playCan Man City clinch second from Arsenal in the Premier League (1:40)Don Hutchison questions whether Manchester City can catch second-place Arsenal in the Premier League with only three points separating the teams Transfers homepage | Done deals | Men's January grades | Women's January grades with 18 goals and six assists from 35 appearances Capable of playing on either flank or through the middle Mbeumo could suit Ruben Amorim's 3-4-3 formation nicely and could move to a bigger club as he approaches his 26th birthday in August Rogers has been in impressive form for the Villans this season having scored 14 goals as well as assisting 10 in 51 matches across all competitions ESPN's Alex Kirkland on growing speculation around the future of forward Rodrygo Rodrygo's future at Real Madrid is in doubt -- but for very different reasons the presumption was that Kylian Mbappé's arrival at the Santiago Bernabéu meant a likely departure for the Brazil forward Mbappé would replace Rodrygo in Carlo Ancelotti's front two -- alongside Vinicius Junior -- and the Brazilian would leave Ancelotti insisting on maintaining his "fantastic four" frontline despite the resulting imbalance between attack and defence Rodrygo has made 30 appearances in Madrid's 33 LaLiga games He can't complain about a lack of opportunities -- he just hasn't made the most of them he's scored one goal in the last three months including in Madrid's Champions League elimination to Arsenal and the Copa del Rey final defeat to Barcelona when he was hauled off for Mbappé at half-time has led go a growing feeling that Rodrygo might leave at the end of this season Some journalists who are close to the club although a source close to the player has denied to ESPN that Rodrygo is considering pushing for a move there's a good chance he'd thrive in the right environment it means Mbappé and Vinicius -- who's expected to sign a new deal -- could play as a front two Endrick would be the first-choice alternative in attack with Brahim Diaz as a different kind of option Madrid could use the funds raised by Rodrygo's exit to spend elsewhere in the team where it's badly needed: in midfield and defence play1:38Ogden questions if leaving Liverpool is a good move for Alexander-ArnoldMark Ogden wonders if Trent Alexander-Arnold's best chance of success on the pitch is at Liverpool rather than a likely switch to Real Madrid - Manchester United are confident they can land Atalanta midfielder Ederson in the summer if they win the UEFA Europa League and seal progress to next season's Champions League. (GMS) - Atletico Madrid defender Reinildo has extended his contract until after the Club World Cup. The 31-year-old's terms had ended on June 30, but he's penned a short extension so he can play in the tournament. (Marca) - Flamengo right-back Wesley has Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Barcelona on his trail, but the Brazilian club want at least €35m for his transfer. (Caught Offside) - Morgan Gibbs-White is open to leaving Nottingham Forest if they miss out on Champions League qualification, with Liverpool, Manchester City and Newcastle are all monitoring the situation. But Forest would want a fee of around £100m to let the midfielder go. (Bleacher Report) - Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo has impressed Manchester United and could make a £70m move north. The former Bristol City star has enjoyed a strong season for the Cherries, with nine goals and five assists in the Premier League. (Football Insider) - Paris Saint-Germain could make a move to sign Bournemouth centre-back Ilya Zabarnyi, 22, or Club Brugge's Joel Ordoñez, in the summer. (Sky Sport Switzerland) - Arsenal are interested in bringing Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sané back to the Premier League when his contract expires in the summer. The former Manchester City forward has switched agents amid talks over a new contract, casting doubt over whether new terms will be agreed. (Florian Plettenberg) - Marseille centre-back Leonardo Balerdi, 26, is one of Leeds United's top targets for their return to the Premier League next season. (Sun) - Ipswich striker Liam Delap, 22, has long been linked with a £30m move in the summer but Everton could rival Manchester United for his signature. (TEAMtalk) - Fiorentina are reported to have signed Union Berlin defender Robin Gosens for his clause of €7m. (Nicolo Schira) - Ajax and Feyenoord are among the clubs monitoring Crystal Palace U21 midfielder Hindolo Mustapha for both loan and permanent deals. (Fabrizio Romano) - Atletico Madrid are closing on the €60m signing of Tottenham centre-back Cristian Romero. (Nicolo Schira) - If Madrid do hire Alonso then they might move for Bayer Leverkusen's Piero Hincapié, who has a €60m release clause but Madrid are confident they could land the Ecuador international for around €40m. (Relevo) - Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers are keeping tabs on Villarreal and former Arsenal winger Nicolas Pépé following a recent return to form. (Foot Mercato) - Brentford are leading the race to sign €20m-rated Genoa and Denmark international midfielder Morten Frendrup. AC Milan are also interested, and they are preparing to make a final decision over whether to challenge for his signature. (Calciomercato) - Chelsea remain intent on parting ways with forward Christopher Nkunku in the summer. He was linked with Bayern Munich in January. (Fabrizio Romano) - Talks over a free transfer are set to commence between Marseille and the representatives of Lille midfielder Angel Gomes when his contract expires in June. (L'Equipe) - Flamengo have begun talks over a move to sign on-loan AC Milan forward João Félix when he returns to Chelsea in the summer. (SBT Rio's Vene Casagrande) - Negotiations over a new contract between Lazio and attacking midfielder Pedro are set to continue in the next few days, with the Serie A club looking to sign him to a new one-year contract extension. (Nicolo Schira) - Atletico Madrid are planning to activate the €3m clause to sign defender Santiago Mouriño back from Deportivo Alaves. (Mundo Deportivo) - Defender Lisandro Magallán is set to leave Liga MX side Pumas at the end of the season. (Super Deportivo) Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. Representative Cory Mills reportedly saved at least three fellow soldiers while serving in Iraq I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Mills was honored after he administered “life-saving care” to fellow soldiers Joe Heit and Alan Babin at “great risk to his own life” while under “intense enemy fire” in Iraq, NOTUS reports citing the document recommending Mills receive the award Mills enlisted in the Army in July 1999 at 19 years old and was honorably discharged in August 2003 But Heit told NOTUS that Mills “didn’t save” his life and that he didn’t even suffer life-threatening injuries “I don’t recall him being there either,” he added a medic who flew in via helicopter to help evacuate Babin also told NOTUS he doesn’t remember Mills being there “From what I understand about Mills is he might have been in the unit I don’t remember him being involved in the medevac,” Barbe said said he can “pretty much confirm 100% Cory Mills was not up at the bridges at the location of everything.” if he came to the company position to assist in escorting Babin to the BN aid station I don’t know...but he wasn’t at the bridge [where] it all happened I do know that,” Painter told NOTUS Army documents recommending Mills for the award also state he saved Joe Ferrand a sergeant who had been “grabbed by an enemy insurgent” in a separate incident But Ferrand previously claimed Mills’ involvement in the incident was a “fabrication” and said that the act “never took place,” in a written statement to government officials Mills told NOTUS that “no soldier writes their own DA Form 638,” referring to the document used to recommend soldiers for awards “It is a recommendation for award and soldiers cannot recommend themselves,” Mills said “The form must be reviewed and signed by commanding officers.” Mills also conceded that it was “true” that Heit “did not have life-threatening injuries” and attributed the discrepancies to how chaotic the day was “It was a chaotic day and understandable that others may have different recollections of events.” The questions around his Bronze Star have been relayed to the Office of Congressional Ethics This isn’t the first time Mills’s military accomplishments have been questioned Last year, Mills’s Republican challenger Michael Johnson handed out flyers accusing him of lying about his military service and committing stolen valor, The Daytona Beach News-Journal reports “I’m tired of the slander and the defamation," Mills told the News-Journal "I ran for office to be able to serve the American people not to defend something I did 20 years ago over and over and over.” Mills was elected to Congress in 2022 and has since proven a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump Mills even attended his hush money trial last summer alongside fellow lawmakers including Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and Representative Byron Donalds The Republican lawmaker also made headlines February after his romantic partner Sarah Raviani filed a police report claiming she had been assaulted by Mills at his Washington “(Her significant other for over a year) grabbed her, shoved her, and pushed her out of the door,” the police report obtained by NBC Washington states Raviani, a cofounder of the group Iranians for Trump, then allowed police to listen in on a phone call between her and the congressman in which he allegedly instructed her to “lie about the origin of her bruises.” Mills “vehemently denies any wrongdoing whatsoever.” The Independent has contacted Mills’s office for comment. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Representative Cory Mills earned his Bronze Star for reportedly saving his fellow soldiers in Iraq, but those present say they don't remember the lawmaker being there govt and politics"},{"score":0.727084,"label":"/society/crime/personal offense/assault"},{"score":0.683323,"label":"/law govt and politics/armed forces"},{"score":0.620889,"label":"/news"},{"score":0.60882,"label":"/law Those he reportedly saved can’t remember him being there","description":"Representative Cory Mills reportedly saved at least three fellow soldiers while serving in Iraq Astronomers have been waiting patiently for months for light from a distant explosion to reach Earth, and the wait might finally pay off, according to NASA Scientists alerted the public last year about T Coronae Borealis a binary star system that could go nova "any day now," experts said Light from the nova's stellar explosion will make it seem as if a new star is shining in the night sky While stargazers may have been disappointed the nova didn't shine bright in 2024, excitement has been growing recently, according to a May skywatching guide issued by NASA after astronomers noticed T Coronae Borealis (AKA which is what happened before its previous nova in 1946 Here's what we know about T Coronae Borealis, dubbed the "Blaze Star," and why this nova is considered a "once-in-a-lifetime" event Roughly anytime now, experts said, though the exact date isn't known. According to an article written last year by NASA researchers believed T Coronae Borealis could go nova starting in September 2024 "We hope that it happens any day now," said Dr. Rebekah Hounsell, an assistant research scientist specializing in nova events at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in an earlier article Hounsell cautioned that the exact date is impossible to pin down "The timing of when it does happen is an estimate." The explosion caused by the nova will be so massive you'll be able to look up and see it in the night sky without a telescope Hounsell said it will shine about as brightly as the north star "It's going to be very, very obvious," Hounsell told IndyStar last year "The star is only 3,000 light years away in the northern crown constellation That's roughly 17 quadrillion miles away. Even so, scientists earlier with the Planetary Society say the nova explosion will likely be the brightest one witnessed on Earth since 1975 The word "nova" comes from the Latin word meaning "new." In astronomical terms, it can seem like there's a new star in the heavens even though that star might be very old and at the end stages of its life. During a nova event, explains NASA Hounsell said white dwarf stars aren't much larger in size than planet Earth the sudden explosion can make the star shine brightly enough to be viewed with the naked eye from trillions of miles away What causes a star to go nova?Stars don't always play nice with each other, say experts. Most stars are bound by gravity to one or more companion stars and things can get interesting — or violent — if these stars get too close Sometimes when a small white dwarf star orbits a regular star, it can siphon off the larger star's energy. That's because a white dwarf star has about the same mass as Earth's sun, Hounsell said. Its gravity is extremely powerful — not as strong as a black hole but roughly 100,000 to 300,000 times the gravity on Earth "So material is being pulled away from the companion star by the gravity of the white dwarf," Hounsell said "This material builds up in layers onto the white dwarf's surface and the layers get really the pressure and heat trigger a massive thermonuclear explosion A supernova is the final, fiery explosion that can destroy a dying star. It can briefly outshine entire galaxies, writes Space.com and radiate more energy than our sun will produce in its entire lifetime the dwarf star remains intact and the cycle triggering another explosion starts over the cycle repeats roughly once every 80 years which is why most people will likely see it only once in their lifetime The last nova from T Coronae Borealis happened in February 1946. It also erupted 80 years before that in 1866. One astronomer described the event, saying, "In colour, the star appeared nearly white with a bluish tinge," according to documents preserved by IOPscience The first recorded sighting of the "Blaze star" was more than 800 years ago "a faint star that for a time shone with great light." T Coronae Borealis can be found in the Northern Crown constellation which you can find easily enough by searching for the two brightest stars in the Northern Hemisphere By drawing a straight line from Arcturus and Vega you'll find the constellation Hercules and the Corona Borealis Just a little bit below the Corona Borealis The following free astronomy apps can help you locate stars How long will the nova last?The nova should last roughly a week reaching peak brightness in its first few days before fading away There are only five known stars in the entire galaxy that have nova events, writes NASA, but scientists believe the Milky Way experiences roughly between 30-60 nova explosions per year These faraway stars are so distant they can't be seen with the naked eye because the light is obscured by gas and dust What happens if T Coronae Borealis doesn't go nova this year "We know roughly from historical records it's supposed to be around every 80 years or so but this is unpredictable science," she said "If the nova doesn't go off in the timeframe we expect it to then that might mean something different happened How to say 'Uranus': Not to be cheeky, but you've been saying this gassy planet's name wrong your entire life. John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at JTuftsReports The actress also tells TheWrap about recreating the game’s “Take On Me” scene and Joel’s influence on Dina and Ellie’s relationship Note: This article contains spoilers from “The Last of Us” Season 2 After taking time to grieve Joel’s death last week, Sunday’s episode of HBO’s “The Last of Us” saw Ellie and Dina arrive in Seattle as part of their revenge against Abby and her crew of ex-Fireflies The journey proved to be more dangerous than the pair was expecting as they encounter the Washington Liberation Front (WLF) dead Seraphites and infected around every corner But the biggest bombshell of Episode 4 comes towards the end as Ellie (Bella Ramsey) reveals to Dina that she’s immune — and Dina reveals to Ellie that she’s pregnant with Jesse’s child “It isn’t your average pregnancy experience I think learning while she’s already on the way plays a big factor [in why she chooses to stay on the journey with Ellie] But she has her own motivations for it and I don’t think much is going to get in the way,” Isabela Merced “That shows how devoted she is to the people she loves Episode 4 balanced the tone with a light-hearted moment between Ellie and Dina taken straight from the game in which the former serenades the latter with a rendition of A-ha’s “Take on Me.” When asked about recreating the scene and what’s going through Dina’s head as she stares longingly at Ellie Merced said it’s not only a moment where Dina and Ellie get to express joy and love for one another but also another opportunity to mourn Joel (Pedro Pascal) “A lot of the love Dina has for Ellie is thanks to Joel he taught her a lot of the values that she holds he taught her a lot of the jokes and whatnot So I think it’s a happy sort of grieving for Joel and one of those moments where you’re happy thinking of them even though they’re gone,” Merced said it’s actually because the feelings she has for Ellie potentially scare her because it’s that deep and it’s much more than she anticipated So she’s also going through a lot of emotions because she’s a very pregnant woman So there’s a lot of factors that go into that look and why I think that scene is such a special and true moment for both of those characters.” that scene proves to be one of the last moments of levity we see in the rest of the episode as the pair come face to face with a horde of infected shortly after while running through an abandoned and destroyed subway system “My favorite part of that sequence is when Dina is counting the infected noises incorporating that from earlier in the season incorporating the crouching in the game where you’re normally able to see where the infected might be around you,” she said “So it’s incorporating that element but in a more clever way.” The sequence culminates in Ellie getting bitten to protect Dina a slight change from the game due to the absence of spores It also sets up a difficult choice for Dina: to believe that Ellie is immune or to kill her “[Bella and I] both had a really interesting task It was to tell the truth and then to decide if Dina was going to believe it I can only speak for myself really and I really appreciate Bella giving me that performance,” Merced said It didn’t matter what Ellie said to Dina in that moment because there was a lot of questioning if she was lying There’s also a lot of questioning if she’s telling the truth because that also is pretty sh—t and changes everything it’s a messed up situation for everyone involved But I wanted people to really think that I could have shot Ellie and Bella really had to act that way Ellie ultimately proves her immunity to Dina and the two proceed to passionately show their love for one another Dina admitted that she doesn’t see him as “the one” and was forced to hide being bisexual growing up “I think with acceptance of feelings for Ellie naturally comes her acknowledgement of her relationship with Jesse and sort of a mourning for what she thought it would be or could be I was really just forcing myself into complicit heterosexuality’,” Merced said “I think she also did care for Jesse genuinely and that’s confusing for her because bisexual is not a word that she even knows.” “They don’t know what the LGBTQIA+ community is They were in Seattle and in a literal gay community and were like they must have been a bunch of optimists.’ So they were just really out of the loop,” she added “Every time she does accept her feelings for Ellie she feels conflicted when it comes to her experience with Jesse.” Merced praised both co-creator and executive producer Craig Mazin and co-executive producer and writer Halley Gross who was a co-writer on “The Last of Us: Part II,” for making Dina and Ellie’s relationship so relatable and expanding upon the idea that sexuality is a spectrum “People are really multifaceted and fascinating and layered and I love how Craig Mazin writes and how Halley Gross really expanded upon that and made these two women in a really believable sapphic relationship,” she said “I have to thank Halley a lot for Dina.” “The Last of Us” airs new episodes Sundays on HBO and Max Powered by 2025Courtesy of HBOSave this storySaveSave this storySave“What the fuck is wrong with Seattle?” It’s a fair question for Dina (Isabela Merced) to ask in Sunday’s jam-packed—and gory—episode of The Last of Us Dina and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) discover two separate groups of dead bodies including soldiers with their guts literally hanging out; escape a horde of zombies in the subway system; and have to cope with Ellie taking a bite to protect Dina and Dina subsequently preparing to kill Ellie not knowing that Ellie is actually immune to cordyceps They also see their relationship completely change As a fan of the video game on which the series is based Merced was eagerly anticipating many of the events that play out in Sunday’s episode—and she’s even more thrilled with some of the tweaks made by the creative team she digs into “Day One,” including why she wanted the audience to be as conflicted as Dina and the big moment in which she struggled to hold back Vanity Fair: This is only your fourth episode on the show and you’ve already had a surrogate father killed Did you realize how fast things would move for Dina So much happened in this episode because last episode was the grieving episode and each time I felt there were more lines I noticed Ellie sort of becoming Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Dina sort of becoming Ellie from the first season she and Ellie have already known each other for years The chemistry between you and Bella has to show that they’ve got a deep bond Did you and Bella have to work toward finding this dynamic The camera test was the first time where I felt like we were Ellie and Dina Camera tests usually suck—they’re so awkward I got really lucky because I don’t think my performance would’ve been as good if it weren’t for Bella You mentioned Ellie starting to become like Joel Do you feel like you’re helping usher Last of Us into the new version of itself when I played it; it was a whole other mood It’s part of one big story with at least nine acts and three central characters I was ready for the shift because I was a huge fan of the game and how they executed it And a lot of this storyline is thanks to [Last of Us series and game writer] Halley Gross who brought Dina and Ellie’s relationship and romance to life Dina was not present for Joel’s death—Tommy (Gabriel Luna) was What do you think substituting her in added to the sequence on the series It showed Tommy being more of a community-centered individual we already established their relationship in the first episode and gives more incentive for Dina to want to avenge him And we will learn more about why Dina is so gung ho to go to Seattle I think that’ll be really interesting to viewers and help build a bigger picture I really like the change because it makes Dina feel more fleshed out Since you weren’t involved in the big Jackson invasion in episode two the chase through the subway system was your introduction to the zombies What was it like to get down and dirty like that The stalkers and infected are basically stunt actors who can dance and are just really aware of their own body movements and autonomy because there were a lot of times where we were figuring stuff out beginning with the incorporating of the crouch [movement] from the game and counting the number of infected which is a callback to the first episode—but with much more dire consequences I call it the “subway surfer sequence,” because it feels like we are on top of the subway playing the game and Dina is seemingly prepared to kill Ellie Do you think Dina was really ready to pull the trigger I really wanted people to think that I could potentially shoot Ellie in the face—and I also wanted people to feel conflicted with me and those factors all contributed to something that I’m not.” Was this near-death experience what Dina needed to realize who and what she wants and then feeling guilty about her baby daddy and how shitty and complicated that situation would work out with being in love with Ellie I don’t think she knows that you can be bisexual—I don’t think she even knows the word and the danger she’s putting her baby in—but I also think she doesn’t really care because she’s just so devoted to the cause This sequence didn’t carry out like that in the game I could really see the love in Dina’s eyes earlier in the episode during Ellie’s performance of “Take On Me.” What were you aiming to convey there And Bella’s voice just being angelic and pure and also it being a moment of happy grieving I think that could be up for interpretation and I don’t actually know which one they chose But there was a version where I was sad because of Joel and knowing that the reason I love Joel is because I love Ellie and the reason I love Ellie is because I love Joel And then there was another version where maybe it’s just Dina being scared—like so it’s terrifying and complicates everything but maybe not even quite knowing what that means I got a chuckle out of Dina and Ellie not understanding the rainbows But then I started thinking—these two have grown up entirely in a zombie apocalypse Was that something that you thought about in your approach to the character and this relationship I think it contributed to her confusion about sexuality and what it could be because you wonder what they’re missing out on—and the preciousness of the inclusion they could feel And maybe a solution to them feeling like outcasts where Dina is conforming and Ellie is accepting that she’s not like the other residents of Jackson [Laughs] I feel like this was the appetizer I can’t believe I’ve ever been interviewed professionally And they’re still holding secrets from each other so now that they’re this much more comfortable it’ll be fascinating for them to actually reveal their cards and evolve as characters together And maybe some other characters coming back and complicating things but what’s been the experience so far stepping into this universe and its insanely passionate fan base I don’t think I’ve ever seen somebody do a drag show based off of the IP that I was a part of There’s a whole drag community for The Last of Us; it’s got a big gay fan base And everybody just wants me to get them a “hi” from Pedro and your upcoming debut as Hawkgirl in Superman You just don’t want the train to ever stop Live Updates From the 2025 Met Gala See All the Fashion, Outfits, and Looks on the Met Gala Red Carpet Plus, Who Made VF’s Best-Dressed List Kim Kardashian Dons Sleek The Met Gala’s Tailored for You Theme Winners: Who Did It Best Diana Ross Returns to the Red Carpet With an 18-Foot Train Everything to Know About the 2025 Met Gala Watch the Met Gala Livestream Designer Prabal Gurung Recalls His First Met Gala Revisit the Most Unforgettable Met Gala Looks of All Time he takes you into the homes of these students and what makes them special to the Georgia program This Sentell’s Intel rep on Georgia football recruiting has the latest with 5-star QB Jared Curtis at Nashville Christian in Tennessee 2 overall prospect for 2026 on the 247Sports Composite The On3 Industry Ranking has him as the No there will be a ceremony this evening that offers the Super Bowl of decisions It’s hard to top the intrigue of a 5-star QB commitment shutting down his process 1 QB prospect for both of the major recruiting ranking composites will make his decision known at 5:30 PM EST at Nashville Christian School in Tennessee Cox Media property DawgNation.com will be on hand to stream the decision across all of its social media platforms will have the choice of taking millions of dollars per season from either program despite the increased scrutiny of payments to college athletes through the proposed House revenue-sharing settlement He will do so from a combined pool of revenue streams from either school and also NIL-based endorsements that will have to go through review by a third party This decision is so close that DawgNation has learned Curtis’s representatives have prepared two different announcement videos to go in either direction of the decision It is also likely that his representation won’t know until he makes that decision and then shares one of those two videos across his social media The mystery could also extend to both programs They will learn his choice when he shares his decision first at Nashville Christian and then with the world it offers the rare chance at a recommitment first committed to the Dawgs on March 23 of last year He reversed that decision about seven months later Curtis told DawgNation that he backed off that pledge because it just didn’t feel right needing to visit other schools while still being committed to Georgia “I’m still interested in Georgia as long as they are interested in me,” he said back in October Oregon was one of those schools he wanted to check out Curtis was even quoted last fall as giving Dan Lanning’s Ducks the “leader” tag There is no perceived leader heading into today’s announcement If Curtis chooses Georgia and goes on to enroll early this December he will be the highest-rated QB signee for the program since Justin Fields in 2018 He’d be the first 5-star QB signee since Brock Vandagriff in 2021 The national high school rankings for Curtis are also higher than those of former 5-star signees Jacob Eason and Matthew Stafford The latest intel swirling around this decision gives no school a clear edge although there is some guarded optimism in Athens due to familiarity and location Oregon’s chief pitches are centered around its program being more successful in developing the QB position of late and its offensive prowess There was one other factor likely to heavily impact this choice but an interview with Peter Webb of QB Reps last Friday seems to have changed that perception Did you know the weekly DawgNation.com “Before the Hedges” program is available as an Apple podcast? Click to check it out and download it. There’s an ongoing perception that the school with the biggest billfold is going to win out in this recruitment where there have been many publicized recruitments of late where 5-star QBs signees have reportedly commanded packages of $2 million to $3 million per season Curtis was even given an NIL evaluation by On3.com of $2.7 million Webb told DawgNation that neither Georgia nor Oregon was the highest bidder for Curtis His firm represents NFL Quarterbacks Bo Nix and Riley Leonard and also has numerous clients in college football at Alabama They’ve represented Curtis dating back to his sophomore year when some trading card and apparel deals came his way this decision will not simply be a transactional win for the balance sheets and collectives representing each school DawgNation has learned neither of these schools was the highest bidder for Curtis “If Jared was chasing the best compensation package These schools may not have even been in the finals His interest in Georgia and Oregon – and really the difficulty in this decision – has been motivated by the relationships he’s developed during the recruiting process and the unique opportunities both programs provide We won’t even know what this complete financial framework looks like until after he commits to a university.” Curtis never went to competing programs and set a number for the market “We were very clear from the beginning that you want to list out things that are important to you,” Webb said You want to look at the QBs that have come through their program and made it to the next level You want to look at the recruiting classes Are there some older guys in the room that you could learn from?” It wouldn’t be a stretch to surmise the NIL piece is less than 15 percent of the overall puzzle here that’s the reality and the opportunity of the landscape right now it has been a relatively small factor,” said QB Reps marketing director Doug Young “He knows that getting it done on the field and in the classroom is what’s most important and what will set him up for long-term success We are proud of Jared for thinking holistically about this decision and it has been very refreshing to watch it unfold.” The belief is that Georgia’s bid for the nation’s top QB prospect is competitive with the going rates for QBs nationally over the last few cycles What would happen here if one of these two schools came in at the 11th hour with a significantly larger offer Webb said that wasn’t likely to affect this decision Curtis has weighed this as if both schools offered the same financial package The next step was to consider all the other factors and answer this question: Where will he be the happiest playing college football Have you subscribed to the DawgNation YouTube channel yet? If so, you will see special 1-on-1 content with key 2026 prospects like Tyler Atkinson, Lincoln Keyes, Brady Marchese and Kaiden Prothro. who led his team to the state title game as a freshman He guided his Eagles to a 12-1 record and a runaway 49-21 win in his return to the state championship 225-pound rising senior raised his completion rate 15 percent in throwing for 2,830 yards there are sentences that can be formed that project his ability to spin it with the Josh Allens and Matthew Staffords of the football world Aside from his 70 percent completion rate as a junior the other wrinkle to his game would be his legs Curtis ran for 637 yards and 18 touchdowns last fall While he won’t be running away from elite defenders in the SEC or even the Big Ten he projects to be a serious red-zone weapon The 5-star now holds a 62 percent career completion mark while throwing for 7,665 yards and 19 interceptions at a level that equates to something between Class 1A and Class 2A in Georgia He’s been able to make plays with his legs on the regular running past boxes that he’s either bigger or faster than or both Curtis has a career average of 6.7 yards per rush attempt He’s totaled up 1,663 rushing yards and 38 touchdowns This decision won’t be the only one for Georgia this month and Oregon are seen as the chief contenders for 5-star OT Jackson Cantwell in Missouri Cantwell has sped up his timetable with a decision set for May 13 1 OT prospect has also recently scheduled a last-minute visit to UGA set for May 10 The Bulldogs have never signed the nation’s No 1 OT prospect in the same cycle before under head coach Kirby Smart (check on the recent reads on Georgia football recruiting) clock iconclock icon5 hours agoBREAKING: Jared Curtis, the nation’s No. 1 QB prospect, commits to … clock iconclock icon11 hours agoGeorgia baseball takes No. 1 spot in two national polls, full SEC … clock iconclock icon7 hours agoCollege athletics landmark ruling pending, hinges on modified roster … clock iconclock icon12 hours agoQB transfer Jaden Rashada comments on his time at Georgia Grateful! 100% Committed. See y’all in Athens! pic.twitter.com/l72TjrFr7D I been told y’all, ELITE WANNA PLAY WITH ELITE type of summer‼️ LETS GET IT‼️ #GoDawgs 🐶 #CommittedToTheG ‼️ pic.twitter.com/mnxNA2ubZv And we just getting started 🤫 https://t.co/dBgiKPzRQ0 Change The Game !! Go Dawgs 🐶‼️#CTG Congratulations 🤝 @Jaredcurtis37 https://t.co/IzJyLpgXKZ Kirby after Lanning tried to swoop in and grab the nation’s top QB recruit… pic.twitter.com/UigdkdVgud #GoDawgs 😎 pic.twitter.com/Iw5JbUFyTK Next couple weeks gonna get real interesting for Dawgs fans 😏 pic.twitter.com/lNw5QOextY Jared Welcome to The Club my man! Looking forward to seeing ya in Athens. #GoDawgs 🐶 pic.twitter.com/VGnXz3BBBc JARED CURTIS IS A DAWG 🐶 pic.twitter.com/EAd7GpbjOj He’s baaaaack https://t.co/I20dxEaLvE pic.twitter.com/9NHehU7k75 Jared Curtis to the Dawgs.UGA kept it real from Day 1—and it paid off. Loyalty still matters. #GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/srgIFLN9ln https://t.co/fggrbte4OC pic.twitter.com/HG5F4KlCZU Exclusive: After meeting with former Alabama coach Nick Saban, President Trump is considering an executive order that could increase scrutiny of the explosion in payments to college athletes since 2021 https://t.co/W7AGFqFvXc View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hayes Fawcett (@hayesfawcett3) G-Day highlights 🔥#GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/z439ddBVlf We have a new way to comment on our DawgNation stories. To do so, you must be a registered user on the DawgNation forum. If you haven’t registered, please go to the Forum homepage on DawgNation and look for “register” on the right side Recruiting typically heats up as the temperature rises This May in particular looks like it will be significant for Georgia football’s 2026 class That seems obvious considering the Bulldogs sit only at No 25 nationally in the 247Sports Composite team rankings entering this past weekend A major recruiting target plans to announce his commitment Monday at 5:30 p.m That’s five-star quarterback Jared Curtis from Nashville Christian School who plans to reveal his decision in the school’s gymnasium Curtis is ranked as the nation’s No. 2 overall player behind only Jackson Cantwell, the offensive tackle from Nixa, Mo., who is also considering Georgia Here are three things to know about Curtis ahead of his announcement: Curtis is deciding between two teams that made the playoffs last season former Bulldog defensive coordinator Dan Lanning Both programs lost to lower seeded teams in the CFP quarterfinals but are projected to be top 10 teams in the preseason Curtis committed to Georgia less than a year ago on March 23 Offensive coordinators from both schools— Georgia’s Mike Bobo and Oregon’s Will Stein — have visited with Curtis in the last week Curtis has an NIL valuation of $2.7 million he’s unchanged from a personality standpoint,” Nashville Christian coach Jeff Brothers told the Athens Banner-Herald “In today’s day and age of the capitalist part of football None of that stuff really moves the needle but when you follow him around or see him in the hallways you don’t see any change in personality whatsoever I think that speaks to the character of the kid.” What’s all the fuss about Jared Curtis?The 6-foot-4 228-pound Curtis was the Gatorade Player of the year for Tennessee as a junior He threw for 2,830 yards and 40 touchdowns with three interceptions while completing 70.2% of his passes and leading his team in rushing yards with 637 with 18 touchdowns for a team that won a state championship “What stands out about Jared is just his natural ability to throw a football,” Brothers said The short underneath checkdown route is catchable The intermediate ball that’s got to be thrown into a keyhole is catchable but a tremendous ability to throw a catchable football.” Since the first time Curtis committed to Georgia “I think his junior year film you can see he’s not just a quarterback with just talent he also is a quarterback who understands football,” Nashville Christian quarterbacks coach/offensive coordinator Kyle Tidwell told the Banner-Herald “He understands why we’re doing what we’re doing and he’s coming off the sidelines as soon as he gets done with the series can we use this motion to be deceptive to the defense?’” Tidwell pointed to the 49-21 Division II-A state title win over Columbia Academy for an example Nashville Christian lined up in a two-by-two formation and motioned into a three-by-one “They roll into a Cover 2 look and he came off the field and said when we went two by two and motioned three by one Curtis asked to run a specific play in that scenario “‘I’m going to pump the corner and I’m going to hit a hole shot between the corner and the safety right here.’ In the third quarter we came back and did the exact same thing and he did it That just showed me his growth as a quarterback The fact that he puts just as much time in the classroom as he does on the field I think that’s what shows up when you watch his film.” PROVO — BYU has added a quarterback from the transfer portal after all After going through spring practices with three quarterbacks — and a former Utah high school standout on the way — the Cougars earned a commitment from a former four-star recruit and Stanford freshman transfer Saturday morning Bear Bachmeier has committed to Brigham Young comes to BYU with all of his eligibility remaining after initially signing with Stanford as part of the 2025 class "The ability to come in and win games and offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick's scheme and the pedigree of quarterbacks they have produced in history and recently is enticing," Bachmeier told ESPN Bachmeier joins a pair of tight end commitments, a former Snow College standout wide receiver, and a defensive tackle from Oklahoma State returning to his home state in committing to BYU during the spring portal window was a highly recruited quarterback out of Murrieta Valley High The younger Bachmeier was a four-star recruit by On3 and Rivals 11 quarterback nationally by ESPN after totaling 6,463 yards with 56 touchdowns and 30 more rushing scores in his high school career Former Stanford QB Bear Bachmeier has committed to BYU, he tells ESPN. Bachmeier visited the last few days and committed on Saturday morning. pic.twitter.com/nm6WXVuRqx Miami and others — before Bachmeier ultimately committed to Stanford and joined his older brother Tiger at Stanford But when Stanford fired coach Troy Taylor and brought in interim coach Frank Reich the duo both put their names in the transfer portal The two aren't necessarily considered a package deal for their next stop with Bear Bachmeier — noticeably quiet on social media — even posting a photo on his X account from LaVell Edwards Stadium A few hours later, Tiger Bachmeier also committed to the Cougars, he told ESPN later Saturday evening after graduating from Stanford with a degree in computer science in two-and-a-half years 190-pound pass catcher was Stanford's primary kickoff and punt returner as a sophomore when he also caught 10 passes for 67 yards on offense Tiger Bachmeier was the Cardinal's outstanding freshman in 2023 when he started seven of 12 games and led the Pac-12 in receptions and receiving yards by a true freshman with 36 catches for 409 yards and a pair of touchdowns By the end of the day, the Cougars nabbed a commitment from two Bachmeiers: one who fills in immediate need following the departure of wide receiver and All-American kick returner Keelan Marion, and his former four-star quarterback brother who joins incumbent starter Jake Retzlaff, a fifth-year senior, and backups McCae Hillstead and Treyson Bourguet in the quarterback room is the unquestioned leader of the group as a returning starter who completed 57.9% of his passes for 2,947 yards and 20 touchdowns with 12 interceptions and another six rushing scores during the Cougars' 11-2 campaign that finished with a No there has been — and will continue to be — competition as Roderick noted at the conclusion of spring ball and we're not desperate to go find somebody; there's no 'position of need' where we have to have somebody right now," Roderick said at the close of spring practices "But we'll never turn away a player that we think can make a difference We're open to players that make us better." Former Bountiful standout Emerson Geilman is expected to join the Cougars in the fall prior to serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Hillstead, a 5-foot-10 former standout at nearby Skyridge High in Lehi who started portions of his freshman season at Utah State a 6-foot-2 Tucson native who transferred from Western Michigan "I think we could win a game with either one of them; I don't know which one that would be yet," Roderick said of the backups "They've both had more good days than bad and I think they're both good players." By Nina Wu Editors' PicksHealth Certified nursing assistant Nicefora Larobis tends to a patient at the Villas nursing home Already a Honolulu Star-Advertiser subscriber? Log in now to continue reading When Amy Feeley-Austin of Kona was going through a tough time Medicaid was a lifesaver that provided health care for her two young children leaving her and the children with no health insurance It was a sudden and unexpected turn of events she had to scramble to get health care insurance she was able to get coverage for her two children to continue their regular doctor visits as well as specialized services her son needed for a disability She worked for a social services organization at the time but the cost of employer insurance was three-quarters of her salary with employer-­provided health coverage and no longer needed Medicaid after two years She also went on to earn several advanced degrees and is now chief operating officer at Kona Community Hospital will never forget how Medicaid was there when she needed it “This was a very real need,” she said “It was a way to make sure my kids were safe and healthy while I figured out how to address this horrible and we were able to move forward from there.” But Medicaid is under threat, with Republicans in Congress considering cuts to the program as part of a wide-ranging budget package Congress is targeting up to $880 billion in cuts over 10 years Some possibilities include adding new work requirements for eligibility and scaling back the federal share of Medicaid costs KFF said any reduction in federal Medicaid would leave states with tough choices on how to offset reductions Medicaid provides health care coverage for more than 80 million Americans Josh Green ran through the numbers on his whiteboard in a recent social media post saying federal cuts to Medicaid would result in increased medical debt for residents and potentially affect Hawaii’s rural hospitals It would mean fewer people getting their high blood pressure diagnosed or their medication for diabetes “A cut to Medicaid is a cut to all of our care in the country and we won’t let that happen without a fight,” said Green “Please know we’re going to continue to work hard to make sure all our people are well cared for.” and provides health care coverage for more than 400,000 residents It provides health care for 1 in 3 keiki and covers 1 in 3 births in the state It also provides nursing home coverage and home-based care to those who qualify federal funds cover 73% of the $3 billion spent annually on Medicaid At this time there have been no changes to Medicaid funding in Hawaii according to the state Department of Human Services “We continue to monitor the debate over Medicaid funding that is happening at the federal level,” said DHS in an announcement posted to its website “Please be assured that no changes have been made at this time to Hawaii’s Medicaid program We encourage you to continue to access healthcare by making and keeping appointments with your health care professional and picking up any medications that are prescribed.” AlohaCare is nonprofit health plan that has provided coverage for QUEST beneficiaries since its founding in 1994 It is Hawaii’s second-­largest Medicaid health plan Culley-Trotman said Medicaid serves as a vital safety net for individuals and families who cannot afford private health insurance or have limited access to employer-­sponsored coverage Any cuts to Medicaid funding would be “very devastating” for Hawaii “The difficulty of thriving in an expensive state itself is a challenge,” she said you’re challenging the household and people’s ability to take care of themselves There’s going to be disruption in caregiving.” people without routine health care resort to using emergency rooms which is costly and strains the hospital system AlohaCare celebrated Medicaid Awareness Month in April by collecting stories such as Feeley-Austin’s and will continue to do so until federal and state Medicaid budgets are finalized But the uncertainty from not knowing the details is also extremely stressful All of Hawaii’s hospitals would be affected by Medicaid cuts president and CEO of the Healthcare Association of Hawaii A reduction in Medicare reimbursements would increase the financial burden for hospitals “Our hospitals already operate on very “It’s a very challenging health care environment Medicaid covers about 60% of patients at skilled nursing facilities in Hawaii and is the single largest payer for long-term care in the state Raethel said he expects the state Legislature to address federal cuts during a special session in November and that by then Hawaii should know how much and where the cuts will be “The state has been very careful to put aside some dollars so if they do need to close some of these gaps they have the ability to do that in the short term,” he said “but they still have limited ability depending on how draconian these cuts might be.” Hawaii’s congressional delegation is aware of the pending threats and advocating for their fellow Congress members to think about the devastating impact to their states Mazie Hirono condemned the impending cuts to a critical program such as Medicaid warning that it could affect thousands of residents in Hawaii “President Trump and Republicans are working to cut over $800 billion in Medicaid funding which would impact hundreds of thousands of people in Hawaii,” said Hiro­no in a statement “As costs continue to rise for working families Republicans are jeopardizing health care access for millions of Americans in order to pay for trillions in tax cuts for their billionaire buddies Medicaid is an essential resource that helps rural communities and I will do everything in my power to protect this crucial program.” Brian Schatz recently met with The Queen’s Medical Center to discuss growing demands for its emergency department and the potential impact of Med-QUEST cuts A significant share of Queen’s patients are Med-QUEST recipients AlohaCare’s Culley-­Trotman said part of her campaign is to battle the misconception that Medicaid recipients are lazy or unwilling to work nearly two-thirds of adult Medicaid enrollees work either part or full time AlohaCare’s Culley-­Trotman said about 60% of adults on Med-QUEST in Hawaii have a job which leaves them unqualified for health insurance coverage Feeley-Austin says both her children are doing well now with one about to graduate from high school and the other attending college — and she is grateful Medicaid was there when she needed it “It’s very humbling,” she said “I keep going back to there’s this concept especially with everything happening at a national level That’s not always what happens.” or accidents that result in disabilities and serious illnesses — and Medicaid is a safety net Based on an earlier analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities Hawaii would have to raise taxes or cut other parts of its budget by an estimated $3 billion over 10 years to maintain Med-QUEST including the Medicaid expansion to low-income adults “Cutting Medicaid by taking away coverage and shifting costs to states will have long-term and expensive repercussions and straining state and local economies,” said the center “Cutting Medicaid is ill-advised and should be rejected.” to states like Hawaii that have expanded Medicaid to low-income adults >> Medicaid is administered as Med-QUEST in Hawaii as a joint federal-state program >> Provides health insurance for more than 400,000 Hawaii residents >> Hawaii is among 41 states that expanded Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act >> Hawaii spends about $3 billion annually on Med- icaid (federal share >> Med-QUEST health plans are offered by managed-care organizations AlohaCare >> The Children’s Health Insurance Program AlohaCare invites residents to share their stories following Medicaid Awareness Month in April at alohacare.org (share story at linktr.ee/sharemystory) There's no way we're complaining about that automobile race too …. right? Right?! I know Talladega was a bust, but NASCAR needed a win (badly) this weekend at Texas and I think they got it.  but it's made the 1.5-mile tracks better It's completely ruined the superspeedways and short tracks but the 'ol mile-n-halfs have put on a pretty good show over the past few years.  We had comers and goers. We had wrecks out the ass. We had lead changes and passing and drama at the end. The grandstands were actually full. And hey! Joey Logano stopped bitching long enough to actually drive a race car and drive it well!  See what happens when you quit complaining for two seconds and actually do your job What else should we touch on today – the first NASCAR Monday of May I've got Denny Hamlin burying the fine Texas fans with a disgusting gesture I've also got Dale Earnhardt's wicked widow causing trouble Dale Jr.'s wife pissing herself (seriously) Bubba Wallace pissing all you God-fearin' NASCAR fans off and Danica Patrick doing the same to all the pansy F1 fans.  But at least she wore a tiny little dress in the process some of that Sunoco racin' fuel (gas is cheap and maybe a hefty dose of karma for Denny Hamlin … Monday Morning Pit-Stop – the ‘We Finally Got A Decent NASCAR Race For The First Time In Months’ edition – is LIVE It's not often you see a car burst into flames for no apparent reason 30 laps into a race.  We've seen it far more often over the past few years thanks to these cheap lemons NASCAR sold everyone but it's still wild to watch every single time.  You don't see mechanical failures like that too often It was Denny's worst finish of the season (38th) and second week in a row outside the top-20.  none of that matters because he's already won twice but still … not how you want to start May because he's one of about three drivers who show an ounce of personality in that garage.  He doesn't give a shit what you think or say let's check in on this Twitter exchange last week between Denny and NASCAR's head communications guy When you're pushing 45 with no titles I'm just waiting for Denny to really go rogue and bring up Brian France next!  Look it up for those who don't know.  Let's check in on Bubba's big day because fans on Elon's Twitter took it WELL: I don't know … what do y'all think I'm not sure that I saw anything egregious beyond Bubba just getting … Texas'd.  We saw a couple drivers hit the wall like that yesterday but he wasn't the only wreck yesterday.  I can't remember a Texas race with so many cautions Joey made it through all of ‘em – including Bubba’s – to win for the first time in 2025 and also stuff Chipper Jones in a locker at the same time.  What did you think of Bubba's wreck (or anything else) for those who skipped this class last week Chipper weirdly called out Joey Logano for calling teammate Austin Cindric a little bitch (I'm paraphrasing sort of) during last week's race at 'Dega.  but that mainly just because I wanted to fit in.  Joey clapped back – as you can – by calling Larry irrelevant and then promptly won yesterday's automobile race most random dick-measuring contest of 2025.  … to everyone hating poor Danica Patrick down in Miami yesterday Won't stand for Danica slander around here She just spent a year campaigning with and for Donald Trump She was the best thing on the screen yesterday Nothing like a solid 37-second gap between first and third Thank God they at least had Danica to look at.  Couple quickies on the way out … and they both involve the Earnhardt fellas we'll start with the good: Amy Earnhardt.  This is why I thank my lucky stars every single day that I'm a guy We only piss our pants when we're tanked We'd just take a leak anywhere at that point Literally – anywhere other than down our own leg.  They can't just dig around for an empty Gatorade bottle in the backseat like we can women are great – they are far superior to us – but in this case from hot Amy Earnhardt to vindictive Teresa Earnhardt For those who missed it late last week, Teresa Earnhardt – known around these parts as the ‘Wicked Witch of NASCAR' – is up to no good yet again. I swear you can't take your eye off this woman for one second Late last year, Dale's widow made a plan to sell 400 acres of his Mooresville farm land, and turn it into an industrial park disgusting-looking buildings that nobody ever which was great news for patriots – and NASCAR fans – across the country Teresa amazingly got the green light from the city to go ahead and destroy Dale's farm According to the Charlotte Observer the Mooresville Planning Board voted 4-3 to recommend a rezoning of Teresa Earnhardt’s land for a planned Mooresville Technology Park which would "play a key role in supporting the Southeast’s digital needs," according to its website.  the final approval for this project is set for a vote in the next few weeks so let's hope the fine folks of Mooresville step up to the plate and save the day.  let's wash away that unpatriotic taste in our mouths with the most American national anthem you'll ever see: You are agreeing to OutKick's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy DISCLAIMER: This site is 100% for entertainment purposes only and does not involve real money betting. Gambling related content is not intended for anyone under the age of 21. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER With the return of the 2025 NASCAR All-Star race set for the weekend of May 15-18 there’s a lot going on that will surround the prestigious event on the famed .625-mile North Wilkesboro Speedway A condensed four-day schedule features the zMAX CARS Tour racing the Window World 250 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race NASCAR Pit Crew Challenge and the fan-favorite NASCAR All-Star Race — the finale that caps off some of the greatest racing on the NASCAR schedule media members and community guests were invited to the track to preview next month’s NASCAR All-Star Race Week with 2024 All-Star winner Joey Logano and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series driver Jake Garcia Highlighting North Wilkesboro’s new partnership with Ford officials also unveiled the new Ford Mustang Dark Horse pace cars that will be showcased during the mid-May weekend was part of a press conference and reflected on his triumphant run last year and shared his excitement for the historic venue’s next chapter while providing track rides to media members “To see what you guys have done to tastefully improve the facility for the modern day while keeping the nostalgia of what North Wilkesboro Speedway is even down to the special trophy,” Logano said in a track issued release “It was fun to give rides to some of the media members I thought that the main thing everyone said was that they couldn’t believe how much grip the track has when we’re going through the corners There are several new format changes set for this year’s special non-points event The race will be extended 50 additional laps and that will feature a Promoter’s Caution Both changes will be implemented to further build excitement for the anticipated sell-out crowd that will be coming from all around the United States Logano weighed in on the revamped format and how it could shape the battle for the $1 million prize “It’s definitely different with some changes there but that’s the thing about the All-Star Race nobody cares about finishing second or third or getting a top-five in the All-Star Race “The Pit Crew Challenge makes this one of the most enjoyable and challenging qualifying sessions of the year — probably the most so you have a lot more crew chiefs and teams saying ‘Let’s go for it.’” a rising star in NASCAR’s CRAFTSMAN Truck Series led 40 laps in last year’s event and is set to compete in the Window World 250 on May 17 so finally getting to see it up here the past couple of years in the (NASCAR CRAFTSMAN) Truck Series has been cool It’ll be awesome to see this place with a packed crowd on Saturday for our race This place is super fast for the size of the race track so we’ll have to go into it with a good strategy and have a truck fast enough to pass people to be able to win.” North Wilkesboro Speedway and Ford Motor Company announced an official new partnership naming Ford the Official Car and Truck of North Wilkesboro Speedway The Ford Mustang Dark Horse will serve as the official pace car during All-Star Week which recently added 25 Ford Mustang GTs to its fleet will have a specially marked patrol Mustang GT on-site throughout race week that will also help pace the field for the All-Star Race taking laps around the famed track and giving fans a first look at what will lead the pack this May and we’re really proud of that partnership and what that means,” said Public Information Officer which is a longstanding partner of the Highway Patrol We’ve worked with NASCAR for years and since the race has returned along with our partnership with North Wilkesboro Speedway.” continues to prioritize fan accessibility and safety the North Carolina Department of Transportation has played a key role in infrastructure improvements 16-foot-wide pedestrian bridge over Highway 421 connecting speedway property to convenient parking the bridge is designed to enhance traffic flow and streamline fan entry for growing crowds Jadyn Guerino is an exceptional candidate for the Star Graduate recognition due to her remarkable resilience and commitment to both her academic and extracurricular pursuits Despite facing significant adversity and life challenges at a young age Jadyn persevered and emerged as a beacon of strength for her peers Her leadership skills were demonstrated through her roles as student body president where she inspired and guided her fellow students to success She also served as a student representative on the School Organizational Team volunteering with Echos of Faith Ministries in various roles and softball further exemplifies her commitment to school spirit and personal growth she is the Salutatorian of the Class of 2025 a three-time recipient of the Gold President’s Award her recognition as the KTNV Channel 13 Academic Athlete of the Month in November 2024 highlights her ability to excel both in the classroom and on the field Jadyn’s achievements make her an outstanding candidate for this honor Congratulations to Star Graduate Jadyn Guerino of Indian Springs High School Visit stargrads.ccsd.net to see more of CCSD’s 2025 Star Graduates Wing Fong came to the United States at the age of 13 and graduated from… RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif., May 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Five Star Bancorp (Nasdaq: FSBC) (“Five Star” or the “Company”) a holding company that operates through its wholly owned banking subsidiary has expanded its food and agribusiness vertical to serve clients nationwide will include increased support of clients in production agriculture An initial team of three seasoned professionals will be led by Five Star Bank’s Senior Vice President and Group Managing Director who has over 35 years of banking expertise in food and agribusiness “Five Star Bank understands and appreciates the significance and value of those who bring food to our tables “Five Star Bank knows the cyclical nature of food and agriculture and helps clients navigate commodities and economic cycles there is no greater purpose than ensuring those who feed our nation are provided with the most exceptional banking services available - services built on trust They will have all of this and more at Five Star Bank.” This enhanced vertical aligns with Five Star Bank’s organic growth strategy which includes building geographies and business units through its high-tech and high-touch approach to business banking “There is no substitute for in-person conversations and connectivity - the hallmarks of doing business with Five Star Bank,” said James Beckwith “This differentiated customer experience requires tremendous client trust which is critically important to the agricultural community Agriculture & Diversified Industries sector We are also committed to playing a key role in honoring the work and legacy of those who bring food to tables across our nation.” To learn more about Five Star Bank, please visit https://www.fivestarbank.com Investor contactHeather C. Luck, Chief Financial OfficerFive Star Bancorp (916) 626-5008hluck@fivestarbank.com Media contactShelley R. Wetton, Chief Marketing OfficerFive Star Bancorp(916) 284-7827swetton@fivestarbank.com The West End icon discusses her first Broadway appearance since she was a nine-year-old Rosemary Maggiore Few performers have had a career as enduring as West End star Bonnie Langford Langford first took the stage as a child star winning the British talent series Opportunity Knocks at just six years old She made her West End debut in Scarlett in 1972 and made her Broadway at the age of nine in as Baby June in Gypsy she’s carved out a dynamic career that has spanned decades and genres with television roles in EastEnders and Doctor Who and playing iconic musical-theater characters like Ado Annie Now, she’s part of Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends, an all-star Broadway celebration of the legendary composer’s work. In this conversation, Langford reflects on the lessons she learned as a child on stage, the joy and challenge of ensemble work, and why singing “I’m Still Here” means more to her now than ever. This conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity. When we first started the show, we had a public dress rehearsal which was open to members of Equity, so it was absolutely packed with all the pros from London who were just so exuberant, so thrilled to see Angela, so effusive in their praise and their reactions. It was very show busy, very over the top. We thought we’d done a wonderful job. We went into the auditorium of Piccadilly Theatre after the show. We sat there expecting Arthur to say, “Well done, you’re all marvelous.” And he said that it was the most terrible performance. “I never want to see a performance like that again. You all played to the house. These are real people. It just happens to be a backstage musical. It’s really about relationships. It’s about the hardships that people go through.” Angela put up her hand and said, “Arthur, I think I was the biggest culprit. I couldn’t help myself. I apologize because I think I probably led everybody on.” And of course, we just fell in love with her even more than we already had. I mean, she took one for the team.   She led by example, and I vividly remember that. It was a huge lesson. Especially in a show such as Old Friends, which is revue, it would be very easy to lose the sight of the truth. And Stephen writes from his heart and from the truth, however harsh that may be. That that’s why it hits you so hard.  One of the things that we discussed was the fact that a lot of us are not used to being in an ensemble anymore. A lot of us are used to just walking on and being in the spotlight. What’s important is that we’re all friends, whether we know one another very well or not. The show is born out of respect and love for talent and friendship. This is why I absolutely love singing “I’m Still Here.” It’s saying that you’ve been through it, and it’s about celebrating. And when it looks like everything’s been great, and when it looks like you’ve got to a certain age and you’ve got it all sorted, you haven’t. You had good times and bad times, and we’re all just still going along. Luke Kempner said he had an out of body experience, because he was standing there in his full Thenardier gear on the stage in London watching Cameron Mackintosh show me how to do a split! The musical opens at the Imperial Theatre on April 10. Get the best deals and latest updates on theater and shows by signing up for TheaterMania's newsletter today! New York’s awkward and publicity-shy governor has recently found herself in a public beef with Sean Duffy Donald Trump’s new Transportation Secretary Duffy has been grandstanding over New York’s congestion-pricing program he showed up to call the subway a “shithole.” He announced that he was taking over the reconstruction of Penn Station He has been making the rounds on the local morning shows to insist that New Jerseyans could find a “roundabout way” into the city that avoided tolls which would involve a five-hour detour through Albany He also rode the B train two stops with Eric Adams and then taunted Hochul in the Post “She doesn’t ride the subway.” Hochul’s comeback through a spokesperson: “Secretary Duffy has literally no idea what he’s talking about.” How can Hochul learn to live with a stranger who moves in One instructive work could be MTV’s “The Real World: Boston,” from 1997 he calls his roommate Kameelah a “bitch” in a dispute about bus and train routes New York: A Centenary IssueSubscribers get full access. Read the issue » One of Duffy’s fellow Boston cast members, who preferred to remain anonymous, offered some advice on how Hochul can get along with her adversary. First, establish common ground. While taping the show, Duffy enjoyed talking about his time on the competitive lumberjack circuit. “There were pictures of him in his local supermarket because of his log rolling and his axe throwing,” the cast member said. “Do you know what the female groupies that follow the lumberjack shows are called? Timbersluts.” “It’s authentic New York style—you eat it while being overwhelmed by the smell of your neighbors’ cooking.”Cartoon by Joe DatorCopy link to cartoonCopy link to cartoonLink copied Another tack: try to appeal to Duffy’s playful side The cast member believed that Kameelah beefed with Duffy because he never took anything seriously: “I remember she made a comment that it was like he was always on a field trip He does have that attitude that it’s always a day off from school Kameelah didn’t appreciate that.” (This may have been what Hochul’s spokesperson had in mind when “We hope the Secretary enjoyed his field trip to Manhattan.”) One area where Hochul should take Duffy seriously is his hatred of diversity initiatives “Because my grandpa enslaved your grandpa doesn’t mean that I should be punished for that.” The cast member had the impression that Duffy was considering a career in politics even before his reality-­show fame But the skills he learned on “The Real World”—how to win attention and instigate substance-free drama—have served him well in the Administration of the first reality-star President Duffy appeared on two more shows in the “Real World” family The cast member speculated that his stint on “Road Rules,” which included such transportation-related experiences as driving a Winnebago and rolling down a hill in a giant hamster ball may have helped him land the Cabinet job: “I think they were “I think we’re all estranged from him at this point.” His antics used to be silly “I’m not sad about it,” the cast member said We used to work at an after-school program together and he couldn’t even keep track of all the beads for the bracelets we were making How’s he going to keep the airplanes in the air?” ♦ A long-ago crime, suddenly remembered A limousine driver watches her passengers transform The day Muhammad Ali punched me What is it like to be keenly intelligent but deeply alienated from simple emotions? Temple Grandin knows The harsh realm of “gentle parenting.”  Retirement the Margaritaville way Fiction by F. Scott Fitzgerald: “Thank You for the Light.”  Sign up for our daily newsletter to receive the best stories from The New Yorker. by | May 5 Governor Kim Reynolds has signed legislation to launch a “Purple Star Initiative” in Iowa schools Representative Ryan Weldon of Ankeny said the program “strengthens the connections” between military families and the schools their children attend “It’s significance rests in prioritizing the success and stability of Iowa’s military families,” Weldon said “honoring their service through meaningful student and parent focused support within the school system.” Iowa is among five states that considered the program this year and 43 other states already have Purple Star Initiatives in place “As military families are often called to change military duties these moves can create academic and social challenges for military students,” Senator Kerry Gruenhagen of Walcott said “Every day thousands of military students are facing a new school The Purple Star Initiative helps to smooth these transitions and achieve the goal for these students to be prepared for college The bill got unanimous support in the Iowa House and Senate Representative Elinor Levin of Iowa City said lawmakers had”great conversations” with Iowa Department of Education officials “This is something that military families have been coming to us with,” Levin said “as a positive step we could take to make sure that military families are supported in Iowa.” According to the Military Child Education Coalition the families of service members on active duty in the National Guard or the Reserves move every two to three years Purple Star Initiatives seek to address the stress of these frequent moves by doing things like streamlining enrollment transitions and ensuring staff are notified when a student’s parent is deployed Reynolds signed the bill creating a Puprle Star Initiative in Iowa schools — along with a bill to expand the Iowa National Guard’s college scholarship program to include technical training that leads to certification of a skill RadioIowa is a division of LEARFIELD © Learfield News & Ag, LLC. All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy  | Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information Entertainment and pop culture enthusiasts in the Magnolia State will soon have the chance to convene in Jackson for a star-studded Mississippi Comic Con celebrating its 11th year in the capital city is slated to return to the Mississippi Trade Mart and Coliseum on the fairgrounds for an extended duration this year Mississippi Comic Con will run from June 20-22 offering visitors an additional opportunity to catch up with celebrities and creators while dressing up as their favorite characters from various works This year will be headlined by Melissa Joan Hart the face of the hit 1990s TV show Sabrina the Teenage Witch best known for his comical role as Cousin Eddie in the National Lampoon’s Vacation films More special guests are expected to be announced in the coming weeks in-show events will include Q&A sessions with celebrities panels presented by professional cosplayers and artists Vendors and artists from across the country will set up and sell their wares Local fan groups will exhibit displays and provide panels and performances throughout the weekend Advance discount tickets are available here. Single-day passes are $30 for Friday, $40 for Saturday, and $35 for Sunday, or attendees can purchase weekend passes for all three days for $75, with discounts available for members of the military. Children age 10 and under can attend free of charge. Copyright 2025 SuperTalk Mississippi Media. All rights reserved. Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly! SuperTalk Mississippi Media is Mississippi’s leader in news, politics, sports, music, and all things Mississippi. With four statewide radio networks, 12 talk stations, 16 music stations, SuperTalk TV, and over 50 affiliates, SuperTalk Mississippi Media covers every inch of the state. ExpandA deck was added at 5 Star Wings in Kankakee for outdoor dining. (Chris Breach) With warmer weather upon us, it’s a great time to dine outside in Kankakee. Outdoor dining is now available at 5 Star Wings at 125 W. Station St. in Kankakee. Owner-operator Troy Clark added outdoor decks on each side of his front entrance that were completed Monday. “My seating goes from 48 to 78 [patrons],” Clark said. The decks come with benches so diners can sit and enjoy the outdoors while savoring the wings, chicken, ribs, sandwiches, fish and a variety of side dishes. Clark said the decks were built by his longtime friend, Nelson Sims, a former Kankakee resident who now lives in California. “He used to build houses around here,” Clark said. “He and his father, they built like nice houses. He still has family around here.” 5 Star Wings has been at its current location for five years, after three years at a storefront on Court Street. The decks still need some finishing touches, including signage on the front, facing Station St. The restaurant is open everyday, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday; and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The menu has a variety of southern cooking, including deep-fried Cajun catfish or the perfection of Cajun chicken dinners, catfish nuggets, pork chops and ribeye steaks. Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInATLANTA (Atlanta News First) - After a slow start to the season the Atlanta Braves are beginning to look like themselves again How much responsibility do the Atlanta Falcons’ bare in Jax Ulbrich’s prank call of Shedeur Sanders Can the Atlanta Hawks land a big fish in free agency Or should the team’s new front office stand pat Overtime on ANF is your all-access pass to everything Atlanta sports — from the Braves and Falcons to high school heroes and beyond and bring the locker room energy straight to your ears Whether you’re a die-hard fan or just here for the vibe You can find Atlanta News First’s Braves on Gray podcast on several platforms: slotting first and fourth in the lineup for Triple-A Norfolk they're beginning to flourish at the big-league level Holliday has shown encouraging growth at the plate recently batting .341/.449/.561 over his last 15 games while significantly decreasing both his ground ball (35.5% down from 56.7% previously in his MLB career) he's only 21 years old and brimming with top-shelf talent meaning that any hot streak by Holliday warrants an optimistic viewpoint hit to the opposite field at the Marlins' pitcher-friendly home ballpark Javier Baez, SS/3B/OF, Detroit Tigers (available in 83.9%): He's a tough player to trust after he hit just .221/.262/.347 across the first three seasons of his six-year Despite starting 23 of Detroit's last 29 games and batting a respectable .310/.356/.488 Baez's 50 total fantasy points in that time has been exceeded by 112 other hitters The low total is almost entirely the product of his free-swinging approach at the plate Since he's seeing regular starts between center field third base and shortstop -- and delivering the occasional big hit -- he is still worth a look in rotisserie formats Baez has averaged 24 home runs and 14 stolen bases with a .252 batting average per 162 games played over his MLB career Shane Smith, SP/RP, Chicago White Sox (available in 87.0%): One of the season's most-unexpected breakthrough stories thus far Smith has limited opponents to three or fewer runs while scoring at least 6.0 fantasy points in each of his first six starts He can attribute much of that success to the changeup he added during the offseason a pitch which has generated a 35.2% whiff rate and seven of his 26 strikeouts thus far This week, Smith faces the Kansas City Royals and the Marlins making him one of the best two-start pickups in leagues with weekly transactions The first start comes in HR-suppressing Kauffman Stadium against a Royals team that has struggled versus changeups (.190 BAA the latter is a home assignment against a Marlins offense that grades out as one of MLB's worst Create or join a league today to get started • Sign up for free! Casparius is leaning much more on his cutter versus left-handed hitters and his slider against right-handers while posting a 3.5% walk rate across 10 relief appearances and one start He brings enough velocity (95.8-mph average four-seam fastball) and depth to his repertoire that he's worth a speculative pickup with this expanded opportunity Hoglund joined the Athletics for his first career start on Friday Though the matchup at Marlins Park was highly favorable for the right-hander he exhibited the same good velocity and excellent control that he did in the minors tossing six innings of one-run ball with seven strikeouts and no walks It's that combination of control and ground ball-generating stuff that should make Hoglund's transition to the majors smoother than an average prospect Even if he's only a "matchups type" for now Hyeseong Kim, 2B, Dodgers (available in 94.5%): Tommy Edman's placement on the IL this past weekend coaxed the Dodgers to give Kim (who left the KBO to sign a three-year $12.5-million deal with them during the offseason) Although Kim didn't start either of the team's two games following his recall his speed was on full display in Sunday night's contest as he stole his first career base in the ninth inning while serving as a pinch runner Speed should be his ticket to fantasy success as he stole 13 bases over 28 games for Triple-A Oklahoma City while batting only .252/.328/.470 with a 24.4% strikeout rate The NHL has not announced its plans for the weekend before the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics "It's going to be a spectacular international event," a league source told ESPN's Emily Kaplan Commissioner Gary Bettman has said on multiple occasions recently that the league has been rethinking what to do about the event after the success of the 4 Nations Face-Off international tournament earlier this year The thought was always to use New York as a jumping off point for Milan with players leaving from there to participate in the Olympics for the first time since 2014 not a problem," Bettman said last week at a meeting of Associated Press Sports Editors in New York "We're going to make sure we do something We'll have an event at UBS before we go to the Olympics but then we'll do something that's more focused on a major hockey event for the following year." At his news conference wrapping up the general managers' annual spring meeting last month Bettman said the league was "reevaluating how we want to do things because I think we've raised the bar about as high as you can for an all-star game in any sport." "And so we want to make sure whatever we do is up to the standards that we've created," Bettman added Kathy Hochul said Monday that she wrote a letter to Bettman expressing her disappointment about the decision to hold a Winter Olympics kickoff event in place of All-Star Weekend adding it was made without consulting with the state and requesting the league "bring a hockey event with equal or greater economic activity and cultural value to the region in 2027." Bettman told ESPN's Greg Wyshynski on Monday that Hochul's office didn't reach out to the league before publishing its letter He said the league is committed to holding events in February 2026 and 2027 at UBS Arena "With the players going to the Olympics we started focusing on the fact that maybe whatever we decided to do they were going to be more focused on getting to Milan," Bettman said "So we said we'll do a different event to kick off the fact that we're going to the Olympics and then we'll bring an 'All-Star event' So they're actually going to get two sets of events "There's confusion by the media and there's confusion by the governor's office and it's really nothing that we've said We want to make sure the event we deliver to the fans on Long Island is suitable appropriate and consistent with the new level that we established with the 4 Nations Face-Off." which featured teams representing the U.S. It has the NHL considering different options for midseason festivities and even made the NBA contemplate doing something involving international play The Associated Press contributed to this report This is a big week for Marion-area spring sports teams and athletes The Northwest Central Conference softball race could be decided Friday night when Ridgedale goes to Elgin for a twice-canceled makeup game Elgin's baseball team remains in the hunt for the NWCC title River Valley softball is hanging around in the standings with Shelby while Highland is poised to add to its league championship streak in baseball Cardington is tied with Centerburg for first place in the Knox Morrow Athletic Conference baseball standings Marion Night Invitational: Leah Price, Ben Isler raise the bar during the 75th Marion Night Invitational OHSAA football playoffs: OHSAA studying football playoff formats, plus Marion-area divisions and regions announced The Marion County Track Meet is Wednesday evening at Elgin as athletes tune up for next week's league meets Marion Harding remains atop the boys tennis standings in the MOAC with the league tournament looming Thursday and Saturday at Lakewood Racquet Club in Lexington While rain washed out all of Saturday's action there were still plenty of worthy performances across the Marion area last week in boys and girls spring sports Fans can vote for their favorite performers in the latest athlete of the week polls offered at MarionStar.com and its app The polls run through early Sunday morning Marion Star Boys Best of the Week Performer PollRiver Valley track's Ben Isler won the 75th Marion Night Invitational in the pole vault at 13 feet 4 inches.Northmor track's Cowin Becker won the 62nd Elgin Relays in the long jump at 22 feet the 1600 in 5:23.6 and was fifth in the high jump at 5 feet at the 75th Marion Night Invitational.North Union's Gabby Lindsey won the long jump at the 62nd Elgin Relays in 17 feet.Northmor softball's Lexi See hit a home run and double in a win over Loudonville.Cardington softball's Myleigh Bishop hit a home run and two doubles to end with three runs and six RBIs in a win over Mount Gilead.River Valley softball's Samantha Woods hit a double plus a 3-run home run in the seventh inning to beat Highland.Elgin softball's Kendall Allen pitched a five-inning no-hitter with three walks and seven strikeouts in a win over Perry.Last week's winnersIn last week's girls poll North Union softball's Kennedy Harrah hit a triple double and single for four RBIs in a win over Dublin Jerome She earned 420 of 939 votes (45 percent) to win the poll Other nominees were Highland softball's Lydia Shaffer Elgin softball's Madison Hill and Marion Harding softball's Raina Smith Highland baseball's Jayden Collins set the single-season saves record at the school with his fourth plus he hit two singles in a win over Galion He earned 278 of 710 votes (39 percent) to win the poll Other nominees were Marion Harding baseball's Tyson Lind Elgin baseball's Mitchell Askew and North Union track's Ben Bonnell The chocolate brand introduces limited-edition basketball themed packaging while inspiring families and kids to celebrate their love of the game with a chance to win exciting prizes PARSIPPANY, N.J., May 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- This summer while school's out, Kinder Chocolate®, a brand that celebrates simply wonderful moments for kids and families  is reimagining the game of basketball with its new campaign Pass The Fun featuring nine-time NBA All-Star and parent The campaign aims to bring families together to experience basketball the way it was meant to be played – full of fun and excitement Kinder Chocolate is partnering with NBA All-Star Paul George Kinder Chocolate and George asked parents and kids to dream up ways to reimagine the sport by creating a one-of-a-kind basketball game filled with fun-first rules – designed by kids for kids -- to inspire families to get out and Pass The Fun wonderful moments—whether it's playing a game with loved ones or enjoying our milk chocolate bar with a creamy milky filling," said Catherine Bertrac "With Pass The Fun launching just as school lets out for summer we hope to inspire kids and families to embrace basketball in its most fun form." Kinder Chocolate hosted a special basketball game at the West Side YMCA in New York City where George acted as referee using the imaginative fun-focused rules created by kids featuring children from the YMCA's youth basketball program The game rewarded players with Kinder Chocolate for every three-point shot made had inflatable seats instead of traditional benches and featured a pop-up defender as an obstacle on the court Putting a twist on traditional rules of the game fouled players were able to choose between a free throw or a layup to contribute her own rule: every player must touch the ball before taking a shot it's always been about having fun," said Paul George I see firsthand how important it is for kids to have the freedom to play and fall in love with the game in their own way – just like I did playing as a kid with friends and family That's why I'm excited to partner with Kinder Chocolate to inspire families to create simply wonderful moments of enjoyment and connection through basketball." Kinder Chocolate is releasing limited-edition Pass The Fun single and share size packs at grocery and convenience stores nationwide Each special pack will include a Pass The Fun basketball trivia card The packaging celebrates simply wonderful moments of play reinforcing Kinder Chocolate's commitment to bringing families together through basketball Fans can also enter the Pass The Fun Sweepstakes for a chance to win a virtual meet-and-greet with Paul George or instantly win prizes, including signed jerseys, custom basketballs, water bottles, mini hoops, drawstring bags, and custom headbands. To enter, visit https://KinderPassTheFun.com Kinder Chocolate is available in single and share packs About Kinder ChocolateMichele Ferrero developed Kinder Chocolate which has become a top-selling KINDER™ product At the heart of Kinder Chocolate is the commitment to sparking sharing and celebrating simply wonderful moments of togetherness between parents and kids sharable treat that proves less truly is more – with just a perfect milk chocolate coating and a creamy milky filling making it kid-friendly and perfect for families Every bite is crafted to spark wonder and be Simply Wonderful helping parents create quality moments of enjoyment and connection with their children About Ferrero Ferrero began its journey in the small town of Alba in Piedmont it is one of the world's largest sweet-packaged food companies with over 35 iconic brands sold in more than 170 countries The Ferrero Group brings joy to people around the world with much-loved treats and snacks including Nutella® More than 38,000 employees are passionate about helping people celebrate life's special moments is based on dedication to quality and excellence heritage and a commitment to the planet and communities in which we operate.  Media Contact:Keely Bennett Morgan[email protected] In its first ever partnership with the Cincinnati Reds the classic candy bar expertly crafted with dry roasted peanuts I'm here to tell everybody that we've just finished whisking Retail Food & Beverages Sporting Events General Sports Do not sell or share my personal information: MarineLab Environmental Education Center recently joined the network of Blue Star operators organized by NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.   Blue Star operators are committed to responsible tourism and educate their customers about the South Florida ecosystem the sanctuary and responsible diving and fishing etiquette MarineLab was designed with ecology in mind is a place where teachers and students learn about and experience first-hand the marine world through day trips and weekly camps “MarineLab is excited to be recognized as a Blue Star Operator,” said Sarah Egner senior vice president of programs at MarineLab “We are unique in that we cater to student groups but with education and conservation being at the forefront of our programs we are proud to offer snorkel excursions that align with the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.”  Overnight field programs are designed for teacher-led student groups in fifth grade through college, while summer day camps are for local kids, fourth to 10th grade.More information about MarineLab is at marinelab.org, and about Blue Star at floridakeys.noaa.gov/onthewater/bluestar Get Keys Weekly delivered right to your inbox along with a daily dose of Keys News By Andrew Gomes BusinessEditors' PicksPolitics the largest amount from the $30 million allocated to nonprofits Donated food items are seen on a pallet during Hawaii Foodbank’s annual food drive as volunteers wave signs along Ala Moana Boulevard Hawaii Foodbank will receive the largest grant from the $30 million approved for local nonprofits Hawaii nonprofits stand to receive a lot more grant funding from the Legislature this year due to expectations of federal aid cuts by President Donald Trump State lawmakers gave final approval to two bills Wednesday through which up to $80 million is being directed to is to be distributed to 121 nonprofits through the Legislature’s annual grants-in-aid program which is the same sum distributed in 2024 but down from about $40 million in 2023 and $49 million in 2022 But because legislators and nonprofit operators fear cutbacks in federal grants to charitable organizations this year an additional state grant fund was approved in Senate Bill 933 with $50 million to be distributed to nonprofits that are adversely affected by federal grant decisions and may apply for funding later this year if the bill becomes law “We are responding to a very special need,” Rep chair of the Legislature’s Subcommittee on Grants-in-Aid Prior to Trump administration moves to reduce or cut off funding for a wide variety of nonprofit endeavors Hawaii charitable organizations were already seeking more state funding support with applications mostly submitted in January This year the Legislature received 402 grant-in-aid applications Applicants this year sought $192 million to help fund operations or for capital improvement projects or both ”It just shows the need that the community has out there,” said Holt (D Of the $30 million approved for this year’s grants-in-aid program the biggest grant is $800,000 for a Hawaii Foodbank solar power project The smallest grant is $10,000 for Hilo-based Hua o Lahui which teaches how to make stone adzes and carve Hawaiian canoes which also teaches filmmaking as part of its canoe production work primarily tries to serve Native Hawaiians but also veterans Grant-in-aid awardees are typically nonprofits but also can be for-profit businesses if the funding is for a public purpose Most organizations are involved in health care Applicants often receive less than they seek because lawmakers generally want to help as many applicants as they can with a limited pool of money It is not uncommon for nonprofits that seek grants-in-aid awards to also rely on federal funding Aloha Harvest applied for a $200,000 grant to help it carry out its mission to feed the hungry with food that businesses including grocery stores distributors and restaurants do not plan to sell The organization was approved for $140,000 but noted on its Jan 16 application that a $195,010 federal grant was pending Hawaii Foodbank said March 27 in written testimony on SB 933 that critical federal funding represents about 20% of its revenue and comes primarily through U.S Department of Agriculture program contracts administered by the state “We are working hard to understand the implications of changes that are happening with federal funding and federal programs for our families and neighbors facing hunger — as well as our network of hunger-relief partners,” wrote Amy Miller the organization’s president and CEO if all federal funding were to stop (excluding food) we could face a potential loss of $3.8-5 million in revenue.” Close to 80 nonprofit organizations expressed thanks and encouragement for an early draft of SB 933 before any amount of money was proposed for use “This critical financial bridge comes at a time when the federal administration is putting millions of dollars at risk with on-again off-again federal funding freezes in grants and contracts to Hawaii’s nonprofit organizations,” Melissa Miya­shiro president and CEO of the Hawai‘i Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations 26 Senate Ways and Means Committee hearing shortly after lawmakers converted a blank bill to provide grants after this year’s legislative session ended Friday in written testimony cited USAspending.gov estimates stating that as many as 250 nonprofits in Hawaii received as much as $300 million to $400 million in federal grant and contract funding in the 2023 fiscal year HANO also said the nonprofit sector makes up nearly 12% of the state’s workforce which if significantly displaced could cause major negative economic impacts Kauai-Niihau) said at a Wednesday news conference that the number of Hawaii nonprofits that have great missions and do great work unfortunately have financial needs that outstrip what the state can provide Kouchi said it will be hard to prioritize “because $50 million will still be far short of what they need but that’s what we could set aside.” Several members of the House of Representatives on Wednesday objected to or raised concerns about the final version of SB 933 which was produced Friday by a conference committee of three House members and three senators The conference committee determined the $50 million appropriation sum and decided that two House members selected by House Speaker Nadine Nakamura (D Hanalei-Princeville-­Kapaa) and two senators selected by Kouchi as Senate president would make all award decisions not subject to public meetings Ala Moana-Kakaako-­Downtown) voted to pass the bill but took issue with four legislators having total discretion for awarding $50 million “Although I’m really excited about the end use I want to make sure that we’re providing more transparency and more accountability for the selection process and I just think that taxpayers may want more input more accountability when it comes to allocating the $50 million,” Iwamoto said before voting Makiki-Punchbowl) also voted for the bill with support for the appropriation but raised the same concerns as Iwamoto while going further to say the bill does not comply with House rules or the Hawaii Constitution requiring that decisions on matters referred to a legislative committee shall be open to the public “This is constitutionally deficient,” Belatti said of the bill The no votes were from five of eight Republicans in the House: Reps with two of three Republican members voting no: Sens At a Wednesday news conference after the bill passed Nakamura said the Department of the Attorney General was involved in producing the final draft of the bill Holt said Thursday that the setup for grant decisions under SB 933 is similar to a scaled-down version of the grant-in-aid program and he’s confident that whoever is appointed to the evaluation and selection committee will make virtuous decisions containing the grant-in-aid program appropriations are still subject to consideration by Gov let them become law without his signature or nix the appropriations with vetoes Thirteen nonprofits were selected this year for legislative grant-in-aid awards of $500,000 or more: >> West Hawaii Community Health Center Inc either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content Former Los Angeles Dodgers All-Star and nine-year MLB veteran Ross Stripling has chosen to retire at the age of 35 Stripling spent last season with the Athletics pitching to the tune of a 6.01 ERA in 85 1/3 innings "After 13 seasons and full of tremendous pride and gratitude I never could have imagined the experiences and memories I'd be a part of They exceeded every hope that my younger self could have dreamt for my baseball career," Stripling wrote in a statement "It never could have been possible without my family and friends I also want to give a huge thank you to all my coaches and teammates over the years I had so much love and support along the way and I'm thankful to everyone that was a part of it in any form or fashion All of you helped me be the best baseball player I could be and I feel incredibly lucky to be so fulfilled and content with leaving the game behind l'm excited to be home and begin the next chapter of life with my amazing family." Stripling began his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers making his first big league appearance in 2016 During his four and a half seasons with the Dodgers The righty earned his only All-Star appearance in 2018 as a member of the Dodgers Stripling pitched in three games during the 2017 World Series He spent the next four-and-a-half seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays San Francisco Giants and Athletics before opting to retire this season More MLB: Red Sox Slugger Reportedly Declining Interviews Over First Base Decision Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsletters in your inbox See all It’s been more than a year since “Beautiful Things” singer Benson Boone skyrocketed up the charts with his breakout hit — one of the biggest songs of 2024 — and his star only continues to rise On Monday, Boone announced his first headlining arena tour, including an Oct. 5 homecoming concert at Climate Pledge Arena. Tickets go on sale to the general public 10 a.m. Friday, May 9, through Ticketmaster Various presales through American Express and the venues begin Wednesday and Thursday The Seattle show will mark the penultimate date of the Monroe-raised pop star’s American Heart Tour “American Heart” is set to arrive June 20 through Night Street Records imprint helmed by Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds After turning heads on “American Idol” in 2021 Boone dropped out of the competition show and eventually signed with Reynolds’ label The 23-year-old heartthrob was among a particularly strong class of pop newcomers to have breakout years in 2024, releasing his debut album “Rollerblades & Fireworks” a month before a spring date at Showbox SoDo last May The flamboyant, back-flipping showman has already made a splash this year with several high-profile performances, bringing out Queen guitarist Brian May for a “Bohemian Rhapsody” cover at Coachella and knocking out “Beautiful Things” at the Grammys Boone made has “Saturday Night Live” debut over the weekend performing his new singles “Sorry I’m Here for Someone Else” and “Mystical Magical.” He also found his way into a skit playing an Applebee’s waiter during the Weekend Update segment The opinions expressed in reader comments are those of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of The Seattle Times Stay secure and make sure you have the best reading experience possible by upgrading your browser 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EXL [NASDAQ: EXLS] announced that it has been named a Leader and Star Performer in the Everest Group Payment Integrity Solutions PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2025 adaptable payment integrity solution engagement models natural language processing and machine learning as key drivers of their performance EXL is able to offer end-to-end payment integrity outcomes for enhanced claim validation trust and technology have become the cornerstones of payment integrity as payers and providers increasingly work together to deliver the best possible care,” said Vivek Jetley president and head of healthcare and life sciences and insurance “We are proud to receive the Everest Group Leader designation for the second straight year and also be recognized as one of only two Star Performers in the report We are looking forward to making new investments in the year ahead to help deliver even more powerful fully transparent payment integrity solutions to our clients.” Everest Group presented a detailed analysis of 24 payment integrity solutions providers Firms were evaluated based on their vision Researchers determine an organization’s positioning based on Everest Group’s annual industry survey tracking interactions with leading industry stakeholders client reference checks and ongoing analysis of the industry market “The payment integrity market is shifting from post-pay recovery to proactive pre-pay accuracy and predictive risk modeling,” says Ankur Verma “EXL has responded to these evolving demands with a near-real-time monitoring solution for provider demographics and data integrity while also adopting outcome-based pricing models in line with client expectations these advancements have positioned EXL as a Leader and a Star Performer in Everest Group’s Payment Integrity Solutions PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2025.” EXL (NASDAQ: EXLS) is a global data and AI company that offers services and solutions to reinvent client business models drive better outcomes and unlock growth with speed and deep industry knowledge to transform businesses including the world’s leading corporations in industries including insurance EXL was founded in 1999 with the core values of innovation We are headquartered in New York and have approximately 60,000 employees spanning six continents Everest Group is a leading global research firm helping business leaders make confident decisions Everest Group's PEAK Matrix® assessments provide the analysis and insights enterprises need to make critical selection decisions about global services providers and products and solutions within various market segments look to the PEAK Matrix® to gauge and calibrate their offerings against others in the industry or market Find further details and in-depth content at www.everestgrp.com Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 You should not place undue reliance on those statements because they are subject to numerous uncertainties and factors relating to EXL's operations and business environment all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond EXL’s control Forward-looking statements include information concerning EXL’s possible or assumed future results of operations including descriptions of its business strategy These statements may include words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “estimate” or similar expressions These statements are based on assumptions that we have made in light of management's experience in the industry as well as its perceptions of historical trends expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate under the circumstances You should understand that these statements are not guarantees of performance or results Although EXL believes that these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions you should be aware that many factors could affect EXL’s actual financial results or results of operations and could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements which include our ability to maintain and grow client demand our ability to hire and retain sufficiently trained employees and our ability to accurately estimate and/or manage costs rising inflation and recessionary economic trends are discussed in more detail in EXL’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including EXL’s Annual Report on Form 10-K You should keep in mind that any forward-looking statement made herein speaks only as of the date on which it is made New risks and uncertainties come up from time to time and it is impossible to predict these events or how they may affect EXL EXL has no obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date hereof except as required by federal securities laws ContactsMedia Keith Little+1 703-598-0980 media.relations@exlservice.com Investor RelationsJohn Kristoff+1 212 209 4613IR@exlservice.com What we didn't expect were the celebrity guest appearances and the full Yaje hitting the streets of NYC to a classic Stone Roses banger Always rad to see some fresh Brent Atchley clips Stay up on Poets output and support a true, skater-owned brand when you can. Lord knows we need more of 'em! By Blair Alley is the Content Director for TransWorld SKATEboarding Public Service Recognition Week runs from May 4 to May 10 we forgot or took for granted the public servants in federal and our military who diligently and often sacrificially provided services to the public Occasional printed articles tried to recognize our public servants instead of parades to honor our federal public servants they are in protest marches after being unceremoniously fired They join others who are protesting the loss of federal aid for school meals the threat to personal data at the Social Security Administration and Internal Revenue Service immigration crackdowns and constitutional issues The Honolulu Star-Advertiser welcomes all opinions recently discovered in the far ultraviolet via H2 fluorescence is one of the nearest known dark molecular clouds to the Sun with a mass (∼5.5×103M⊙) just under 40 per cent that of star forming clouds like Taurus and evidence for net molecular dissociation its evolutionary and star forming status is uncertain We use Gaia data to investigate whether there is evidence for a young stellar population that may have formed from the Eos cloud Comparing isochrones and pre-main sequence evolutionary models there is no clear young stellar population in the region While there are a small number of <10Myr stars that population is statistically indistinguishable from those in similar search volumes at other Galactic latitudes We also find no unusual spatial or kinematic clustering toward the Eos cloud over distances 70−150pc Overall we conclude that the Eos cloud has most likely not undergone any recent substantial star formation and further study of the dynamics of the cloud is required to determine whether it will do so in the future ex-NASA Space Station Payload manager/space biologist Devon Island and Everest Base Camp veteran By Sarah BlaskovichSenior Food Reporter Arlington was blazing from the Lone Star Smokeout It was the first year this Chicago-born festival made it South more than a dozen pitmasters served barbecue while country musicians performed on stage Out-of-town pitmasters like Wayne Viers of Little Miss BBQ in Arizona also made food 10 imagesView GalleryRestaurant NewsGet the scoop on the latest openings GoogleFacebookBy signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy the musical lineup brought Randy Rogers Band and Cody Jinks to the stage The next two days included performances by Jon Pardi Jersey Shore’s DJ Pauly D and the Academy of Country Music Awards’ 2018 New Vocal Group of the Year Follow @sblaskovich on Twitter and ask her what to do where to eat or where to drink in your area By Mia Anzalone Editors' Picks Nuuanu Stream supplies water to an auwai — irrigation ditch — near the Dowsett area home of Lisa Wong Some residents in the Dowsett neighborhood of Nuuanu Valley make the resource A small concrete footbridge was installed in order to cross the flowing auwai Mark Ellis’ family has resided in the same Nuuanu Valley home for six generations that once ran through their property’s backyard disappeared with the 15 loi kalo (taro beds) that once grew on their land 200 years ago That waterway was among the 14 original auwai in Nuuanu that fueled the entire wetland of kalo by directing the flow of water from the elevated Nuuanu Stream to pass through downstream loi kalo before returning to the central ditch and Farmers around Hawaii still use the auwai system in their loi kalo today But in a neighborhood that has seen a century of redevelopment and a wipeout of loi kalo it’s impressive that Nuuanu’s auwai continue to flow according to Dowsett resident Brady Jencks who grew up catching crayfish in the auwai outside of his childhood home Only four of the original 14 auwai that date back to before King Kamehameha I remain flowing driveways and alongside roads of more than 300 properties in Nuuanu Valley Residents who have auwai on their properties call it a double-edged sword as the proximity to precious history comes with frequent and backbreaking maintenance It’s a constant reminder of Nuuanu’s ancient Hawaiian history which has seen alii (royalty) reside in its mountainous homes and key battles fought in its forests and cliffs Dowsett resident Lisa Wong said that when the neighborhood was developed in the 1920s residents re-appropriated the function of Nuuanu’s historic auwai — “instead of taro (the auwai pass through) little pretty koi ponds and little waterfalls.” As Nuuanu evolved from its breadbasket farmlands to rice factories and dairy farms and later residential homes Many of the original waterways remain in the backyards of properties but others that once snaked down the natural landscape were rerouted to run alongside neighborhood roads and through front yards “It’s amazing that there was enough care taken to planning to keep them running and build around them instead of obliterating them,” Jencks said Jencks and Wong are at the helm of the neighborhood group Hui Malama ‘Auwai o Nu‘uanu which educates residents on “what they have in their backyard,” Jencks said founded about 20 years ago by the late couple Tom and Lynn Lalakea and resident Shannon Wilson and her late husband meets monthly at Queen Emma Summer’s Palace where it hosts guest speakers and presentations to educate the Nuuanu community of its responsibility in maintaining the auwai system Many residents mistake the auwai in their backyards for a stream sometimes polluting and littering in its water flow a few painters upstream of a residence cleaned their paintbrushes in the auwai Moments later a house downstream found that all of the koi in their pond had died Unintentional poisonings like those occur about twice a year Without regular maintenance and cleanup by the residents themselves the auwai are prone to backing up and can overflow into backyards And “it doesn’t take much” to backlog the flow of water — once Wong said she found an avocado hold up an entire auwai Wong said to prevent the extensive auwai system from collapsing in and cutting off the flow of water neighbors have patched up the ditches’ walls with cement is to traditionally maintain its structure with rocks and mud the loss of the auwai could erase centuries’ worth of Hawaiian history and then people forget about it because that’s what happens,” Wong said “Even people that live here have never seen what those of us who clean have seen amazing views of an auwai that no one gets to see.” suits up in a helmet and a highlighter orange vest — to communicate she’s not a robber and treks down the path of the 2-mile auwai that passes through her backyard and 10 others to clean foliage and debris coming downstream While Wong is sometimes joined by a handful of resident volunteers to clean the auwai she personally takes up the responsibility She said she continues to clean the auwai for the older community who are not physically able to clear their own waterways Earlier this year she fractured her hip when she fell following an afternoon of cleaning the auwai “I’m not blaming it on the auwai but it’s a lot of work,” Wong said director of voyaging experiences at the Polynesian Cultural Center auwai were never meant to be maintained alone In ancient times the cleanup effort was a collective one Farmers would collaborate and share the auwai’s flow of water with each other that would redirect water to each farmer’s loi kalo often alternating days that fresh water would pass through a property Even Queen Emma’s loi was subject to the distributed schedule of water flow King Kamehameha enlisted a workforce of 700 people to build and rebuild destroyed auwai in Nuuanu from the violent battle in three days Kamehameha established Nuuanu as a farmland haven known as the “breadbasket,” that grew taro rice and sweet potato to feed Hawaii’s people “To create lo‘i and auwai was a sacred thing consecrated by certain rituals and sacrifices when the water source was found and lo‘i created,” according to the Historic Hawai‘i Foundation Those lessons of collaboration and communal care for the land were the foundation of the values Ellis taught his four grown children grew up playing in the neighborhood’s auwai and it’s up to us as individuals to take hold and to uplift that responsibility,” Ellis said “It’s a double-edged kuleana — yes but it’s going to be hard work.” Jencks has led the efforts in spreading education about Hawaii’s auwai beyond the Nuuanu neighborhood cleanups and education sessions with SEEQS charter school and nearby Nu‘uanu Elementary School which has an auwai running underneath its property The hui constantly strategizes on how best to preserve the ancient irrigation system It has discussed putting the four neighborhood auwai on the state historical register but that comes with its own set of problems “I wish I had a model to model ourselves after but there really isn’t a model where there is a waterway running through hundreds of properties,” she said The end goal is to make the hui a nonprofit organization that could one day have enough funds to repair auwai that need cleaning or to bury auwai that property owners don’t want “What’s interesting about this hui is that we’re just a bunch of neighbors,” Jencks said “We’re doing it because we like to do it Jencks and Wong are passionate about history being passed down and ingrained within the neighborhood’s being “If I’m dreaming about it at night Ellis said the work of Hui Malama ‘Auwai o Nu‘uanu carries on the responsibility of his ancestors to care for the land “That’s why I continue to go to (the hui) because we see value in it for our children,” Ellis said we’ll come back to realize how valuable it is to have that auwai and that water source.” or the “high-floor bus,” has been the backbone of TheBus for more than 40 years It was a surprise and disappointment to see Oahu Transit Services retire the last one without any acknowledgment It is sad to see this local history being auctioned off While preserving these buses would cost money that could be used to improve service it is also important to celebrate the heritage of TheBus and there is no better way to do that than with a living piece of that heritage Having one on display or reserved for occasions would certainly bring up memories for transit riders and may help in boosting the image of TheBus It is a cornerstone of local history and it would be a shame if we let it fade into obscurity Five Star Bancorp (NASDAQ: FSBC) has expanded its food and agribusiness vertical The expanded division will support clients across the food supply chain The initiative will be led by Senior Vice President and Group Managing Director Cliff Cooper who brings over 35 years of banking expertise in food and agribusiness The expansion aligns with Five Star Bank's organic growth strategy emphasizing a high-tech and high-touch approach to business banking focusing on in-person conversations and client connectivity Five Star Bancorp (NASDAQ: FSBC) ha ampliato il suo settore alimentare e agroindustriale La divisione ampliata supporterà i clienti lungo tutta la filiera alimentare trasformazione alimentare e servizi di distribuzione L'iniziativa sarà guidata dal Senior Vice President e Group Managing Director Cliff Cooper che vanta oltre 35 anni di esperienza bancaria nel settore alimentare e agroindustriale Questa espansione è in linea con la strategia di crescita organica di Five Star Bank che punta a un approccio business banking ad alta tecnologia e ad alto contatto umano con particolare attenzione alle conversazioni di persona e alla connessione con i clienti Five Star Bancorp (NASDAQ: FSBC) ha ampliado su vertical de alimentos y agroindustria La división ampliada apoyará a clientes en toda la cadena de suministro de alimentos procesamiento de alimentos y servicios de distribución La iniciativa estará liderada por el Vicepresidente Senior y Director General de Grupo Cliff Cooper quien aporta más de 35 años de experiencia bancaria en alimentos y agroindustria La expansión está alineada con la estrategia de crecimiento orgánico de Five Star Bank que enfatiza un enfoque de banca empresarial de alta tecnología y alto contacto centrado en conversaciones presenciales y la conexión con los clientes Five Star Bancorp (NASDAQ: FSBC)는 식품 및 농업 비즈니스 부문을 확대하여 Food Agribusiness & Diversified Industries로 명칭을 변경하고 전국적으로 고객을 지원하게 되었습니다 식품 가공 및 유통 서비스 등 식품 공급망 전반에 걸쳐 고객을 지원할 것입니다 이 프로젝트는 식품 및 농업 비즈니스 분야에서 35년 이상의 은행 업무 경험을 가진 수석 부사장 겸 그룹 전무 이사 Cliff Cooper가 이끌 예정입니다 이번 확장은 대면 소통과 고객 연결에 중점을 둔 첨단 기술과 인간 중심의 비즈니스 뱅킹 접근 방식을 강조하는 Five Star Bank의 유기적 성장 전략과 일치합니다 Five Star Bancorp (NASDAQ : FSBC) a élargi son secteur agroalimentaire afin de servir des clients à l’échelle nationale La division étendue soutiendra les clients tout au long de la chaîne d'approvisionnement alimentaire la transformation alimentaire et les services de distribution L’initiative sera dirigée par le Senior Vice President et Group Managing Director Cliff Cooper qui apporte plus de 35 ans d’expertise bancaire dans le secteur agroalimentaire Cette expansion s’aligne sur la stratégie de croissance organique de Five Star Bank mettant l’accent sur une approche bancaire à la fois technologique et humaine privilégiant les échanges en personne et la connexion avec les clients Five Star Bancorp (NASDAQ: FSBC) hat seine Sparte für Lebensmittel und Agrarwirtschaft erweitert Agribusiness & Diversified Industries heißt Die erweiterte Abteilung wird Kunden entlang der gesamten Lebensmittelversorgungskette unterstützen Lebensmittelverarbeitung und Vertriebsdienstleistungen Die Initiative wird von Senior Vice President und Group Managing Director Cliff Cooper geleitet der über 35 Jahre Bankerfahrung im Bereich Lebensmittel und Agrarwirtschaft verfügt Die Erweiterung entspricht der organischen Wachstumsstrategie der Five Star Bank die einen technologieorientierten und zugleich persönlichen Ansatz im Geschäftskundenbereich verfolgt und dabei den Fokus auf persönliche Gespräche und Kundenbindung legt Five Star Bank's nationwide expansion of agricultural banking services represents strategic niche growth though financial impact remains unquantified This expansion of Five Star Bancorp's food and agribusiness vertical represents a strategic positioning move in a specialized banking niche The bank is formalizing and broadening its agricultural banking services under the renamed "Food Agribusiness & Diversified Industries" vertical to serve clients nationwide across the entire agricultural value chain The initiative aligns with the company's stated organic growth strategy which focuses on building both geographic reach and specialized business units Five Star is leveraging significant industry expertise with the vertical being led by a senior executive with over 35 years of experience in food and agribusiness banking Five Star's emphasis on relationship-based banking ("high-tech and high-touch") is a typical differentiation strategy for regional banks competing against larger financial institutions Their focus on understanding the "cyclical nature of food and agriculture" suggests they're positioning to help clients navigate commodity price volatility and economic fluctuations in this sector the announcement lacks quantifiable metrics - there are no details on investment amounts or growth targets for this expanded vertical it's difficult to assess the potential financial impact or timeline for results The press release frames this primarily as a service enhancement rather than presenting it as a material financial catalyst While specialized vertical banking is a proven strategy for regional financial institutions this announcement represents a continuation of their existing approach rather than a transformative new direction Without specific financial projections or performance targets investors have insufficient information to determine how this might affect the bank's growth trajectory or profitability Expanded vertical reflects Five Star Bank’s commitment to supporting America’s food supply chain through trusted RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif., May 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Five Star Bancorp (Nasdaq: FSBC) (“Five Star” or the “Company”) To learn more about Five Star Bank, please visit https://www.fivestarbank.com Investor contactHeather C. Luck, Chief Financial OfficerFive Star Bancorp (916) 626-5008hluck@fivestarbank.com Media contactShelley R. Wetton, Chief Marketing OfficerFive Star Bancorp(916) 284-7827swetton@fivestarbank.com Already have an account? Login