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Democrat declares victory over Rep. Lauren Boebert in Colorado
Democrat Eileen Laubacher declared victory in her Colorado race against Rep. Lauren Boebert, a polarizing crusader for the MAGA movement.
Broncos add OT and LB in 2027 NFL mock draft
The Broncos use their first two picks in this 2027 NFL mock draft to add an offensive tackle and a linebacker.
11/10/2026: Supervisory Status and Health Care Rule Quirks
Union Electric Company D/B/a Ameren Missouri, 14-RM-394835 (Regional Election Decision) A Regional Director dismissed the Employer's petition after finding that Distribution System Operating Supervisors (DSOS) II are statutory supervisors under Section 2(11) of the NLRA, but not managerial employees. The Employer, an electric and gas utility, filed the petition after the Union demanded recognition for DSOS I and II positions. Because the DSOS II are supervisors excluded from the NLRA's protection, no election was ordered. The DSOS I position was not decided, since no one currently holds it, and ordering an election for a unit with zero employees would be contrary to Board policy. As a preliminary matter, the Union was precluded from litigating supervisory or managerial status because it filed its Statement of Position with the Region but did not serve it on the Employer by the deadline. The Regional Director still took evidence sufficient to decide unit appropriateness, as the Board's rules require. Supervisory status rested on the authority to assign. The DSOS prioritize work tickets, choose which Line Troubleman or Traveling Operator to send, pull employees off lower-priority jobs, hold employees past shift end, decide whether to call in crews and how large they should be, and handle sick call-outs, all without consulting anyone. Relying on Oakwood Healthcare and Entergy Mississippi, the Regional Director found this resembled utility dispatchers who used independent judgment in assigning employees to places. It did not matter that the record did not show who selects the specific employees who respond to a call-out. The Employer failed to prove responsible direction because nothing showed DSOS face adverse consequences for field employees' performance. The one Performance Improvement Plan involved a DSOS's own errors. The Employer also failed to prove discipline authority, since switching error forms merely report incidents and upper management decides whether discipline follows. The managerial claim failed because there was no evidence the DSOS formulate high-level employer policy. They exercise technical discretion, sit below Superintendents and a Manager, and are first-level supervisors. Significant Cases Cited Oakwood Healthcare, Inc., 348 NLRB 686 (2006): Defined "assign" and "responsibly direct" under Section 2(11) and placed the burden of proving supervisory status on the party asserting it. Entergy Mississippi, Inc., 367 NLRB No. 109 (2019): Held utility dispatchers were supervisors because they used independent judgment in prioritizing outages and assigning field employees. NLRB v. Kentucky River Community Care, Inc., 532 U.S. 706 (2001): Established the three-part test for supervisory status under Section 2(11). NLRB v. Yeshiva University, 444 U.S. 672 (1980): Described managerial employees as those who formulate and effectuate management policies and are aligned with management. Ikea Distribution Services, Inc., 370 NLRB No. 109 (2021): Affirmed preclusion of issues for a late-served Statement of Position while confirming the Regional Director must still determine unit appropriateness. NLRB Edge is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Prime Healthcare Services – St. Michael’s, LLC D/B/a Saint Michael’s Medical Center, 22-RC-392696 (Regional Election Decision) The Regional Director dismissed a petition seeking an Armour-Globe self-determination election for two full-time radiation therapists at a Newark hospital. The union wanted the therapists to vote on joining its existing nonconforming unit of registered nurses, nurse anesthetists, and technical employees. The Regional Director found the union had not shown the therapists could appropriately be added to that unit under the Board's Health Care Rule and the community-of-interest factors. The Regional Director first explained that the Health Care Rule does not categorically bar an Armour-Globe election in a partially organized hospital with existing nonconforming units. Under St. Vincent Charity Medical Center, such an election does not create a new unit and so does not offend the Rule's concern with unit proliferation. The petitioner still bears the burden of showing the group is identifiable and distinct and shares a community of interest with the existing unit. The therapists were an identifiable, distinct group because they do identical work in the same department under the same managers. On community of interest, the evidence was mostly unfavorable to the union. The therapists work in the Cancer Center alongside unit nurses but have separate supervision (apart from occasional coverage), separate break areas, and distinct equipment and functions. Their contact with nurses is limited to routine patient handoffs, and they do not interact with or fill in for technical employees such as radiology technicians. The Regional Director found some overlap in certifications and training, which might tip the scale on those factors, but the union did not establish common terms and conditions. The Regional Director added that shared benefits or work rules would not suffice given separate supervision, no interchange, and physical separation. The decisive problem was the Health Care Rule's classifications. The therapists are professionals who fall within the Rule's "all other professionals" category. The parties' contract expressly excludes "all other professionals," and the union's attempt at hearing to classify some respiratory therapists as professionals contradicted that contract. Adding the therapists would create yet another nonconforming grouping and leave other unrepresented professionals in that category. A separate therapist-only unit would also be inappropriate because the record shows other unrepresented professional employees. A unit of all unrepresented employees in that category may be appropriate. Significant Cases Cited St. Vincent Charity Medical Center, 357 NLRB 854 (2011): An Armour-Globe election in an acute care hospital does not violate the Health Care Rule because it adds employees to an existing unit rather than creating a new one. Rush University Medical Center v. NLRB, 833 F.3d 202 (D.C. Cir. 2016): Section 103.30(c) of the Health Care Rule applies only to petitions for additional units, not to Armour-Globe elections adding employees to an existing unit. Warner-Lambert Co., 298 NLRB 993 (1990): A self-determination election requires that the employees share a community of interest with the existing unit and form an identifiable, distinct segment constituting an appropriate voting group. United Operations, Inc., 338 NLRB 123 (2002): Sets out the community-of-interest factors, and common supervision alone does not require inclusion in one unit absent interchange, contact, or functional integration. Wheatland Electric Cooperative, Inc., 375 NLRB No. 16 (2026): Functional integration requires that positions depend on one another to accomplish their tasks, and minor differences between groups should not be given too much weight.
Bengals Tuesday Trenches: Super in Spain, SNF and more
The Bengals had fun in Spain. Now they host the Steelers in a game that could decide who hosts a playoff game.
‘Somebody stepped in and helped’: Advocates press to keep Oklahoma’s mental healthcare ‘safety net’
For nearly a decade, certified community behavioral health clinics have served as a lifeline for hundreds of thousands of Oklahomans who need access to mental health or substance use treatment.
Indiana’s Curt Cignetti declines to name starting quarterback against USC
Cignetti was noncommittal when asked about Indiana’s quarterback situation in a press conference on Monday.
DeChambeau running out of options
Rory McIlroy says the addition of Bryson DeChambeau to the DP World Tour next season would bring more "eyeballs" to the tour but feels the American is running out of options.
John Thune seeks another term as Senate Republican leader as the party reckons with election losses
Senate Republicans will be meeting for what they call a “robust conversation” on their future and to decide whether to keep South Dakota Sen. John Thune as their leader.
Southold’s Brady Rymer gets the spotlight with LI Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame induction
For 62-year-old Brady Rymer, music began with a simple invitation from his older brother: Join the band. Decades later, that pastime has grown into a career spanning rock and roll, Grammy-nominated children’s music and an upcoming induction into the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame (97 Main St., Stony Brook, 631-689-5888). The Southold...
'The first species we might be able to communicate with, interact with vocally, might be a bird': An animal researcher explains how she decoded birdsong
Julie Elie, an ethologist at the University of California, Berkeley, tells Live Science's Kenna Hughes-Castleberry about using AI to decode the vocalizations of zebra finches.
Netanyahu in 'panic' over possibility of Eisenkot becoming prime minister, former aide says
Former Netanyahu adviser Nir Hefetz claimed that panic is a major factor in the PM's's decision-making and that he could be more willing to compromise as Eisenkot advances toward forming a coalition.
Yildiz targets December return as Juventus plan comeback date
Kenan Yildiz is getting close to a return from injury, and Juventus are targeting next month’s game against Monza for his comeback.According to Tuttosport, the 21-year-old will soon resume individua...
Paul may be Senate’s next Republican health leader
Still, the Kentucky Republican hasn’t made a final decision.
Health insurance rates for schools could see smallest increase in nearly 2 decades
Next year's health insurance premiums for school employees will likely rise by 2.5%, the smallest increase since the 2009-2010 school year.
When a Gun Owner Shows Early Signs of Dementia
Public health experts are finding ways to encourage firearm safety practices for older adults who own guns, especially when there are indications of cognitive decline.
Oklahoma receives $227M in second year of federal Rural Health Transformation Program
The Rural Health Transformation Program is a $50 billion investment signed into law last year, alongside an estimated $911 billion in reductions to federal Medicaid spending over a decade.
House House clarifies use of AI tools in Big Walk's "final stage of development"
Studio issues statement after group of 2027 IGF jurors decline to vote for games that use generative AI during development
Borrowing Room: How Business Size Shapes Credit Access and Growth
PYMNTS Intelligence examines how SMB size shapes credit access, borrowing decisions and growth, revealing differences in financing needs.
Steam now shows average FPS for thousands of Steam Deck games, desktop PC support planned
Valve adds average FPS statistics and performance histograms to Steam Store pages. The company is also collecting data from desktop PC users.
“I Didn’t See Anything”: Stephen A. Smith Claims Shedeur Sanders Wasn’t “That Impressive” To Be Handed Browns QB1 Job From Deshaun Watson
Shedeur Sanders performed decently in his first start of the 2026 season, but at least one person believes it won’t be enough to secure the Cleveland Browns’ starting job. In Sunday’s 22-23 overtime loss to the New Orleans Saints, the second-year quarterback threw for 297 yards and two touchdowns.
Vote for your greatest all-British boxing fight
From bitter rivalries and controversial decisions to dramatic knockouts, we look back at five unforgettable all-British boxing contests and ask you to vote for the greatest.
Health Coverage Is Out of Reach for Many Californians
Explore five facts about health coverage in California, including Medi-Cal enrollment declines, persistent racial disparities, and barriers to accessing care.
907 Sports: Alaska high school swimming crowns its champions
On this episode of 907 Sports, Charlie Fellows recaps a busy Saturday on the pool deck, as the top swimmers from around Alaska gathered for one final high school meet in the 2026 season.
Hinge Health and Tripadvisor have been highlighted as Zacks Bull and Bear of the Day
HNGE's rapid revenue growth, expanding client base and AI-powered care offerings contrast with TRIP's AI-driven traffic declines and weakening earnings outlook.
Yankees news: Forecasting awards and the off-season
Will Cam Schlittler win the AL Cy Young; forecasting offseason options and needs
French presidential election: 'Beyond Le Pen and Mélenchon, the political landscape resembles a murky swamp'
COLUMN. With a presidential election that has never seemed so open, the picture of the upcoming vote remains unclear. This is one of the many paradoxes of this decisive electoral contest, writes Le Monde's Solenn de Royer in her column.
Poland’s Political Divisions Puncture Its Influence on World Stage
Economic strength and high military spending haven’t translated into decision-making clout on Ukraine.
Red Wings Trade Talks: 6 Teams Interested in Simon Edvinsson
Red Wings trade talks continue as an NHL insider identifies six teams interested in Simon Edvinsson. Here's the latest on Detroit's decision.
Iran war led to rare carbon dioxide emissions drop this year, scientists say
Carbon dioxide emissions around the world declined for only the third time this century, but researchers are not crediting environmental efforts. Instead, they attribute the drop to the Iran war.
Baumgartner wins tight race for Eastern WA seat in U.S. House
U.S. Rep. Michael Baumgartner won reelection to Washington's 5th Congressional District, in a race that saw a Democrat get the closest to winning in decades.
WEBTOON Entertainment Q3 Earnings Call Highlights
WEBTOON Entertainment (NASDAQ:WBTN) reported a 4% decline in third-quarter revenue as currency headwinds and weaker results in Japan offset growth in advertising and its Korean business. The company forecast a return to double-digit revenue growth on a constant-currency basis in the fourth quarter.
Family business in Manitowoc to close after 22 years
MANITOWOC, Wis. (WFRV) – After more than two decades of serving the Manitowoc community, Rob’s Family Market is preparing to close its doors for good. The closure is prompting longtime custom…
Heat-trapping carbon pollution drops, but scientists cite the Iran war rather than energy progress
Global carbon pollution dropped this year ever so slightly, but it's more because of oil shocks reverberating from the Iran war than anything the world has done to fight climate change, scientists said in a new study.
Heat-trapping carbon pollution drops, but scientists cite Iran war
Emissions of heat-trapping carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels decreased slightly this year due to the Iran war
Trump-Era Funding Cuts Driving Young Scientists From U.S. Research
Under Trump, new Ph.D. enrollments are down, funding is on the decline and many budding researchers are reconsidering their careers.
Cairo leaders discuss possibility of downtown entertainment district ordinance
Cairo city leaders could soon let you sip and stroll downtown in hopes of bringing more people to the city’s center.
Entertainment Look-A-Head: ‘Madden,’ ‘The Body,’ ‘Paper Tiger,’ ‘Ebenezer’
The upcoming releases from Nov. 9-13 include movies, games, tv shows and more.
Human trafficking investigation tied to Durant massage business
District 27 Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force says investigation that began in Sequoyah County is ongoing
CVS chief doubts spinning out pharmacies will mollify politicians
“I don’t know that any decision or any move that we make probably mollifies a lot of the headlines of the day,” CEO David Joyner said in an interview with Bloomberg Television Monday.
NFL reinstates WR Brandon Aiyuk from reserve/left squad list, leaving 49ers with a decision
Some IGF Jurors Are 'Declining To Vote For Any Game That Uses Generative AI In Any Capacity'
'The future is not yet settled. You are not alone. We can stand together.'
The internet roasts Jensen Huang's rough few days
The internet is making light of Jensen Huang's decidedly dark start to the week by letting the memes rip.
Ohio likely won’t pass AI regulations before year ends
Ohio has no substantial artificial intelligence regulations, but lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are trying to change that before their December deadline.
CFP boss Rich Clark acknowledges that 'fans aren't in favor of expansion,' but they 'decided to move forward with it' anyway
Home health company settles EEOC allegations it abided by clients’ race-based preferences
Under a five-year consent decree, Mid-Michigan Home Health & Hospice must pay $41K to a Black nursing assistant allegedly denied assignments given to White co-workers because of their race.
Kustom Entertainment extends TFL acquisition deadline to Dec. 18
Kustom Entertainment extends TFL acquisition deadline to Dec. 18
Take-Two Boss Strauss Zelnick on GTA 6 Expectations, GTA Online, and the Decade to Come
IGN interviews Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick 10 days before the biggest release in entertainment history: GTA 6.
Kustom Entertainment Extends TFL Acquisition Deadline to December 18
Kustom Entertainment amended its Unit Purchase Agreement for the proposed acquisition involving TFL and its sellers, extending the deadline to complete the transaction from October 15 to December 18, 2026. If the deal does not close by December 18, the company will pay the sellers' reasonable, docu…
Top Landing Spots For Riq Woolen if Eagles Trade Veteran CB
The Eagles' brass have some tough decisions to make.
WEBTOON Entertainment Inc. Reports Third Quarter 2026 Financial Results
Delivered Reported Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA Within Guidance Ranges Third Quarter Revenue Decline of 4.0%; Revenue Growth on a Constant Currency Basis of...
Launch Family Entertainment now open, to hold grand opening in December
Launch Denton, a new indoor adventure park with trampoline courts, dodgeball and a restaurant, is open and plans a grand opening Dec. 5.
Laser Shows Return to McDonnell Planetarium in December, January
McDonnell Planetarium Laser Shows will return in Dec. 2026 and Jan. 2027. Featuring favorite songs and beloved artists, the shows offer a 360-degree combination of light and sound.
The fierce battle for James Bond is playing out in public
(CNN) — It’s been five years since Daniel Craig bid farewell to the role of 007 in “No Time to Die,” which ended with a closing credit promise that “James Bond will return.” And while corporate machinations have slowed the character’s reappearance, the battle to play cinema’s most famous secret agent is playing out more publicly than usual.In recent weeks, there have been numerous leaks to the press about the slew of big-name actors said to be auditioning for Bond in what will be the 26th film in the franchise, stoking debates among fans.Last month, it was reported that “final screen tests” were being held, with “One Night Only” heartthrob Callum Turner, “Slow Horses” actor Jack Lowden and Josh O’Connor of “Challengers” said to be among those who made the cut. Then two surprise names entered the mix over the weekend, with Deadline and Variety reporting “Primetime” star Robert Pattinson and “X-Men” actor Nicholas Hoult had also undergone screen tests for the role. (Pattinson’s casting would be particularly remarkable given he’s also currently leading another major franchise as Batman, while Hoult is appearing as Lex Luther in the new “Superman” movies.)Other wild cards, per Variety? Pop singer Harry Styles or “The White Lotus” star Theo James. At 32, Styles would be the youngest choice, while 41-year-old James is the oldest.Representatives for the actors and Amazon MGM Studios, didn’t respond to requests for comment. None of the actors have revealed what the audition process has involved, although O’Connor told the BBC that being considered was an “incredibly bizarre pinch-me moment.”A ‘methodical’ huntProducer Amy Pascal, who steered “Spider-Man” to several reboots over her career, has said fans can expect a decision by the end of the year. “We are being really, really methodical,” she told Deadline this summer. “Daniel Craig is a hard act to follow. And it’s got to be something really different that is a stirring and exciting and different.”There is immense pressure to get the decision right. For one, the Bond franchise is big business, with Craig’s “No Time to Die” earning more than $900 million. (In 2022, Amazon paid $8.5 billion to acquire Bond’s parent company, MGM.) But the role also occupies huge cultural real estate as one of the most identifiably “British” characters in film.Just six actors have portrayed Bond. Sean Connery first appeared as the suave, shaken-not-stirred secret agent in 1962’s “Dr. No.” Tradition has it that the role should be played a Brit, although George Lazenby, an Australian, played Bond in 1969’s “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.”Pierce Brosnan, who played 007 in four movies, appeared to back Turner in an interview with Vanity Fair last week, saying the husband of Dua Lipa was a strong actor. “They all have a voice and a physique, and a presence on film,” Brosnan said of the final candidates. “They all have longevity as actors, all of these young men.”“Whoever plays the role, I wish him the very best of life and strength and courage,” he said.The next Bond movie will be directed by Denis Villeneuve, who knows a thing or two about working in a franchise, given he has overseen the “Dune” trilogy. At a Los Angeles gala on Saturday, Villeneuve appeared to be reveling in the media’s focus on the battle for Bond.“I should not comment right now because every word I’m going to say is going to be scrutinized,” Villeneuve told Variety. “I would just say that I’m having a great time.”The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.THE-CNN-WIRE (TM) & © 2026 CABLE NEWS NETWORK, INC., A TIME WARNER COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Sporting KC Weekly Schedule: Nov. 9-14, 2026
After concluding the season with a 1-0 road win at San Diego FC on Saturday, Sporting Kansas City begins a 10-week offseason highlighted by several roster-building events announced by Major League Soccer earlier today including the MLS SuperDraft on Dec. 21, free agency opening on Dec. 22 and end-of-year waivers
Undergraduate research shapes this future physician
Senior Suhan Asaigoli is exploring how artificial intelligence can help doctors detect disease earlier and make faster decisions after a stroke.
GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert will lose reelection to Democrat Eileen Laubacher in Colorado, CNN projects
Retired Rear Adm. Eileen Laubacher, a Democrat, will flip Colorado’s 4th District, CNN’s Decision Desk projects, ending conservative firebrand Rep. Lauren Boebert’s tenure in Congress.
Citigroup maintains Six Flags Entertainment at Neutral, lowers price target to $10 from $13
Citigroup maintained Six Flags Entertainment at Neutral and lowered its price target to $10 from $13, a 23.1% decrease.The price target is roughly in line with the Nov 6 close of $10.Recent analyst actions on Six Flags EntertainmentAcross the five most recent analyst notes published on Six Flags En…
Goodbye, conference championship games. CFP expansion will end a college football tradition
Conference title games were only around for a few decades, but they quickly ingrained themselves as a core part of the sport.
The State of Politics: For First Time in 18 Years, Democrats Control Budget Process
Which legislators will serve on two key committees deciding how to spend $114 billion?
Lists and leadership in Israel politics: Where are all the women?
Women make up approximately half of Israel’s population but remain far from equally represented in the country’s most influential decision-making bodies.
‘Declarations Do Not Protect People’: COP31 Opens Under Pressure To Deliver Results Over Words
The 31st UN climate conference, COP31, got underway on Monday in the Turkish coastal city of Antalya, where some 100,000 people, including more than 90 heads
‘Where the money is’: Q&A with Jim Sallee on why sustainability & social impact belong in business school - Haas News
Professor James Sallee studies what happens when markets don’t deliver what society needs—and how to steer them so they do. An energy economist, he is faculty director of Haas’s new Sustainability & Social Impact initiative, which brings together seven centers and institutes that have been doing work on these topics for decades. Sallee is also […]
College basketball rankings: Florida edges Duke for No. 1 in USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll
Florida held its position at No. 1 ahead of Duke in the first USA TODAY Sports men's basketball poll of the regular season.
GTA6 Ramping Up To Be The Biggest Release In Entertainment History
Once nearly every decade, an entertainment release transcends commercial metrics to become a complete cultural phenomenon. In movies we’ve seen Marvel do this
Turnberry’s Wait for Open Championship Extends to Next Decade
The next available date is now 2030 with Carnoustie selected for 2029.
Understanding The Glazer Family at Manchester United
Understanding the Glazer family at Manchester United is as complex a puzzle as you’re likely to see in the world of football. A club that has always had a special connection with the fans, from the Munich air disaster in 1958 to Sir Matt Busby’s triumphs in 1968, is going through its most fractured period. …
Disney bets on Adobe's Firefly to create brand-safe AI models for its entertainment empire
Disney and Adobe are building custom AI tools together for the entertainment giant's productions.
Sony’s new PlayStation Portal handheld includes ‘additional’ internal storage
The Japan-only model arrives on December 10th in a midnight black color scheme.
📈 Y! Sports Biz: The rise of the alternate jersey
Unveiling the "Hometown Remix" edition of Sports Biz! Or is it the "City Connect"?
Humanitarian Situation in Haiti. Bulletin 2 Health Cluster. April
Health Cluster Situation Report. Humanitarian Situation in Haiti. April - June 2026. During the second quarter of 2026, ten major incidents involving armed violence led to the displacement of 50,867 people, a 19% increase compared to the previous quarter. After several months of severe deterioration in the Artibonite and Centre departments, the West department once again became the epicenter of new displacements, accounting for 64% of all movements recorded during the period—primarily due to armed violence in the commune of Cité Soleil. A decline in suspected diphtheria cases has been observed starting from the 21st epidemiological week. A total of 42 suspected cases have been reported across 15 sites for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the West Department (Cité Soleil, Delmas, Pétion-Ville, Port-au-Prince) since January 2026. The cholera outbreak has been steadily declining since its resurgence in October 2022. Following a peak of 3,683 suspected weekly cases in 2023, transmission dropped by nearly 80% in 2024. This downward trend continued into 2025 (with 85 cumulative cases recorded during the same period) and into 2026, with 44 suspected cases reported as of July 18 (a 48% decrease). Transmission levels currently remain low and stable, reflecting successful control efforts. Maintaining surveillance and response capabilities remains crucial to preventing a resurgence, given the active circulation of Vibrio and the persistence of risk factors for transmission.
Grading the trade: Jessie Bates gives Jaguars another playmaker, but value too good for Falcons to pass on
The growing offensive trend that could derail Steelers
Why rising defensive attention on the run game could expose vulnerabilities in the passing attack of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
White Mountains’ P&C reinsurance income falls 34%
Bermuda-based White Mountains Insurance Group Ltd.’s property and casualty reinsurance business, Ark, posted a 34% year-on-year decline in third-quarter pre-tax income to $64 million…
Yukon River King Salmon Crisis
Yukon River king salmon populations have been declining, and a new study sheds more insight on what's affecting the state’s favorite fish.
Elmwood Park Zoo's Wild Lights will feature Christmas cows, Santa and millions of lights
The annual holiday celebration opens Nov. 20 in Norristown, with animal encounters, cookie decorating, character appearances and live entertainment on select evenings through Dec. 30.
The Ninety Percent Problem: Unlocking Value in Unstructured Data for Enterprises
Enterprises spent two decades perfecting their structured data. AI just made the other eighty to ninety percent – the messy, noisy, uncatalogued majority – the biggest prize in the building. Most companies cannot even tell you what they own. For twenty years, the corporate data story has been a story about tables. Rows, columns, schemas, […]
Rangers Daily: Korpisalo ‘going to get better;’ Devils Hellebuyck decision
Joonas Koripsalo is a pretty low-key guy. So, it wasn’t a big surprise that the veteran goalie was pretty matter […]
Incident-by-incident: Was it a bad weekend for VAR?
Almost every game had a controversial VAR decision in the Premier League this weekend. But how many might go down as errors?
Why Sunday night's Steelers-Bengals game decides the AFC North
Riding matching four-game winning streaks, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals clash on Sunday night with the AFC North on the line.
Inflation, Politics Driving Economic News
Americans made clear on Nov. 3 that inflation and the high cost of living were major reasons they decided to toss the Republicans out of Congress and repudiate the economic policies of the Trump administration. But inflation is not going anywhere anytime soon – and certainly not as long as oil ...
Federal THC ban threatens Texas businesses
Beginning Dec. 11, a new federal ban on hemp-derived THC products will make drinkable hemp illegal to sell in Texas.
Berkshire Hathaway speeds up stock buybacks, though profit falls
Berkshire Hathaway has accelerated its stock repurchases, as new CEO Greg Abel demonstrated a greater willingness than his predecessor Warren Buffett to put the conglomerate’s enormous cash hoard to…
Jaguars reportedly acquiring Falcons' Pro Bowl safety in major trade
This is a huge move for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
L.A. had its worst mosquito year this decade. El Niño could make it even worse
There’s no vaccine and no cure. And a wet El Niño winter could set up an even bigger mosquito boom.
In Togo, religious leaders reaffirm shared commitment to bringing end to AIDS as a public health threat
A regional, multi-stakeholder dialogue in Lomé, Togo, which concluded 6 November, brought a declaration from representatives of faith-based organizations, religious leaders, people living with HIV and those affected by HIV, civil society, youth, development partners, and government agencies that reaffirmed a shared commitment to ending new HIV infections and bringing an end to AIDS as a public health threat.
Open enrollment for ACA health plans again brings a sharp price hike for Marylanders
Thousands of Marylanders face another round of sticker shock while shopping for healthcare, after state officials approved a second year of steep premium increases in response to the expiration of federal tax credits that made those plans more affordable.
“You Guys Were Chasing Him Like He Was Nick Saban”: Analyst Questions LSU’s Decision to Pursue Lane Kiffin After Disappointing Season
Lane Kiffin arrived at LSU with high expectations after leaving Ole Miss, but his first season so far has not gone according to plan. Following a disappointing 31-13 loss to Alabama, questions are growing about whether the Tigers made the right decision in pursuing the head coach.
Bengals News: Steelers Revenge Week
Cincinnati has to get back to business quickly with a big game against the Steelers on deck.
Gasperini, D’Amico to hold transfer meeting this week
Gian Piero Gasperini is convinced that the real step toward the top of the table can be made primarily through transfer market additions. The international break will be a good time to recover injured...
My hospital was losing nurses. I decided to become an EMT.
After becoming an EMT, hospital executive Linda Matzigkeit realized frontline workers needed better communication than emails.
“Shame On All The People” – Martina Navratilova Condemns Olympic Gold Medalist Imane Khelif’s Boxing Comeback In Paris
Tennis legend Martina Navratilova reacted to the news of Imane Khelif returning to the boxing ring on Dec. 15 in Paris.
The Real Story of the Polar Bear in a UVM Science Hall Starts With Two Montpelier Agents Undercover in the Arctic
A polar bear has been hanging out in a UVM science hall for decades. Subscribe He’s a full-grown male, standing behind glass on an artificial iceberg in the lobby of the University of Vermont’s Marsh Life Science Building in Burlington. Most Vermonters have no idea he’s there. Students who asked about him heard he came from Canada. A poacher killed him, the story went, federal officers seized the hide at the Vermont border, and the government gave him to UVM on “indefinite loan.” A UVM biology professor told it that way in 2012. The university’s own news office repeated it in 2021. That story was wrong. The bear was evidence. In 1972, two federal wildlife officers from Montpelier posed as trophy hunters, bought their way into an illegal hunt run by a poaching ring, and followed it all the way to the frozen Arctic Ocean north of Alaska. One of them shot this bear. Sonia DeYoung, who works with UVM’s natural history collections, pieced the real story together from a half-remembered campus rumor, a case file buried in Anchorage and one stripped claw. She told it Nov. 6 in UVM Magazine. The Undercover Buy Early in 1972, Paul Bagalio and Bruce Parker walked into a Seattle taxidermy shop. Both lived in Montpelier. The case file lists Parker as a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agent and Bagalio as a deputy game warden for the service. On paper, Bagalio was an unlikely undercover man. Born in Northfield and raised in Montpelier, he served in the Marines after high school, graduated from Norwich University in 1957, taught at Vermont Technical College and worked as an engineer at Rock of Ages, according to his obituary in the Times Argus. He founded Ramchem, a company that made epoxies for the Barre granite industry. He was also a hunter. His obituary passes along his advice: “Don’t ever miss an opportunity to hunt.” And it says he worked undercover for the U.S. Department of the Interior, helping expose what his family calls one of the largest poaching rings in U.S. history. In the Seattle shop, Bagalio and Parker posed as unscrupulous trophy hunters who wanted a polar bear and didn’t care how they got one. They came away with a scribbled note: a phone number and a hefty price. The Seattle Times later reported the number. In a May 1972 story, later reprinted in the Congressional Record, the paper said the two-man hunt cost $6,500, more than $50,000 in today’s money. The Times cited a federal search-warrant affidavit alleging that the ring paid two men who held valid Alaska permits so the hides and skulls could be shipped and processed under their names. Bagalio and Parker traveled to Barrow, on Alaska’s Arctic coast, with guides working with the taxidermist. These were not men to cross. The case file describes a man taking a 12-gauge automatic shotgun from his plane and telling Parker it was “the persuader.” One photo in the file shows a mustached accomplice peering out from beneath a heavy fur hood. On March 8, 1972, on the pack ice about 100 miles north of Point Barrow, the northernmost point in the United States, Bagalio shot a male polar bear. Parker shot a second. Bagalio had no legal permit to kill it, and that was the point. The bears were hard evidence of what the ring was selling. Back in Fairbanks, a Fish and Wildlife agent marked Bagalio’s bear so it could be identified later. He smeared fluorescent dye around its nose and ripped the dark outer sheath off one of its front claws. Bagalio and Parker went on to run several more undercover hunts against poachers in the West. The danger was real. Bagalio later told the Bennington Banner, according to DeYoung’s account, “My guide made it perfectly clear that he would leave me dead in the mountains if he thought I was an investigator.” Subscribe The Faded Rumor The bear came to UVM in 1975. How the government handed him over is still unknown. A rumor came with him. A student named in the UVM Magazine article simply as Carol helped catalog the university’s specimens in those years, and she heard it: an undercover federal agent had killed the bear in Alaska because he feared his cover would be blown and his life was in danger. Over the years the rumor faded. In the 1980s, the bear was put away in storage long enough for mice to chew the fur off his ankles, and several of his front claws went missing. He was later brought back out and set up on his iceberg in the Marsh Life Science lobby, where he has stood for decades since. Somewhere along the way, the Canada story took over. The Case File Decades later, DeYoung met Carol at an open house for UVM’s zoological collections. Carol told DeYoung’s research partner, Dave Moroney, what she remembered. They were delighted, and skeptical. At DeYoung’s request, David Rippeto, a UVM graduate who is now a Fish and Wildlife special agent in Anchorage, went through a mountain of old case files stashed in cardboard boxes and found the right one. It ran more than 80 pages: photographs, letters, permit records and a typewritten account of the case. Carol’s rumor had the core of it right. A federal officer had shot the bear in Alaska while undercover. But the file showed it wasn’t a desperate move to save his own skin. The shooting was part of the plan. The Stripped Claw One question remained. Was the bear in Burlington really Bagalio’s? DeYoung and Moroney shone a black light on the bear’s snout, looking for the dye. Nothing glowed. They already had the answer. The year before, a conservator repairing the mouse damage had found that one of the bear’s supposedly missing front claws was still there, minus its dark outer sheath, just as the agent in Fairbanks had left it in 1972. “Fifty years later, the marker originally meant for law enforcement told us we had our bear,” DeYoung wrote. Paul Bagalio didn’t live to see it. He spent the rest of his life in Vermont, most of it at Horn of the Moon in East Montpelier, and died Dec. 11, 2022, at 90, a few months before DeYoung first opened the case file. His family remembered the bear differently. The obituary says he took a record-class polar bear in Siberia, across the international date line. The federal case file puts the bear in this story about 100 miles north of Point Barrow. The obituary doesn’t say whether it’s the same animal. His bear is still on the iceberg. Go see him: The polar bear stands in the entrance to Benedict Auditorium, between the Marsh Life Science and Hills buildings on UVM’s Burlington campus. Compass Vermont is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe
Potential impacts Democratic health care proposals on employer-sponsored health care
Summary: Democratic state and federal wins in the midterm elections could lead to Medicaid expansion in some states, and focuses attention on the House Democrats’ memo on health care priorities in the new Congress. Few of these proposals are likely to become law before 2029, but they could form the foundation for Democratic health care reform efforts after the 2028 Presidential election. Portion of total newly eligible for Medicaid if non-expansion states expanded Source: Cervantes, S et al How Many Uninsured Are in the Coverage Gap and How Many Could be Eligible if All States Adopted the Medicaid Expansion? KFF, July 27, 2026 It’s been almost a week since the midterm elections, and the Democrats will have large majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, although not large enough to overcome Senate filibusters or Presidential vetoes. I reviewed some of what I thought these midterm results could mean in a post last week. In retrospect, I might have understated the elections’ impact on health care due to changes in governorship and majorities in many state legislatures. A Democratic trifecta (governorship and both houses) could mean expansion of Medicaid in Wisconsin, and a Democratic governor and House in Texas and Georgia could increase pressure in both states to expand Medicaid. That’s especially important, because Texas currently represents almost half of those who would be newly eligible for insurance from Medicaid expansions. Medicaid expansions matter to employers because they have been shown to decrease the risk of closure of rural hospitals and support workers’ ability to stay employed and productive. The House Democrats’ Cost of Living Healthcare Working Group published an 84-page memo in September with recommendations for the first hundred hours, the first hundred days, and the first year. The midterm results make this document more important. Here’s a review of what some of these recommendations could mean for employer-sponsored health insurance. Elements that could lower employer health care spending Restore the expanded advance premium tax credit for ACA plans. This could bring healthier enrollees back to the marketplace plans, which would improve the risk status of these plans and decrease the rate of uninsurance. Fewer people with insurance puts higher pressures on provider rates of employer plans. More stable ACA plans could encourage employers to consider transitioning from employer-sponsored plans to ICHRA/Choice, providing a fund for employers to purchase their own insurance on an exchange. Repeal Medicaid work requirements and other administrative rules of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act which as written will lead to a large increase in the uninsured rate. Fewer people with insurance leads to more pressures from hospitals for commercial rate increases. Extend Inflation Reduction Act negotiated drug prices to commercial health plans. These are now only applicable to Medicare Parts D (outpatient drugs) and B (drugs administered by providers. The Medicare negotiated prices are lower than net prices negotiated by PBMs. Hospital price limits. Some of the Democratic House proposals would institute site neutral payment and limit outlier hospital prices to 200% of Medicare. The average commercial health plan pays about 247% Medicare rates for inpatient hospital care, and many commercial health plans currently pay over 300% of Medicare for hospital services. PBM regulations. The proposals would mandate more transparency and prevent PBMs from paying subsidiaries more than market rates. Antitrust enforcement. The plan would break up vertically integrated health care monopolies which could lower prices through competition. Ban on non-compete contractual clauses could increase competition by increasing flexibility and supply of clinicians, although it could also increase physician leverage and lead to higher wages which could raise prices. Lower the Medicare eligibility age, which could take older, more expensive, workers off employer sponsored plans. Create a Medi-Kids plan to insure all children and potentially young adults up to age 26. These plan members have low non-preventive utilization and cost less per person than older plan members, but removing children from employer plans would decrease volatility because a few children have very high medical costs. Elements that could increase employer spending (in many instances for high value services) Mandate three primary care and three mental health visits without cost sharing Eliminate cost sharing for mental health care and substance use care during pregnancy and in the year after delivery Require coverage of infertility services Cap cost sharing for insulin, epipen and respiratory inhalers Count copay coupons and assistance toward member deductibles and cost sharing Cap total health care costs (premium and out-of-pocket costs) at 8% of household income Leave a comment Elements that could improve the market Increased price transparency Tightening enforcement of short-term plans, fixed indemnity plans, and cost-sharing ministries. These skimpy health plans skim off healthier people, leaving sicker people on marketplace exchanges and employer-sponsored health plans. Here’s a past post on the perils of cheap insurance. Most of these proposals are likely not to become law in the next two years, but could form the foundation of a Democratic proposal for health care reform in 2029 and beyond. The document does not provide cost estimates for these proposals. Share Thanks for reading! If you found this useful, please share, subscribe, like, and restack. You can find previous posts at this link. Views expressed in Employer Coverage are purely my own. Thanks for reading Employer Coverage ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Subscribe
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