Category Archives: Progress

Some environmentalists are starting to call for a boycott of Toyota as the automaker keeps using its money and influence to slow down electric vehicle progress.

Once thought of as a leader in electrification and efficiency with the Prius, Toyota sat on its lead and let the rest of the auto industry pass it when it comes to battery-electric vehicles.

While other automakers started to realize that the future is all-electric vehicles, Toyota dug its heels in with hybrids and fuel-cell vehicles.

Whats most infuriating people is the automakers attempts to actively slow down all-electric vehicle progress through lobbying efforts. Toyota opposed the newly unveiled reform to the federal EV incentive program that removes the caps on the number of vehicles per manufacturer that can benefit from incentives.

The automaker claimed that it was due to the additional money that is going to electric vehicles built by unions, however, Toyota started lobbying the US government against updating the EV incentive before a union bonus was involved.

Its also not the first time that Toyota has lobbied for initiatives that would slow down EV adoption. The automaker also sided with Trumps administration in a lawsuit to stop California from imposing its own emission standards that are stricter than the federal ones. Toyota only dropped out of the lawsuit after President Biden took over the White House and the lawsuit looked hopeless.

Since the automaker seemingly doesnt to want to see reason, environmentalists are now calling for a boycott of the brand.

Paul Scott, a founder of the EV advocacy group Plug In America, is leading the boycott effort:

The climate clock is ticking and we have to start hitting polluters where it countsin the money. I worked at an EV dealership, although it wasnt Toyota, and I can tell you that this is our best chance for change, alongside federal legislation. Car sales people loathe losing a single sale and they hate bad publicity. Toyota deserves every bit of it because they are keeping us addicted to gasoline.

Scott staged a protest to boycott the automaker at its Toyota of Santa Monica location.

In a September 21letter to Toyota, several groups have joined forces to ask for a meeting withTetsuo Ted Ogawa, president and chief executive officer of Toyota Motor North America to discuss Toyotas lobbying effort against electric vehicles.

They wrote in the letter:

Unfortunately, Toyotas efforts to lobby Congress to steer away from this vision and pressure members of Congress to reduce funding and oppose tax credits for Americans access to zero-emission EVs are putting our nations and the worlds transportation and climate future at risk. As a collective group of organizations concerned about the tremendous consequences of such action, we ask Toyota not to stand in the way of Congressional funding of the presidents vision. Instead, we urge you to fully support battery electric vehicle investments in all modes of transportation, and in all related zero-emission EV charging and other infrastructure needs.

Here are the groups who signed the letter:

What do you think of this effort to boycott Toyota and make them see reason when it comes to electrification?

Let us know in the comment section below.

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Toyota is facing boycotts over its fight to slow electric vehicle progress - Electrek

There is a disturbing trend in Philadelphia that everyone should be aware of. Even as hard-won progress is being made in reducing our infant mortality rate, the toll of gun violence among the citys children and youth could erase those gains.

Last year, 130 Philadelphia babies died before their first birthday, half the number of just a decade earlier. Yet also in 2020, the city lost 127 lives, all under age 21, to homicide. That toll has been rising just as infant deaths have declined.

One of the best predictors of a societys overall health is how many babies celebrate their first birthday. Infant mortality rates correlate closely with levels of poverty, racism, environmental factors, and community health as a whole, and have been carefully calculated in this country since 1912.

The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare so many health disparities, but this is one that has long been widely recognized. Black infants in the U.S. die at more than twice the rate of white infants, and the disparities are even worse in Philadelphia.

Many of these deaths are preventable with improved prenatal care and access, safe sleep messaging, and safe home environments. In fact, over the last 15 years, Philadelphia has shown astonishing improvements in infant mortality from close to 300 deaths a year in 2005 to 130 in 2020. That said, the infant mortality rate in Philadelphia is 8.4 per 100,000 births, towering over the national rate of 5.8. In North Philadelphia, where I practice at St. Christophers Hospital for Children, the rate is more than 11, double the national average.

Total deaths in children under 21 have remained steady from 2014 until 2020 at fewer than 70 a year. As a city, we havent moved this needle in six years. What has changed is that, increasingly, the cause of death is not babies being born too early, but teens dying too young.

Both kinds of death are unspeakably tragic. Especially because both usually are entirely preventable.

From 2005 to 2019, there was about one homicide of a young person for every three or four infant deaths. Then, in 2020 and continuing into 2021, this ratio shifted abruptly to the point that it is approaching one homicide to one infant death.

Year

Philadelphia Youth Homicides (21 and under)

Philadelphia infant deaths (under 1 year)

2020 (*not finalized)

127

130

2021 (**year-to-date)

85

76

Since 2005 almost 1,440 Philadelphia children under 21 have been killed, almost all by guns. Of those deaths, 95% were Black or Brown children. (These data do not count non-Philly residents who died in Philly.)

The root causes of infant deaths are well-documented and targeted interventions are in place, and saving lives. For homicides of children under 21, the causes are more complex, nuanced, regional, and even with more than $155 million in this years city budget for anti-violence initiatives, it doesnt seem to be community driven and innovative enough to move the needle.

This is why, working with more than a dozen community-based organizations, St. Christophers Hospital for Children is hosting Moving the Needle: Gun Violence Prevention Conference on Oct. 1, a free and virtual event, to listen to the voices of those affected by gun violence. To listen to those who are working to make our city safer for our youth. To listen to U.S. leaders discuss their innovative methods and observations that have helped fight gun violence from Washington, D.C., to Massachusetts, to California.

As a pediatrician working in the epicenter of infant mortality and homicides in Philadelphia for more than two decades, this trend feels personal and terribly concerning. Saving lives in one category cannot lessen the crisis of deaths in another category.

We must continue to battle for the life and dignity of all children, of all ages, of all races in Philadelphia. It is our moral obligation to infants living in Hunting Park, to those about to graduate high school in Elmwood, and all in between, that they thrive. That they stay alive.

Daniel R. Taylor is medical director of the outpatient center at St. Christophers Hospital for Children.

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Infant mortality rates are declining. But gun violence is overtaking that progress. l Expert Opinion - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Researchersare reportedly working on avaccineto combat humans response topoison ivy.

According to Scientific American, scientists at the University of Mississippi and Hapten Sciences are proceeding with a compound called PDC-APB to be injected once every year or two to prevent the poison plants effects.

We believe the shot will lead to desensitization and reduce or eliminate reactions to poison ivy, oak and sumac, Ray Hage, CEO of Hapten Sciences,told the outlet. Every March I start to get e-mails from people asking, Where is the drug? Can I be in a trial?

The publication said Hages team, which has licensed the compound, passed initial safety testing in human beings and is about to be evaluated in aclinical trial.

Scientific American also wrote about progress in different studies on rashes from urushiol, the oil from the sap of the plants.

As many as 50 million Americans are impacted by poison ivy or its cousins poison oak and poison sumac every year,according to the American Skin Association, with about 85% of the populationallergicto the plants and around 10% to 15% extremely allergic.

The three plants grow everywhere in the U.S. with the exception of Hawaii, Alaska and some Nevada deserts.

The plants with three leaves, five, seven, nine, or appearing asvines or shrubs cause allergic contact dermatitis from urushiol that can be carried on animals, tools and other objects.

Reaction to urushiol includes redness,swelling, blisters and severe itching and the rash takes approximately two weeks to heal, the association said, provided infection with bacteria does not occur.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says thatanyone who is outdoorsis at risk for exposure.

The agency saidthat recognition of the plants is an important step to avoiding them in addition to washing garden tools and gloves, wearing long sleeves and long pants, washing pets and washing skin in soap and cool water as soon as possible if in contact with a poisonous plant.

While prevention is the best cure, there aremethods for treatmentand the CDC recommends soaking in cool water or a lukewarm oatmeal bath, applying over-the-counter topical corticosteroid preparations or taking prescription oral corticosteroids, applying topical over-the-counter skin protectants including calamine lotion and avoiding scratching.

An antihistamine may help to relieve the itching, the CDC said, adding that people should seek medical attention if they have a temperature over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, there is pus or soft yellow scabs on the rash, the itching gets worse, they have difficulty breathing and the rash spreads to eyes, mouth, genital area or more than one-fourth of the skin.

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Poison ivy vaccine making progress: report - New York Post

More Oklahomans are reaching fully vaccinated status in ZIP codes that have been lagging most of the summer, according to the latest biweekly vaccination data from the Oklahoma State Department of Health.

The statewide COVID-19 vaccination rate was 46.6% this week, compared to 54.7% nationally, the health department said in its weekly epidemiology report. But pockets of the state, including some ZIP codes in the southeastern part and near the Interstate 44 corridor, moved closer to the state average, according to an Oklahoma Watch analysis of the vaccination data.

The latest data shows 138 ZIP codes had vaccination rates higher than 40%. That compared to 111 ZIP codes in that category two weeks ago, the analysis found. (The states vaccination tracking system doesnt include doses administered by tribes or federal entities.)

The pace of vaccinations has leveled off after rising in the second half of the summer as cases, hospitalizations and deaths rose amid the more infectious delta variant of the coronavirus. More than 53,000 doses were given last week, compared to 59,000 in the first week of September. The weekly rate had been as high as 96,000 in mid-August, the health department said.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma reached another grim milestone on Thursday with the COVID-19 death toll surpassing 10,000 people. Thats equivalent to one out of every 400 Oklahomans. The great majority of the deaths have been among residents older than 65.

Health Commissioner Dr. Lance Frye noted the milestone and said vaccinations are still the most safe and effective tool available to lessen COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations. About 90% of hospital admissions for the virus in the past 30 days have been unvaccinated patients.

We have the tools in our hands right now to prevent further loss of life, Frye said in a news release. As more transmissible variants, such as the delta variant, emerge, we urge Oklahomans to remain vigilant about protecting themselves from this deadly virus. Safe and effective vaccines are readily available to help prevent instances of severe illness and death.

Hospitalizations remained high at 1,200 but have come down from a recent peak of 1,600 patients per day a month ago. Still, intensive care units remain strained in many hospitals across the state. More than 37% of the occupied ICU beds in the state were COVID-19 patients, according to the latest federal snapshot.

Paul Monies has been a reporter with Oklahoma Watch since 2017. He covers state agencies and public health. Call or text him at (571) 319-3289 or email pmonies@oklahomawatch.org. Follow him on Twitter at @pmonies.

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As Oklahoma Marks Its 10,000 COVID-19 Death, Lagging Areas Show Vaccination Progress - Oklahoma Watch

The Chemours Company announced strong progress towards achieving its long-term sus-tainability goals with the launch of its annual Corporate Responsibility Commitment (CRC) report.

This year's report lays out the work Chemours is doing around the world to deliver against its ten ambitious goals that relate to three pillarsInspired People, Shared Planet, and Evolved Portfolioand map to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

This year's report, titled "Resilient and Responsible," is based on Chemours' 2020 achievements while operating through a challenging year in which the world was rocked by the COVID-19 global pandemic. It highlights actions by the company's 6,500 employ-ees to operate safely and supply essential chemistry during the pandemic, the introduc-tion of a more ambitious climate goal, expanded actions to foster an even more inclusive, equitable and diverse workplace, as well as continued support for the communities and organizations where the company operates.

I'm proud of the progress our team continues to make while delivering our essential chemistry to the world responsibly," said Mark Newman, president and chief executive officer of Chemours.

Select report highlights from the company's 2020 operations include: Continued progress toward achieving the company's goal to reduce air and water pro-cess emissions of fluorinated organic compounds by 99% or more by 2030. Published the award-winning EVOLVE 2030 methodology and deployed it to evaluate 40% of the product portfolio with 37.5% of the company's revenue coming from offerings that make a specific contribution to the UN SDGs. Released an enhanced emissions reduction goal, committing to reduce scope 1 and scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by an absolute 60% by 2030, putting Chemours on a path to net-zero by 2050. Expanded the Future of Chemistry Scholarship (FOCS) globally and into an industry-wide initiative, the Future of STEM Scholars Initiative (FOSSI), supporting underrepre-sented communities pursuing STEM degrees through scholarships, internships, and lead-ership development. Established the Chemours COVID-19 Community Relief Fund to help protect the safety and health of local communities where Chemours operates. To date, the Fund has sup-ported over 140,000 people in the US alone.

"Four years into our sustainability journey, and in a year of great challenge, we continue to demonstrate that we are a resilient and responsible industry leader," said Sheryl Tel-ford, chief sustainability officer and VP of environment, health and safety for Chemours. "We are conscious of our impact on the world and unafraid of pushing ourselves to achieve more."

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Chemours Demonstrates Progress On Sustainability Efforts - Covering the Printing Inks, Coatings and Allied Industries - Ink World - Ink World Magazine

It has been a busy summer road-work season in Kane County as it always is and the county is showing progress at locations from east to west and north to south.

Kane County Division of Transportation made its September report to the Kane County Board Transportation Committee today (Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021) showing the work thats under way or completed.

For more information about KDOT road work, visit the Traffic Advisories page of the KDOT website.

To view the Kane County Transportation Committees September Construction update, visit the committees agenda packet at this link.

You can watch Kane County Board committee meetings in livestream or watch past meetings on the Kane County YouTube site.

Heres a look at some of the projects highlighted in todays Transportation Committee report.

Crews continue to work on erosion control, site grading and pavement striping on LMP Section C-2 Sandbloom Road to IL Route 25.

Read more about the Longmeadow Parkway project.

Crews stripe the new thin-wearing surface on Corron Road.

Electrical crews drill foundations and install new conduit for the street lights and traffic signals for a new right turn lane on westbound Silver Glen Roadat Randall Road.

Read more about the Silver Glen at Randall Road right-turn lane.

Crews work on deck patches for the Kirk Road over the Union Pacific Railroad bridge project.

Crews mill old pavement, add temporary widening and shoulders and install new storm sewer for the Kirk at Dunham Intersection Improvement project.

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KDOT SEPTEMBER ROAD WORK UPDATE: Progress on Longmeadow Parkway Bridge, Kirk Road Bridge, Silver-Glen at Randall Right-Turn Lane -...

How technology companies grapple with complex issues is being heavily scrutinized, and often, without important context. There is a lot more to the story. What is getting lost in this discussion is some of the important progress weve made as a company and the positive impact that it is having across many key areas.

We firmly believe that ongoing research and candid conversations about our impact are some of the most effective ways to identify emerging issues and get ahead of them. This doesnt mean we find and fix every problem right away. But because of this approach, together with other changes, we have made significant progress across a number of important areas, including privacy, safety and security, to name a few. Just as the world has changed a lot, so has Facebook.

In the past, we didnt address safety and security challenges early enough in the product development process. Instead, we made improvements reactively in response to a specific abuse. But we have fundamentally changed that approach. Today, we embed teams focusing specifically on safety and security issues directly into product development teams, allowing us to address these issues during our product development process, not after it. Products also have to go through an Integrity Review process, similar to the Privacy Review process, so we can anticipate potential abuses and build in ways to mitigate them. Here are a few examples of how far weve come.

Some of the most important changes weve made in recent years have been in prioritizing safety and security. As a result:

We have also changed our approach to protecting peoples privacy as a company. This includes investing in and expanding our Privacy Checkup, which today is used by tens of millions of people every month to manage their settings and control their experience on Facebook, and launching tools like Off-Facebook Activity and Why Am I Seeing This? that show people how their information is used and let them more easily manage settings.

Misinformation has been a challenge on and off the internet for many decades. People are understandably concerned about how it will be handled for future internet technologies. At Facebook, weve begun addressing this comprehensively rather than treating it as a single problem with a single solution. This means weve gotten better at addressing this complex challenge. Weve worked to develop and expand our systems to reduce misinformation and promote reliable information. As a result:

Most importantly, weve also changed not just what we build but how we build so that when we launch new products, they are more likely to have effective privacy, security and safety protections already built in. For example:

You can read more about the direction of our responsible innovation efforts from Margaret Stewart, VP of Product Design & Responsible Innovation at Facebook.

Yes, weve made progress. But we also know that there will always be examples of things we miss and things we take down by mistake. There is no perfect here. Collaborating with experts, policymakers and others has made us better, and continued collaboration will be key to making sure our progress continues. And thats our plan.

Read more about our efforts on our new page, which features updated information and figures, to give a sense of where things have improved and where we still have more work to do. Our Transparency Center is also a comprehensive destination for our integrity and transparency efforts. Also, see a timeline of our integrity efforts since 2016.

For more, visit about.facebook.com/progress.

Link:

Our Progress Addressing Challenges and Innovating Responsibly - Investor Relations

When the Chicago Bears take the field against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday afternoon, the Justin Fields era will officially be underway. The Fields era beginning also means an evaluation period for the rookie quarterback, who hopes to finally be the answer for the Bears quarterback woes.

During training camp, Bears head coach Matt Nagy discussed the progress Fields made since being drafted back in April. After mastering how to call plays into the huddle, Fields next step was learning to read defenses both in pre-snap and post-snap situations. When the Bears offense takes the field, Fields every rep will be under the microscope both in the moment and afterwards as Nagy and the Bears franchise hope to develop a quarterback the right way.

Since weve drafted him you kind of start understanding okay big picture of where youre at with him, things that he does well and then you just kind of see it in training camp and we were able to really get a feel for the things that we like or dont like with him in in in training camp, Nagy said via the Bears official YouTube Channel. And then in the preseason so now we get together as a staff and we just talk through the things that we think he does well for us.

The Bears will see progress from Fields when the coaching staff is willing to cater gameplans to Fields strengths. That means using play-action while getting the vertical passing game going. Expect to see wide receivers Darnell Mooney, Allen Robinson, and Marquise Goodwin, with a dose of tight end Cole Kmet to allow Chicago to continue developing the vertical passing game with Fields.

Getting reps with the offense instead of just working with the scout offense so its definitely gonna have me more prepared this week and Im excited, Fields said via the Bears official YouTube channel.

Excitement surrounds Fields, who will return to the state of Ohio to play a meaningful football game for the first time since the 2020 season. The progress Fields makes this Sunday will be an indicator of whats to come for the Bears franchise, with every game being a true test.

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What progress will the Chicago Bears see from Justin Fields in week 3? - Empire Sports Media

(Council Bluffs) -- Execution and making progress will be the goal for Abraham Lincoln on Friday as they look to move to 4-1 on the year.

The Lynx (3-1) will be traveling to the Des Moines area to take on the Dowling Catholic Maroons (1-3) for a Class 5A Group 2 matchup. Abraham Lincoln is coming off a dominant 55-33 victory over Sioux City West, making up for a shutout loss to Glenwood two weeks ago.

"It was nice to get back on track, it felt like we were still limping a little bit into that game, some of the same things that we saw the week before were showing up that week in the first half," Wolfe said. "Second half we got back on track and got the ball rolling, and it was just good to see some decent progress."

While the Lynx got off to a slow start in the first half, the second half featured a 42-point rally mostly behind the legs of Mikaele Hayes who found the end zone four times.

"He was one of those deals in the first half were we said, 'hey, we know you had a big run here or there, but let's stick to the plan,' and in the second half he stayed tight and followed his blockers and had over 300 yards," Wolfe said. "He's a great senior kid that we've got for us."

Hayes carried the rock 33 times in the runaway victory and totaled 318 yards on the ground. Quarterback Eli Lusajo also toted it 21 times for 164 yards and three touchdowns.

While his skill players have led the way, Wolfe says the offensive trenches have seen a fair amount of shuffling this year.

"Unfortantely we've had a few injuries, so we've moved kids in and moved kids out," Wolfe said. "The right side of our line has been pretty consistent with our center Daniel Amarillas, right guard Caydn DeSantiago, and right tackle with Zander Hockabout."

Despite the shuffling in the trenches, the Lynx have managed to put together a top-five offense in Class 5A averaging just over 30 points a game.

Turning the attention to this week's upcoming matchup against Dowling Catholic, Wolfe says one focus will have to be the ability to adjust defensively.

"What they bring to the table is they're going to be big, they're going to be athletic, and they're going to be versatile," Wolfe said. "When our defense steps out on the field they're going to see a lot of different looks. So that's something that we're trying to replicate in practice and giving them all the different looks they're going to see."

Dowling Catholic is coming off a close 21-17 loss to Iowa City High last Friday. The Maroons lone win this year came in Week 2 against Waukee Northwest 17-10.

However, Wolfe says the main goal for this game is progress and he wants to see his players execute their roles.

"I just want to see us execute our offense and our defense, and when we turn on the tape, we can say 'hey you guys are stepping in the right direction and you're doing the right thing, and most importantly your effort if phenomenal,'" Wolfe said. "If we do those things, it will be a successful evening for us."

You can hear the full interview with John Wolfe below.

At KMA, we attempt to be accurate in our reporting. If you see a typo or mistake in a story, please contact us by emailing kmaradio@kmaland.com.

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Abraham Lincoln focused on progress ahead of Dowling Catholic matchup - KMAland

CONCOW, Calif. - The forward progress of the Hoffman Fire has been stopped, according to CAL FIRE Butte County. It is 60% contained.

Concow Rd. is partially blocked by emergency vehicles and people in the area should use caution while driving.

CAL FIRE said the fire is in the area of Concow Rd. and Hoffman Rd.

It was reported at 8:08 a.m. and has burned 2.36 acres.

When firefighters arrived, they said the fire was spreading at a slow to moderate rate in grass and brush.

Crews will remain on the scene for a couple of hours to mop up.

There were no injuries, no damage or structures destroyed and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

There were no evacuations or road closures.

This is a developing story. Action News Now will keep you updated with new information on-air and online.

#HoffmanFire (update) Firefighters are making good progress and have stopped the forward spread of the fire. Concow road is partially blocked by emergency vehicles use caution while driving. pic.twitter.com/ZsgdJ9DGks

CAL FIRE Butte Unit/Butte County Fire Department (@CALFIRE_ButteCo) September 20, 2021

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Forward progress of Hoffman Fire in Concow stopped - Action News Now