rolling basis, which creates a much more flexible environment for getting sports betting up and running within the state. With recent news, it now appears that there is a chance it could launch in the state in late 2022.

APE IN POKER TAKES STEPS INTO THE METAVERSE – GlobeNewswire https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/ape-in-poker-takes-steps-into-the-metaverse-globenewswire/ Cheyenne, WY, Sept. 26, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The founders behind Ape In Poker have housed an online casino and sportsbook for over five years and are now announcing the grand opening of their Poker Room Cashier, an online platform bridging traditional casino play with cryptocurrency. This is the first step for the company as they migrate into Web3 technology towards the vision of providing players with interactive and immersive experiences.  Ape In Poker is not the first to integrate cryptocurrency into their platform. However, they are the first company to implement a cashout protocol that is near immediate, allowing players to receive their funds easily, quickly and efficiently. In addition, the cashier system will be able to accommodate multiple blockchain cryptocurrencies, first starting out with Solana, with Ethereum and Bitcoin following shortly after.  What’s to come is the ability to share in an immersive experience with other players. A full casino experience will be available; walking into a casino, choosing your table based on what you see, sitting down at a table and placing your bet, talking to other players and even your trip to the cashier to cash out will all be part of the Mixed Reality experience that Ape In Poker is creating.  “This vision has been many, many years in the making,” says David Galan, Web3 Innovator and Strategist, “what is being built here has never been done before. We are building the framework and blueprint for what will become the household norm. It’s incredibly complex work but every step we take closer to that end vision is worth celebrating. This cashier system with Ape In Poker is definitely worth celebrating”. To check out the new player server, visit www.apeinpoker.com where you can also view their current promotions, poker game schedule, and create your player account for free.  Ape In Poker Deposit Match Cashier Now Live Ape In Poker Deposit Match Registered players can use code ‘Grand100’ for up to $1,000 deposit match. Cashier Now Live Ape In Poker launches a cashier system that integrates blockchain technology and transparency.

10 Coolest Justice Leaguers – CBR – Comic Book Resources https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/10-coolest-justice-leaguers-cbr-comic-book-resources/ The Justice League are the Earth’s greatest heroes. The team faces threats no other group could handle, and since its inception, heroes of all stripes and colors have called the team home. The types of League members range in power, genius, and coolness; however, they all add something to the team in their own way. Being cool is about more than saving the day. It’s a combination of factors; for example, having a great costume, an interesting attitude, great powers, and, of course, a good approach to heroism. The Justice League has given its members many opportunities to prove just how cool they are, whether it’s on the battlefield or beyond. 10 Batman Is The Most Goth Member Of The Team Batman has been a thorn in the League’s side almost as much as he’s been helpful. He sasses teammates and makes plans to kill them if they go bad, like in JLA: Tower Of Babel by writer Mark Waid and artist Howard Porter. However, it’s impossible to deny how cool Batman is. From his costume to his never say die attitude to the endless gadgets, Batman brings something to the League that no one else does. Batman is the overly theatrical Goth who’s a part of every friend group. He’s dramatic, dark, and can definitely make everyone miserable at times. However, he always comes through, doing it with a style and panache that’s unparalleled. 9 Superman Doesn’t Get Credit For How Cool He Is Superman is about truth, justice, and a better tomorrow, and he embodies these values without being dark or violent. He’s a hero of the highest order and cares for everyone, making anyone feel like the most important person in the universe. He’ll also help anyone with anything he can, as evidenced by Superman: Up In The Sky by writer Tom King and artist Andy Kubert. In this story, he traveled across the entire universe just to save one little girl. That’s what makes Superman so cool. There’s nothing he won’t do to save a life. No road is too far or a challenge too great. Superman is a classic hero, which can make him seem lame to some. However, there’s nothing wrong with fighting for truth, justice, and a better tomorrow. 8 Booster Gold Is The Class Clown Booster Gold often seems like he’s trying too hard sometimes. He doesn’t always know when to stop joking and uses his humor as a coping mechanism. He can get a bit annoying, but that’s how class clowns are sometimes. Thankfully, when the chips are down, Booster shines like the gold of his namesake. Booster might be comic relief, but he comes through when he needs to, having saved the universe multiple times completely on his own. As he stopped Mr. Mind from devouring the multiverse, he’s earned the right to be a bit flippant. He’s not always easy to be around, but the Justice League wouldn’t have it any other way. 7 Vixen Is A Supermodel And A Superhero Vixen’s first tenure with the League was during the Detroit years. She made a name for herself during this time, escaping the team’s bad reputation to become an important member of the superhero community. Working as a supermodel and using her fame to help the people of the African continent, she proved herself the rock star of the Justice League. She rejoined the team several times over the years and helped battle the fiercest enemies, including Solomon Grundy and the Legion of Doom. Vixen brought style to the team no one else had and proved how being a superhero was more than just fighting the big battles. She helps people in every way she can, and that’s the height of cool. 6 Black Canary’s Toughness Made Her Standout Among the best fighters on the planet, Black Canary holds a special place in the hearts of fans. She’s as tough as nails, and every villain who’s faced her, no matter how powerful, has learned not to underestimate her. Her canary cry is formidable, but most of the time she doesn’t need it. She’s a martial artist like no other, and that skill is what’s made her important to the Justice League. In her years with the team, she’s been on the front lines of every battle. She was finally given leadership of the team in Justice League of America (Vol. 2) #7by writer Brad Meltzer and artist Ed Benes, her hard work finally paying off. 5 John Stewart Stepped Into Big Shoes And Excelled John Stewart’s skill and courage made him a Green Lantern like few others. Taking over from Hal Jordan, he had a lot to live up to. Stepping into the League and replacing a founder wasn’t an easy road. He made his mistakes, like the destruction of Xanshi in Cosmic Odyssey, written by Jim Starlin and artist Mike Mignola. In fact, the end of the Green Lantern Corps saw him adrift for years, but its return showed him as the hero everyone knew he could be. Rejoining the League during the battles against Perpetua and the Legion of Doom, John Stewart proved why he was the perfect Green Lantern for the team. 4 Zatanna’s Attitude And Showmanship Makes Her As Cool As A Cucumber The Justice League is full of courageous heroes. However, Zatanna takes it to the next level. A perfect example of this was her most recent stint in the Justice League Dark. She was Wonder Woman’s second in command, helping her navigate the magic world, and she was integral in the defeat of the Upside-Down Man by absorbing his evil into herself. That’s why Zatanna is so cool. She’ll do whatever it takes to save the day, even if that means endangering herself. She also has an impeccable fashion sense and a theatricality born from being a stage magician. She’s taken over as the leader of the Justice League Dark, hitting the next level as a hero. 3 Green Arrow Does A Lot With A Little Green Arrow has a lot going for him as a superhero, but he’s always seemed like he shouldn’t fit in with the League. Green Arrow isn’t the most level-headed hero, but he’s always been incredibly tough. Somehow, Green Arrow has managed to hang with the greatest heroes on Earth using only a bow and arrow. Green Arrow’s courage and tenacity are what make him such a great Leaguer. He stays in every fight through sheer will and doesn’t back down. In Justice League (Vol. 4) #75by writer Josh Williamson and artist Rafa Sandoval, he forcibly inserted himself into the battle with Pariah’s dark army, ready to pay the ultimate price. That says everything about Green Arrow’s prominence in the League. 2 Kyle Rayner Joined The Team As The Cool Young Guy Kyle Rayner’s adventures took him all over the universe, which led to him joining the Justice League. He was the new kid on the block, trying to make his way with the greatest heroes in the universe. He was the anime kid who used his ring to create constructs unlike anything the team had seen before. Rayner could have easily been the blustery young hero, but he was able to back it up with talent. He hit his stride in JLA: Rock Of Ages by writer Grant Morrison and artist Howard Porter. Thrown into a terrible alternate future where he’d been transformed into a Parademon, he persevered and showed why he deserved to be in the League, all without his ring. 1 Wally West Grew Into An Amazing Hero Wally West is widely considered the best Flash. The former Kid Flash came into his own when he became a member of the Justice League during the conflict with the Hyperclan in JLA: New World Order by writer Grant Morrison and artist Howard Porter. As a result, he proved he was ready to shine on the biggest stage of them all. West managed to act as comic relief and also a formidable hero. He played both sides of the fence, which isn’t something easy to pull off. Even with a wife and kids, he’s still an amazing hero who proves having a family doesn’t hinder heroics. NEXT: The 30 Strongest DC Superheroes, Officially Ranked

Best Crypto To Buy Now As LUNC Price Rally Leaves Dip Buyers Behind – Cryptonews https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/best-crypto-to-buy-now-as-lunc-price-rally-leaves-dip-buyers-behind-cryptonews/ Disclaimer: The Industry Talk section features insights by crypto industry players and is not a part of the editorial content of Cryptonews.com. With the Terra Classic price up 80% from the lows today, many LUNC dip buyers missed the boat – what’s the best crypto to buy right now instead? Best Crypto to Buy Now One of the latest market insights posted to leading crypto news publication Cointelegraph reviews ‘innovative‘ new cryptocurrency project Tamadoge. OKX exchange is set to list the play to earn crypto game’s native token TAMA tomorrow in a listing that ‘could spark huge growth‘. The listing will take place first on OKX’s centralized exchange at 11:00 UTC. According to CoinMarketCap, OKX is one of the 20 largest crypto exchanges in the world, regularly handling over $1.6 billion in daily trading volume. The exchange also boasts over 20 million registered users, ensuring Tamadoge will have a massive audience of potential investors. Many market commentators believe this could be the catalyst that Tamadoge needs to produce market-beating returns, with some regarding Tamadoge as one of the best cryptocurrencies to invest in. As Cointelegraph notes, OKX also has an attached decentralized exchange (DEX) which is accessible for traders in all countries, and will also list Tamadoge the same day. The official Tamadoge Twitter, with 70,000 followers, posted a tutorial guide on how to use the OKX wallet and Web3 DEX. YouTuber Jacob Bury, whose channel reviews the best cryptos to buy daily, has also posted a beginners’ guide to OKX. The Tamadoge Telegram chat has now passed 56,000 members.  Over 25,000 investors took part in the Tamadoge token presale which lasted just 55 days before selling out despite the Bitcoin price crashing during its final phases. The incredible success of Tamadoge’s presale has provided a solid foundation for future growth. The presale raised a total of 19 million Tether (USDT) for the project, which is even more impressive considering the ongoing “crypto winter” and poor macroeconomic conditions. Lead game developer Thomas Seabrook has extensive experience in game design, having previously worked for leading entities, such as Voodoo, StarDigital, SketchJam and WMS. For those that missed the explosive Terra Classic LUNC price pump earlier today, the Tamadoge (TAMA) initial exchange offering could be one of the best cryptos to watch this week. Other than Terra Classic price volatility following new LUNC burn news from CZ Binance, crypto prices have been flat – but ‘all eyes will be on TAMA’s price in the coming weeks‘. Cointelegraph cites publications outside the crypto news industry such as Yahoo Finance and Business2Community which also speculate Tamadoge could be one of the best cryptos to invest in long term. CT notes that following Tamadoge’s IEO tomorrow, ‘2023 is likely to be a breakthrough year for the project‘ and it may be the next cryptocurrency to explode ‘in the coming weeks as demand continues to rise‘. Read the full review of what could potentially be the best crypto to buy now on Cointelegraph. OKX Exchange Sign Up OKX DEX Platform Tamadoge Website

Putin Grants Citizenship To Edward Snowden, Who Disclosed U.S. Surveillance – The Washington Post https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/putin-grants-citizenship-to-edward-snowden-who-disclosed-u-s-surveillance-the-washington-post/ Russian President Vladimir Putin granted citizenship on Monday to Edward Snowden, the former security consultant who leaked information about top-secret U.S. surveillance programs and is still wanted by Washington on espionage charges. Snowden, 39, was one of 72 foreigners granted citizenship in a decree signed by Putin. Snowden, who considers himself a whistleblower, fled the United States to avoid prosecution and has been living in Russia, which granted him asylum in 2013. Snowden was granted permanent residency in 2020, and his lawyers said at the time that he was applying to obtain a Russian passport without renouncing his U.S. citizenship. Snowden’s lawyer, Anatoly Kucherena, told the state-run news agency RIA Novosti on Monday that Snowden’s wife, Lindsay Mills, is also now applying for Russian citizenship. Mills joined Snowden in Moscow in 2014. They were married in 2017 and have a son together. Kucherena also said that Snowden would not be subject to the partial military mobilization that Putin decreed last week to help Russia’s flagging war in Ukraine as Snowden never served in the Russian army. Putin said only those with previous experience would be called up in the partial mobilization though there have been widespread reports of summonses going to others, including men arrested at protests against mobilization. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declined to comment on Snowden’s new passport, and instead referred questions to the prosecutors seeking his extradition. “So, since I believe there have been criminal charges brought against him, we would point you to the Department of Justice for any specifics on this,” Jean-Pierre said. Snowden’s revelations, published first in The Washington Post and the Guardian, were arguably the biggest security breach in U.S. history. The information he disclosed revealed top-secret NSA surveillance as part of a program known as PRISM and the extraction of a wide range of digital information. In 2017, Putin said in a documentary film made by U.S. director Oliver Stone that he did not consider Snowden “a traitor” for leaking government secrets. “As an ex-KGB agent, you must have hated what Snowden did with every fiber of your being,” Stone says in the clip. “Snowden is not a traitor,” Putin replied. “He did not betray the interests of his country. Nor did he transfer any information to any other country which would have been pernicious to his own country or to his own people. The only thing Snowden does, he does publicly.” In 2020, Snowden explained his decision to seek dual citizenship. “After years of separation from our parents, my wife and I have no desire to be separated from our son. That’s why, in this era of pandemics and closed borders, we’re applying for dual US-Russian citizenship,” Snowden wrote on Twitter at the time. “Lindsay and I will remain Americans, raising our son with all the values of the America we love — including the freedom to speak his mind. And I look forward to the day I can return to the States, so the whole family can be reunited,” Snowden added. War in Ukraine: What you need to know The latest: Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “partial mobilization” of troops in an address to the nation on Sept. 21, framing the move as an attempt to defend Russian sovereignty against a West that seeks to use Ukraine as a tool to “divide and destroy Russia.” Follow our live updates here. The fight: A successful Ukrainian counteroffensive has forced a major Russian retreat in the northeastern Kharkiv region in recent days, as troops fled cities and villages they had occupied since the early days of the war and abandoned large amounts of military equipment. Annexation referendums: Staged referendums, which would be illegal under international law, are set to take place from Sept. 23 to 27 in the breakaway Luhansk and Donetsk regions of eastern Ukraine, according to Russian news agencies. Another staged referendum will be held by the Moscow-appointed administration in Kherson starting Friday. Photos: Washington Post photographers have been on the ground from the beginning of the war — here’s some of their most powerful work. How you can help: Here are ways those in the U.S. can help support the Ukrainian people as well as what people around the world have been donating. Read our full coverage of the Russia-Ukraine crisis. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for updates and exclusive video.

HII Names Todd Borkey As Chief Technology Officer – GlobeNewswire https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/hii-names-todd-borkey-as-chief-technology-officer-globenewswire/ NEWPORT NEWS, Va., Sept. 26, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Global defense and technologies partner HII (NYSE: HII) announced today that Todd Borkey has been promoted to executive vice president and chief technology officer, effective immediately and reporting directly to HII President and CEO Chris Kastner. The move comes during a time of technological advancement for HII and expands the scope of responsibilities for Borkey, who has served as chief technology officer of HII’s Mission Technologies division since 2021. In his new role, Borkey will oversee the company’s technology strategy, including research and development, to enhance HII’s existing products and services and to develop new capabilities to drive market growth. “Todd has demonstrated true leadership in developing synergies between HII’s technologies and platforms, enhancing speed-to-mission for our customers and supporting our growth,” Kastner said. “This new role expands HII’s opportunities for impact on behalf of our customers, employees and shareholders alike.” A photo accompanying this release is available at: https://hii.com/news/hii-names-todd-borkey-chief-technology-officer. “HII is a leader at transitioning new technology into the Defense Department mission,” Borkey said. “In addition to being the nation’s trusted producer of complex warships, we manage over $1 billion of research, development, test and evaluation work annually. We are ready to support the coming decade with market leading positions in live, virtual, constructive simulation and training; artificial intelligence and machine learning; big data, C5ISR; cyber and electronic warfare; autonomy; and nuclear services. These technologies will change the speed of warfare and we are working hard to insure that our military holds the advantage with them.” Prior to joining HII, Borkey served as chief technology officer at Alion Science and Technology, Thales Defense and Security, and DRS Defense Solutions where he was responsible for the technical roadmap and program operations to a wide range of products, including RF communications, C5ISR solutions, remote sensors, radars, sonars, and cyber/electronic warfare products. Earlier in his career, Borkey performed a range of engineering and management assignments within Northrop Grumman and AT&T Bell Labs. He has a master’s degree in engineering management from Stevens Institute of Technology and an undergraduate degree in applied mathematics. About HII HII is an all-domain defense and technologies partner, recognized worldwide as America’s largest shipbuilder. With a 135-year history of trusted partnerships in advancing U.S. national security, HII delivers critical capabilities ranging from the most powerful and survivable naval ships ever built, to unmanned systems, ISR and AI/ML analytics. HII leads the industry in mission-driven solutions that support and enable an all-domain force. Headquartered in Virginia, HII’s skilled workforce is 44,000 strong. For more information, visit: HII on the web: https://www.HII.com/ HII on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeamHII HII on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/WeAreHII HII on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/WeAreHII Contact:   Danny Hernandez Danny.J.Hernandez@hii-co.com    (202) 580-9086 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/22041382-05d8-4427-8e0f-2824138152be

Ride For Gary Layton Set Wednesday – Alton Telegraph https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/ride-for-gary-layton-set-wednesday-alton-telegraph/ Sep. 26, 2022 The 3rd Annual Ride for Gary Layton will begin at the 3rd Chute Bar and Grill, 2204 Fosterburg Road, Alton at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28. File photo ALTON – The 3rd Annual Ride for Gary Layton will begin at the 3rd Chute Bar and Grill, 2204 Fosterburg Road, Alton at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28. Gary Ralph Layton, Jr., 39, of Bethalto, passed away after a fatal motorcycle crash. He spent his free time riding motorcycles, bow hunting, playing pool, drag racing, running his company, and spending time with his friends and family.  Riders will take off at 7 p.m. Here’s what else is happening: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 • Eyes on the River Community Yarn Bomb: 6:30 p.m., Jacoby Arts Center, 627 E. Broadway, Alton. • Heartland Prairie Hikes: 6 p.m., Gordon F. Moore Community Park, 4550 College Ave., Alton. • Sean Trost and Co.: 6-10 p.m., Fast Eddie’s Bon Air, 1530 E. 4th St., Alton. • St. Ambrose’s Sock It to Cancer Drive: 8 a.m., St. Ambrose Catholic School, 822 W. Homer M Adams Parkway, Godfrey. • Tiny Trekkers: 9-11 a.m., The Nature Institute, 2213 S. Levis Lane, Godfrey. • Lanny and Julie: 6-9 p.m., Big Daddy’s Edwardsville, 132 N. Main St., Edwardsville. • Airplane Park Skate Session: 5:30-8 p.m., Edwardsville Township Community Park, 6368 Center Grove Road, Edwardsville. • Gatorhead: 5-9 p.m., Grafton Pub, 225 W. Main St., Grafton. • East Alton Farmer’s Market: 3-7 p.m., EastGate Plaza parking lot, 625 EastGate Shopping Center, East Alton. Every Tuesday until Oct. 25. • Jersey County Farmers’ and Artisans’ Market: 4-7 p.m., Outrageous Outdoors, 902 S. State St., Jerseyville. Every Tuesday until Sept. 27. • Anthony Nanney and Co.: 6-10 p.m., Fast Eddie’s Bon Air, 1530 E. 4th St., Alton. • Chicago Stepping Classes: 6-7:30 p.m., Tango Event Center, 212 E. Elm St., Alton. • Xtreme Bar Bingo: 7-9 p.m., Alton Sports Tap, 3812 College Ave., Alton. • Yoga at the Wildey: 7-8 p.m., The Wildey Theatre, 252 N. Main St., Edwardsville. • Camelot Cribbage Club: 6 p.m., Camelot Bowl, 801 Beltline Road, Collinsville. Occurs every Tuesday. For more information, call Phill at 618-288-7910. • For information about Al-Anon Meetings, call 618-463-2429. To find more helpful meeting, visit SIAFG.org and District-18.org. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 • Alton City Council meeting: 6:30 p.m., Alton City Hall, 101 E. 3rd St., Alton. • 3rd annual ride for Gary Layton: 6 p.m., 3rd Chute Bar and Grill, 2204 Fosterburg Road, Alton. • Star Wars Trivia: 6-9 p.m., The Old Bakery Beer Company, 400 Landmarks Blvd., Alton. • Jay and Waylon: 6-10 p.m., Fast Eddie’s Bon Air, 1530 E. 4th St., Alton. • Xtreme Bar Bingo at Alton VFW: 7-9 p.m., Alton VFW Post 1308, 4445 Alby St., Alton. • Lewis and Clark Fall Fest: 11 a.m.-2 p.m.,  Lewis and Clark Community College, outside of Hatheway, 5800 Godfrey Road, Godfrey. • St. Ambrose’s Sock It to Cancer Drive: 8 a.m., St. Ambrose Catholic School, 822 W. Homer M Adams Parkway, Godfrey. • Video Game Wednesdays: 6-11 p.m., Clifton Terrace Inn, 4922 Clifton Terrace Road, Godfrey. • Steve and Jackie of Outlaw Opry: 6-9 p.m., Bakers and Hale, 7120 Montclair Ave., Godfrey. • Danny Kalaher: 6-9 p.m., Moussalli’s Prime, 7415 Illinois Route 143, Edwardsville. • SIUE Arts and Issues — Legacy of Rudolf Dreikurs, MD: 6:30 p.m., Meridian Ballroom, 60 Hairpin Drive, Edwardsville. • Xtreme Bar Bingo at Wigglers: 7-9 p.m., Wiggler’s Bar and Grill, 7243 Saint James Drive, Edwardsville. • Southside Bloozy Boys: 6:30-8:30 p.m., Civic Park, 1301 Niedringhaus Ave., Granite City. • Celebrate Recovery Alton: 6:30-9 p.m., Calvary Baptist Church, 1422 Washington Ave., Alton. • Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS): 9 a.m. weigh-in; 9:45 a.m., meeting immediately follows the weigh in until 10:30 a.m., First Christian Church, 160 E. Lorena Ave., Wood River. For more information call 618-259-7343. • Al-Anon Meeting: 9:15 a.m., First Baptist Church Room 107 (ring buzzer), 201 S. Moreland Road, Bethalto. • Al-Anon Meeting: 7 p.m., Upper Alton Baptist Church and Preschool, 2726 College Ave., Alton. For more information, call 618-463-2429. To find more helpful meeting, visit SIAFG.org and District-18.org. dylan.suttles@thetelegraph.com