Category Archives: Financial Independence

Parents wondering how they can teach their kids to be smart about their financial independence have a tool in Ohio that just got a little bit better. Treasurer Robert Sprague and the Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences are partnering to expand the Real Money, Real World financial literacy program for kids ages 12-18.

Securing a sound and prosperous financial future for our state starts with our young people, and that means preparing them for the challenges that come later in life, Sprague said.

Indeed. We all know how hard it is for adults to navigate the changing financial landscape, let alone prepare kids to do the same. But with this program, there is a way to give kids a leg up.

According to Spragues office, The program increases participant awareness to real-life scenarios such as what it costs to maintain a household, what it costs to care for a child, and the level of education required for the job they desire.

Almost makes one wish such a thing had been available before the rest of us launched into the real world, doesnt it?

More than 95,000 Ohio kids have participated in the program since its start in 2005. Parents, teachers and administrators should take advantage of the program particularly this year, as so many young people are facing more anxiety than ever about their financial futures.

Interested? Visit realmoneyrealworld.osu.edu for details.

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New financial tool will help our children | News, Sports, Jobs - Morning Journal News

HOUSTON, Feb.24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Independence Contract Drilling, Inc. (the "Company" or "ICD") (NYSE: ICD) today reported financial results for the three and twelve months ended December31, 2020 and announced additional rig reactivations.

Fourth Quarter 2020 Highlights

Fleet Summary Highlights

In the fourth quarter of 2020, the Company reported revenues of $13.3 million and a net loss of $43.1 million, or $7.02 per share, compared to revenues of $45.3 million and a net loss of $35.0 million, or $9.32 per share, in the fourth quarter of 2019, and to revenues of $10.2 million and a net loss of $15.2 million, or $2.67 per share in the third quarter of 2020. In addition, the Company reported adjusted net loss (defined below) of $16.3 million, or $2.65 per share, and adjusted EBITDA loss (defined below) of $1.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2020, compared to adjusted net loss of $7.7 million, or $2.04 per share, and adjusted EBITDA of $7.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2019, and to adjusted net loss of $15.5 million, or $2.73 per share, and adjusted EBITDA loss of $0.5 million in the third quarter of 2020.

For the year ended December31, 2020, the Company reported revenues of $83.4 million and a net loss of $96.6 million, or $19.69 per share, compared to revenues of $203.6 million and a net loss of $60.8 million, or $16.11 per share for the year ended December31, 2019. In addition, the Company reported adjusted net loss of $53.3 million, or $10.86 per share, and adjusted EBITDA of $7.0 million for the year ended December31, 2020 compared to adjusted net loss of $18.1 million, or $4.80 per share, and adjusted EBITDA of $43.4 million for the year ended December31, 2019. Adjusted net loss and adjusted EBITDA are both non-GAAP financial measures that are defined and reconciled below.

Chief Executive Officer Anthony Gallegos commented, "The fourth quarter of 2020 marked an inflection point as our contracted rig count increased materially as demand for our services continued to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our operating teams, supported by our industry leading systems and processes, performed exceptionally well during this period. In addition, several of our prior customers reinitiated drilling activities and contracted ICD rigs to execute their programs. Overall, since the trough of three operating rigs during the third quarter of 2020, we reactivated five rigs as of year end, representing a 167% increase over this low point. All of these reactivations were completed safely, on time, on budget and with exceptional uptime performance. We are grateful for our customers and appreciate the hard work of ICD's dedicated employees to make this performance possible."

"Looking out across our primary markets, including the Permian, Haynesville and Eagle Ford, we continue to see opportunities to increase our contracted rig count as the underlying macro environment continues to improve. Since the beginning of 2021, we have reactivated an additional three rigs and a fourth reactivation is scheduled to occur in early March. Driven by our desire to maximize shareholder returns and capitalize on improving market conditions, our Board of Directors has approved a capital budget for 2021 of $5.8 million, the vast majority of which will be maintenance driven, representing a substantial reduction compared to 2020 capital expenditures of $14.2 million."

Quarterly Operational Results

In the fourth quarter of 2020, the Company's marketed fleet operated at 27% utilization and recorded 707 revenue days, compared to 77% utilization and 1,984 revenue days in the fourth quarter of 2019, and 17% utilization and 460 revenue days in the third quarter of 2020. Operating days in the fourth quarter of 2020 include 34 standby days in which the Company earned a substantially lower dayrate.

Operating revenues in the fourth quarter of 2020 totaled $13.3 million, compared to $45.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2019 and $10.2 million in the third quarter of 2020. Revenues in the fourth quarter 2019 and third quarter of 2020 included early termination revenues of $0.6 million and $1.2 million, respectively. There was no early termination revenue in the fourth quarter of 2020. Revenue per day in the fourth quarter of 2020 was $16,720, compared to $20,241 in the fourth quarter of 2019 and $18,078 in the third quarter of 2020, excluding early termination revenue from the earlier periods. This decrease in average revenue per day resulted from a significant decline in spot dayrates during 2020, as well as the expiration of various higher dayrate legacy term contracts during 2020. The Company does not have any legacy dayrate contracts with primary terms extending into 2021.

Operating costs in the fourth quarter of 2020 totaled $12.4 million, compared to $33.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2019 and $8.7 million in the third quarter of 2020. Fully burdened operating costs were $13,719 per day in the fourth quarter of 2020, compared to $14,707 in the fourth quarter of 2019 and $14,155 in the third quarter of 2020. The sequential decrease was primarily attributable to stronger absorption of overhead costs associated with a larger operating fleet during the fourth quarter of 2020.

Excluding the impact from early termination revenues and decommissioning and reactivation costs, fully burdened rig operating margins in the fourth quarter of 2020 were $3,001 per day, compared to $5,534 per day in the fourth quarter of 2019 and $3,923 per day in the third quarter of 2020.

Selling, general and administrative expenses in the fourth quarter of 2020 were $3.4 million (including $0.4 million of non-cash stock-based compensation and $0.5 million of transaction costs incurred in connection with entering into an equity line of credit during the quarter). Excluding the equity line of credit costs, selling, general and administrative expenses during the fourth quarter of 2020 were $2.9 million (including $0.4 million of non-cash stock-based compensation). This compares to selling, general and administrative expenses of $4.7 million (including $0.5 million of non-cash stock-based compensation) in the fourth quarter of 2019 and $2.8 million (including $0.7 million of non-cash stock-based compensation) in the third quarter of 2020. The sequential increase in selling, general and administrative expenses was primarily due to seasonal audit and professional fees.

Impairment Charge

During the fourth quarter of 2020, due to the highly competitive market, management evaluated the Company's marketed fleet of drilling rigs to assess which rigs would be most relevant in the post-COVID pandemic market place and the capital requirements associated with each of these rigs. As a result of this review, the Company made the decision to reduce its marketed fleet from 29 rigs to 24 rigs.TheCompany doesnot expect to add any rigs back toits marketed fleet unless market conditions substantially improve over expectations. As a result of this review, the Company recorded an impairment charge of $24.4 million related to the remaining assets on these rigs, as well as certain other component equipment.

Drilling Operations Update

The Company exited the fourth quarter witheight rigs earning revenues under drilling contracts and currently has 12 rigs under contract, including a rig scheduled for mobilization in early March 2021. The majority of the Company's rigsare operating on short-term pad-to-pad contracts that are excluded from the Company's reported backlog. As such, the Company's backlog of drilling contracts with original terms of six months or longer was $6.1 million as of December31, 2020, representing 1.1 rig years of activity. All of this backlog will be realized during 2021.

Capital Expenditures and Liquidity Update

The Company's capital expenditure budget for 2021, before asset sales and recoveries is $5.8 million. As of December 31, 2020, the Company had cash on hand of $12.3 million, $7.5 million of availability under its $40.0 million ABL Credit Facility, $15.0 million committed accordion under its existing term loan facility and $5.0 million available under its committed equity line of credit.

Conference Call Details

A conference call for investors will be held today, February24, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. Central Time (12:00 p.m. Eastern Time) to discuss the Company's fourth quarter and year end 2020 results.

The call can be accessed live over the telephone by dialing (855) 239-3115 or for international callers, (412) 542-4125. A replay will be available shortly after the call and can be accessed by dialing (877) 344-7529 or for international callers, (412) 317-0088. The passcode for the replay is 10151640. The replay will be available until March 3, 2021.

Interested parties may also listen to a simultaneous webcast of the conference call by logging onto the Company's website at http://www.icdrilling.com in the Investor Relations section. A replay of the webcast will also be available for approximately 30 days following the call.

About Independence Contract Drilling, Inc.

Independence Contract Drilling provides land-based contract drilling services for oil and natural gas producers in the United States. The Company constructs, owns and operates a fleet of pad-optimal ShaleDriller rigs that are specifically engineered and designed to accelerate its clients' production profiles and cash flows from their most technically demanding and economically impactful oil and gas properties. For more information, visit http://www.icdrilling.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Words such as "anticipated," "estimated," "expected," "planned," "scheduled," "targeted," "believes," "intends," "objectives," "projects," "strategies" and similar expressions are used to identify such forward-looking statements. However, the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements relating to Independence Contract Drilling's operations are based on a number of expectations or assumptions which have been used to develop such information and statements but which may prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict, and there can be no assurance that actual outcomes and results will not differ materially from those expected by management of Independence Contract Drilling. For more information concerning factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those conveyed in the forward-looking statements, please refer to the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the SEC and the information included in subsequent amendments and other filings. These forward-looking statements are based on and include our expectations as of the date hereof. Independence Contract Drilling does not undertake any obligation to update or revise such forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur, or which Independence Contract Drilling becomes aware of, after the date hereof.

INDEPENDENCE CONTRACT DRILLING, INC.Unaudited(in thousands, except par value and share data)CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

December 31, 2020

December 31, 2019

Assets

Cash and cash equivalents

$

12,279

$

5,206

Accounts receivable, net

10,023

35,834

Inventories

1,038

2,325

Assets held for sale

8,740

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

4,102

4,640

Total current assets

27,442

56,745

Property, plant and equipment, net

382,239

457,530

Other long-term assets, net

3,528

2,726

Total assets

$

413,209

$

517,001

Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity

Liabilities

Current portion of long-term debt (1)

$

7,637

$

3,685

Accounts payable

4,072

22,674

Accrued liabilities

10,723

16,368

Merger consideration payable to an affiliate

3,022

Current portion of contingent consideration

2,814

Total current liabilities

22,432

48,563

Long-term debt (2)

137,633

134,941

Merger consideration payable to an affiliate

2,902

Deferred income taxes, net

505

652

Other long-term liabilities

2,704

1,249

Total liabilities

166,176

185,405

Stockholders' equity

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Independence Contract Drilling, Inc. Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Year Ended December 31, 2020 and Announces Additional Rig...

What does Herman bring to Chicago?

Andy Staples, college football senior writer: He brings a fresh set of eyes and ideas. NFL coaches have been trying to incorporate concepts from college offenses, and Herman who has used a variety of up-tempo spread systems could help Bears coaches identify what might translate to that level.

Staples: Texas owed him $15.4 million when it fired him, so Herman has the financial independence to take on whatever role he wants. (It also doesnt hurt that he and Bears coach Matt Nagy share an agent former Bears defensive end Trace Armstrong.)

Does this mean Herman is planning on coaching in the NFL long term? Not necessarily. A stint in the NFL could be quite helpful if Herman returns to college. Top recruits want to know how theyll be developed into draft picks, and a coach with recent NFL experience has credibility on that front.

Kevin Fishbain, Bears beat writer: This is the first time Nagy has hired an analyst on offense, but not the first time hes gone to the college ranks. Mark Helfrich was Nagys first offensive coordinator (2018-19) and, like Herman, hadnt previously coached in the NFL. Nagy valued the creativity and college concepts that Helfrich could bring, and its probably similar with Herman only with less attention.

Well hear more from Nagy during his Tuesday news conference, but Herman's tasks could be focused on self-scouting the offense and providing ideas to Nagy. Anything can help one of the league's worst offenses.

(Photo: Kirby Lee / USA Today)

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Chicago Bears hire former Texas coach Tom Herman as offensive analyst - The Athletic

Jessica and her five children receive a free van from Harrisburg Academy and Wheels from the Heart.

This weekend, Harrisburg Academy helped a Steelton family accelerate towards success.

Steve Muschlitz (Class of 82) and his nonprofit, Wheels from the Heart, joined with the school to provide a free van to a single mother of five, Jessica, on Saturday.

Owning a car is often the first step to financial independence for single mothers and their families, Muschlitz, owner of Country Club Auto in Delray Beach, Florida, said in a statement. These vehicles give them an opportunity for career advancement and better-paying positions to drive their lives to success.

Jessicas children range in age from 4 to 12. According to a spokesperson for the school, Jessica has struggled to provide for her family during the pandemic and needed a vehicle to secure a better job opportunity.

Harrisburg Academy also partnered with Muschlitz to provide the family with free summer school enrollment at the Academy, gas gift cards, several free auto maintenance services from local businesses and gift cards to neighborhood grocery stores and restaurants.

Each of the five children also received a goodie bag donated by Academy students and their families, along with food boxes from Midwest Food Bank. PennDOT District 8 and its grant office, Southcentral PA Highway Safety, provided car seats.

Harrisburg Academy middle and upper school students held a Denim Day where students paid $1 to dress casually to raise money for the gift cards. The Parent Association also contributed to the fundraising efforts. Sam Kinback, owner of Callen Kinback Inc. in Lemoyne, pledged a free oil change, fluid refills and a tire-rotation service. Gunn-Mowery Insurance, also in Lemoyne, helped facilitate insuring the van.

We are extremely grateful for these generous gifts that Harrisburg Academy, Wheels from the Heart and the local community have given to our family, Jessica said. They will bring us joy and this van will make life a bit easier for us every day.

To learn more about Wheels from the Heart, visit their website. For more information on Harrisburg Academy, visit their website.

Support quality local journalism. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

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Harrisburg Academy and alumnus provide free van for Steelton mother of five - The Burg News

NEW YORK, March 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --Dress for Success, the only global nonprofit employment resource for women, today announced the expansion of its annual Your Hour, Her Power global campaign with "31 Days of Women in Power." In honor of Women's History Month and International Women's Day, Dress for Success will share the stories of 31 inspiring women in leadership positions who are making an impact in their industries and beyond.

Launching in partnership with O, The Oprah Magazine, Your Hour, Her Power is inspired by the belief that when a woman has access to opportunities that can change her life for the better, she becomes powerful beyond measure. By donating the equivalent of one hour of pay, individuals can help women gain access to Dress for Success' programs, services, and tools. Given the impact of COVID-19 on women's careers and representation in the workforce, access to employment tools and resources has never been more critical.

"Our clients were vulnerable to economic disparities spurred by hardship and gender-based biases and norms prior to the COVID-19 pandemic," said Joi Gordon, CEO of Dress for Success. "Those disparities have been exacerbated over the past year as our women face increased financial, food, and housing insecurity due to job loss. We want every woman who has been impacted by this crisis to know that Dress for Success has a network, programs, and resources available to support them as they navigate these uncertain times."

Women leaders, mentors, and sponsors play a significant role in empowering women as they advance in their careers. That is why Dress for Success is introducing "31 Days of Women in Power." The campaign extension, sponsored by Arm & Hammer, Chloe Wine Collection, and Sono Bello, will honor 31 groundbreaking women executives representing diverse industries throughout March.

"Women play a pivotal role in driving business and economic gains, as well as social and cultural change, and we must continue to find ways to elevate their voices and recognize them for their contributions," continued Gordon. "We are excited to celebrate these phenomenal women and show our clients what is possible when women are empowered and have access to tools and opportunities that position them for success."

2021 Your Hour, Her Power honorees to be profiled on the campaign's microsite http://www.yourhourherpower.org include:

Andi Owen President & CEO, Herman Miller

Gail Grimmett Chief Experience Officer, Wheels Up

Jenny Xu Founder & CEO, Talofa Games

Lizanne Kindler CEO, Talbots

Ramona Hood President & CEO, FedEx Custom Critical

Cheryl Abel-Hodges CEO, Calvin Klein

Helen Aboah CEO, Urban Zen

Jill Evanko President & CEO, Chart Industries

Margaret Keane CEO, Synchrony

Renee Gittins Executive Director, International Game Developers Association

Christina Seelye Founder & CEO, Maximum Games

Hillary Scott Recording Artist, Lady A

Kate Burke COO, AllianceBernstein

Mary Dillon CEO, Ulta Beauty

Rima Qureshi EVP & Chief Strategy Officer, Verizon

Christy Pambianchi EVP & Chief Human Resources Officer, Verizon

Jamie Jones Miller National President, Alpha Sigma Tau Sorority

Kathy Warden Chairman, CEO & President, Northrop Grumman

Mindy Grossman Presdident & CEO, WW International, Inc.

Stephanie Chung Chief Growth Officer, Wheels Up

Corinne Ripoche CEO, Adecco Americas & Pontoon, Adecco Group

Janessa Cox-Irvin Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion AllianceBernstein

Leah Hoyer VP of Creative, Wizards of the Coast

Niki Leondakis CEO, CorePower Yoga

Sue Y. Nabi CEO, COTY

Dale Bornstein CEO, M Booth

Jasmin Allen SVP, Hennessy U.S., LVMH Met Hennessy Louis Vuitton

Linda Findley Kozlowski President & CEO, Blue Apron

Penny Pennington Managing Partner, Edward Jones

Tami Erwin EVP & Group CEO, Verizon Business

Emilie Rubinfeld Global President, Carolina Herrera

Individuals wishing to support Dress for Success this Women's History Month and International Women's Day with a donation of the equivalent of one hour of their pay may visit the campaign's microsite at http://www.yourhourherpower.org. Additionally, companies interested in partnering with Dress for Success throughout March may contact [emailprotected].

About Dress for Success Dress for Success is an international nonprofit organization that empowers women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire, and development tools to help them thrive in work and life. Since starting operations in 1997, Dress for Success has expanded to nearly 150 cities in 25 countries. To date, the organization has helped more than 1.2 million women work towards financial independence. Visit http://www.dressforsuccess.org to learn more.

SOURCE Dress for Success

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Dress for Success Expands Annual Your Hour, Her Power Campaign with "31 Days of Women in Power" to Highlight the Importance of Women Leaders...

Inequality for women is often generalised to the gender pay gap. Thats just one aspect of a wider problem what I call the career choice gap which is enslaving many women to a life of financial hardship.

My mum was a stay-at-home mum. When my dad passed away, she found herself having to re-commence her working life all over again. She never had the opportunity to choose a career or build security for her later years. It was a stark lesson on the value of financial independence.

While teaching was my dream, I sacrificed my hearts desire for a career path that would give me greater choices, allow me to explore multiple career pathways, build robust financial security and support my dear mum. Via accounting and project management, I found my true calling as a financial adviser.

In a way, I am now the teacher I had always wanted to be: I educate women about how to protect their own futures, provide for their children, and avoid being financially reliant on a partner.

Unfortunately, others havent had those same opportunities. I know of too many cases of women having made enormous personal sacrifices and wound up with little to show for it. (Women over 55 are becoming the face of homelessness in Australia.)

Its time we spoke up about the career choice gap and its damaging effects on women and society at large.

For many women, career choice is often not what they enjoy but what circumstances push them into.

Personal ambitions and talents get sacrificed for the flexibility needs of her family; entrepreneurship aspirations take a back seat to raising kids and funding home ownership; career progression is stymied following time out of the workforce.

These sacrifices carry a monetary loss (lost earnings and lower super contributions) but can also dent their sense of self-worth.

Additionally, financial pressures can force women into unhealthy relationships, which may even involve domestic violence.

The bulk of caregiving responsibilities still fall to women, and not only childrearing but caring for elderly parents/in-laws due to cost (and quality) concerns around aged care.

Often, they juggle caring for older and younger generations simultaneously, leaving little time for paid work. Their incomes stall as do their super contributions.

Once they can resume full-time work, a lack of documented work experience restricts their employment opportunities, and career choices, while they struggle to afford study or retraining and so the cycle continues.

The sad reality of our current system is that many parents (generally women) lose money by relying on childcare to return to work or self-employment.

Until spiralling costs are addressed and universally free or heavily-subsidised childcare is implemented, mothers may be faced with being pushed out of the workforce against their will.

Life is tough for singles, and not just for love.

Couples benefit from economies of scale, making living costs cheaper per person. Even our superannuation system favours couples through spouse contribution and superannuation splitting.

Singles are disadvantaged from saving for a home deposit, boosting retirement funds, and investing for their future. And with, on average, women earning 14% less than men, we shoulder the greatest burden.

Who wouldve thought living longer would be a problem?! But for many women, it is.

Aussie women statistically outlive men by 4.2 years. A longer lifespan naturally costs more.

Women already go into retirement at a financial disadvantage; living longer stretches those limited funds even further.

And forget spousal inheritance: most is tied up in the family home, while cash savings have dwindled on their partners healthcare and funeral costs.

There is something perverse about how society values work.

Why are the people (usually women) who work in administration, care for our sick and elderly, raise and educate our children, and keep us healthy not valued appropriately?

We need a fundamental rethink on the value of work and where the skills of our best and brightest are being used, as well as incentivising and remunerating suitably.

Every individual is a valuable member of society. Yet for women especially, that value often goes unrecognised in monetary terms.

Collectively, we need to grasp the full implications of the career choice gap and push for positive change. Until a womans career choices are entirely her own, gender inequality remains the norm.

Note this is general advice only and you should seek advice specific to your circumstances.

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Calling out the career choice gap on International Women's Day - Women's Agenda

Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague Wednesday announced a partnership with The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) to advance and expand the use of the collegesReal Money. Real World. financial literacy program statewide.

The announcement coincides with the annualAmerica Saves Week, which aims to raise awareness about financial literacy education while helping individuals to achieve financial stability.

Securing a sound and prosperous financial future for our state starts with our young people, and that means preparing them for the challenges that come later in life, said Treasurer Sprague. Ive seen the benefits of the Real Money. Real World. curriculum firsthand, and the Treasurers office looks forward to working with Ohio State University Extension to reach more students and give them the personal finance skills needed to be successful.

With the new partnership, the Ohio Treasurers office will assist OSU Extension with its outreach efforts to shine a brighter light on Real Money. Real World.s innovative curriculum and reach more students who can benefit from it. OSU Extension is the outreach arm of CFAES and currently offers the financial literacy program in 45 of Ohios 88 counties. The program averages approximately 14,000 students annually.

I am very excited about this partnership and how this collaboration with the Treasurers office will help ensure that financial literacy education is successfully offered to youth throughout the state, said Jackie Kirby Wilkins, associate dean and director of OSU Extension. An early introduction to understanding careers, income, budgeting, credit and financial planning pays off significantly in the long-term financial health and wellbeing of youth and the communities in which they live as they prepare for adulthood and financial independence.

Real Money. Real World. is a financial literacy program developed by OSU Extension designed for youth ages 12-18 that emphasizes experiential learning. The curriculum includes an interactive spending simulation that provides participants the opportunity to make lifestyle and budget choices similar to those they will make as adults.

The program increases participant awareness to real-life scenarios such as what it costs to maintain a household, what it costs to care for a child and the level of education required for the job they desire. Since its inception in 2005, the program has had over 95,000 participants.

More information on the Real Money. Real World. curriculum can be found online atrealmoneyrealworld.osu.edu/virtual-program.

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Treasurer Sprague, The Ohio State University partner to advance 'Real Money. Real World.' curriculum - The Highland County Press

We consider the witches broom not a plague, but rather a holy broom, says Rubens de Jesus. Thanks to it, we are on the land today.

Thats not a sentiment shared by many of de Jesuss fellow small farmers, who in the 1990s saw their valuable cacao trees devastated by an outbreak of the fungal disease in the south of Brazils Bahia state. The outbreak had far-ranging social, environmental and economic repercussions, leaving more than 150,000 farmers unemployed in what had been Brazils main cacao-producing region since the 18th century.

In the first half of the 20th century, Bahias cacao was highly valued on the international market, providing decades of abundance for local landowners known as colonels, who exported the crop by the ton every year. In 1989, Moniliophthora perniciosa, the fungus that causes witches broom disease (WBD) in cacao trees, was first detected here, and it quickly spread, bringing the boom time to an end. The cacao trees shriveled up and sprouted the abnormal stems that give the disease its name. About 30,000 farms went bankrupt.

Yet despite this downturn, there was a bright spot. In the Dois Riaches settlement, home to 150 people in the municipality of Ibirapitanga, the outbreak opened the way for land reform. They mobilized for their land rights and received training and support from institutions, eventually becoming an example of how to overcome adversity. They started selling premium cacao to major brands and achieved freedom, financial independence and food sovereignty.

It wasnt always that way.

Before joining the Dois Riaches land reform settlement, and before the outbreak of WBD, many of the communitys residents worked on cacao farms as temporary employees, paid weekly based on how much work they did. Working conditions were harsh: about 15 years ago, Edivaldo dos Santos, also known as Bisc, used to earn around 12 reais a week, or about $4.60 at the exchange rate at the time. He had no rights, no formal contract, and could not even grow his own food. I thought I was worthless; it was almost like slave labor, he says.

Workers didnt get to participate in all stages of cacao production, such as harvesting, breaking and drying. According to Rubens de Jesus, each family would work only on one stage, and it remained so for several generations. It was a strategy by landowners, so we wouldnt understand the whole cycle of cacao. This was designed to keep them dependent on the landowners.

Ironically, the families of many cacao farmers had never eaten chocolate until they took possession of the land, and many did not even know what chocolate was. I broke a lot of cacao, but I was not allowed to suck on a cacao seed, or it would be deducted from our payment, says Luiza dos Santos, adding that they were monitored up close by shift corporals, as the farm foremen were known.

That was until some farmers started to get involved in social movements fighting for land, like Ceta, the State Movement of Settled, Camped and Quilombola Workers. And they decided to set up camp on an abandoned farm by the BA-652 state road: Dois Riaches. In 2007, after six years of fear and sleepless nights, their persistence paid off and they managed to occupy the property, which was eventually granted to them by INCRA, Brazils national land reform institute.

Without cacao, land reform would have been virtually impossible in the region. But the 40 families who occupied the land already knew that planting cacao would guarantee their livelihoods and their main source of income. Today, the 406-hectare (1,003-acre) settlement has no single owner; it is instead managed collectively by all 150 community members.

When the farmers first took over Dois Riaches, they found poor soil, rendered infertile by years of neglect. There was nothing on the land but livestock and cacao. As is customary in movements fighting for land, they planted food crops such as cassava and beans for their own subsistence as soon as they arrived. Before long, they started selling the surplus in neighboring towns and the reality finally began to change. In the words of de Jesus, from being called troublemakers and thieves, they started to be praised as food producers.

To recover the cacao crops, they reestablished the cabruca, an agroecological system that had been practiced in the area for 170 years. It consists of cultivating without clearing the forest. This is possible because cacao grows well in the shade; here, it has the added benefit of preserving a patch of southern Bahias dwindling Atlantic Forest. For a system to be considered cabruca, at least 50 species of native trees are required. This differs vastly from much of the cultivated land in Bahia, which host treeless expanses of monocrops, encouraged by the state government and major industries, who consider the latter more productive.

Another crucial decision by the community was to center their cacao farming around the local and ancient parazinho variety rather than on hybrid or cloned ones widely used in the area. In addition to providing much tastier chocolate, it contributes to maintaining the age-old farming tradition.

Another trademark of Dois Riaches is collective participation. Each farming stage is carried out as a joint effort. The mood is high, and the farmers sing while breaking the cacao. We cant handle 4 hectares [10 acres] by ourselves, but we can do it by working with the neighbors, says Mara Silva, a community member.

Under this scheme, the communitys income per hectare is four times higher than from a conventional system. Agroecological production is our only option, and the secret is to add value. Today we still have Atlantic Forest in Bahia thanks to cacao, de Jesus says.

Through partnerships with several institutions, the residents of Dois Riaches also learned to master fermentation, the most sensitive and rigorous stage of the cycle, responsible for producing truly high-quality cacao beans. Thanks to this, they have managed to sell to the two main premium chocolate brands in the Brazilian market: first Amma, in 2016, and then Dengo.

Its a beautiful and integrated community with a beautiful organization, Ammas founder, Diego Badar, says of the community. We made a [chocolate] bar and stamped it to inform identity, harvest season, variety, and region.

Dengo has helped raise the quality of the beans even further by requiring that they be analyzed by Brazils Cocoa Innovation Center, which assesses whether they meet the standard for processing. Other smaller but also prestigious brands have followed, such as Minas Gerais-based Kalapa, and Quetzal, from Rio de Janeiro.

Its a fantastic feeling when Amma sends us chocolate with that name written on it: Dois Riaches Association, de Jesus says. Anyone who buys it will be consuming a product that doesnt harm nature, respects social and economic aspects, and will benefit those who are at the end of the chain, that is, us.

Finally, the community is introducing cacao and its derivatives into its own diet. Were starting to use it for ourselves as well. Food production is liberation, Mara Silva says.

The process of struggle in Dois Riaches advances toward quality education and access to all levels of training, says Teresa Santiago, a farmer and member of the communitys education commission.

The commission has built a day care center and is finishing off work on a National School of Agroecology. My mother didnt study, but now Im finishing college, Santiago says. So you can see the change. Thats sovereignty. Sovereignty in food, in production, in organicity, sovereignty in quality of life.

And they have other reasons to celebrate. Farmers average monthly earnings went from 246 reais in 2008 to 2,000 reais today ($144 to $365). In 2020, the community opened a school factory and is about to launch its own chocolate brand. All this in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic a sweet success in such difficult times.

The history of the community is told in the independent documentary short Dois Riaches, Cacau e Liberdade (Dois Riaches, Cacao and Freedom). Directed by filmmaker Fellipe Abreu and journalist Patrcia Moll, it was released in November 2020 at the Terra Madre Brasil event promoted by Slow Food. Watch it here (in Portuguese):

Banner image of the Dois Riaches settlement in Ibirapitanga, southern Bahia state, by Fellipe Abreu.

This story was first reported by Mongabays Brazil team and published here on our Brazil site on Feb. 11, 2021.

The rest is here:

Agroforestry and land reform give Brazil cacao farmers sweet taste of success - Mongabay.com

CHICAGO Living alone with her two dogs, working remotely as a high school Spanish teacher and distancing from her parents because ofCOVID-19, Sarah Manos said she felt a little less lonely last April when the man she met on Bumble started buying her flowers.

But two months later, after the man tried to cut Manos off from friends and family and allegedly killedher two dogs, she discreetly packed her bags, fled to her parents' house and called the National Domestic Violence Hotline, according to a civil suit Manos filed last week in Cook County circuit court.

"He wouldnt have gotten his claws into me if I hadnt been isolated," said Manos, 27. County prosecutors did not charge the man, so Manos said she filed the lawsuit because she didn't "want anyone else to suffer through what I went through. No matter how alone they make you feel, you truly are not alone."

Nearly a year since the first coronavirus stay-at-home orders went into effect in the U.S., advocates are warning that survivors continue to be at high risk of domestic violence. With schools closed and many people laid off or working remotely, survivors may be in closer proximity to their abusers with fewer ways to access support services, less financial independence and greater fears about the safety of seeking services amid COVID-19.

"Its been a real challenge for advocates and survivors," saidRuth Glenn, president of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. "Not only have they had barriers theyve had to navigate to seek safety when theyre ready, but they now have an added barrier of a pandemic. It becomes a tool for the person thats causing harm another tool to further control and exert power."

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Domestic violence incidents in the U.S. have increased by 8.1% since the beginning of the pandemic, according to estimatesreleased Wednesday by the National Commission on COVID-19 and Criminal Justice, which drew on data from logs of police calls, crime reports, emergency hotline registries, health records and more.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline said that more than 23,000 people have called since mid-March mentioning COVID-19 as a factor in what they are experiencing. Calls to the hotline have been steadily increasing in recent years, but it's not clear if the pandemic accounts for the continued rise. In fact, many survivors may feel they have less space away from their abuser to safely reach out for help.

"I firmly believe that once weve stepped out of the worst part of this, well see the domestic violencenumbers spike," Glenn said."Youll begin to see more survivors stepping forward and reporting."

But calls to hotlines have surged in differentparts of the country at different times over the past year.New York sawa surge in reports last spring and launched a task force to identify ways to provide resources to survivors amid COVID-19. In Michigan, calls to the hotline run by the Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence reached all-time highs last month.

"We got as many calls in January as we had gotten in the entirety of October through December, and thats when we got almost as many calls as the previous year," said executive directorSarah Prout Rennie. "After a year, people are finding their choice between a rock and a hard place ... completely untenable."

Domestic violence in the age of coronavirus: What happens when you're stuck at home, but home isn't safe?

For Manos, the abuse began quickly. In April, as the U.S. was beginning to learn more about the novel coronavirus and institute stay-at-home orders, Manos wasn't seeingher parents because they didn't want to risk contracting or transmitting COVID-19, she said.

That's when Manos connected with the man on Bumble.According to the lawsuit, he quicklypressured Manos into meeting in personand becoming his girlfriend. Early on, the man allegedly told Manos he had "disappeared" his ex-girlfriend's family and warned Manos not to cross him, according to the lawsuit.

"I knew it wasn't a safe situation, but I knew it was too late to get out then. He was already tracking me," Manos said, referring to digital and in-person tracking. "He said he would never hurt me, but he would always go after the ones that I loved."

Over the course of their relationship, Manos alleges theman repeatedly threatened her life and the lives of her parents. She claims hetortured and killed hertwo dogs, Kirby, a 6-year-old Bichon Mix, and Daisy, a 13-month-old Bichon Mix, according to the lawsuit.

"I started to disassociate a little bit, where you do what you have to to survive," Manos said. "You look at this and youre like, this cannot be happening. This cannot be reality. This isnt real. This isnt me."

Sarah Manos in Chicago in February, 2020.(Photo: Provided by Sarah Manos)

The man denied the allegations to USA TODAY. While police in Midlothian and Arlington Heights, Illinois, investigated Manos' case and concluded animal abuse was the cause of the dogs' deaths, the Cook County States Attorney's Office found the evidence against the man insufficient to meet the burden of proof to file animal cruelty charges. The office told USA TODAY they worked with Manos to secure a conviction against the man after he violated Manos' order of protection.

Manos' civil suit accuses the man of violating the Illinois Humane Care for Animals Act and seeks monetary compensation for "severe emotional distress, among other injuries." Manos said she filed the suit because she wanted the man to be held accountableand to "bring awareness to the situation."

"I knew the system had failed me and that I needed to get justice for myself," Manos said. "Its not about the money. Its the principle. I matter, and my dogs matter."

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Kirby and Daisy sit in a shopping cart during a trip to Petsmart in July, 2019. "We had gone there around the Fourth of July to get fish supplies for a goldfish we had won at the town carnival," Sarah Manos said.(Photo: Provided by Sarah Manos)

Abusers targeting pets is"unfortunately not at all unusual," saidPhil Arkow, coordinator of the National Link Coalition, which works to build greater awareness of how forms of violence are interconnected.

Animal abuse and other forms of family and community violence such as child and elder abuse havelong been tied to domestic violence, he said.

"Domestic violence is about power and control, so animals and things a survivor cares about become a target for the abuse because its a way to hurt the person, and its also a way to control them," said Neha Gill, executive director of Apna Ghar, a Chicago-based human rights organization working to end gender violence.

During times of crisis, such as the coronavirus pandemic, the bond between humans and animals intensifies, and abusers will exploit that bond tocontrol a victim's behavior, to intimidate the victimand to inflict trauma on the victim, Arkow said.

About 71% of pet owners entering women's shelters reported that their batterer had injured or threatened family pets to coerce, control and intimidate them, a 1997 survey found. What's more, about 25% of survivors said they delayed the decision to go to a shelter because of concerns for their pets safety, a2002 survey found.

That's part ofwhy there's a growing movement among shelters to find ways to work with survivors who have pets, Arkow said. More than 250 domestic violence shelters in 46 states accept pets, and hundreds more work with a program in their community to provide foster care for pets, he said.

It's also important to know that animals can be explicitly included in protective orders in 35 states.And in 2018, the U.S. passed the Pet and Women Safety "PAWS" Act, which allows those pet protective orders to be enforced across state lines.

"That may be a reason (survivors) feel like they cant leave because they dont have somewhere to go with their animal," said Gill, whose agency also operates a shelter. "But still make the call. Still ask because there are options."

Manos said it was frighteningbut "empowering" planning out her escape. She said she initially planned to get a letter to her mother by dropping it off on a shelf at the grocery store, but she eventually scrapped that plan and fled to her parents' house at the end ofJune, after the man allegedly killed her second dog.

"I knew I would be escaping when the time was safe to escape, so it gave me the power to fight to survive,"Manos said. "I brought my bags. I said goodbye to my apartment. I sat my parents down in the living room. IFaceTimed my sisters, and I told them everything."

Manos said she also spent two hourson the phone that day with an advocate from the National Domestic Violence Hotline.The following day, she filed for and received an emergency order of protection, and she and her family left town, according to the lawsuit.

"Going through this and recovering from it is a roller coaster," Manos said."Right now Im doing OK, but I do have PTSD from this. This is a lot for any one person to deal with."

Manos said she has moved to a new home, has continued to go to work and has been working with a trauma-specialized therapist.

Whos taking care of them?Mental health professionals are the ones taking care of us

Looking back, her mother, Kate, said she and her husband didn't initiallyrecognize the warning signs of domestic abuse.

"Sarah was a different person during that time. She was very tense, very secretive," Kate Manos said. "Shes been in other relationships, and this one was different. We had not had experience with abusive relationships, so I guess we were not putting two and two together."

There are many signs of domestic abuse, and they look different for each situation, said Glenn, of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Many abusers try to isolate their victim, so family, friends and colleagues may begin to notice the person isnot as accessible as they used to be.Animal abuse is a "true indication" that the violence is beginning to escalate, she said.

"If there is anything unusual about someone'sbehavior and you know there may be something go on, you may want to subtly and carefully say, 'I know that something is going on for you, Im here to talk or if you need help,'" Glenn said. "We should not ask them to talk about it until theyre ready to talk about it, and we should not ask them to leave unless theyre ready."

Manos said people in her neighborhoodhave been "in complete shock" from hearing her story, especially"to hear that this happened in our own backyards." She said many people have reached out to her to thank her for sharing her story.

"The community has been giving me hope, and the drive to share my story with others has been empowering," she said. "Youre not alone.I know it feels like you are. You feel like theres no way out. But there is. You are strong, and you are surviving, and were here to help you."

If you are a victim of domestic violence, The National Domestic Violence Hotline allows you to speak confidentially with trained advocates online or by the phone, which they recommend for those who think their online activity is being monitored by their abuser (800-799-7233). They can help survivors develop a plan to achieve safety.

Safe Horizon's hotline offers crisis counseling, safety planning, and assistance finding shelters 1-800-621-HOPE (4673). It also has a chat feature where you can reach out for help from a computer or phone confidentially.

Survivors can call the New York City Anti-Violence Project's 24/7 English/Spanish hotline at 212-714-1141 and get support. If calling is not safe but email is possible, make a report at avp.org/get-help and leave safe contact information, and someone will reach out.

Find a list of pet-friendly shelters at Sheltering Animals & Families Together,Safe Place For Pets, DomesticShelters.org and the Animal Welfare Institute.

Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/02/26/pandemic-isolation-domestic-violence-lawsuit-animal-abuse/6790449002/

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Woman says Bumble date killed her dogs and abused her. Now she's speaking out to help others isolated amid COVID-19. - USA TODAY

Declining sales have put an end to the Tupperware party in the Netherlands, the company has said.

Tupperware, designed by American Earl Tupper, became known in the 1950s as a way of marketing the product directly to women. The company launched in the Netherlands in the 1960s.

The decision did not come as a complete surprise to Adrienne Oomen, who hosted Tupperware parties for three years. The coronavirus crisis put the final nail in the coffin of what had become a 55 year-old institution already on the way out, she said. Many people already have Tupperware products and they think Oh no, not another one who wants to sell me things, Oomen told the AD.

The companys promotion of the parties as the suburban womens plastic path to empowerment still resonated with Lenny Kwetters (58). She started as a party host and ended her 11-year career as a distributor.

Kwetters said the Tupperware sales approach offered her and many other women a ticket to financial independence. I had four children and I didnt want to spend all my time at home, she told the paper.

Kwetters said she felt the Tupperware products were relatively expensive. I always told people to think hard: do you really need this product?. I was always selective myself and my kitchen cabinets are not full of Tupperware. I do wonder where I will go if something breaks.

People in the Netherlands who still want to buy Tupperware products can do so in Belgium and Germany, the company said.

The DutchNews.nl team would like to thank all the generous readers who have made a donation in recent weeks. Your financial support has helped us to expand our coverage of the coronavirus crisis into the evenings and weekends and make sure you are kept up to date with the latest developments.

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No more 'plastic path to empowerment': Tupperware party in NL is over - DutchNews.nl - DutchNews.nl