Daily Archives: April 13, 2021

A clinical trial says a treatment using "natural killer cells" is effective against Hodgkin lymphoma. Separately, retevmo, a drug from Eli Lilly already approved for lung and thyroid cancer treatments, has shown promise in beating rare tumors found elsewhere.

Stat:Natural Killer Cells Induce Remissions In Patients With Blood CancerTwo patients with advanced Hodgkin lymphoma were told their tumors were so resistant to treatment that hospice was their best option. Then, they were enrolled in a clinical trial of a novel immunotherapy involving so-called natural killer cells. After treatment, they saw complete remission. (Feuerstein, 4/9)

Stat:Lillys Retevmo Shows Success In Rare Tumors With Key Genetic MutationRetevmo, a drug developed by Eli Lillys Loxo Oncology unit, shows efficacy in tumors beyond the lung and thyroid cancers where it is approved so long as those tumors bear a key genetic alteration, the company said. Full data were released Sunday at a presentation at the virtual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research. (Herper, 4/11)

Stat:Revolution Medicine Seeks To Bolster Case For Its Lead Cancer DrugRevolution Medicines on Saturday presented updated data to bolster the case for its lead cancer drug designed to stop tumor growth by throttling back mutations in a common cell-signaling pathway. The drug, called RMC-4630, wont shrink tumors very much on its own. The drugs main purpose will be as a backbone of combination treatments. (Feuerstein, 4/10)

Stat:ITeos Therapeutics Debuts First Data On TIGIT-Targeting Cancer ImmunotherapyITeos Therapeutics offered the first look at clinical data for its experimental cancer antibody that works by blocking the novel and very buzzworthy protein target called TIGIT. The tumor-shrinking activity of the companys drug, called EOS-448, was minimal but still comparable to early study data from competing TIGIT-targeted drugs in development, including ones from Roche and Merck. (Feuerstein, 4/11)

Stat:Clinical Study Reports Hold More Details About Cancer DrugFor years, researchers have urged regulators to release clinical study reports that are generated during clinical trials in order to support further research and improve care. Now, a new study offers evidence why this is a good idea: There were more harmful side effects found in clinical study reports than listings in corresponding trial registries or published studies. (Silverman, 4/9)

In other pharmaceutical industry news

Stat:Trial Shows Promise Aiming A Cold-Sore Virus At Children's Brain TumorsA therapy that sends a modified cold-sore virus to selectively kill tumor cells and spark an immune response to a particularly deadly brain cancer in children showed promise in an early clinical trial, scientists reported Saturday. They hope their approach to high-grade gliomas will pave the way toward a combination treatment with immunotherapy that could spare children the harsh toxicities of current therapies. (Cooney, 4/10)

The Washington Post:Are MRNA Flu Shots In The Works? Yes, But Not For The Upcoming Flu Season.The technology used in two of the coronavirus vaccines authorized by the Food and Drug Administration may enable scientists to develop flu shots in record time, but also make inoculations that could be more effective and protect against numerous flu strains for years at a time. The messenger-RNA technology used in the Pfizer and Moderna coronavirus vaccines would be a leap forward for flu shots, some of which still rely on a process developed in the 1950s involving chickens, petri dishes and dead viruses. Researchers are hopeful that the success of those coronavirus vaccines will grease the wheels for mRNA flu shots and help expedite what is typically a lengthy process involving years of research, clinical trials and regulatory review and approval. (Bever, 4/11)

CBS News:Some Members Of Sackler Family Under Fire Over Ties To OpioidsPurdue Pharma, privately owned by some members of the Sackler family, is the drug maker that developed and marketed the powerful painkiller OxyContin. The company has been blamed for helping to spark the opioid epidemic that killed nearly half a million people in this country over the past two decades. And yet, for much of that time, the Sacklers one of the wealthiest families in America (as compiled by Forbes magazine) have largely avoided public scrutiny for the part they allegedly played. They are now the subject of Keefe's new book: "Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty" (Doubleday). (4/11)

See the original post:

Progress In Treating Hodgkin Lymphoma - Kaiser Health News

BEDFORD, Mass., April 07, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Progress(NASDAQ: PRGS), the leading provider of products to develop, deploy and manage high-impact businessapplications, today announced The Worthy Web, a virtual six-week hackathon, challenging developers across the world to create web apps that help people lead better lives, stay connected, and contribute to society during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

The hackathon kicks off today and closes on May 24. It features a total of $40,000 in cash prizes distributed in multiple categories.

The Worthy Web aims to inspire developers to use their skills and the power of technology to build apps that will make the world a better place, said Sara Faatz, Director, Developer Relations, Progress. Whether it is apps that help people cope with the realities of living in a pandemic, connect restaurants with local shelters, help to make services accessible to those with disabilities, or anything related to betterment of the community or our world, the hackathon is part of our mission to enable the developer community to do well and have a positive impact on the world.

Developers can enter the hackathon at any time over the six-week period. The apps they create should be for the good of humanity and built leveraging Progress industry-leading developer tools. Winners will be selected based on the apps positive impact on the world or the community, quality of the idea, overall execution and implementation and use of the Progress developer tools in one of nine categories: Best Use of Telerik UI for Blazor, Best Use of Telerik UI for Angular, Best Use of KendoReact and others.

Winners will be announced on June 9.

Along with the hackathon, Progress will launch a Weekly Worthy Web Show that will feature practical tips on how to build Worthy Web apps and will host discussions on topics like accessibility, overcoming unconscious bias and ethical design in app development. The show, which will take place on the popular video streaming platform Twitch, aims to encourage collaboration, knowledge sharing and creativity among those joining the hackathon.

For more information about The Worthy Web and how to enter the hackathon, visit https://progress-worthyweb.devpost.com.

Additional Resources

About ProgressProgress (NASDAQ: PRGS) provides the leading products to develop, deploy and manage high-impact business applications. Our comprehensive product stack is designed to make technology teams more productive, and we have a deep commitment to the developer community, both open source and commercial alike. With Progress solutions, organizations can accelerate the creation and delivery of strategic business applications, automate the process by which apps are configured, deployed and scaled, and make critical data and content more accessible and secure -- leading to competitive differentiation and business success. Over 1,700 independent software vendors, 100,000+ enterprise customers, and a three-million-strong developer community rely on Progress to power their applications. Learn about Progress at http://www.progress.com or +1-800-477-6473.

Progress, Telerik, KendoReact, and Kendo UI are trademarks or registered trademarks of Progress Software Corporation and/or one of its subsidiaries or affiliates in the US and other countries. Any other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

Press Contact: Kim Baker Progress +1-781-280-4000 pr@progress.com

See original here:

Progress Global Hackathon Challenges Developers to Build Apps to Make the World a Better Place - GlobeNewswire

TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA) -- A new upscale hotel is coming to downtown Tupelo near the Bancorp South Arena. Construction is currently underway.

Walker Thrash said Hotel Tupelo will soon be a reality.

Thrash explained he is a partner of Thrash Group.

He described Thrash Group as a Mississippi-based development and construction company that's behind this building project.

"Right now, we are right on track," Thrash said.

He explained crews began construction about a year and a half ago.

Thrash said the team jumped at the opportunity of having a project in the company's home state.

"We were really surprised at the amount of travel and tourism that happens with that being somewhat of a hub city."

"We saw that there was a need for a boutique hotel, that the leisure travel would support it."

Concerning progress, Project Manager Marco Oliver said the team has some usual delays such as weather, which is common.

However, he said it's nothing that's thrown them off, that they are still on schedule.

Walker said looking forward, his team is excited to get this project finished.

"It's an 80-room boutique hotel, like I said, with a full-service restaurant in downtown, and we really are excited about the energy I think we can bring to Main Street."

Builders said the hotel should be completed and operational by the end of December, 2021.

Link:

Hotel Tupelo - Progress toward completion later this year - WTVA

Data from Phase 1b/2a study in chronic HBV patients show robust HBV specific T cell responses in 50% of evaluable patients across all study arms of VBI-2601 (BRII-179)

VBI-2601 (BRII-179) was well-tolerated with no safety signals observed at both low- and high-dose levels

Patient screening for the Phase 2 combination study of high-dose VBI-2601 (BRII-179) and BRII-835 (VIR-2218) initiated March 2021 first patient first dose anticipated early Q2 2021

VBI Vaccines Inc. (Nasdaq: VBIV) (VBI), a biopharmaceutical company driven by immunology in the pursuit of powerful prevention and treatment of disease, today announced data and next steps from the high-dose cohort of its Phase 1b/2a clinical study of VBI-2601 (BRII-179), the companys hepatitis B immunotherapeutic candidate, in chronically-infected hepatitis B patients. VBI-2601 (BRII-179) is being developed in collaboration with Brii Biosciences (Brii Bio) as part of a potential functional cure for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.

The Phase 1b/2a is a randomized, controlled study designed to assess the safety, tolerability, antiviral and immunologic activity of VBI-2601 (BRII-179) in 46 non-cirrhotic patients with chronic HBV infection on nucleos(t)ide analogue (NUC) therapy. The study is a two-part study to evaluate four doses of VBI-2601 (BRII-179), at either a low (20 g) or high (40 g) dose, with and without co-administration of interferon-alpha (IFN-).

Data to-date from 33 evaluable patients across all study arms suggest:

VBI-2601 (BRII-179) was well-tolerated at all dose levels with and without IFN-, with no significant adverse events identified

Restimulation of T cell immune responses to HBV surface antigens, including S, Pre-S1, and Pre-S2, in 50% (range: 50% - 78%) of evaluable patients from all VBI-2601 (BRII-179) cohorts compared to no detectable response in the control, NUC-only arm

The T cell responses and antibody responses were comparable across the 20g and 40g unadjuvanted study arms

T cell response rates between the adjuvanted and unadjuvanted cohorts were also comparable

VBI and Brii are targeting the presentation of the complete Phase 1b/2a dataset at a scientific conference later in 2021.

Story continues

Based on the acceptable safety profile and vaccine-induced adaptive immune responses observed to-date, the high dose of VBI-2601 (BRII-179), both with and without IFN-, was selected to progress into a Phase 2 combination study of VBI-2601 (BRII-179) and BRII-835 (VIR-2218), a novel small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA) therapeutic candidate designed to inhibit expression of HBV proteins. Patient screening for the study initiated in March 2021 in New Zealand, and Brii Bio expects to initiate the study in China, Hong Kong, Australia, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, and South Korea in the second and third quarter of 2021.

About Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is one of the worlds most significant infectious disease threats with more than 290 million people infected globally. HBV infection is the leading cause of liver disease and, with current treatments, it is very difficult to cure, with many patients going on to develop liver cancers. An estimated 900,000 people die each year from complications of chronic HBV such as liver decompensation, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma.

About VBI-2601 (BRII-179)

VBI-2601 (BRII-179) is a novel recombinant, protein-based HBV immunotherapeutic candidate that builds upon the 3-antigen conformation of VBIs prophylactic 3-antigen HBV vaccine candidate, and is designed to target enhanced B-cell and T-cell immunity. VBI-2601 (BRII-179) is being developed in collaboration with Brii Biosciences in the licensed territory of China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan as part of a potential functional cure for chronic hepatitis B infection.

About VBI Vaccines Inc.

VBI Vaccines Inc. ("VBI") is a biopharmaceutical company driven by immunology in the pursuit of powerful prevention and treatment of disease. Through its innovative approach to virus-like particles ("VLPs"), including a proprietary enveloped VLP ("eVLP") platform technology, VBI develops vaccine candidates that mimic the natural presentation of viruses, designed to elicit the innate power of the human immune system. VBI is committed to targeting and overcoming significant infectious diseases, including hepatitis B, coronaviruses, and cytomegalovirus (CMV), as well as aggressive cancers including glioblastoma (GBM). VBI is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with research operations in Ottawa, Canada, and a research and manufacturing site in Rehovot, Israel.

Website Home: http://www.vbivaccines.com/ News and Resources: http://www.vbivaccines.com/news-and-resources/ Investors: http://www.vbivaccines.com/investors/

Cautionary Statement on Forward-looking Information

Certain statements in this press release that are forward-looking and not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). The Company cautions that such statements involve risks and uncertainties that may materially affect the Companys results of operations. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to management. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including but not limited to, the impact of general economic, industry or political conditions in the United States or internationally; the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on our clinical studies, manufacturing, business plan, and the global economy; the ability to establish that potential products are efficacious or safe in preclinical or clinical trials; the ability to establish or maintain collaborations on the development of therapeutic candidates; the ability to obtain appropriate or necessary governmental approvals to market potential products; the ability to obtain future funding for developmental products and working capital and to obtain such funding on commercially reasonable terms; the Companys ability to manufacture product candidates on a commercial scale or in collaborations with third parties; changes in the size and nature of competitors; the ability to retain key executives and scientists; and the ability to secure and enforce legal rights related to the Companys products. A discussion of these and other factors, including risks and uncertainties with respect to the Company, is set forth in the Companys filings with the SEC and the Canadian securities authorities, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 2, 2021, and filed with the Canadian security authorities at sedar.com on March 2, 2021, as may be supplemented or amended by the Companys Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Given these risks, uncertainties and factors, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. All such forward-looking statements made herein are based on our current expectations and we undertake no duty or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements for any reason, except as required by law.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210412005138/en/

Contacts

VBI Contact Nicole AndersonDirector, Corporate Communications & IRPhone: (617) 830-3031 x124Email: IR@vbivaccines.com

Read the rest here:

VBI Vaccines Announces Phase 1b/2a Data and Progress of Hepatitis B Immunotherapeutic Candidate - Yahoo Finance

Congratulations on being proactive to put your health and weight on track. Whether you're trying to lose weight or not, it's generally important to engage in clean eating. Although there are many variations to "clean eating," it basically refers to eating foods that are as close as possible to their natural state.

One of the main reasons to eat clean are the health benefits of consuming foods rich in nutrient contents that have not been overly processed. Clean eating nourishes you with healthy nutrient-dense foods, filling your body with vitamins, minerals, high-quality protein and healthy fats, all of which improve heart and brain health, assist in weight management, build a stronger immune system, and increase energy levels.

It may feel overwhelming to change your diet, but my advice to you would be to consider different categories of food and then make small pivots based on what you like, what you are comfortable cooking, and what may be in season.

Consider, for instance, the following foods:

So, for breakfast, consider a whole-grain avocado toast, drizzled with olive oil and maybe some spices. And grab a banana, too. A glass of low-fat milk or a side of yogurt can give you great protein and a calcium boost.

As for snacking, its still important to reach for clean foods that will fuel your body with good nutrients. Consider how often you reach for snacks during the day. If you know you're snacking often, plan out and prepackage snacks.

If you portion out healthy snacks and place them somewhere you will see them, it will be harder to overindulge. It can be very difficult to estimate appropriate portion sizes, which can lead to unwanted weight gain. Using these visual cues will help you get close to the actual recommended serving sizes:

Another helpful tip is to track your progress and choices. This can help motivate you to keep going. Jot down daily the number of meals and snacks you consume. Consider a menu or checklist of options. Track what you have selected, and then, at the end of the week, go ahead and indulge in a piece of chocolate or small scoop of frozen yogurt.

Be mindful also of when you snack. Its very easy to turn to food when you are feeling stressed or bored, but this can lead to overeating, which can further increase stress levels with weight gain that may result.

If you are someone who craves sweets which is a normal response to stress reach for lean protein foods, such as hardboiled eggs, tuna, cheese sticks, plain no-sugar-added yogurt, or soups made with lots of vegetables.

Before you grab a snack, ask yourself, Am I physically hungry or am I just stressed? You also can distract yourself with walks or something creative.

As you start this journey, remember that weight loss and diet changes take time. If you are going to weigh yourself, do so at the same time every day. Remember that to maintain your weight, you should be eating 10 calories per pound per day. For you, seeing your goal is to lose weight, you will want to consume fewer calories than your body is using or burning. I would consider finding an app you like to help you track eating and exercise, as well as calories, to help keep you motivated.

Be patient with yourself. Research has shown it can take up to 66 days of consistently repeating a behavior until it forms a habit. Work toward progress, not perfection. Engage in clean eating, healthy portion sizes and mindful snacking to maintain healthy lifestyle behaviors. Eileen Dutter, R.D.N., Weight Management Services, Mayo Clinic Health System, Eau Claire, Wis.

Mayo Clinic Q&A is an educational resource and doesnt replace regular medical care. Email a question to MayoClinicQ&A@mayo.edu. For more information, visit http://www.mayoclinic.org.

Go here to see the original:

Aim for progress, not perfection with dietary changes - PostBulletin.com

A pair of Americans, Coco Gauff and Sloane Stephens, took to the courts Friday to play quarterfinal matches at the Volvo Car Open in Charleston, S.C. Neither won, but to assess where each of these two stood at the end of their latest matches triggers an assertion: Define winning.

Gauffs early tennis education continued today, one lesson after another coming courtesy of the seasoned and versatile Ons Jabeur. Though Gauff had won their prior two matches, on this occasion, sharp court coverage, forceful consistency, and a Jabeur trademark, the adroit drop shot, helped the 26-year-old Tunisian earn a 6-3, 6-3 victory that smoothly melded business and artistry. Still, for the 17-year-old Gauff, advancing to this stage of a tournament remains quite new, Charleston only the fifth last eight appearance of her young tennis career. Recall that less than two years ago, Gauff was entered in the qualifying at Wimbledon. She arrived in Charleston ranked No. 36.

Most teenagersincluding tennis prodigiespolish themselves privately. But Gauff, so successful so early, is having this process play out on international television, in front of millions. Yet as much as her youthful rawness is intermittently exposed, its exceeded by Gauffs relentless optimism and sheer engagement in competition. To see Gauff conduct herself so positively is to turn a competitive axiom on its head. Results do not generate confidence. Better yet: Confidence generates results. Or even more, is confidence itself merely an illusion, the heart of the matter revolving around practice, study, competition?

One can see, week to week, match to match, sometimes even rally to rally, how hard Gauff is working to improveeverything from her forehand (weaker than the backhand), to court positioning, forward movement, the serve. Progress, though, is not a line forward, but a series of peaks, valleys and even tumblesliterallyevident today when Gauff fell on her right side. Later this evening, Gauff withdrew from the doubles, citing a right hip injury. One hopes this is only a short-term issue.

Getty Images

For Stephens, eleven years Gauffs elder, being in the quarterfinals was familiar, but also a bit distant, the first time shed been that far since Roland-Garros 2019. As if the pressures of tennis werent enough, the pandemic has been extraordinarily painful for Stephens.

I had COVID, I lost three people that were very close to me. Im in Australia and I literally had to go to my grandparents funeral on Zoom. I just was not ready to play, Stephens said in an article written by tournament writerRichard Osbourne.The pressure of contracts and the expectation of being out there and just playing, it wasnt the right time for me. I had a lot going on.

Ranked 57th as the tournament began, Stephens played sharp tennis to earn three victories, including one over defending Volvo Car Open winner Madison Keys and another versus the dangerous Ajla Tomljanovic. In todays quarterfinal, Stephens was in large part overpowered by Veronika Kudermetova, the Russian repeatedly controlling the real estate of the court to earn a 6-3, 6-4 win in 93 minutes. But Stephens fought well. With Kudermetova serving in the second set at 3-0, 40-15, Stephens rallied, including saving one game point with a dazzling down-the-line backhand. Such is the Sloane Stephens mix on her best days: movement, consistency, shot-making.

Stephens won that game and stayed close enough to force Kudermetova to serve it out at 5-4. Brittle as Kudermetova became at the late stages of the second set, when it came time to close, she was flawless, easily holding at 15. No question, for Kudermetova, Charleston is shaping up as a peak. But given all Stephens has been through in recent times, losing a tennis match is hardly a valley. How well this one-time US Open champion builds off all she has learned off the court and can still bring inside the lines is currently shaping up as one of the more intriguing storylines of the 2021 tennis year.

Follow this link:

Progress not a line forwardbut a series of peaks, valleys and tumbles - Tennis Magazine

Thomas Tuchel has warned Chelsea that they will be in danger of squandering their commanding 2-0 lead over Porto if they lose themselves in dreams of winning the Champions League.

Given Tuchels history in this competition, it is unsurprising he is taking nothing for granted before returning to Seville for the second leg of his sides quarter-final against Porto on Tuesday night. Chelseas manager famously lost from this position two years ago, when his Paris Saint-Germain side went out in the last 16 to a weakened Manchester United on away goals, and knows from bitter experience the tie is not over yet.

In Tuchels view Chelsea, who are also gearing up for their FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City on Saturday, must focus on playing their natural game after winning last weeks away leg at the same venue. The German does not want his players dwelling on the past, even though he is in a rush to collect his first piece of silverware after arriving at Stamford Bridge in January.

If you win consecutive games of course you can win titles, Tuchel said. Chelsea has the culture, history and mentality to do so. I am here to win games and titles. That is what I demand of myself, so why should we now say anything different? That we want to win in five years or three years or two years? Now is the time.

But there is no match other than the next game and no other obstacle to overcome than Porto tomorrow. We should not get lost in dreams and hopes and speeches and whatever. We are here to focus on reality and hopefully after tomorrow we can talk about the semi-final.

Although Chelsea lead Porto thanks to goals from Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell, Tuchel does not see any value in trying to be too clever against Srgio Conceios awkward side. We dont approach games like this, he said. Its important to play the best game possible again.

In terms of adapting to the result, its easier for Porto because they know what they need to do to go through. If we start adapting we could easily lose our heads. What does it mean? That its enough to lose one-zero? Its good to have a draw, or better to have one-zero for us. Why should we enter into this thinking?

This is the challenge to not lose your head. Forget the result, we have to deliver. If we dont deliver, you cannot expect any results. We have to be free in our minds to react to the situations on the pitch.

Tuchel has already moved on from Chelseas outstanding 4-1 win over Crystal Palace on Saturday, urging his side to keep standards high against Porto and City. This is a pivotal week for Chelsea, who are also battling to finish in the top four in the Premier League.

If you want to finish the season with a trophy wed better win both matches, otherwise it could be difficult, Tuchel said. Its most important for me to be fully focused on what we do and forget what we did at Palace because its the past.

Theres nothing less interesting in football than the past. Everything that counts in football is the next match, the next competition. We can be self-confident because we have a strong squad. The squad can rely always on their work rate, their intensity. We are always a tough team to play against. We play in three competitions and hopefully well still be in three competitions.

Tuchel is yet to decide whether to start NGolo Kant in central midfield. The France midfielder picked up a hamstring injury on international duty last month and needs to be managed carefully.

I was unbelievably happy when he told me he will travel with us last week to Seville, Tuchel said.

The plan was that he returns against Crystal Palace. He was strong enough to help us in the last 15 or 20 minutes. The downside was he lost a bit of sleep after the travel issues back from Seville. He lost workload in training.

The Fiver: sign up and get our daily football email

The next day he suffered from travelling. We decided to bring him from the bench against Palace. Normally it is hard to imagine a game like this without NG. At the same time we need to be absolutely carefully about him, that we dont take risks with his injury situation. The question is do we want him to start or do we want him to finish the game? There is also the possibility of 120 minutes.

More:

Thomas Tuchel tells Chelsea to focus on the present and seal progress past Porto - The Guardian

Although the abbreviated 2020 season was technically Chattanooga Red Wolves coach Jimmy Obleda's first in charge, nobody associated with the professional soccer team is looking at it that way.

His first year with the club was marred by the COVID-19 pandemic, which pushed the USL League One schedule back to a late July start and led to the postseason being limited to a championship match that was ultimately canceled because of coronavirus protocol. In addition, with Tim Hankinson having coached the Red Wolves during their inaugural season, there was a roster in place last year that didn't necessarily represent Obleda's vision or that of the club.

Couple all of that with the fact the Red Wolves, after playing home games at Chattanooga Christian School in 2019, were opening a brand-new venue in East Ridge the first stadium in the state of Tennessee built specifically for a professional soccer team that may have been, at best, about 15% complete last season.

Now fast forward to what the organization considers year one for Obleda.

CHI Memorial Stadium has made a lot of progress, with a jumbotron about to be put up that will be visible from Interstate 75. The large display screen will most likely be in place by the time the Red Wolves play their regular-season home opener May 22 against Fort Lauderdale CF after beginning with back-to-back road matches against North Texas SC (May 8) and New England Revolution II (May 16).

Also by then, more progress will be visible on the club suites and executive suites that will overlook the stands. After that will be the construction of locker rooms across from the team benches and the suites, plus the installation of lights that will allow the Red Wolves the chance to hold home matches in the evening.

As for the team itself, 16 new players found their way on the field in Saturday's preseason match against 2018 MLS champion Atlanta United FC's second club, which plays in the USL Championship division. Chattanooga won 1-0, with the goal coming from Facundo Coelho, who didn't even have a number on his jersey because he was a trial player who just arrived in town.

The exhibition featured those expected to be primary contributors for the Red Wolves playing in the first half and those fighting for roster spots taking the field after intermission, but it was enough to show why team owner Bob Martino, general manager Sean McDaniel, Obleda and others are excited about this year.

"When Bob and Sean brought me in a year ago, it was to build the type of team and environment where people want to go watch," Obleda said. "You can see everything around is kind of personifying that. People want to be at the stadium; people want to be here for these games. I wouldn't be able to do this without their support, but just seeing it and seeing this group and what it's building the guys, the culture little by little? I couldn't be happier.

"We have an amazing group and we're just starting out. We didn't win the championship today, but you take one little step of getting to the championship, so with humility and hard work and perseverance and dealing with all the stuff that comes, we're going to get there."

The Red Wolves finished last season 6-5-4 two of the losses were 1-0 results against Greenville Triumph SC, the eventual league champion and wound up fifth out of 11 teams in the league at the time. Four of the top five scorers from that Chattanooga team are gone, the exception being Marky Hernandez.

Even with the newness to the 2021 roster, a couple hundred or so season ticket holders made their way to CHI Memorial Stadium on Saturday to see the product in the rain, no less both on and off the field.

"The best way to define this is it's like a NASCAR crash, and there's a pileup and smoke and you just don't know what's on the other side," McDaniel said. "It's great when you can come through it, and I feel like we're coming out of that, that pileup, that wreckage that was COVID, and now as we emerge from this, everything that was gripping us last year, it is so great to see the energy the players have, even today on a rainy preseason match.

"We've got hundreds of season ticket holders here. It's just a glimpse of what we expect to happen in 2021."

Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenley3.

Excerpt from:

Chattanooga Red Wolves offer glimpse of progress expected for third season - Chattanooga Times Free Press

Reuters

US stocks slipped from record highs as investors digest Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell's recent comments and prepare for a busy week ahead for economic data and earnings.

In an interview with CBS, which aired on Sunday, Powell said that the US is at an "inflection point" and is likely to see a boom in growth and hiring, but still faces threats from COVID-19.

"The outlook has brightened substantially," he told CBS's "60 minutes." Yet he said there was a risk that coronavirus starts spreading again.

He also discussed the outlook for a digital dollar, and said the the US central bank is working hard on researching one as nervousness grows in some quarters about China's rapid development of its own digital currency.

As the economy continues to recover from the pandemic, investors are focused in on inflation data that is due Tuesday. Economists polled by Reuters expect the consumer price inflation index to jump 2.5% from 1.7% year on year in February.

On the earnings front, Wall Street behemoths Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, and Wells Fargo are due to report on Wednesday.

Here's where US indexes stood at the 9:30 a.m. ET open on Monday:

Bitcoin rose as much as 2.6% to $61,229 as the crypto world prepares for Coinbase's direct listing on Wednesday. The surge took the coin close to its all-time high of $61,742 reached on March 1.

West Texas Intermediate crude climbed 1.7%, to $60.31 per barrel. Brent crude, oil's international benchmark, rose 1.6% to $63.97 a barrel.

Gold slipped 0.5%, to $1,737 per ounce.

Read the original:

US stocks retreat from records as investors mull economic-recovery progress and new Powell comments - Markets Insider

PA Ranks 11th Among 50 States for First Dose Vaccinations

As Pennsylvanias vaccination plan accelerates and more than a third of the states eligible population is vaccinated, Governor Tom Wolf today visited a new vaccination clinic in McKeesport to talk about vaccine equity and progress.

Since Pennsylvania providers began receiving vaccine in late December, our state has made immense progress, Gov. Wolf said. Pennsylvania has moved up in state rankings for vaccine distribution over the past several weeks, and we now regularly rank in the top 15 of states for first-dose vaccinations.

The clinic in McKeesport at the Bethlehem Baptist Church, focused on serving a population that may have barriers to vaccine access, is essentially a neighborhood clinic with plans to vaccinate between 100 and 200 people each day.

It is the fourth clinic to be opened by Allegheny County in conjunction with its health department and a local community two larger clinics and now two community clinics.

The governor was joined by County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, Rev. Earlene Coleman of Bethlehem Baptist, Sen. Jim Brewster, Rep. Austin Davis, and McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko.

Throughout this pandemic, we have been grateful to so many partners, big and small, whose help has been instrumental in allowing us to control the spread of the virus and reach those who are most vulnerable in our community with vaccine, said County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. Thanks to Governor Wolf and the PA Department of Health, we have more vaccine for those in our community. And thanks to Rev. Coleman and Bethlehem Baptist, we are able to reach the members of this community where they are, ensuring they are protected against the virus.

While demand for vaccine still outweighs the supply that the state is receiving from the federal government, Pennsylvania has moved forward with eligibility for those in Phase 1B, while still vaccinating anyone in 1A who wants to be vaccinated and hasnt been, and while completing special initiatives such as vaccinations for teachers and school staff. Vaccination progress has warranted opening up availability to more populations and mirrors the vaccination goals of President Biden.

To date, Pennsylvania has administered over 5.7 million doses of vaccine and fully vaccinated more than 2 million people. According to the CDC, as of Wednesday morning, April 7, Pennsylvania has administered first doses of vaccine to 35.4% of its eligible population, and the state ranks 11th among all 50 states for first doses administered by percentage of population.

Allegheny County has administered 456,952 vaccine doses with more than 240,000 people fully vaccinated. As of April 2,76% of those in the county who are 65+ are at least partially vaccinated; 44% of those 50-64 are at least partially vaccinated. The Allegheny County Health Department has administered 87,386 vaccines to date.

The site in McKeesport focuses on equity, a top priority throughout the states vaccine rollout.

Equity means not only identifying which populations are at greatest risk from COVID-19, but proactively working to get vaccine into those communities, and breaking down barriers that make it harder for vulnerable Pennsylvanians to access the vaccine, Wolf said. Local providers like those right here in Allegheny County know their communities best and can put in place targeted efforts to ensure vaccine equity. Thats exactly what will happen at this site.

Serving as a vaccination site for the community stands on my calling, and that of Bethlehem Baptist Church, said Reverend Earlene Coleman. God spoke to me to pastor not just inside the building, but in the community as well as in the church. If life is rough in the community, how will they hear when they come inside?

We are happy to welcome Governor Wolf to the district to highlight this collaboration between the state, the Allegheny County Health Department, the City of McKeesport, and the Bethlehem Baptist Church to continue our effort to get everyone vaccinated and end this pandemic, said Sen. Brewster. I commend the hard work and dedication to ensuring a fair and equitable vaccine distribution process.

I want to thank Governor Wolf for coming to McKeesport and bringing attention to the amazing work being done at Bethlehem Baptist Church by Pastor Earlene Coleman and her entire congregation, Rep. Austin Davis. Given the disproportionate impact COVID-19 has had on people of color, ensuring equity in the vaccination process is crucial, and Im grateful that the McKeesport community is contributing so much to our efforts to support the health and well-being of all Western Pennsylvania residents.

The Wolf Administration has worked with vaccine providers to make it easier for Pennsylvanians to get vaccine appointments including:

Innovative and flexible approaches like the ones on display at this clinic will continue to be necessary to ensure equity during every phase of Pennsylvanias vaccine rollout, Wolf said. This is a great example for counties and health departments throughout the commonwealth.

Thank you to Dr. Bogen and the Allegheny County Health Department, Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, Rev. Coleman and the staff at Bethlehem Baptist, and every person who has had a hand in setting up this site.

Visit link:

Gov. Wolf Discusses Vaccine Equity and Progress on Visit to McKeesport Vaccination Clinic - pa.gov