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SANTA CLARA, Calif., Nov. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Agora, Inc. API (the "Company"), a pioneer and leader in real-time engagement technology, today announced its unaudited financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2024. "Recently, we launched our Conversational AI SDK in collaboration with OpenAI's Realtime API to allow developers to bring voice-driven AI experiences to any app. We believe multimodal AI agents that can interact with human through natural voice will gain widespread adoption across many use cases such as customer support, education and wellness, and Agora is well positioned to become a key infrastructure provider for real-time conversational AI," said Tony Zhao, founder, chairman and CEO of Agora. "To support this vision, we recently made some structural changes, aligning our organization to fully leverage the accelerating conversational AI opportunities, and operate in a faster, leaner, and more responsive fashion. These changes will help us build the next generation real-time engagement technology for the Generative AI era and strengthen our position as the leader in real-time engagement space." Third Quarter 2024 Highlights Total revenues for the quarter were $31.6 million, a decrease of 9.8% from $35.0 million in the third quarter of 2023, which included decreased revenue from certain end-of-sale products of $2.4 million. Agora : $15.7 million for the quarter, an increase of 2.6% from $15.3 million in the third quarter of 2023. Shengwang : RMB112.9 million ($15.9 million) for the quarter, a decrease of 20.0% from RMB141.2 million ($19.7 million) in the third quarter of 2023, which included decreased revenue from certain end-of-sale products of RMB17.5 million ($2.4 million). Active Customers Agora : 1,762 as of September 30, 2024, an increase of 5.9% from 1,664 as of September 30, 2023. Shengwang : 3,641 as of September 30, 2024, a decrease of 9.7% from 4,034 as of September 30, 2023. Dollar-Based Net Retention Rate Agora : 94% for the trailing 12-month period ended September 30, 2024. Shengwang : 78% for the trailing 12-month period ended September 30, 2024. Net loss for the quarter was $24.2 million, which included expenses of $11.4 million in relation to the cancellation of certain employees' equity awards, severance expenses of $4.8 million, and losses from equity in affiliates of $4.2 million, compared to net loss of $22.5 million in the third quarter of 2023. After excluding share-based compensation expenses, acquisition related expenses, amortization expenses of acquired intangible assets and income tax related to acquired intangible assets, non-GAAP net loss for the quarter was $10.4 million, compared to the non-GAAP net loss of $15.6 million in the third quarter of 2023. Total cash, cash equivalents, bank deposits and financial products issued by banks as of September 30, 2024 was $362.6 million. Net cash used in operating activities for the quarter was $4.6 million, compared to $3.0 million in the third quarter of 2023. Free cash flow for the quarter was negative $6.0 million, compared to negative $3.2 million in the third quarter of 2023. Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results Revenues Total revenues were $31.6 million in the third quarter of 2024, a decrease of 9.8% from $35.0 million in the same period last year. Revenues of Agora were $15.7 million in the third quarter of 2024, an increase of 2.6% from $15.3 million in the same period last year, primarily due to our business expansion and usage growth in sectors such as live shopping. Revenues of Shengwang were RMB112.9 million ($15.9 million) in the third quarter of 2024, a decrease of 20.0% from RMB141.2 million ($19.7 million) in the same period last year, primarily due to a decrease in revenues of RMB 17.5 million ($2.4 million) due to the end-of-sale of certain products and reduced usage from customers in certain sectors such as social and entertainment as a result of challenging macroeconomic and regulatory environment. Cost of Revenues Cost of revenues was $10.5 million in the third quarter of 2024, a decrease of 16.4% from $12.6 million in the same period last year, primarily due to the end-of-sale of certain products and the decrease in bandwidth usage and costs, which was offset partially by severance expenses for customer support teams of $0.3 million. Gross Profit and Gross Margin Gross profit was $21.0 million in the third quarter of 2024, a decrease of 6.1% from $22.4 million in the same period last year. Gross margin was 66.7% in the third quarter of 2024, an increase of 2.7% from 64.0% in the same period last year, mainly due to the end-of-sale of certain low-margin products, which was offset partially by higher severance expenses in the third quarter of 2024. Operating Expenses Operating expenses were $45.9 million in the third quarter of 2024, an increase of 24.3% from $36.9 million in the same period last year, primarily due to the increase in restructuring and severance expenses in the third quarter of 2024, which included share-based compensation of $11.4 million as a result of the cancellation of certain employees' equity awards and immediate recognition of relevant remaining unrecognized compensation expenses, as well as severance expenses of $4.4 million. Research and development expenses were $29.3 million in the third quarter of 2024, an increase of 46.1% from $20.0 million in the same period last year, primarily due to restructuring and severance expenses in the third quarter of 2024, including share-based compensation of $9.0 million due to equity award cancellation and severance expenses of $3.6 million. Sales and marketing expenses were $6.9 million in the third quarter of 2024, a decrease of 11.9% from $7.8 million in the same period last year, primarily due to a decrease in personnel costs as the Company optimized its global workforce, which was offset partially by severance expenses of $0.7 million in the third quarter of 2024. General and administrative expenses were $9.7 million in the third quarter of 2024, an increase of 7.4% from $9.1 million in the same period last year, primarily due to restructuring and severance expenses in the third quarter of 2024, including share-based compensation of $2.4 million as a result of the equity award cancellation, which was offset partially by a decrease in personnel costs as the Company optimized its global workforce. Loss from Operations Loss from operations was $24.7 million in the third quarter of 2024, compared to $13.9 million in the same period last year. Interest Income Interest income was $3.9 million in the third quarter of 2024, compared to $4.9 million in the same period last year, primarily due to the decrease in the average balance of cash, cash equivalents, bank deposits and financial products issued by banks and the decrease in average interest rate realized. Losses from equity in affiliates Losses from equity in affiliates were $4.2 million in the third quarter of 2024, primarily due to an impairment loss on an investment in certain private company of $4.1 million. Net Loss Net loss was $24.2 million in the third quarter of 2024, compared to $22.5 million in the same period last year. Net Loss per American Depositary Share attributable to ordinary shareholders Net loss per American Depositary Share ("ADS") 1 attributable to ordinary shareholders was $0.26 in the third quarter of 2024, compared to $0.23 in the same period last year. _____________ 1 One ADS represents four Class A ordinary shares. Share Repurchase Program During the three months ended September 30, 2024, the Company repurchased approximately 6.8 million of its Class A ordinary shares (equivalent to approximately 1.7 million ADSs) for approximately US$3.9 million under its share repurchase program, representing 1.9% of its US$200 million share repurchase program. As of September 30, 2024, the Company had repurchased approximately 129.4 million of its Class A ordinary shares (equivalent to approximately 32.3 million ADSs) for approximately US$113.7 million under its share repurchase program, representing 57% of its US$200 million share repurchase program. As of September 30, 2024, the Company had 368.3 million ordinary shares (equivalent to approximately 92.1 million ADSs) outstanding, compared to 449.8 million ordinary shares (equivalent to approximately 112.5 million ADSs) outstanding as of January 31, 2022 before the share repurchase program commenced. The current share repurchase program will expire at the end of February 2025. Executive Leadership Update Today the Company announced that Chief Security Officer Roger Hale will be leaving the Company, effective immediately. Mr. Hale has served in this role for the past 2.5 years, during which he made significant contributions to enhancing the Company's security, compliance, and data protection protocols. Mr. Hale will work closely with senior leadership to ensure a smooth transition of his responsibilities. Moving forward, Patrick Ferriter and Robbin Liu will assume responsibility for security and compliance, reflecting the Company's commitment to maintaining a strong and effective security framework. Mr. Hale will continue to provide strategic advice as an advisor to the Company. "We are grateful for Roger's dedication and expertise over the past two and a half years. His leadership has been invaluable in strengthening our security & compliance foundation," said Tony Zhao, founder, chairman and CEO of Agora. "Security and compliance remain top priorities for Agora, and we will continue to uphold the highest standards to protect our customers and stakeholders." Financial Outlook Based on currently available information, the Company expects total revenues for the fourth quarter of 2024 to be between $34 million and $36 million, compared to $31.6 million in the third quarter of 2024, and $33.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2023 if revenues from certain end-of-sale low-margin products were excluded. The Company also expects significant improvement in net income / (loss) in the fourth quarter. This outlook reflects the Company's current and preliminary views on the market and operational conditions, which are subject to change. Earnings Call The Company will host a conference call to discuss the financial results at 5 p.m. Pacific Time / 8 p.m. Eastern Time on November 25, 2024. Details for the conference call are as follows: Event title: Agora, Inc. 3Q 2024 Financial Results The call will be available at https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/wie28zvr Investors who want to hear the call should log on at least 15 minutes prior to the broadcast. Participants may register for the call with the link below. https://register.vevent.com/register/BIf58a0b6f500c4362b1a8c64f9fa4cea8 Please visit the Company's investor relations website at https://investor.agora.io on November 25, 2024 to view the earnings release and accompanying slides prior to the conference call. Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures The Company has provided in this press release financial information that has not been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States ("GAAP"). The Company uses these non-GAAP financial measures internally in analyzing its financial results and believe that the use of these non-GAAP financial measures is useful to investors as an additional tool to evaluate ongoing operating results and trends and in comparing its financial results with other companies in its industry, many of which present similar non-GAAP financial measures. Besides free cash flow (as defined below), each of these non-GAAP financial measures represents the corresponding GAAP financial measure before share-based compensation expenses, acquisition related expenses, amortization expenses of acquired intangible assets, income tax related to acquired intangible assets and impairment of goodwill. The Company believes that such non-GAAP financial measures help identify underlying trends in its business that could otherwise be distorted by the effects of such share-based compensation expenses, acquisition related expenses, amortization expenses of acquired intangible assets, income tax related to acquired intangible assets and impairment of goodwill that it includes in its cost of revenues, total operating expenses and net income (loss). The Company believes that all such non-GAAP financial measures also provide useful information about its operating results, enhance the overall understanding of its past performance and future prospects and allow for greater visibility with respect to key metrics used by its management in its financial and operational decision-making. Non-GAAP financial measures are not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for comparable GAAP financial measures and should be read only in conjunction with the Company's consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP. A reconciliation of its historical non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures has been provided in the tables captioned "Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Measures" included at the end of this press release, and investors are encouraged to review the reconciliation. Definitions of the Company's non-GAAP financial measures included in this press release are presented below. Non-GAAP Net Income (Loss) Non-GAAP net income (loss) is defined as net income (loss) adjusted to exclude share-based compensation expenses, acquisition related expenses, amortization expenses of acquired intangible assets, income tax related to acquired intangible assets and impairment of goodwill. Free Cash Flow Free cash flow is defined as net cash provided by operating activities less purchases of property and equipment (excluding the acquisition of land use right and the payment for the headquarters project). The Company considers free cash flow to be a liquidity measure that provides useful information to management and investors regarding net cash provided by operating activities and cash used for investments in property and equipment required to maintain and grow the business. Operating Metrics The Company also uses other operating metrics included in this press release and defined below to assess the performance of its business. Active Customers An active customer at the end of any period is defined as an organization or individual developer from which the Company generated more than $100 of revenue during the preceding 12 months. Customers are counted based on unique customer account identifiers. Generally, one software application uses the same customer account identifier throughout its life cycle while one account may be used for multiple applications. Dollar-Based Net Retention Rate Dollar-Based Net Retention Rate is calculated for a trailing 12-month period by first identifying all customers in the prior 12-month period, and then calculating the quotient from dividing the revenue generated from such customers in the trailing 12-month period by the revenue generated from the same group of customers in the prior 12-month period. As the vast majority of revenue generated from Agora's customers is denominated in U.S. dollars, while the vast majority of revenue generated from Shengwang's customers is denominated in Renminbi, Dollar-Based Net Retention Rate is calculated in U.S. dollars for Agora and in Renminbi for Shengwang, which has substantially removed the impact of foreign currency translations. Shengwang excluded the revenues from certain end-of-sale products, Easemob's CEC business and K12 academic tutoring sector. The Company believes Dollar-Based Net Retention Rate facilitates operating performance comparisons on a period-to-period basis. Safe Harbor Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical or current fact included in this press release are forward-looking statements, including but not limited to statements regarding the Company's financial outlook, beliefs and expectations. Forward-looking statements include statements containing words such as "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "project," "will" and similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements. Among other things, the Financial Outlook in this announcement contain forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on the Company's current expectations and involve risks and uncertainties. The Company's actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of these risks and uncertainties, which include, without limitation, risks related to the growth of the RTE-PaaS market; the Company's ability to manage its growth and expand its operations; the continued impact of COVID-19 on global markets and the Company's business, operations and customers; the Company's ability to attract new developers and convert them into customers; the Company's ability to retain existing customers and expand their usage of its platform and products; the Company's ability to drive popularity of existing use cases and enable new use cases, including through quality enhancements and introduction of new products, features and functionalities; the Company's fluctuating operating results; competition; the effect of broader technological and market trends on the Company's business and prospects; general economic conditions and their impact on customer and end-user demand; and other risks and uncertainties included elsewhere in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including, without limitation, the final prospectus related to the IPO filed with the SEC on June 26, 2020. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, and the Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. About Agora, Inc. Agora, Inc. is the Cayman Islands holding company of two independent divisions, under Agora brand and Shengwang brand, respectively, whose businesses are conducted through separate entities. Headquartered in Santa Clara, California, Agora is a pioneer and global leader in Real-Time Engagement Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), providing developers with simple, flexible, and powerful application programming interfaces, or APIs, to embed real-time voice, video, interactive live-streaming, chat, whiteboard, and artificial intelligence capabilities into their applications. Headquartered in Shanghai, China, Shengwang is a pioneer and leading Real-Time Engagement PaaS provider in the China market. For more information on Agora, please visit: www.agora.io For more information on Shengwang, please visit: www.shengwang.cn Agora, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited, in US$ thousands) As of As of September 30, December 31, 2024 2023 Assets Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents 32,118 36,894 Short-term bank deposits 161,906 86,924 Short-term financial products issued by banks 106,638 84,853 Short-term investments 3,066 7,983 Accounts receivable, net 37,381 34,668 Prepayments and other current assets 21,087 9,059 Contract assets 1,127 1,048 Total current assets 363,323 261,429 Property and equipment, net 4,238 5,365 Construction in progress for the headquarters project 35,429 17,343 Operating lease right-of-use assets 4,476 4,011 Intangible assets 741 1,274 Long-term bank deposits 20,500 143,127 Long-term financial products issued by banks 41,400 20,000 Long-term investments 41,012 43,893 Land use right, net 166,434 167,246 Other non-current assets 13,943 10,907 Total assets 691,496 674,595 Liabilities and shareholders' equity Current liabilities: Accounts payable 15,196 12,996 Advances from customers 8,155 7,765 Taxes payable 1,686 906 Current operating lease liabilities 1,924 2,447 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 32,148 32,780 Total current liabilities 59,109 56,894 Long-term operating lease liabilities 2,429 1,726 Deferred tax liabilities 113 196 Long-term borrowings for the headquarters project 33,762 11,027 Other non-current liabilities 19,543 3 Total liabilities 114,956 69,846 Shareholders' equity: Class A ordinary shares 39 39 Class B ordinary shares 8 8 Additional paid-in-capital 1,148,502 1,138,346 Treasury shares, at cost (77,316) (79,716) Accumulated other comprehensive loss (7,907) (10,027) Accumulated deficit (486,786) (443,901) Total shareholders' equity 576,540 604,749 Total liabilities and shareholders' equity 691,496 674,595 Agora, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss (Unaudited, in US$ thousands, except share and per ADS amounts) Three Month Ended Nine Month Ended September 30, September 30, 2024 2023 2024 2023 Real-time engagement service revenues 30,356 32,718 95,716 100,798 Real-time engagement on-premise solution and other revenues 1,217 2,298 3,087 4,699 Total revenues 31,573 35,016 98,803 105,497 Cost of revenues 10,524 12,594 36,304 38,693 Gross profit 21,049 22,422 62,499 66,804 Operating expenses: Research and development 29,271 20,040 65,551 61,356 Sales and marketing 6,860 7,789 19,944 26,903 General and administrative 9,741 9,070 26,349 27,100 Total operating expenses 45,872 36,899 111,844 115,359 Other operating income 134 620 914 1,515 Impairment of goodwill - - - (31,928 ) Loss from operations (24,689 ) (13,857 ) (48,431 ) (78,968 ) Exchange gain (loss) 43 20 108 (191 ) Interest income 3,924 4,850 13,244 14,006 Interest expense (86 ) - (251 ) - Investment income (loss) 839 (13,356 ) (4,033 ) (18,497 ) Losses from extinguishment of convertible note - - - (1,230 ) Other income - - - 550 Loss before income taxes (19,969 ) (22,343 ) (39,363 ) (84,330 ) Income taxes - (164 ) (149 ) (323 ) (Losses) income from equity in affiliates (4,211 ) (6 ) (3,373 ) 45 Net loss (24,180 ) (22,513 ) (42,885 ) (84,608 ) Net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders (24,180 ) (22,513 ) (42,885 ) (84,608 ) Other comprehensive loss: Foreign currency translation adjustments 3,197 1,164 2,119 (6,097 ) Gain on available-for-sale debt securities - - - 1,385 Total comprehensive loss attributable to ordinary shareholders (20,983 ) (21,349 ) (40,766 ) (89,320 ) Net loss per ADS attributable to ordinary shareholders, basic and diluted (0.26 ) (0.23 ) (0.46 ) (0.84 ) Weighted-average shares used in computing net loss per ADS attributable to ordinary shareholders, basic and diluted 371,733,050 389,359,207 372,336,342 405,036,312 Share-based compensation expenses included in: Cost of revenues 31 129 184 576 Research and development expenses 10,776 3,769 15,886 10,668 Sales and marketing expenses 241 800 838 3,705 General and administrative expenses 2,599 1,945 4,332 5,953 Agora, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited, in US$ thousands) Three Month Ended Nine Month Ended September 30, September 30, 2024 2023 2024 2023 Cash flows from operating activities: Net loss (24,180 ) (22,513 ) (42,885 ) (84,608 ) Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: Share-based compensation expenses 13,647 6,643 21,240 20,902 Allowance for current expected credit losses 2,415 1,857 7,263 5,358 Depreciation of property and equipment 788 1,558 2,726 5,680 Amortization of intangible assets 131 345 533 1,036 Amortization of land use right 856 850 2,572 2,312 Deferred tax benefit (20 ) (53 ) (82 ) (159 ) Amortization of right-of-use asset and interest on lease liabilities 687 704 2,035 2,218 Investment (income) loss (839 ) 13,356 4,033 18,497 Losses from extinguishment of convertible note - - - 1,230 Interest income on debt securities and investments - - - (105 ) Losses (income) from equity in affiliates 4,211 6 3,373 (45 ) Loss (gain) on disposal of property and equipment 1 34 16 (10 ) Impairments of goodwill - - - 31,928 Changes in assets and liabilities, net of effect of acquisition: Accounts receivable (1,627 ) (4,503 ) (9,418 ) (7,856 ) Contract assets (38 ) (86 ) (67 ) (942 ) Prepayments and other current assets 347 (659 ) (12,129 ) (1,008 ) Other non-current assets (472 ) (2,104 ) 6,668 (5,160 ) Accounts payable (2,531 ) 2,653 2,042 3,639 Advances from customers (41 ) 100 316 (559 ) Taxes payable 107 31 761 (802 ) Operating lease liabilities (677 ) (324 ) (2,319 ) (1,869 ) Deferred income 256 - 62 (160 ) Accrued expenses and other liabilities 2,357 (928 ) (5,404 ) (6,808 ) Net cash used in operating activities (4,622 ) (3,033 ) (18,664 ) (17,291 ) Cash flows from investing activities: Purchase of property and equipment (1,333 ) (206 ) (2,297 ) (656 ) Purchase of short-term bank deposits - (58,000 ) (43,100 ) (187,521 ) Purchase of short-term financial products issued by banks (50,300 ) (19,525 ) (70,391 ) (29,899 ) Purchase of short-term investments - (789 ) - (789 ) Proceeds from maturity of short-term bank deposits 37,000 86,000 111,241 434,058 Proceeds from maturity of short-term financial products issued by banks 59,482 - 69,511 8,310 Purchase of long-term bank deposits (10,500 ) - (20,500 ) (143,127 ) Purchase of long-term financial products issued by banks (32,000 ) - (41,400 ) (20,000 ) Purchase of long-term investments (562 ) - (562 ) (15 ) Purchase of land use right - - - (5,133 ) Payment for the headquarters project (10,918 ) (1,839 ) (21,895 ) (4,326 ) Cash received for business disposal - - - 5,769 Cash received from disposal of property and equipment 2 36 58 87 Cash paid for a business combination - - - (3,680 ) Cash received from disposal of long-term investments 28 - 155 - Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities (9,101 ) 5,677 (19,180 ) 53,078 Cash flows from financing activities: Proceeds from long-term borrowings for headquarters project 11,123 - 22,177 - Deposits returned for business disposal - - - (1,000 ) Proceeds from exercise of employees' share options 175 74 550 590 Deposit received in relation to headquarters project - - 19,280 - Repurchase of Class A ordinary shares (3,913 ) (12,462 ) (9,667 ) (52,829 ) Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities 7,385 (12,388 ) 32,340 (53,239 ) Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash 819 53 678 (1,286 ) Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash (5,519 ) (9,691 ) (4,826 ) (18,738 ) Cash balance recorded in held-for sale assets at beginning of period - - - 1,488 Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period * 37,867 38,268 37,174 45,827 Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period ** 32,348 28,577 32,348 28,577 Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information: Income taxes paid 24 33 133 65 Cash payments included in the measurement of operating lease liabilities 677 324 2,319 1,869 Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for operating lease obligations 1,812 - 2,325 4,088 Non-cash financing and investing activities: Proceeds receivable from exercise of employees' share options 328 25 328 25 Payables for property and equipment 33 24 33 24 Payables for construction in progress for the headquarters project 11,614 6,458 11,614 6,458 Payables for treasury shares, at cost 24 301 24 301 * includes restricted cash balance 280 280 280 154 ** includes restricted cash balance 230 280 230 280 Agora, Inc. Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Measures (Unaudited, in US$ thousands, except share and per ADS amounts) Three Month Ended Nine Month Ended September 30, September 30, 2024 2023 2024 2023 GAAP net loss (24,180 ) (22,513 ) (42,885 ) (84,608 ) Add: Share-based compensation expenses 13,647 6,643 21,240 20,902 Acquisition related expenses - 13 - (400 ) Amortization expenses of acquired intangible assets 129 345 531 1,035 Income tax related to acquired intangible assets (20 ) (53 ) (82 ) (159 ) Impairment of goodwill - - - 31,928 Non-GAAP net loss (10,424 ) (15,565 ) (21,196 ) (31,302 ) Net cash used in operating activities (4,622 ) (3,033 ) (18,664 ) (17,291 ) Purchase of property and equipment (1,333 ) (206 ) (2,297 ) (656 ) Free Cash Flow (5,955 ) (3,239 ) (20,961 ) (17,947 ) Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities (9,101 ) 5,677 (19,180 ) 53,078 Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities 7,385 (12,388 ) 32,340 (53,239 ) © 2024 Benzinga.com. 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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Taylor Swift once raved about the sweet potato casserole served at a New York City restaurant and now that recipe pops up every now and again at Thanksgiving. The holidays encourage many of us to try new recipes. Social media right now is flooded with recipes for appetizers, side dishes and desserts. Anyone making that cornbread casserole from TikTok? While we might not get to share a Thanksgiving feast with Swift — is your name Blake Lively? — or other celebrities beloved by Kansas City, we can eat like them. So here’s the recipe for that casserole Swift loved so much, and favorite family side dish recipes from Donna Kelce and Eric Stonestreet. Enjoy. People are also reading... Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams making furniture in Alexander County again Sheriff: 1 arrested, 1 wanted after Statesville man strangled, robbed Lake Norman residents voice concerns with Marshall Steam Station changes Iredell County bridge to close for $1.2 replacement project Basketball transfer Patterson back home at West Iredell to 'bring in some wins' Believers bought airplane for dead preacher thinking he’d rise from grave to fly in it MerMade: Workspace opens in Statesville, caters to artists, crafters Baseball league cries foul as Iredell plans to charge to use Jennings Park fields Statesville embraces underdog role in rematch with defending champ Hickory Mooresville's Farmer, Graham picked to play in Shrine Bowl With supermajority in NC House gone, Iredell's Republican lawmakers talk changes, challenges Statesville falls to Hickory, Mooresville tops NW Guilford in football playoffs Iredell County woman wins first $150,000 top prize in new game Statesville sweeps varsity doubleheader with South Iredell; Shehan reaches 1,000 points in Lake Norman win West Iredell starts season strong with win over Bunker Hill Travis Kelce's mother, Donna Kelce, seen here last year at her son's music festival, dined on a cheesesteak made by actor Bradley Cooper at QVC festivities in Las Vegas this week. (Emily Curiel/Kansas City Star/TNS) If we tried to guess how many holiday dinner rolls Travis Kelce and his brother, Jason Kelce, have scarfed over the years, would it be in the hundreds? Thousands? Their mom has spoken often about the batches of holiday crescent rolls she has baked over the years. Based on the recipe that won the 1969 Pillsbury Bake-Off, Pillsbury’s Magic Marshmallow Crescent Puffs , they’re now known as Mama Kelce’s Dinner Rolls. They blend the crescent roll pastry with marshmallows, cinnamon and sugar. Dinner roll or dessert? We bet they didn’t last long enough in front of Travis and Jason for that debate. Ingredients Rolls •1/4 cup granulated sugar •2 tablespoons Pillsbury Best all-purpose flour •1 teaspoon ground cinnamon •2 (8-ounce) cans refrigerated Pillsbury Original Crescent Rolls (8 Count) •16 large marshmallows •1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted Glaze •1/2 cup powdered sugar •1/2 teaspoon vanilla •2-3 teaspoons milk •1/4 cup chopped nuts Directions Make the rolls 1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 16 medium muffin cups with nonstick baking spray. 2. In a small bowl, mix the granulated sugar, flour and cinnamon. 3. Separate the dough into 16 triangles. For each roll, dip 1 marshmallow into melted butter; roll in the sugar mixture. Place marshmallow on the shortest side of a triangle. Roll up, starting at shortest side and rolling to opposite point. Completely cover the marshmallow with the dough; firmly pinch edges to seal. Dip 1 end in remaining butter; place butter side down in muffin cup. 4. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. 5. When done, remove from the oven and let the puffs cool in the pan for 1 minute. Remove rolls from muffin cups; place on cooling racks set over waxed paper. Make the glaze and assemble In a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar, vanilla and enough milk for desired drizzling consistency. Drizzle glaze over warm rolls. Sprinkle with nuts. Serve warm. Thanksgiving is one of the “Modern Family” star’s favorite holidays. Three years ago, as part of a campaign honoring hometown heroes , he shared one of his favorite recipe with McCormick Spices: Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Butternut Squash . This recipe serves eight. Ingredients •1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved •1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into bite-size cubes •1 tablespoon olive oil •1/2 teaspoon garlic powder •1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves •1/2 teaspoon salt •1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper •5 slices bacon, chopped •1 shallot, finely chopped •1/2 cup dried cranberries •1/4 cup balsamic vinegar •1 teaspoon whole grain mustard •1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted (optional) •1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese, (optional) Directions 1. Preheat oven to 475°F. Spray large shallow baking pan with no stick cooking spray; set aside. Place Brussels sprouts and squash in large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder, thyme, salt and pepper; toss to coat evenly. Spread in single layer on prepared pan. 2. Roast 16 to 18 minutes or until tender and lightly browned, stirring halfway through cooking. 3. Meanwhile, cook bacon in medium skillet on medium heat about 6 minutes or until crispy. Remove using slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain. Add shallot to same skillet; cook and stir 2 minutes until softened and lightly browned. Stir in cranberries, vinegar and mustard until well blended. Transfer mixture to small bowl; set aside. 4. Arrange roasted Brussels sprouts and squash on serving platter. Drizzle with cranberry balsamic glaze and toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with cooked bacon, toasted pecans, and crumbled blue cheese, if desired. Serve immediately. Swift gushed about the sweet potato casserole served at Del Frisco’s Grille in New York City, a dish crowned with a crunchy candied pecan and oatmeal crumble. “I’ve never enjoyed anything with the word casserole in it ever before, but it’s basically sweet potatoes with this brown sugary crust,” she told InStyle. ”Oh my God, it’s amazing.” The media rushed to find the recipe, which Parade has published this Thanksgiving season . “Similar to T. Swift herself, we think this recipe is a mastermind, especially if you’ve been asked to bring the sweet potato side dish to this year’s Thanksgiving feast. It seriously begs the question: who needs pumpkin pie?” the magazine writes. Ingredients •4 lbs sweet potatoes •1⁄3 cup oats •12 oz unsalted butter, divided •1⁄2 cup packed brown sugar •1⁄2 cup toasted pecans •1⁄2 cup granulated sugar •1 tsp kosher salt •2 tsp vanilla extract •4 large eggs, beaten Directions Preheat oven to 375°F. 1. Scrub sweet potatoes. Pierce each several times with a fork and wrap tightly in foil. Place on a sheet pan. Bake 90 minutes or until tender. Set aside until cool enough to handle. 2. Meanwhile, place oats in a food processor; process 1 minute. Add 4 oz butter, brown sugar and pecans; pulse five times to combine. Spread mixture on a baking sheet; bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven, crumble. Bake 5 minutes or until golden brown. 3. Melt remaining 8 oz butter. Remove skin from cooled sweet potatoes. In a large bowl, whisk sweet potatoes, melted butter, granulated sugar and remaining ingredients until slightly lumpy. Transfer to a greased baking dish, smoothing surface evenly. Top with oat mixture. Bake 12 minutes or until heated through. Make-ahead tips •Sweet potato filling can be made up to 2 days in advance. Prepare the sweet potato filling, cool, place in a casserole dish and keep refrigerated. •Oat-pecan crust can also be made up to 2 days ahead. Make the crust according to recipe directions, cool and store in an airtight container at room temperature. Sprinkle over the sweet potato filling just before baking. Holiday party recipe: How to make a showstopper antipasti platter Kate Bradshaw, The Mercury News Dressing or stuffing? No matter what you call it, these 3 recipes will be your new favorites Meredith Deeds, The Minnesota Star Tribune 7 recipes that will add a new twist to your Thanksgiving dinner Nicole Hvidsten, The Minnesota Star Tribune With our weekly newsletter packed with the latest in everything food.Stock market today: Wall Street rises with Nvidia as bitcoin bursts above $99,000Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy appears to love rib-ticklers these days, aiming them with aplomb at his Cabinet colleagues. The other day, at the Rythu Panduga in Mahbubnagar district, his comments left many chuckling. First it was irrigation minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy’s turn to get a good-natured poke. Uttam is this district’s son-in-law, the CM said as Uttam’s wife, Kodad MLA Padmavathi Reddy, hails from a village near Jadcherla. The bottom line? Because of his “special status” Uttam owes the district and should ensure irrigation for 20 lakh acres in Mahbubnagar. That is the dowry Uttam owes, the CM went, prompting chuckles and guffaws. Deputy CM and finance minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka was next with the CM recalling the local connections of Bhatti’s elder brothers, Mallu Anantha Ramulu and Mallu Ravi, with the district. Bhatti holding the state purse strings could sign some blank cheques for the district, the CM went. Then came the turn of health minister Damodar Rajanarsimha, the in-charge minister for Mahbubnagar, with Revanth going “Damodar anna signs without reading! That way, we can sneak in higher amounts for our district easily.” A good time to call it a day... sort of. This is now the case with senior IAS officer Burra Venkatesham who sought voluntary retirement from service (VRS) to take up the job of Telangana State Public Service Commission (TGPSC) chairperson. Burra is not the first to seek VRS and head the commission, since the TGPSC post is a much coveted one. It was B. Janardhan Reddy who quit his IAS job in a similar fashion during the BRS regime and joined the commission in May 2021. But, for Janardhan, his dream job — six years at TGPSC’s helm, or until reaching the age of 62 — was cut short to just two-and-a-half years with the Congress sweeping to power on December 7, 2023. Forced to resign within five days of the political shift, his abrupt exit on December 11 sent shockwaves through bureaucratic circles. Now, the word doing the rounds is that with four years of regular service left, Burra with a penchant for taking calculated risks, has placed his bets on staying on for six years in his new position, a win-win situation for him, making him one more among officials betting their careers in a high-stakes game of strategy, resilience, and luck, and hope that they can weather future political storms. Leaders who are reluctant to lead are the current flavour in erstwhile Adilabad district with folks looking askance and their elected representatives, present and past, missing in action. While leaders from the ruling party are staying away fearing “accountability”, those from the Opposition parties too are missing from action on the field worried that they would be taken to task for their failed policies that led to the current situation. This became clear at the recent protest against an ethanol plant in Dilawarpur village with neither side putting in an appearance and finally, people’s power making it felt. Just for good measure, the protestors were also holding up placards with pictures of the MLA and two others declaring them missing. AP’s labour minister Vasamsetty Subhash appears to be harvesting trouble after courting some serious controversy after issuing legal notices to women agriculture labourers in Ramachandrapuram of Dr B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district recently. The women say all they did was to harvest paddy from a field and were not aware of a dispute on its ownership. The land belonged to a brother and sister and was bought by another person who allegedly had Vasamsetty’s blessings. When the dispute initially reached the local police station, the women workers were made a party to the case. When the women alleged they were being made scapegoats in a case in which a minister was involved, Subhash was apparently cut to the quick and served legal notices to all his critics in the case, including the women farm labourers who are now hugely worried and anguished that they are up against their state minister. Heroes on the big screen can suddenly become zeroes in real life. The latest to become an example of this phenomenon appears to be Allu Arjun, whose film ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’s first screening resulted in the death of a woman who went to watch the movie at the same theatre that he decided to go to and made a grand entry setting, off a stampede by his crazed fans carrying aerosol can torches among other paraphernalia. With the woman dying in the stampede and her son nearly getting killed at the same time, Telangana minister for cinematography Komatireddy Venkat Reddy questioning Allu Arjun’s choice of going to the hall — the situation resulted in serious questions about the desperate thirst for adulation among movie stars who other than a handful of hits in their entire career, have nothing much to show far. There is a joke doing the rounds in the BJP in Telangana these days. Nothing new but a repurposed old one and the butt of the joke is party state president G. Kishan Reddy. The man, known to work hard to ensure he makes no enemies, did not want this post of state chief. But when he was given the job, he got stuck with it. With no signs of a new president on the horizon, and amidst rumours that when a new one comes, Kishan could well be given the job of the BJP national president, some in the party are apparently tickled at this prospect, getting a new chance to have a jibe at Kishan. A senior party leader the other day narrated the now famous anecdote about visiting US journalists in Bihar saying the state can be turned into the US as it had potential. Lalu Prasad Yadav, hearing about this, retorted that he could turn the US into a Bihar in no time. If Kishan goes to Delhi then he can turn the national BJP into Telangana BJP which is struggling on many fronts, this particular BJP leader said. Once a man who wielded enormous power, former Speaker in the BRS government and Banswada MLA Pocharam Srinivas Reddy is now struggling to cope with life after power. After joining the Congress following the BRS’ drubbing, he is facing stiff opposition in the now-ruling party with former MLA and Banswada constituency Congress in-charge Enugu Ravinder Reddy raising his voice against Pocharam alleging autocratic attitude. Party leaders from lower rungs too are reported to be upset at Pocharam’s attitude and all of this apparently has now come to a stage where the former Speaker, according to the grapevine, is believed to be considering returning to the BRS.

What to Know About Brooke Rollins, Trump’s Choice for Agriculture SecretaryThe popular backpacker town of Vang Vieng in northern Laos, is at the centre of an unfolding tragedy after multiple deaths from suspected methanol poisoning. File photo: Getty Images By Nova Chittock of RNZ A New Zealander who fell ill with what's believed to be methanol poisoning in Laos has returned home, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says. Two Australian teenagers, a British national, an American and two Danish women have died after reportedly drinking tainted alcohol in the popular tourist town of Vang Vieng. The New Zealand Embassy in Bangkok, which has responsibility for Laos, said last week it had been providing assistance to a New Zealander who reported falling ill after what's believed to be methanol poisoning. An MFAT spokesperson said the person had now departed Laos and returned home. "No further details will be provided for privacy reasons," they said. MFAT had also updated travel advice for Laos on the government's SafeTravel website to warn about suspected methanol poisoning cases. "Travellers are advised to be cautious about consuming alcoholic beverages, particularly cocktails and drinks made with spirits that may have been adulterated with harmful substances," the website said. "Know the signs of methanol poisoning and seek immediate medical attention if poisoning is suspected." Laos authorities have released the names of two Danish women and a US national who died of suspected methanol poisoning. Australian Holly Bowles (left), British lawyer Simone White and Australian Bianca Jones are all confirmed to have died in the mass poisoning. Photo: Social media/handout American James Louis Hutson, 57, also died after falling ill after drinking alcohol in the country. All those who died were staying at the Nana Backpackers Hostel, which was being investigated by local authorities. The local governor has visited the hostel and promised to bring those responsible to justice. The hostel manager has denied any wrongdoing. The Australian government said it was s working with the families of the two Melbourne 19-year-olds who died from the suspected methanol poisoning event to bring their bodies home from Laos. Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles died in Thai hospitals after being transferred from Laos where they had fallen ill during a backpacking trip. The ABC said an online fundraiser to relieve financial pressure on the Jones and Bowles families and raise awareness of methanol poisoning had already collected more than NZ$128,000.

"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" Thanks for your interest in Kalkine Media's content! To continue reading, please log in to your account or create your free account with us.

RICHMOND, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 12, 2024-- The Board of Directors of NewMarket Corporation (NYSE: NEU) (the “Company”) approved a new share repurchase program authorizing management to repurchase up to $500 million of the Company’s outstanding common stock through December 31, 2027, as market conditions warrant and covenants under the Company’s existing debt agreements permit. The new repurchase program will replace the Company’s existing $500 million repurchase program approved by the Board of Directors in October 2021, which will expire on December 31, 2024. Under the new program, the Company may conduct share repurchases in the open market, in privately negotiated transactions, through block trades or pursuant to any trading plan that may be adopted in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The new program does not require the Company to acquire any specific number of shares and may be terminated or suspended at any time. NewMarket Corporation is a holding company operating through its subsidiaries Afton Chemical Corporation (Afton), Ethyl Corporation (Ethyl), and American Pacific Corporation (AMPAC). The Afton and Ethyl companies develop, manufacture, blend, and deliver chemical additives that enhance the performance of petroleum products. AMPAC is a manufacturer of specialty materials primarily used in solid rocket motors for the aerospace and defense industries. The NewMarket family of companies has a long-term commitment to its people, to safety, to providing innovative solutions for its customers, and to making the world a better place. Some of the information contained in this press release constitutes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Although NewMarket’s management believes its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions within the bounds of its knowledge of its business and operations, there can be no assurance that actual results will not differ materially from expectations. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include, but are not limited to, the availability of raw materials and distribution systems; disruptions at production facilities, including single-sourced facilities; hazards common to chemical businesses; the ability to respond effectively to technological changes in our industries; failure to protect our intellectual property rights; sudden, sharp, or prolonged raw material price increases; competition from other manufacturers; current and future governmental regulations; the loss of significant customers; termination or changes to contracts with contractors and subcontractors of the U.S. government or directly with the U.S. government; failure to attract and retain a highly-qualified workforce; an information technology system failure or security breach; the occurrence or threat of extraordinary events, including natural disasters, terrorist attacks, wars and health-related epidemics; risks related to operating outside of the United States; political, economic, and regulatory factors concerning our products; the impact of substantial indebtedness on our operational and financial flexibility; the impact of fluctuations in foreign exchange rates; resolution of environmental liabilities or legal proceedings; limitation of our insurance coverage; our inability to realize expected benefits from investment in our infrastructure or from acquisitions, or our inability to successfully integrate acquisitions into our business; the underperformance of our pension assets resulting in additional cash contributions to our pension plans; and other factors detailed from time to time in the reports that NewMarket files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the risk factors in Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and Part II, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2024, which are available to shareholders at www.newmarket.com . You should keep in mind that any forward-looking statement made by NewMarket in the foregoing discussion speaks only as of the date on which such forward-looking statement is made. New risks and uncertainties arise from time to time, and it is impossible for us to predict these events or how they may affect the Company. We have no duty to, and do not intend to, update or revise the forward-looking statements in this discussion after the date hereof, except as may be required by law. In light of these risks and uncertainties, you should keep in mind that the events described in any forward-looking statement made in this discussion, or elsewhere, might not occur. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241210821417/en/ CONTACT: FOR INVESTOR INFORMATION CONTACT: William J. Skrobacz Investor Relations Phone: 804.788.5555 Fax: 804.788.5688 Email: investorrelations@newmarket.com KEYWORD: VIRGINIA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: CHEMICALS/PLASTICS ENERGY MANUFACTURING OIL/GAS SOURCE: NewMarket Corporation Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/12/2024 05:01 PM/DISC: 12/12/2024 05:02 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241210821417/en

Baker Mayfield mocks Tommy DeVito's celebration as the Bucs embarrass the Giants 30-7

Is ‘Glicked’ the new ‘Barbenheimer’? ‘Wicked’ and ‘Gladiator II’ collide in theatersWASHINGTON (AP) – U Street is mostly deserted when Aceba Broadus and his three-person crew from the District of Columbia’s Department of Public Works (DPW) start setting up shop before 8am at one of DC’s perennial graffiti hot spots. They tap a hydrant to fill the 275-gallon tank in their truck and get to work – coating graffiti-covered walls with a special chemical and then blasting them with high-pressure water. The work progresses quickly, but Broadus holds few illusions that their efforts will last long. “Come back on Friday and it will be all retagged again,” he said. “It’s definitely a bit frustrating.” Across town, Eric B Ricks is engaged in his own graffiti project, far different from the tags and protest slogans often found on buildings and monuments across the nation’s capital. Using a scissor lift, Ricks applies a coat of primer to the wall of Savoy Elementary School in preparation for what will become a city-sponsored mural of geometric patterns and multicoloured birds. “Graffiti is different for every practitioner of the craft. It’s like a hydra, this multiheaded thing that’s many things to many people,” said a longtime graffiti artist Ricks. “Graffiti in its purest form is like a flower growing out of filth and muck.” Aceba Broadus paints over graffiti in a neighbourhood of Washington. PHOTO: AP Workers removing graffiti. PHOTO: AP Queen Jones sprays on a chemical to remove graffiti on a wall. PHOTO: AP This eye-of-the-beholder dynamic between vandalism and urban art form has been a reality since the earliest days of graffiti. One person’s artistic expression is another’s problematic eyesore. At any given time, there are three DPW removal teams working, and the city budgets USD550,000 per year for the task. Those teams use a variety of methods, depending on the type of paint and material of the wall – limestone is the hardest to clean. Sometimes, they use gray paint to simply cover the graffiti on metal security doors. Some types of stone get a special chemical and the water hose. And occasionally, they need to call in outside contractors with a sandblaster. The district also has to contend with political graffiti often left by the frequent mass protests that are drawn to the nation’s capital. Most recently, the large protest against the Israel-Gaza war peaked with a takeover of Columbus Circle in front of Union Station, the Amtrak and commuter rail station. The protesters left graffiti throughout the area, including on a replica of the Liberty Bell. One protester sprayed slogans on the statue of Christopher Columbus. That protest actually produced a rare graffiti-related arrest as authorities later charged a 20-year-old Maryland woman. But mostly it’s tagging, the distinctive stylised bubble-letter signatures that can be seen on hundreds of buildings and all along the Metro train lines. A 21-year DPW veteran, Broadus has become intimately familiar with some of the regular taggers. Three different times, young graffiti artists have been sentenced to community service on his crew; he has occasionally tasked a tagger with covering over their own work. “I ask them why they do it, and they usually say something like, ‘We want to promote our name’,” Broadus said with a shrug. For Ricks, that inability to grasp the motivation has been there since the earliest days of the modern graffiti movement – something he tracks to the early 1980s in New York City. “Most people don’t understand why these kids are doing this,” he said. “Not everybody with a spray can has the same motivations and goals.”

Inventus Mining Commences 80-Hole Drill Program at Pardo Receives OJEP Funding Support and ...

NewMarket Corporation Authorizes New Share Repurchase ProgramNorth Dakota regulators OK underground storage for proposed Midwest carbon dioxide pipeline BISMARCK, N.D. Jack Dura And Steve Karnowski, The Associated Press Dec 12, 2024 3:18 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message North Dakota Republican Gov. Doug Burgum, right, and Republican state Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring, left, prepare before a meeting of the state Industrial Commission on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024, at the state Capitol in Bismarck, N.D. (AP Photo/Jack Dura) BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota regulators approved permits Thursday for underground storage of carbon dioxide delivered through a massive pipeline proposed for the Midwest, marking another victory for a project that has drawn fierce opposition from landowners. The governor-led Industrial Commission voted unanimously to approve permits for Summit Carbon Solutions’ three proposed storage sites in central North Dakota. Summit says construction of the project would begin in 2026 with operations beginning in 2027, but it’s expected that resistant landowners will file lawsuits seeking to block the storage plans. “With these permits, we’re one step closer to providing vital infrastructure that benefits farmers, ethanol producers, and communities across the Midwest," Summit Executive VP Wade Boeshans said in a statement. Summit’s proposed 2,500-mile (4,023-kilometer), $8 billion pipeline would transport planet-warming CO2 emissions from 57 ethanol plants in North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska for underground storage. Carbon dioxide would move through the pipeline in a pressurized form to be injected deep underground into a rock formation. The company has permits for its route in North Dakota and Iowa but can’t yet begin construction. Also on Thursday, Minnesota regulators approved a permit for a 28-mile (45-kilometer) leg of the project in western Minnesota. Summit also recently applied in South Dakota, where regulators denied the company’s previous application last year. Last month, the company gained approval for its North Dakota route , and Iowa regulators also have given conditional approval. Summit faces several lawsuits related to the project, including a North Dakota Supreme Court appeal over a property rights law related to the underground storage plan. Further court challenges are likely. North Dakota Republican Gov. Doug Burgum, who chairs the Industrial Commission, is President-elect Donald Trump's choice for Interior Secretary and to lead a new National Energy Council. Burgum has frequently touted North Dakota's underground carbon dioxide storage as a “geologic jackpot.” In 2021, he set a goal for the No. 3 oil-producing state to be carbon-neutral by 2030. His term ends Saturday. Summit's storage facilities would hold an estimated maximum of 352 million metric tons of CO2 over 20 years. The pipeline would carry up to 18 million metric tons of CO2 per year to be injected about 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) underground, according to an application fact sheet. Jessie Stolark, who leads a group that supports the project and includes Summit, said the oil industry has long used similar technology. “We know that this can be done safely in a manner that is protective of human health and underground sources of drinking water,” said Stolark, executive director of the Carbon Capture Coalition. Summit's project has drawn the ire of landowners around the region. They oppose the potential taking of their property for the pipeline and fear a pipeline rupture releasing a cloud of heavy, hazardous gas over the land. A North Dakota landowners group is challenging a property rights law related to the underground storage, and attorney Derrick Braaten said they likely would challenge the granting of permits. “The landowners that I'm working with aren't necessarily opposed to carbon sequestration itself,” Braaten said. “They're opposed to the idea that a private company can come in and use their property without having to negotiate with them or pay them just compensation for taking their private property and using it.” Carbon capture projects such as Summit's are eligible for lucrative federal tax credits intended to encourage cleaner-burning ethanol and potentially result in corn-based ethanol being refined into jet fuel. Some opponents argue the amount of greenhouse gases sequestered through the process would make little difference and could lead farmers to grow more corn despite environmental concerns about the crop. In Minnesota, regulators granted a route permit that would connect an ethanol plant in Fergus Falls to Summit’s broader network. They attached several conditions, including requirements that Summit first begin construction in North Dakota. An administrative law judge who conducted hearings concluded in November that the environmental impacts from the Minnesota segment would be minimal and noted that Summit has secured agreements from landowners along most of the recommended route. Environmental groups that oppose the project disputed the judge’s finding that the project would have a net benefit for the environment. Iowa regulators required Summit to obtain approvals for routes in the Dakotas and underground storage in North Dakota before it can begin construction in Iowa. The Iowa Utilities Commission's approval sparked lawsuits related to the project. In Nebraska, where there is no state regulatory process for CO2 pipelines, Summit is working with individual counties to advance its project. At least one county has denied a permit. ___ Karnowski reported from Minneapolis. Jack Dura And Steve Karnowski, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More World News Israeli strike in Gaza kills 25 people as US makes new push for a ceasefire Dec 12, 2024 12:28 PM Israeli strike in central Gaza kills at least 25 people Dec 12, 2024 12:18 PM The FBI should have done more to collect intelligence before the Capitol riot, watchdog finds Dec 12, 2024 10:07 AM Featured FlyerLocal business receives government boostLions defeat Colts for ninth straight victory