An untouched room inside a scorched home. Those are thepictures Southington firefighters snapped following a Tuesday fire. And theonly difference was a door.

"Closing a door buys you that time to escape or for usto be able to rescue you," said Southington Firefighter Daniel Comen.

The Southington Fire Department is spreading that message on social media after the fire broke out on Queen Street.

Southington Fire Marshal James Paul says a mother, father, and 3-year-old boy escaped with injuries. On Wednesday, officials say all three had been released from the hospital. They and two other children are now displaced. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

"You go into the bedroom that was opened and everythingis blackened from the smoke," said Paul.

"A closed door, some people may think it's not going to make a huge difference. It's just a thin piece of wood, but hallway temperatures can exceed 1,000 degrees while the room temperature can be below 100 degrees," said Comen.

In addition to that, experts say a closed room during a firekeeps more oxygen in and away from the fire. It also keeps carbon monoxidelevels down in the room.

"The airflow plays a huge factor with fire development,so even when you're leaving home during the day for work, just shutting doors,isolating rooms can make a huge difference," said Comen.

The UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute recommends everyone close their bedroom door before sleeping. One of their videos shows the difference between a bedroom with and without a shut door. The one with appears in great condition. The one without has obvious signs of smoke and fire damage.

UL FSRI says 40 years ago, people had 17 minutes to escapefrom a house fire, but with all the synthetic materials now, people have less thanthree. Being inside a closed room can add minutes to that.

Half of all home fire deaths occur between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., so the extra step of closing the bedroom door before you fall asleep could save your life.

Southington firefighters hope getting the word out gets more families to add it to their routine.

"Literally any door will give you a better chance ofsurviving a fire than having an open door," said Comen.

If you wake up in a room with a closed door and hear the smoke alarm, firefighters say you should check the door with the back of your hand or check the doorknob. If you feel heat or you see smoke from under the door, stay in the room. If you're unable to escape out a window, firefighters recommend you throw something out the window to signal to them that you're there so they can rescue you.

If youd like to learn more about UL FSRIs Close Your Door pledge, click here.

See more here:
Southington Firefighters Remind Families to Close Your Door - NBC Connecticut

A majority of the Long Beach Island Consolidated Board of Education voted Feb. 26 to appoint Spiezle Architectural Group as its architect of record. The contract began March 1 and runs through June 30.

Board President Colette Southwick and Vice President Marilyn Wasilewski were joined by board members Kristy Raber, Fred Schragger, Brielle Hoffacker and William Fenimore in saying yes to the appointment. Board members Eileen Bowker and Georgene Hartmann voted against appointing an architect of record. John McMenamin, one of two Surf City representatives on the board, was absent for the second consecutive meeting.

Their first order of business will be to evaluate the Ethel Jacobsen Elementary School and the LBI Grade School at a cost of $14,900. The price tag does not include engineering services if that is required. The board unanimously approved the evaluation of the schools.

What came out of the failed referendum is that the public didnt have answers, Chris Kelly, district business administrator, said of the Dec. 10 special election in which voters in five Island communities voted down a $7.68 million referendum to renovate the LBI School in Ship Bottom. It marked the second time in less than three years that voters rejected a school project. The September 2017 project was aimed at expanding and renovating the E.J. School in Surf City.

Spiezle is charged with evaluating both schools for repairs and upgrades, she said. They will also provide data for additions to the LBI School and the E.J. School, in the event that a decision is made to merge into one building, according to Kelly. Lastly, the firm will provide information about the cost of building a new school, should that be the direction the district decides to take.

All of that information, Kelly said, will be rolled into the districts strategic plan. That plan is currently in the infancy stage as community members are working toward updating two separate reports: the state of the schools and the state of the community.

Fenimore, former school board president, said even with an eight-room addition at the E.J. School, the facilities would still be smaller than the LBI School. His comment prompted Kelly to further explain the firm is evaluating classroom space and how it can be used.

Also, she said the firm believes the state wouldnt hold the district to updating the gymnasium at the E.J. School, which was built to the specifications of a school for younger children.

In January, the district advertised a request for proposal for architectural services. It received 13 inquiries for more information; seven firms attended two site visits, and eight formal proposals were submitted, according to Kelly.

We chose one, she said during her roundup of the buildings/grounds/transportation committee meeting.

Spiezle Architectural Group is an award-winning, full-service architectural, interior design and planning firm, according to its website. It moved into its current headquarters in Hamilton, Mercer County, from Trenton, in 2017. It has offices in New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland.

The company is also currently bidding on an energy savings improvement project at multiple schools within the Little Egg Harbor School District, according to its website.

Gina G. Scala

ggscala@thesandpaper.net

More here:
LBI Board of Education Appoints Architect of Record - The SandPaper

NEW COURTROOM Brooke County Magistrate Robin Snyder discusses the new courtroom for the countys magistrate court, with Chief Sheriffs Deputy Scott Addams. The courtroom is seen as temporary until the Brooke County Commission is able to complete a planned addition to the county courthouse for all of the countys judicial facilities.-- Warren Scott

WELLSBURG The Brooke County Commission has chosen McKinley and Associates of Wheeling to plan the proposed addition to the county courthouse.

The commissioners said a contract with the firm calls for it to receive less than 10 percent of the projects total cost, which hasnt been determined but has been estimated at $5 million to $10 million.

County Commissioner A.J. Thomas said McKinley and Associates was one of four engineering firms that submitted qualifications to the commissions building commission, a volunteer panel charged with pursuing funding for the addition.

Commission President Tim Ennis said the board will pursue loans for the addition, which will be built on the vacant lot by the courthouse and is expected to be equal in size to that building.

He said plans for it were spurred by two judicial orders citing concerns about security and handicap access to the county magistrate court facilities in the Community Bank building on Charles Street.

The magistrate court and its offices were moved there from the bottom floor of the courthouse when it was flooded in 2004.

In recent weeks, crews with Hukill Contracting of Wellsburg have established a new magistrate courtroom, with a new bench and walls, in the lunchroom at the courthouse known by many as the green room, for its former green floor.

County Magistrate Robin Snyder thanked the commissioners and everyone involved with the move, including custodians Larry Brownwall and Paula Huff-Smith and Brooke County sheriffs deputies who volunteered to move many files and remaining furniture not transferred from the bank by a moving company.

She also thanked other county departments and the commissioners themselves for giving up some office space to accommodate the courts return to the building.

Snyder said some features of the courtroom dont meet specific criteria set for the states courtroom facilities by the West Virginia Supreme Court, but state court officials have granted the commission some leeway because its seen as temporary until the annex can be built.

Following the meeting, the commissioners were asked whether the countys court facilities could remain in the original building, which houses the sheriffs department, a holding cell and the courtroom used by the circuit court.

The annex then could be used for other county offices, it was suggested.

They said it would be easier to build new court facilities to the state Supreme Courts specifications, with improved security measures, than to renovate the existing building.

Commissioner Stacey Wise said there are plans to maintain the original courtroom, which might be used for public meetings, when the addition is done.

In related business, Wise announced the commission has been awarded a $100,000 state courthouse facilities grant for a new heating and cooling system for the courthouse.

Wise submitted the grant, which requires a $10,000 local match.

She said the commission hopes to move as much of the current heating system from the bottom floor as possible and replace it with a system that is more energy and cost efficient.

Our goal is to get everything out of the flood plain, Wise said.

In other business, County Clerk Kim Barbetta said no bids had been received yet for the paving of Mac Barnes Drive though the deadline is 4 p.m. Friday.

The road leads to the countys animal shelter and the recycling center used by the countys solid waste authority.

Township survey to be conductedSTEUBENVILLE Island Creek Township will be conducting a survey with the ...

STEUBENVILLE Franciscan University of Steubenville will hold its 72nd commencement exercises May 8-9, with more ...

STEUBENVILLE With the number of confirmed cases and death toll from COVID-19 growing nationwide, Trinity Health ...

NEW CUMBERLAND The Hancock County Commission received an update from the Brooke County Committee on Aging ...

Ag district meetingwill be heldBLOOMINGDALE The Jefferson County Farm Bureau will hold a meeting to cover ...

Read this article:
Engineer named for proposed addition to Brooke County courthouse | News, Sports, Jobs - The Steubenville Herald-Star

Great Wolf is opening a month ahead of schedule.

The biggest hotel ever built in the Great Central Valley aswell as Northern Californias first indoor water park will now open July 1.

Great Wolf Resorts Chief Executive Officer Murray Hennessymade the announcement Wednesday before the start of a sneak preview hard hattour of the $180 million complex that includes the signature 95,000-square-footindoor water park, 45,000-square-foot family entertainment center complete withrestaurants, and amusements, a 500-room hotel, and a 12,000-square-footconference center.

Great Wolf is a game changer for Manteca, Mayor Ben Cantutold the gathering that donned hard hats with wolf ears attached. The worldwill be coming to Manteca.

That may not be as big of a superlative as it sounds.

Hennessy underscored the fact Great Wolf expects the Mantecalocation to make a big splash when it open which is why it was built with thelargest water park it has among 18 locations.

BLD already attracts 500,000

people to Manteca, Great Wolf

will lure 500,000 more a year

The firm is marketing the Manteca Great Wolf in someinstances as the San Francisco Great Wolf given it is on the Highway 120 Bypassthat is traveled by the large chunk of the 4.1 million annual visitors fromaround the country and the world opting to visit Yosemite that work their tripto the national park in with a stay in San Francisco.

Before the Manteca Waterslides that were just over a mile tothe southwest from the front entrance of the 29-acre resort that you will beable to access in five months by turning on Great Wolf Way off the extension ofDaniels Street closed, a large share of its summer business were touristsstopping on their way back from Yosemite.

Great Wolf is also planning to build off the synergy ofbeing across the street from the Big League Dreams sports complex. The sixreplica baseball fields have been booked solid on every weekend since opening12 years ago and is the most successful BLD site in terms of play and revenue.

BLD lures more than 500,000 people a year to Manteca. Thatsthe same number Great Wolf is projecting will book rooms at the resort on anannual basis.

But while the water park that will eventually offer daypasses in addition to the two-day water park use that comes with booking roomsthat start at $199 for six people has been garnering a lot of attention for itsexpected economic impacts on Manteca, it has another component that will alsoserve to vault the city into a major destination in the Northern CaliforniaMegaregion a 12,000-square-foot conference center.

It includes a main ballroom that can be split in thirds orused as a large venue that has a capacity of 360 people in a classroom seating,450 people in a banquet configuration, and 600 for theater-style seating.Additional smaller spaces means Great Wolf with the right mixture of bookedevents can accommodate over 900 people at one time.

Great Wolf gives Manteca 2nd

largest conference center foot

print in one spit in Northern SJ Valley

That makes it the second largest conference-style center interms of available space in the same location in the Northern San JoaquinValley after the Modesto Centre Plaza.

The Manteca Great Wolf will have an outdoor pavilion as wellmaking it one of only two locations. The other is at the Great Wolf in Grapevine, Texas. One of the biggest users ofthe pavilion is expected to be events such as competitions staged by VarsityCheer that has an established working relationship with Great Wolf.

The conference center will have its own separate entrancegiven that events often attracts many attendees that have not booked rooms atthe hotel.

At other locations the conference center at Great Wolf hascreated a demand for booking nearby hotel rooms.

That means Great Wolf besides generating room taxes thatin the initial year Manteca will receive $2 million in a split that changesafter 10 years more in the citys favor and then goes 100 percent to the city will be staging events that will help fill other hotel rooms in Manteca. Allhotel rooms are assessed a 12 percent per night room tax that goes to thecitys general fund.

The city and Great Wolf split the first 9 percent of theroom tax while the balance a 3 percent increased approved by voters on allhotel rooms after Great Wolf signed the deal to locate in Manteca goes all tothe city.

Manteca expects to pocket

$129.1 million in taxes from

Great Wolf in next 25 years

Manteca expects to incur $350,000 annually in providingnon-user fee based city services to Great Wolf such as police and fire.Subtracted from the $592,000 in property and sales taxes the city will receivein addition to its share of the room taxes, it would provide a net flow of$242,000 yearly into the general fund. That is on top of the $2 millionannually in room taxes to help fund general city services and $123,000 yearlyfor Measure M public safety positions.

From all sources for the general fund after one full year ofoperations the city will pocket $2,242,000.

After 10 years, Mantecas share of the original 9 cents onthe dollar room tax increases to 75 percent. Starting in the 26thyear the room tax sharing deal ends and all money goes to the city.

The original analysis of the deal projected Manteca wouldnet $99.1 million during the first 30 years Great Wolf is open. Thanks to thevoter approval of a measure that took the room tax up to 12 percent from 9percent, the figure is now $129.1 million as all of the increase goes to thecity.

That means the city will have parlayed a $20,200 investment the amount Manteca paid in 1973 for the 29 acres they sold to Great Wolf forthe resort into $129.1 million.

Manteca 15 years ago realized there was a demand forconference space to serve the greater region as companies such as Verizon andelectronic firms that had operations in San Jose, Sacramento, San Francisco andeven Fresno were looking for a midway spot to bring personal together.Existing hotels had space capped out at 50 or so people. The Convention &Visitors Bureau had a number of requests for larger venues but could only offersocial halls during the week. Firms were looking for larger hotel-styleconference centers.

Great Wolf hopes to capitalize on that market by takingadvantage of Mantecas location. They also cater to wedding receptions andother events.

The Manteca location will have 500 year-round jobs of which250 will be full-time. In addition there could be up to 100 more seasonal jobs.More than 2,000 distinct workers have or are working on site to build theresort.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, emaildwyatt@mantecabulletin.com

Read the rest here:
GREAT WOLF & BLD WILL LURE MILLION A YEAR TO MANTECA - Manteca Bulletin

1201 Half Street, SE

From a press release:

Atlas Brew Works is excited to announce its partnership with Andys Pizza for the brewerys new Half Street site, slated to open this spring. DC sports fans will have the perfect place to pre- and post-game when the new brewery and tap room opens its doors adjacent to Nationals Park at 1201 Half Street SE #120.

Andys Pizza is a New York-style, neighborhood shop offering classic pizza by the slice.

The dough is cold fermented for 72 hours and cooked in a New York deck oven, creating a crisp pizza with a satisfyingly soft and chewy interior. The concept strives to keep its toppings simple with a focus on quality. Andys Pizza got its start in Tysons Galleria and quickly grew through partnerships with Hilton Brothers Echo Park and Atlas forthcoming Half Street Brewery & Tap Room. Chef and Owner Andy Brown has a simple outlook, We are just trying to make the best pizza we possibly can, served on a paper plate.

Atlas Brew Works Founder & CEO Justin Cox said, Were excited to have Andys Pizza partner with Atlas for our Half Street Brewery & Tap Room. Andy is as nerdy about his pizza as we are about our beer. It will be a great addition to Half Street and a great amenity for the Capitol Riverfront community and sports fans alike.

Dine in to receive the full Atlas kitchen experience or grab slices to go at the walk-up window on Half Street SE. Guests will have a variety of options to choose from as the menu will include pizzas, salads, wings, and fries. Pair these food selections with any of Atlas beer offerings or try the novel Half Street Hefeweizen, specially brewed for the new location. The bready base, acting as the easy-drinking beers backbone, supports an overwhelmingly fruity yeast profile. Minimal hop bitterness and a dry, crisp finish round out the refreshing hefeweizen.

Originally posted here:
This Spring "Atlas Brew Works Brings Andy's Pizza to Half Street Brewery & Tap Room" - PoPville

Photo Credit: Jon Ort / The Daily Princetonian

In the spring of 2019, randomization errors in the University room draw process sparked outrage across campus. A few students conducted ad hoc data analysis, revealing the scale of the flaw. Eventually, the University awarded 220 seniors $1,000 in compensation.

Now, the University has promised it wont happen again.

According to Deputy University Spokesperson Michael Hotchkiss, a new system, to be put in place for 2020, will ensure proper randomization of draw times. This new system will ensure that larger groups have no advantage over smaller groups, and also eliminate similarities in draw times between 2018 and 2019, which were documented by Adam Chang 20 and Yang Song 20 last year.

The code that will be used to randomly assign draw times has been extensively tested within Housing and its efficacy has been confirmed by campus information technology partners, Hotchkiss wrote in an email statement to The Daily Princetonian.

In April 2019, the University acknowledged that there were unintentional similarities between the selection orders of the 2018 and 2019 upperclass draws, meaning that many seniors who drew in the same group both years received draw times in the same order as they did in 2018. As a result, approximately 220 were awarded $1,000 deductions to their housing bills.

However, many students expressed other concerns about the draw.

Chang and Song performed statistical analysis of the room draw times, and found that, in addition to the draw-time sequence concern, draw-group size also correlated with draw time. Larger groups, on average, received earlier draw times than smaller ones. This finding held true across all residential college draws, as well as the upperclass and independent draws.

We had a hunch that individual students were being drawn, Chang and Song wrote, in regards to their observation of a near-linear relationship between group size and draw time.

In both 2018 and 2019, room draw time randomization was conducted by CBORD, a New York-based software company. This year, according to Hotchkiss, the assignment of draw times will be performed by an external group random value generator outside of the CBORD system, which will be imported into CBORD.

We are confident that the implementation of the external group random value generator will address the random time assignment issues that were experienced during last years Room Draw, Hotchkiss wrote to the Prince.

Additionally, CBORD has committed resources to the University for this years Room Draw to provide a fast, coordinated response for any issues that may arise, he added.

The University did not indicate whether money will be awarded to students in the event of another similar error.

Despite these assurances, some students are not entirely confident that this years draw will be free of controversy.

I dont think its enough to blame CBORD and use an external group random value generator, Chang said. You learn in COS126 how to randomly generate numbers, so I doubt CBORD screwed that up. Its more likely that HRES [Housing and Real Estate] doesnt know what to do with random numbers. If they get perfectly random numbers but use those numbers to randomly choose students (instead of groups), well again see large groups drawn before small groups. Or if they use the same random number for each student in different draws, we'll again see similar draw orders in different draws.

Thats not on CBORD, thats because HRES doesnt understand probability, he added.

Reilly Bova 20, who contacted Housing in 2019 with concerns about the randomization process, has a more optimistic view.

I think characterizing these as changes would be incorrect, Bova wrote in a statement to the Prince. It was always the policy that draw group size does not affect draw time, and that a particular draw for a particular year has its own random order. The issue was that the room draw software was not properly tested to ensure it was developed to specification.

It is my hope that the University has learned from the room draw debacle, Bova noted, and will take precautions to audit and test administrative software before rolling it out into production.

See the original post here:
After last year's errors, U. amends room draw process, believes it will run smoothly - The Daily Princetonian

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) announced today thoughtful Americas growth for The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand, including new openings, brand transitions, and development plans within rich locales with distinct narratives. From an old Jesuit monastery and restored historic athletic clubs, to a charming seaside retreat and sprawling 500-acre ranch and more, the expansion of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand delivers on Hyatts overall commitment to grow in destinations where guests want more Hyatt experiences and to offer story-worthy experiences in markets that matter most to guests and World of Hyatt members.

Currently, The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand includes more than 20 unique hotels located in key destinations around the world each with their own distinct story. Ranging from historic landmarks to tropical resorts and new builds, properties within The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand are designed to captivate travelers looking for premium and luxury experiences while backed by the elevated service Hyatt is known for and connected by the World of Hyatt loyalty program.

Because Hyatts efforts are grounded in listening and fueled by care, The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand has a unique position within the Hyatt portfolio, as each property has the opportunity to tell its own story, said Heather Geisler, senior vice president of global brands, Hyatt. As we continue to see the brand thoughtfully grow across the globe, we are excited to watch each story unfold, further driving brand loyalty to travelers looking for experiences unlike any other.

The latest development agreements within The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand include plans for Hotel La Compaia in Panama City, Panama, which will be nestled within the heart of Casco Viejo (Spanish for Old Quarter), a UNESCO World Heritage site. Expected to open in 2021, the 88-room hotel is set to become the first property in Panama that is part of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand.

The historic Chicago Athletic Association landmark property located in the heart of Chicagos business and cultural district joined The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand in November 2019. The unique property was restored from a renowned 19th century athletic club to a hotel in 2015, with the purpose of returning the building to Chicagoans following 125 years of members-only access. Today, the 241-room urban playground offers seven award-winning food & beverage outlets including the Prohibition-era microbar Milk Room, lively Game Room, the swanky, James Beard Award-winning Cherry Circle Room, and the hotels crown jewel, Cindys, its rooftop restaurant and bar perched 13 stories above Millennium Park. In addition, locals and guests alike are invited to experience the Chicago Athletic Association hotels 150+ annual programming events, ranging from pop-up roller skating nights in the hotels vintage gym to hands-on cocktail workshops with in-house experts. For more information, visit http://www.chicagoathletichotel.com.

The storied Carmel Valley Ranch, a 500-acre all-suite resort tucked in the foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains on the Monterey Peninsula, joined The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand in January 2020. Unveiled as part of the resorts 2019 reimagination, Carmel Valley Ranch offers a variety of interactive adventures including artisanal cheesemaking workshops at The Creamery, wine and cheese tastings at The Market, falconry, hatchet throwing and more. The resort also offers revitalizing treatments at the treetop Spa Aiyana, hyper-seasonal and local cuisine at signature restaurant Valley Kitchen and guided walks through its vineyard and gardens. As a purveyor of culinary experiences, the property now offers Saturday Supper Club, the newest wintertime festivity at The Ranch featuring family-style dinners, games and live entertainment at the Golf Clubhouse every Saturday through April 25, 2020. For more information, visit http://www.carmelvalleyranch.com

Mar Monte Hotel, located just minutes from downtown Santa Barbara, nestled between the rugged Santa Ynez range and pristine Santa Barbara beach, is set to join the collection in Spring 2020, rebranding from Hyatt Centric Santa Barbara after an extensive renovation. The 200-room hotel has been reimagined to establish a style of contemporary Santa Barbara with classic Spanish-influenced design. The property will deliver coastal Italian-inspired cuisine paired with spirited cocktails at the beachside Costa restaurant, all-day dining at the poolside Caf Lido, and dynamic social spaces including The Yard, along with The Living Room and Oceanfront Terrace, which will be adjacent to the lobby and offer wine tastings and welcoming spaces for guest gatherings. Further, Mar Monte Hotel will host Golden Hour Happy Hour as a nightly sunset ritual with locally sourced signature cocktails and bites. For more information, visit http://www.marmontehotel.com.

Two additional properties within The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand that are set to open in the U.S. in 2020 and 2021, respectively, include the 144-room restored landmark property, Hotel Kansas City, in Kansas City, Mo. and a 64-room boutique hotel in Hollywood, Calif. Both properties are currently being restored to their original beginnings, with a focus on providing extraordinary architectural details for guests looking to feel inspired.

Globally, The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand expanded its footprint in 2019, with the reintroduction of Hotel du Louvre, after completing a property-wide renovation in June 2019. Inspired by the original Napolean III style, the famed hotel sits in the heart of the Pariss Palais-Royal district, surrounded by the Muse du Louvre, the Comdie-Franaise, the Palais Garnier and Palais Royal. In December 2019, the brand also debuted in the U.K. with the opening of Great Scotland Yard, a luxury hotel with rich history residing on the site of the former headquarters of the Metropolitan Police. Expected to reopen in summer 2020 is the historic gem Hotel du Palais Biarritz, a palace built by Napoleon III for his wife Eugenia de Montijo.

The term Hyatt is used in this release for convenience to refer to Hyatt Hotels Corporation and /or one or more of its affiliates.

About The Unbound Collection by Hyatt

The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand is a portfolio of independent, premium hotel properties, ranging from historic urban gems to contemporary trend-setters and boutique properties to resorts. Whether it is a fascinating past, an exclusive location, famous architecture and design, or an award-winning dining experience, each of the brands 21 hotels has its own distinct narrative and creates novel, story-worthy experiences for guests. In markets from Barcelona to Budapest, guests can be inspired by hidden gems around the world. For a full list of hotels in the collection, visit unboundcollection.hyatt.com. Follow @UnboundxHyatt on Facebook and Instagram and tag your photos with #TellYourTale.

About Hyatt Hotels Corporation

Hyatt Hotels Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 20 premier brands. As of December 31, 2019, the Company's portfolio included more than 900 hotel, all-inclusive, and wellness resort properties in 65 countries across six continents. The Company's purpose to care for people so they can be their best informs its business decisions and growth strategy and is intended to attract and retain top employees, build relationships with guests and create value for shareholders. The Company's subsidiaries develop, own, operate, manage, franchise, license or provide services to hotels, resorts, branded residences, vacation ownership properties, and fitness and spa locations, including under the Park Hyatt, Miraval, Grand Hyatt, Alila, Andaz, The Unbound Collection by Hyatt, Destination, Hyatt Regency, Hyatt, Hyatt Ziva, Hyatt Zilara, Thompson Hotels, Hyatt Centric, Caption by Hyatt, Joie de Vivre, Hyatt House, Hyatt Place, tommie, Hyatt Residence Club and Exhale brand names, and operates the World of Hyatt loyalty program that provides distinct benefits and exclusive experiences to its valued members. For more information, please visit http://www.hyatt.com.

Forward-Looking Statement

Forward-Looking Statements in this press release, which are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Our actual results, performance or achievements may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as may, could, expect, intend, plan, seek, anticipate, believe, estimate, predict, potential, continue, likely, will, would and variations of these terms and similar expressions, or the negative of these terms or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by us and our management, are inherently uncertain. Factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from current expectations include, among others, the rate and the pace of economic recovery following economic downturns; levels of spending in business and leisure segments as well as consumer confidence; declines in occupancy and average daily rate; the seasonal and cyclical nature of the real estate and hospitality businesses; changes in distribution arrangements, such as through internet travel intermediaries; changes in the tastes and preferences of our customers; the financial condition of, and our relationships with, third-party property owners, franchisees, and hospitality venture partners; the possible inability of third-party owners, franchisees, or development partners to access capital necessary to fund current operations or implement our plans for growth; risks associated with potential acquisitions and dispositions and the introduction of new brand concepts; the timing of acquisitions and dispositions, and our ability to successfully integrate completed acquisitions with existing operations; our ability to successfully execute on our strategy to expand our management and franchising business while at the same time reducing our real estate asset base within targeted timeframes and at expected values; changes in the competitive environment in our industry, including as a result of industry consolidation, and the markets where we operate; our ability to successfully grow the World of Hyatt loyalty program; cyber incidents and information technology failures; and other risks discussed in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K, which filings are available from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. These factors are not necessarily all of the important factors that could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by any of our forward-looking statements. We caution you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which are made only as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any of these forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, new information or future events, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable law. If we update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements.

Go here to read the rest:
The Unbound Collection by Hyatt Brand Grows With Intent Across the Americas With Addition of Historic Gems and Resort Properties - Business Wire

Most college football fans are aware of the best quarterbacks in the country. Not many, however, are familiar with their backups.

Injuries happen all the time in a sport as physical as football. So when a top player, a quarterback more specifically, goes down who that person has backing them up becomes vitally important to their teams future success.

With that in mind, ESPN broke down the college football programs with the most quality depth at the quarterback position. And as one might expect, the top five are among the best programs in all of America.

Clemson ranks No. 1 on the list, and it is followed by Ohio State, USC, Alabama and Oklahoma.

Trevor Lawrence, whom many consider the front-runner to win the 2020 Heisman Trophy and No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, has a lot to do with Clemson ranking first in this category.

Lawrence arrived at Clemson before the 2018 season as one of the most highly-rated recruits of all time. According to the industry-generated 247Sports Composite, Lawrence was the sixth-highest recruit of all time. In addition, the five-star prospect from Cartersville, Ga., was the countrys No. 1 ranked recruit overall.

His first two seasons at Clemson have been spectacular. In guiding the Tigers to back-to-back College Football Playoff National Championship Games, Lawrence has combined to pass for 6,711 yards with 66 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Lawrence did not suffer a loss as a starting quarterback until Januarys national title game loss to LSU.

Behind Lawrence is DJ Uiagalelei, who was 247Sports Composites No. 1 ranked pro-style quarterback in the nation in the 2020 recruiting class. Taisun Phommachanh was the No. 4 ranked dual-threat quarterback in the 2019 class.

Justin Fields did not start his college career at Ohio State, having transferred from Georgia following the 2018 season. The former five-star, dual-threat quarterback was the nations No. 2 ranked overall prospect in 2018, behind only Lawrence.

In his first season with the Buckeyes, Fields led Ohio State to the Big Ten Championship and a 13-game winning streak to begin the season. The Buckeyes ultimately fell to Clemson in the CFP semifinals, but not before the 2019 Heisman finalist passed for 3,273 yards with 41 touchdowns and three interceptions. Fields added 10 rushing touchdowns and 484 yards on the ground.

CJ Stroud was a member of Ohio States 2020 class, arriving at Columbus as the nations No. 2 ranked dual-threat quarterback and the No. 41 ranked player overall. Jack Miller, a four-star prospect from Arizona, also signed with the Buckeyes in 2020.

Kedon Slovis took the starting quarterback job at USC and ran with it following an injury to JT Daniels (now Slovis backup) in the season opener. All the true freshman did in 2019 was pass for 3,502 yards with 30 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

In 2018, Daniels had Trojans fans excited after he threw for more than 2,600 yards and 14 touchdowns. Matt Fink, meanwhile, has been with the program since 2016.

At Alabama, Mac Jones figured to be Tua Tagovailoas heir apparent after he was named the starter when Tagovailoas season ended in November because of a hip injury. But if Jones is not the guy of the future, Bryce Young just might be.

Young was the nations No. 2 ranked player overall in the 2020 class and the No. 1 dual-threat quarterback. History has shown that Nick Saban is not afraid to turn over the keys to the program to a true freshman. Speaking of Tua, his younger brother Taulia Tagovailoa is also in Bamas QB room.

For the first time since 2014, Oklahoma will have a homegrown player starting at quarterback in Spencer Rattler. Gone are the days of transfer success from the likes of Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray and Jalen Hurts.

Rattler certainly has credentials. He backed up Hurts last season as a true freshman and arrived in Norman, Okla., as one of the highest-ranked recruits in the nation. The Arizona native was the countrys No. 1 ranked pro-style quarterback and the No. 11 ranked player overall in the 2019 class.

Behind Rattler is the duo of Tanner Mordecai and Chandler Morris. Mordecai, a former four-star, dual-threat quarterback signed in 2018, while Morris inked with the Sooners as part of their 2020 class. Morris is the son of Chad Morris, the Auburn offensive coordinator who had been the head coach at Arkansas the previous two seasons.

See original here:
Ranking the five best QB rooms in college football - 247Sports

The United Way of South Central Nebraska will be moving to the new addition of the Hastings Area Chamber of Commerce Development Center.

Jodi Graves, United Way executive director, announced the news Tuesday during the groups annual meeting at the Lochland Country Club.

The reality of the situation was that we have just outgrown our space, she said. We are literally busting at the seams.

The new space will include a separate entrance from the front of the building and nearly twice the square footage. Graves said the separate entrance will make it easier for people in need to find them and less intimidating to approach. Extra storage room will allow the United Way to do more direct-impact programs like Stuff the Bus and Adopt A Family.

We are so excited about using our new space and filling it with donations, that we are kicking off our move with a Diaper Drive, a cause we can all get behind, she said. Many of our partner agencies clients report having to choose between purchasing diapers and paying rent or buying groceries. No one should have to make that choice.

Donations for the diaper drive will begin March 23 and collected at the new United Way space. Diapers gathered through the drive will be distributed to United Way partner agencies.

Graves also announced that they had reached their campaign goal by collecting $551,102 in donations and pledges. Through programs like Stuff the Bus, Wheels for Work, Toys for Tots, Adopt a Family and other volunteer efforts, the United Way collected an additional $62,504 worth of critical needs items and volunteer support, bringing the total impact to the community to $613,606.

Travis and Kelly Augustin, and Ryan and Julie Samuelson served as co-chairs for the 2019-20 campaign.

Looking back on this campaign, the word that came to our minds was blessed, Travis Augustin said. We feel so blessed to call this area home. The generosity is amazing and the support of the United Way of South Central Nebraska has never been better.

Paperworks received the Impact Award for not only participating in the United Ways Adopt A Family program, but initiating a food drive to add a box of food for each of the adopted families.

Thermo King was awarded the Spirit Award for committing to a large number of volunteer hours during the campaign, helping to assemble more than 5,000 sack lunches.

The Augustin and Samuelson families were chosen as the Volunteers of the Year for serving as campaign chairs to support the fundraising efforts of the United Way for the previous two years.

Rick Arneson received the Inez C. Peterson Award for his consistent support of the organization for more than 25 years. He served as campaign chair, joined the board of directors and was president in 1997.

Im humbled to receive this award, Arneson said. Looking at the list of members who have received this award, I dont feel Im deserving, but I appreciate the honor.

Matt Baack was inducted into the Honorary Council for supporting the United Way for more than seven years, as campaign chair, board member and president last year.

The Hastings Area Chamber of Commerce won the Community Partnership Award for providing office space to assist with programs like Toys for Tots. The organization helped during the flood relief efforts, and the building was filled with bleach, buckets and cases of water to help those in need.

Augustin recognized the Top 10 workplace campaign contributors: Mary Lanning Healthcare, Dutton-Lainson Company, Paper Works Packaging, Eaton Corporation, Five Points Bank, T-L Irrigation Company, Hastings Public Schools, Thermo King-Ingersoll Rand, City of Hastings and Pinnacle Bank.

Money collected by the United Way is used to fund programs in 19 different health and human service agencies in the coverage area of Adams, Clay, Nuckolls and Webster counties.

Original post:
Local United Way moving to chamber building addition - Hastings Tribune

Back when she was a student at Cal Poly, Jamie Evans would finish her viticulture classes for the day, come home, and enjoy the decadent aroma of a cannabis strain. Unfortunately, the language of terpenes and terroir we now attribute to weed was not yet then in play.

In those days, Evans interest in cannabis was instead largely recreational. Nonetheless, she knew even then that weed and wine had more than a little in common with one another.

I remember thinking that these cannabis strains had similar aromas and flavors to the wine that Id been evaluating, which was crazy to me, Evans tells SF Weekly.

Following college, Evans would go on to work in the wine field for over a decade including stints with respected brands like Mondavi and Jackson Family Wines before the experience of witnessing a terrible car accident caused her to suffer from severe insomnia.

I didnt want to take pharmaceutical drugs because theyre super hardcore, Evans says. So I figured I would try cannabis to help with my sleep. I was really using it with intention and I think that was the point where I saw just how much cannabis was helping me.

In addition to enjoying a more restful slumber, the Sausalito resident says her medicinal cannabis use also caused her to start drinking less and to take better care of herself. Around the same time, Evans attended a Women and Weed conference in Oakland. Seeing the faces of female CEOs and powerful women filling the room, Evans knew then and there that she had to get involved in cannabis somehow.

The result was the launch of The Herb Somm in 2017. Functioning mainly as a blog, Evans says her express goal was to create a site where she could combine her love of wine with a budding interest in the gourmet side of cannabis. In addition to offering recipes and educational tips to consumers, The Herb Somm also features interviews with prominent chefs in the culinary cannabis space.

In 2018, Evans expanded her reach by hosting a series of private dinners around the Bay Area and L.A. featuring cannabis-infused gourmet cuisine prepared by a rotating cast of guest chefs. Dubbed Thursday Infused, the series serves to correct what Evans views as a widespread misunderstanding about the potential for pot-enhanced food to be delicious.

It was really an event series about educating people on how to eat cannabis food safely and responsibly, she says. And also to help them realize that cannabis can be a gourmet ingredient in a fine-dining experience. My whole spin on it, coming from the wine side, was that I wanted to present what amounts to a pairing concept, so for every event I would bring in a winery and then work with the chef to craft a pairing menu highlighting specific terpenes.

While some wineries were eager to take part in the series, Evans concedes that some institutions were skittish about associating their product with cannabis. Part of the problem, as she sees it, stems from the fact that California law currently prohibits the public consumption of cannabis with the exception of permits geared entirely toward large-scale festivals.

Thats why she recently took the role of executive director for Crop-to-Kitchen, an advocacy group focused on supporting the culinary cannabis community. Founded by noted Bay Area cannabis activist Terrance Alan and restaurant consultant Kimberly Belle, the organization advocates for improvements to the industry like more on-site consumption lounges, cannabis cafes, and a permit system that would make dinners like the ones Evans regularly hosts available to the public.

Cannabis cuisine is still illegal, Evans says. There are a lot of hurdles that we still have to get through. Our job is to work with policymakers to help them create some standards for how this could actually be possible and to pave the way for us to have some cannabis restaurants in the future.

In the interim, Evans is looking forward to the release of her first book, The Ultimate Guide to CBD, on March 17. Presented as an educational guide worthy of newcomers and seasoned pros alike, the text also features a number of recipes as well as guest articles from an impressive array of cannabis experts.

That includes useful information that even regular consumers of CBD might not know. For instance, those taking medications that warn against eating grapefruit should also steer clear of the popular cannabinoid.

CBD can impact some of the enzymes in your liver, meaning it has the ability to either enhance or inhibit some medications, Evans says. One message I really want to share with people is to be careful if youre taking other things with CBD.

As far as her efforts to transform our understanding about the culinary potential of cannabis go, Evans is excited to continue her efforts to bridge the gap between the worlds of wine and weed.

Im trying to bring winery folks to visit cannabis shops with me, she says. I want them to meet these cannabis farmers so that were all in the room together and were talking. When that happens, you realize there are so many similarities between wine and cannabis in terms of what were doing. I think that really helps to bring the connection closer.

The Ultimate Guide to CBD by Jamie Evans,

available March 31, (Fair Winds Press, $26.99). Personal appearance Tuesday, May 19, 6 p.m., at Book Passage, 1 Ferry Building.

Continued here:
Jamie Evans Wants Us to Think About Weed Like Wine - SF Weekly