All aboard! Below Deck and its spinoff series have never failed to bring the drama to Bravo fans everywhere since the franchise launched.

The original series premiered in July 2013, documenting the daily lives of crew members on luxurious yachts during charter season. At the time, Bravo revealed that the first season averaged over 1 million viewers per episode, making it a simple decision to branch off into two more series: Below Deck Mediterranean and Below Deck Sailing Yacht.

With each season, the crew members personal lives have begun to cross over into their work lives, leading to shocking reality TV romances, breakups, firings and dramatic exits. In February 2020, longtime Below Deck personality Kate Chastain announced that she would finally be heading back to dry land after six seasons on the ocean.

After many months of reflection and internal discussions, I have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new land based role. I intend to step back as a senior member of the Below Deck Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support His Majesty Andy Cohen, she teased via Instagram as she stepped down from her position as part of reality TV royalty.

Seven months later, Chastain admitted that she might not be ready to say goodbye to Bravo forever.

I dont know that I would like to do a show like Summer House, she told Decider during a September 2020 tell-all interview. I would love to be a New York Housewife because of Sonja [Morgan] alone. Sonja is a national treasure to be protected at all costs. I want to just be Sonjas intern for a day. That is on my bucket list. I need the full experience. I love her so much, I would do that.

While some cast members have left on their own terms, others have had the decision made for them. On season 5 of Below Deck Mediterranean, chief stewardess Hannah Ferrier was fired after a coworker reported her for having Valium on the yacht. After the drama went down, Captain Sandy Yawn told E! News that she has no regrets about the firing.

Imagine walking in my shoes, it was challenging, she said. The Maritime industry has a certain standard My No. 1 priority is the client.

Scroll down to learn more about how some former Below Deck stars have kept busy after the show.

Read more here:
Former Below Deck Stars: Where Are They Now? - Us Weekly

Rob Westergaard is paying tribute to his late mother on the ninth anniversary of her passing. The Below Deck Mediterranean cast member posted an emotional message in memory of his mom, who passed away of liver failure after struggling with alcoholism.

In the touching tribute, Rob shared a sweet photo of his mom smiling. Alongside the image, he wrote in part, 9 years ago today this beautiful creature, my mom aka 'little troublemaker'embarked on that journey elsewhere. Not a day goes by that I dont think about her or speak to her.

Rob went on to open up about how his mom continues to serve as a guide for him, explaining,When I have to make life decisions I ask for the affirmation if Im on the right path and if I am, I either see frogs or butterflies.

He concluded the moving message by writing, I know you are with me on my journey and I will forever be grateful for the roles you played and continue to play in my life! To live in the hearts of those we leave behind is not to die. Im sending love and light to all those people who have lost loved ones.

Earlier on this season of Below Deck Med, Rob opened up about the loss of his mother while marking his 10 years of sobriety.

"I wanted to protect her. I wanted to help her. I couldn't. I miss her a lot. That gave me strength, her dying gave me strength to continue, to be sober, to hopefully have a family. Give them what I never had," he said during an interview in the July 6 episode. "So, it gave me power. It gives me strength because I don't want to do that. I don't want to repeat that pattern."

The Daily Dish is your source for all things Bravo, from behind-the-scenes scoop to breaking news, exclusive interviews, photos, original videos, and, oh, so much more. Subscribe to The Daily Dish podcast, join our Facebook group, and follow us on Instagramfor the latest news hot off the presses. Sign up to become a Bravo Insider and be the first to get exclusive extras.

Originally posted here:
Rob Westergaard Pays Tribute to His Late Mom on the Anniversary of Her Passing - Bravo

Tipalti, an Israeli payment automation firm, announced on Tuesday that it has raised over $150 million in funding based on an evaluation of $2.05 billion. The companys founder shared with us the pitch deck they used, and helped them raise the funds in just four days.

Chen Amit, the companys founder and CEO, told Haaretzs sister publication TheMarker that he met Henry Ellenbogen from Durable Capital Partners, which led the latest funding round, over a Zoom meeting three weeks ago. After Ellenbogen saw Tipaltis deck, within four days he got back to us with the money - Ive never had such a quick fundraising round.

For the full PowerPoint Presention, click here

According to Amit, he presented the deck to a dozen investors. The investors who moved forward with Tipalti, he says, made specific requests for him to elaborate on some of the details provided. For example, some wanted to know more about their sales and marketing plans, while others wanted to meet the R&D team, Chen says.

This is our fifth fundraising round, Chen explains. During the last two rounds, the deck was a lot more numbers driven, because the numbers tell the whole story and theres no need to embellish. I present the growth in our revenues, the organic growth with our existing clients, our rate of retention, the state of our competitors and the state of the market - too many words could only do harm.

However, for this deck, Chen used what he calls a shock and awe strategy. The goal was to win the fight with one knock-out punch. I tried to get our entire message across in the first slide, to knock them off their chairs from the beginning - and only then delve into the actual numbers to underscore our story and help build confidence in it.

This is especially true during this period, in which all presentations are done via Zoom and you need people to stay with you throughout the entire duration of the presentation, he said.

The current round of funding also included Greenoaks Capital as well its existing investor 01 Advisors, which belongs to former Twitter CEO Dick Costolo. Amit says all of the capital raised will go directly to the companys coffers - with no secondary sale. It brings the overall investment in the company to $265 million, with another $23 in debt.

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This is the PowerPoint deck that earned an Israeli startup $150m in 100 hours - Haaretz.com

All aboard! The cast ofBelow Deckand its spinoff series will do just about anything for love or at least to have a fun crew hookup.

After seven seasons of the Bravo series with more than 100 episodes there have been plenty of romances to watch unfold. Add in theBelow Deck Mediterraneanflings andBelow Deck Sailing Yachtrelationships and viewers have a lot to keep up with.

While some relationships have outlasted the high seas, includingSailing YachtsPaget BerryandCiara Duggan, who got engaged in July 2020, others crashed and burned.

Below DecksRocky DakotaandEddie Lucasserved as the guideline for crew members of what not to do while yachting. Chief StewardessKate Chastainrevealed on the BravosDaily Dishin January 2020 that the season 3 secret hookup ruined it for everyone moving forward.

This is why we cant have nice things, Eddie and Rocky, she quipped. I think it was short-lived, but a great time was had by all.

CaptainLee Rosbachweighed in on the dramatic relationship Eddie cheated on his girlfriend with Rocky saying, that wasnt a romance.

Although Rocky and Eddies time together was rough for many on board the ship, the next season broughtBen RobinsonandEmily Warburton-Adams sweet relationship. The couple lasted a while onshore as well, but ultimately ended called it quits in 2017.

Hes a magical human being. It was a lot of fun, always unexpected, things coming up. I loved it, Emily said in a May 2020 installment ofLife After Bravoabout the couples time together in Florida. I was back-and-forth from the U.K., but we were very comfortable living together. It was exciting because we were always traveling around. It was like we were always on the move.

Throughout its five seasons,Below Deck Medalso gave life to many memorable couples, includingMalia Whites two beaus. She briefly datedWes Waltonduring season 2, and her boyfriend,Tom Checketts, joined the cast during season 5.

After dating for more than a year, Malia announced in September 2020 that she and Tom had gone their separate ways. Yes, Tom and I have split. The details surrounding all of it I am trying to keep a little private just out of respect to him and I, she said via an Instagram video. But yes, I am single.

Scroll down to see which of your favoriteBelow Deckyachties has dated who over the years.

Continue reading here:
Below Deck and Its Spinoff Casts Through the Years: A Guide to Whos Dated Who - Us Weekly

Below Deck and Below Deck Mediterranean has welcomed the return of a slew of deckhands and chefs but how many times has a third stew made a repeat appearance on the series? Only once.

Thus far, the only third stew to appear on the show more than once is Amy Johnson, who was the third stew during season 2. Johnsons first appearance as third stew was filled with anxiety. She was shunned by chief stew Kate Chastain and second stew Kat Held.

But Johnson remained professional and returned the following season in the second stew role. She and Chastain not only made peace but became friends. Johnson also tried to mentor third stew Raquel Rocky Dakota.

At least 3 second stews have returned to the franchise thus far. Second stew Kat Held helped to launch the series and appeared on both season 1 and season 2 in the second position. She recently became a topic of conversation after chief stew Hannah Ferrier from Below Deck Med was fired for having unregistered prescription valium on board.

RELATED: Below Deck Med: Captain Lee Reveals Why He Didnt Fire Kat Held for Having Unregistered Medication

Held too had unregistered prescription anti-anxiety medication during season 1. She exhibited loopy behavior during the charter, forcing her to ultimately come clean to Captain Lee Rosbach about the meds. She was not fired, but later admitted she was actually drunk on charter.

Aesha Scott from Below Deck Med appeared as second stew for two consecutive seasons. Scott was actually the third crew member to take over the second stew position during a rocky season 5. Christine Bugsy Drake also returned as second stew twice. However, she was promoted to chief stew during season 5 after Ferrier was fired.

Chef Ben Robinson has made the most appearances on the series. He was on Below Deck four times and Below Deck Med twice. Robinson helped to launch both series but revealed hes probably finished with Below Deck. Sadly, I dont think were going to be doing a ton more ofBelow Deck, he told 30A. I kinda gotta grow up a little bit. Just something thats more sustainable.

RELATED: Below Deck Sailing Yacht: Does Chef Adam Regret Being on the Show and Is He Done With Yachting?

Chef Adam Glick appeared on Below Deck Med twice and was the crossover cast member for Below Deck Sailing Yacht. He too seemed to be finished with yachting. I think that the learned lessons for me, in the long run, is that after 12 years living and working on the open ocean, Im f**king over it, he said when he appeared onWatch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen.

Im ready to have a ranch, Im ready to live my life on land and grow a beautiful garden, he continued. And do the things that I want to do, like feed people organically over a fire. And none of those things can I do on a boat.

The deck team almost always has a familiar face. Bosun Eddie Lucas who returns to the show for season 8 was a constant for three consecutive seasons. David Bradberry also made two appearances on the show.

RELATED: Below Deck Med: Alex Radcliffe Is Finally Named Lead Deckhand

Kelley Johnson initially appeared as the second engineer and was promoted to bosun. Also, Nico Scolly and Ashton Pienaar were deckhands and were promoted to bosun for the following season. Joo Franco and Malia White from Below Deck Med also appeared as a deckhand and returned as bosun.

Colin Macy-OToole became a fan favorite who did two seasons as a deckhand on Below Deck Med. Rhylee Gerber also appeared on deck for two seasons of Below Deck.

Read the original here:
'Below Deck': Has a Third Stew Ever Returned To the Show? - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

The two-week pay cycle is becoming a thing of the past. Both fintechs, gig platforms, and incumbents in the payroll space have been rolling out earned wage access products, giving employees the ability to draw on money they've earned between paychecks.

Fintechs like Dave and Earnin market directly to consumers, whereas the likes of PayActiv and DailyPay target employers. There are also companies like Gusto and Square that are embedding earned wage access into their platforms.

Clair is the latest entrant into the space with an earned wage access platform built for payroll companies and gig platforms.

"What we've realized is all the other payroll providers, workforce management apps, and gig platforms are interested in building it, but building an entire digital bank is pushing it too far," Nico Simko, cofounder and CEO of Clair, told Business Insider.

"So there is clearly room for a provider who is building a digital bank on a new tech stack and able to give them just the required APIs," Simko.

Read more: Gusto, a $3.8 billion small-business payroll startup, is muscling in on fintechs like Earnin by adding a feature to let workers get paid early

In April, Clair closed a $4.5 million seed round led by Upfront Ventures, with participation from Founder Collective and Walkabout Ventures. Cofounders Alex Kostecki, Erich Nussbaumer, and Simko started building Clair last October. Clair declined to disclose the names of existing customers. Its valuation was not disclosed.

Distributed via payroll companies, employees get access to the Clair app and a Mastercard debit card. Clair makes money through interchange fees earned each time the card is used.

Earned wage access is meant to help employees avoid overdrafts late fees on bills, and serve as an alternative to payday loans. Like many of the players, Clair offers a savings account, too.

Different to many of the fintech players, Clair's platform is free for employees.

"We have one very simple principled approach, which is if you've earned your wages, you shouldn't have to pay tips, transaction fees, or monthly fees," Simko said.

Find more pitch decks in our searchable pitch-deck library here.

View post:
An instant-paycheck startup used this 11-slide pitch deck showing a big opportunity in hourly workers' 'liquidity gap' to nab a $4.5 million seed...

This season of Below Deck Mediterranean has brought up many questions for fans: What exactly is going on with Bugsy Drake and Alex Radcliffe? Why can't Chef Tom Checkettseverget the right kind of fish in his provisions? Did we really just see the charter guests have an argument about Spanx?

However, the biggest question of them all came in the October 5 episode of Below Deck Med when Aesha Scott and Rob Westergaard posed for a picture with the charter guests before heading out on an excursion. So, did Aesha actually touch Rob's butt?

That debate rages on in the Below Deck Mediterranean Season 5 After Show, above, where The Wellington crew breaks down everything from the events leading up to the photo op to the alleged butt touch to its aftermath.

In fact, still to this day, it's even unclear to those behind the scenes of Below Deck Med what exactly happened. "I remember all of us were like, 'Did you guys see it happen?'" Below Deck Med executive producer Nadine Rajabi recalled in the After Show. "We actually pulled the footage right away to see did she actually, was there a butt touch? And we're like, 'Questionable!'"

Watch The Wellington crew, including Aesha, Rob, and Jess More, share their stance on the situation in the above clip, and let it help you figure out where you stand on this very important issue.

Want more Below Deck Med? New episodes air every Monday at 9/8c or catch up on the entire series through the Bravo app.

Get your first look at the Below Deck Med Season 5 finale, below.

Preview

The Final Docking of the Season!

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The Daily Dish is your source for all things Bravo, from behind-the-scenes scoop to breaking news, exclusive interviews, photos, original videos, and, oh, so much more. Subscribe to The Daily Dish podcast, join our Facebook group, and follow us on Instagramfor the latest news hot off the presses. Sign up to become a Bravo Insider and be the first to get exclusive extras.

View original post here:
Did Aesha Scott Really Touch Rob Westergaard's Butt? Here's What Below Deck Med Production Found - Bravo

Construction of Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport's $25 million parking deck began rising up in front of the passenger terminal Wednesday as the first vertical support beam for the four-story structure was installed.

The 48,000-pound concrete column, at about 50 feet in height, is the first of some 520 structural pieces which builders will put into place as they erect the massive garage, said airport Chief Executive Terry Hart.

Hart said builders plan to install about 13 pieces a day over the next 40 days with hopes of having those up by around Thanksgiving. The 1,300-space garage is slated for completion by summer 2021.

"A lot of preparation goes into making this happen," he said as a large crane lowered the first column into place.

Blake Poole, the airport's vice president of air service and economic development, said about 12 to 15 columns will be installed in each of four rows to support the parking garage. He said the concrete beams were prefabricated off-site and transported to the job.

"It's a key milestone," Poole said about the initial column.

The building of the parking garage, the airport's first, comes as Lovell Field and aviation in general tries to recover from the coronavirus pandemic-induced plunge in traffic.

While parking was an issue at the Chattanooga Airport before the pandemic, that's not the case currently as passenger boardings on the airlines are slowly rebuilding.

"We're getting ready for when things get back to normal," said Hart.

One way of gauging passenger traffic is the number of vehicles left in the airport parking lots overnight. Hart said that while the number was down to 50 in April during the initial lock down of the economy, that figure has risen to about 565 vehicles.

"At least it's going on an upward trend," he said.

Still, before the pandemic, the number of overnight vehicles ranged from 1,200 to 1,400 per night, Poole said. Prior to 2020, airport officials had seen six consecutive years of record passenger boardings.

Poole said the recent addition of new nonstops between Chattanooga and Houston along with the return of direct flights to Chicago will help boost traffic.

The airport continues to wait for the restart of nonstop flights to New York City, Washington, D.C., and Detroit, he said.

Brad Gordon of Dayton, Ohio, said Wednesday he flew into Chattanooga for business on Delta Air Lines, adding that he "definitely" feels it's safe to fly amid the pandemic. But he said that this was his first flight since the start of the virus.

"The airlines are taking all of the right safety precautions," Gordon said.

Hart said the garage will offer 650 net new public spaces when complete. The deck is going up on existing parking spaces, and its ground floor is earmarked for the relocation of rental cars. That shift will free up space adjacent to the terminal for a future use that is under evaluation, potentially valet service, the airport CEO said.

As the garage goes up, the design of an extensively enlarged passenger terminal will take place, Hart said.

If the Airport Authority green-lights the terminal work, new gates for airliners, more restaurant and restroom space, a possible second security checkpoint and other enhancements would go up, according to officials.

Contact Mike Pare at mpare@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @MikePareTFP.

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Chattanooga Airport's new parking deck project hits milestone with installation of first beam - Chattanooga Times Free Press

If youre in the yachting industry, you'll probably have to do a so-called yacht crossing at one point or another in your career.

Many vessels of the Wellingtons caliber undergo a grueling trip before the start of every summer and winter cruising season to reach either the Caribbean Sea or one of the many bustling ports in the Mediterranean. These trips usually happen in the mid-spring or mid-fall to maximize yachting season on either end of the voyage.

Aspiring yachties like Rob who take part in crossings can use their time on board to get in shape, get to know the crew and, of course, get to know the boat. Since there are no guests on board, theres really no better time to get in sync with the crew and learn the vessel from the inside out.

Crew members also get to brush up on their safety knowledge, practicing man overboard drills (remember Ashton's accident on the Tahiti season?), fire safety drills, and even abandon-ship drills.

But crossing the Atlantic is very different than simply sailing around the Mediterranean. When Rob first approached David, the first mate, to ask about joining the crossing, David told him he needed to be 100 percent certain about his decision. Thats because it takes a lot more knowledge, skill, and a different set of licenses and insurance for crew to complete a trip like this.

Originally posted here:
What Is a "Crossing" in 'Below Deck'-Speak? What the Term Means - Distractify

GRAFTON, W.Va. A woman has been charged after a child under her care fell from a second-story deck and had to be transported to the hospital while she slept, officers said.

According to a criminal complaint, on September 23, officers with the Grafton Police Department were dispatched to a residence on Long Street in Grafton in reference to a child falling from a second-story deck.

When officers arrived on the scene, they contacted the caller who told them that her husband had been outside and cleaning his truck when he saw children playing on the back deck of the residence, officers said.

The witness told officers that her husband saw the children throwing toys off the deck into the backyard, then saw one of the children, approximately 1-2 years in age, fall through the railing, according to the complaint.

The child landed on a concrete slab below the deck, and the witness and her husband went over to render aid to the child; while the witness was tending to the child, her husband was beating on the door to attempt to make contact with anyone inside, officers said.

At that point, the witness said one of the children claimed that there was someone asleep inside, and the witness then took the injured child to her porch, according to the complaint, and before law enforcement arrived on the scene, Julie Truax, 25, of Grafton, approached the witness, according to the complaint.

When Truax arrived, she brought items to change the childs diaper, but when the witness informed Truax that she had called 911, Truax got upset and told [the witness] she was f***ed up for calling 911, officers said.

EMS then transported the child to Grafton City Hospital, but Truax had already left the scene and returned to her home, and officers called the child abuse hotline; the child was later taken to the WVU Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, according to the complaint.

When officers observed the diaper Truax had changed, it was completely saturated with urine and when the [witness] had picked the child up she stated her side was wet with urine, officers said.

Medical records from Grafton City Hospital and Ruby Memorial Hospital both confirm head trauma, a skull fracture to the left side and that the injury is consistent with his fall from the deck, according to the complaint.

The child also had had a bruise on the left side of [his] back, a mark on the right side of his chest, abrasions on his right leg, and what appears to be diaper rash, officers said.

Truax has been charged with child neglect resulting in injury. She is currently being held in Tygart Valley Regional Jail.

Read more:
Grafton woman charged after child under her care fell from 2nd-story deck and had to be transported to the hospital while she slept - WBOY.com