a homicide occurred on the school grounds in Aesch BL in which a 15-year-old boy died
The public prosecutor has now brought charges against a young man
a homicide occurred early in the morning on the grounds of the Neumatt school complex in Aesch BL
The Basel-Landschaft public prosecutor's office has concluded its criminal investigation in this matter and brought charges of intentional homicide and other offenses against a Swiss national
who was 18 years old at the time of the crime
Based on the results of the criminal investigation
the Basel-Landschaft public prosecutor's office assumes that on the night of the crime
a group of three minors and the accused met at the Neumatt school in Aesch BL to settle a pre-existing conflict of unknown origin
the accused allegedly used the folding knife he had brought with him against one of the participants
The underage teenager was so seriously injured by a stab to the chest that the 15-year-old died in hospital only a short time later
The suspected perpetrator fled after the crime and went home
where he was later arrested by the Basel-Landschaft police
The suspect has been in custody ever since
It is not yet clear when the main hearing will take place at the Basel-Landschaft Criminal Court
JOHNSTOWN--Senator Jim Tedisco on Jne 13th
at a meeting of the Fulton County Board of Supervisors in Johnstown
posthumously inducted into the New York State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame
a decorated World War II veteran who saw fierce fighting in France and across Europe.
was an American hero who served our country in World War II as a member of that ‘Greatest Generation’ of Americans who saved our world from darkness
As one of the famed ‘Iron Men of Metz’ Sgt
Aesch saw incredibly fierce fighting and was part of a unit that was able to liberate the town of Metz
France from the clutches of Nazi occupation
his heroism is eternal and I am proud to have selected him to be inducted into the New York State Veterans Hall of Fame and posthumously present this honor to his loving family,” said Senator Jim Tedisco.
Army’s 95th Infantry Division as a member of the famed “Iron Men of Metz.” The “Iron Men of Metz” was the nickname for the 95th Infantry Division members who battled Nazi Germany in World War II to liberate and defend the French town of Metz in November 1944 through heavy and costly fighting
sometimes in brutal house-to-house combat.
Holland and Germany and spent 133 days on the front lines along the Rhine Valley.
The New York State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame recognizes outstanding veterans form the Empire State who have distinguished themselves both in military service and civilian life.
For his heroic and honorable service to our country during World War II
Honorable Service Lapel Button World War II
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal and Bronze Star Attachment
Good Conduct Medal and World War II Victory Medal
Aesch was honorably discharged from the 378th Infantry Div
and later married Mary Snedecker Rathburn in 1974
Aesch had 5 children and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren
Aesch was employed by Mohasco of Amsterdam and retired from the Gloversville Department of Public Works. Aesch was the son of Alex and Marie Aesch and was born in 1922
Some members of City Council have questions about a proposal to hire a company led by Mark Aesch
former CEO of the Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority
to help develop and track progress on a strategic plan for the city
said council members need more time to review answers provided by Warren's administration
"I think some members had a question on why we needed to have outside consultants for a study," Conklin said
Conklin said she also wanted to know why the city couldn't hire a lower bidder for the job
Warren's office previously said that TransPro could help turn the mayor's goals into a concrete
and systemically track how each department is making progress toward those goals
the company would use a local team to lead the effort — not Aesch
Twitter.com/rilzd
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Rays the Mark Foundation has opened its nomination process for a 2024 honoree
The foundation was created by Raymond Melleady
executive vice president USSC Group and March Aesch
to collectively support transit professionals who have worked and improved the industry but are facing challenges of their own
The foundation has raised more than $150,000 to distribute to its honorees. Past honorees include Sonny Gordon, a former college and professional football player and sales executive at USSC Group, who lost his battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in 2023, and Lauren Cochran Scoville
a transit industry advocate for zero-emission buses
who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022
“If you know of someone who has truly ‘raised the mark’ of our industry and made your organization and our industry better for it
please submit an application for consideration,” the foundation wrote in an announcement for the 2024 honoree nomination
Potential honorees can be submitted by visiting raysthemarkfoundation.com and clicking on Suggest An Honoree
Applications will be open until April 1
The foundation will hold its annual fundraising golf outing on Sept
“Thank you for your support of the Rays the Mark Foundation
we welcome your submissions for our Raise the Mark 2024 Honoree and continue to be appreciative of your generous consideration in sponsoring our 2024 event,” the foundation said
Mischa Wanek-Libman is director of communications with Transdev North America
She has more than 20 years of experience working in the transportation industry covering construction projects
transit and rail operations and best practices
Wanek-Libman has held top editorial positions at freight rail and public transportation business-to-business publications including as editor-in-chief and editorial director of Mass Transit from 2018-2024
She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work
She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and served 14 years as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.
She is a graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication.
will lead the sustainability efforts and environmental
social and governance (ESG) integration for Schroders’ investments in North America
She will collaborate with senior managers on market strategy
Global Head of Sustainable Investment and regionally to Tiffani Potesta
Marina has been with Schroders for over 11 years
most recently as the Investment Director for the Quantitative Equity Products (QEP) team
She has also served in various roles across relationship management
“At Schroders we are committed to integrating ESG factors into investment decisions and active ownership across the strategies we manage
so Marina’s deep knowledge within the firm across all asset classes makes her well-positioned to guide our sustainability strategy in North America.”
“Our research and experience tell us that that investors in North America increasingly recognize the importance of sustainability issues to their investments and their stakeholders[1]
Marina’s appointment will allow us to continue strengthening ESG integration and innovation in order to meet investor needs.”
Over the recent years, Schroders has been expanding and strengthening its sustainability commitments and capabilities. It is a member of the Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative and was rated A+ for its sustainable investing approach by UN PRI
the firm announced more than a dozen new sustainability appointments in North America and globally
Schroders has invested heavily into developing propriety insights and research frameworks that identify the investment and real-world impact of various ESG factors
That commitment extends to the influence we exert over the companies we invest in
We wish Sarah well in her future endeavours and thank her for her contributions to Schroders
Estelle.Bibby@schroders.com
jennifer.manser@schroders.com
For trade press only. To view the latest press releases from Schroders visit: http://ir.schroders.com/media
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The relationship between these two outcomes has rapidly evolved as we see a fundamental shift in how companies are viewed and valued
Understanding the impact that they can have on society and the planet is crucial in assessing their ability to deliver risk-adjusted profits
Our ongoing success is built on a history of experience and expertise
whereby we partner with our clients to construct innovative products and solutions across our five business areas consisting of Private Assets & Alternatives
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By combining our commitment to active management and focus on sustainability
our strategic capabilities are designed to deliver positive outcomes for our clients
We are responsible for £700.4 billion (€815.8 billion/$967.5 billion)* assets of our clients
managed locally by 42 investment teams worldwide
As a global business with over 5,500 talented staff across 37 locations
we are able to stay close to our clients and understand their needs
We have over 200 years of experience in investment and innovation and remain committed to creating a better future by investing responsibly for our clients
Further information about Schroders can be found at www.schroders.com/us
Issued by Schroder Investment Management Limited. Registration No 1893220 England. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. For regular updates by e-mail please register online at www.schroders.com for our alerting service
All Investments involve risk including the loss of principal
The views and opinions stated are those of the individuals quoted and are subject to change
This document does not purport to provide investment advice and the information contained is for informational purposes and not to engage in any trading activities
Any proprietary analytical Environmental Social Governance (ESG) tools mentioned are designed to enhance the research process but do not guarantee favourable results
Schroder Investment Management North America Inc
(“SIMNA Inc.”) is registered as an investment adviser with the SEC and as a Portfolio Manager with the securities regulatory authorities in Alberta
It provides asset management products and services to clients in the United States and Canada
Schroder Fund Advisors LLC (“SFA”) markets certain investment vehicles for which SIMNA Inc
SFA is a wholly-owned subsidiary of SIMNA Inc
and is registered as a limited purpose broker-dealer with the FINRA and as an Exempt Market Dealer with the securities regulatory authorities in Alberta
wholly-owned subsidiaries of Schroders plc
a UK public company with shares listed on the London Stock Exchange
Further information about Schroders can be found at www.schroders.com/us or by calling (212) 641-3800
[1] Schroders Global Investor Study 2021
The views and opinions contained herein are those of Schroders' investment teams and/or Economics Group
and do not necessarily represent Schroder Investment Management North America Inc.'s house views
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Zoe von Aesch is cautiously optimistic about the fall
she is nervous that class sizes could increase the risk of COVID-19 transmission
“Our kids will probably wear fabric masks outside/ And inside
Experts say to leave the medical masks to health-care professionals
Make sure your child’s mask fits well and is comfortable
and that they’re able to choose one they like
As Ontario students head back to the classroom for the first time since April
parents are once again digging out lunch boxes and affixing name stickers to indoor shoes and water bottles
with rising case numbers and the threat of the potent Delta variant
many parents are also anxiously wading through the overwhelming choice of mask options on the market
as they try to find the safest one to best protect their non-vaccine-eligible kids
“It’s been an ongoing conversation in our household,” says Karen Kang
about whether to send her daughters — ages six and 11 — to school with cloth masks as they did last year
or to make a switch to surgical masks or even the N95s that her friend who works in health care is using for her children
“It’s so hard to do all the research,” says Kang
Zoe von Aesch says she is cautiously optimistic about the fall
she is nervous that class sizes (which are still too big
from her motherly perspective) could increase the risk of COVID-19 transmission
Her family has developed a flexible masking approach
using different masks for different circumstances
“Our kids will probably wear fabric masks outside,” she says
Von Aesch recognizes the significant financial and environmental costs of the paper KN95s and says she will reconsider her choices as the circumstances continue to change
are trying to find a comfortable position for their families along the fabric-to-N95 mask continuum
“I don’t recommend kids use N95 masks,” says Dr
a pediatric infectious disease specialist and faculty lead of Indigenous and refugee health at the University of Toronto
“The risks are not as high as they are for someone in the health-care professions and we need to keep them for the hospitals.”
Banerji stresses that the full protection of an N95 respirator comes from how tightly it sits on the face
This perfect seal is the reason health-care providers are required by law to have an N95 professionally fit tested
No matter how high the filtration level of the mask
if it is worn improperly “that’s useless,” Banerji says
a pediatric infectious disease specialist at McMaster Children’s Hospital
“They aren’t meant to be worn the entire day
“Even (hospital workers) get a break from those masks.”
If parents are having a hard time making sense of the variety of disposable surgical masks on the market
Banerji says it’s because they all look alike; a box of blue masks you can grab at No Frills looks the same as the medical grade ones
Charlie Marchand, development manager for Quebec mask manufacturer Humask, says only an ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) rated mask has been tested and approved for the level of filtration it promises
non-medical masks aren’t held to a standard and vary widely in quality and effectiveness
Marchand explains that an ASTM level one mask offers 95 per cent bacterial and particle filtration
and is adequate for low fluid risk environments
A level three mask is used for high fluid risk medical procedures like open-heart surgery where blood might splash directly onto the face of the mask wearer
She says some parents opt for the level two
Both Banerji and Wong advocate that a comfortable
Wong’s advice is simple: “The best mask is the one your child will keep on.” She says a soft
cotton three-layer mask with adjustable straps and an added filter works for many children
Banerji recommends a well-fitting cloth mask (or any mask) with at least three layers plus an additional nonwoven polypropylene filter to reduce the risk of viral particles getting inside
“is that it’s comfortable so the kids will use it.”
It should be fitted to the face without any gaps around the sides or top
She adds that if children are comfortable in a mask and are allowed to choose one they like
“They think it’s cool and they’ll wear it,” she says
As families head into this third pandemic school year
schools have not been the primary driver of case transmission
but by controlling transmission in the community
get your vaccine and encourage people who spend the most time with your kids to get the vaccine
“Those are all things that we can do outside the classroom that have a trickle-down effect to the classroom setting as well.”
Emily Waugh is a freelance writer and elementary school parent in Toronto
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Following the death of their son from cancer at age 5
Robyn and Kyle Raphael resolved to channel their grief into helping other children and families battle the disease
the nonprofit organization the Roseville couple established in their son's name stands as a testimony to the difference dedicated individuals can make and as a tribute to a brown-eyed boy who loved to make swords out of sticks
dress in superhero costumes and wear cowboy boots — even on the hottest summer days
the Keaton Raphael Memorial has raised more than $800,000 for pediatric cancer research and programs in Northern California
including more than $300,000 for UC Davis Cancer Center and UC Davis Children's Hospital
The organization has also provided direct assistance — in the form of gasoline cards
information packets and cash — to more than 100 Northern California families whose children have undergone cancer treatment in Sacramento
Robyn had no professional background in either fundraising or advocacy
she talked to parents at her younger son's preschool
addressed the Roseville Chamber of Commerce and shared the story of Keaton's nine-month battle with neuroblastoma with countless individuals
Web and graphic-design assistance for the new nonprofit
A golf tournament in Southern California organized by Robyn's brother-in-law provided early seed money for the Keaton Raphael Memorial
Robyn's dad single-handedly sold all the tickets for the memorial's first golf fundraiser in Roseville
And as Robyn took her early steps into national advocacy — a 1998 march on Washington in support of childhood cancer research — her sister was at her side
The elder Kyle continued in his career as a superintendent for the City of Sacramento Parks & Recreation Department
Robyn devoted herself full-time to daughter Kiana
Robyn today puts in 50-hour weeks as the paid executive director of an organization with chapters and volunteer boards in two cities
The memorial now has two employees: a full-time family navigator based in Reno and a part-time assistant in Roseville
associate professor and chief of pediatric hematology and oncology
works closely with Robyn to identify unmet needs among pediatric cancer patients and their families at UC Davis Cancer Center and Davis Children's Hospital
They even seem to gain strength by what has happened to them
and put that strength to work so that maybe the future will be better
Money raised by the Keaton Raphael Memorial has purchased toys
books and family-resource materials for children and their parents
provided pediatric pain-management training for physicians and nurses at UC Davis Children's Hospital and funded a $50,000 pediatric playroom for the Cancer Center's planned expansion
The playroom will be named Keaton's Corner
The organization's latest gift to UC Davis — $92,000 generated from the 2006 St
Baldrick's celebrations — will be used to support research into the psychological and socioeconomic impacts of childhood cancer on patients and families
Baldrick's events coordinated by the Keaton Raphael Memorial raised $40,000 for UC Davis
That money will provide first-year funding for a Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Fellowship Program within the Department of Pediatrics
The Keaton Raphael Memorial also continues to make direct grants to families facing childhood cancer
a service that sets it apart from other cancer organizations
The grants help families with the nonmedical expenses that accompany a diagnosis of pediatric cancer
Referrals are made by hospital social workers
but we have to take care of families along the way
There are no requirements about how our family grants are spent
It can be new clothes for a child who no longer fits in anything because of swelling from steroid therapy
Or it can be a good time for the family — to me
Sometimes memories are what you're left with
Richille and Brandon Von Aesch received a grant last year
The Keaton Raphael Memorial provided the Von Aesches
who live about 40 miles east of UC Davis Medical Center in the town of Cool
During one of Alexis' chemotherapy appointments
Robyn hand-delivered a blanket made by Keaton Raphael Memorial volunteers
Robyn's importance is that she knows what's going to be necessary
who quit her job at Home Depot so she could be at Alexis' bedside during the eighth-grader's monthly three- to five-day hospital stays
It was such a relief to get her start-up information packet
and such a comfort to know there's someone like her out there
cancer.center@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu
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Ineos Grenadiers rider building form during the Tour de Suisse
Tom Pidcock has firmly thrown his hat into the ring when it comes to racing the Tour de France and making Ineos Grenadiers’ eight-rider selection
and finished fourth on stage 3 behind Peter Sagan on Tuesday
The race marks Pidcock’s first stage race since an illness hit spring that saw his power in the classics severely diminished due to stomach problems
“The official selection still needs to be made
but of course I want to be,” he told VeloNews from the Tour de Suisse
The Olympic mountain bike champion was initially on the long list for the Giro d’Italia
but opted to take a break from road racing during May as he decided to build up his form and dovetail that with his ambitions in mountain biking
Also read: Analyzing Ineos Grenadiers’ Tour de France long list
The 22-year-old signed a contract extension with Ineos Grenadiers during the spring and is in contention for making his Tour de France debut in the summer
The team is expected to line up with Adam Yates and Dani Martinez as the two main leaders for the GC
while Filippo Ganna will target the yellow jersey in the first time trial in Denmark
The rest of the team will be announced after the Tour de Suisse
On stage 3 in the Tour de Suisse Ineos raced on the front foot and put Pidcock into a perfect position coming into the final sprint
who had earlier taken three seconds at the final intermediate sprint
hit the front inside the final kilometer with Pidcock on his wheel
A late charge from Alexandre Kristoff and his leadout put Pidcock just off the front as the race took the final tight corner before the sprint
and Geraint did a great job at the end keeping me at the front,” Pidcock said
Pidcock’s form as the Tour de France comes into view will be keenly monitored as Ineos finalize their lineup
“The idea was to give the sprint a go if I found myself in a good place and I’m glad I did,” he said
“I wasn’t the fastest but the guys around me are proper sprinters and I’m a bit smaller than them
It was chaotic with not much control from any particular team.”
Michael’s Hospital she was struck by something she saw in the busy family practice: there were many hepatitis C patients
I looked for guidelines for family physicians
I couldn’t really find very many Canadian ones
So I focused on creating tools to help family doctors provide more structured care,” she said
which she has found are often linked to social determinants of health
Her studies show that those who seek hepatitis C treatment are more likely to be older
and less likely to have used injection drugs
The Family Health Team uses this important information to understand which hepatitis C patients they may be missing
von Aesch takes viewers through the Sumac Creek Family Health Centre
Watch the video or read more to find out how she hopes her research on urban and community care will impact those living with hepatitis C
What is the problem you’re trying to solve with your research
von Aesch: The focus of my research was to characterize what our hepatitis C patients look like who are treated in our practice and untreated
and also to see what’s difficult for clinicians when providing hepatitis C treatment within family medicine
How did you first become involved with this area of research
and I noticed we had a lot of hepatitis C patients in our practice
I couldn’t really find very many Canadian ones
So I focused on creating tools to help family doctors provide more structured care
What do you hope the impact of this work will be
von Aesch: I hope that it’ll allow us to understand who goes for treatment now for hepatitis C
and what we can do to support them in accessing hepatitis C care
ideally within family medicine or within the larger hospital
How does your work as a family physician impact research and vice versa
and it provokes ideas for me as to what research you can do to help improve their health
I’d also like to think my research background allows me to provide a little bit better care day to day
What do you want people to know about urban and community care research
von Aesch: I think what’s interesting about our urban health population is that it’s really a microcosm of the world
It showcases people from around the world — great minds
This allows us to do really interesting important research
It also probably showcases or highlights some of the cracks in the Canadian system
If you think about the social determinants of health — like housing
food security—it highlights ways that we could probably be doing better as Canadians
population health of our entire country would be better
Please contact the Public Relations & Communications office at 416-864-5034 or communications@unityhealth.to
Pioneering Lisbeth Sachs is the Swiss architect behind the inspiration for creative collective Annexe’s reimagining of the Swiss pavilion for the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025
characterful work is aptly represented in this compact home
which was completed in 1976 and is located on the shores of Lake Hallwil (Hallwilersee)
‘He had a practice as a dentist in Affoltern am Albis
a village about 25km from Aesch and Zürich,’ says Martin Kehrer
who married the original client‘s daughter
‘He loved sailing and that‘s why he was looking to buy a plot by a lake in the area
He owned two little sailing boats and wished for a weekend house not too far from his main home
Strauss knew Sachs and thought that the architect’s sensitive and emotional approach to architecture would fit the project well.’
who designed and built several high-quality projects in Switzerland starting in the 1950s
was also one of the first female architects practicing in the country
taught by architect Otto Rudolf Salvisberg at ETH
and was one of only five women in her class
Her career kicked off with a competition win to design the Kurtheater Baden
a large theatre complex for the Canton of Aargau
who came second in the competition and was assigned to her as an advisor
The resulting structure features an elegant
circular glass pavilion and several original design elements
including lighting fixtures and furniture pieces
Sachs worked predominantly on residential architecture
Sachs was also an important and keen writer in her field
She produced pieces for key Swiss journals in her field
which allowed her to address the global architecture scene
she explored the work of seminal figures of her era
She developed a poetic and organic approach to architecture
She argued: ‘Architecture should be a new reference to nature
in which human existence and transience are included
in the feeling of an all-encompassing relationship between plants
also between the creations of humans and nature.’
Nature is an important element in Strauss Summer House
which was nicknamed ‘Im Schilf’ (In the Reeds)
my wife’s father purchased about 3,000 sq m of land here
But a little after the construction of this house
the area was declared a nature and wildlife reserve and it was impossible to build any more structures there
We are particularly pleased that this extraordinary summer house was also declared as an object to preserve a few years ago,’ says Kehrer
Sachs demonstrated her take on organic architecture in the house’s lyrical arrangement of materials and shapes
A concrete base supports an octagonal wooden structure with angled forms and a sloping roof
She worked with experienced carpenters who could address her complex geometries and was very involved in the construction progress
attending her building sites frequently and supervising the fabrication of different elements
‘I admire her ability to build such complicated wooded structures without the help of 3D computers,’ says Kehrer
The house contains two south-facing bedrooms upstairs for the children
while to the north are two more bedrooms for the parents
with its double-height ceiling and monumental fireplace
was the family’s main gathering place
made of pieces of glass and ceramic embedded into concrete
are reminiscent of the artistry in the work of Swiss painter Paul Klee
Klee‘s influences on Sachs were explored in a dedicated exhibition titled Architektur mit Klee at the Zentrum Paul Klee Bern last year
escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
Now, this lesser-known Swiss architect is about to have a moment. Curators and architects Elena Chiavi, Kathrin Füglister, Amy Perkins and Myriam Uzor of the Annexe group were selected to represent Switzerland at the 19th Venice Architecture Biennale
In collaboration with artist Axelle Stiefel and graphic designer Emma Kouassi
temporary art installation designed by Sachs for the 1958 Swiss Exhibition for Women’s Work (SAFFA) in Zürich
the team asks: ‘What would have happened if it was Lisbeth Sachs
who had designed the Swiss Pavilion in the Giardini della Biennale di Venice?’ Their answer pays homage to Sachs’ life and work
The display will be accompanied by work by architecture historian Rahel Hartmann Schweizer
author of ‘Lisbeth Sachs – Architektin
Publizistin’ for gta Verlang in 2020
Sachs and her work will claim a deserved spot in the Swiss architecture discourse
Adam Štěch is an architectural historian, curator, writer and photographer, based in Prague. He is the author of books including Modern Architecture and Interiors (2006)
editor of design magazine Dolce Vita and a contributor to titles including Wallpaper* and Frame
while also teaching at Scholastika in Prague
Ben Limmer started as Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority’s CEO on March 25, overseeing a $120 million annual budget that could swell to more than $250 million if Hillsborough’s new one-cent transportation sales tax is upheld by the Florida Supreme Court.
But barely seven months into the job, Limmer was placed on paid leave after a whistleblower raised allegations related to procurement policies and vendor relations, travel and purchase card policies and hiring and promotions.
In response to a public records request from the Tampa Bay Times on Monday, a copy of the report was released by the office of Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, a member of the transit agency board.
Several of the 19 allegations include inappropriate interactions with Tampa-based TransPro Consulting, one giving them an unfair competitive advantage in bidding on a $3 million contract. The contract was never awarded.
The report describes a cozy relationship between Limmer and TransPro’s chief executive, Mark Aesch. In 2007, Aesch turned down an offer to serve as CEO of Hillsborough’s transit agency.
Ben Limmer, who makes an annual salary of $210,000, has been on paid leave since Nov. 4. [ Atlanta Journal Constitution ]Half of the violations were related to misusing a company purchasing card, including buying a Keurig coffee maker for Limmer’s office and twice charging his child’s lunch to a company card.
Investigators with the law firm Carlton Fields found the remaining 11 allegations were either inconclusive or did not violate agency policy. Investigators were expected to send a completed report to board members in January with enough time to read and review the allegations before February’s board meeting.
The firm delivered the report, plus thousands of pages of supporting documents, to board members late Sunday afternoon.
The board decided at Monday’s meeting that members did not have adequate time to review the report before the 9 a.m. meeting and voted to postpone any related discussion to a special meeting planned for Friday.
The investigation started on Nov. 4 after board members received the whistleblower complaint.
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Limmer, who makes an annual salary of $210,000, was immediately placed on paid leave. The agency hired Carlton Fields on Nov. 14 to conduct the investigation for a cost not to exceed $100,000.
Carlton Fields interviewed 22 witnesses, including Limmer, and reviewed thousands of pages of documents.
Limmer, who was in the audience Monday, remains on paid leave.
“Like everyone, I just received the memorandum and want time to review it,” Limmer told the Times in a statement. “My commitment to transform HART into the world-class transit agency Hillsborough County deserves has not wavered throughout this lengthy process.”
The first finding in the report states that TransPro received an unfair competitive advantage when bidding on a $3 million contract for management consulting services.
According to the report, Limmer asked TransPro for a scope of work template on a multi-year consulting contract. Limmer forwarded that template to John Edmondson, the agency’s director of procurement, but did not tell him the template came from TransPro.
Edmondson drafted a bid solicitation based on that template and then raised concerns when TransPro received the highest score among bidders.
Limmer told investigators he instructed Edmondson to find other templates and to draft the solicitation using various sources, but investigators were unable to find any written evidence supporting that.
The second matter deals with Limmer hiring local law firm Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick without board approval.
One of Limmer’s first actions as CEO was to reorganize the agency and fire some long standing employees, including chief financial officer Jeff Seward and chief administrative officer Kenyatta Lee, who had also been a finalist for the CEO role.
According to the report, Limmer said he could not use existing legal help ”because the separations would involve such high-ranking executives within the Agency."
Limmer authorized TransPro to enter a $30,000 contract with the Shumaker law firm without board approval, a violation of the transit agency’s manual.
But interviews show David Smith, the transit authority’s general counsel, knew about the agreement, approved the work, and emailed Shumaker thanking them for helping Limmer with the firings of Seward and Lee.
Another allegation related to TransPro found Limmer unilaterally entered into a $99,000 proposal with the company without providing other vendors an opportunity to submit proposals. The contract ultimately did not move forward because the agency did not have the money to pay for it.
The report finds Limmer routinely used his company credit card in a way that violated agency policy, whether it was buying his child lunch in Toronto or asking a staff member to use a company card to buy a Keurig machine for his office.
Limmer, who was the first Hillsborough transit CEO to receive a purchasing card, repeatedly used it to cover daily expenses while on company business.
The transit authority’s policy was to give the CEO 75 percent of daily expenses in advance and then reimburse the remaining 25 percent after the CEO returned.
Instead, Limmer asked for a company card and used it for his expenses, including meals. He told investigators that Seward, the former chief financial officer, had allowed him to do so when traveling. Investigators found this violated agency policies.
Limmer told investigators he offered to refund the agency for lunches he bought his child while at a transportation conference — a kid’s cheeseburger and apple juice costing a total of $13. But both of Limmer’s assistants told investigators he never gave them cash to cover a charge.
One of the assistants, Lillybeth Salas, told Carlton Fields that Limmer told her to buy a Keurig machine for his office. Limmer told investigators it was Salas’ idea to have the agency pay for the machine.
Charges included in the report show nearly $500 spent over five months, mostly on the coffee maker and pods.
Limmer also failed to make sure that establishments did not charge sales tax when he was using the company purchasing card. Hillsborough’s transit agency is tax-exempt and cannot be charged for sales tax.
The final violation described by Carlton Fields found that Limmer cost the agency $1,100 in hotel room fees because he thought the conference where he was speaking would pay for the room. Limmer also failed to get approval from board chair Les Miller for the expense.
According to the report, Limmer told investigators he believed some of the allegations against him were part of a conspiracy because he was “significantly changing personnel to be ready for the influx of funds from the transportation tax, and he anticipates making additional changes in the future.” He called the actions an “organized assassination” to make him “look bad.”
Carlton Fields investigators said they could not substantiate Limmer’s claim there was a conspiracy against him.
“The procurement staff continually communicated with Mr. Limmer about appropriate procurement procedures, often having to correct transgressions in the process,” the report said. “Contrary to Mr. Limmer’s suggestion that HART employees were trying to make him “look bad”, the investigation instead established that employees were working to find a way to satisfy Mr. Limmer’s requests while complying with HART policies.”
Carlton Fields included six recommendations to the transit agency in its report, including a review of procurement policies, revising the employee handbook section on pay increases and making sure employees know how to express concerns within the agency.
Caitlin JohnstonFormer Times Reporter
Coquard takes second in bunch sprint with Kristoff in third
Peter Sagan wins stage 3 in Grenchen(Image credit: Tim de Waele/Getty Images)The final push to the line in Grenchen on stage 3
Peter Sagan claimed his first victory in TotalEnergies colours when he outsprinted Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) and Alexander Kristoff (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert) to win stage 3 of the Tour de Suisse in Grenchen
It was the 18th Tour de Suisse stage victory of Peter Sagan’s career
but few have carried quite the same heft as this one
half-hearted protestations to the contrary before the podium ceremony
“It’s just a stage win,” Sagan insisted, even if his own half-smile then and the sight of TotalEnergies riders queuing up to congratulate him immediately after the finish told its own story
Sagan hadn’t won a race of any description since he claimed the overall title at the Tour of Slovakia last September
while his last WorldTour victory dated all the way back to stage 10 of last year’s Giro d’Italia
a knee injury had forced Sagan to abandon the Tour de France
while illness had ruined the opening chapter of his new start with TotalEnergies
Sagan brought an early end to his Classics campaign
missing both the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix
He warmed up for the Tour de Suisse by riding on the gravel at Unbound in early June
but that recreational outing was simply a detour
His competitive instincts on the road remain resolutely intact
Despite struggling at the GP Canton Aargau and on the opening days of the Tour de Suisse
Sagan signalled his intentions from distance here
delegating his TotalEnergies team to help Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert to help pull back the day’s early break
“It was hard to get back in racing mood after my sickness and I was three months without racing
who perched himself on Kristoff’s wheel for the bunch finish in Grenchen
Kristoff’s teammate Andrea Pasqualon was leading out the sprint
but Sagan didn’t wait for the Italian to peel off
he confidently opened his effort from distance
moving decisively ahead of Kristoff and then fending off a late
late comeback from the fast-closing Coquard
Tom Pidcock (Ineos) took fourth on the stage ahead of Alex Aranburu (Movistar) and Matteo Trentin (UAE Team Emirates)
but Sagan’s positioning and power carried the day
“I’m used to being beaten by that guy
so it was not a big surprise,” Kristoff admitted afterwards
“He’s been not super the last year or so
but it looks now like he did some good training
While Sagan’s was the story of the day
there were still frissons among the general classification contenders
even if the yellow jersey remains on the shoulders of Stevie Williams (Bahrain Victorious)
Max Schachmann (Bora-Hansgrohe) looked to have stolen a march on his rivals when he clipped off the front with Geraint Thomas (Ineos) at the second intermediate sprint with 10km to go
picking up a time bonus that temporarily cut Williams’ overall lead to two seconds
Schachmann was one of a number of riders to come down in a crash
and he would eventually come in 53 seconds down on Sagan
Andreas Kron (Lotto Soudal) is now second overall
while Andreas Leknessund (DSM) is third at 7 seconds
who three bonus seconds lifted him twelve places in the standings
Tuesday’s hilly run through the Jura was animated by a six-man break featuring Philippe Gilbert (Lotto-Soudal)
Manuele Boaro (Astana) and Mathias Reutimann (Swiss National Team)
who forged clear ahead of the first of the day’s seven climbs
Simmons availed of his spell off the front to buttress his lead in the king of the mountains competition
but Gilbert’s presence meant that the escapees were kept on a tight leash
warming up for the final Tour de France appearance of his career
began the day just over two minutes off Williams’ lead
which prompted Bahrain Victorious to keep tabs on the sextet’s advantage
which never stretched much beyond three minutes
the sprinters’ teams were determined not to be foiled by the breakaway as they had been in Aesch on Monday
when the enterprising Leknessund withstood their pursuit to claim a fine stage victory
The break’s unity of purpose began to fragment in the finale
with Bissegger attacking ahead of the penultimate ascent of Vauffelin
Simmons responded on the climb itself to hoover up more king of the mountains points
while Boaro and Reutimann tapped out of the break at that point
The Swiss rider was the last survivor of the break
carrying a lead of a minute into the final 20km
Although he put up impressive resistance on the final ascent of Lommiswil
Luke Rowe helped to tee up his teammate Thomas – and Schachmann – at the intermediate sprint
but the battle for the overall standings soon receded to the background as the sprinters’ teams set to work
Sagan was well placed throughout the finale
as his fourth-place finish in similar circumstances at Sovicille during Tirreno-Adriatico showed
“It’s nice to be back,” Sagan said
Results powered by First Cycling
Broome County has inked an $80,000 contract with a Florida-based consulting firm to overhaul BC Transit’s routes and fare structure
Broome County issued a bid request in December
and the legislature voted to approve the year-long contract with Tampa-based TransPro Consulting in its April session
TransPro was founded in 2011 by CEO Mark Aesch
who is credited with reversing declines in the Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority during his tenure as CEO with that agency in the mid-2000s
The bid requires the consultant to recommend plans that would:
• Make adjustments designed to increase ridership and operating efficiency
elimination or expansion in an effort to improve rider density
• Suggest means to increase fare and contractual revenues
The bid follows years of increasing reliance on tax funding to support BC Transit
the agency expects to require $1.9 million in county revenue to balance its books
The goal of the route study is to identify efficiencies that are being missed in the current setup
according to Public Transportation Commissioner Greg Kilmer
“What I’ve learned (in that time) is public transportation in general is not in good shape
we’ve had some form of public transportation for over 100 years
We’ve stood the proof of concept that this community needs public transportation
An overhaul of BC Transit’s routes has also been on the county’s agenda for years
Broome County Executive Debbie Preston made reference to the route study in both her 2015 budget address last September and in February
“By identifying in a scientific way the most efficient routing
I believe real savings can be achieved,” she said during the latter address
operating on 17 fixed routes in the county’s urban core
leading to empty buses on some runs and potential passengers left standing at stops on others
we cannot continue to be all things to all people,” he said
“It’s incumbent on us to operate with the fixed assets as best we can
We need to be where people need us and where people will fill the buses up.”
While historically BC Transit routes have been structured to connect shopping and employment centers with population centers
with Vestal and the Town of Union growing and parts of Binghamton shrinking
as is Binghamton University’s student population
but to reduce the amount that taxpayers pay to subsidize bus service
TransPro’s bid offers clues to how that might be accomplished
The company pointed to recommendations it has made to other public transportation systems that “reduce taxpayer subsidies through the introduction of community partnerships that economically support the continuation and addition of public transportation in a community.”
that might take the form of establishing pass programs subsidized by advertisers or community organizations
“will identify organizations that directly benefit from specific routes and trips to target for service subsidy partnerships.”
Similar plans in Rochester under Aesch’s tenure resulted in multimillion-dollar surpluses for the transit authority
the Rochester Business Journal reported in 2011
One agreement resulted in the city school district paying the authority a premium over the $1 regular fare to carry student riders
The school contract is currently worth $11 million
A spokesperson for TransPro did not return phone calls seeking comment
TransPro will collect and evaluate data for its final report to the county
Kilmer stressed that as the process advances
“Think about a good organization like Wegmans: They know how to gear up for the holidays and when the students return
and they have the right staff and product mix
and we need to learn from that example,” Kilmer said
1.84 million: Miles traveled in an average year
$12.7 million: Projected departmental revenue
$1.9 million: Projected tax dollars required to balance the books in 2015
I - Schenectady) had the pleasure of meeting with students from McNulty Academy
on January 30th when they came to Albany to tour the State Capitol and learn about New York State history and government
Students on the tour included Alexia Caraballo
The new manager of the youngsters speaks about what benefits the lads can get from a pre-season tournament
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It could be rightly said that no one was surprised when, shortly after announcing his retirement from football, Steven Gerrard was offered the position of U18-19 manager for the Liverpool Academy
After taking a much deserved holiday following the conclusion of last year’s MLS season with the LA Galaxy
the former captain was chomping at the bit to get back to work
That work meant preparing his lads for a small tournament in Switzerland hosted by FC Aesch
The competition included matches against SV Hamburg
and the younger Reds ended with a third place spot after drawing against Hamburg and Basel
when asked about the benefits of the tournament
“When you play at the highest level the most testing time is always in the last 30 minutes of games and we ask the lads: ‘Can you produce quality as a player when you are tired
when your body wants to give up and when you want to quit?’”
and was clear that this competition during pre-season was a good way to assess who will take on that challenge
how they cope when you ask them to play minutes when they are tired,” he continued
“They get asked a lot of questions over two days and the majority of them have done really well.”
earning them a chance at the third place play-off spot
and Gerrard urged his lads to use that defeat in the future
They did go on to win against Juventus to seal their third place finish
but there is still much to be learned in defeat
“I thought in the first 45 minutes we showed them too much respect
but in the second 45 I thought we matched them all over the park and we probably edged the second half,” he said of the loss
“The lesson to learn from that game is you can't wait 45 minutes to go and match a team physically and mentally
so I think we lost that game in the first half
“In the final game against Juventus we had to use our squad players and share the minutes out to give some of the players a game who haven't played much over these couple of days
“There was a lot of positives to take out of that game and it was a nice way to finish the tournament with a win
but we were disappointed with the Fulham result.”
search
Ever since Madeleine McCann went missing from a loft in Portugal seven years ago
there have been many hypotheses about what actually happened to her
she was noted missing at 10.14 pm on Thursday
Each conceivable hypothesis has been investigated from that point forward that Madeleine was kidnapped by a pedophile
There are horrific speculations saying that she was murdered amid a blundered thievery and her body dumped; she was snatched by traffickers and sold to a childless couple; she meandered out of the condo and passed on in a disastrous mischance
These are just some of the educated guess thrown at the investigation
various men were publicly stated as possible suspects
disappeared in Switzerland when she was going to a swimming pool
Her dead body was discovered the accompanying month
Close-by was the dead body of a 67 years old man
Criminological proof would create that Ylenia had been in his white Renault van
The exact circumstances remained in the dark
yet everything demonstrates he was the reason for the child's death
very close to where Madeleine's disappearance on the Algarve
a man in a white van had been stopped close to the McCann's vacation condominium at the Ocean Club in Praia da Luz
"the Swiss police could neither make any connection of Von Aesch to the disappearance of Madeleine McCann nor exclude a connection with absolute certainty."
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Barbara Moser
Thomas Wohlgemuth
We study how rising temperatures and increasing drought (‘hotter drought’) will affect the growth of potential future tree species during the advanced regeneration stage (2–8 years-old plants) and how this response is modulated by soil properties and soil biotic communities
High temperatures combined with extended drought periods (‘hotter drought’)
complemented by repeated windthrow disturbance (e.g
storms ‘Burglind’ in January 2018 or ‘Sabine’ in February 2020) and bark beetle mass propagation have left their marks on Swiss lowland forests
particularly in the Jura and the north-eastern Plateau
the economically most important tree in Central Europe
so far considered as a suitable future tree species
This pinpoints the importance and the timeliness of the search for a future tree species portfolio that will satisfy not only economic aspects of forestry
but also the global quest for carbon storage
regional demands of ecosystem functions and services and biodiversity conservation (‘climate smart forestry’)
Planting non-native tree species has a long tradition in forestry
but ideas of transforming Central European forests for climate smart forestry by assisting the migration of exotic species get little support from nature conservancy
Although there is increasing knowledge about the invasiveness of individual tree species
there are only a few studies addressing impacts of assisted tree migration on the local flora
fauna and other biota as well as on species interactions and related ecosystem processes
information is missing on how non-natives will interact with native species under future climatic conditions
how these interactions are modulated by soil properties
or how they will affect – or be affected by – soil biotic communities and soil biogeochemical processes
The Polytunnel Greenhouse Experiment includes three experimental sites on the Swiss Plateau, where air temperature and precipitation are manipulated by means of polytunnel greenhouses from 2021–2029. The three sites are part of a larger network of Experimental Plantations by WSL and BAFU, where 18 potential future tree species are grown at 59 sites across Switzerland.
Climate treatments include control plots, plots with warming and plots with combined warming and drought. The passive warming by the polytunnels reaches 2–5°C during daytime (0.1°C during the night). By intercepting ambient rainfall, the greenhouses also provide a drought treatment. A drip irrigation system is run weekly to add ambient rainfall to one half of the greenhouses, and 50% of ambient rainfall to the other half.
The experimental set-up consists of a fully randomised block design replicated three times at each site. Each block includes three plots with the following treatments
Untreated control plot with ambient temperature and precipitation (no greenhouse, no watering)
Warmed plot with elevated temperature and ambient precipitation (greenhouse, 100% of ambient precipitation added by drip irrigation)
Warm & dry plot with elevated temperature and reduced precipitation (greenhouse, 50% of ambient precipitation added).
Knowhow for forestry experts and all others interested in the forest
Swiss National Forest Inventory NFI - a forest information service
Access to environmental monitoring and research data
WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF in Davos
Information platform for early detection of drought in Switzerland
Margot Von Aesch has been appointed Head of Sustainable Investment Management
with her remit encompassing detailed research
the development of sustainable investment models and ensuring the continued integration of this analysis into Schroders’ investment decision-making
Margot Von Aesch joins from Redburn where she was a partner
having played a leading role in developing the firm’s ESG business and related client base
Angus Bauer joins from Redburn where he was a partner and former co-head of the Redburn ESG franchise
Angus Bauer has been appointed to the role of Sustainability Analyst
to strengthen Schroders’ sustainable investment research team
Schroders has also appointed Kimberley Lewis
She worked most recently at Federated Hermes International
where as a Director of Engagement Kim helped drive the firm’s engagement proposition
Reporting to Kimberly Lewis is Katie Frame
Katie recently joined Schroders as Active Ownership Manager from Federated Hermes International where she was an Engagement Manager
Margot and Kimberley will report to Andy Howard
Global Head of Sustainable Investment at Schroders
Andy will also be joining Schroders Group Management Committee
further evidencing the firm’s decision to embed sustainability at its core
Andy has driven Schroders’ sustainability research and been the inventor and inspiration behind proprietary tools such as SustainEx
“These additions will further strengthen Schroders ability to deliver market-leading sustainability data
support its focus on stewardship and engagement and expand the products and services it offers to its clients globally
Already this year Schroders has expanded its Sustainable Investment Team globally with the appointments of a number of sustainability analysts
newly-created positions with Lazaro Tiant in New York and Mervyn Tang in Singapore covering North America and Asia respectively
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When the wind blows from the south – they whistle
It’s not a pleasant noise either – locals liken it to a train brake squeal
Engineers have been working to fix the problem
by filling in holes and changing the design of the balconies.
Some say the buildings should be demolished – but they are too expensive for that
Perhaps the solution would to be build a third tower to disrupt the air flow
Was ist das?Kurz & bündig - Agroline Bioprotect produziert in Aesch BL jährlich mehrere Millionen Kartonrähmchen und Kugeln mit Schlupfwespen
- Diese Nützlinge bekämpfen den Maiszünsler
den wirtschaftlich bedeutendsten Schädling an Mais
- Ausgebracht werden die Nützlinge auf Kartonrähmchen geklebt oder in Kugeln
Agroline Bioprotect hat über 30 Jahre Erfahrung im nachhaltigen…
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