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Archery, Squirrel And MLD Seasons Just The Corner – Lufkin Daily News https://collincountynewsonline.com/archery-squirrel-and-mld-seasons-just-the-corner-lufkin-daily-news/ Daily Headlines Start your morning with the top headlines each day. Sign up today! Breaking News Get the latest breaking news from The Lufkin News newsroom. Sign up today!  Sports Update Get the latest local, college and national sports headlines delivered to your inbox every morning. Police Reports Get the latest local and national police reports every day in your inbox. Weather Receive the daily weather forecast and the weekly outlook in your inbox each morning. Obituaries Receive the most recent obituaries every afternoon. Charm East Texas Magazine Receive monthly updates on the latest issues of Charm East Texas magazine. Promotions & Special Offers Sign up to receive emails about our exciting Deals, Contests, & Special Offers!

Rethinking Tourism In Hawaii: How You Can Be A Respectful Visitor – USA TODAY https://collincountynewsonline.com/rethinking-tourism-in-hawaii-how-you-can-be-a-respectful-visitor-usa-today/ High levels of tourism haven’t gone without a negative impact on the islands of Hawaii. A 2022 Booking.com survey found that 66% of respondents said they wanted to experience the local culture of the places they visit. Visitors should take the time to research the destination beforehand to plan for more authentic experiences. With year-round warm weather, stunning natural beauty, and a rich culture, Hawaii has earned its spot on the top of many people’s bucket lists. Each day, thousands of people arrive, excited to experience the island chain.  Unfortunately, the high levels of tourism haven’t gone without a negative impact on the islands. From overcrowded trails to traffic congestion, the islands are now seeking a new type of visitor, who wants to create a deeper connection with Hawaii. “It is important to Hawaii to uphold the values of our native culture and we have been excellent in portraying the spirit of aloha in Hawaii and across the world, but we also need to ensure that our visitors are also on the same page,” Malia Sanders, executive director at the Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association, told USA TODAY. A new kind of visitor “The visitor of today wants to learn, they want to engage, they want to play an active role in protecting the environment and preserving the natural wonders and beauty of Hawaii so that they can continue to enjoy it again and again,” Sanders said.  In a 2022 Booking.com survey, 66% of the 30,000 respondents said they wanted to experience the local culture of the places they visit, and more than half of the respondents said they wanted to leave the place better than when they arrived. “If you plan your itinerary full of things that are educational, cultural, leave a positive impact and make you a better visitor, you are bound to have a truly authentic experience when visiting Hawaii,” she said. Here are a few ways you can learn more about the islands’ history and culture on a trip to Hawaii – without breaking the bank. 1. Volunteer (and it could get you a cheaper hotel bill) Give back to the islands with your time, and in turn, you’ll meet dedicated locals and make a positive impact on the community. Many local nonprofits welcome visitors to volunteer, and you can find opportunities at travel2change.org. Your volunteer work may even result in a cheaper hotel bill. The Hawaiian Tourism Authority recently launched the Malama Hawaii Program, offering visitors special discounts at certain hotels when they participate in a dedicated volunteer activity, such as beach cleanups or reforestation. 2. Don’t act like a tourist Failing to take the time to research your destination beforehand can actually hinder your trip, Sanders said: “At most, you will only discover what you accidentally stumble on to, you may encounter misinformation that isn’t authentic, and you may not have an enjoyable experience if it ends up taking you into places where you may not be safe or do not belong. “As visitors, we have a responsibility to be as best prepared as possible, whether here in Hawaii or any other destination around the world. Preparing ourselves for a deeply rich cultural place requires us to do some homework as a visitor. We want to be responsible about how we act as guests.”  By this she means learning the customs and traditions of the place you’re visiting – like how a kiss on the cheek is a common greeting in the islands – and what activities may be harmful – such as swimming too close to wildlife, or taking rocks or sand home from the beach. Take the time to learn about where you’re staying, since different parts of the islands have cultural significance. For example, Oahu’s Waikiki, the heart of tourism in Hawaii, was once a historic battle site and where Hawaiian royalty like Princess Kaiulani owned estates. 3. Skip the chains, shop local “Where you spend your dollar in Hawaii truly matters,” Sanders said. “In the regenerative tourism model, the circular economy is a key component to its success. Buying and shopping local reduces capital flight and keeps that dollar continuously circulating into the local economy. “Read the labels of the things you buy while on vacation. If it is made in Hawaii, it will usually say so or have a Hawaii address on the label.”  Seek out mom-and-pop shops or Native Hawaiian-owned businesses, which you can find online at Kuhikuhi. Purchasing a gift from somewhere like the family-owned Hot Island Glass gallery on Maui rather than a big-name store will not only directly reinvest in this local family, but also give you something handcrafted and more connected to the islands.  4. Can you really know a place if you don’t eat local? From paniolos to plantations, for many years, the agricultural sector has been a critical part of feeding Hawaii and expanding Hawaii’s staple exports, like sugar and pineapple. Choose to support and get to know the farmers and eateries that use ingredients from the islands. Plus, you’ll also be tasting some of the freshest food available and flavors from the cultures that make up modern-day Hawaii, making the decision a win-win.  More tourists seem to agree. A new study by researchers at the University of Hawaii at Manoa found that 78% of tourists from the continental U.S. are willing to pay a premium for locally grown food.  There are lots of places to eat in Hawaii that won’t drain your wallet, such as the many Asian food stalls in Maunakea Marketplace in Honolulu’s Chinatown or a plate lunch at the family-owned Sueoka Market on Kauai.  Also consider going straight to the source and booking a farm tour, which you can find on every island, like Kona Coffee Living History Farm on Hawaii Island and O’o Farm in Upcountry, Maui. These farm tours are often inexpensive and introduce you to the passionate folks of Hawaii’s agricultural sector. You can also stop by a farmers market to check out what tropical produce is grown in Hawaii. 5. It doesn’t get more authentic than community events Throughout the year, Hawaii hosts many festivals and events that celebrate the cultures and traditions rooted in the islands. In November, there is the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival, honoring the farmers, growers and roasters of the longstanding coffee community, on the Big Island. In September, there is the Okinawan Festival on Oahu, celebrating all things Okinawan (which also has a large population in Hawaii.) There are also smaller, more frequent events that support local businesses and the arts and culture scene, like the weekly Hanapepe Art Night on Kauai and monthly First Fridays in Honolulu. Entry to these events are often free.  6. Get deeper Although you probably want to spend most of your time in Hawaii outside at the beach, it’s important as a visitor to get a deeper understanding of Hawaii’s past and present, from its Polynesian roots, to the tragic overthrow and statehood.  Make time to visit one of the islands’ many cultural institutions, like Honolulu’s ‘Iolani Palace to Hawaii Island’s Hulihe’e Palace. If you’re traveling on a budget, some museums like Bishop Museum, the largest collection of Hawaiian and Pacific cultural artifacts and natural specimens in the world, host After Hours events with cheaper admission.  If you prefer to stay outdoors, National Parks Service also has a list of National Historic Landmarks to visit in the state, many of which are considered sacred to Hawaiians.  7. (Hawaii) is not a place. It’s a people.  These days, many hotels in Hawaii have decided to employ cultural advisers, or people who are deeply rooted in Hawaiian culture and its values and practices. After many years of the media misrepresenting Hawaiians and their culture for entertainment and tourism, these people work hard to ensure the hotel shares Hawaiian culture in appropriate ways and set up workshops and other activities to educate guests. Often, these workshops are free to hotel guests, and you’ll meet and work with respected practitioners of their craft. These advisers and other locals you meet on your trip can be a good source to help you weed out inauthentic activities, Sanders said. “Hawaii is the destination, but perhaps more importantly, our visitors are coming to experience the richness of the Hawaiian culture and our people,” she said. “That feeling of deep spiritual and cultural connection, overflowing aloha and kindness, the sense of family and belonging … this is what they are missing in their own lives, and I am convinced this is why they come.”

VIETNAM BUSINESS NEWS SEPTEMBER 17 – VietNamNet https://collincountynewsonline.com/vietnam-business-news-september-17-vietnamnet/ Vietnam’s coffee has been shipped to more than 80 countries and territories, making the country the second biggest exporter in the world, with a market share of 14.2%. Vietnam exported 112,531 tonnes of coffee worth 266 million USD in August, down 4% in volume but up 13% in value, reported the General Department of Vietnam Customs. On an eight-month calculation, Vietnam brought home 2.8 billion USD from exporting 1.2 million tonnes of coffee, up 40% in value and 11% in volume year-on-year, respectively. Coffee is one of the six key currency earners with an annual revenue of over 3 billion USD. Its major markets are Europe, the US, Russia, Japan and the UK. In Europe, Vietnam is the second biggest coffee supplier with a market share of 16.1%, behind Brazil with 22.2%. At present, Vietnam is home to 97 coffee bean processing plants with an annual capacity of 1.5 million tonnes, 160 coffee roasting, 8 instant coffee and 11 coffee blending facilities. VIETRADE, Chinese city ink MoU to foster economic partnership The Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (VIETRADE) and the Commerce Commission of China’s Chongqing city signed a memorandum of understanding on enhancing economic, trade and investment cooperation at a teleconference on September 16. Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Do Thang Hai noted that with many advantages for economic, trade, and investment ties, China has continually been the largest and most important trading partner of Vietnam. Despite impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, bilateral trade still topped 100 billion USD in 2020 and 2021. It surpassed 117 billion USD in the first eight months of 2022, up 10.8% year on year, according to the General Department of Vietnam Customs. Realising the potential and important role of the market in China’s western region, including Chongqing – one of the four provincial-level municipalities in the country, with the Chinese Government’s support, the Ministry of Industry and Trade decided to choose this city to set up Vietnam’s first trade promotion office in China in 2014. Hai cited data from China Customs as showing that trade between Vietnam and Chongqing exceeded 4.5 billion USD in 2019, more than doubling the 2 billion USD in 2018. It continued growing to over 7.3 billion USD in 2020 and 7.93 billion USD in 2021. Vietnam is also an attractive destination for many Chongqing investors who have invested in over 20 projects in the Southeast Asian nation. Those outcomes have substantially contributed to economic, trade, and investment links between Vietnam and China, the Deputy Minister said. On this occasion, apart from the MoU between VIETTRADE and the Commerce Commission of Chongqing, two cooperation agreements were also signed between associations and businesses of Vietnam and the Chinese city. AEM-54: CLMV Action Plan in 2023-2024 approved The CLMV Action Plan for the 2023-2024 period was approved at the 14th Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam Economic Ministers’ Meeting (CLMV-EMM 14), which took place on September 16 in the framework of the 54th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting (AEM-54) in Cambodia’s Siem Reap province under the chair of Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien.  Delegates focused on discussing the economic, trade and investment situation in the four countries; the progress of implementing the CLMV Action Plan for the 2021-2022 period. Senior economic officials from the four countries (SEOM CLMV) were assigned to actively coordinate and collect proposals related cooperation projects from relevant ministries, sectors and agencies, and send them to the ASEAN Secretariat for inclusion in the action plan. In his remarks, Minister Dien, who is also head of the Vietnamese delegation to AEM-54, applauded the addition of digital economy as a cooperation field to the action plan, saying that this is a new development trend of the region and the world that attracts the interest of many countries. The digital economy will help businesses in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam – especially small and medium-sized enterprises, shift to new business models, reduce costs, improve business efficiency, and increase access to customers and markets, he said.  The Vietnamese delegation also announced that Vietnam will continue to support booths of Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar at a number of major international fairs and exhibitions organized by Vietnam; and maintain its scholarship programmes for students from these countries. Vietnam hopes to foster computer, electronic, component exports to the UK Vietnam hopes to boost its exports of computers, electronic products and components to the UK in the near future after it has gained success in shipping this group of goods to many other overseas markets. In 2021, exports of computers, electronic products and components earned Vietnam 50.8  billion USD, making it the second biggest export group, according to the General Department of Customs. Export turnover of this group of goods last year grew 14.1% year-on-year, equivalent to an increase of 6.3 billion USD, accounting for over 15% of the nation’s total export turnover. The US market was the biggest for this group of goods from Vietnam, accounting for 25% of exports. Exports to mainland China reached nearly 11.1 billion USD, although only increased by less than 1% and accounted for 21.83% of the total export turnover of the whole industry. The third largest market was Hong Kong, which grew by 50%, bringing turnover to 6.3 billion USD. The EU came fourth with 5.9 billion USD, up 2.6%, and the Republic of Korea ranked fifth, reaching 3.5 billion USD, up nearly 22%. Four other markets with export turnover from 1 billion USD to 2 billion USD were the Netherlands with 1.8 billion USD, up 5.2%; Mexico (1.4 billion USD, up 17.4%); Poland (1.1 billion USD, up 14.9%) and Slovakia (1.0 billion USD, up 27.7%). In addition, there were a series of markets with import turnover of nearly 1 billion USD, including Japan (996 billion USD), Taiwan (938 million USD), Singapore (924 million USD), and India (828 million USD). Deputy PM attends opening of 19th CAEXPO, CABIS Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh delivered a pre-recorded speech at the opening of the 19th ASEAN-China Expo (CAEXPO) and the 19th China-ASEAN Business Investment Summit (CABIS) in Nanning, the capital city of China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, on September 16. Hailing the important achievements that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China have gained over the years, especially the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership for peace, security, prosperity and sustainable development. ASEAN and China have continued to be each other’s largest trade partner with two-way trade reaching over 669 billion USD in 2021. China is the biggest investor in many ASEAN countries. Meanwhile, bilateral cooperation in disease control, poverty reduction, culture, people-to-people exchanges have also been strengthened, benefiting people of both sides, according to the Deputy PM. He stressed the need to make full use of opportunities from the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA), thus bolstering bilateral trade in a balanced and sustainable manner. The Deputy PM suggested the Chinese Government create favourable conditions for the increased import of goods and high-quality farm produce from Vietnam as well as other ASEAN countries via Vietnam. CAEXPO is one of the 10 leading trade fairs of China, which has been held annually since 2004. This year, Vietnam continues to participate in the event at the largest scale with an display area of over 2,000sq.m, along with the online exhibition by 80 enterprises to introduce Vietnamese strong products such as agricultural and aquatic products, processed food, wooden furniture and handicrafts, consumer goods, as well as investment, tourism and trade services. Vietjet launches promotion campaign targeting Indian couples Budget carrier Vietjet Air on September 15 launched the “Love Connection” Campaign – the first ever for India that offers Indian couples with opportunities to experience their dreamful “honeymoon” in Da Nang and Phu Quoc, two famous beach cities in Vietnam. Lasting from September 15 to November 30, the “Love Connection” Campaign is a tailored talent contest reserved for Indian couples, in which couples are invited to send their own impressive moments recorded in the journey to find each other to Vietjet.   Programme details and participation rules are listed on the website: https://loveconnection.vietjetair.com. The winning couples will receive a romantic vacation in Da Nang, a coastal city that has become a magnet for tourists in central Vietnam or Phu Quoc – the so-called “Pearl” Island in the southern Vietnamese province of Kien Giang. The winners will participate in a once-in-a-lifetime experience named the “Celebration of Love” Event on Mumbai beach and receive return tickets from India to Vietnam by Vietjet as well as a resort voucher for the two. With Vietjet’s far-reaching flying network, the winners can freely choose their preferred flight to Vietnam including Mumbai / New Delhi / Ahmedabad / Hyderabad – Phu Quoc / Da Nang / Ho Chi Minh City / Hanoi with departure time from November 15, 2022 to June 30, 2023.  Couples with stories receiving most votes from the contest’s official website https://loveconnection.vietjetair.com/ and related social platforms will receive an invitation to attend the Love Connection 2022 award party as well as Celebration of Love event in Mumbai. The winners will be shortlisted and announced by Vietjet on October 24, 2022. Listed companies honoured for best investor relations The Vietnam Association of Financial Executives, the Fina...

Expo For Aging Citizens Focuses On Health – The Brandon Sun https://collincountynewsonline.com/expo-for-aging-citizens-focuses-on-health-the-brandon-sun/ By: By Karen McKinley Posted: 2:45 AM CDT Saturday, Sep. 17, 2022 Last Modified: 10:15 PM CDT Friday, Sep. 16, 2022 City seniors and adults will get the chance to learn how to age gracefully, stay healthy and have fun thanks to an event to be hosted by several groups and businesses next week. Read this article for free: We need your support! Local journalism needs your support! As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $4.99/month you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. Subscribe Now or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! City seniors and adults will get the chance to learn how to age gracefully, stay healthy and have fun thanks to an event to be hosted by several groups and businesses next week. The Healthy Living Centre at Brandon University will be home to everything to do with healthy living on Sept. 21 with the return of Health Checks: There’s a Whole Lot of Living Left to Do, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The free event will feature booths, activities and guest speakers all focused on the many aspects of physical and mental health, and a chance to learn about recreation options for adults, said Rona Orth, one of the organizers. Organizations will have information booths, and experts will be present to talk about the services they offer. “We will have everyone there that is geared towards health: Prairie Mountain Health, the City of Brandon, private businesses, and non-profits. It’s going to be a big day,” Orth said. “We are really trying to include everybody. We want everyone in Brandon and southwestern Manitoba to feel welcome.” The day will start at 9:45 a.m. with an Indigenous blessing and smudging ceremony. Activities include a fall assessment station, where health experts will get people to stand and sit and have their movement assessed based on their age. People can also have their hearing assessed at a testing booth. In addition, anyone who is hearing impaired can attend a session about the benefits of a hearing loop, which provides a magnetic, wireless signal that is picked up by the hearing aid when it is set to a specific setting. Because the signal is going directly to the hearing aid or cochlear implant, the sound is customized to a person’s hearing loss, according to the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association. To make it convenient, Orth said there will be self-assessment questionnaires people can take home for other health screenings as well. Massage therapy students from the university will give demonstrations on the health benefits of the low-impact physical therapy. The Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba will also have painting demonstrations, and the Brandon Public Library will bring its portable library. Orth said this is to demonstrate the self-care aspects of these activities and the mental health and stimulation benefits of expression through art and reading. However, the event won’t all be about health. There will be some information on recreation for fun. The pickleball court will be open for people to try the game, which is run out of the centre several times a week. The city will also survey people about their thoughts on the city plan. The city’s emergency services, public transit will also be there while Age Friendly Brandon will talk about its services and ask the public how it can improve. This event is put on by a steering committee that includes Prairie Mountain Health, 14 local and provincial non-profit organizations and private citizens. It’s a large grassroots movement to help people learn about what’s available to keep them healthy, Orth said. The information and activities at the event are the result of surveys committee members put out to the public, she added. Most of the answers they received centred around what activities are available in the city right now that help people. There’s plenty of information available about children and youth activities, Orth explained, but not as much information about adult and senior activities and services. “No one ever really stops to think about that,” she said. “We need the same information. Everyone’s getting older, but a lot of people don’t know what services, services and everything else is available as they age. This focuses on the aging population, it’s important for everybody.” » kmckinley@brandonsun.com » Twitter: @karenleighmcki1 Print Email Save to Read Later

What Time Does The NASCAR Race Start Today? TV Schedule, Channel For Bass Pro Shops Night Race – Sporting News https://collincountynewsonline.com/what-time-does-the-nascar-race-start-today-tv-schedule-channel-for-bass-pro-shops-night-race-sporting-news/ The first two races of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs couldn’t have gone much worse for Kevin Harvick. The Closer has been felled by bad luck this postseason. After pulling into the top 10 at Darlington, Harvick’s car burst into flames, knocking him out of the race and putting him outside the top 12 at the end. Harvick couldn’t get a break at Kansas, either. After a close encounter with Bubba Wallace and Ross Chastain, Harvick rammed into the wall. Plumes of smoke rolled out of the right side of Harvick’s No. 4 car and he eventually slammed into the wall a second time, prompting the yellow caution flag. Caution is out for an incident involving the No. 4. pic.twitter.com/txo7ZDZXxu — NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 11, 2022 Another week, another DNF. It seems Harvick’s chances of qualifying for the Round of 12 are hanging on by a thread; the Stewart-Haas Racing driver sits at the bottom of the playoff standings, 35 points away from safety. He still has a chance, however. This week’s race is at Bristol. And if there’s one thing Harvick knows how to do, it’s win at the Last Great Colosseum. Harvick has always tended to do well at Bristol. He’s got three wins and 12 top-10 finishes  at the high-banked track. In fact, Harvick has finished second, first and third in his last three appearances at the oval-shaped surface. It’s a record that fills the 46-year-old with tremendous confidence entering Saturday’s race. If anyone can do it, why not The Closer? Kevin Harvick describes what happened during the crash that ended his day in Kansas and has a quick answer when I ask about his chances to win at Bristol and advance in the playoffs. pic.twitter.com/Aes7NO3Qqk — Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) September 11, 2022 Here’s everything you need to know about Saturday’s race, the Bass Pro Shops Night Race, including start time and broadcast information. What time does the NASCAR race start? Race: Bass Pro Shops Night Race Date: Saturday, Sept. 17 Start time: 7:30 p.m. ET The Bass Pro Shops Night Race is listed to start at 7:30 p.m. ET, but the green flag is scheduled to be waved at 7:47 p.m. ET. What channel is NASCAR on today? TV channel: USA (U.S.) | TSN5 (Canada) Live stream: Peacock, fuboTV Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Saturday’s race will be broadcast on USA Network in the U.S., while Canadian viewers can watch the action unfold on TSN5. Rick Allen will lead USA’s broadcast of the festivities, handling all the lap-by-lap action as it goes down. He’ll be joined by former Cup Series drivers Jeff Burton and Dale Earnhardt Jr., as well as former Daytona 500-winning crew chief Steve Letarte. Those without cable can find Saturday’s race on Peacock or fuboTV, which offers a free trial. NASCAR schedule 2022: Playoff races (All times Eastern) Date Race Track Start time TV channel Radio Sept. 17 Bass Pro Shops Night Race Bristol Motor Speedway 7:30 p.m. USA PRN Sept. 25 AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500 Texas Motor Speedway 3:30 p.m. USA PRN Oct. 2 YellaWood 500 Talladega Superspeedway 2 p.m. NBC MRN Oct. 9 Bank of America ROVAL 400 Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL 2 p.m. NBC PRN Oct. 16 South Point 400 Las Vegas Motor Speedway 2:30 p.m. NBC PRN Oct. 23 Dixie Vodka 400 Homestead-Miami Speedway 2:30 p.m. NBC MRN Oct. 30 Xfinity 500 Martinsville Speedway 2 p.m. NBC MRN Nov. 6 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Phoenix Raceway 3 p.m. NBC MRN In Canada, fans can watch all NASCAR races on TSN.

Former Heisman Winner Ricky Williams Opening Up VR Sports, Cannabis Experience In Metaverse Called ‘Highsman House’ – SportTechie https://collincountynewsonline.com/former-heisman-winner-ricky-williams-opening-up-vr-sports-cannabis-experience-in-metaverse-called-highsman-house-sporttechie/ Athletes Extended Reality Former Heisman Winner Ricky Williams Opening Up VR Sports, Cannabis Experience in Metaverse Called ‘Highsman House’ By Andrew Cohen September 16, 2022 Former All-Pro NFL running back and Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams is opening a virtual reality sports and cannabis experience in the metaverse called “Highsman House.” The space is being built by the Microsoft-owned social VR platform AltspaceVR and will consist of a digital football stadium, swimming pool, and Highsman dispensary and merch shop for guests to smoke virtual cannabis and dress their avatars with virtual apparel. Williiams, who was suspended five times in his NFL career for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy, will use the digital space to promote his Highsman brand, which sells real-life cannabis and apparel. Fans can access Heisman House through Oculus VR headsets or a computer. Williams will also host livestreamed sports viewing parties on Heisman House, starting with a watch party for Monday Night Football on Sept. 26. Williams’ Highsman brand will also use AltspaceVR to host online conversations centered on cannabis and well-being. ESPN partnered with AltspaceVR in 2017 to livestream an interview in virtual reality with NFL kicker Cairo Santos. Other athletes invested in cannabis businesses include MLB Hall of Famer David Ortiz, former NBA star Chris Webber and current NBA players Carmelo Anthony and John Wall. Artificial Intelligence Media & Platforms Teams & Leagues Milwaukee Bucks Become Latest NBA Team to Launch AI Chat for Fans With GameOn Technology By Andrew Cohen September 16, 2022 The Milwaukee Bucks are partnering with GameOn technology to build a new AI chat application for its website and mobile app that’s expected launch at the beginning of the upcoming NBA season. The Bucks will join other NBA teams such as the Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers to offer GameOn’s chatbots for providing automated answers to fan questions via text. Fans will be able to use the Bucks’ chat function for guest support related to experiences within Fiserv Forum and the Deer District, including information related to ticketing and merchandise purchases. League news and schedules, highlight videos and player stats will also be available within the chat. GameOn created a Facebook Messenger chatbot for the NBA in 2019. The company’s other team partnerships include chat applications for the Milwaukee Brewers and Minnesota Vikings. Investments & Partnerships Sports Management Platform Abler Raises $3.7 Million Post-Seed Investment From VC Firm Frumtak Ventures By Joe Lemire September 16, 2022 Abler, a sports management platform founded in Iceland, announced a $3.7 million post-seed investment from VC firm Frumtak Ventures.  Comparable to LeagueApps and TeamSnap in the US, Abler streamlines the management of sports programs, enabling registration, payment and merchandise purchase for participants and their parents or guardians. Organizers and coaches can efficiently organize activities such as roster and event management, logistics and team and league communication. It is also collaborating with Reykjavik University on creating curriculum for character coaching.  Former professional handball player is a founder and the CEO of Abler, which serves 95% of the organized sports market in Iceland. Professional soccer players Birkir Bjarnason and Alfred Finnbogason and handball coaches Gudjon Valur Sigurdsson and Dagur Sigurdsson have made angel investments. The startup has also received grants and other support from Iceland Technical Development Fund, the Innovation Center of Iceland and the Icelandic Directorate of Health. Athletes Penn State Collective ‘We Are NIL’ Plans to Offer Disability Insurance to Football Players By Tom Friend September 16, 2022 Penn State football players will benefit from a new booster-driven collective known as “We Are NIL,” which intends to provide the team’s top performers with rare permanent disability insurance. Founder Michael Krentzman told SportTechie Thursday night that the platform has already obtained permanent disability insurance for offensive tackle Caedan Wallace, who was able to qualify due to his status as an NFL prospect. “This insurance is not easy to get,” said Krentzman, a lawyer and businessman. “You really have to be considered insurable. You have to be a sure-fire NFL talent in a lot of underwriters’ eyes to do it. And you can’t have anything physically wrong with you, a rebuilt knee or anything like that. They want to know that you don’t have anything wrong with you. Things that you may not even know are wrong with you, like a heart arrhythmia. Once they buy that policy, they own the risk.” Considering the NCAA has previously limited the amount of insurance a school can offer a student-athlete, We Are NIL could potentially break new ground in college sports. Permanent total disability insurance is a form of workers’ compensation that would give a player a weekly wage for losing the ability to work. Normally, Penn State and other universities can offer some level of disability insurance to qualifying athletes, albeit with a cap due to budget purposes. But We Are NIL can go beyond that cap with its Permanent Disability Insurance. “It’s for a player who can’t play football any more,” Krentzman said. “If he gets hurt on the field, off the field, at practice or if he’s walking across the street and a Jeep runs his feet over, he’s covered. From now until the end of the bowl game. That’s how this policy works.” Krentzman said he also hopes We Are NIL can arrange some level of Permanent Disability Insurance for the players who are not NFL prospects, perhaps by paying “a little more premium to get a little bit less coverage. It just seems like the right thing to do.” According to Krentzman, We Are NIL will help players handle the comprehensive paperwork necessary to obtain the insurance and that the platform will be available to some Penn State basketball players in 2022, as well. “I’m trying to be consistent with what Penn State is about — which is the fan base helping each other out,” Krentzman said. “If you walk down the street just about anywhere, if you walk through any major airport, and you’re wearing a T-shirt that has the Penn State logo on it, another Penn Stater will point at you and go, ‘We Are,’ There’s a thing about it. So, yes, we’re totally trying to raise money and get deals for guys and connect alumni. Totally. But there’s so many ways to use NIL for things that are so darn good, it’s amazing. So that’s our M.O. That’s what we’re trying to do.” Entering the college football season, NIL valuations conducted by college sports data company On3 showed a dozen college football players with a predicted valuation for more than $1 million. Athlete marketplace Opendorse, known as a top NIL technology provider, as well as INFLCR, the NIL software and social media management platform, have both entered partnerships with U.S. Bank and MoneyLion, respectively to improve financial literacy for college athletes who are pursuing NIL. Fans Media & Platforms Teams & Leagues Miami Marlins Hosting Partnership Event With Zigazoo as Team Looks to Use Video-Based Social Media App to Attract Younger Audience By Andrew Cohen September 15, 2022 In an effort to further connect with young fans, the Miami Marlins will host Zigazoo Day at loanDepot Park during their home game on Sept. 25 in partnership with Zigazoo, the kids’ social media app backed by the NBA and Serena Williams. The Marlins are selling tickets to Zigazoo Day though social e-commerce platform Fevo. Zigazoo is a TikTok-like video sharing app geared towards kids under 12 that has more than 1 million users, who are challenged to create videos based on prompts given by children’s brands vetted by Zigazoo. As part of Zigazoo’s partnership with the Marlins, a singing contest will be hosted on the app in which they will award the winner and their parent with tickets to the Sept. 25 game and a chance for the young fan to sing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” during the seventh inning stretch. Liberty City Ventures led Zigazoo’s $17 million Series A funding in June, and its other investors include Serena Ventures, the NBA, Dapper Labs, OneFootball and Animoca Brands. Last year, LeBron James hosted a live reading of his I Promise children’s book on Zigazoo. The social networking app also includes NFT and Web3 education programs for children. “Zigazoo is one of a number of companies in which we have made strategic investments in order to align our incentives as we collaborate on innovative ways to improve our game, business and fan experience,” an NBA spokesperson told SportTechie in June. Investments & Partnerships Media & Platforms Teams & Leagues OneFootball, Premier Sports Agree to UK Distribution Deal for LaLiga, Liga Portugal, DFB-Pokal By Tom Friend September 15, 2022 European streaming platform OneFootball has struck a new deal to distribute Premier Sports’ broadcast content from Spanish LaLiga, Liga Portugal and Germany’s DFB-Pokal. The three-year partnership with Spanish LaLiga—which includes elite clubs such as Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid—specifies that highlights of all 10 gameday matches become available via the OneFootball app. The contests can also be viewed on the OneFootball website. In addition, OneFootball will livestream selected games from Liga Portugal and the popular DFB-Pokal knockout cup competition. For the remainder of the current 2022-23 season, fans paying £1.79  per game will have digital access to teams such as Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and RB...

Mike Sonko’s Daughter Sandra Shows Off Exquisite Bathroom With Gold Plated Toilet – Tuko.co.ke https://collincountynewsonline.com/mike-sonkos-daughter-sandra-shows-off-exquisite-bathroom-with-gold-plated-toilet-tuko-co-ke/ Sandra Mbuvi alias Thicky Sandra has always flaunted her family’s wealth on social media while making controversial remarks Mike Sonko’s daughter showed off her family’s exquisite bathroom, which also has a gold-plated toilet The TikToker also own a bevvy of posh range rovers she loves, and the young girl is a true picture of her dad when it comes to spending money Former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko’s daughter Thicky Sandra has flaunted their posh exquisite bathroom. Thicky Sandra flaunts gold-plated walls and toilet. Photo: Thicky Sandra. Source: UGC Sandra is known for flaunting her family wealth, and who could possibly blame her when she has everything money can buy at her disposal? The lovely lass took to TikTok to share their family’s expensive mansion that was located in Machakos County. In the clip, she starts by showing off the landscape and architecture of their mansion while standing on the lawn garden before walking up to her destination to show off the big reveal. PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU find “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy! Revealing their golden washroom, Sandra used the popular TikTok audio: “Everybody has that one thing in their house that everybody thinks is so cool. It could be a hidden cabinet, little movie room, a gadget but ours is this…” As her camera panned to the outdoor washroom, fans were left gobsmacked with a fully gold-coated toilet with a black Versace toilet cover. The walls were covered in gold-plated tiled walls, a huge marble white and golden sink, a medium-sized mirror and golden knobs. Source: TUKO.co.ke

Coinbase Launches Pro-Crypto Politician Identifier After Banning Talk Of Politics – Gizmodo https://collincountynewsonline.com/coinbase-launches-pro-crypto-politician-identifier-after-banning-talk-of-politics-gizmodo/ The crypto exchange wants to make sure its users know which politicians are crypto-friendly heading into the midterms.

US Coast Guard Seizes Half A Billion Dollars Of Illegal Narcotics In Massive Drug Bust – ABC News https://collincountynewsonline.com/us-coast-guard-seizes-half-a-billion-dollars-of-illegal-narcotics-in-massive-drug-bust-abc-news/ The U.S. Coast Guard has recovered almost 30,000 pounds of cocaine and marijuana, valued at more than $475 million, after seizing the drugs in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean. The crew aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Legare offloaded 24,700 pounds of cocaine and 3,892 pounds of marijuana at Base Miami Beach Thursday, according to a U.S. Coast Guard press release. The drugs recovered were found in international waters, and efforts were taken by the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard and the Royal Netherlands Navy to confiscate the drugs from suspected drug cartels. Coast Guard offloads more than $475 million in illegal narcotics in Miami. CPO Stephen Lehmann “I am proud of the crew’s continued devotion to duty that made this offload possible,” said Cdr. Jeremy M. Greenwood, commanding officer of Legare. “Through the coordinated efforts of the Legare, the LEDETs, HNLMS Groningen, CGC James, and the USS Billings crews, we significantly contributed to the counter-drug mission and the dismantling of transnational criminal organizations. The drugs seized through this coordinated effort will result in significantly fewer drug-related overdoses.” The Coast Guard said that fighting cartels and criminal organizations that traffic drugs takes a lot of unity at different phases of the process. “From detection and monitoring to interdiction and apprehension, and on to criminal prosecutions by international partners and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in districts across the nation,” the Coast Guard said. “Detecting and interdicting illegal drug traffickers on the high seas involves significant interagency and international coordination.” Coast Guard offloads more than $475 million in illegal narcotics in Miami. CPO Stephen Lehmann Stationed in Portsmouth, Virginia, the Legare has an extremely large patch and patrols the offshore waters from Maine to Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, the Eastern Pacific and the Caribbean. The 270-foot Famous-class medium endurance cutter’s missions include “law enforcement, search and rescue, protection of living marine resources, homeland security and defense operations, international training and humanitarian operations,” according to the statement released by the Coast Guard. “The U.S. Navy and allied foreign ships conduct law enforcement missions under the authority of embarked Coast Guard LEDETs from Tactical Law Enforcement Teams based in Miami and San Diego,” the Coast Guard confirmed. ABC News’ Victoria Arancio contributed to this report.

How To Block Web Fonts To Improve Privacy – Ghacks https://collincountynewsonline.com/how-to-block-web-fonts-to-improve-privacy-ghacks/ Websites that make use of text have two main options to display it. Use a font that is available on the majority of user devices or use custom web fonts, which are not installed on a user’s device. Custom web fonts, such as Google Fonts, give web designers more options when it comes to text display on websites, but they require that visitors download these fonts when they connect to the site. Caching is used, usually, to avoid that fonts are downloaded on every page visit. For Internet users, the use of web fonts has two main disadvantages: Performance Privacy Performance is the obvious one, as a request needs to be made to the server hosting the font to download it. While that is usually quick, it still adds to the loading time. Issues with the server may also lead to loading issues on the site. Users who are on a tight bandwidth budget or on very slow connections may benefit the most from the blocking. Privacy is the second. Since requests are made to servers, e.g., Google servers that host the company’s fonts, information such as the IP address is automatically submitted. Not all organizations that host web fonts use the information to track users, but there is always the chance that this is happening. Google, for example, highlights the following in the terms: The APIs are designed to help you enhance your websites and applications (“API Client(s)”). YOU AGREE THAT GOOGLE MAY MONITOR USE OF THE APIS TO ENSURE QUALITY, IMPROVE GOOGLE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES, AND VERIFY YOUR COMPLIANCE WITH THE TERMS. This monitoring may include Google accessing and using your API Client, for example to identify security issues that could affect Google or its users. Since many sites use web fonts, widely used fonts may provide organizations with additional information about a user’s activity on the Internet. Blocking web fonts may lead to display issues on some sites. Sites that rely solely on web fonts, without having fallbacks in place, may not display correctly. Find out if a site uses web fonts It is relatively easy to find out if a site uses web fonts. Open the Developer Tools of the browser with the shortcut Ctrl-Shift-I. You find it listed in the main menu as well, usually under More Tools. Switch to the Network tab. Activate the font filter. Load the site in question and monitor the listing. How to block web fonts Web fonts can be blocked in a number of ways, depending on the browser that is used. Firefox users may set the preferences gfx.downloadable_fonts.enabled and gfx.downloadable_fonts.woff2.enabled to false to block downloadable fonts in the browser. The browser has another setting that may be of use. Introduced in Firefox 41, it enables Firefox to set specific fonts for visited websites. Load about:preferences#general in the browser’s address bar to get started. Scroll down to the Fonts section and select the Advanced button. Uncheck “Allow pages to choose their own fonts, instead of your selection above”. You may need to scroll the window to see the option. Select OK. Users of the content blocker uBlock Origin may add a single custom line to it, to block web fonts. Open the Settings, switch to My Filters, and add the line *$font,third-party. Select Save, and you are all set. The content blocker includes an even stricter option, which blocks all remote fonts. To activate it, select “Block remote fonts” in the extension’s settings. Sites that do not display correctly may be excluded from the blocking. This blocks the use of web fonts on third-party sites only. First party sites are still allowed to load them. Another option is to use a pre-made anti-fonts list, which you find here. Just import it into your content blocker of choice to block the majority of web fonts out there on third-party sites Now You: how do you handle web fonts? Are you concerned about them? (via Collinmbarret) Summary Article Name How to block web fonts to improve privacy Description Find out how to block web fonts in your browser of choice to improve your privacy and speed up the loading of sites. Author Martin Brinkmann Publisher Ghacks Technology News Logo Advertisement

New Swimwear Is A Perfect Fit In This Week’s 5 Hottest Dallas Headlines – CultureMap Dallas https://collincountynewsonline.com/new-swimwear-is-a-perfect-fit-in-this-weeks-5-hottest-dallas-headlines-culturemap-dallas/ This roundup of Dallas dining news has a surprising number of openings, either in the works or already here. There’s also a slew of new menu items coming online, some of which are pumpkin in theme. There are some exciting new chefs in town. Here’s what’s happening in Dallas restaurant news: Brass Ram is the new restaurant from chef Nick Badovinus, set to open the first week in October in the newly renovated East Quarter in downtown Dallas. A help wanted ad calls it “the brother to Town Hearth,” Badovinus’ steak-centric restaurant in Dallas’ Design District, with variations of prime rib, big prime cuts, wagyu offerings, lobster, and prime seafood to pair an award-winning wine list. Brass Ram, which could not have a more masculine name if you tried, will be located on the second floor of the Magnolia Flat Iron building, right on top of Badovinus’ National Anthem restaurant. The Water Ice Box is a new Italian ice spot in Mesquite located at 911 E Davis #B, where they’re serving incredibly velvety Italian ice in flavors such as peach, watermelon, and strawberry shortcake. Matt’s Rancho Martinez is closing its restaurant in Garland and opening a restaurant in Allen. This is not their first crack at Allen; they opened a location there in 2011 but closed it in 2014 due to lease issues. A spokesperson says, “We are sad to leave Garland, we have had many good years and met some pretty amazing guests and team members along the way. We unfortunately do not own the Garland building and we have been blessed with the opportunity to purchase our very own stand-alone building in Allen, a 12-minute drive from the current location. The majority of our employees are coming along with us.” Taco Bell has reopened its location at 15208 Montfort Dr. utilizing the chain’s “Endeavor” design, which brings to life the social experience of food in a distinctively Taco Bell way. The restaurant has free Wi-Fi, power outlets, and comfortable seating, and a drive-thru featuring an easy-to-navigate menu board with an electronic ordering system so that orders are made quickly and accurately. Coolgreens, the healthy chain, will open its first Irving location at 5910 N. MacArthur Blvd. #139, one mile away from the Irving Convention Center. Construction has just begun; they’ll open in early 2023. Carte Blanche, the acclaimed restaurant on Greenville Avenue, has launched a new espresso program in response to customer demand. It’ll enhance their award-winning morning bakery program by providing beverages if customers want to sit down and eat their croissants, fig pastries, doughnuts, and other treats onsite. Jose, the Mexican restaurant in the Park Cities, has a new mushroom huarache topped with Lion’s Mane that chef AQ says will have you thinking you’re eating shredded chicken. Restaurant Beatrice in Oak Cliff has added a covered patio with fans and an outdoor kitchen with seafood boils. The restaurant now offers two different ways to enjoy Cajun food culture: fine dining and casual patio service. Akira Back Dallas, the modern Japanese restaurant in The Colony from jetsetter chef Akira Back, has added weekend brunch on Sundays from 11 am-3 pm, with DJs and an exclusive brunch menu, what is on that menu, they do not say. Kona Grill, the upscale grill at NorthPark, has a brunch menu with ricotta cheese fritters, macadamia French toast, spicy lobster avocado toast, plus a Bloody Mary and mimosa station. Elm Street Cask & Kitchen has added new brunch items available Saturday-Sunday from 7 am-2 pm including Mac & Cheese Pancake, with a corn cake, sausage, mac & cheese, and a cheddar-parmesan crust; Cowboy Omelet with beef, onion, tomato, bacon, and cheddar cheese; and Texas Taters with onion jam, cheese sauce, bacon, scallions, and pickled jalapenos. Maple Leaf Diner, the Canadian-style diner in North Dallas, has a new Frito Pie Poutine with fries, cheese curds, chili, fritos, cheddar, sour cream and green onions, available through September. Grimaldi’s Pizzeria has a new menu for fall featuring buffalo chicken pizza with chicken, gorgonzola, and celery; wedge salad with Romaine, cucumber, red onion, tomato, bacon, and gorgonzola; banana cheesecake with an Oreo crust; and pumpkin cheesecake with cinnamon sugar cookie crust. Haute Sweets Patisserie has brought back their Pumpkin Spiced Cakes for the season. Each cake is topped with cream cheese icing and candied pecans. Empire Baking Co. has a new seasonal spiced sandwich cookie, featuring two soft gingerbready cookies held together with a cream filling. Online ordering is also open on their website for the High Holy Days with round challah bread in plain or raisin, honey cake, Nutella babka, Apple cinnamon walnut bread, and rugulah in raspberry or chocolate. Grand Lux Cafe has a seasonal Pumpkin Cheesecake in a graham cracker crust, available through Thanksgiving by the slice or as a whole cake. Schlotzsky’s has a new “Bare Naked Pizza,” consisting of a one-of-a-kind sourdough pizza crust, served without toppings, cheese, or sauce, available for a limited time. It’s part of a new lunch and dinner pizza menu with three flavors: Four Cheese White Pizza with garlic butter, Meaty, and Supreme, baked in-house on that same sourdough crust. Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar has a tribute to tacos & tequila running through September 30, featuring Street Corn Dip with chips, Chicken Tinga Tostada, birria-style brisket tacos, Baja style fish tacos, and veggie tacos with Mexican lager battered avocado. Margaritas include peach, pineapple, and the Tres A’s with Anejo, Amaretto, Amaro Montenegro, and chocolate bitters. Freebirds World Burrito is marking “National Chicken Month” with a new Texas-inspired Fajita White Chicken recipe available for any entrée, burrito, bowl, or salad. An even better way to mark National Chicken Month would be to join Veterinarians Against Ventilation Shutdown, an organization dedicated to ending a cruel procedure used by factory farms to “culling” chickens and other animals sickened by avian flu. Chick-fil-A has two new items for fall: Autumn Spice Milkshake with cinnamon and crunchy bits of brown sugar cookies, their first new milkshake flavor available nationwide in four years; and Grilled Spicy Deluxe Sandwich, on a toasted multigrain bun with Colby-Jack cheese, lettuce, and tomato, first introduced as a seasonal item in 2021. They’re available through November 12. Cicis has added new Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls to its buffets nationwide. The dessert is their regular cinnamon rolls but topped with Cicis’ first-ever flavored icing with notes of cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. It’ll be available for pick-up and delivery until October 30. Pizza Inn has launched a cheese-filled pretzel crust at its buffets. A melted cheese sauce oozes out of a soft pretzel crust that is topped with flaked salt. McDonald’s has a new Cheese Danish, a flaky pastry with a sweet cream cheese filling, topped with buttery streusel and vanilla drizzle, available all day, joining an all-star roster of McCafé Bakery items including the Apple Fritter, Blueberry Muffin, and Cinnamon Roll. The McCafé Bakery lineup was introduced in November 2020. Chipotle Mexican Grill introduced a new Garlic Guajillo Steak seasoned with garlic and guajillo peppers. They say it’s available for a limited time, but how long that time is, they do not say. Dunkin’ has a new Blood Orange Refresher with blood orange and cranberry, served over ice with green tea or coconut milk. Haagen Dazs has brought back its Pumpkin Spice Shake, made with Dulce de Leche Ice Cream, pumpkin spices, and pumpkin puree. It’s available through November 14. Sheraton Dallas has a new executive chef: Pierre Daval, who will oversee all aspects of the hotel’s food operations, including banquets plus four outlets: Open Palette, Draft Sports Bar & Lounge, Open Mkt. Grab ‘n Go, and The Parlor. Daval has worked at Marriott Tan-Tar-A Resort in Missouri, the Chicago Marriott O’Hare, the Chicago Marriott Downtown, and the Lincolnshire Marriott Resort in Illinois where he managed an apiary and a two-acre farm. Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas has appointed Chris Dikovics as the new Chef de Cuisine. He’s previously worked with notable chefs such as Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Thomas Keller, and Major Food Group’s Carbone.

The Long, Long RV Trip, Week 15: Why To Avoid The Pennsylvania Turnpike; Back To Chicago – RVtravel.com https://collincountynewsonline.com/the-long-long-rv-trip-week-15-why-to-avoid-the-pennsylvania-turnpike-back-to-chicago-rvtravel-com/ Your access to this page has been blocked. Your request appears similar to malicious requests sent by robots. If you are using a VPN, try disabling it. If your browser is out of date, try updating it. Please make sure JavaScript is enabled and then try loading this page again. If you continue to be blocked, please send an email to secruxurity@sizetedistrict.cVmwom with: A summary of what you were doing and why you need access to this site The request details below: URL: https://www.rvtravel.com/long-long-rv-trip-week-15-avoid-pennsylvania-turnpike-back-chicago-1070/ ASN: ASN-DIS IP: 170.39.76.27 Time: 2022-09-17 07:07:43 UTC Request: d88869619f1a36a6cfcd51e821296a07 UA: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64; Trident/7.0; rv:11.0) like Gecko

‘Very Proud’ Latina Business Owners Reflect On Heritage On Mexican Independence Day – Kuna Noticias Y Kuna Radio https://collincountynewsonline.com/very-proud-latina-business-owners-reflect-on-heritage-on-mexican-independence-day-kuna-noticias-y-kuna-radio/ Friday marks Mexican Independence Day. It celebrates the cry of independence from Spain on September 16, 1810. It reminds many of the spirit of freedom helps maintain a bond between Hispanics here in the Coachella Valley and their home countries. Several latino-owned businesses can be found throughout the valley. One of them includes Seiden-Juku in La Quinta, a martial arts program for those with special needs. “I started when I was three [years old] , my dad was my Sensei,” said owner Sensei Tamara Canedo-Lifschutz. Karate has always been a huge part of her life. Both of her parents are from Mexico. And although she was born and raised in the Coachella Valley, she’s proud of her heritage. “To me, being able to get my name out there, getting my culture out there, the business out there, it’s just such a good opportunity for the youth to be proud of their culture.” As a Latina business owner, she’s able to pass along that knowledge through what she loves to do. “It’s really been great because a lot of my families are solely Spanish speaking, so being able to communicate and share the culture with them has been a complete blessing for us,” Canedo-Lifschutz explained. Every day, she teaches karate to students of all different backgrounds. Through her journey as a Sensei, she has also created a non-profit. She’s found ways to bring her experiences back to Mexico. “The first thing I wanted to do was partner with an orphanage that’s based out of Mexico, and so for about a year we taught to an orphanage in Mexico with just special needs individuals and it was incredible.” Over in Indio, Myrna Mendiola, also shares a passion in working with kids. “Able to provide that safe place that home away from home, you know for them and just reassuring them that you know it’s gonna be fine,” Mendiola said. As the owner of Little Fox Play Den childcare, she said the business all started from becoming a mom herself. Mendiola said growing up Latina taught her how to value work ethic. “We’re very united. We’re very let’s encouraged each other. We got each other, that’s all we have is each other. Yeah. So it’s it’s teaching the kids to look after everyone, you know, not just themselves.” Mendiola’s parents were born in Mexico. She tells me that by watching what the struggles they endured makes her appreciate her culture even more. “Our parents, knowing how they struggled. And our generation, trying to be better so that the other generation can also be better. You know, it’s, it’s knowing where we came from to become better.” Working in childcare, she’s not only able to also teach kids the fundamentals but to also pass along her heritage. “Put something in perspective for them of what symbolizes us, you know, and a flag,” she explained, “So it was a great teaching skill, color skill and our heritage spell. So it was it was it was a lot in one and they they loved it.” On Saturday September 17, The Annual “Fiestas Patrias” will take place in Coachella. The event will be held 3pm to 10pm at Coachella’s Rancho Las Flores Park and is free to the public. Attendees will enjoy live musical performances, the traditional Fiestas Patrias ceremony, a variety of cultural food booths, an open beer garden, informational exhibits, and games for children. This event is an opportunity to celebrate the Mexican culture and reach a massive audience in a grass-roots style one day event. Our sister stations, Telemundo 15 and La Poderosa, are sponsoring the event.

Cheshireherald.com – Join Trail Trekkers For Upcoming Walk – Cheshire Herald https://collincountynewsonline.com/cheshireherald-com-join-trail-trekkers-for-upcoming-walk-cheshire-herald/ “Walk for the Health of It” with the Cheshire CT Trail Trekkers. The new group will be providing unique opportunities for socializing, exploration, and exercise while participants learn about interesting relevant topics (i.e., nature, wildlife, healthy living and town history) with knowledgeable group leadership. Enjoyable events designed for all ages take place on the first Saturday of the month at 9 a.m. with leisurely walking, while a brisker paced walk will take place on the third Wednesday at 4 p.m. Check out our calendar at the Cheshire Park and Recreation website—https://www.cheshirect.org/government/departments_and_divisions/recreation—for walking dates, details, and for easy on-line registration. Join them on Sept. 21, at Cheshire Mixville Park with the Town Historian at 4 p.m., and then Oct. 1 at Old Bishop Farms for a special, fun apple tour at 9 a.m., and other events listed for October, November and December. Also, visit the group’s Facebook page at Cheshire CT Trail Trekkers and/or call Cheshire Park and Recreation at (203) 272-2743.

On The Record – Weathersfield | News, Sports, Jobs – Warren Tribune Chronicle https://collincountynewsonline.com/on-the-record-weathersfield-news-sports-jobs-warren-tribune-chronicle/ Weathersfield WHAT: Board of Education meeting Wednesday PRESENT: Mark Bodo, Sam Caputo, Cheryl Basista, Tim Gleason and Josh Garris The board: • Accepted the resignation of Seaborn Elementary teacher Andrea Ryan; • Approved the hiring of Sheila Dunlap as an assistant secretary and librarian at Seaborn Elementary; • Approved the Little Ram Cheerleaders to use the football stadium 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 25; • Approved Leslie Core to oversee the Seaborn Ukulele Club, Jessica Russell as a mentor teacher and Taylor Natoli as assistant marching band director; • Approved the annual transfer of $50,000 from the general fund to the uniform supply, which is used to purchase various supplies; • Heard an announcement from Superintendent Damon Dohar that the dates for Christmas vacation have been extended from Dec. 21 to Jan. 3, which will be a professional development day and some teachers will be attending a professional conference Dec. 21. Today’s breaking news and more in your inbox

Companies Need Data Privacy Plan Before Joining Metaverse – TechTarget https://collincountynewsonline.com/companies-need-data-privacy-plan-before-joining-metaverse-techtarget/ arthead – stock.adobe.com Experts speaking during ITIF’s AR/VR Policy Conference pointed out that businesses need to head into the metaverse with a strong data privacy plan. By Makenzie Holland, News Writer Published: 16 Sep 2022 Building a metaverse experience that’s safe for businesses and consumers means getting ahead of data privacy risks, which experts say companies can do by creating privacy protocols ahead of time. Metaverses are virtual worlds where consumers can work, shop and play, with many companies already buying into it. Nike, for example, opened a virtual shoe store in metaverse platform Roblox, while financial services firm J.P. Morgan opened a virtual lounge in popular metaverse Decentraland. The metaverse is built through a confluence of artificial intelligence and machine learning, virtual reality, IoT and blockchain technologies, among others. It shows significant promise for businesses and consumers alike, according to Dylan Gilbert, privacy policy advisor at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). “There’s an incredible amount of good things in store when it comes to the metaverse,” Gilbert said during a panel session at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation’s AR/VR Policy Conference. “Accessibility for disability, a great opportunity to leverage this technology for public good.” But there are also risks associated with such technology, including discrimination and threats to bodily autonomy and safety as well as data collection and consent. Gilbert said to get ahead of data privacy issues in the metaverse, companies need to consider those risks and develop appropriate data privacy plans. Getting ahead of data privacy risks When considering data privacy in the metaverse, it’s important for companies building and buying into the metaverse to put data privacy first instead of trying to work privacy policies in retroactively. Gilbert said it will be key for companies to focus on disassociability policies that keep an individual’s real-world identity separate from their virtual-world identity. This level of data privacy can entail anonymity and deidentification techniques, according to NIST. “We need to be building the policy and technical controls in now that can help for disassociating between identities,” Gilbert said. Dylan Gilbert Privacy policy advisor, National Institute of Standards and Technology Indeed, “privacy by design,” is likely a buzzword that industries will lean on going forward, said Karim Mohammadali, senior analyst in government affairs and public policy at Google. Mohammadali spoke on the panel with Gilbert. Mohammadali said when image data is collected by a device, such as a pair of smart glasses, businesses will need to answer several questions about the data collection process to ensure privacy. He said some of those questions include where that image data is going, where it is being processed and whether consumers understand what’s happening to the data that’s being collected. Mohammadali said those questions must be answered in the development process. “It will take teams of folks — not just privacy folks, but engineers, cross-functional advisors – to be a part of that process,” he said during the panel. Gilbert said it’s critical that organizations tackling data privacy issues in the metaverse take a risk-based approach and make it an interdisciplinary effort. That means data privacy teams need to work with all departments, including cybersecurity, marketing, and IT, to make sure the right policies, processes and procedures are in place. He said risks within the metaverse need to be proactively identified, prioritized and managed, which businesses can do with the NIST privacy framework. Such risks include whether AI models are being trained on inclusive data sets and whether addressing AI bias is one risk management approach to take in that situation. “You need to implement appropriate controls that are going to help you get to your risk responses,” Gilbert said. Regulating data privacy in the metaverse Federal regulation will likely play a part in providing some rules of the road for data privacy in the metaverse, Gilbert said. However, societal norms will also play a role, said Maureen Ohlhausen, chair of the antitrust and competition law division at Baker Botts and former acting chairwoman of the Federal Trade Commission. Ohlhausen also spoke on the panel with Gilbert and Mohammadali. When consumers first began using cell phones with cameras, Ohlhausen said societal norms developed dictating areas where it was and was not appropriate for photos to be taken — such as locker rooms — without federal intervention. Ohlhausen said similar societal norms will likely come up as users increasingly adopt mixed-reality hardware that enables access to the metaverse. “I think it will be a mix of norms — of perhaps some tweaks to regulations and the technological solutions as well,” she said. Makenzie Holland is a news writer covering big tech and federal regulation. Prior to joining TechTarget Editorial, she was a general reporter for the Wilmington StarNews and a crime and education reporter at the Wabash Plain Dealer. Dig Deeper on CIO strategy Experts concerned with FTC exploring data privacy rules By: Makenzie Holland How to ensure a secure metaverse in your organization By: Ashwin Krishnan Marketing in the metaverse: What marketers need to know By: Amanda Hetler 10 metaverse dangers CIOs and IT leaders should address By: Mary Pratt

Our Deputy Commerce Editor’s Kitchen Pegboard Is Julia Child–Worthy, But There’s One Detail She Regrets – Domino https://collincountynewsonline.com/our-deputy-commerce-editors-kitchen-pegboard-is-julia-child-worthy-but-theres-one-detail-she-regrets-domino/ Before Domino’s deputy commerce editor, Samantha Weiss-Hills, and her husband, Alex, closed on their Bloomington, Indiana, home in 2017, they already had an email chain going with their architect, Andrew Heathfield. In exchange for $5,000, Heathfield helped the couple mock up plans for their long-awaited renovation (they had been living in the untouched rental for more than a year at that point), which included a near-complete overhaul of the kitchen. Then Sam called up her contractor father to take the lead on the transformation. He built a range hood out of 2-by-4s, installed their Bosch dishwasher, and even bloodied a finger while hanging the sliding door leading to the new dining area. “My dad has been doing this forever, so it was fun to watch him,” she says.  The kitchen, before. Storage was paramount for the couple. Not only do they love to entertain, but Sam was working for Food52 at the time, so she was constantly testing new recipes and gadgets. Not having to stress over labor costs freed up the budget for most of their must-have items. Ahead, she takes us behind the scenes of her clever kitchen renovation.  A Clean Slate At first, Sam questioned whether shiny white cupboards from IKEA were the correct fit aesthetically for her circa-1900s bungalow, but she was convinced it was the right move after she heard artist and designer Maya Schindler rave about how easy it is to wipe down hers. Plus the inner workings of the Swedish brand’s units are easily modified—the one closest to the breakfast bar serves as the pantry. “I’m a massive fan of drawers,” Sam says. “Then you’re not digging through everything constantly.” The cabinets in the dining room hold so much more than extra cookware: They’re a place to store records, rarely used china, and dog food. “It’s a catchall,” she notes. Refreshing the storage in both rooms came to a cool $10,000.  Appliance (and Sink) Tetris Dropping a proper island in the center of the kitchen offered an opportunity to condense things. First off, it provided a more sensible location for their new stainless steel dishwasher and $500 Ruvati sink (complete with cutting board, garbage disposal, drying rack, and strainer). With those bits and bobs out of the way, Sam and Alex could shift the refrigerator and the oven to the main wall, resulting in the ever-sought-after work triangle.  It’s Groovy to Glide The only demolition that took place involved widening the doorframe to what was previously the guest bedroom (now the dining room). “It was a really hard pinch point,” recalls Sam. Heathfield tasked custom fabricator Central Scenic with creating a sliding door made from polycarbonate and powder-coated steel that, when Sam and Alex desired, could separate the area from the kitchen. That way, when guests come to stay, the room can act as the ultimate flex space. “We opted for soft close, so it never slams,” adds Sam. Big Deal The engineered hardwood flooring came in at—wait for it!—$200. It was luck, really, that their local shop was having a sidewalk sale: They were able to scoop up hundreds of square feet of flooring for practically nothing. A save like this left room in the budget for the splurge-worthy Heath backsplash tile (20 square feet cost $525). “We wanted to bring a little bit of warmth in, given it’s a bungalow,” shares Sam. Test Kitchen The kitchen, under construction. Sam and Alex whipped together some experiments before ultimately landing on Caesarstone’s Frozen Tundra ($4,700) for their countertops. They ordered around four samples and splattered them with turmeric, coffee, and tomato paste, and then washed the surfaces to see which one could handle the intensely colored ingredients they like to cook with. Still in need of some bonus counter space, the couple topped a $300 wire cubby unit with a slab of butcher block. “It’s so heavy now that it doesn’t even move,” says Sam. “And it made it feel really cohesive.”  Tooth and Nail The pegboard, also fabricated by Central Scenic, is chicer than your typical hardware store find: It’s stained an almost golden hue and features a streamlined miter edge. The catch? The bespoke design didn’t account for traditional peg-hook dimensions. “They were too thick; they wouldn’t go all the way on,” Sam recalls. Her fix was to buy the screw-in kind, but she still had to hammer each individual one’s back so they would adhere properly. Power Move It’s the little details like outlet placement that make a kitchen reno go round. “That was really important to us,” shares Sam. Having one on each side of the stove proved to be a game changer for when they want to quickly plug in a stand mixer or blender. She also strategically placed one on the island and another at the coffee bar, because whether you need to get through the workday or construction, it’s nice to have caffeine handy.

Crypto Market Maker Of Former Citadel Execs Raised $50 Million | Bitcoinist.com – Bitcoinist https://collincountynewsonline.com/crypto-market-maker-of-former-citadel-execs-raised-50-million-bitcoinist-com-bitcoinist/ Two former executives of the leading investor in the world’s financial markets, Citadel Securities, Leonard Lancia and Alex Casimo have raised $50 million for their own crypto market maker. The company also plans to invest in crypto assets via web 3 projects.  Ex-leaders at Citadel Security initially launched their own market maker in April 2021 and named it Portofino Technology. The platform aims to enable high-frequency trading (HFT) and provide advanced features to the digital asset users of web 3 and other institutions. It provides liquidity services to crypto users of web 3 and relies on highly-efficient and fast algorithms to open and close a trade seamlessly.  Related Reading: Michael Saylor Censures On Misinformation On BTC Mining Moreover, it offers strategic partnerships to web 3 startups looking to list their tokens. The company already claims to have traded billions of funds on centralized and decentralized exchanges.  Venture capitalists who backed the funding round include Global Founders Capital, Valar Ventures, and Coatue.  Lancia, the co-founder and CEO at Portfolio Technology, added in the statement; Having worked at the forefront of the modernization of traditional markets, we believe that our liquidity provisioning infrastructure can deliver enormous benefits to digital asset participants globally and drive the next leg of adoption. This is only the start for Portofino. In web3, every action is a transaction, and we’re building the underlying technology that is going to enable entirely new services and industries in the future. After enabling investors to access liquidity at very competitive prices, the company intends to expand its reach in the entire crypto space, including non-fungible tokens (NFTs), Decentralized Finance (DeFi), ecosystem tokens based on gaming, etc.  Bitcoin’s price currently trading below $20,000. | Source: BTCUSD price chart from TradingView.com Crypto Market Maker Plans To Expand Globally The Switzerland-based startup company Portfino Technology detailed in the press release that the platform employs 35 technology experts working in Portfonio’s offices across New York, London, and Singapore, and it plans to further increase its staff headcount by 50 in 2022. The company has not expressed its valuation yet. The funds for Portofino are accumulated amidst the long-lasted bloodbaths and inflation that wiped billions of dollars from the crypto market. It further drove more selling pressure, and the lawmakers added fuel to the fire with their aggressive approach to digital assets.  Similarly, this climate led the market toward lower trading volumes and fewer arbitrage opportunities. And it also increased the borrowing costs. But, Portofino Technology could compete with big market makers on leverage with the help of its automotive inventory management and unique algorithms. Oliver Samwer, an investor at Global Founders Capital and CEO at Rocket Internet, commented on the launch of Portofino Technology and added; Related Reading: Crypto Lender Voyager’s Bankruptcy Auction Begins We’re really excited about the potential of Portofino. It’s rare that you find a founding team with such fantastic expertise to solve the problems that digital asset market participants face today. We are convinced this is the right team to help facilitate the next leg of institutional and retail participation in this market. Featured image from Pixabay and chart from TradingView.com

U.S. FDA Approves Bluebird Bio’s Gene Therapy For A Rare Neurological Disorder – Reuters https://collincountynewsonline.com/u-s-fda-approves-bluebird-bios-gene-therapy-for-a-rare-neurological-disorder-reuters/ Signage is seen outside of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) headquarters in White Oak, Maryland, U.S., August 29, 2020. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Sept 16 – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Bluebird bio’s (BLUE.O) gene therapy for the treatment of a rare neurological disorder, the company said late on Friday. “SKYSONA is the first FDA approved therapy shown to slow the progression of neurologic dysfunction in boys” with early, active Cerebral Adrenoleukodystrophy (CALD), the company said in a statement, saying CALD is a “devastating and fatal neurodegenerative disease.” Bluebird said it anticipates commercial product will be available by the end of 2022 through a limited number of qualified treatment centers in the United States. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com In August, the company’s beti-cel therapy secured FDA approval to treat a rare blood disorder that was priced at a record $2.8 million, the most expensive treatment to date. read more CALD is caused by mutations in a gene called ABCD1 that leads to the buildup of very long-chain fatty acids in the brain and spinal cord. It typically occurs in boys between the ages of 3 and 12. Eli-cel adds functional copies of the ABCD1 gene in a patient’s stem cells to help produce a protein required to break down the long-chain fatty acids. The approval was largely expected after the drug received unanimous endorsement from a panel of outside advisers to the FDA in June. read more Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by Mrinalika Roy and Jaiveer Shekhawat in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila, Devika Syamnath and William Mallard Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

EVGA Breaks Up With Nvidia, Will No Longer Make Graphics Cards – The Indian Express https://collincountynewsonline.com/evga-breaks-up-with-nvidia-will-no-longer-make-graphics-cards-the-indian-express/ EVGA will not be making new Nvidia graphics cards anymore, including the upcoming RTX 40-series. Popular graphics card maker EVGA has revealed that it will no longer work with Nvidia to produce new graphics cards. One of Nvidia’s biggest partners that gamers and PC builders will be familiar with, EVGA has now cited “disrespectful treatment” on Nvidia’s part and announced that the company will be completely exiting the GPU business. The story came out when Steve Burke, Editor-in-Chief at Gamers Nexus released a new video, where Burke reports discussions held with EVGA CEO Andrew Han. The video suggests that EVGA will not be joining forces with Nvidia rivals AMD or Intel either, and will simply not be making GPUs after the stock of the existing RTX 30-series is sold out. EVGA has still confirmed that it will continue to support existing graphics cards in the market and users will still be able to claim warranties for relevant products. However, as things stand, the current batch of EVGA GPUs are set to be the brand’s last. This also means we will not see EVGA produce Nvidia’s upcoming RTX 40-series GPUs. Any leaks of EVGA graphics cards that you may have seen online in the last few weeks will hence remain engineering samples and will not be mass-produced. As per the video, EVGA will also not consider working with Nvidia again for any future products like the expected RTX 50-series. The company has also said that their workforce “will be taken care of”, but things remain unclear as to how after the split. As per Burke’s video, Nvidia’s GPUs contributed to about 80% of EVGA’s business. © IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd First published on: 17-09-2022 at 11:56:46 am

Fentanyl Busts And Overdoses Has Local Agencies Working Around The Clock – WFAA.com https://collincountynewsonline.com/fentanyl-busts-and-overdoses-has-local-agencies-working-around-the-clock-wfaa-com/ “You murder people. You are a murderer. I hope you know that you’re not just making a dollar or two,” Michael Land, a father, directed at drug makers and sellers. DALLAS — The number of fentanyl-related drug cases has skyrocketed over the last 36 months. Collin, Cooke and Tarrant Counties all had significant developments in the fight to get the deadly substance off the streets. “With only two milligrams of fentanyl, that is a deadly dose for a non-opioid dependent person. That is 2% of a sugar packet that is on a table top,” said Eduardo Chavez of the Dallas Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration. Michael Land of Collin County will forever remember Jan. 5, 2021. It was the day he lost his 25-year-old son to a fentanyl overdose. His son thought he was taking a Percocet pill and it was almost entirely fentanyl according to Land. “In a way, it was the end of the world for me. What else do I have to live for?” Land said. Eduardo Chavez says fentanyl-laced drugs are too commonplace. On the list of DEA priorities it has topped the list edging out methamphetamines. This week, Collin County sought out a drug dealer responsible for the overdose death of a 29-year-old. “Investigators assigned to the Collin County Sheriff’s Office Gang and Habitual Offender Strike Team (GHOST) began an investigation to identify the dealer responsible for selling the Fentanyl-laced drugs that killed this victim.  After a thorough investigation, GHOST Investigators identified the suspect and on September 12, 2022 Collin County Judge Lindsey Wynne, 468th District Court signed an Arrest Warrant charging Gabriel Aldo Fossatti, a resident of Princeton, Texas with Manufacture or Delivery of a Controlled Substance Causing Death or Serious Bodily Injury, a 2nd Degree Felony,” read a press release from Collin County.  Collin County has seen a 571% increase in the number of Fentanyl-related drug overdose deaths in the past 36 months.   In Cooke County, authorities seized 22 pounds of heroin laced with fentanyl.  Tarrant County made history with a drug bust dating back to last week. “On September 6, 2022, the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office Combined Narcotics Enforcement Team (CNET), along with the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team and Fort Worth Police Tactical Medics executed a search warrant on a Tarrant County residence. The hard work of our CNET team has resulted in more deadly fentanyl and guns being taken off the streets of Tarrant County. More than two thousand grams of pure, uncut Fentanyl was seized in the largest seizure of Fentanyl ever in Tarrant County. That amount of Fentanyl is capable of more than one million fatal doses,” read the Sheriff’s Office press release. Michael Land admits he was angry at first. But he has come to peace since his son’s death. He doesn’t know who provided Preston with the drugs but this father has forgiven him. He says getting to a point of forgiveness came with time, reflection, and faith work through his church.  But he still has this to say to those responsible: “You murder people. You are a murderer. I hope you know that you’re not just making a dollar or two.” The DEA tells us Mexican criminal drug-trafficking gangs are responsible for the proliferation of the drug and groups in China are responsible for providing the raw material to make the substance.  “It is a full-court press to identifying those networks here in the United States,” said Chavez. There is little distinction between real and counterfeit pills. What is real is a parent’s pain. “He was it in our family. He was the last one. He was going to carry on the name,” Michael said of his son Preston. He says his son was not an addict. But he did experiment with drugs in high school. Michael now makes speeches warning parents and kids for what to look out for. “My ultimate goal is to help one person,” Michael said.

Migrants Arrive In Sacramento From Texas But Don’t Know Who Paid For Plane Tickets – KCRA Sacramento https://collincountynewsonline.com/migrants-arrive-in-sacramento-from-texas-but-dont-know-who-paid-for-plane-tickets-kcra-sacramento/ A Northern California advocacy group said it is helping eight migrants from Venezuela who arrived in Sacramento on two separate flights.Three men, aged 23 and one in his 40s, said they walked barefoot from the Sacramento International Airport to the Catholic Charities administrative offices downtown. They said it was an address on their paperwork, 1107 9th St., the administrative offices for Catholic Charities. From there, they ended up at the Sacramento Food Bank, and the food bank then called NorCal Resist. “I picked them up and got them to the grocery store. We got them a hotel. They walked from the Sacramento airport to the Sacramento Food Bank with no shoes,” said Goya Gutierrez, a volunteer with NorCal Resist. One man who asked not to be identified said they couldn’t choose where they were going. He said the documents said California.Gutierrez said the paperwork is from the Department of Homeland Security, which scheduled a hearing for later this month for the men to report to U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement.”ICE doesn’t do that; they don’t just put people on planes because they’re not going to sponsor them,” Gutierrez said. “I have no idea who actually sponsored them.” The man said they left Venezuela 45 days ago and ended up at the Migrant Resource Center in San Antonio, Texas.He said someone gave them free plane tickets on a commercial flight to Sacramento. The center is run by the city of San Antonio and doesn’t pay for migrants’ travel to other cities.”They were really confused. Two of them said they wanted to go to Utah and one wanted to go to Manhattan and somehow they ended up in Sacramento,” Gutierrez said.The men said they are in the United States to find work, not for a vacation. They said it is difficult to find job opportunities in Venezuela and need to support their families. “They were put on a plane to Sacramento where they don’t know anybody. They don’t have any family here,” Gutierrez said.The Migrant Resource Center is looking into the men’s claims. The office of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said his state is busing migrants to Washington, D.C., Chicago and New York.The office of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is looking into if they provided the plane tickets. SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A Northern California advocacy group said it is helping eight migrants from Venezuela who arrived in Sacramento on two separate flights. Three men, aged 23 and one in his 40s, said they walked barefoot from the Sacramento International Airport to the Catholic Charities administrative offices downtown. They said it was an address on their paperwork, 1107 9th St., the administrative offices for Catholic Charities. From there, they ended up at the Sacramento Food Bank, and the food bank then called NorCal Resist. “I picked them up and got them to the grocery store. We got them a hotel. They walked from the Sacramento airport to the Sacramento Food Bank with no shoes,” said Goya Gutierrez, a volunteer with NorCal Resist. One man who asked not to be identified said they couldn’t choose where they were going. He said the documents said California. Gutierrez said the paperwork is from the Department of Homeland Security, which scheduled a hearing for later this month for the men to report to U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. “ICE doesn’t do that; they don’t just put people on planes because they’re not going to sponsor them,” Gutierrez said. “I have no idea who actually sponsored them.” The man said they left Venezuela 45 days ago and ended up at the Migrant Resource Center in San Antonio, Texas. He said someone gave them free plane tickets on a commercial flight to Sacramento. The center is run by the city of San Antonio and doesn’t pay for migrants’ travel to other cities. “They were really confused. Two of them said they wanted to go to Utah and one wanted to go to Manhattan and somehow they ended up in Sacramento,” Gutierrez said. The men said they are in the United States to find work, not for a vacation. They said it is difficult to find job opportunities in Venezuela and need to support their families. “They were put on a plane to Sacramento where they don’t know anybody. They don’t have any family here,” Gutierrez said. The Migrant Resource Center is looking into the men’s claims. The office of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said his state is busing migrants to Washington, D.C., Chicago and New York. The office of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is looking into if they provided the plane tickets.

Downtown Youngstown Draws Defense Business | News, Sports, Jobs – Youngstown Vindicator https://collincountynewsonline.com/downtown-youngstown-draws-defense-business-news-sports-jobs-youngstown-vindicator/ YOUNGSTOWN — United Protective Technologies, a specialty coating and engineering company, will open a location downtown to focus on its business with the federal defense industry. “We have a need to be in this region, somewhere between western (Pennsylvania) all the way over to Michigan because we have a customer base here that we now serve out of North Carolina and the distance is too far,” said Marty Efrid, UPT’s CEO. “That’s our production business. We also have a scientific part of our business. We’re developing new technologies for the military to reduce corrosion, improve component wear, life and performance,” he said. About 35 percent of the company’s business deals with the defense industry, Efrid said. UPT “looked at other cities,” he said, but chose Youngstown because of support it received from the Youngstown Business Incubator, Youngstown State University and Team NEO. “There’s a lot of support for companies that don’t have presence in the area to come in and have conversations and have a structure you can walk into,” Efrid said. UPT is finalizing a contract to buy a building on Federal Street and expects to open in December or January, Efrid said. The office of U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, who met Friday with Efrid and other business officials who do defense industry work, said UPT’s Youngstown building will be downtown on East Federal Street, across from the Penguin City Brewing Co. UPT plans to hire 30 workers in its first three years of operating in Youngstown and grow to 60 by its fifth year, Efrid said. The company has about 60 employees at its corporate headquarters in Locust, N.C. The corporate headquarters will remain there. OPPORTUNITY UPT does research and development for several government agencies, including NASA, the Navy, Army and Air Force. It also applies coatings on industrial, commercial and consumer goods including injection molds, firearms, knives, valves and gears with an advanced thin film coating that extends the life of the items. The Youngstown / Warren Regional Chamber helped UPT with site selection and connected the company to workforce development partners and contractors. “This is a fantastic opportunity for the (Mahoning) Valley. It comprises actual production on top of some research and development,” said Shea MacMillan, the chamber’s vice president of economic development. “There will be some Ph.D. level employees operating out of this facility on top of skilled workers.” “It’s a testament to the collaboration across the organizations with Youngstown Business Incubator, ourselves, Tim Ryan’s office and the resources we have put together in partnership with the building trades to show we are a collaborative, cohesive community that can be a good long-term partner.” MacMillan said the connection to Youngstown was made through the Advanced Manufacturing and Applied Research Innovation Institute (AMARII) in Youngstown, which connected the company to the Youngstown Business Incubator. HIGH QUALITY “This is a really high quality advanced materials, advanced manufacturing company that is very active in doing applied research and finding ways to make manufacturing processes better,” said YBI CEO Barb Ewing, who also is a member of the AMARII advisory board. “They are very interested in developing a skilled workforce … these will be really quality jobs, and I think it speaks volumes about the quality of the ecosystem that we have built here.” AMARII is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining to advance manufacturing technologies and strengthen the manufacturing industry in northeast Ohio and elsewhere. America Makes, the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute, also in Youngstown is part of the center’s network. Ryan, D-Howland, said he’s been working for the past 20 years to “diversify our economy here beyond the cutting edge to create a future for our kids and help with national security.” He added: “This is about business, government and education coming together in public-private partnerships.” Ryan’s office staff said the congressman has helped UPT get $6 million in federal defense spending. news@vindy.com news@tribtoday.com Today’s breaking news and more in your inbox

Valley Non-Profits Impacted By Soaring Prices – KFSN-TV https://collincountynewsonline.com/valley-non-profits-impacted-by-soaring-prices-kfsn-tv/ FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — Sticker shock caused by soaring prices of just about everything from goods to services are hitting Valley non-profits hard. That includes Fresno County’s pet food pantry, Halo Cafe. The nonprofit helps families that have fallen on hard times feed their pets. President and founder Jennifer Quinn-Yovino says the dollar just isn’t going as far as it once did. She added, “It’s really hard right now, for everyone in the rescue world. Whether that is shelters, rescues, pet retention programs like us, fundraising is down and the need is up. In addition to monetary and food donations, drop boxes for clean pet beds, blankets and other items can be found at various locations, including Central California’s largest no-kill shelter, Valley Animal Center. They are also in dire need of donations. Animal Care Adoption Supervisor, Ruben Cantu, says they’ve seen a dramatic drop in donations and adoptions but have seen a steep increase of animal surrenders. He says, “We have a lot of space but not a lot of ability to help like we’d like to. Some vaccines and different items that we need for PPE or to make sure we’re in a safe environment is now doubling in cost. Keeping the lights on, maintaining our water bill, things as simple as that. It’s been extremely hard for us.” Valley Animal Center services go beyond shelter and adoptions. On average, they rescue around 1,000 animals per year. They offer a dog park if your furry friend needs an outlet and a low-cost veterinary clinic. Cantu said, “We’re a resource for the commuity to make sure their pets are living long, healthy lives and maybe finding a new pet somewhere along those lines and knowing youll be fully supported.” Valley Animal Center is postponing its largest concert-fundraiser of the year because of low ticket sales. “Bark in the Park” was scheduled for September 24. They say if you are not financially able to donate, your time goes a long way. You can sign up to volunteer here. Copyright © 2022 KFSN-TV. All Rights Reserved.

WATCH: Cardinals’ Albert Pujols Crushes Career Home Run No. 698 Vs. Reds – CBS Sports https://collincountynewsonline.com/watch-cardinals-albert-pujols-crushes-career-home-run-no-698-vs-reds-cbs-sports/ Getty Images St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols hit the 698th home run of his career Friday night against the Cincinnati Reds. The game-tying two-run blast — Pujols’ 19th of the season — came in the sixth inning off a first-pitch slider from right-hander Raynel Espinal.  Here’s a look:  That no-doubter to deep left exited the bat at 106.3 mph and wound up traveling 427 feet. That’s just Pujols’ seventh home run of the season to come off a right-hander, and it’s the eighth that he’s hit at home in 2022.  The important number, however, is 698. Indeed, Pujols now needs just two more home runs to become the fourth player in MLB history to reach the 700 home run threshold. The other three are Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755) and Babe Ruth (714). Pujols’ increasingly regular playing time remains no act of charity on the part of manager Oliver Marmol. The 42-year-old future Hall of Famer is now slashing a highly productive .265/.338/.528 for the first-place Cardinals. Given Pujols’ productivity and the Cardinals’ comfortable lead over the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central, Pujols should have ample opportunity to get those final two home runs before the regular season ends on Oct. 5.

NYSBA Launches Task Force On Digital Economy, Web3 And Metaverse, Says Lawyers Must Get ‘In Front Of The Issues’ | New York Law Journal – Law.com https://collincountynewsonline.com/nysba-launches-task-force-on-digital-economy-web3-and-metaverse-says-lawyers-must-get-in-front-of-the-issues-new-york-law-journal-law-com/ Saying it is important for lawyers to get “in front of the issues” created by the emerging digital economy, as well as issues created by both Web3 and the metaverse, the New York State Bar Association has launched a new “Task Force on Emerging Digital Finance and Currency.” “The rapid growth of the metaverse/Web3 and the digital economy present a confluence of issues for lawyers,” said NYSBA President Sherry Levin Wallach in a news release about the newly formed task force. Want to continue reading? Become an ALM Digital Reader for Free! Benefits of a Digital Membership Free access to 1 article* every 30 days Access to the entire ALM network of websites Unlimited access to the ALM suite of newsletters Build custom alerts on any search topic of your choosing Search by a wide range of topics Already have an account? Sign In Now *May exclude premium content You Might Like 7 minute read 3 minute read 5 minute read 2 minute read Trending Stories Mentioned in a Law.com story? License our industry-leading legal content to extend your thought leadership and build your brand. Featured Firms Law Offices of Gary Martin Hays & Associates P.C. 75 Ponce De Leon Ave NE Ste 101 Atlanta, GA 30308 (470) 294-1674 www.garymartinhays.com Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone 2 Oliver St #608 Boston, MA 02109 (857) 444-6468 www.marksalomone.com Smith & Hassler 1225 N Loop W #525 Houston, TX 77008 (713) 739-1250 www.smithandhassler.com Presented by BigVoodoo More From ALM CLE Center Law.com Compass Events & Webcasts Lawjobs Professional Announcements Premium Subscription With this subscription you will receive unlimited access to high quality, online, on-demand premium content from well-respected faculty in the legal industry. This is perfect for attorneys licensed in multiple jurisdictions or for attorneys that have fulfilled their CLE requirement but need to access resourceful information for their practice areas. View Now Team Accounts Our Team Account subscription service is for legal teams of four or more attorneys. Each attorney is granted unlimited access to high quality, on-demand premium content from well-respected faculty in the legal industry along with administrative access to easily manage CLE for the entire team. View Now Bundle Subscriptions Gain access to some of the most knowledgeable and experienced attorneys with our 2 bundle options! Our Compliance bundles are curated by CLE Counselors and include current legal topics and challenges within the industry. Our second option allows you to build your bundle and strategically select the content that pertains to your needs. Both options are priced the same. View Now From Data to Decisions Dynamically explore and compare data on law firms, companies, individual lawyers, and industry trends. Exclusive Depth and Reach. Law.com Compass includes access to our exclusive industry reports, combining the unmatched expertise of our analyst team with ALM’s deep bench of proprietary information to provide insights that can’t be found anywhere else. Big Pictures and Fine Details Law.com Compass delivers you the full scope of information, from the rankings of the Am Law 200 and NLJ 500 to intricate details and comparisons of firms’ financials, staffing, clients, news and events. ATTORNEY Cornell, Merlino, McKeever & Osborne, LLC, a boutique 10 attorney law firm specializing in school law, and located in Westfield, New Jer… Apply Now › LITIGATION ATTORNEY Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski seeks highly motivated associate with 2-5 years of civil litigation experience, outstanding research and writi… Apply Now › MCOMBER & MCOMBER ESQS 08/29/2022 NJLJ Web McOmber McOmber & Luber: Our New Associates Ashley E Malandre and Rachel C. Krupnick are providing accomplished representation for : Employment Law, Sexual Harassment, Discrimination, Personal Injury, Collections, Real Estate, Land Use & Zoning, Business View Announcement › Subscribe to New York Law Journal Don’t miss the crucial news and insights you need to make informed legal decisions. Join New York Law Journal now! Unlimited access to New York Law Journal Access to additional free ALM publications 1 free article* across the ALM subscription network every 30 days Exclusive discounts on ALM events and publications

Minnesota And Illinois Stores Included In Latest Closing Announcement – Y105FM https://collincountynewsonline.com/minnesota-and-illinois-stores-included-in-latest-closing-announcement-y105fm/ I remember very clearly when I heard the news that Shopko was closing in Rochester, Minnesota, and it hit our family in a way that was unique because I had family members who worked in one of the stores.  It was heartbreaking though to see places we shopped at a lot sell off everything and turn the lights off for the final time.  Unfortunately, this experience is happening again for 150 Bed Bath & Beyond stores throughout our country, including stores in Minnesota, Illinois, and Iowa. 56 Bed Bath & Beyond Stores Closing Including Stores in Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois Bed Bath & Beyond shared the list today of the next round of stores that will be closing.  Sadly, the list contains 56 stores throughout the country including one in Minnesota and several in Iowa and Illinois.  This is a list that many have been wondering about since August when the massive home goods store mentioned it would be closing 150 “lower producing” stores. Below are the stores in Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois that are part of the 56 stores that are closing. As of right now, the Rochester store is safe.  When the rest of the 150 stores are announced, I’ll share that update over on my Facebook page – Jessica On The Radio. You can see the full list and locations of Bed Bath & Beyond stores closing at their website here. How many Bed Bath & Beyond Stores are there in Minnesota? Now that the news is out that the St. Cloud location is closing, Minnesota will be home to 7 Bed Bath and Beyond stores.  Those locations include Rochester, Apple Valley, Bloomington, Maple Grove, Minnetonka, Roseville, and Woodbury. LOOK: Things from the year you were born that don’t exist anymore The iconic (and at times silly) toys, technologies, and electronics have been usurped since their grand entrance, either by advances in technology or breakthroughs in common sense. See how many things on this list trigger childhood memories—and which ones were here and gone so fast you missed them entirely.

US Treasury Clarifies How To Comply With Regulations On Sanctioned Crypto Mixing Service Tornado Cash – Regulation Bitcoin News – Bitcoin News https://collincountynewsonline.com/us-treasury-clarifies-how-to-comply-with-regulations-on-sanctioned-crypto-mixing-service-tornado-cash-regulation-bitcoin-news-bitcoin-news/ The U.S. Department of the Treasury has answered some questions on regulatory compliance relating to Tornado Cash, a recently sanctioned crypto mixer. The answers include how to withdraw crypto or complete transactions initiated using Tornado Cash prior to its sanction and how to deal with “dusting” transactions. Treasury Department Publishes Tornado Cash FAQs The U.S. Department of the Treasury answered some frequently asked questions Tuesday about the sanctioned cryptocurrency mixing service Tornado Cash. On Aug. 8, the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned the Ethereum-based mixer and prohibited U.S. persons from “engaging in any transaction with Tornado Cash or its blocked property or interests in property.” One of the questions concerns how to complete transactions involving Tornado Cash that were initiated prior to the sanction. In order to complete the transactions or withdraw cryptocurrency without violating U.S. sanctions regulations, the Treasury Department explained: U.S. persons or persons conducting transactions within U.S. jurisdiction may request a specific license from OFAC to engage in transactions involving the subject virtual currency. “U.S. persons should be prepared to provide, at a minimum, all relevant information regarding these transactions with Tornado Cash, including the wallet addresses for the remitter and beneficiary, transaction hashes, the date and time of the transaction(s), as well as the amount(s) of virtual currency,” the Treasury added. Another question relates to reporting obligations of “dusting” transactions. The Treasury noted that the OFAC is aware that “certain U.S. persons may have received unsolicited and nominal amounts of virtual currency or other virtual assets from Tornado Cash, a practice commonly referred to as ‘dusting.’” While cautioning that “Technically, OFAC’s regulations would apply to these transactions,” the Treasury explained that if these dusting transactions have no other sanctions nexus besides Tornado Cash: OFAC will not prioritize enforcement against the delayed receipt of initial blocking reports and subsequent annual reports of blocked property from such U.S. persons. The Treasury stressed that “U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in transactions involving Tornado Cash, including through the virtual currency wallet addresses that OFAC has identified.” However, the authority clarified: Interacting with open-source code itself, in a way that does not involve a prohibited transaction with Tornado Cash, is not prohibited. Lawyer Jake Chervinsky shared his thoughts on the OFAC’s clarification in a series of tweets. He noted that the FAQs “don’t fully address the collateral damage caused by the designation.” Commenting on the OFAC requiring “each person to file their own individual license request,” Chervinsky said: “That shouldn’t be necessary: U.S. persons shouldn’t have to ‘apply’ for their own money.” Regarding dusting, he said since victims are required to file initial blocking reports and subsequent annual reports, “Enforcement remains on the table if those reports are delayed.” The lawyer stressed: Deprioritizing prosecution isn’t enough: OFAC shouldn’t consider prosecuting victims at all. Following the sanction of Tornado Cash, Coin Center, a non-profit focused on the policy issues facing cryptocurrencies, said that the OFAC has exceeded its statutory authority. What do you think about the Treasury’s clarification regarding the mixing service Tornado Cash? Let us know in the comments section below. Kevin Helms A student of Austrian Economics, Kevin found Bitcoin in 2011 and has been an evangelist ever since. His interests lie in Bitcoin security, open-source systems, network effects and the intersection between economics and cryptography. Image Credits: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wiki Commons Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It is not a direct offer or solicitation of an offer to buy or sell, or a recommendation or endorsement of any products, services, or companies. Bitcoin.com does not provide investment, tax, legal, or accounting advice. Neither the company nor the author is responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods or services mentioned in this article.

South Africa And US Pledge Further Cooperation – DW (English) https://collincountynewsonline.com/south-africa-and-us-pledge-further-cooperation-dw-english/ South Africa and the US have vowed to work more closely in areas such as climate change and security, despite disagreement on the war in Ukraine. US President Joe Biden and South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa pledged to cooperate on health, security and climate on Friday, as the South African head of state visited the White House. The visit comes weeks after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to South Africa and said that Washington sees African countries as “equal partners” in tackling global issues. What did the two leaders say? “We really need to make sure we fully understand one another,” Biden said of South Africa. “Our partnership is essential.” Ramaphosa said he sought to work together on security, including in neighboring Mozambique, which has been grappling with an Islamist insurgency in its northern Cabo Delgado province. He added that Washington had a “key” role to play in security in the continent. South Africa’s president said he was thankful for the United State’s “considerable support” during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ramaphosa said that he also sought to cooperate with the US on climate change. Following the meeting, the United States announced a South African-US investment advisory task force and $45 million (€45 million) in funding towards the transition away from coal. At last year’s Glasgow climate conference, developed countries pledged $8.5 billion for South Africa’s transition away from coal. South Africa and other developing countries have long demanded that wealthier countries bear the brunt of efforts to reduce emissions. Differences on the war in Ukraine South Africa, like many other countries on the continent, has been reluctant to support Western-led sanctions and resolutions against Russia. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, South Africa abstained in a UN General Assembly vote on condemning Moscow. Ramaphosa told reporters that South Africa’s position on the war in Ukraine was “respected” in Washington and that he and Biden agreed that they “would like this conflict to come to an end as soon as possible.” Before the meeting, international relations minister Naledi Pandor said that South Africa seeks to use the UN General Assembly to push for diplomacy between Kyiv and Moscow. “We would want a process of diplomacy to be initiated between the two parties and we believe the UN must lead, the UN secretary-general in particular,” Pandor said. sdi/wd (AP, AFP, Reuters)

EXPLAINER: Ethereum Is Ditching Its ‘miners.’ Why? – Dunya News https://collincountynewsonline.com/explainer-ethereum-is-ditching-its-miners-why-dunya-news/ Technology EXPLAINER: Ethereum is ditching its ‘miners.’ Why? Cryptocurrencies run on constructs called blockchains. 17 September,2022 08:31 am SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A complex software change to the cryptocurrency ethereum holds the potential to dramatically reduce its energy consumption — and resulting climate-related pollution. But the transition known as “the merge” is not going to do the trick by itself. With the change enacted late Wednesday, ethereum — the world’s second most valuable cryptocurrency after bitcoin — has effectively eliminated the energy-intensive task of “mining” new coins on its blockchain. Mining requires enormous computing power, which translates to huge energy consumption and, in many areas, greater greenhouse gas emissions at older power plants. By itself, however, the ethereum change won’t eliminate crypto’s expected environmental impact, although it’s expected to help a great deal. The backers of bitcoin have so far shown little interest in doing away with mining. BACK UP A SECOND. WHAT IS CRYPTOCURRENCY? Cryptocurrency is a type of digital money secured via encryption in a publicly viewable and purportedly unalterable way. Using these currencies, people can make direct financial transactions without any need for a bank or other financial intermediaries. They run on constructs called blockchains, which consist of digitally signed transaction records that document every time a crypto coin is transferred or spent. Blockchains are also known as distributed ledgers because synchronized copies are stored on computers around the world; these copies also make it extremely difficult to alter, insert or destroy blockchain records. IS CRYPTO BAD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT? Researchers who have studied cryptocurrency are alarmed by its enormous energy usage. A recent report by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy cited research findings that as of August 2022, annual electricity consumption for cryptocurrency exceeded that of individual nations such as Argentina or Australia. This problem, however, isn’t inherent to cryptocurrency. Most of that energy is used for mining, a computationally intensive process for verifying blockchain transactions that also distributes new coins as rewards for competing miners. Crypto mining favors well-resourced groups that can put together a lot of specialized computers and supply them with electricity as cheaply as possible. That can have unexpected external effects. Prior to the plunge in cryptocurrency values earlier this year, demand for computer graphics cards soared, pushing up prices and emptying store shelves — much to the chagrin of gamers. Such cards turned out to be ideal for crypto mining rigs. Cities and states in the U.S. have also pushed back against crypto firms’ plans to build mining sites in their jurisdictions, citing not only power usage but noise. SO WHAT DOES THE ETHEREUM CHANGE DO? Primarily, the software update eliminates the need for miners. Where ethereum previously set miners against each other to solve complex cryptographic puzzles and win new coin as rewards, it now requires parties who want to help validate transactions to put some skin in the game by “staking” a certain amount of ether, the ethereum coin. Parties from this pool are randomly chosen to validate a block of transactions; a wider group of ether holders will then check their work. Successful validators get paid a reward in ether that is generally proportional to the size of their stake and the length of time they’ve held it. WILL THAT HELP THE ENVIRONMENT? The ethereum merge many not sound like much, but it could have dramatic effects. Alex de Vries, an economist and founder of the Digiconomist consultancy that focuses on the environmental impact of cryptocurrencies, calculates the shift will result in energy savings of between 99% and 99.99% for ethereum. (De Vries emphasizes that his work has not yet been peer reviewed.) “It’s a really small change to the code that’s going to have a very big impact on environmental sustainability,” he said. Prior to the merge, ethereum was doing up to 900 billion calculations per second that are now not needed anymore. According to his calculations, ethereum was responsible for about 44 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year. If he’s correct, these will now be drastically reduced. On the other hand, bitcoin’s energy usage and greenhouse gas emission is significantly larger than ethereum’s — and there doesn’t seem to be much enthusiasm for moving away from bitcoin mining. Ethereum’s merge was long planned and involved years of preparation by its developer teams, said Lena Klaassen, co-founder of the Crypto Carbon Ratings Institute, a German company that specializes in measuring crypto environmental impacts. “Such ambitions never existed for Bitcoin and thus I don’t expect that Bitcoin will transition” away from mining any time soon, she said.  ‘ ; var i = Math.floor(r_text.length * Math.random()); document.write(r_text[i]);