(WXYZ) — The Berkley Days festival will not return this summer and the future of the long-running community event remains uncertain The Berkley Days Association announced Thursday they "made the decision not to hold Berkley Days this year but is planning for an exciting centennial celebration in 2026 Berkley Days has been run by a dedicated group of volunteers for nearly 100 years." I thought that was a great tradition for kids," said Jim Sinclair "There's a lot of youngsters that are missing out that was a great memory for me from elementary all the way up to junior high and high school I reached out to the association for more information about why this year's festival was canceled fights between minors have broken out at the festival 2024 Report: Fighting teens causing chaos have Berkley Days organizers evaluating its future Local business owners expressed concern about the cancellation's impact on downtown foot traffic "We're sad to see how everything has transpired over the last couple of years," said Janine Braun owner of the Artsy Umbrella in downtown Berkley She remains optimistic about collaboration between local organizations "We're confident too that the chamber of commerce and our DDA the businesses here are a very tight-knit kind of community," said Braun While Berkley Days won't happen this summer will take place during the last week of July with enhanced security measures Acting Deputy Chief with the Sterling Heights Police Department We implemented fencing around the carnival area then we did a few other things with curfews for minors," said Allen The Sterling Heights event will also utilize AI-equipped cameras throughout the fairgrounds "Which is very beneficial not only if someone is causing a problem to identify that person in the crowd but also for children who may get lost," said Allen Berkley residents are now looking ahead to what might replace their traditional community celebration "It should be I feel more focused on family and community," said Braun This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy Where Your Voice Matters SOMERSET — The Somerset Berkley boys basketball team is the top team in the South Coast Conference this winter The Raiders also hold the utmost place in the hearts of their community The annual food pantry drive is currently underway for the SBR boys program The varsity team will get its chance to serve the community this coming Saturday morning at Annelle DeLorme-Hagerman Food Pantry on County Street The freshman and JV team had a chance to show its support prior to this weekend "This is our 18th year," Raiders longtime head coach Bob Slater said "I always tell the boys that they should be proud of themselves You never know when you or someone in your family will need a helping hand They come out and support us and it is something that we cherish It’s a lot of fun to go to the food pantry." Vote: Who is the Herald News Boys Basketball Midseason Player of the Year? 30 nominees Slater started this movement at his church — the Church of Our Saviour — nearly two decades ago Now the pantry delivers quality food items to households less fortunate and facing a hard time "I like helping the people that really need it," said SBR senior forward Finn Bjork who is averaging 13.8 points and grabbing 10.2 rebounds per game It’s fun going out with the boys and helping people Senior captain Max Finlaw and junior guard Dom Taylor agrees with Bjork "How it makes you feel about yourself is why I like the food pantry," said Finlaw who averages nearly 11 points per game "It is a heart warming feeling knowing that you’re giving back The least we can do is give back to everybody else." who is averaging 13.8 points per game and is the top 3-point shooter (32) on the team is in his third year serving the community "The first year I was new and everyone knew each other," Taylor said "But now it’s feels like I’ve been with the team for four or five years having fun together and deliver the food to the cars has been a lot of fun." Kindness goes a long way in life and what better way to show than giving back to your community serving people who are in need means a great deal more than just dribbling a basketball on the court "I meet new people every single time," Taylor said "This will impact your life with one conversion."    Herald News and Taunton Daily Gazette sports editor Steven Sanchez can be reached at ssanchez@heraldnews.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @Chezsports. LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Mayor Shelley Berkley delivered her inaugural State of the City Address at Symphony Park's Reynolds Hall, setting forth an optimistic vision for Las Vegas's future on Wednesday. The event commenced with a surprise performance by Las Vegas entertainer Clint Holmes, who was subsequently awarded a Key to the City for his contributions to local entertainment and community service. Mayor Berkley highlighted several upcoming developments, including the construction of the Las Vegas Museum of Art, which will be situated just east of The Smith Center for the Performing Arts. This project is a collaborative effort between the city, the Las Vegas Museum of Art, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Additionally, a new dual-brand AC Marriott/Element by Westin hotel is slated to open in October on the west side of The Smith Center. Further developments include the Cello Tower and Origin Development, which broke ground on April 29 at the north end of Symphony Park. Cello will be a 32-story tower, part of a larger development featuring shopping, dining, and midrise residential units and offices. The downtown government corridor will soon welcome the Las Vegas Civic Center, a facility that will house restaurants, offices, and a new plaza and stage for concerts and festivals. Addressing community challenges, Mayor Berkley acknowledged the city's serious animal issues, attributing them largely to human behavior. She emphasized her collaboration with rescue organizations to provide resources for spaying, neutering, and microchipping. Mayor Berkley also expressed her commitment to addressing homelessness, stating her goal to "get people off the streets by providing job training, mental health, alcohol and addiction therapy." She plans to begin meetings with shelters and groups in early June to further these efforts. The mayor concluded by discussing ongoing improvements in the Las Vegas Medical District and education services, underscoring her dedication to enhancing these vital areas for the city's residents. BERKLEY, Mich. (WXYZ) — Organizers of the Berkley Days festival are pressing pause, announcing that the event will not be happening this year. For the past two years, we've reported on safety days at the festival, with multiple fights breaking out throughout the large crowd. Watch below: Fighting teens causing chaos have Berkley Days organizers evaluating its future Even with added security measures added last year, there will be no 99th annual Berkley Days in 2025. The bulletin on the city's website said organizers are planning for an "exciting" and "reimagined" centennial celebration in 2026. While the association didn't specify the reason behind this year's event not happening, juvenile fights have broken out each of the past two years. Last year's event was shut down a day early due to the overwhelming safety concerns. That forced the Berkley City Council in a nearly unanimous vote to adopt a resolution in September that banned carnivals. During the meeting, they said the resolution was not a conversation to end Berkley Days, but create a pathway for change. “Nobody here wants to have any of their kids injured. It’s always been an event where you could drop off your kid and pick them up later. And parents don’t feel that way anymore. And so, that’s our first concern is everyone’s safety. If it’s not gonna be a safe environment, then we don’t wanna be supporting that," Berkley Det. Lt. Andrew Hadfield told us last year. The product recommendations on our site are independently chosen by our editors Its unrigged counterpart came along last year and a pre-rigged saltwater version was released this year but it’s the unrigged CullShad we’ll be getting into.   The Berkley PowerBait Unrigged CullShad comes in two sizes: 5-inch (three per pack for $7.99) and 6-inch (two per pack for $9.99) Both sizes are offered in 12 colors ranging from bright whites and chartreuses to natural shad colors to darker brown and perch options which helps them keep their shape all the way from the moment they come off the production line until they’re pulled from the pack and tossed in the water.  Berkley used their “patent-pending PowerBait HoneyComb Technology” to create a highly flexible tail section for the CullShad, which can also be found in the PowerStinger It allows some material to be removed from the back half of the bait while simultaneously increasing the durability of the tail more durable bait means it will catch more fish in its lifespan.  Berkley infused the CullShad with their PowerBait Scent; I’m not typically a big believer in scent when it comes to reaction baits that are on the move I just think bass that bite those baits are reacting to the action more than the scent there’s no letting go because the hook is already in them and it may very well mean the difference between a bass holding onto a bait long enough to get a good hookset and the bait being spit out.  When fishing a swimbait like this over and around weedy cover you’ll want to drop your rod for one second before reeling down to really drive the hook home on the hookset bass either take the bait in further or spit it out and I do believe it will cause the bass to hold on longer and get the bait better During my time testing the Unrigged CullShad I primarily fished this swimbait on a buzzbait but I do believe the 5-inch one would be fun to slide up on a swim jig or a big underspin I threw the 6-inch CullShad on a buzzbait a lot but the water just never quite got warm enough in time for me to catch anything on it the buzzbait skipped really well with this bait and the combo makes for a heckuva large profile if you’re in search of a big bite The slow kick of the swimbait tail trailing behind the churning prop looked pretty nasty too — more realistic than most of the soft plastics I put on buzzbaits.  the 5-inch CullShad looks really good in the water It has a slow but distinct action with a lot of flexibility throughout the back half of the bait instead of just in the paddle of the tail like some baits This is obviously due to the HoneyComb tech.The one good bass I caught with the bait rigged this way absolutely choked the whole swimbait I threw this bait, rigged weedless, on an EWG hook a lot on Lake Seminole a couple weeks back,  especially around and over vegetation. It has a good action and it’s a durable bait, but I don’t think this one will replace my favorite for this style of fishing: the Zoom Uni-Toad as well as on a jighead down deeper in the water while the Uni-Toad is more of a one or maybe two trick pony up on top and on a buzzbait.  I commend Berkley for doing something different with the CullShad and Unrigged CullShad there were already other baits on the scene with similar profiles but Berkley’s HoneyComb Technology really does set these two baits apart from the others Add to that the PowerBait scent incorporated into these two baits and there’s nothing on the market quite like them.  The best online fishing resource to learn and stay current on the latest fishing gear Receive emails when new obituariesare published to our website When you have experienced the loss of a loved one you can trust Boldt Funeral Home & Cremation Services to guide you through the process of honoring their life We pride ourselves on serving families in Faribault and the surrounding areas with dignity Our staff is experienced in a variety of funeral services and can help you celebrate your loved one no matter your religion Our compassionate staff is committed to serving you in your time of need We will do everything in our power to make your experience meaningful and memorable and each family is treated the way we would want our families to be treated Many families reach out after the conclusion of the services to let us know how much our support and guidance meant to them in their time of need and we’re honored to receive such heartfelt praise We feel that these messages speak for themselves and we’d like to share them with you family-oriented environment with traditional architecture and tasteful interior decor Our facilities accommodate all types of funerals and memorials large and small and compassionate services to you and your family Our goal is to lessen the burden on your family so that you can focus on celebrating your loved one's life and beginning your grief journey towards healing Boldt Funeral Home & Cremation ServicesPhone: (507) 334-4481300 Prairie Avenue S.W.Faribault Contact Us PHOTO CREDIT: Audrey Helbling and Katie Brien © Boldt Funeral Home & Cremation ServicesCrafted with care by Frazer Consultants and TA Your browser may not work with certain site. Upgrade now. Popular Detroit barbecue company Slows Bar BQ is expanding to Oakland County again with the addition of a Berkley restaurant set to open this fall Located where Berkley Common restaurant was until its recent closing just west of Coolidge in the heart of Berkley This isn't the smoked meat destination's first foray into Oakland County; Slows had a Pontiac location for a few years as well Slows' catering arm is already serving the area for graduation parties and other events and the food truck can be seen here and there including at the Northwood Food Truck Social near Woodward and 12 Mile on Tuesday evening The Berkley Slows Bar BQ is expected to have indoor and outdoor dining on the main floor with a space upstairs for private events and catering Managing director Terry Perrone tells The Detroit News that when Slows founder Brian Perrone and Phil Cooley started Slows in Corktown 20 years ago in September of 2005 it was the neighborhood vibes that attracted them to the area because they saw Slows as a neighborhood type of brand Terry Perrone says they see the same possibilities in Berkley adding that the landlords and previous tenants have done a lot with the corner building Slows will join several other dining destinations on that strip of 12 Mile including Green Lantern we'd love to look at this building," Perrone said The Slows in Corktown is open daily for lunch and dinner at 2138 Michigan and Slows To Go serves Midtown at 4107 Cass. Visit slowsbarbq.com for more information The recent loss of one restaurant in downtown Berkley has made way for a big win as an iconic Detroit barbecue restaurant is taking its place Corktown darling Slows Bar BQ is expanding its presence into Oakland County A second location of the iconic barbecue joint plans a fall in the space previously occupied by Berkley Common Berkley’ made it official that the famed Slows Bar BQ will open at 3087 12 Mile Road and Griffith Street "Detroit’s iconic SLOWS BAR BQ is officially coming to Downtown Berkley—and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome them just in time for their 20th anniversary in business!" the post read has built a strong following throughout metro Detroit a Slows To-Go spot and a food truck operate in Midtown.Terry Perrone said the food truck and catering has always been strong in that area.“We knew we had support out there and landlords reached out to us,” Perrone told the Free Press This looks like this could work.’”Perrone said that the “building is in great shape” and work is underway for the buildout of the restaurant The restaurant’s first floor will seat about 70 people plans also include a patio/parklet on Griffith Street side of the building.A highlight of the space and what attracted Slow’s owners to space was the building’s second-floor private event space with a dedicated bar.In Corktown they’ve turned part of the space into an event space.“We get rehearsal dinners meetings and certainly train station tours all the time,” Perrone said “But to actually have a dedicated space that was even more appealing,” he said slows Bar BQ menu is known for its sandwiches like the Reason and the Yardbird Slows Bar BQ has always offered plenty of offsite catering Slow’s Bar BQ food truck will roll into the area and its catering arm is available through Slows To-Go for summer graduation parties and events More: Detroit's 2025 Best New Restaurants & Dining Experiences More: Gregorio's Italian Restaurant Facebook post went viral: Here's why Opening in Berkley is a full circle for the owners who also include Brian Perrone and Josh Kiellor “All three of us … Brian and I grew up in Northwest Detroit … but our dad taught at Shrine high school,” Perrone said This is not the first time for a Slows Bar BQ in Oakland County At one time they operated a location in downtown Pontiac.Slows Bar BQ in Corktown got its start in 2005 and is celebrating 20 years in business this year It’s known to many as the catalyst for putting Detroit's oldest existing neighborhood in the culinary spotlight Robert Wesley Berkley died of natural causes at age 87 on Tuesday Bob has left a conspicuous void in the lives of all who had the privilege of knowing and loving him pioneer in the road-building materials industry his family moved to a more rural setting nestled among southeast Missouri's Ozark Mountains Their modest home was situated on the side of Buford Mountain Bob spent much of his youth rambling over the old rounded mountain's rocks and through its forest He developed a fascination with the stones and minerals shaping the landscape collecting geodes and other specimens on his adventures He carried this interest into young adulthood earning a bachelor's degree in geology from the University of Missouri Growing up in the area of Buford Mountain and the adjacent Arcadia Valley Bob developed a passion for nature that he pursued throughout his life and later in life he led numerous family outings with binoculars in hand eager to spot his favorites or discover a new species for his life list he enjoyed fishing - the thrill of a tug on his line never diminishing over time While attending Ironton High School in Arcadia Valley and experienced more than 62 years of growth and memories together until Rosalie's death in 2021 Bob and Rosalie shared a love of literature and poetry including Rosalie's own published and unpublished works Their welcoming and warm home was filled with art and antiques that they joyfully collected together including paintings and photography created by Bob They took many long walks in and around St frequenting local parks and nature reserves They traveled regularly to enjoy family vacations and time by themselves in Door County they journeyed southwest to take in the desert hues of Santa Fe Bob and Rosalie were devoted disciples of Jesus Christ and were actively engaged in their faith community at Kirkwood Baptist Church The couple worked to advance fair housing in their community distributing leaflets to advocate for equal access to housing for people of all races - at a time when such rights were not universally recognized They also dedicated themselves to helping families rebuild and heal from the disease of alcoholism This commitment arose out of Bob's recognition in 1974 of his addiction to alcohol He began attending meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) ultimately celebrating 50 years of sobriety in April 2024 Bob and Rosalie supported and sponsored hundreds of alcoholics and their affected families and friends through the steps of recovery Before Rosalie's passing in February 2021 Bob selflessly cared for her as she was confined to a wheelchair for six years following a major heart attack and multiple strokes and to help care for him as he battled cancer in nearby Sturgeon Bay Bob remained in Algoma to build on the relationships he had already established in the community and to stay close both to Kent's grieving family and to son David and his family living in Oshkosh Bob regularly attended Algoma United Methodist Church and What began as a friendship blossomed into love Bob's courtship of and marriage to Sue gave him a new breath of life after a dark and difficult chapter rife with the challenges of caregiving Bob and Sue ministered to the Algoma community establishing a weekly free soup luncheon for seniors They also hosted numerous meals for local families particularly those facing economic challenges Bob and Sue actively promoted the work of Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon throughout Kewaunee and Door Counties as Bob encountered health challenges precipitated by two severe bouts of COVID and associated cardio-pulmonary complications Sue and his family members cared for him tirelessly even amid numerous medical appointments and treatments Bob and Sue celebrated their newfound love and obsessively checked in on a pair of bald eagles and their hatchlings that they had spotted in an enormous nest near Algoma combined with his ability to focus intensively and develop creative solutions to vexing problems He applied his degree in geology and an engineering mindset to the field of pavement science and production he worked his way up the ranks of several companies that produced asphalt and modified (polymer) asphalt and that paved roads with those materials Bob played a pivotal role in the construction of roads and highways spanning Missouri and connecting states across the Midwest hand-picked chemists to invent more resilient and sustainable polymer asphalts that remain in use today Many who travel the highways of Missouri and the Midwest today will drive on road surfaces developed under Bob's leadership Bob founded the Association of Modified Asphalt Producers (AMAP) bringing together key players in a fledgling industry to ensure the continued adoption and growth of the product category that they were pioneering AMAP continues to thrive as an influential industry association Bob was a Renaissance man who excelled in both analytical and creative pursuits he mastered the left-brain disciplines of chemistry he also exercised the right brain through a deep appreciation for the arts - he was an accomplished painter immersing himself in scripture and living his beliefs and Missouri Tigers football and basketball exhibiting an ever-present sense of humor that ranged from campy and sophomoric to nuanced and sophisticated Bob's warmth and charisma made him especially gifted at connecting with young people He fostered very close relationships with all of his grandchildren and he created a special place in his heart for his two great-granddaughters Bob Berkley is greatly missed by many who loved him He is also survived by his daughter-in-law and her daughter and his great-granddaughter along with their children and their families: Ashley Nowland; Jordan Nowland and his wife Natalie Nowland; Nate Berkley and his wife Alice Berkley; Haley Nowland; and Joe Berkley Erin Grunwald (Ashley's daughter); his stepsons James Sandstrom and John Sandstrom; and his sister Pam (Berkley) Ross and her family - husband Doug Ross and their children Kevin Ross Bob's family invites friends and loved ones to consider making a donation in his memory Contributions may be made to either or both of the following causes that reflect Bob's lifelong passions for nature This nonprofit organization is dedicated to protecting and preserving natural environments and ecosystems in beautiful Door County go to https://www.doorcountylandtrust.org and click "Donate Now," and then choose "Give a Tribute or Memorial Gift." Then select "Dedicate This Donation" and "In Memory Of." Then fill in "Robert W Berkley" and use the following as the "Recipient Email": mausberkley@gmail.com Berkley" in the check's memo field >>> Latinos Emergency Assistance Fund (LEAF) established this program in 2020 to provide assistance to Latinos families that live in Wisconsin's Door and Kewaunee counties and are facing economic hardship This fund collaborates with the Hispanic Resource Center of Door and Kewaunee Counties (HRC) Door County Medical Center (DCMC) and its Imelda's Hope/Esperanza de Imelda Ministry Fund and other local churches and agencies that provide discrete and reliable emergency funding and support to targeted families for rent and utilities visit https://hopeunitedchurchofchrist.breezechms.com/give/online and click to the right of the large dollar sign at top to fill in the amount of your donation click the first pull-down menu to select "Give to L.E.A.F." Then click the second pull-down menu to select whether you want to make a one-time donation or a repeating donation The third pull-down menu allows you to select the method of payment The next dialog screen will allow you to enter your payment information you may mail in or drop off your donation at the following address: Please make your check payable to Hope UCC and write "LEAF - Robert W & Door County Crematory LLC in Sturgeon Bay are assisting the Berkley family and photos of Robert may be shared with his family through his tribute page at www.HuehnsFuneralHome.com Door County Land TrustP.O. Box 65, Sturgeon Bay WI 54235Tel: 1-920-766-1359Email: info@doorcountylandtrust.orgWeb: http://www.doorcountylandtrust.org Latinos Emergency Assistance Fund (LEAF)141 S 12th Ave, Sturgeon Bay WI 54235Web: http://hopeunitedchurchofchrist.breezechms.com/give/online Hope Church141 S. 12th Avenue, Sturgeon Bay WI 54235Tel: 1-920-743-2701Web: http://www.hopechurchdc.org W.R. Berkley Corporation confirmed that Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance has reached an agreement to acquire up to 15% of the company’s outstanding common stock The shares will be purchased on the open market or through private transactions with third parties which holds a significant stake in the company will not sell any shares to MSI nor will the insurer buy directly from W.R once MSI secures at least 4.9% of the outstanding shares it will vote those shares in line with the Berkley family’s recommendations except in certain cases where its votes will reflect the broader shareholder base If MSI’s stake reaches at least 12.5% the Berkley family will support the nomination of an MSI representative to the company’s board pending approval by the board’s nominating and corporate governance committee The Berkley family will continue to hold two board seats Berkley’s day-to-day operations and the Berkley family remains committed to the company MSI has also agreed to standard restrictions on its stake “We have deep respect for MSI developed over years of collaborating with them through the company’s reinsurance operations,” said Rob Berkley “Their significant investment is a validation of our company’s performance and growth trajectory and we welcome the opportunity to leverage their international presence to create sustainable stockholder value.” MSI president and CEO Shinichiro Funabiki said the investment aligns with the insurer’s strategy “Their first-class track record in the U.S specialty market attracted us in making an investment and we look forward to bringing our network in Japan Asia and other selected markets to lead to sustained growth and increased value for both the company and MSI’s investment,” Funabiki said Berkley’s board formed a special committee of independent directors to review the agreement negotiated and ultimately recommended the deal which was approved by the board’s independent directors The Berkley family had started it would not proceed without the committee’s endorsement The transaction remains subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to close by March 2026 In January, the company reported fourth-quarter net income of $576.1 million Net premiums also rose to $2.94 billion from $2.72 billion a year earlier Premium growth was supported by an average rate increase of 7.7% across all lines reflecting a 7.65% increase from the previous close Luke Thornton said playing high school sports requires two simple facts: seizing the moment and overcoming the learning curve The Somerset Berkley three-sport athlete participates year around in soccer in the fall indoor track in the winter and baseball in the spring one other hobby the Berkley resident has grown to love besides high school sports — surfing waves “I pretty much surf all year round now,” Thornton said which is farther down from Horseneck Beach Thornton said he started liking surfing at the age of 10 His mom Christine sent him to a week-long summer camp at Shore Beach near Little Compton It was there that Thornton grew to love his new hobby “I really did not want to go but then actually I fell in love with it,” he said Thornton has since visited San Diego and Florida to test out new waves He said his goal is to one day visit Hawaii Vote: 12 athletes up for Herald News Baseball Player of the Week for April 21-27 probably the best waves of my life,” Thornton said about his surfing experience Something to get my mind away from high school sports “I play three sports all year round and (surfing) is just another active hobby to keep myself busy The Raider senior helped lead SBR soccer to a Sweet 16 appearance in the Division 2 tournament in the fall He scored six goals and was named a SCC honorable mention he was a member of the pentathlon team that set school record while qualifying for states in the high jump Thornton and the Raiders are ranked 15th in the power rankings with a 8-3 mark “Luke does everything we've asked him to do,” SBR second-year head coach Jason Martin said He handles everything the right way whether it’s practice or preparing his body the right way He’s an unsung leader for this team for sure.” Martin was asked what he thought about Thornton as a surfer I watch too much Shark Week,” smiled Martin “But he enjoys it and talks about it a lot Thornton feels surfing goes hand in hand with some of his high school sports you have to be in the right place at the right time I high jump for track so a lot of that is mental You must be moving and keep your mind clear.” Thornton snowboards and skates all winter just to keep his stamina up for surfing He will attend Suffolk University in the fall to play baseball But that doesn’t mean Thornton will forget about surfing anytime soon “There are some beaches out there and I’m 30 minutes away,” Thornton said Herald News and Taunton Daily Gazette sports editor Steven Sanchez can be reached at ssanchez@heraldnews.com You can follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @Chezsports DETROIT (WXYZ) — Slows BBQ is expanding into Oakland County with a location coming to Downtown Berkley later this year Slows owners say they're targeting a late summer or early fall opening carry-out and will have a private party space on the second floor Slows announced it was under new ownership and had plans to expand operations in Southeast Michigan The new ownership shifted to Slows Holdings managing director Terry Perrone and catering director Josh Keillor reportedly sold their shares to Slows Holdings but will still remain property owners and landlords at 2138 Michigan Avenue and at Slows To Go in Midtown our goal was to create a fun restaurant that would be kind of a neighborhood joint with great food We built an iconic Detroit brand with an incredible base of loyal supporters and frequent guests Our goal is to continue to grow that community throughout Michigan and build on our reputation and tradition of great barbecue and fun experiences,” said Chef Perrone in a statement in 2023 ShareSaveCommentMoneyMarketsUnmasking W. R. Berkley: The Overachiever You're MissingByTrefis Team Let’s just put it plainly: W. R. Berkley (NYSE: WRB) is one of the top-performing stocks you likely haven’t noticed While most investors are drawn to trendy names WRB has consistently delivered 25% annualized returns over the past five years – significantly outpacing the S&P 500 generating returns of over 91% since inception Let’s break down the data that strongly supports the case for WRB The company has achieved 13% annual growth – not only in the last year With an operating margin of 17.5% and a free cash flow margin of 25% alongside prudent underwriting and a sound financial strategy WRB has built a solid foundation for continued success Perhaps WRB’s most overlooked strength is its resilience during market downturns Here’s how it performed when markets fell: These results aren’t random – they reflect a consistent pattern To put that into context: investors are paying double the valuation for similar cash flow metrics elsewhere WRB's pricing reflects an opportunity that shouldn’t be ignored Invest with Trefis Market Beating Portfolios | Rules-Based Wealth The health of the world’s population exists on shaky grounds amid widespread cuts in foreign aid and the U.S.’s withdrawal from global cooperation Devex sat down with Dr. Seth Berkley, the former head of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, on the sidelines of the Africa Health Agenda International Conference held recently in Kigali to discuss what this could mean for the world and where priorities should lie Berkley served as head of Gavi from 2011 to 2023, and now works in advisory roles for organizations, such as the Serum Institute of India and other interventions for diseases impacting low- and middle-income countries ► Atul Gawande: Stop-work could destroy US global health infrastructure ► USAID cuts threaten global health research ► Is restoring US global health aid even possible? A social enterprise, we connect and inform over 1.3 million development, health, humanitarian, and sustainability professionals through news, business intelligence, and funding & career opportunities so you can do more good for more people. We invite you to join us. Wake Forest Men’s Soccer Adds Copeland Berkley to 2025 Signing Class2/18/2025 12:39:00 PM | Men's Soccer The New York Red Bulls academy product has made over 30 appearances for the second team W. R. Berkley Corporation reported net income of $417.6 million for the first quarter of 2025 compared to $442.5 million in the same period last year Operating income for the quarter was $404.7 million Gross premiums written totaled $3.68 billion up from $3.36 billion in the prior-year period Net premiums written increased to $3.13 billion from $2.85 billion The company attributed the growth to market conditions in several lines of business within its Insurance segment Return on equity was reported at 19.9 percent while operating return on equity was 19.3 percent These figures are based on annualized net income and operating income as a percentage of beginning-of-year common stockholders’ equity The combined ratio for the quarter was 90.9 percent which included 3.7 percentage points from catastrophe losses amounting to $111.1 million the current accident year combined ratio was 87.2 percent The company reported an average rate increase of 8.3 percent across its portfolio Net investment income rose to $360.3 million from $319.8 million a year earlier The increase was attributed to higher reinvestment rates and improved investment fund income Net invested assets reached $30.7 billion by the end of the quarter Book value per share rose by 7.1 percent during the quarter before accounting for dividends and share repurchases the company said it delivered a 19.9 percent annualized return on beginning-of-year equity despite what it described as significant catastrophe activity across the industry Management noted that the combined ratio reflected the company’s approach to underwriting and managing volatility in pursuit of risk-adjusted returns The increase in investment income was linked to broader market conditions and the company’s fixed-income portfolio growth which was supported by continued strength in operating cash flow Management also cited the ability to scale individual businesses based on market conditions as a factor in supporting its strategy Total revenue for the quarter was $3.55 billion while net investment gains totaled $16.4 million Revenue from non-insurance businesses came to $128.9 million Insurance service fees amounted to $28.9 million Total expenses rose to $3.01 billion from $2.68 billion in the prior-year quarter Loss and loss adjustment expenses were $1.90 billion Expenses from non-insurance operations totaled $126.4 million and interest expense remained steady at $31.7 million After accounting for $121.3 million in income tax and $222,000 in noncontrolling interests net income attributable to common shareholders was $417.6 million The company reported 399.8 million diluted shares outstanding for the quarter compared to 405.8 million in the same period last year Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker LOWELL — The No. 6 Somerset Berkley boys basketball team had not won a state championship in 71 years the Raiders were not going to denied against No "It feels great right now," a jubliant SBR senior co-captain Alex Crook said after the Raiders knocked off three-time state champion No That's all we've been talking about all year It was the third championship title in school history for SBR and first true basketball state championship for the school on 625 County St championships — 1948 and 1954 — in Tech tournaments at Boston Garden "The kids came to play today," longtime SBR head coach Bob Slater said It's important for people to know how much time these kids put into it Junior Dom Taylor led the way for the Raiders (24-1) with a game-high 17 points Junior guard Colten Pacheco finished with 14 points and senior guard Brendan McDonald ended with 12 points Senior center Finn Bjork also had a double-double with 11 points and 17 rebounds FOLLOW LIVE: Updates from Somerset Berkley, Malden Catholic boys basketball state final Seventy-one years and this group of guys did it." Aboubaker Nimaka paced the Lancers with a team-high 14 points Malden Catholic top scorer Matt Gaffney was held to just 7 points and did not score his first point until 4:55 of the third quarter More: From coaching staff down to players, Somerset Berkley's chase at history a team effort SBR missed its first five shots but then knocked down its next four McDonald led the way with seven points in the quarter as the Raiders took a 14-6 lead SBR continued to blitz the Lancers and opened up a 27-10 lead with 5:06 left before halftime Malden Catholic outscored the Raiders down the stretch Max Finlaw scored all of his nine points in the first half did all the little things for SBR when he went into the game early in the second quarter due to Bjork collecting his second foul but thanks to the work of Raiders athletic trainer Susan Medeiros he was quickly back on the floor the following series He finished with a pair of critical steals "Alex (Crook) is such a tough kid," Slater said He brings us a lot of energy when he's on the court We talk about energy all the time and he does a great job with that SBR continued its dominance in the third quarter and won the quarter easily 24-11 to go up 54-29 with eight minutes remaining in the game scored seven points along with Taylor to go up by 25 points follow through on a Pacheco fast break miss at the buzzer to make the score who scored just four points in the first half As the minutes and seconds counted down in the fourth quarter the Raiders fan base and bench began celebrating avenging last season's game against Malden Catholic in the Final Four Now the town of Somerset can celebrate its heroes Malden Catholic 44Somerset Berkley   14 18 22 11 — 65 Somerset Berkley (65): Colten Pacheco 6 0-0 14; Dom Taylor 7 0-0 17; Finn Bjork 5 1-2 11; Max Finlaw 3 1-1 9; Brendan McDonald 5 1-2 12; Alex Crook 0 0-0 0; Jacob Louro 0 0-0 0; Zachary King 0 0-0 0; Kaven DosSantos 1 0-0 2; Kelan Langlois 0 0-0 0; Brady Carpenter 0 0-0 0 Malden Catholic (44): Matt Gaffney 2 3-4 7; Aboubakar Nimaka 7 0-0 14; Abie Camara 3 0-0 6; Ben Howard 1 2-2 4; Mamadou Camara 3 0-1 6; Colin Mannke 2 0-0 5; Adrian Howell 0 0-0 0; Carducci Chery 0 0-0 0; Jeremiah Figaro 1 0-0 2 BERKLEY — Superintendent Melissa Ryan said that if Berkley's budget continues to fail to keep pace with the cost of providing education, "it will just flat out be the devastation of our school district." "We are already out of things that we can cut. There is no extra in Berkley Public Schools," she said "We don't have an assistant superintendent we don't have an [English learning director] What we have is dedicated staff who are wearing many hats and doing multiple jobs already Berkley had to cut eight positions due to budget constraints the district is looking at cutting 10 additional positions seven of which are classroom teachers and three of which are non-teaching staff Here's what Ryan said about the state of the Berkley Public Schools budget and about how she is navigating the current financial environment Impact of Department of Education executive orderOn Thursday, March 20 President Donald Trump signed an executive order calling for the "closure of the Department of Education." Ryan said that Berkley receives $215,593 in federal funding from the Department of Education which funds at least part of the salaries of "our school psychologist "There is no one to do their jobs if we do not have those funds to pay them," Ryan said "This would be an additional 5 [positions] on top of the current projected reductions." It is unclear whether Trump has the ability to close the Department of Education through an executive order or what impact closing the Department would have on funding received by Berkley and other school districts I am including the federal funds in our proposed budget; however I am keenly aware that they could be taken from us at some point and that we may have to adjust our budget," Ryan said "Berkely can't take too many more punches." Fireplace, jacuzzi, open floor plan Oversized cape in Berkley on over two acres of land sells for over $800K: Weekly home sales Ryan said in a presentation that for Berkley Public Schools to avoid any cuts next year she would need her budget to increase by 6.2% Ryan said that the Town of Berkley has asked Berkley Public Schools to increase their budget by only 1.2% a 1.2% budget increase is reductions in our current staffing," she said Berkley Public Schools has "fixed costs" that they "don't have any control over," such as increases in utility prices She said that the schools only received one qualified bid from a bus company to provide transportation services which meant the district had no choice but to accept that bid which was 13% more expensive compared what the district previously paid to provide transportation they know that they’re the only bus company that’s going to bid and then they’re in a position where they can charge us whatever they want to charge us and you have to hope that they’re going to be reasonable," Ryan said Ryan has proposed a "compromise budget" that would only increase the budget by 3% The compromise budget would still require the district to cut seven positions which would be less than the 10 positions Ryan would have to cut if the budget only increased by 1.2% Ryan said that the 10 position losses would be through layoffs rather than not filling positions vacated by a teacher retiring 'It's dire' How Dighton-Rehoboth Superintendent is navigating financial challenges schools in Massachusetts receive funding from both the state and from local cities and towns Ryan said that the state is set to increase Berkley's education funding by $48,000 The lack of substantial increases from the state level leaves the town of Berkley as the only entity that could provide additional funding so increasing Berkley's budget would mean increasing property tax revenue "We recognize that we have a tremendous amount of support from our Community.. they voted for a debt exclusion to pay for a new community school and we are tremendously grateful for that," Ryan said we recognize that our families and our community members only have so much to give The way I usually describe it: it’s like I’m asking for $10 and the community has $8 they just don’t know where to get the other $2.”  Is a proposition 2 1/2 override on the table?Ryan said that a proposition 2 1/2 override which would see Berkley raise taxes by a larger amount is "an option that's out there as a longer term solution." "It would need to be a really thoughtful process where they're finding the exact amount of money that is manageable for the community that also puts the town in a position where they're financially stable for a period of time so that it's not just a one-year fix and so that that we're not continuously in a budget cycle." districts like Berkley receive lower amounts of funding from the state compared to larger districts "I think the state does an exceptional job funding urban districts or districts that have a higher low income population and they do that on the backs of these smaller communities," she said "Every student in the state of Massachusetts deserves a high quality education because it is what is preventing us from getting fair funding from the state of Massachusetts," she said the state of Massachusetts is giving you less than 1% I don’t know how you would even get to a level service budget," Ryan said of the challenge her district faces financially “Schools should not be fighting this hard every year for fair funding," she said What took place in the final 16 minutes as they took the floor for potentially the final time turned into a comeback for the ages "I knew we were a better team than the first half," said Raiders senior co-captain Max Finlaw after SBR advanced to its first title game time in 71 years by beating Masconomet Regional I kept telling the guys that this is not going to be our last game together The No. 6 Raiders (23-1) move on the championship game at Tsongas Center at a time and date to be determined. SBR, which won its 20th straight game, will play a rematch against top-seeded and three-time defending state-champion Malden Catholic. Last season the Lancers held off the Raiders upset bid "We did not have a lot of kids playing tonight but those starters played their hearts out," Raiders head coach Bob Slater said The kids knew what they had to do in the second half More: 'Unsung hero' of Somerset Berkley boys basketball team has his big moment SBR came out with a full-court press in the second half that rattled Masconomet (21-2) The Raiders went on an 18-4 run that tied the game at 36-36 11 rebounds and 4 steals) hit one of two free throws to give SBR its first lead since the first quarter The Raiders ended the third quarter with a 44-38 lead SBR were outrebounded 25-13 in the first half as the Chieftains took a 32-18 lead into the locker rooms "The first half was more of us being lazy and being in a daze," Bjork said we just locked down on what we needed to do Junior Dom Taylor came up big in the fourth quarter for SBR He finished the night with four 3-pointers and shut down Masconomet leading scorer Jimmy Farrell to just three points in the final 16 minutes Farrell managed to get the Chieftains off to a hot start with 12 points in the first half "Our two junior starters — Taylor and Colten Pacheco — you knew they were going to turn it around at some point," Slater said Masconomet junior Jamason Vella (16 points) kept the game close in the fourth quarter but back-to back buckets by Bjork and Pacheco's free throws down the stretch helped seal the win "We were extremely confident in the locker room," Taylor said "We were here last year and we got back into the game We said we have to do the same thing in this game Senior guard Brendan McDonald controlled the offense in the second half and set the tempo on the floor Pacheco ignited the Raiders' all-out press throughout the second half Finlaw finished in double figures with 11 points McDonald said after game that his goal since his freshman season was to make it to the title game The last time SBR won a state title was in 1954 They also captured one championship in 1948 Slater and his Raider squad wants to create their own history The 2002 team had an amazing run to the Final Four led by Tony Gaffney whose team won the South Sectional title that season "Just to get another game and now have a chance to win a state championship I don't think the kids realize how much they've done for our community Masconomet (58): Thomas Denton 4 0-0 9 ; Jamason Vella 8 0-0 16; Cal Weidman 1 0-0 3; Devin O'Brien 3 2-2 9; Jimmy Farrell 6 1-1 13; Hunter Rossi 2 1-1 5; Ryan Richardson 0 0-0 0; John Green 0 1-2 1 Somerset Berkley (66): Colten Pacheco 2 4-4 8; Dom Taylor 6 2-2 18; Finn Bjork 6 4-6 16; Max Finlaw 5 1-2 11; Brendan McDonald 6 0-0 13; Alex Crook 0 0-0 2; Jacob Louro 0 0-0 0; Zachary King 0 0-0 0; Kaven DosSantos 0 0-0 0; Kelan Langlois 0 0-0 0; Brady Carpenter 0 0-0 0 Robin Berkley is the Ann Kimball Johnson Director of Education at the George W where she develops and oversees research and policy work in the Institute’s education portfolio She is particularly focused on assessment and accountability and post-secondary readiness so that students are prepared to become successful members of their communities She also oversees the Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries Berkley has spent two decades focused on improving opportunities for children and families She has worked in leadership roles at the Texas Education Agency as well as EducationCounsel mission-based education consulting firm that combines policy She served as the Executive Director of Horton’s Kids a site-based organization in southeast Washington It supports 500 children and families living in an under-resourced U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development housing community by providing education The graduation rate of children in Horton’s Kids rose to 100% from 65% during her tenure Berkley’s passion for children extends to all aspects of her life She is a member of the Board of Directors for Educational First Steps and has been an active volunteer with Reading Partners She has also served as a Board Member of Many Hands Washington and Board Chair of the Blue Igloo Early Childhood Cooperative who became permanent members of their family several years ago and who graduated from Jesuit College Preparatory of Dallas in 2023 Both now attend Loyola University in New Orleans Berkley is married and lives in the Preston Hollow neighborhood of Dallas with her husband She is an active member of Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church and Board Member for the parents’ associations for the Lamplighter School and the Hockaday School She is a graduate of the Hockaday School and has a bachelor’s in finance from Wake Forest University and a master’s in public policy from Duke University (WLNE) — The Berkley Police Department said a man was arrested after he stole a vehicle on April 27 officers were sent to the Racing Mart gas station on Padelford Street for reports of a suspicious vehicle officers discovered a man sleeping inside the vehicle which police said was “severely damaged.” police discovered the vehicle had been stolen earlier in the morning during a domestic incident The man was charged with carjacking and domestic assault and battery The suspect’s identity has not been released at this time Costa was a long-time youth softball coach in Somerset where helped develop numerous players for high school softball and beyond Couitt ('14) is the school record holder in the high jump clearing the bar at a height of 6-feet-10 inches He won the Massachusetts and New England championships in the high jump and finished third in the nation in that event Couitt received the Wellington King Award as the school's best senior male athlete Couitt went to Dartmouth College where he remains in the top 10 all time in the high jump The 2005 Blue Raiders were undefeated during the regular season against state competition with a 19-0 record and 14 wins by 5-0 shutouts they lost in the semifinals to Newton North in a match that veteran Coach Chapman said was as high a quality of high school tennis as any match that I have been involved in Danis ('36) played four years of baseball as a pitcher and an outfielder and was the top pitcher in the Narry League for coach Bill Spokesfield Danis also played offensive end and defensive end in football and scored the game-winning touchdown in the 1935 Thanksgiving Day game against Case He was the first recipient of the high school's best male athlete award For many years he coached American Legion and Babe Ruth League baseball in town Boisselle ('98) was the fifth Blue Raider top top the 1,000-point mark in basketball becaming one of the fastest players to hit the milestone by averaging over 20 points per game as a junior and as a senior Salpietro ('12) hit .453 as a freshman and .400 as a sophomore He hit three home runs in a state tournament in his sophomore year Salpietro was an Eastern Athletic Conference All-Star during his junior and senior years He hit 18 career home runs for the Blue Raiders He also was an All-Star runner for the high school's track and field team Ledo ('01) was the leading scorer on the 2000 field hockey team that has already been inducted as a team That squad ended the historic winning streak by tradition powerhouse Walpole She was the team's Most Valuable Player and was selected an Eastern Mass She scored the winning goal in the South Sectional semi-final game in triple overtime She was aalso a standout sprinter for the track & field team Ledo played field hockey at Worcester State University where she made the MASCAC all-star team Jackson ('81) was an all-scholastic player in both baseball and football was an all-scholastic defensive back and wide receiver for the Blue Raiders He caught three touchdown passes in a game against Dennis-Yarmouth Jackson was best known as a hitter for Coach Jim Sullivan's Raiders He had a .422 batting average and received the Jerry Remy Award in 1981 He played baseball at Bristol Community College and the Community College of Rhode Island before getting a baseball scholarship to play at the University of South Florida Allen ('13) was a Wellington King Award as the best female senior athlete at Somerset Berkley.  She was captain of  three sports - volleyball She was an EAC All-Star in multiple years in volleyball and softball Allen hit .406 as a senior for the softball team and the power hitter had a .321 career batting average Former Somerset hockey player Manny Silva is the fourth recipient of the award named for the first hockey coach in school history and then 31 years as a junior varsity coach and then varsity assistant coach Silva was a varsity assistant for 23 years serving as the right-hand man for head coach Kevin Snyder They both stepped down together after the 2024-25 season Mollicone ('95) was a three-year starter in football throwing 16 touchdown passes as a quarterback He also played three years of varsity basketball avering 13.4 points as a junior and 15.5 points as a senior Mollicone played football for three different colleges - Northeastern University the University of Miami and the University of Alabama He was converted from a quarterback to a long snapper in college Mollicone played in NFL Europe in England and had a tryout with the Kansas City Chiefs Charest ('91) was a four-year starter and all-star for the Raiders' tennis team He has the fifth most wins in the program's history with 59 Charest and John Meehan were an All-Star doubles team Charest was a three-year All-Star in singles FALL RIVER — Bill Burgess' athletic ability stood out during his high school days The Somerset Hall of Famer was a four-sport athlete in 1954 he set the state football scoring record (159) and led the Raiders to their second straight undefeated season But maybe Burgess' greatest acccomplish that season happened on the hardwood floor where he was Somerset's best player leading the Raiders to their second state hoop title in school history Now the 2024-25 Raiders boys basketball will get a chance to etch their names next to him The Somerset Berkley boys basketball team worked out on the Thomas "Skip" Karam court inside the Luke Urban Fieldhouse on the campus of B.M.C Durfee High school Thursday in preparation for Sunday's Division 2 state final matchup against Malden Catholic at Tsougas Center "It's a great feeling to still be playing," Raiders longtime head coach Bob Slater said We have to play 32 good minutes of basketball to beat Malden Catholic Slater watched carefully as his team went through a series of shooting and running drills in the final countdown of practice days leading into Sunday "I'm so happy how together they are," Slater said There were times this year I was watching them play and not coaching It's pretty refreshing to see high school kids and how unselfish they are We had some kids that could have put up some big numbers but it would have defeated our purpose of playing team basketball." There were games during the season the Raiders were tested including the Division 2 state semifinal game against Masconomet "Playing D-R in double overtime and Bourne playing us really well in both games," Slater said "Durfee taught us a big lesson here and Falmouth in the Crosby/Coute tourney They were a lot of games we had to reach down." Slater said his coaching staff — Chris Mendes Ray McDonald and Mason Medeiros — is one of the best in the state "It's the first year for Coach Laurence as a volunteer He knows every out of bounds play for the other team Coach Mendes is a God send the last few years "Ray is very quiet so when he gets excited the kids know what he's saying Mason does not say much to us but he's real helpful with the kids on the bench He can honest with them and tell them what they can do better." Max Finlaw and Finn Bjork along with juniors Dom Taylor and Colten Pacheco were asked if they know their history when a picture of Burgess was presented to them "Not many people in this town were alive when he was playing It's the first experience for everyone and we got close last year Now we're in that game and hopefully we come out on top." Not only how long we haven't been there before but also to see how much history our program has and has been around Taylor said its crazy how long the photo of Burgess has been around 1,000-point club: Somerset Berkley star becomes the eighth player to smash milestone Bjork was equally impressed while looking at Burgess picture "The picture explains how long it has been since we pulled it off It's insane and pretty surreal to realize what we've done." Pacheco said he's really proud of the team's season "Our team has building for a couple years now," he said authoritative news and information source for executives focused upon risk management Never miss important news: Become a Business Insurance Online subscriber today Create your free Business Insurance account now Sign up for unlimited free newsletters from BI and get introductory access to all content on the new Business Insurance online (WLNE) — Berkley residents say they are restless and fed up with nightly train horns from the new South Coast Rail service over 100 people gathered at Berkley Town Hall to voice their concerns Wednesday night Stephen Alvarez said he lives about 12 steps from the tracks because your sleep is disturbed,” he said “You’re waiting to hear the horn you’re waiting to feel the rumble in the house because our house is an old farmhouse.” Residents near Myricks Junction said over 60 trains a day pass by their homes meaning they hear the horn about three times each hour when the trains are running “They start a mile down the road and continually blow it all the way through,” Alvarez said “They don’t seem to mind too much at 1:30 in the morning or 4:45 when they start.” which would keep the horns off during certain hours MBTA Chief Operating Officer Ryan Coholan explained that can only be decided between the town and the Federal Railroad Administration “The operating railroad for the territory they are involved with the discussions,” Coholan said “But the discussion has to be between the municipality and the FRA.” Those in charge of South Coast Rail said the main concern is safety “They can stick to whatever federal guidelines there are in terms of what they need to do to blow the horns at the crossings,” Alvarez said “But they don’t need to blow them four crossings away and all the way through.” Both the MBTA and representatives for the Town of Berkley said they are going to have internal discussions to decide how to best proceed W. R. Berkley Corporation has announced the establishment of Berkley Embedded Solutions a new business designed to provide insurance products and services integrated directly into the purchasing process Stephanie Lloyd has been appointed president of the newly formed entity Lloyd brings two decades of experience in the property and casualty insurance sector having held leadership roles in underwriting She previously served as the CEO of a global technology firm in the digital health and well-being industry highlighted Lloyd’s expertise in embedded insurance noting her experience in launching and scaling an embedded platform serving global consumer brands “Stephanie is recognized as a pioneer in the embedded insurance market,” Berkley said “Berkley Embedded’s value proposition will be offering traditional insurance industry expertise while simultaneously meeting customers where they want to be met We are delighted to have Stephanie lead Berkley’s efforts along this important frontier.” Berkley Corporation is one of the largest commercial lines insurance writers in the US Berkley Embedded Solutions aims to leverage modern technology to offer digital-first insurance products and services while maintaining Berkley’s established underwriting approach The announcement follows W. R. Berkley’s recent financial success The company reported a fourth-quarter net income of $576.1 million a 45% increase from $397.3 million in the same period last year This rise was driven by net investment gains particularly from its fixed-maturity portfolio and net unrealized gains on equities supported by an average rate increase of 7.7% across most lines The company’s strong financial performance positions it for continued growth in 2025 Berkley Corporation operates globally in property and casualty insurance through its insurance and reinsurance and monoline excess segments BREAKING: Berkshire Shares Slide On News Of Buffett Exit Berkley jumped to a record high on Friday after reporting that Tokyo-based Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance plans to buy a 15% stake in the company Berkley on Friday confirmed that Mitsui Sumitomo would purchase 15% of the company's common stock through open market purchases or private third-party transactions The Berkley Family is reportedly not selling any of its… Trade war perils are swirling around ocean shippers and the ports that serve them Get instant access to exclusive stock lists expert market analysis and powerful tools with 2 months of IBD Digital for only $20 Learn how you can make more money with IBD's investing tools Real-time quote and/or trade prices are not sourced from all markets Ownership data provided by LSEG and Estimate data provided by FactSet MarketSurge and other marks are trademarks owned by Investor's Business Daily LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — The Collaboration Center a leading disability resource network in Las Vegas honored Mayor Shelley Berkley at its 5th Annual Night en Blanc Gala Friday evening The event also recognized The Penta Building Group and Moser Architecture Studio with the prestigious Founders Award for their significant contributions and support Guests attending the white-themed gala indulged in a culinary experience crafted by local chefs This was done while raising funds and awareness for the Collaboration Center's exclusive disability resource network The proceeds from the event will directly benefit the center's case management support and family inclusion programming aimed at assisting individuals and families affected by intellectual Berkley Re has announced the launch of Berkley Re Turnkey Solutions a division dedicated to providing reinsured turnkey solutions to carriers The company says that the division is designed to expand Berkley Re’s reinsurance portfolio by offering scalable solutions backed by industry expertise.  The division will provide solutions across commercial and personal lines employment practices liability insurance (EPLI) workplace violence coverage for commercial entities and Violent Event Protection coverage for personal lines.  Get the latest reinsurance news direct to your inbox twice a week. Sign up here Berkley Re said that it plans to work with partners to develop new products and leverage the broader capabilities of the Berkley organization whose insurance company subsidiaries hold an A+ (Superior) rating with a Financial Size Category XV from AM Best senior vice president and head of Turnkey Solutions highlighted the firm’s focus on people and processes to facilitate business operations The launch of the new division follows a period of growth for W.R. Berkley Corp., with the company recently reporting a fourth-quarter net income of US$576.1 million for common shareholders marking a 45% increase from the same period last year The company’s total premiums for the year amounted to US$11.97 billion 2024 also saw the corporation announcing a major expansion in India with subsidiary Berkley Insurance Company receiving approval from the International Financial Services Centers Authority (IFSCA) to establish a branch office in the country operates under the name Berkley Insurance Company Please feel free to share your comments below Get the latest reinsurance news direct to your inbox twice a week. Sign up here I am unashamedly nonchalant when it comes to selecting braided fishing lines Each company claims to have the best casting and best strength-to-diameter braided line I can honestly say that while there are some differences between braids I haven’t once been on the water and thought this line is really keeping me from catching fish.” But then a spool of it was put into my hands Now I get why everyone keeps bringing this up.” All of a sudden Berkley decided to answer those questions by giving me a few spools to try In short: After putting the new Berkley Forward braid through my own “scientific” tests I can state that it does indeed cast further than the competition Berkley markets it to forward-facing sonar users anyone looking for a further-casting braid will love this line The super-shooting line is sensitive like other braids and is great for finesse fishing applications It’s available in three colors but only goes up to 17-pound test so it’s limited to spinning rod applications Berkley markets this as a braid that will excel in forward-facing sonar fishing Is this some sort of fancy fishing line with a magical wavelength that draws forward-facing sonar transducers to it does this line have a place in my fishing lineup?” It turns out that it doesn’t have some crazy way to tie-in with forward-facing sonar It does mean they designed the line with forward-facing That means casting at long distances to targets that you find with your FFS unit and getting finesse baits down to them quickly The box it comes in highlights the following features: casting distance It felt like a fluoro/braid hybrid rather than a straight braid when I learned more about its construction I learned that it’s technically not a braid Braided lines have multiple filaments literally braided together Berkley doesn’t do that with this line; it has a proprietary process to bind the filaments together so it made sense that it felt different than other braids I’ve handled I worked for a manufacturer of fly fishing leaders and tippet and learned some of the nuances of fishing line manufacturing gaining performance in one area means losing performance in another I needed to figure out if this line met its claims and if it lost performance in other areas I do not have a fancy lab with instruments to test lines I figured I could create some tests to see if I could identify true differences between this braided line and others You can find those tests and results below This test was pretty obvious. I strung up a spool of 10-pound Berkley Forward braid and put it on a Shimano Zodias 7′ Medium Light spinning rod with a small Ned rig jighead I made 10 casts and took the average distance I then removed the reel with the Berkley forward braid put a reel with 10-pound Seaguar Smackdown on the same rod with the same jig The Forward braid averaged 103 feet and the Smackdown averaged 80 feet on the nose While it’s impossible to remove human error or the effects of wind on casting with this test it’s pretty clear that I was able to increase my casting distance on average A big factor affecting the sink rate of a braided line is its diameter Thinner diameter lines have less surface area and thus have less resistance in the water a thinner line will sink faster than a thicker line when attached to the same lure I poked around some manufacturers’ websites to see how the diameter of the 10-pound Berkley Forward braid stacked up to the competition To fit the claim that it’s faster sinking it would have to be more dense than other braided lines I could have broken out a grain scale to measure its density but remember the part where I said I’m nonchalant about braid the super-slick coating could also affect how it sinks with less friction with the water I don’t really have a way to test that without a giant water tank and timers I landed on an inconclusive result in the improved sink rate test One of the main reasons anglers fish braid is for sensitivity Braided lines give you the best connection to your lure allowing you to pick up bites better than you can with fluorocarbon or nylon monofilament Braid is more sensitive because it has zero stretch when put under pressure With this new braid feeling so similar to fluorocarbon I was curious if it would stretch like monofilament lines I cut a big piece of the line and placed two marks with a Sharpie on it I then wrapped it around my hands and pulled as hard as I could it started cutting into my hands before it would break After a few minutes of pulling and torquing on each side of the marks Berkley didn’t give up sensitivity to gain the extra casting distance Another benefit of braid is its superior abrasion resistance to other types of lines That’s why anglers use it to fish in thick cover I found increased casting distances with no loss in sensitivity Enter another one of my redneck, literal backyard tests. I took my 10-pound Seaguar Smackdown and 10-pound Berkley Forward to the backyard woodpile I marked a small section on each line and ran it over a log 100 times The following are macro images of each one of the lines after the test: but it was much more obvious with the Berkley Forward braid the “fray” you can see on the Forward braid may just be the slick exterior coating and not the fibers of the line itself it’s still more abrasion-resistant than fluorocarbon Berkley never claimed the Forward braid has superior abrasion resistance They say it’s great for finesse fishing tactics which you often won’t be doing in heavy cover where abrasion resistance is paramount My favorite of the tests was when my wife and I took the dogs on a walk to a nearby river filled with smallmouth and panfish I brought some rods along with different braids Like most braids, the new Berkley Forward braid allowed me to detect subtle bites and my finesse lures ticking along rocks on the bottom I could differentiate between bottom contact and contact with a fish’s face The biggest benefit of the Berkley Forward braid is that it actually resulted in me catching more fish There was a section of the river that widened out and was very deep Within 3 feet of the bank I was standing on But there was a really good-looking eddy on the far side I had a rod spooled with Seaguar Smackdown in my hand my little lure kept landing short of the juicy spot I busted out the rod with the Berkley forward braid and proceeded to land the same bait right in the juice and came tight it wasn’t a big smallmouth but the ever-annoying rock bass it was a fish I wouldn’t have caught without Berkley Forward braid I noticed the line does have more memory than other braids and seems stiffer but those negatives can be mitigated with a fluorocarbon leader I fish a leader with braid 100% of the time anyway The Berkley Forward braid is a unique braided fishing line specifically being able to reach more fish Outside of situations where I need the most abrasion resistance The Plano StowAway Tackle Box was recently redesigned We tested if the changes to the staple tackle box are marketing hype or true improvements Morgan has been writing about hunting and fishing for 4 years Morgan worked as a fishing guide in Utah and Wyoming and is the owner-operator of Music City Anglers He has also worked as a sales rep for Umpqua Feather Merchants or rowing his raft down a river in pursuit of smallmouth The Somerset Berkley co-op ice hockey team recently concluded their season with an end of the year banquet at the Swansea Country Club Snyder coached his last game after 23 seasons in this winter’s Division 3 Round of 32 playoff loss against Hopedale/Milford What happened next for Snyder at the party was one he’ll never forget “Forty ex-players walked in the door,” Snyder said "From my first captain on the team I coached to guys who I played with in high school Snyder finished his coaching career with a record of 257-168-35 He is the all-time winningest high school coach at Somerset Berkley Snyder surpassed the mark (171) held by his former coach Bob Souza “We’ve had our ups and downs over the years,” Snyder said The 2023-24 season was one for the record books for Snyder and the Raiders advanced to the Final Four for the first time in school history riding the hot goaltending of Brandon Silva with playoff wins against defending champion Nashoba Despite a 50-save effort in net from Silva Snyders’s team magical run ended against Nauset “I could always lean on Brandon,” Snyder said “I was glad he was back for his senior year They knew what was going on and they gave me all the effort they could Perfect marriage: Somerset Berkley ice hockey to co-op with Dighton-Rehoboth/Seekonk Snyder was asked what was his most memorable games of his career “I’d have to say the game against West Springfield,” he said “I’ve had a lot of great games but the situation that day with my dad passing I got the most out of the kids that day than any other game “My first year as head coach we beat Bishop Feehan for the Eastern Athletic Conference title We drove down to New Bedford afterward to watch Stang and Coyle.” lived just four houses down from Souza in high school He was known as an offensive- and defensive-minded defenseman Snyder attended Bobby Orr Sports Summer Camp for three years off the shores of Lake Couchiching at Orillia in Ontario He later received a job there for four years from New York Rangers brothers Dave and Don Maloney Snyder became an assistant coach for the Raiders under Jim McDermott for three seasons and later 10 years under Joe Prenda Snyder was asked if he might change his mind next winter Herald News and Taunton Daily Gazette sports editor Steven Sanchez can be reached at ssanchez@heraldnews.com. You can follow him on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @Chezsports. Insurance Firm Leads S&P Gainers Friday Yahoo! Finance. "W. R. Berkley Corporation (WRB)." one of the country's top prep softball pitchers will not have a senior season in the circle The South Bend Saint Joseph superstar and University of Oklahoma commit will be sidelined this spring due to a back injury More: Saint Joe's Berkley Zache is named MVP of Northern Indiana Conference softball team was among the front runners for Miss Softball in Indiana The 6-foot-1 Zache was nearly unhittable in her three-year prep career More: HS softball: Zache sisters set to power Saint Joseph again She posted an 0.22 earned run average with an .063 opponent's batting average Zache allowed 68 hits and 36 runs (10 earned runs) in 322.1 innings with 55 walks and 714 strikeouts and one home run allowed "It was definitely a little heartbreaking," said Zache Thursday afternoon in a phone interview It's all God's plan and I'm trusting him through this process I'm just trying to be smart about it and not rush it and I'm hoping for the best right now I have a future to look forward to at Oklahoma." Zache injured her back while pitching for a travel team in November A slip and fall on the turf caused an imbalance of ligaments in her back "I took some time off and then did physical therapy," Zache said "I've been released for (physical therapy) now and have that on a need to basis Now I'm doing a lot of stretching and some running It's day to day as far as the pain and how I feel I hope to start throwing again in two to three weeks." Joe coach Earl Keith will miss much more than the softball aspect of his star player "I will miss her work ethic and competitiveness," Keith said I will miss talking to her and laughing with her at the ballpark "She is definitely a once in a lifetime talent for a school our size I hate that she has to miss the chance to play with her teammates Joe to the 2022 Class 3A state championship as a freshman She fired a 13-inning no hitter in a 1-0 win over Leo in the semi-state title game and nine-inning three-hitter as the Huskies beat Tri-West Hendricks 1-0 in the state final She has a career batting average of .407 in 86 games with 88 RBI who lost to Penn in a 2024 Class 4A regional game in 2024 a former star shortstop and catcher for the Huskies Oklahoma has won an unprecedented four straight Women's College World Series titles are the daughters of Bobby and Leslie Zache of Niles parents and my pitching coach," Zache said of those who have been there to support her during this time "I'm just really looking forward to getting back and playing with Riley again at Oklahoma." WR Berkley Corporation announced that its subsidiary, Berkley Insurance Company has received approval from the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) to establish a branch office in India will operate under the name Berkley Insurance Company The company noted that this represents a key step in Berkley Insurance Asia’s regional expansion efforts Unnati Bajpai (pictured above) has been appointed chief executive officer and principal officer of the new branch Bajpai brings extensive industry experience to the role and will join the leadership team of Berkley Insurance Asia Bajpai will collaborate closely with Shasi Nair chief executive officer of Berkley Insurance Asia to oversee the branch's establishment and operations president and CEO of WR Berkley Corporation highlighted the significance of the company’s entry into India She will be instrumental in establishing the Berkley team in India as we prepare to begin operations in 2025 Our entry into the Indian market underscores our commitment to selectively developing our business in Asia We look forward to bringing our specialty insurance products to the Indian market,” Berkley said WR Berkley Corporation is a major insurance holding company and one of the largest commercial lines writers in the United States It operates globally in the property casualty insurance sector focusing on insurance and reinsurance & monoline excess segments In October, the company also announced its third-quarter financial results for 2024 The company reported gross premiums written of $3.63 billion in Q3 2024 up from $3.35 billion in the same quarter of 2023 gross premiums written totaled $10.71 billion Net premiums written for the quarter were $3.06 billion Year-to-date net premiums written reached $9.04 billion compared to $8.23 billion for the same period in 2023 Net income available to common stockholders was $365.6 million for the third quarter an increase from $333.6 million in Q3 2023 (WXYZ) — A Berkley woman was in her home Sunday afternoon when she heard a loud crash That crash turned out to be a Berkley police chase that ended with a suspect's vehicle hitting her home just feet from where she was laying No injuries were reported and the entire ordeal was caught on police dash camera Anita Kowal has lived in Berkley her entire life and on the corner of Hamilton and Eaton Road for over 25 years she was laying on her couch when she felt a crash so I get up and I run outside and I see a police officer running down the street and a car in my house," Kowal said The Berkley Department of Public Safety says officers attempted to stop a white Dodge Journey near Edwards Avenue and Greenfield Road for operating without insurance and an outstanding warrant on the suspected driver then east on Lincoln Street toward Coolidge Highway and eventually through Huntington Woods before returning to Berkley The driver then took off on foot but was apprehended moments later by police Andrew Hadfield says in his over 20-year career he’s only seen two drivers go into a house I’m sure it was a big surprise to her to hear that a car hit a house and not knowing what’s going on that everyone's OK and we'll work on getting that property restored," he said "The biggest thing is we’re just glad everyone’s safe and hope that at least one other person takes another thought before running and just stops We’ll have our conversations and we’ll go about our way.” and says she was just feet away from where the car hit “I’m trying to turn it around to be positive I’m pretty sure I wouldn't be here," she said Now the restoration process begins for Kowal who lives alone and is left with significant damage in her living room and basement she’s worried about her heating bill for the foreseeable future I can feel the draft coming up from underneath my couch," she said “Maybe Consumer’s (Energy) will give me a break Upon further investigation from Berkley police the suspect was found to be in possession of cocaine and psilocybin mushrooms The individual also showed signs of operating under the influence of narcotics The Berkley Department of Public Safety is seeking charges for: the suspect has multiple outstanding felony warrants from Michigan and Georgia related to drug trafficking and theft.The suspect is a 31-year-old Southfield resident and police say no further information will be released about the suspect or investigation until after he is arraigned.