Category Archives: Progress

At last weeks regular meeting, the Sundance City Council heard that progress has been made on the municipal court issue. The city has not had a municipal court judge for the last couple of years after opting, as a cost-saving measure, to instead request permission for municipal cases to be heard in circuit court.

However, due to switch-ups in the court and the pandemic, progress stalled.

Since the issue was raised last month, Sheriff Jeff Hodge and City Attorney Mark Hughes reported that things are moving along.

There have been some ideas flowing, said Hodge.

Judge Matthew F.G. Castano has rejoined the conversation, said Hughes. Mayor Paul Brooks explained that the Wyoming Supreme Courts original response to Castanos request was not, as expected, queries about the practical side of things, but was, Why would you want to do that?, which threw him.

Judge Lynda R. Bush and County Attorney Joe Baron are also both now on board.

Were still moving forward and I hope we get something done, said Hughes.

At Tuesdays meeting, the council also heard that the city will be sending representatives to testify in front of the State Lands and Investments Board regarding the projects submitted for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding at the end of October, said Public Works Director Mac Erickson.

He told the council that he hopes to have confirmation by November as to whether the proposals were successful. He and Brooks agreed that the project of greatest importance is the 3rd Street bridge and fix to a major leak in the water line.

The mayor spoke to the importance of seeking funding for such items, noting that its a $1.2 million project that the city could never find the money for alone.

Where would we come up with $1.2 million? he said. We would never be able to do it.

Brooks acknowledged that there are people who disagree with the concept of grants, but said, without them, Wed be closing 3rd Street permanently.

Theresa Curren was appointed as the new Clerk Treasurer for the city. Her first official request was to create a line item for pee wee football within the summer rec budget and another for the renovations to the fire hall.

The former, according to Erickson, will allow for the available money to be spent on new equipment to keep the activity going.

Brooks commented that he approves of this move, as line items allow for public tracking of the citys fiscal actions and ensures that money is tagged for the purpose it was intended for and not used for something else.

I think running it through our budget is important, he said.

Curren also confirmed that the city has received its deer permit from Wyoming Game & Fish, and that the permit actually allows for 50 animals to be taken, rather than the anticipated 40.

A motion was made to take the extra ten and pay contractor Nick Kaminski accordingly. The city continues to build its list of people interested in donations of meet from the cull, and currently has around 16 new names, with the food bank willing to take the remainder.

Jeremy Holt reported on behalf of the citys economic development committee, stating that one of the biggest issues it is working to solve is the lack of daycare facilities in Sundance. Its one of the big things businesses have asked for, he said, and definitely a problem locally he pointed out that Kid Prints currently has a big backlog.

Erickson reported on the pickleball groups efforts to fund a new and improved court for their sport, which has been growing in popularity here in Sundance. The groups grant application was turned down, he said.

According to Erickson, a grant through the Land Water Conservation Fund is available, but is a 50% match and is reimbursable, which means the city would have to come up with the full amount and be paid back through the fund later. Though unsure exactly what the cost would be to build the new court as requested, he said, it would be a cost that, I know is going to scare us.

It would be nice to bring it back to life, though, he said, so he is going to take a look at what the city can do to rehab the asphalt, fences and other items without the high price tag.

According to Erickson and Karla Greaser of Trihydro, City Engineers, the Sundance Kid Tank project is now all but wrapped up. Greaser presented a change order from contractors Hot Iron Inc. that reconciles real costs with projected costs and resulted in a deduction of $10,948.28.

Follow this link:

Council hears of progress on court issue - Sundancetimes

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley conducted a lengthy individual workout following Tuesdays practice, showing no signs of being slowed by a sprained right ankle that has kept him out of the first two preseason games. Its a positive indicator that his official return is getting closer.

Progressing well. Obviously, you can see him back behind us here, Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff said, pointing to the hoop where Mobley was working alongside assistant coach Luke Walton and others. All the steps that we need to take, hes knocking them out and moving in the right direction.

For nearly 30 minutes, Mobley went through a variety of shooting and footwork drills, testing his injured ankle with sharp pivots, change-of-direction maneuvers, simulated pick-and-pops and dribble drives. He finished the session at the 3-point line -- a still-developing aspect of his offensive arsenal that Mobley thinks will take his game to the next level.

Tuesday was the second consecutive day Mobley went through an individual workout.

The Rookie of the Year runner-up, who is expected to be an integral piece of Clevelands playoff chase this coming season, sprained his ankle in practice on Oct. 1, when he landed on the foot of center Robin Lopez following a drive to the basket. Initially, Mobley was given a timeline of approximately 1-2 weeks. Its been eight days since the results of his MRI confirmed the sprain. Even though the Cavs didnt have any internal concern about the fast-healing youngster missing the regular season opener in Toronto on Oct. 19, there was much less certainty surrounding his preseason availability.

FanDuel Sportsbook

STATES: OHIO PRE-LAUNCH BONUS

GET BONUS

$100 + LAUNCH PROMO

ANY GAME!

The Cavs have played two exhibition games already. There are two remaining -- home against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday and Friday in Orlando. The clock is ticking.

Were hopeful. We havent ruled it out, Bickerstaff said when asked about Mobleys chances of suiting up. Its always about tomorrow and how it responded the day before. But we have not ruled him out from playing in a preseason game.

The news isnt as encouraging for fourth-year swingman Dylan Windler. Entering camp in a six-player competition for the starting small forward job, Windler landed awkwardly while trying to contest a jumper on Oct. 4 -- the final practice before the preseason opener -- and suffered what was deemed a minor ankle injury. Windler has been getting around-the-clock treatment and is expected to return to the court for basketball-related activities soon, but is further behind than Mobley.

Dylan will probably be out for preseason, Bickerstaff said. If things progress the way they are now, something magical happens, maybe he comes back. But my assumption is hell be out for preseason.

Elsewhere, Dean Wade did not practice Tuesday. Wade rolled his ankle during Mondays preseason loss against Philadelphia and even though he wanted to return, the Cavs held him out as a precaution.

Kevin Love, who sat out Monday after banging his left knee in the preseason opener on Oct. 5, was able to participate in practice -- a good sign for a team that is still trying to solidify its starting lineup and rotation. Bickerstaff said hes still trying to come up with a playing-time plan for the final two preseason games, but the injuries are making it more complicated.

We are a work in progress with with a pretty new and interesting dynamic and then mixing in the injuries, he said. So were working to get where we want to go. But its going to take us time. Were still figuring out injuries and things like that. That will impact what we do as well. If guys are able to come back, getting guys to play and getting them an opportunity with some of the other guys. If theyre not, then maybe not. Were still considering all those things.

-

Get the latest Cavs merchandise: Heres where you can order Cleveland Cavaliers gear online, including jerseys, shirts, hats, 2016 NBA Champions products and much more.

If you or a loved one has questions and needs to talk to a professional about gambling, call the Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-589-9966 or the National Council on Program Gambling Helpline (NCPG) at 1-800-522-4700.

More Cavaliers coverage

Kevin Love to miss Cleveland Cavaliers preseason game vs. Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night

Caris LeVert as Cleveland Cavaliers defensive stopper? Hes prepared to take on that role

Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland fit together seamlessly in preseason opener: It was fun, it was easy

More:

Evan Mobley making progress in recovery from sprained ankle; Cavaliers wont rule him out for remainder of pr - cleveland.com

Epic Universe seems to be back on track after a minor setback a couple weeks ago. Flooding from Hurricane Ian has already subsided at the massive work site, and crews have been back to work constructing this new theme park in Orlando.

Thanks to Bioreconstruct on Twitter, we have new aerial photographs taken a little over a week after the storm passed through Central Florida. Comparing these photos to those from the day after our storm in our last update, the difference is night and day.

Wide view of Epic Universe site, showing very little signs of flooding, Photos by Bioreconstruct

Some of the most apparent differences can be seen within the three central water features for Epic Universe. The areas, where these two lagoons and a fountain display are being constructed, were completely filled with water as of September 30th, but now they are not only empty, but work has resumed within them.

Official concept art for Epic Universe with speculated lands labeled

The water features can be seen within the center of the concept art above. The most recent area to start construction is the lower section of lagoon, seen in the photograph below.

Lower section of central lagoon in Epic Universe

This lower section of the central lagoon, which is close to the parks entrance, is where an octagonal-shaped dining location will be located. Rumored to be themed to the ocean, this full-service restaurant and lounge will have large picture windows overlooking the lagoon and rest of the theme park.

Footprint for a dining location taking shape within water feature

Subsided water from within the central areas of the park has also revealed progress within the water feature directly within the center of the theme park.

Ride being constructed within central water feature

This central water feature is expected to contain some type of spinner flat ride. Foundation work looks to be complete and new footings are being installed to support sections of a canopy or some type of enclosure for this attraction.

Ride pit for a flat ride within central water feature

While it is still unknown what type of ride this will be within the center of the park, rumors were originally for some sort of carousel. In our last update we discussed the possibility of a different type of flat ride system being used instead, one that utilizes water.

Possible flat ride seen in official concept art for Epic Universe

We saw plenty of pipes being installed below the foundations for this flat ride, so it is possible water may play a part in some way. Or, those pipes may be for fountains around the perimeter of the ride structure, set within the central water feature itself.

A plumbing permit for this area describes 22,798 linear feet of piping for water feature. The permit also says this project has piping for a pool. Older permits for this attraction described this work as a Ride Pit with an Acid room and Liquid Chlorine room, as well as an Indoor Oil Water Separator to support a Hydraulic Elevator and Lift.

Plumbing permit that may be related to flat ride at Epic Universe, fasttrack.ocfl.net

The final water feature for the new parks central hub is the large Bellagio-style fountain display with amphitheater-like seating surrounding it.

Fountain construction at Epic Universe. Arrow pointing to hotel at back of the park

Foundation work for this fountain was interrupted by the storm, but work can continue now that the water is drying up.

Remnants of the storm flooding still seen within this area

At the very back of the parks central hub will sit a large hotel. With 500 rooms, this hotel will tower over the rest of the park.

Orange dirt seen at top left of photo will be for hotel areas

A tower crane was scheduled to arrive this month, but may have been delayed by the storm.

Number 2 at prep work for hotel site. Number 3 at area readied for tower crane

Major construction is only now starting on the hotel, but a dining location that will face the theme parks hub is taking shape in front of the hotel.

Number 3 at restaurant in front of hotel, 2 is for tower crane, and 4 is unique foundations at hotel entry area

In our last update we discovered new documents that may prove that this hotel at the back of Epic Universe will in fact be named Universals Helios Grand Hotel. Not only is that a trademarked term from Universal, but it appears that the company has selected Helios as the name of the road that will lead to this hotel behind the park.

Three central water features in center of photo, leading to hotel site on far right

Also seeing progress within the parks central hub, is the dual track racing roller coaster. It can be seen branching off of the hub in the photograph above.

Now that the water has cleared from this area, we can see that foundation work is continuing.

Foundation work for hub-facing roller coaster

While no additional track has shown up since the initial shipment, new shipping reports show that several deliveries of track from Mack Rides are on their way. They may be for this ride, as well as a few other attractions at Epic Universe.

Track staged for large dual track racing roller coaster at Epic Universe

Besides the water features within the center of the park, another area that saw a lot of flooding from the storm was the land we believe will be themed to Universal Monsters. It does appear that water has dried up or has been removed from this land.

Universal Monsters land at Epic Universe

With the water in this area now out of the way, we can see prep work for this lands main dining and retail locations have made progress. The lands main dining location is rumored to be named the Stakehouse based on early concepts. This could of course change however.

Monsters lands main restaurant located to right of main ride

After entering the portal into the Universal Monsters land, guests will see the restaurant on their right and retail on their left. These areas will be themed as a village street with multiple facades.

Future location of retail for Universal Monsters

The portal for Universal Monsters itself is the furthest along in the park, with themed elements being constructed atop.

Portal for entering Universal Monsters

In the photo below we can see the walls erected for a windmill-themed lounge for the land on the left. In the backgound is the facade and entry for the lands main indoor ride. And within the center is a long strip that permits call Scene 2 for the lands outdoor roller coaster.

Coasters scene 2, possible launch area, seen in middle of photo

In the photo below you can see the station structure for the roller coaster at bottom, as well as the scene 2 area at top. It is rumored that scene 2 will be either the launch or lift hill for the ride.

Roller coaster area at Universal Monsters

The attraction has been rumored to be a spinning coaster from Mack Rides, but until we see track delivered to the site we have not been able to confirm that yet.

Wide view of Monsters land, with 5 being main ride and 4 being roller coaster area

Moving on to Super Nintendo World, the new sections of Yoshi track that we saw installed in our last update have since been covered.

Wide view of Nintendo at Epic Universe, Yoshi seen in center of image

Recently installed Yoshi track, now covered in yellow material on top

Yoshi at number 2, but Mario Kart and Donkey Kong seen on left

The Mario Kart building continues to be enclosed, so we will not be able to see inside for too much longer. For now, we can see new foundations being poured around the track layout for this indoor two-track dark ride.

Arrow at new foundations inside of Mario Kart ride

Mario Kart ride in foreground, Donkey Kong coaster in background

A new section of track around a major outdoor scene for the Donkey Kong mine cart roller coaster has been installed.

New sections of Donkey Kong track seen at arrow

A closer view of this section of track shows just how banked the U-Turn curve will be, seen on the bottom-right of the photo below.

The sideways coaster track being installed now is what the ride cars will actually be riding on. A false track that appears like regular mine cart track will be installed above, which is what it will look like youre traveling on. That way there can be gaps in the track we think we are riding on which the carts can appear to jump over.

Donkey Kong coaster construction at Epic Universe

Donkey Kong track from center to right of image, as seen from the side

Before we wrap up in Nintendo, the footprint for the lands main entrance is taking shape. The portal for this land will be through a warp pipe. It will be much larger than the portals for the other lands, because this entry will most likely contain escalators inside to bring us to the lands second level. That way we enter the land through Peachs Castle, same as it is in Universal Studios Japan, which already starts on the upper level.

Entry into Nintendo taking shape. Large concrete at bottom for base of Peachs Castle

Over in the parks Wizarding World land, the massive Ministry of Magic ride building continues to be enclosed. Prep work for other structures around the land is continuing as well, which will be for shops and dining along city streets.

Wide view of Wizarding World land, number 3 at main ride, 6 is portal entry

Walls being enclosed on British Ministry of Magic ride

Foundations for dining and shopping at Wizarding World land

In the How to Train Your Dragon land, water has cleared from the lagoon. More work is being done to prepare for the installation of statues and other themed elements within the lagoon.

Foundation work within the How to Train Your Dragon lagoon

Footers for the coasters load area, maintenance bay, and first launch are looking much more complete than in our prior updates.

Coaster footings for How to Train Your Dragon

Were also keeping an eye on construction happening at the Great Hall restaurant within the center of the How to Train Your Dragon land, the outdoor boat ride, and the indoor theater.

Coaster going through lagoon at center, Great Hall seen at arrow

Wide view of Dragons land. Boat ride at number 3, theater at 4

Thats all for now, but be sure to check out our last update for updated site plans for the Universal Monsters and Wizarding World lands, including details on how they have changed since the park first started construction.

A big thank you to Bioreconstruct for providing us with an aerial look at the Epic Universe site so soon after our last update, so we can compare everything to how it looked immediately following the storm. You can follow Bioreconstruct on Twitter for more amazing photography from above, and within, the Central Florida theme parks.

Subscribe to the news feed or enter your email address below to never miss an update. Official Concept Art: Universal Orlando | Aerial Photos: Bioreconstruct | Other Images as Captioned

Subscribe to Receive Email Updates

Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month. All patrons receive behind the scenes posts and exclusive podcasts. Learn More

Related

Continued here:

Epic Universe Update: Storm Flooding Gives Way to Increased Construction Progress - Orlando ParkStop

Over the past three months, CBO has provided a variety of budget and economic analyses, fulfilling the agencys core mission of supporting the Congress during each stage of the legislative process.

The agency has published 205 cost estimates for legislation that was reported by a committee or that was the subject of a motion to be placed on the consensus calendar. One of those cost estimates was for the 2022 reconciliation act (Public Law 117-169). That publication included estimates for roughly 150 different provisions, including ones putting in place a new alternative minimum tax on corporations, additional funding for the Internal Revenue Service, a requirement that Medicare negotiate prices of certain prescription drugs, enhancement of health insurance subsidies established by the Affordable Care Act, and subsidies for renewable energy. Another cost estimate was for a law that addresses various matters related to veterans who were exposed to toxic substances during military service, the Honoring Our PACT Act of 2021 (P.L. 117-168). In addition, CBO estimated the cost of a law that provides funds to support the domestic production of semiconductors and authorizes various programs and activities of the federal science agencies, the CHIPS Act of 2022 (P.L. 117-167).

Aside from cost estimates of legislation, CBO released estimates of the costs of the Presidents executive actions that suspend student loan payments and cancel some student loan debt.

Since its last quarterly report on work in progress, CBO has also released 18 reports, working papers, and other analytic products.

Follow this link:

CBO's Recent Publications and Work in Progress as of September 30, 2022 - Congressional Budget Office

According to the Local 362 Unite Here! website, after two days of additional bargaining with Disney Management, talks have concluded between Walt Disney World and representatives of the Service Trades Council Union. Although they have been in talks for the last couple of months, they have yet to reach an agreement.

The union stated that while progress has been made on many workplace improvements, several critical economic items remain open. The areas where additional negotiations will continue are:

The union states that there are two remaining Local 362 Side Letter issues Attractions Premium and Custodial Restroom and Recycling premium.

The current contract has been extended on a month-to-month basis with the agreement that all wage increases be retroactive to October 2, 2022. The next bargaining session has been scheduled for November 1 and 2. The meeting location and start times are to be determined.

Once a full agreement is reached by the parties, the deal will be subject to a vote of the Disney Union members.

Local 362s bargaining committee remains committed to reaching an agreement that recognizes the dedication and commitment the membership of our Union in Attractions, Custodial, and Vacation Planning Cast Members earned as essential front-line workers to reopen the Theme Parks during the pandemic and since, reads a statement on the Unions website.

Source: Local 362

For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today onTwitter,Facebook, andInstagram.

The rest is here:

Walt Disney World and Cast Member Union Local 362 Make Progress, But Fail to Reach Agreements on Wages, Healthcare, and More - WDW News Today

BURLINGTON, Mass., Sept. 26, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Progress (Nasdaq: PRGS), the trusted provider of infrastructure software, today announced the appointment of YuFan Stephanie Wang (Stephanie) to the role of Executive Vice President (EVP), Chief Legal Officer (CLO) and Secretary. In this role, Stephanie will oversee all aspects of Progress legal, compliance and corporate governance efforts.

We are thrilled to have Stephanie in the role of Chief Legal Officer, said Yogesh Gupta, CEO, Progress. In the short time shes been with Progress, Stephanie has made a significant impact in the areas of corporate governance, M&A efforts related to Total Growth Strategy, our ESG efforts, and more. We are confident she will continue to excel in her new role.

Prior to joining Progress, Stephanie was with W. P. Carey Inc. (NYSE:WPC), a $1.3B revenue public real estate investment trust, where she most recently held the role of Senior Vice President and Deputy Chief Legal Officer. In this capacity, she was principal legal advisor on all corporate transactions and issues, including capital markets, M&A, SEC filings and public communications. Stephanie also served as Secretary of WPCs Audit Committee and of the Boards of its other public affiliates.She was also a founding member of WPCs Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) committees. Stephanie previously practiced in the corporate departments of Proskauer Rose LLP and Clifford Chance US LLP.

Progress has a tremendous track record of delivering innovative products and driving customer success. Moreover, there are very few software companies that have been publicly listed for over 30 years, said Stephanie Wang, Chief Legal Officer. I look forward to helping safeguard that legacy by taking an active role in ensuring the business stability, while we continue to drive growth opportunities for our internal and external stakeholders.

Stephanie joined Progress in May 2022 and has been serving as Acting Chief Legal Officer while her predecessor, Stephen H. Faberman, was on extended leave. Steve was with Progress for over 14 years, emerging as a principled leader, mentor, colleague and friend. Progress extends its warmest regards and eternal gratitude for his many years of dedicated service to the company and its people.

About ProgressDedicated to propelling business forward in a technology-driven world, Progress (Nasdaq: PRGS) helps businesses drive faster cycles of innovation, fuel momentum and accelerate their path to success. As the trusted provider of the best products to develop, deploy and manage high-impact applications, Progress enables customers to develop the applications and experiences they need, deploy where and how they want and manage it all safely and securely. Hundreds of thousands of enterprises, including 1,700 software companies and 3.5 million developers, depend on Progress to achieve their goalswith confidence. Learn more at http://www.progress.com and follow us on LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Progress is a trademark or registered trademark 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 Contacts:Kim BakerProgress+1 781-280-4000pr@progress.com

Read more:

Progress Announces Appointment of YuFan Stephanie Wang to the Role of Chief Legal Officer - GlobeNewswire

MINNEAPOLIS

After opening with a decisive win against the Green Bay Packers, the Minnesota Vikings have been tested the past two weeks.

A Minnesota offense looking to make a jump under new coach Kevin OConnell is still a work in progress. But a three-play, 56-yard drive in the final minute Sunday against Detroit led to a comeback win and has the Vikings tied atop the NFC North while enduring their growing pains.

With star receiver Justin Jefferson being taken away by opponents and with running back Dalvin Cook out of the game with an injury, quarterback Kirk Cousins found K.J. Osborn for two big plays, including a 28-yard touchdown with 45 seconds remaining in Sundays 28-24 win.

Were still getting there, Cousins said after the game. Were still getting there. And I think you can see today, its not where I want it to be. Its a good plan. Its just, time on task. Every game, were learning something and getting better. But we just dont have time. Weve got to get it locked in.

Minnesota had 317 total yards before the game-winning drive. Through three weeks, the Vikings are 18th in the NFL in offensive yards (344 per game) and tied for 17th in points per game (19.3) entering Monday.

Were just continuing to evolve and we are still just three games into, officially, our guys running this system and this offense, so theres going to be some times where weve got to try to have that learning curve happen on the fly, OConnell said Monday. Weve got such talented players that we feel strongly about when they do that and when they feel comfortable completely, the execution will be a bit more consistent across the board and well be at our best.

Despite entering OConnells first season as coach, Minnesota chose health over preseason game repetitions, sitting out much of the first-team offense for the three games.

In Week 1 against Green Bay, the Vikings didnt show many signs of novelty, racing out to a 20-0 lead and putting up 395 yards.

The past two weeks, with Philadelphia and Detroit able to see what Minnesota did against the Packers, the execution on offense has been a bigger challenge.

Sometimes, for whatever reason, it can be one or 11, where theres just some indecisiveness somewhere across the board of guys doing their jobs depending on the look, OConnell said.

WHATS WORKING

Cook left Sundays game late in the third quarter with a shoulder injury when he fumbled on his final carry. Before that, the Vikings offensive line opened up several holes in the running game.

Cooks longest run was 13 yards, but he averaged 5.6 yards per carry. With one cut, he often found running room straight up the middle of the defense.

WHAT NEEDS HELP

Cousins, who has only been sacked four times, has 32 pass attempts while being blitzed this season, according to SportRadar. Hes completed just 12 passes for 81 yards. His 51.0 passer rating in those situations is ahead of only New Englands Mac Jones and Chicagos Justin Fields.

Cousins is 0 for 9 when facing at least six rushers.

STOCK UP

Osborn was expected to have an increased role under OConnell, with three-receiver sets becoming more common. The third-year receiver only had six targets in the first two games, catching five passes for 39 yards.

With Jefferson drawing extra attention, Osborn came through on Sunday. He had five catches on eight targets for 73 yards in the game. On the final drive, Osborn got loose for two 28-yard receptions.

STOCK DOWN

Greg Joseph had been perfect through two games, hitting three field goals and three extra-point attempts. On Sunday, he connected on all four of his PATs, but missed a pair of 56-yard field goals.

Joseph has already made one 56-yard attempt this season for his career-long conversion, but neither attempt Sunday was close.

My confidence will not waver in Greg, and everybody in that locker room feels that same way, OConnell said.

INJURED

Cooks status will be one to watch. He sustained another shoulder injury, with OConnell calling it a subluxation. Cook has played in the past with a harness on the shoulder.

Hes pretty sore today, but obviously something hes familiar with, with his shoulder, OConnell said. Hes tough, hes rip and ready to try to get back out there and go, but well take it day to day.

Safety Harrison Smith, who missed Sunday with a concussion, has passed testing and will be eased into practice with the expectation hell play this week. OConnell said he hopes rookie cornerback Andrew Booth, whos missed two games with a quadriceps injury, will get back to practice this week.

KEY NUMBER

58.62: The completion rate for Cousins over the past two weeks. A career 66.8% passer, Cousins completed 71.88% in Week 1 and is 22nd in the league in completion rate this season (62.2%).

NEXT STEPS

Another week provides another challenge for Minnesota. This time, its the opponent and the circumstances. The Vikings will practice at home Wednesday and Thursday before leaving to play the New Orleans Saints in London on Sunday.

___

More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Follow this link:

Vikings offense with O'Connell still a work in progress - The San Diego Union-Tribune

WASHINGTON, Sept. 21, 2022 The U.S. Department of Agriculture will invest $178 million in seven international development projects on four continents to support U.S. government priorities including promoting climate-smart agriculture, facilitating trade and addressing the root causes of migration in Central America, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today.

The funds are being awarded under the Food for Progress Program, through which USDAs Foreign Agricultural Service partners with non-governmental organizations and foreign governments on projects that help developing countries strengthen their agricultural systems and boost their trade capacity. This years awards are part of the $2 billion investment to strengthen global food security, announced by President Joe Biden at the United Nations General Assembly.

Food for Progress is a cornerstone of USDAs international capacity-building efforts. This year, as we emerge from a global pandemic and face the challenges of rising hunger and poverty, changing climate and the worldwide fallout of Russias brutal war on Ukraine, this work is more important than ever, Vilsack said. By partnering with private-sector organizations, local governments, and local producers and businesses, we are helping to build more equitable and resilient food systems, sustainably boost production capacity to combat food insecurity, and increase farmers incomes while enhancing their ability to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

Through Food for Progress, USDA donates U.S. agricultural commodities to eligible entities such as private voluntary organizations and foreign governments, which then sell the commodities on the local market and use the proceeds to support agricultural, economic or infrastructure development programs. This year, USDA will donate 240,000 metric tons of commodities, valued at $129.6 million, for projects to:

The seven new Food for Progress projects funded by USDA in 2022 are in addition to 41 projects currently underway in 38 countries. To learn more, view the complete list of 2022 Food for Progress awards.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming Americas food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, promoting competition and fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit http://www.usda.gov.

#

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

See the article here:

Biden-Harris Administration Invests $178 Million in International Food for Progress Projects - USDA.gov

RUNGIS, France--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regulatory News:

ESI Group, Rungis, France, (ISIN Code: FR0004110310, Symbol: ESI), will announce today during its investor conference that it maintains its long-term objectives for high single-digit growth and 20% Adjusted EBIT1 by 2024/2025, that it has made faster than expected progress on strategic focus including several divestitures, and consequently revises short-term targets. The Group also announces the implementation of a share buyback program.

Strong execution during the first year of the plan

ESI Group operates in a vibrant market and has made fast improvements in sales execution, and in focusing its R&D to provide an increasingly valuable and simplified offering. The macro-economic context is uncertain for its customers, and they rely on ESI, more than ever, as their trusted partner.

In the last year ESI Group has made faster than expected progress on its strategic focus by:

These are the result of deliberate strategic decisions. Driven by its core strategic vision, and its solid financial situation (Net financial Debt -0.6m as of the end of June 22, before the proceeds of the sale of the CFD product line in July), ESI Group has prioritized doing the right things for the long-term health of the business while managing the short term.

Long-term growth target unchanged, short-term views slightly revised

ESI Group reaffirms its commitment to improving growth and profitability year after year and continues to target high single-digit growth and 20% profitability within 2 to 3 years.

Cristel de Rouvray, Chief Executive Officer of ESI Group, comments Our Guiding Principle is to always do what is right for the long-term health of the business and manage the short-term impact. I am very glad that we made the strategic choices we did this past year: we are in a much stronger position to navigate this amplified macroeconomic uncertainty. Namely, thanks to a bigger percentage of recurring revenue, significantly improved profitability, and a much stronger balance sheet. I have confidence that this transformation journey and its positive trajectory will gradually compound returns for all stakeholders: customers, shareholders, partners, and employees.

Pro-forma3, and at current rate, the revenue4 growth plan for 2022 has been reduced by 2% to reflect the faster conversion of paid-up licenses to subscriptions and a faster decrease of non-core services. The profitability plan has decreased by only 1 point thanks to strict cost management.

Proforma guidelines

2022

at current rate

Revenue

2%-4%

Adjusted EBIT5

9%-11%

This minor reduction in growth for 2023, shows the strength and resilience of the ESI business.

Proforma Goal

2023

2024

2025

Revenue

5%-7%

6%-9%

7% - 10%

Adjusted EBIT

13%-15%

17%-20%

>20%

ESI Group continues to aim for high single-digit growth and 20% Adjusted EBIT by 2024/ 2025 and will continue to communicate transparently.

Implementation of a share buyback program

Continuing its initiatives to sustain, in the long run, its performance, ESI Group announces the entrustment of an investment services provider (ISP) with a mandate to acquire its shares as part of the share buyback program authorized by the Combined Annual General Meeting of June 28, 2022.

According to the agreed terms, ESI Group has given a mandate to an ISP to acquire on its own behalf a maximum volume of 30,000 ESI GROUP shares (ISIN code FR0004110310) over a period starting on September 28, 2022, and possibly lasting until March 31, 2023.

As of August 31, 2022, the company held 336,576 treasury shares, representing 5.5% of the share capital.

2022 Investor Conference

Upcoming events

About ESI Group

Founded in 1973, ESI Group envisions a world where Industry commits to bold outcomes, addressing high-stakes concerns - environmental impact, safety & comfort for consumers and workers, adaptable and sustainable business models. ESI provides reliable and customized solutions anchored on predictive physics modeling and virtual prototyping expertise to allow industries to make the right decisions at the right time while managing their complexity. Acting principally in automotive & land transportation, aerospace, defense & naval and heavy industry, ESI is present in more than 20 countries, employs 1,100 people around the world and reported 2021 sales of 136.6 million. ESI is headquartered in France and is listed on compartment B of Euronext Paris.

For further information, go to http://www.esi-group.com.

Follow ESI

LinkedIn Facebook Twitter YouTube

1 Adjusted EBIT is a non-GAAP indicator based on EBIT (IFRS). Adjusted EBIT corresponds to EBIT before stock-based compensation expenses, restructuring charges, impairment and amortization of intangibles related to acquisitions, IFRS 16 standard on leases, and other non-recurring items2 Recurring business rate as ESI total licenses booking number excluding its perpetual license revenue divided by its total licenses booking number.3 Pro-forma estimates exclude the CFD activity that was divested in July (~ 4.6m in FY 21) & the Russia Business (~ 1.6m in FY 21)4 Revenue Excluding Special projects (FY20 = 4m)5 Adjusted EBIT is a non-GAAP indicator based on EBIT (IFRS). Adjusted EBIT corresponds to EBIT before stock-based compensation expenses, restructuring charges, impairment and amortization of intangibles related to acquisitions, IFRS 16 standard on leases, and other non-recurring items

Go here to see the original:

ESI Group Updates on Its Plan Fast Progress, Long-Term Value, and Short-Term Impacts - Business Wire

Overview

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are adiverse group of conditions of bacterial,viral, parasitic, fungal and noncommunicable origin. In spite of their diversity,NTDs share a common geographical andsocial context: their burden is predominantly located in tropical areas across theglobe, and they mainly affect resource poor communities their correlation withpoverty is so close that they are sometimes referred to as diseases of neglectedpopulations. The epidemiology of NTDs iscomplex and often related to environmental conditions. Many are vector-borne,have animal reservoirs and are associatedwith complex life cycles: all these factorsmake their public-health control challenging.

From 20152019, over 1 billion people received interventions against at least one NTD each year. As a consequence, great progress has been made in reducing NTDprevalence and incidence. During 20202021, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic had a massivesocial and economic impact worldwide, causingunprecedented disruption across the full range of socialand economic activity, including essential health serviceprovision. The delivery of health services required forthe prevention, control, elimination and eradication ofNTDs has not been spared.

More here:

Neglected tropical diseases: progress towards recovery from COVID-19 2022 update - World Health Organization