Category Archives: Progress

Hispanolistic/E+ via Getty Images

It's been over six months since I last wrote on the Big Lots, Inc. (BIG) stock, which has come down over 46% since my neutral rating. The decline is significantly attributed to its wildly high EPS in the second quarter of 2020, which raised the company's bar through the roof. It seems that the company's EPS is now normalizing, and accordingly, the market will revert to pricing the stock on its pre-Q2 2020 levels. I believe BIG has upside potential in the long run; however, given the volatility, I still hold my neutral rating and avoid the stock for now until it shows the first signs of stability.

BIG has mostly been consistent with its financial performance, but it has recently demonstrated a pattern of QoQ EPS declines from Q1 to Q3 with a sharp ascent in Q4 results. A simple linear forecast using the 10-year trend estimates an EPS of $1.43 for the upcoming earnings release; however, Wall Street has a consensus analyst estimate of $1.91 EPS for the company. Even though consistent, the company's financial performance appears unimpressive at first glance, with 10Y, 5Y, and 3Y median EPS growth of 1.86%, 2.62%, and 0.43% on a TTM basis, respectively.

I've used these numbers with the adjusted EPS of $2.75 for the second quarter of 2020, which reported an unusually high EPS of $11.29 because of the sale and leaseback transactions, distorting all the trendlines spiraling the stock upwards. Adjusting for the irregularities, the current EPS appears to be much in line, following the consistent trendline of the company's performance and growth. BIG has a 3-year diluted EPS CAGR of 20%, in contrast, industry behemoths, Dollar General Corporation (DG), Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST), and Walmart Inc. (WMT) has a 3-year EPS CAGR of 15%, 16%, and 17%, respectively.

Over three years, DG's 76.92%, COST's 161.22%, and WMT's 44.06% have left BIG's 21.79% share price return trailing in the dust. This disconnection between its share price and EPS compared to its competitors reflects the investors' lack of confidence in its future.

3Y Share Price performances Vs. EPS (Author Calculations using numbers from SA)

Undoubtedly, comparing a company with a market cap of a little bit over $1 billion with industry giants isn't identical. Still, it serves to prove that BIG's financial results aren't as meager as they may appear compared to its share price. But, of course, this is also one of the primary reasons the company has far cheaper valuation metrics than its peers.

As previously mentioned, the disconnection between the company's Price and Earnings translates to a cheaper valuation of its stock. BIG's P/E ratio of 6 is significantly lower than DG, COST, and WMT, with P/E ratios of 20, 46, and 48, respectively. Similarly, other price ratios such as Price to Sales and Price to Book also put BIG at a cheaper valuation than its peers.

Even taking the company's valuation to its next nearest peer, its price estimate would turn to $128 by P/E, $122 by P/S, and $160 by P/B. That is a huge difference, more than triple its current valuation. But for the market to price the company with higher price metrics, it needs to show good growth prospects.

Relative Valuation (Author Calculations using numbers from SA)

Additionally, there is still a notable gap in valuations YTD compared with smaller peers. However, Big Lots might be gearing up for growing into more expensive valuation metrics because it is a low market cap company with solid fundamentals and growth-oriented strategic plans in motion. Thus, the declining earnings trend from Q1 to Q3 might act as a catalyst in driving the prices further down through 2022 before any upside can be realized. This makes the stock quite volatile for value & growth investors.

Data by YCharts

Indeed, the restructuring in 2022 with sale and leaseback (NYSE:SLB) transactions unlocked tremendous value for the company. The company wisely followed activist investors' suggestions and redeployed the excess cash generated by the SLB to repay a significant portion of its long-term debt. Almost two years later, the company has eliminated its long-term debt obligations, but its immense total debt to equity ratio remains at 172.85%. This relates to $1.58 billion capital lease obligations due to the SLB.

Undoubtedly, the company still goes through an experimental phase, where BIG relocates, opens, and closes down stores. These obligations relate to its physical stores, which are expected to expand by 50 in 2022 and more than 80 per year starting next year. Therefore, the liability will likely increase further in the following years. However, adjusting for this liability, the company is essentially debt-free and boasts great credit facilities to facilitate its growth and expansion, as stipulated in its financial reports.

The company boasts a better current ratio than either of the three previously mentioned competitors in terms of liquidity. However, a major chunk of that is attributable to its inventory, and accounting for it brings its quick ratio to the bottom.

A closer look into this reveals a weakness in the company's operating cycle with higher-than-average inventory turnover days. The company had proactively increased inventory in response to supply chain disruptions in the wake of the pandemic. Still, the current circumstances expose the company's inventory mismanagement, with the overall levels reaching almost $1.3 billion. The inventory days have worsened to 124 days, outpacing pre-pandemic levels of roughly 100 days on average. This is worse than DG's 82, WMT's 46, and COST's impressive 32 inventory days. Consequently, the cash conversion cycle has also deteriorated, reaching 68 days in the last quarter, a bad performance since 2008.

Liquidity Ratios (Author Calculations using numbers from SA)

In the latest earnings call, the CFO explained the inventory jump:

The increase versus prior years was a purposeful heavy up of inventory to support holiday to right set furniture depth and support incremental inventory for the Lot and apparel. The increase versus guidance reflects our successful efforts to get more inventory receipts into the supply chain ahead of holiday, as well as increased unit costs due to inbound freight.

Despite the distortion of inventory performance in the short term, considering the supply chain disruption, the management's prudent decision to stock up will protect sales from delays and prolonged issues of suppliers. Moreover, if the company could improve its inventory cycle, the operating cash flow would get even better to fund the expansion plans that the company has bet on since the introduction of "Operation North Star," which has yet to materialize.

Product Categories - Investor Presentation Jan 2022 (Biglots.com)

The Gross Margin has slid down to under 40%, hovering around its 5-year average. In addition, the company's digitization and features being paraded under the banner of Operation North Star seem to have no measurable positive effects on its financial performance. Last but not least, the supply chain disruptions increased freight and labor costs will also support the declining trend in the following quarter.

Data by YCharts

In Q2 2021, Big Lots invested in a temporary distribution center 'bypass network' to deal with the supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic. According to the CEO, lead times lasted from four to eight weeks. The company expected the investments to pay off in 2022, and we still have the whole year to look forward to. However, the current numbers don't reflect any operational efficiencies achieved through these investments. At the same time, its competitors dealt with these issues through different approaches such as increasing their supply orders, adding distribution centers, and chartering their ships.

The pandemic was well on its way to a fast turnaround when the announcement was made, but since the aggressive spread of delta and now omicron variant, the global supply chain and the labor market suffer from a stunted recovery. This has led to a volatile supply chain environment, and depending on the results obtained by Big Lots from its initiatives, it is likely to make further adjustments to accommodate the unfolding events. These uncertainties bolster my neutral prognosis on the stock, as any trading decisions will also be subject to the volatility of these circumstances.

BIG's excessive earnings in 2020 seemed to have resulted from the company's improvement initiatives, elevated demand due to the pandemic, activist investors' involvement, and the SLB transaction, skyrocketing the stock to new heights. However, the fiscal period turned out to be an outlier that fizzled the share price down, adding volatility which can still be seen in its charts. After a steep decline in price, the price valuation metrics of the company sharply fell, making the stock look appealing.

Given the company's high beta and volatility, plus a trend of declining earnings through Q1 to Q3, attractive valuations might not be able to justify a buy rating right now. However, a good buy rating isn't just about an optimistic future but also about timing your trade. Therefore, I am neutral on the stock until it reaches a more stable point later this year.

Go here to see the original:

Big Lots: Reversion To The Mean Is Still In Progress - Seeking Alpha

GamesBeat Summit 2022 returns with its largest event for leaders in gaming on April 26-28th.Reserve your spot here!

Some people criticize some of my favorite open world games by saying that they feel empty. Its a complaint they levy against the likes of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Pokmon Legends: Arceus. I never mind the open spaces. I enjoy doing a bit traveling and exploration.

But if youre one of those people, then Horizon: Forbidden West is the antithesis of a feels empty open world game. This sequel from Guerrilla Games comes out on February 18 for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 (Sony gave me a PS5 code for this review). Its one of Sonys biggest exclusives since the launch of the PS5. And big is the operative word here.

In fact, its so big, I didnt even get all that close to beating the game in time for the review embargo. Maybe if I had rushed through the story missions, I could have gotten there. But Forbidden West excels at making you want to see all of the extra activities.

In that respect, it reminds me of The Witcher III. Side quests dont feel inherently less than the ones from the main story. The side missions expand on the world and characters, often ones the main scenario introduces you.

They also offer beefy rewards. Yes, Forbidden West has a traditional level up and skill tree points progression system. I like that you often earn points directly for completing a mission or side activity. Thats a pretty tangible reward, and it makes it worthwhile and fun to check out all of those icons on your map.

Ah, yes. Icons on maps. Forbidden West is what I like to call a map game. Its a certain flavor of open world gaming where youre constantly opening that map, setting a waypoint to the nearest activity, and then you start knocking them out like theyre items on a to-do list. If you ever played an Ubisoft game, especially the Far Cry series, you know what Im talking about.

Sometimes, map games can feel tedious. Its like youre completing chores. Content is so dense that you never have a chance to actually explore. And while that latter point may still hold true for Forbidden West, the core gameplay and the quality of these map activities are fun enough that I dont mind.

Especially when it involves combat. Fighting feels great in Horizon: Forbidden West, especially if you focus on ranged attacks with your bow. Yes, you can opt for a sneakier approach, and you usually want to pick off a few enemies with traps and stealth attacks. But usually, things will devolve into a brawl, and I enjoy the hectic action. Im dodging out of the way of charging enemies and aiming my bow at specific body parts either to exploit weaknesses or to give me some extra crafting materials.

You also have a couple of cooldown abilities that you earn in the skill tree. While in, say, Assassins Creed: Valhalla, these attacks dominate combat, they take more of a backseat here. Thats a good thing. Combat is more about the basics combos, stealth, aiming and less about spamming abilities.

As much as I enjoy the combat, traversal can feel a bit stiff. I know how much you all love when we compare games to Breath of the Wild, so here we go! Breath of the Wild popularized the if you see it, you can go there approach to open world games. Sometimes, Forbidden West will straight up tell you with a text box that you cant do progress further in the area youre in until you unlock an ability later in the game.

That feels bad, especially when you already dedicated some time to explore an old ruin, getting excited about what may be inside, only to learn that you have no choice but to give up and come back later.

Aloys movement can sometimes feel as restrictive as the exploration. You have to do a lot of Uncharted-style climbing, and it sometimes isnt clear what you can and cant grab onto to. You can press a button to highlight what edges you climb on. That helps, but its also weird. It can feel like the game arbitrarily decides which parts of a cliff or building you can latch onto. You see the hand of the game designer here, drawing paths for you to traverse, when Id rather have better and freer traversal tools that give me more options.

Even Aloys tools can feel underwhelming. Early in the game, you get a kind of grappling claw. Youd think this would open up a lot of traversal possibilities, but you can only use it on a select few spots. Its mostly used to knock down walls or to zip yourself up to specific (and sparse) hook points. Later, you get a glider (yes, once again, like Breath of the Wild), but its slow and falls fast.

Honestly, those issues present moments of frustration, but I get over them quickly. I enjoy the games world which is colorful, vibrant, and full of detail. I like its casts of characters, and Aloy is an interesting protagonist (even if her stubbornness and difficulty accepting help her defining character flaws sometimes feel illogically extreme).

And if youre a fan of lore, you have plenty of that absorb here. The world of Horizon takes place centuries after an apocalyptic event on Earth, which gives the game its signature blend of sci-fi and prehistoric sensibilities. Its fun learning more about the downfall of the old world while searching for ways to save the new one.

Technical issues can sometimes be a drag, although you do expect some of those with any open world game. I will say, I find Aloys hair physically more distracting than anything. These long strands flail about at the slightest tilt of her head, often clipping through her armor and weapons. I have to stop myself from staring at her hair and losing focus on the actual story during those cutscenes closeups.

I also had Aloy get stuck in a T-pose during a boss fight. That was a bummer. It was a dramatic encounter, and I was doing well, but then she just sort of got stuck, and I couldnt make her budge. I could do nothing but wait for the boss to kill me, so I could try again.

But, again, those are minor annoyances. Overall, Forbidden West is an impressive, huge game.

Anyone who digs these kinds of dense, map-based, open world experiences is going to feel happy with what Guerrilla Games is offering here. This is something you could spend a lot of time with, first enjoying the story, then going out of your way to see and complete every last bit of content.

Once I see the story to its end, Ill be able to settle on a score. But if youre just looking for a recommendation, consider it given.

Horizon: Forbidden West is out on February 18 for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4. Sony gave us a PS5 code for this review.

GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it. Learn More

Original post:

Horizon: Forbidden West review-in-progress a lot of Aloy - VentureBeat

Editor:

I am writing to respond to Dale Sextons column, Measurable progress on access in Crazies, published Feb. 4 in The Enterprise.

The progress made by the Forest Service correlates with the federal lawsuit filed by plaintiffs Friends of the Crazy Mountains, Montana Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Enhancing Montanas Wildlife and Habitat, and Skyline Sportsmen Association. After this coalition sued in May 2019 against the Forest Service for failing to protect and defend public access rights in the Crazies, the agencys conduct changed and it took action. By way of example: Sept. 2019, Forest Service relinquishes easement interests on westside; Oct. 2019, Forest Service releases south-side land exchange for public scoping; Sept. 2020, Forest Service announces new easement crossing on northeast-side; and July 2021, Colorado-based Western Land Group submits eastside proposal to the Forest Service. This timeline implies the public interest litigation prompted the Forest Service, and other required parties, to seek resolution before the federal court ruled on the merits of the lawsuit. Keep in mind these access disputes festered and languished for decades.

On Jan. 18, U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy Cavan heard oral argument and asked questions on the murky access issues on the west and east sides. Through a declaratory judgment, the federal court can remedy any harm that may have been done to the public by the Forest Service and limit future harm. Judge Cavans ruling will also become part of a public setting the record straight. This will be more measurable progress as well because the whole of what the public has been told at this point is according to hearsay.

Yes, there is measurable progress on access in Crazies. We can thank public interest litigation for what were witnessing in the range. Lets give credit where its due.

Sheila Royston

Wilsall

Read the original post:

Measurable progress on access in the Crazies - The Livingston Enterprise

WASHINGTON -- The most accurate 3-point shooting among Wizards regulars this season has come from an unexpected place.

The highest percentage was not from Davis Bertans or Bradley Beal, nor has it been from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Thomas Bryant or Corey Kispert, guys with considerable track records as 3-point threats. No, it has been from Rui Hachimura, who through a growing sample size of 16 games is shooting 44.1% from three.

The volume remains relatively low, at 2.1 attempts per game, but the trajectory is encouraging. He shot 28.7% as a rookie and 32.8% last season.

One of the questions surrounding Hachimura when he entered the NBA as the ninth overall pick in 2019 was outside shooting. It has been a major area of emphasis for him in his offseason workouts.

Now, he's seeing positive results.

"I've been working on this since I got here," Hachimura said. "I think it's been helping me have more confidence shooting threes. For the team, our concept is we shoot, we attack the paint and then we kick it out to 3-point shooters...There are a couple of guys that can make plays, so it's easier for me to knock down open threes."

Hachimura, 24, is technically shooting a career-low field goal percentage overall, at 45.1%, but his 3-point clip has led to the best effective field goal % of his career (51.8). Effective field goal percentage threes more than twos.

Efficiency is crucial in today's NBA and will help Hachimura stand out in the Wizards' rotation. Making threes could also open up other parts of his game.

"It's of course good to have a 3-point shot. It's easier for me to drive and attack the rim," he said.

Hachimura was never much of a 3-point shooter in college during his three years at Gonzaga. Though he shot 41.7% his junior year before leaving for the NBA, it was on only one attempt per game. He made only 24 threes in 102 career games in college.

Corey Kispert was his teammate then at Gonzaga and now plays with him once again for the Wizards. He has seen a ton of growth from Hachimura as an outside shooter.

"It's been great. I remember the days in college where guys would sit at the free-throw line and guard him," Kispert said. "It was a little bit of respect for how good he was driving the ball, but now he's a legitimate threat from outside and he's knocking down shots consistently. It just adds a whole nother element to his game and just unlocks what he can be."

A key component of Hachimura's advancement as a 3-point shooter has been the increase in arc on his release. From early on during his time with the Wizards, it has been a teaching point from the team's player development staff.

Hachimura now shoots through a higher plane towards the basket. Kispert is known as a shooter and explained why having arc is important.

"He's shooting a really soft basketball and the arc helps with that. It's a ton of backspin, so if it catches the inside of the rim it's going to trick in," Kispert said.

The more Hachimura shoots a high percentage from three, the more a natural question will be asked: should he take more attempts? While he shoots the best clip in the Wizards' rotation, he is sixth in attempts per game.

Hachimura is growing more and more confident in his shot, but also doesn't want to force anything.

"Not necessarily. That's not my game, it's just a part of it. It's not my strength," he said.

In addition to someday increasing his volume as a shooter, Hachimura has more steps to take in the types of threes he attempts. All of the threes he's made this season so far have been on catch-and-shoot plays. To go to the next level, he could incorporate more pull-up threes off the bounce.

The good news is he's moving in the right direction and it should only make him more effective as an offensive player, already with the ability to score in the midrange and around the rim.

Continue reading here:

Rui Hachimura is showing progress shooting three; should he take more? - NBC Sports

MINERAL WELLS Speakers described progress and plans for three Mineral Wells institutions on Friday at the State of the Community Luncheon including a newly cemented move for the countys only private school.

Some 180 Mineral Wells Area Chamber of Commerce members absorbed updates on the airport, the Baker Hotel & Spa restoration and Christian Community School at the 11th annual fete. But it was school Administrator Doug Jefferson who delivered the breaking news.

We had an amazing thing happen, Jefferson told the crowd gathered in the First Baptist Church gymnasium downtown. Literally, just this morning, I got the OK that we can be public.

Jefferson said the small but growing school, where enrollment in two metal buildings has increased from 32 students when founded in 1981 to between 115 to 125 annually, had been discussing the turnover of a building at Fort Wolters with the owner, Weatherford College, since last April.

Community Christian School has been given a building, he said. Weatherford College has granted a conveyance. The building, the land, all of this has been gifted to us from Weatherford College for zero dollars. That will eventually be where Community Christian School is operating.

Jefferson, who grew up in Mineral Wells, had begun his presentation describing how local minister Bill Bennett led a group decades earlier to pray for the city. He said Bennett had insisted on a spirit of faithfulness and a foundation of gratitude.

Do we want to grow? Absolutely, he said. Do we see things happening? Absolutely.The best days are ahead, but lets honor the men, the women, the people that went before us.

Mark Rawlings, a hotel restoration specialist with success stories under his belt from the Driskill Hotel and Stephen F. Austin Intercontinental Hotel in Austin and San Antonios St. Anthony Hotel, reported the partnership restoring the 14-story Baker Hotel hopes to have final funding secured next month.

And we can put the pedal to the metal, he said, before launching into a checklist of improvements finished and in the works.

Asbestos has been cleared from the historic building and interior paint has been scraped. Wiring has been pulled from the walls, and tagged for reinsertion. Once plumbing and electric systems are in place, the walls will be refurbished.

A gym is being converted into a domed ballroom for 700, he said, and restoration of the hotels pool and ornate fountain are upcoming.

But she still looks good, even in her state now, Rawlings said, adding that word is spreading in Texas and beyond that there is a small city with a big heritage waking up.

Ive had people say, I was never going to go to Texas, he said. But they are now.

Rawlings also announced an Election Day gift for Palo Pinto residents only. On the March 1 primary day, residents who bring one of those I voted stickers can see interior progress in a guided tour of the lobby.

It was a long time coming, and were glad to be here, the Austin transplant concluded.

The city of Mineral Wells last year hired an airport consultant firm, Paslay Management Group, to work with its Airport Board on making its regional airport both an economic development engine and a conduit for tourists destined for the Baker and other downtown experiences.

John Terrell, a principal in the Fort Worth-based consultants, first steered the audience Friday to corridors that will be designated for semi-truck traffic or tourist/residential driving. That will channel industrial traffic away from residential areas, he said.

Companies including Bell Helicopter and Dauntless Air, which makes firefighting planes that scoop water from lakes to dump on wildfires, are both interested in the Mineral Wells airfield, he said.

An abandoned, two-story training building will be recommended as a high-end trades school where local students will learn to service the corporate jets expected to begin landing when the large companies arrive.

The consultants previously recommended the trades building to train aircraft technicians for a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul shop that will be required once jets begin landing on the 500-acre airport.

Terrell said Bell, also based in Fort Worth, is discussing a 15,000-square-foot hangar for its awesome Invictus 360 fighter helicopters. The relatively uncrowded air above the county also will be ideal for Bells Autonomous Pod Transport, the companys drone.

They are wanting to put in a number of assets into this facility, he said. We think were incredibly close to getting that all finalized at the airport.

Terrell also noted the facilitys tourism and Hollywood potential.

He acknowledged the cast and crew of, 1883, the prequel to the Western, Yellowstone, had filmed in Palo Pinto County last fall. Future entertainment industry crews should have sets within taxicab distance, he said.

They, and all visitors, also should see local art when they step into the terminal, he said, encouraging local artists who graced downtown with several murals.

So that, when they land, they know they are in Mineral Wells, he said.

We are making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free. Please consider subscribing so we can continue to bring you the latest news and information on this developing story.

Visit link:

STATE OF THE COMMUNITY: MW chamber supporters learn of progress, plans at three city institutions - Weatherford Democrat

By VERNON ROBISON

The Progress

The Mesquite City Council declined to adopt a new ordinance, last week, which would have amended certain permitted and conditional use categories within General Commercial and Light Industrial zones of the city. The Council split its vote 2-3 to reject the controversial bill during a meeting held Tuesday, Feb. 8.

The code amendments, as proposed by Mesquite Senior Planner Richard Secrist, would have done two things.

Firstly, it would have broadened the usage previously known as Automobile Sales, Rental, Service in a General Commercial zone to include Vehicle Sales, Rental, Service. This would bring moving truck rentals such as U-Haul, Ryder or Penske into this category. This usage would continue to require a Conditional Use Permit being issued by City Council approval for operation.

The second proposed code amendment would have deleted the Moving, Storage and Transportation Facilities usage from a permitted use, by right, under the Light Industrial zone to now requiring a Conditional Use Permit issued by approval of the Council.

In an initial report before the Council, Secrist said that he considered the bill a clean-up ordinance. He said that it was to clarify some ambiguity that existed in the code regarding truck and trailer rental businesses.

The ambiguity in whether this use should be a permitted use, by right, or a conditional use, where it requires discretionary approval through Council action, Secrist said.

Secrist explained that a recent disagreement had taken place between a local business-owner and city staff over this section of the code.

This disagreement involved a U-Haul rental center and moving supply store located on Hafen Lane and owned by Pat Galliher. Galliher had been seeking business licensing to move the business to a Light Industrial Zoned parcel in the Mesquite Industrial Park. In doing so, he had made the case that the business should fall under a Moving, Storage and Trucking usage which is a permitted use in the Industrial Zone.

But the City has had a long history of including truck rental businesses of this kind within the Automobile, Sales, Rentals and Services category, which always requires a Conditional Use Permit, Secrist said.

We feel like the Moving, Storage and Transportation usage is more for semi-truck van lines, long distance movers, where they may store a persons goods temporarily in a warehouse when there are timing issues on a move, Secrist said. We think those should be conditional uses in any case.

Secrist emphasized that Gallihers business had been grandfathered into a Moving, Storage and Transportation permitted use at the new Light Industrial location in order to be spared the process of a Conditional Use permit.

Secrist concluded that the proposed bill was meant to clarify the ambiguities and not to target this or any other specific business.

But in a public comment at the meeting, Galliher insisted that the ordinance, and the entire process leading up to it, had been meant to target him personally and his business.

Galliher listed a long series of instances, dating back to when he first moved to the community in 2013, where he felt he had been targeted by City staff, and specifically Secrist.

In the 2020 city elections, Galliher admitted that he had been outspoken against the candidacies of Mesquite Mayor Al Litman and City Councilman Wes Boger, both of whom won their elections. Galliher believed that a series of code violations he had received since the election have been connected to the vocal positions he took against those officials.

Specifically, Galliher said that he had been cited for cars that were legally parked on his business property, some of which were his own familys cars. In addition, he received notice that a number of golf carts he had parked on site were in violation of city ordinance. Other businesses in the same Hafen Lane building were doing similar violations and were not cited, he said.

One of those business has dozens of wrecks and burned out vehicles stored on site, and several other businesses in that complex also had similar vehicles stored in the open there, Galliher said. The interesting thing is that, of all of those businesses, only I received the notice of violation. Kind of strange!

Galliher said that he received another notice last fall, alleging several violations at the business. But there was no evidence to support any of them, he said.

Galliher said that his case had been put on the Council agenda to review his Conditional Use Permit for the location and possibly revoke it. He claimed that he did not received notice of the review in the time required by law.

Mr. Secrist had no intention of allowing the supposed violations to be corrected, Galliher said. He was determined to close my business down without even giving me the notice of the meeting as required by law.

In the end, Galliher said that he had to bring legal representation to meet privately with the City Attorney and Secrist about this matter. In that meeting, Mr. Secrist admitted that he had no proof of the allegations made against me, Galliher said.

By that time, Galliher had already found the new location in the Industrial Park for his business. In the end, he agreed to move by Feb. 1. In return, he was grandfathered in as a Permitted Use on the new property and received his business license, Galliher said.

Galliher claimed that the ordinance being presented before the council was not needed and that it was just a way for Secrist to save face after targetting his business.

I would just ask you: What is the purpose of this law? Galliher said. What problem does it solve? He didnt explain the problem in what this law corrects. He just said that staff wants it. Is that all that is required now for a law to pass: that staff wants it?

During Council comments, Councilman Brian Wursten, who was attending the meeting remotely over a phone line, commended Galliher for standing up and making this comment. Two weeks earlier, when the Council had voted to present this bill for a public hearing, Wursten had been the lone vote against it, stating that it did indeed appear to be singling out Galliher and his business.

I just feel like this is something that didnt need to take place, Wursten said in last weeks meeting. This is not something that needs to be adopted at this point and I just urge all of you to vote against it.

Councilman George Gault asked City Attorney Bryan Pack if he would respond to what Galliher had said. Pack responded that, from his perspective, the actions of the City in the matter had all been within the bounds of legality. So I think that this is a political decision for the council to make at this point.

Pack added that he would disagree with the characterization of the meeting between Galliher and City staff that Galliher had related in his comments.

But really, I dont think that is the issue here tonight, Pack said. That issue (with Galliher) has been resolved with his agreement to move, he is grandfathered in under this ordinance. So it doesnt even apply to him in his new location. It is a non-issue at this point, from my perspective.

In the end, Boger made a motion to approve the bill. The motion failed with a 2-3 vote with Wursten, Sandra Ramaker and Karen Dutkowski voting against it.

Originally posted here:

City Council rejects controversial bill - The Progress - mvprogress

NILES, Ohio (WKBN) Two people were arrested after police were called to an active burglary Friday.

Arthur Stoutmamire, 33, of Warren was booked into the Trumbull County Jail on a charge of burglary. Shayla Halstead, 32, of Niles, was booked on a charge of complicity.

The incident happened about 7:30 p.m. at the Royal Mall Apartments.

Niles police were dispatched on reports that a male was in one of the apartments attempting to steal items. According to reports, 911 dispatchers could hear a male in the background saying, Im taking your Xbox.

When police arrived, no one was at the apartment, but witnesses told them they saw a gray Pontiac G6 parked with a woman in the driver seat. They also stated two men came down from the apartment and one of them put a red duffle bag in the car, got in and left.

The other man asked a neighbor if he could come into his apartment but was told no, so he took off on foot, according to a report.

Police were able to get in touch with the resident of the apartment who was not home at the time. She stated that a friend was staying with her and owed Stoutamire money. The friend called and told her that Stoutamire came to the house, kicked the door down and took her Xbox and a red duffle bag.

Police were able to locate the gray Pontiac at another apartment. When they pulled it over they found Halstead in the driver seat and Stoutamire in the passenger seat.

Initially, Halstead told police she was just driving to a family members home but they werent there. However, when police searched the car they found the red duffle bag with an Xbox inside, reports said.

Read more:

2 arrested after report of burglary in progress - WKBN.com

There was at least one demographic missing when companies paid millions to advertise on Super Bowl Sunday. The blind or partially sighted had no audio description of the commercials.

Without description, blind people are watching TV and saying 'What? Whats happening? tech writer and former Cincinnati Enquirer columnist Deborah Kendrick told WVXU.

One Super Bowl ad in 2021 did describe the scene.

Tide Super Bowl ad - audio description

Shortly after the Tide ad ran, the digital marketing website The Drum wondered if more audio description ads were on the horizon.

While brands from P&G to Microsoft and eBay to Amazon have been working to make their ads more accessible, their efforts are just a drop in the ocean," it reports.

There is progress, but much more is needed, says Sonali Rai, broadcaster relationship and AD technology manager at the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).

P&Gs Director of Advertising Production Paul Chick told The Drum before last years Super Bowl, While most of our day-to-day TV commercials are being audio described, we hadnt yet had the opportunity to DVS a spot for a large-scale event,

Kendrick might have used YouDescribe to experience Super Bowl ads. Its a service where volunteers describe things. But Kendrick says it wont be timely and because the volunteers arent professionals, it may be good and it may not be.

The Audio Description Project said Aira provided audio description for the pre-game and half-time, as well as the Puppy Bowl. It did not describe the game. Aira is live, on-demand visual interpreting.

Kendrick texted her visually impaired friends and found they were all going to listen to the radio during the game.

Juandez Dez Scruggs, adaptive sports coordinator for Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, has limited sight. He plans to sit a couple inches away from his 70 TV and watch. In the future he would like increased use of VR to experience sports.

I think the Metaverse and the whole virtual reality thing is going to change the game for visually impaired people," he says. "I think that could give us a different outlook on it because that could give us a different way to watch the game.

For fans who are visually impaired in a stadium, Ireland is leading the way. During soccer games, they wear an ear piece in one ear, hearing the crowd in the other ear. An audio describer explains what they are not seeing, like when some flares went off.

RT Nationwide: NCBI/Bohs audio description service

Assistive technology specialist Jule Ann Lieberman hopes to have more of these types of things in the U.S.

Im thinking in the future theres going to be more of that movement in attendance, when you are attending a sporting event to have that opportunity to do so, she says.

Both Liberman and Kendrick who admittedly are not sports fans say they were cheering on the Bengals.

Read the original here:

'There is progress, but much more is needed' for the visually impaired to experience events like the Super Bowl - WVXU

Work continues on a sewer separation project in Alton that continues to impact north-south travel on a portion of Alby Street. The street is currently closed from 6th Street north to 7th Street, with future closures north and east of Alby/7th Street starting this week. Portions of the road will be closed well into the spring.

Illinois American Water spokesperson Karen Cotton tells The Big Z the project is an ambitious one.

7th Street from George to Mechanic Street is closed, and pavement restoration is ongoing on 7th Street east of the square to George Street. Elsewhere, Danforth Street will be closing in the next week or two to all thru traffic to allow for sewer installation work. Douglas Street, between State and Lincoln Streets is closed to thru traffic for sewer installation work. Joesting Avenue will close in the next week or two to all traffic and will continue to be closed for several weeks.

Read the original:

Steady progress on sewer separation | Riverbend News | advantagenews.com - AdVantageNEWS.com

US Vice President Kamala Harris applauds during an event at the Training Recreation Education Center in Newark, New Jersey, to highlight funding in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to remove and replace lead pipes on February 11, 2022.Photo: TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP (Getty Images)

In an interview on Tha Gods Honest Truth late last year, Vice President Kamala Harris highlighted lead pipes as a priority to tackle in 2022. Places like Jackson, Mississippi, and Benton Harbor, Michigan, both with predominately Black populations, have ongoing clean water problems. Harris also cited that half of the children under the age of six have detectable amounts of lead in their bloodstream, leading to many health and neurological problems down the road.

Within the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, the Biden administration received $15 billion to fix all the lead pipes in America. According to NJ.Com, Vice President made a stop in New Jersey to participate in a roundtable with Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan, Gov. Phil Murphy, and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka.

Together, they highlighted how successful the city of Newark has been in changing its lead pipes and improving the water supply. In 2019, Newark had a lead crisis where bottled water had to be handed out because the quality was terrible. Now, the replacement of 23,000 lines is almost done with no cost to citizens.

From NJ.Com:

Here in Newark the work that has been done is a function of the collaboration between community leaders, elected leaders, and public health leaders, Harris told NJ Advance Media during an interview following an event at a Newark youth recreation center. And its a role model for what we can do around the country when we maximize that cooperation.

The funding for the project predated the bipartisan dealkept afloat by $120 million in bonds authorized by Essex County Executive Joe DiVincenzo. New Jersey will receive $1 billion over the next five years to help cover the cost of replacing lead lines in other parts of the state. Vice President Harris wanted to highlight how well this could be done as she continues her roadshow noting her lead pipe replacement initiative.

Mayor, I thank you, Harris said. This has been a long-standing issue and you came in and cut through red tape, made this a high priority and have now made it such a role model that the administrator and I have taken a road show to talk about the importance of removing lead from pipes and paint. We came here at the beginning of this tour to highlight what you have accomplished here in Newark as an example and a role model for what cities around our country are capable of doing.

Original post:

VP Kamala Harris Highlights Newark's Progress of Lead Pipe Removal In A Visit To New Jersey - The Root