text:
Salvation Army bell-ringers – a familiar site outside retail outlets in some parts of the world this time of year -- aren't getting as many donations in Toronto this holiday season, according to a CBCNews report. One of the reasons, a spokesman for the charitable church organization suggests, is the trend toward a cashless society. A lot of people simply don't carry coins and small bills any more.
In fact, a study released by Council Lead Partner MasterCard this fall ranks Canada along with Belgium and France as the three nations closest to cashless societies. But the study -- The Cashless Journey – says there's still a long way to go, noting that today around 85% of all retail transactions are done with cash.
According to MasterCard, cash persists, but it may be costing us:
"Even though much of the world's population has access to many different options for making payments without it, cash still persists. As a way of making payment, cash takes time to get at, is riskier to carry, and by some estimates, cash costs society as much as 1.5% of GDP. Electronic payments on the other hand have been proven to boost economic growth, while advancing financial inclusion. It is for these reasons that countries around the world are working to make their payment systems less dependent on cash."
So what does this trend toward smarter payment systems mean for cities? Actually, quite a lot, according to payments experts who helped develop the Council's Smart Cities Readiness Guide released last month in Barcelona. Payments are the heart of a city's economic activity – forming the core of every economic flow including salaries, consumer spending, business procurement and taxes.
Here are just a few ways smarter payments can benefit cities and their residents:
Seamless and highly secure form factors. Connected, mobile citizens will benefit from innovative digital payment form factors. Examples include digital wallets that give them a single interface for all their payment mechanisms, loyalty programs, transportation tokens, movie tickets and so on. And the ability to use that wallet on any device, any place.
A fully advanced smart city will foster development of such form factors and extend them to the city’s key services. A resident’s key information will thus be stored in a one-stop, highly secure interface. Using technologies such as near-field communications (NFC), contactless wallets of the future will be the repositories for ID cards, social and health programs, transportation cards, sport subscriptions, etc. Livability will be enhanced by having everything at hand and recognized in a second.
Fully customized service. Digital payment instruments enable city administrations to capture citizens’ behaviors in an anonymous way. By doing so, they can instantly deliver the right offer, service or information. Or imagine New York during Black Friday: public transportation companies could leverage payment data analytics to adapt transportation capacity in real time, thus allowing a smooth journey for users.
Reduced time and inconvenience. Managing citizens’ frustration towards public services is often a challenge for city leaders. Smart payments can help by offering faster, more convenient solutions for their city transactions. As an example, consumers in Delhi no longer have to travel to their city’s utility office during office hours and stand in a queue to pay their bills. They can now pay from home, on their bank’s website. In South Korea, consumers can now do their grocery shopping during their daily commute at the city’s subway stations. Using their mobile phones, they can shop and pay at Tesco’s virtual grocery stores and the groceries are delivered by the time they reach home. In London, services such as PaybyPhone enable consumers to pay for parking from their cellphone; consumers no longer have to worry about having sufficient change. They can even top up the meter remotely, saving a trip back to the parking spot.
You can read even more examples of how cities around the world are incorporating smarter payment systems in the Readiness Guide – from Toronto's switch to prepaid cards for social service recipients to Hong Kong's Octopus card that encourages mass transit usage. Learn how to download your free copy of the Readiness Guide.


text:
American Express to Introduce Two New Premium Cards?
American Express could soon have two new credit cards. There have been some rumors in the past, but a recent document reveals two new card names that could be the credit cards that will be launched. Both are premium cards that will probably have a big annual fee.
The names for the new products are the American Express Titanium Card and American Express Black Charge Card. Doctor of Credit has posted an image of the document from a vendor’s list that reveals the names. The two new cards are positioned between the Amex Platinum card and the Centurion Card. The Amex Platinum card has an annual fee of $550 (recently increased from $450) and the Centurion Card has a $5,000 annual fee (recently doubled).
There is no word what types of perks we will see from these two new products. But there should definitely be plenty, considering the rank in the list of American Express credit cards. I would expect the fee to be somewhere between $1K and $3K.
American Express has long has an exclusive reputation, by offering superior premier products geared towards the wealthy. It was a status symbol to take out your American Express credit card out of your wallet. Those times are long gone, and other issuers have almost leveled off the playing field. But with these two new cards it looks like American Express is looking to tap into that wealthy market once again. If these cards are launched, they will clearly not be for everyone.
There are many people out there that already pay a $550 annual fee for a credit card. But, would you sign up for an Amex card that has an annual fee of $1,000 or even more? What perks would you need to tip the scale?
DannyDealGuru has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. DannyDealGuru and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

domain: news


text:
Expressway leaves out famous toymakers
The 10-day Dasara festival is also known to host
Previously, travel between Benglauru and Mysuru had to be done primarily via Channapatna (if the
Mustafa Pasha, a doll dealer in Channapatna, said he had been selling Channapatna dolls since 1963. “This is the first year I’ve seen such a drop in sales because many customers say they don’t want to make a detour to Channapatna. Many families depend on making and selling Channapatna dolls and have been hit hard now,” he said.
Traders say it is time for government to promote Channapatna toys through online mode. A trader said that last year the government held a toy festival where there was a provision to buy toys online which helped boost sales.
Locals say Channapatna toys have a history of hundreds of years. He got a big push during the reign of Tipu Sultan as it is said that he arranged for the coaches of
This is the first year that I have seen such a drop in sales because many do not want to take a detour to Channapatna
–Mustafa Pasha, craftsman
Meanwhile, officials said they were doing their best to help artisans. Channapatna toys are part of the rich cultural and traditional heritage of Karnataka and the toys have been awarded the
Karnataka has also partnered with an e-commerce company to conduct trainings, webinars and onboarding workshops. “The workshops will focus on knowledge sharing and training on B2C e-commerce exports and selling globally through international e-commerce marketplaces to more customers,” an official said.
Some locals are also helping Channapatna’s toy makers go high-tech. They are now making items that have a high demand in the market, which can also earn them income. Channapatna toymakers now offer lights that help you sleep well. Sources say that this valuable craft was dying out due to low demand in the market as many Channapatna craftsmen worked as coolies.


text:
BOSTON (WWLP) – Attorney General Maura Healey is suing EonSmoke a company that manufactures flavored tobacco products, but that’s not the only thing the state is doing to cut down on teenage nicotine addiction.
The lawsuit filed by the Massachusetts Attorney General alleges that EonSmoke violated the state’s Consumer Protection Act by targeting young people to sell vaping products.
Members of the American Heart Association took to the Statehouse on Thursday to advocate for a statewide ban on flavored tobacco products, and to show their support for the Attorney General’s investigation.
“So many kids are using it. So we were down to about 6 percent of kids using tobacco, combustible cigarettes, and we are around 40 percent of kids using e-cigarette products, so we’ve really erased any benefit we’ve had on tobacco,” Allyson Perron Drag of the American Heart Association said.
In 2018, Governor Charlie Baker signed a law raising the minimum age for purchasing tobacco and vaping products from 18 to 21.
As nicotine addiction become more prevalent among minors, public officials began looking at how the products were marketed and sold. Right now there are about 8,000 different vape flavors such as sour apple and girl scout cookie.
Lawmakers took issue with how they were being advertised through Memes and cartoons that have been shared on social media.
With a proposed statewide ban and a pending lawsuit, public officials are hoping to prevent minors from accessing these dangerous nicotine products.


text:
The photo has been used for illustrative purposes.
The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts on Tuesday released its figures for the first six months of 2022, reaffirming increased efficiency of process
Emaar Development, the UAE build-to-sell property development business, majority-owned by Emaar Properties, delivered resilient 2020 year-end results.
Emaar Properties held its Annual General Meeting (AGM), where its Board of Directors announced the company’s solid performance in 2021
Emaar Malls, the shopping malls and retail business majority-owned by Emaar Properties, recorded an increase in net profit by 3 per cent during the first six months (January to June) of 2019 to Dhs1.130 billion (US$ 308 million), compared to the net profit of Dhs1.102 billion (US$ 300 million) during the same period
Saudi Aramco on Thursday announced its first global investment in liquefied natural gas, part of a broader bid by the energy giant to expand beyond oil.
Mariam Bint Mohammed Almheiri, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, called upon UAE businesses to mainstream sustainability into all their operations
Dubai property market is witnessing a remarkable growth and developers are announcing new projects to meet the rising demand in the market.


text:
KINGSTON – Columbia’s makeover took nearly a year longer than expected, but the beauty supply shop finally reopened after a total renovation of 66 North Front St., around the corner from its former Wall Street store.
Left behind are the clogged aisles and low ceilings of its longtime Wall Street home. Replacing them are spacious, brightly lit, shopping spaces with ample elbow room.
“One of the major problems in the other store (was) you couldn’t see anything because you couldn’t stand back,” said second-generation owner Laura Spaey. “We’re filling in areas that were very skimpy.” That includes things like more skin-care and tanning products.
Her parents, Richard and Shirley Kobran Spaey, opened the business in 1973 as Columbia Beauty Supply. Adding costumes seriously in the late 1980s, costume sales have doubled every two years, she said, adding, “The first rental we did was a gorilla.” Today Columbia rents everything from zoot suits, to garb for Renaissance festivals or period weddings.
Costume manager Gene Tozzi boasts Columbia has the biggest selection in the Hudson Valley. “We do it year-round,” said Spay. “We’re not a come-and-go shop.”
She said a seasonal shop that opens each fall at the Hudson Valley Mall offers friendly competition and carries a different selection – like more full-head rubber masks – than her store.
Columbia does stock some masks, including George W. Bush and John Kerry masks. Tozzi said he sold the last Bill Clinton last year, probably for a loss. “Nixon, that’s a perennial,” he added. “Reagan is on order.”
“We have a 60-mile radius that we draw from, both sides of the river,” said Spaey. “In Port Jervis or Albany, you can rent the entire party. I’m in the niche right between that. I want people to host a murder mystery. I want people to invite guests to a luau rather than have a pool party.”
Beauty supplies, wigs of every sort and costumes each account for about one-third of sales. The name was shortened because another company took the long version national about three years ago.
Columbia serves theaters and dance studios, as well as cross-dressers and those seeking day-wear. But things get kind of crazy around Halloween, said Spaey. “Our customers understand what happens here. Beauticians try not to come in the last two weeks before,” she said.
When the business realized the new storefront was not ready, and it could no longer stay at 314 Wall St., Mike Spada offered a temporary home in what was formerly Save-On.
“It turned out we bought a village,” she said, referring to what is now 66 North Front St., which was built in stages over many years and combined in odd ways. “Two sections may predate 1850,” she said. “But it’s five different buildings. … It became cheaper to tear out everything, including floors, than to sister every beam.”
The project was completed with Empire Zone benefits, which Spaey at minimum saved her hundreds of dollars in fees for building permits. “I wouldn’t be here without all of these 4 percent loans,” she said, naming Ulster Savings Bank and the Kingston Local Development Corp. as lenders.


text:
Midlands raises $1 million for cyclone Idai victims
RTGS$950 000 in cash and goods meant to assist survivors of Cyclone Idai.
Around RTGS$450 is cash, and goods worth over RTGS$500 000 were donated by well wishers.
Some food hampers were distributed to the affected communities in Chirumanzu, where it emerged that the number of families affected by the cyclone in the province has since risen from 60 to 128, with 29 families now in urgent need of assistance as they have nowhere to stay or any food stocks after the unfriendly weather phenomenon.
All the proceeds the taskforce is distributing in the province have been sourced locally as the province has not received its share from the national command centre towards the crisis.
Senator Mavhima urged people in the region to continue with the spirit of togetherness and love as they gear for the reconstruction of destroyed infrastructure.
“I have been touched by kids from a crèche in the city who graced my office this morning. The kids went to their parents and managed to source goods they no longer use for the affected families. Surely, if such children can do it, what about us the elderly? Let us continue to show a good heart to those affected,” he said.


text:
Mandatory Passenger Face Masks Requirement – Now in Effect
May 6, 2020
MEC Safety Health and Security Committee
United requires all passengers and front-line personnel, including Flight Attendants, pilots, customer service agents, and ramp service personnel, to wear a face covering/mask while in the airport or onboard the aircraft.
The company is encouraging employees and passengers to bring their own face coverings/masks. However, if an employee or passenger does not have a face covering, customer service agents will provide them with one.
Note: Flight attendants will also have access to eight (8) additional masks provisioned in the Inflight Customer Kit in the event a mask is needed during the flight.
Flight Attendants are reminded that certain customers – such as those who have a medical condition that prevents them from wearing a face covering, those who cannot put on or remove a face covering themselves and small children will not be required to wear a mask while on board the aircraft. However, if a customer falls outside these categories yet still refuses to wear a face covering, a CSR should be contacted to discuss options with the passenger. CSRs should follow their normal escalation process and contact a lead should further assistance be needed.
For details, see the following passenger face covering FAQ.


text:
GSK - four awards
GlaxoSmithKline's (GSK's) Sri Lanka operations, encompassing
pharmaceuticals and consumer nutritionals, won four National Business
Excellence Awards (NBEAs) at the 2015 edition of the awards event of the
National Chamber of Commerce, including the overall runner-up award
across all categories and sectors.
Equalling its performance last year, GSK won the Gold for
'Performance Management' in the Criteria Awards, the Gold for
'Healthcare Related Services' in the Sector Awards, the Silver in the
'Extra Large Category' in the Category Awards across all sectors, in
addition to its Silver in the 'Overall Winners' group.
Ninety-two awards were presented to 62 shortlisted companies in 29
sectors of business at the National Business Excellence Awards,
presented for the 12th consecutive year. For GSK, 2015 was its second
year of participation in the awards program.
Managing Director, GSK Pharmaceuticals in Sri Lanka, Stuart Chapman
said, "Being adjudged the second overall for business excellence among
companies in diverse areas of business is an excellent affirmation of
the balanced, socially-responsible performance model of GSK.
"The multi-dimensional evaluation for these awards emphasises that
business is not just about doing well, it is also about doing it right.
We are, therefore, greatly encouraged by the endorsement of the eminent
panel of judges for these awards," he said.
Winners of National Business Excellence Awards are assessed to a
marking scheme that encompasses Excellence in Leadership, Excellence in
Corporate Governance, Excellence in Capacity Building, Excellence in
Performance Management, Excellence in Local and Global Market Reach.
In January this year, GSK Pharmaceuticals adopted a new sales force
remuneration program in Sri Lanka, eliminating individual sales targets.
The new remuneration methodology is based on the core principle that GSK
Pharmaceuticals will not link remuneration to individual sales
representatives with the achievement of sales targets.


text:
In the National Coconut Conference (KNK) IX and the International Coconut Conference in Manado, North Sulawesi Province (Sulut) as a form to further prosper coconut farmers in Indonesia.
Various strategic thoughts were issued to be followed up for the development of coconut plantations from upstream to downstream.
This activity was not only attended by 500 participants from within and outside the country, including the International Coconut Community (ICC), the Philippines, Australia, Vietnam, downstream business people in the plantation sector, farmers, NGOs, coconut associations, universities, central government
Head of the Other Palma Plant Research Institute Dr. Ismail Maskromo said that KNK IX was held two days, November 16-17 2018 which was opened by the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Indonesia, Dr. Andi Amran Sulaiman represented by the Head of Research and Development Agency Ministry of Agriculture Prof. Dr. M Syakir.
It is expected that the Coconut National Conference (KNK) IX in 2018 will improve farmers’ welfare and the sustainability of the coconut industry in Indonesia.
The Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Indonesia, Dr. Andi Amran Sulaiman through the Head of the Research and Development Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture Prof. Dr. M Syakir said the aim of KNK IX was to build synergy among stakeholders to accelerate farmers’ welfare, fulfill the needs of coconut and export quality products and sustainable industries.
Syakir said KNK IX was initiated by the IAARD, the Other Palma Crop Research Institute (Balitpalma) Center for Plantation Research and Development, and was implemented nationally every four years.
This congress has been held up to nine times in several places in Indonesia which is the center / center of coconut.
The theme of the KNK IX is \Held in Manado on November 16-17 2018.
He said this activity would disseminate the results of superior research in the field of wood to the wider community, and foster creativity in developing quality products through innovative and highly competitive coconut product festivals, and provide social assistance to certified superior coconut seeds to the community.
He explained that the accelerated increase in farmers’ income for the sustainability of the coconut industry can be done, among others, through a comprehensive approach through the synergy of all stakeholders to realize their respective strategic roles optimally, directed and sustainable.
The Ministry of Agriculture through the Directorate General of Plantations and the IAARD in the 2017 and 2018 fiscal years has developed seeds of strategic plantation commodities such as sugar cane, coffee, cocoa, coconut, cashew, rubber, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon.
Kadis of North Sulawesi Plantation Refly Ngantung said the regional government appreciated the national and international standard of coconut in North Sulawesi.
The regional government, he said, will continue to work together with the center to improve the welfare of coconut farmers in the region.
New Varieties of the Ministry of Agriculture (Ministry of Agriculture) launched superior local coconut varieties in Manado City, North Sulawesi Province.
Head of the Research and Development Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture, Prof. Dr. M. Syakir, said that the superior coconut variety was able to increase coconut production by 10 percent.
Syakir said that the trees were only short so picking workers could easily climb the coconut.
He explained that this coconut age is genja does not have to wait the next 10 yearsFive years old has produced, and the fruit is large and there are more fruits.
The national superior coconut variety released by the Minister of Agriculture with certified seeds is a local superior variety.
The number of seeds that have been distributed by the Ministry of Agriculture to farmers since 2017/2018 has reached 1.894.467 stems, with copra potential of more than 3 tons per hectare per year, exceeding national coconut production which is only 1.1 ton.?
These superior coconut varieties have the potential to produce up to 3 tons of copra / ha / year.
Technology Innovation The Ministry of Agriculture (Ministry of Agriculture) held an exhibition of coconut technology innovations in the city of Manado, North Sulawesi Province.
This exhibition involved many companies, farmers, related agencies in exhibiting innovative products from coconuts and their derivatives.
The exhibition which was attended by participants from inside and outside the country, namely PT.Unilever, PT.Global Coconut, PT Royal Coconut, PT Dimembe Nyiur Agripro, and the Research and Development Unit for Research and Development, Ministry of Agriculture, followed by Technical Guidance (BIMTEK), and innovative product competitions.
The main point of this coconut expo is to disseminate coconut technology innovations, including integrated coconut processing, tapping and processing of coconut sugar, land use between coconuts, germplasm collection and coconut hybridization and laboratories.?
Increasing Exports The Ministry of Agriculture (Ministry of Agriculture) will continue to increase the market for coconut commodity exports on the world market, so that it will have a positive impact on prices at the farm level.
The government is trying to make the coconut export market more open, so that the price of copra at the farm level will increase.


text:
In the US, men who want to look more like a gentleman can opt for the Chevrolet Volt or Ford F-150 pickup, both of which have a higher fuel efficiency than their smaller-size counterparts.
And in Europe, Volvo has a smaller but more efficient Volvo S60 and BMW X5 crossover.
The Volt, which is built around a 2.4-liter turbocharged diesel engine, is more than 30 percent larger than the Chevrolet Cruze, the other top pickup in the US.
But the Volt’s gas mileage is comparable to that of a Chevy Volt, the F-350 pickup in Europe.
The F-300, the top American pickup, is less than 15 percent smaller than the Volt.
It is more efficient, however, and has an EPA-estimated driving range of 30 miles per gallon (mpg).
In Europe, where the Volt and F-200 are made, the Nissan Leaf is the top pickup, with an EPA rating of 24 miles per kWh.
The Ford Focus, the third-generation pickup, comes in at 16 miles per kwh, according to the EPA.
The Nissan Versa is the fourth-generation version, which uses a much smaller turbocharged engine.
The Chevrolet Volt is also built with a new technology that reduces the vehicle’s emissions by up to 33 percent.
The automaker says the new technology reduces the use of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxide from diesel engines.
That means the Volt will have a better driving range and fuel economy than its gasoline-powered siblings.
The EPA estimates that the Volt uses 40 percent less fuel than the Ford Focus and 30 percent less than the Nissan Versab.
In Europe, the Volt gets a better fuel economy score, with a range of 20 to 30 miles (32 to 40 km) compared to the Focus and Nissan Versar.
But the Volt doesn’t come with the same benefits as the Focus or Nissan Versas.
The Volt is more fuel efficient than the Focus, but it also has lower EPA ratings than the F/F.
In the US and Europe, you can buy the Volt with the latest-generation battery.
In the UK, the cheapest way to get the Volt is to buy a Plug-In Hybrid, which can be bought on a range-extended lease agreement.
But in Europe it’s not as easy to find a plug-in hybrid in your region.
In a country like the UK that uses fuel efficient cars, the new plug-ins are probably a good deal for the average driver.
But it’s much harder to find them in the United States, where gas prices are high and diesel engines are less efficient.
The UK is a good example of a country that has more than enough electric vehicles to fuel its population, but still has very low rates of electrification.
The British government recently announced plans to introduce a new hybrid car, the Hybrid Roadster, in 2020, which will be powered by a hybrid battery.
But even though the hybrid will be a cleaner, less expensive alternative to diesel, it won’t be cheap.


text:
Build your own seamless purchase experience at Commerceweek, February 28-29. Gain strategies for consumer retention with immersive touchpoints, AI innovation and storytelling. Register now at 35% off.
Twitter for Apple TV users can now link their iPhones or iPads up with their accounts and tweet away.
Twitter announced the update to its application for Apple TV in a tweet.
The social network said in an email to Social Pro Daily that the new feature works as follows:
- Open Twitter on your iOS device and on the same Wi-Fi network as your Apple TV.
- Use the Siri remote while in Twitter for Apple TV and long-press for three seconds.


text:
The NCR Silver cloud-based POS system for small businesses is expanding payment acceptance options. The latest is the integration with Apple Pay, Bitcoin and LevelUp.
USAePay has unleashed its Android App update version 1.4.0, available for free download on the Google Play Store. Designed to meet the needs of today’s merchants, USAePay makes processing payments seamless, speedy, and secure.
MasterCard is lifting a block in March 1st on U.S. bank-card transactions in Cuba after receiving guidance from the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.
Cyber criminals are expanding their tactics this year and are attempting to adapt their techniques to carry out cyber attack campaigns in ways that make it harder to detect and analyze.
New research shows revenue of mobile commerce merchants lost to fraud spiked 70% in 2014 to 1.36% compared to 0.80% in 2013. For comparison, all merchants lost 0.68% of revenue to fraud in 2014 in comparison to 0.51% in 2013.
While there are indications of slower economic growth in Canada, basic payment card performance metrics remain solid. The key is Canadians are generally credit adverse and typically repay their balances in full each month.
Three of the top four U.S. Visa and MasterCard issuers are seeing a continuing credit quality reversal in 2014 as delinquency rates headed higher in the fourth quarter. Bank of America (BofA) posted a five basis points (bps) downtick in Q4 but it is insignificant as their 90+ delinquency rate headed higher.
Morpho is a new member of Mobey Forum, a global industry association empowering banks and other financial institutions to lead in the future of mobile financial services. Mobey Forum has liaison partnerships with several industry associations at varying degrees of involvement.
CardWeb.com’s CardWatch database of more than 57,000 marketing items today features the Visa “Nutcracker” television ad.
Xoom Corporation digital money transfer provider incorporate Apple’s Touch ID technology into their mobile money transfers application. This gives customers the option to use their fingerprint data to sign in to the Xoom application on the iPhone 5s, 6 and 6 Plus. Touch ID is a fingerprint identity sensor that is located in the Home button of select Apple devices. Touch ID takes a high-resolution image of the user’s fingerprint and then analyzes it in order to create its mathematical representation. The data points generated through the analysis are stored locally on the user’s device, and are used for comparison with fingerprint data captured through any subsequent Touch ID usage.
CardWeb.com’s CardExecs database of payments industry movers and shakers today features Vicki Lawrence, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of Linqto.
CardTrak.com reports Citi ThankYou Premier and Citi Prestige cardholders can now transfer an unlimited amount of their ThankYou Points to Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club.


text:
Paradise Bridal moving to Bellport
Retail space leaving is another sign of a changing Main Street
Paradise Bridal, a full-service bridal and formalwear shop that has been in Patchogue for 52 years, will move its showroom to Bellport later this year.
Owner Peter Leporati said that he was offered a new lease — tripling the cost to rent the same space. He added that on top of the steep increase, the building they occupy at 44 West Main Street is “falling apart.” The ceilings are stained with water leaks, the floors are cracking underneath the carpet, and mold is growing in certain areas. Sewage backs up that the storeowner has to repair a couple of times a year. Windows have been broken several times in the past couple of years, including an incident where a person was thrown through the storefront window. Leporati said his requests to have the maintenance concerns looked at were never honored by the building’s owners.
It was not clear who the owners are, and they could not be reached for comment. Dennis Smith, Patchogue’s executive director for the Business Improvement District, said grants sometimes become available through the state’s Office of Community Renewal, which provides money to improve main street businesses. He said money was available for the section of Main Street which includes Paradise Bridal about eight years ago, but the building’s owners never reached out to be part of the program.
Leporati added that parking has been an increasing issue for the business. Employees said the back parking lot is often full by the time the business opens at 11 a.m., and street availability is rare. Customers have also had issues, they said, which can prevent possible business.
“We have no choice,” Leporati said of his decision to move.
Paradise Bridal will take over the old Dress Barn store in the Bellport Outlets. Leporati said the space is nicer, more modern, and up to code. They will continue to provide all the same services and even expand a bit on their eveningwear. The new shop will be essentially run by, Tiffany Fried and Patricia Scheiner. But Leporati made one thing clear: he has no plans to retire.
“This is my baby,” he said.
Leporati, 75, first opened Paradise Bridal 52 years ago on the eastern end of Main Street, in the building now occupied by Minuteman Press. That space was 400 square feet, compared to the almost 9,000 square feet in the current location, which they have occupied for 19 years. Leporati said he has loved being in Patchogue, moving here with his wife before opening the shop and leaving behind his career in banking. The shop averages 500 to 600 brides per year coming from the city, the East End, and the tri-state area. They also have tuxedos and eveningwear.
Paradise Bridal will make the move officially in October, moving in pieces to keep downtime to a minimum. There will be two days that the store will be closed, before reopening in the outlets. Leporati will hire movers to take equipment and furniture, but his team — who he trusts — will hand-deliver the dresses themselves.
Like what you have read? Click here to subscribe to the Long Island Advance so you can read more stories like this, and find out everything that’s going on in your town!


text:
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- LeBron James memorabilia isn't exactly worthless now, but it's certainly worth less.
Companies were trying Friday to unload their LeBron replica jerseys, bobbleheads and other fan favorites, a day after James announced he would leave the Cavaliers for the Miami Heat.
Fathead.com, an online retailer owned by Cavs majority owner Dan Gilbert, slashed the price of its LeBron Fathead wall decals from $99.99 to just $17.41.
Turns out 1741 is the year Revolutionary War traitor Benedict Arnold was born.
"I'll let our loyal customers determine if that was by coincidence or not," Fathead President Todd Lunsford said in an e-mail. One version of the LeBron Fatheads sold out.
Whether the company ever again sells a LeBron Fathead depends on the star becoming "Fathead-worthy" in a Miami Heat uniform, Lunsford said.
At Cardboard Heroes, a sports memorabilia store at Beachwood Place Mall, manager Nate Cannell said he didn't know what he'd do with his LeBron merchandise.
He stocked up on Cavs items in anticipation of a championship that never materialized.
Now, more than a quarter of his merchandise is devoted to LeBron. And from LeBron onesies to autographed adult jerseys, from action figures and bobbleheads to life-sized Fatheads, it's all 60 percent off.
"We've had it discounted 60 percent since they lost to Boston, since [James] only gave about 60 percent effort in the playoffs," Cannell said.
The Cavs Team Shop at Quicken Loans Arena yanked all LeBron merchandise. The team said the jerseys are sitting in boxes and could end up being sold to a third-party discount retailer.
Meanwhile, workers were busy making the arena a LeBron-free zone, both inside and out.
A 40- by 30-foot vinyl poster of James, Shaquille O'Neal and Mo Williams that had hung from the side of the building was quickly pulled down and carted off Friday morning.
Inside, a life-sized poster that let kids measure themselves against the 6-8 James and 7-3 Zydrunas Ilgauskas also was gone.
But the marketing of LeBron the enemy already was heating up.
On its website, Champs Sports advertised a black Adidas Miami Heat jersey emblazoned with "James" and "6," his new number, on the back, for $44.99 to $54.99, depending on size.
And at Cardboard Heroes, Cannell lamented not having the one item he said would really sell now:
"A LeBron James dartboard."


text:
DreamWorks Animation took a $57 million writedown due to the box office struggles of “Mr. Peabody & Sherman,” the company said Tuesday in its earnings report for the first quarter of fiscal year 2014. That was the main reason the company lost $42.9 million in the quarter, which amounts to $0.51 per share.
“Peabody” has grossed $261 million at the worldwide box office – a large sum, but not enough for a movie that cost $135 million to produce and millions more to market. The movie contributed just $3 million in revenue this quarter, but the costs accrue in the lead-up to the movie’s release. DreamWorks Animation said its main distributor, Fox, had yet to recoup its investment.
DreamWorks Animation has taken a writedown on three of its last four movies — “Turbo,” “Rise of the Guardians” and “Peabody.”
“The box office shortfall of ‘Mr. Peabody & Sherman’ is evidence of the current challenges we face within our feature film segment, and restoring the strength in our core business is my number one priority today,” DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg said in a statement. Katzenberg elaborated on these challenges in a call with analysts, citing increased competition in the marketplace and difficulty marketing movies in that environment.
For the past few years, the company has focused on playability — movies that appeal across the globe. That is no longer enough, Katzenberg said, prompting DreamWorks Animation to adjust its marketing approach and ensure it only makes original movies that can launch a franchise.
“Looking at original movies, they have to check off a lot more boxes than they have in the past,” Katzenberg said.
The company’s next release, “How to Train Your Dragon 2,” is a great example of what the company wants to produce every time out. The original grossed $494.9 million at the box office and earned an Oscar nomination. The sequel will be an even bigger hit. No DreamWorks Animation sequel has ever grossed less than $600 million.
Though weakness in the company’s film division is hurting the company’s share price, movies still contribute the vast majority of the DreamWorks Animation’s revenue. The film segment accounted for $110.1 million of the $147.2 million DreamWorks Animation generated in the quarter. It also posted a gross loss of $25 million.
Every other division of the company posted a profit, as television, consumer products and other items contributed a combined gross profit of $18.9 million. AwesomenessTV, which DreamWorks Animation required a year ago, remains a negligible contributor to a small business, contributing revenue of $4.1 million.
However, DreamWorks Animation CFO Lewis Coleman projected AwesomnessTV’s earn-out from that will be $99 million — a bit more than previously projected.


text:
Cancer has taken millions of lives globally and continues to be responsible for million more every year. The scientists, research scholars, researchers, and physicians are working hard to determine a cure to this disease that has become an international crisis in the medical field. Many of the big pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms are investing billions into the research of cancer therapies, and even though there have been positive developments taking place to control the disease to a great extent, no final cure is yet available to completely cure it different forms of cancer.
One of the major breakthroughs in the field of cancer therapies is recently provided by Tempus, a technology firm that deals in collecting, organizing, mining, and aggregating cancer-based data from various medical centers and hospitals. Tempus, co-founded by Eric Lefkofsky, who is widely known for his previous startup, GrouponInc, an e-commerce portal connecting consumers with merchants offering discounted deals. Groupon went on to become a huge success nationally and internationally, is presently worth well over $2 Billion.
Fortune Brainstorm Health Conference was recently held in San Diego, where Mr. Lefkofsky during his speech mentioned the importance of collecting cancer based data from various sources, organizing it in an integrated manner, and providing it as a free-flowing resource to the researchers and scientists. Eric Lefkofsky believes that when molecular, clinical, outcome response, and therapeutic data is available quickly and in an organized fashion to the researchers, the progress in the field of developing more effective cancer therapies would multiply itself enormously.
It would help in understanding clearly why some cancer therapies is effective on some patient, and why it doesn’t work as well with others. With the help of such data, physicians, oncologists, and researchers would be able to devise better cancer therapies and provide individualized treatment in correlation with the specific genome structure of different patients.
Eric Lefkofsky is a well-known serial entrepreneur and has started many other companies besides GrouponInc and Tempus, including Lightbank, Mediaocean, Echo Global Logistics and Uptake Technologies. He is also a passionate philanthropist and is the co-founder of Lefkofsky Family Foundation that is dedicated to helping people in need and empowering local communities through high-impact initiatives.
Don Ressler is a born businessman. He is an entrepreneur who began involving himself in fashion at a tender age. He is one of the best when it comes to the fashion industry. Growing up, he learned how to make new styles that would appeal the fashion world thus developing his skills. Every day fashion keeps growing as well as trending, Ressler through experience is always attentive on any trends so that he could still lead in the fashion world. Some of the fashion organizations that he has led and has brought so much prosperity are; FitnessHeaven, JustFab and IntelligentBeauty. Don Ressler is the CEO of Fabletics as well as the co-CE of JustFab, being a leader in these organizations has made him famous in e-commerce.
His first company where he was part of is FitnessHeaven.com, the company became a success and was later on bought by Intermix Media on perezhilton.com. He then met his now long-time partner, Adam Goldenberg who also has a high sense of fashion. The two experts are the CEOs of JustFab. The organization is now known as TechStyle Fashion Group. The firm has so far developed to a good level in the industry and as a result bringing in better profit. The company’s products include shoes, jewelry, handbags and denim, these outfits are also trending a factor that they take care of. Furthermore JustFab has an online podium allowing clients to buy products in a fast and better way.
Read more: JustFab raises $85M at what sources say is a $1B valuation
The companies that have collaborated with JustFab to bring the best out of fashion are; Fabletics, ShoeDazzle and FabKids. The earning f the firm has also significantly risen thus showing a good development. Their success made them receive $3 million from Matrix Partners and from the same organization they again got $76 million on ApparelNews.net. Technology Crossover Venture and IntelligentBeauty are the other firms that paid JustFab and moreover they got $49 million from FabKids.
Don Ressler joined Adam Goldenberg and Kate Hudson and together they launched Fabletics another amazing fashion company. The firm is unique because in the sense that their products are only for athletes. It is also an online company. They have all products required for an athlete and they are at a friendly price. Kate Hudson is not only an entrepreneur but also an athlete and a style professional, she has helped in the development of the company to a higher level. Don Ressler together with his team are happy with the company’s progress.
Learn more about Don Ressler: https://eyepain.org/index.php/2016/12/19/don-ressler-is-part-of-the-incredible-success-of-justfab-and-fabletics/
Located in New Jersey, InnovaCare Health Solutions is a pioneer in Medicare Advantage Programs and revolutionary physician practice services. The firm seeks to resolve evolving challenges in the health management sector. The managed care hub has streamlined its leadership team by hiring top talents in the industry. The company concentrates on achieving healthier outcomes by creating strong relationships between patients and physicians.
Why does InnovaCare excel in the provision of managed care services?
InnovaCare develops solutions that focus on improving the lives of patients. This managed care provider aims at achieving quality medical care in everything it does. The firm’s team of experienced health managers is in charge of managing innovative medical networks and practices. InnovaCare holds its stakeholders accountable to a high level of quality and accountability.
Dr. Richard Shinto recently announced the addition of three key talents into the InnovaCare’s management team. Each of the new officials brings a deep background and exceptional skill set to the institution. Dr. Shinto is the M.D. and president of InnovaCare.
Meyers is the new chief actuary officer of the firm. Before joining the executive team of InnovaCare Health Solutions, Meyers was a senior employee at Horizon BCBS in charge of Medicaid and Medicare department.
Penelope has served in the managed care sector for the past 20 years. She has managed government programs, created health care operations, and clinical programs. She has shown lots of commitment in developing efficient and sustainable organizational infrastructure. Penelope has offered her expertise to leading managed care companies, including Aveta, AmeriChoice, Centerlight Healthcare, and UnitedHealth Group.
Sortino handles accounting matters at InnovaCare. He has held accounting positions at Samsung Fire & Marie Insurance, Houston Casualty Company, and HCC Specialty. He has been in reinsurance and insurance sector for over two decades and public accounting for more than five years.
Dr. Richard Shinto
Dr. Rick Shinto collaborates with other top executives at InnovaCare to develop and implement the organization’s growth strategies. He is a leader in the management of clinical programs and provision of managed care solutions. At the commencement of his medical career, Dr. Shinto was a pulmonologist practitioner at a health facility in Southern Carolina. He has worked as a CMO for companies like Medical Pathways Management Company and Cal Optima Health Plan. Dr. Shinto has published several reviews and articles that discuss healthcare management and clinical medicine extensively. Read more about Rick on Businesswire
Sweetgreen is an American chain of restaurant that serves simple, healthy and seasonal foods. Sweetgreen was started in the year 2007 by three George Town University graduates three months after their graduation. The three friends started off as a single shop, and they were funded by 40 friends and relatives. Today Sweetgreen has a chain of 40 outlets across the country having employed about 1,700 employees. The three Sweetgreen founders are Nicolas Jammet, Jonathan Neman, and Nathaniel Ru.
Sweetgreen has grown to become one of the biggest restaurant chains in America today. It concentrates on providing quality delicious food to the community. Sweetgreen source organic ingredients from local farmers and partners to prepare delicious meals always. More and more customers have loved and adopted the diet, and this has kept Sweetgreen growing daily. The restaurant chain has completed a three round of venture capital which amounts to $95 million. It was one of the most successful restaurant chains starts in the United States.
When Nathaniel and his friends were still in college, they were wondering what they would do after graduation. They came up with an idea to start a small restaurant where their target customers were students. Since all of their parents were entrepreneurs, they had no issue with management and this greatly contributed to the growth of their company. Nicholas Jammet Parents owned a restaurant, and this benefited the trio with some tips of operating a restaurant and handling the food business in general.
Nathaniel Ru the current CEO and a co-founder of Sweetgreen. He studied at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business in 2007 with a BS in Finance. He has served the company as the CEO since the beginning, and his leadership has earned the company success. In 202 together with his partners, they launched Sweetlife Festival. The festival is the largest Georgetown’s biggest food and music festival. It attracts over 20,000 attendees. The event features top chefs, farmers, artists and food trucks. In the past, they have featured Kendrick Lamar and other prominent artists at the Sweetlife Festival.
Under Nathaniel Ru’s leadership, the Sweetgreen Company has received some press accolades including the Washington post, Food and Wine, USA Today, Forbes, Bloomberg, Washingtonian CNBC and CBS. The trio was also named by Forbes in top 30 under 30: Food and wine. They have worked incredibly hard, for the success of their restaurant chain across the United States.


text:
You may not know it, but as a freight transport operator using the UK road network, you have a champion representing your interests to the government and Highways England. Steve Hobson meets him. Many MT readers may never have heard of Transport Focus, but since 2014 it has represented all users of the UK motorways and major A-roads including freight transport operators, carrying out surveys of drivers and operators and feeding their views into the roads planning process. Government-funded and […]
The FTA has accused the London Assembly of “not thinking things through” after its Transport Committee called for a cut in LCV traffic in the capital, just months after it demanded a ban on HGV traffic in the rush hour.
Operators have been warned against using unofficial websites for one-off London congestion charge payments as some charge a high premium for their service and others have been known not to actually carry out payments.
Higher prices for goods and services resulting from the effects of rush-hour congestion on business are costing every UK household around £100 a year, a new report from the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) has suggested. The report found sitting in congestion was costing the UK’s commuting households around £456 apiece or a combined total of £3.9bn a year, taking both direct and indirect costs into account. The direct costs – essentially additional fuel and lost time – […]


text:
Announced this month, TikTok will soon have a new feature called ‘Family Mode.’ This function will allow parents and guardians to monitor their child’s usage of the popular App. Today’s society is putting pressure on social media companies to do better in protecting children and teens whose days are consumed with online interaction.
TikTok has recently increased its marketing game, rolling out a new wave of Millennial and Gen Xers as ambassadors for the brand. You probably have seen some of your favorite celebrities such as Reese Witherspoon or Will Smith starting to use the app, many as a way to connect with their younger kids.
The popular app has recently rolled out new safety features, these include (Source Forbes):
TikTok has sought to allay safety fears, and last year gathered some of its prominent creators to star in a video campaign to educate users about its privacy and safety controls.


text:
Higher expenses led to wider losses for Bethesda-based LaSalle Hotel Properties.
The hotel owner’s board approved a 34 percent increase in its quarterly shareholder dividend.
LaSalle had first quarter revenue of $218.9 million, up 14 percent from a year earlier. It posted a net loss of $9 million, or 9 cents per share, compared to a net loss of $7.4 million, or 8 cents per share.
LaSalle says revenue per available room was up 4 percent from year ago results. Average daily room rates were up 6.2 percent.
Earlier this month, LaSalle acquired the Hotel Vitale in San Francisco for $130 million, its third San Francisco hotel acquisition in the last year, doubling the number of properties it owns in San Francisco.
LaSalle owns 46 hotel properties, including eight in the Washington area.


text:
More $10 Credits Being Sent out to PSN Users in North America
A few weeks ago, just before the PS4 reveal, Sony sent out a $10 credit to many PSN users in North America for being “a loyal customer and fan of the PlayStation Network.” Exactly what made everyone a “loyal customer” wasn’t detailed, but lots of people reported that they received the $10 credit, while many others who should have been considered “loyal,” did not.
It looks like Sony was aware of this as they have sent out another wave of free $10 credits to PSN members in North America. Once again, criteria wasn’t given for why anyone received these, with Sony just repeating that, “While we don’t disclose the exact criteria used, we can say that select active PSN users were chosen to receive an XMB message that included a credit for their SEN Wallet as part of this special promotion.”
So, if you haven’t done it already, turn on your PS3 before the code expires on March 25th and check your messages to see if there’s free money waiting for you. As far as we can tell, it doesn’t seem like anyone who was given $10 the first time around is part of this, but it’s worth looking either way.
Did you get your $10 credit for the first time? Second time? Have you still been left out? Let us know in the comments below.


text:
Report: US advertisers shift styles in pandemic
March 16, 2021
TV has looked vastly different during these past 12 months. Networks and brands have had to adjust to the changing environment around them as production delays created programming gaps and live events disappeared, reports TV ad measurement and attribution specialist iSpot.
With audiences stuck at home – especially in those early months – dayparts also shifted entirely, forcing brands to find audiences in a variety of new places.
iSpot’s report on US TV ads since the pandemic provides data around some of the biggest storylines of the last year. Among the major takeaways from the report:
- Empowering ads were up 8 per cent, while funny spots dipped by 5 per cent
- Number of advertisers on TV increased by 6.1 per cent
- Ad airings increased by 5.6 per cent
- TV ad impressions jumped by 3.4 per cent
- Minutes of ad time rose by 9.1 per cent


text:
Natasha Singer reports:
It could usher in a new era of online privacy. Or it might bowdlerize the Internet as we know it.
Then again, it might do almost nothing at all.
The item in question is Microsoft’s latest version of its Internet Explorer browser, scheduled to be available to consumers in late October, packaged with Windows 8.
Read more on The New York Times.


text:
Xiaomi largest market in india
India is one of the largest markets for Xiaomi outside of China.Xiaomi has said at several times it has given high priority to the Indian market. Xiaomi manufacturing phones in India are once again heating up .From the Recent reports said it is also contemplating to begin local production in the country. Now, another new report in Digitimes corroborates previous information about Xiaomi's local production.
" Chinese OEM Inventec is expected to set up production lines at a leased factory in Chennai which is likely to be the old Nokia plant. Inventec hasn't revealed more about its India production plans but Digitimes reports "the production lines are likely to roll out smartphones and other devices for China-based Xiaomi Technology initially, according to industry watchers."
Chinese handset maker Xiaomi also recently announced plans to set up a research and development unit in Bangalore, its first such facility outside of its home country.
The Chennai plant will begin production by the second or beginning of the third quarter of 2015. The production facilities in Chennai will meet Inventec's production demand for the next 1-2 years.
The latest set of information comes weeks after reports said that the company is planning to sell its devices in India through its web portal. Currently, Xiaomi has a tie up with Flipkart for online sales and Airtel for offline sales
Xiaomi India Head Manu Jain said
" We are currently looking for warehousing and logistics partners in India, as well as deciding on a payment mechanisms like cash on delivery. It may take anywhere between three to nine months. "
" We have always stated that India is one of our most important markets. We are in process of signing the lease on a facility in Bangalore, which will be our R&D unit. This is the first one outside China, "
" Work on the facility is expected to commence by the end of March and in the next few months, it will be operational, "
Besides, Xiaomi is also looking at bringing in its own e-commerce website into the country to sell its products in india.
Though Inventenc refused to disclose the devices it will manufacture at the Chennai plant, the report said "the production lines are likely to roll out smartphones and other devices for China-based Xiaomi Technology initially, according to industry watchers."


text:
Holdingford Mayor Wants Restaurants & Salons to Open ASAP
Holdingford Mayor Susan Marstein has requested Governor Tim Walz to allow salons, bars and restaurants to open in her town ASAP.
On Wednesday, May 13, the governor announced he'd be lifting the stay at home order Monday as well as allowing malls and other retail establishments to open at 50 percent capacity.
That same day, Mayor Marstein sent a letter to the governor's office stating,
Small businesses, bars, restaurants, salons, and countless individuals have all been affected by the drastic economic slowdown and by the shelter-in-place directives ... As President Trump has said, not all states are the same, so too we can say that not all cities are the same."
While the stay at home order has been lifted, Walz extended Minnesota's peacetime emergency declaration. This means, he still has the power to keep some businesses closed through June 12. In Wednesday's press conference, Walz said, bars, restaurants, salons, gyms, barber shops and other businesses won't be able to open until June 1. In her letter, Mayor Marstein requested the governor to rethink his decision for her town,
On behalf of the City of Holdingford, I strongly encourage you to allow those small businesses to re-open as soon as possible."
The letter was signed by Marstein carbon copying Mayor Mary McComber, President of the Minnesota Association of Small Cities as well as David Umacht, Executive Director of the League of Minnesota Cities.
Editor's note: Mayor Marstein clarified she did not say she wants a May 18 open. Rather, sometime sooner than June 1. She is not advocating going against the governor's directive.


text:
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Right now, calling it ‘small’ is proving to be a misnomer. With the prices of shallot (small onion) stuck at I120 per kg, the state government is looking to directly purchase it to arrest the unprecedented price rise.
“The proposal involves approaching the markets in neighbouring states directly,” Food and Civil Supplies Minister P Thilothaman said.
“The consignments to Kerala mainly originate from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. We are looking at the possibility of purchasing shallots directly from the sources to see if the price can be brought down.”
Prices of shallots began to soar in May and it hasn’t dipped ever since.
While the big onion was priced at just I20 per kg in Chalai Bazaar on Saturday, shallots cost a whopping I120 per kg. Wholesale prices stood at I11,700 per quintal. Normally, the price of small onions hovers around I30 a kilo.
State government-agency Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council Keralam (VFPCK) pegged the daily market price of small onions at I108 per kg on Saturday.
The Civil Supplies Department and retailers attribute the spurt in prices to the recent drought. The prices of shallots, an essential ingredient in regional cuisines, had begun to hit a tear-jerking high by the middle of May, when it crossed I80 a kilo.
The prices of various other vegetables are also high in the market. Beans cost I80 per kg, bitter gourd I70, eggplant (brinjal) I60, cowpea I80 and big green chillies I160.
Shallots are brought to Kerala mainly from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu
Rs 120 Prices of shallots per kg
Rs 20 Price of big onion per kg
The Civil Supplies Department and retailers attribute the spurt in prices to the recent drought


text:
Ladysmith residents should keep an eye on their mailboxes over the coming weeks as the town expects to be sending out paper surveys regarding the retail sale of cannabis in town, but don’t be expecting a legal store to opening in town anytime soon.
The community consultation will likely be less than 10 questions and comes as nationwide legalization of the drug takes place on Oct. 17.
A draft of the survey approved by city council includes questions such as how many cannabis outlets should be located in town, options for locations, and whether a specified distance should separate dispensaries from playgrounds, retirement homes or parks.
“It’s nice to have the option to do some of the restrictions but it also sort of puts the pressure on every local government to take the heat in their own community. And you see the conversation, it doesn’t matter if it’s North Cowichan with the Chemainus dispensaries, you’re in a no-winning conversation because both sides of the issue come down quite heavily when it doesn’t fit what we all think from a moral judgment standpoint,” said Mayor Aaron Stone.
“There’s passionate voices on all sides of the issue and I appreciate Councillor Arnett reminding us as we went through this process, this isn’t a moral argument, this is a legal thing, it’s coming, so we just want to ensure we provide the best balance we can.”
There was some conversation over posting the survey online, or through PlaceSpeak, versus mailing it out.
Anyone wishing to fill out the survey online can do so by contacting the town and they will be given a unique link so results can’t be duplicated.
All the results will be gathered by the end of the year.
As of next Wednesday, adults over the age of 19 years old will be able to carry up to 30 grams of cannabis in public. Smoking of vaping cannabis is also allowed in most public spaces where you can already light at cigarette.
The exceptions are areas regularly used by children, such as in playgrounds, schools or other public areas.
The town as well as Indigenous governments have the ability to further regulate cannabis.
But don’t expect to see any legal cannabis stores popping up anytime soon in Ladysmith.
According to the mayor, the proper processes haven’t even been put into place by other levels of government to make that happen. The one exception is a government-owned store in Kamloops that will open on Oct.17.
“Some of the provincial and federal regulations are in place but the processes for applying and getting your license approved, that can then go to a municipality to go through that process, isn’t even developed yet. They don’t think it’s going to be live on the day so it’s likely going to be into next year before you see legal cannabis retail on the streets…,” Stone said.
Ladysmith gave first and second reading to a bylaw amendment last week that would require a business cultivating, growing or researching cannabis to provide an odour abatement plan if it is within 500 metres of a residential zone.
“The odour abatement plan would require an impact assessment of the proposed use and a plan for odour control measures. As ventilation and air filtration systems are subject to the BC Building Code, the Town is not able to regulate the type of ventilation or air filtration that could be required….,” according to the staff report.
Councillor Steve Arnett, who recently attended UBCM where cannabis was a hot topic for discussion, said the battle against odour may be a losing one.
“I think it’s important for all of us to know that it does not appear that there is complete ability to eliminate all odour unless you have a completely sealed, indoor operation, and it’s literally miles from anyone else,” he said. “I think it’s important for people to know there are limits… and we’re doing the best that we can on it.”
Have an opinion on how the legalization of cannabis and what it could mean for Ladysmith ? Email your letters to firstname.lastname@example.org


text:
It can seem like everyone has an opinion about what you need to live a healthy lifestyle -- but sometimes, a healthier life is as simple as listening to your own body.
“I think we just need to have a good education about where our nutrition is coming from and what our body needs,” says Robb, “and [listen] to our bodies, instead of what the grocery store gives us or what restaurants provide.”
Education and healthy routines should be put into place starting at a young age, according to Robb. If we can reflect and stay in tune with our bodies, our mental and physical state could benefit tremendously.
“It’s about maintaining a healthy lifestyle, it’s not about how you look physically,” Robb says. “It’s about your mental state.”
To hear more of the conversation, watch the full HuffPost Live segment here.


text:
Exports can be a good hedge for domestic slowdown. Beyond Saarc, we are looking at Asean and Middle East.
“Although, M&M has also witnessed some moderation in its sales volume amidst the current industry wide slow down faced by commercial vehicle manufactures, however it continued to hold market share in some of the key commercial vehicles categories,” read a statement from the rating agency.
Harsh Goenka, Harsh Mariwala, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, and Anand Mahindra, amongst others, voiced their support on Twitter for the JNU students saying that there was no place for violence on educational premises, no matter what the political leanings of those involved.
City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), the builder of Navi Mumbai Metro had floated a tender for choosing an operator for Line-1 of the project in December 2018.
The Gautam Adani-led company will buy a 75% stake in KPCL at an enterprise value of Rs 13,572 crore after prolonged talks to obtain the all-weather port in Andhra Pradesh. The all-cash deal will be funded through internal accruals and existing cash balance, the company said in a release.
The Bengaluru-based company wants to set shop across key cities like Hyderabad, Mumbai, New Delhi, and Pune “amongst other Tier-1 cities”, it said in a statement.
The prices of Seltos have been revised upwards by Rs 20,000 to Rs 35,000 across variants. The launch price of Rs 9.69 lakh, ex-showroom for the base variant was an introductory price limited only till 31 December 2019, said Kia Motor India, the Indian arm of Korean carmaker.
The regional offices have been realigned as three zonal strategic business units (SBU) – north and east, south, and west. They will be headed by Atul Sood, associate vice president- north & east SBU; R. Venkatakrishnan, vice president- south SBU & institutional sales; and B. Padmanabha, vice president- west SBU.
The Kalyani Group company Bharat Forge paid Rs 2 crore to acquire 19,500 equity shares in Aeron, bringing its total stake in the latter to 22.42%, as per an exchange filing. Aeron Systems manufactures technology products for sectors like aerospace and defense, automotive, renewable energy and industry 4.0.
Auto stocks came under pressure after sales dipped starting from October 2018.
- No blogs yet have been written by the author, we’re sure the author will contribute one soon


text:
Well, with all the problems going on with the Communication Workers Union, the Royal Mail and their wonderful, striking workforce there does appear to be a faint glimmer of hope!
With Christmas looming ahead of us increasing numbers of businesses are switching to alternative postal services. Online retailers such as Amazon have been noticably hit and have started to switch to alternative postal services for parcel delivery.
From a survey carried out by the Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG) over 60% of online based retailers are finding that their new carrier arrangements have been proving more efficient. Consequently over two-thirds are considering not returning to the Royal Mail.
Many of the private postal services in the UK are seeing a rise in the amount of business being put their way. Most notably that of TNT Post UK which has seen an increase in their courier service. In addition to this TNT Post UK’s managing director, Nick Wells, has stated that the company has plans to have it’s own postal workers deliver mail in the UK.
Bolton based online parcel company, Parcel2Go, has seen their customer base rise by 7,000 people last week alone! Since the begining of the strike they have seen an increase of 78% of unique monthly visitors to their website with an additional 278,000 hits! According to CEO, Fil Adams-Mercer, the strike is helping to push their year-end turnover to £11 million.
So with private firms offering better customer service coming into the lime-light as a result of the CWU encouraging it’s Royal Mail members to strike we say – DO YOUR WORST, why should we care?


text:
The ban on plastic straw.
Prime Minister Theresa May announced that there will be a consultation into some banning some prevalent single-use plastics, including plastic straws and cotton buds at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting on Friday 19 April.
Around 8.5 billion plastic straws are thrown out in the UK every year, May said, much of which winds up in oceans which contain some 150 million tonnes of plastic waste.
She said that the UK was a “world leader” when it came to cutting down plastic waste, citing recent policy changes from banning micro-beads in cosmetic products to 5p charges on plastic bags in supermarkets.
Queen Elizabeth II opened the summit at an event at Buckingham Palace on Friday, attended by diplomats and presidents from the 53 Commonwealth states.
“The Commonwealth is a unique organisation, with a huge diversity of wildlife, environments and coastlines,” she said.
“Together we can effect real change so that future generations can enjoy a natural environment that is healthier than we currently find it.”
The news comes as scores of UK hospitality firms are beginning to change their policies on plastic waste, while some environmental campaigners are attempting to tax single-use plastic products in an effort to discourage their use.
Back in February a petition calling on pubs to charge punters 5p for using plastic straws passed 10,000 signatures, while bar groups such as Wetherspoon’s have been enforcing plastic straw bans since September 2017.
The petition, which was launched by environmental campaign group Final Straw, said that charging customers for straws would mean that serves could only hand out straws on request, which could “dramatically reduce waste.”
Final Straw’s campaign is inspired by the 5p charge on plastic carrier bags in England which was introduced in October 2015.
“Every year 100,000 marine mammals and turtles are killed by plastic pollution,” read a post on Final Straw’s Facebook page. “Every year 1 million seabirds die as a result of our carelessness when it comes to plastic waste.”
“Following the introduction of the 5p charge on plastic carrier bags in England, usage fell by 85% in just 6 months. We can achieve the same with plastic straws.”
While there is widespread support in the industry for cutting waste, and groups such as Marriott and All Bar One have already removed plastic straws from their businesses, many industry leaders are reluctant to back an initiative which would force consumers to pay more for their drink.
At the height of the petition’s popularity Brigid Simmonds, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), told the drinks business: “Voluntary action to remove plastic straws and offer environmentally alternatives is preferable to legislation or new taxes.”


text:
September 30, 2020
GGB ANNECY VIRTUALLY OPENS THE DOORS OF ITS PRODUCTION PLANT
For the first time in its history, GGB Annecy will open the doors of the manufacturing plant...
PyroSlideTM 1100 Webinar:
Discover How to Beat the Heat with GGB’s New High Temperature Powder Metal Bearing Solution
Hydro White Paper:
GGB Composite Bearing Design with Improved Tribology and Machinability for Aggressive Applications
Get in touch with our experts
Oil & Gas
Increase Service Life
Replace Roller Bearings
Reduce Size / Weight
Engineered Plastics Bearings
Fiber Reinforced Composite Bearings
Metal and Bimetal Bearings
Bushing Blocks and Thrust Plates
February 9, 2016
GGB General Manager Asia Mathias Senghaas was interviewed by MotorIndia, India’s leading B2B automotive magazine, at the recent Auto Expo 2016 in New Delhi.
Senghaas acknowledged that the automotive industry is the company’s largest market in India, and that 2015 was a challenging year. However despite turbulent market conditions, GGB again managed to post double-digit growth, a pace he expects will be continued in 2016 based on projects in the pipeline.
In addition GGB is expanding beyond passenger cars to include commercial vehicles and motorcycles, where its products are being used for the first time and the company is enjoying application success, according to Senghaas. For the complete interview click here.
Explore our customer reviews
The Bearing Bulletin


text:
If there was ever any doubt that Toyota loves hydrogen vehicles, just listen to some of what Bob Carter, senior vice president of automotive operations for Toyota Motor Sales, USA, said today at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas:
Toyota Hydrogen Car
- Volvo shoots for self-drivers by 2021
- Jeep spends $1 billion on factories
- Find Parts & Accessories for your vehicle!
- Obama rolls out new EV plan
- Infiniti dealers ranked best, Tesla worst
- Compare Volvo XC90 and Lincoln MKX


text:
The biggest bank in Georgia TBC is moving into Uzbekistan following the acquisition of a local payment service called Payme. It is purchasing a 51% stake in the fintech company for $5.5mn, the bank announced this month.
The idea is to roll out TBC’s digital banking offering and tap into the Uzbek population, by far the largest in Central Asia, while the country rapidly opens to the rest of the world following changes that have followed the death of its former president Islam Karimov in 2016 and the appointment of his successor Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
“TBC announces that it has entered into an agreement to acquire a 51% stake in LLC Inspired, a leading payment platform in Uzbekistan trading under the Payme brand,” the bank said in its official announcement of the deal.
TBC is not moving into Uzbekistan with a traditional banking model, although there will be “smart branches” so customers have somewhere to go. The bank intends to build up its business by offering its digital banking services – a low cost option that at the same time can be rapidly rolled out.
“We are going to offer our digital offering. We are the largest financial institution in the Caucasus and differentiate ourselves through our digital offering,” Giorgi Shagidze, TBC Bank’s CFO and deputy CEO told bne IntelliNews in an exclusive interview.
TBC is looking to expand, but it is doing it in stages. After studying neighbouring markets, the bank is already expanding in Azerbaijan, where Georgian businesses are working closely, and after a year of studying the market it is now moving into Central Asia by entering the Uzbek market.
TBC is ignoring the already well-developed and very competitive Kazakh market, as Uzbekistan’s very backwardness is part of the appeal with a total retail loans to GDP ratio of 7.2% at the end of 2018.
The country has only been open to foreign investors for about two years, but with a young and fast0growing population of 32.4mn it is already easily the biggest market in the region.
“We are going with a digital, not traditional, bank and Uzbekistan is a very attractive market. It is already undergoing fast change. Every time I go to Tashkent you can see the changes. There is a lot of momentum. Lots of good things are happening,” says Shagidze.
For Georgians, the change that Uzbekistan is going through now is very familiar.
“Georgia has already been through these reforms and we know what it means. There are Georgians advising the government and we take these ideas to the business meetings too,” said Shagidze.
Banking penetration in Uzbekistan is a low but the IMF forecasts that the sector will become the largest in the region, says Shagidze.
Internet and smartphone penetration is also low but also growing fast. There are 4mn smartphone users in Uzbekistan, which is a volume already bigger than that of the entire Georgian population, says Shagidze. And the penetration of smartphones continues to expand rapidly. TBC’s partner Payme already has 1.3mn.
The acquisition is expected to increase the total number of users that the TBC Group and its subsidiaries are serving by more than 50% to 3.7mn, according to Vakhtang Butskhrikidze, CEO of TBC Bank.
While the main thrust of the strategy is a digital offering TBC will still open some 80 “smart branches” to support the growth of the business, which rely heavily on technology such as smart terminals where customers can access banking services using cards and PINs.
“The branches will look more like an Apple Store than a bank,” says Shagidze.
The business will launch in the capital Tashkent which has a population of 2.4mn but then move into the biggest cities in the regions, the legendary Silk Road cities of Samarkand, Bokhara and Khiva among others – all of which are expected to grow and flourish as the government exploits Uzbekistan’s tourist potential.
TBC’s partner in Uzbekistan is a local start up called Payme, a classic online payment app that can be used to settle utility bills, transfer money throughout the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and is now offering a market place to purchase goods. Founded by three young Uzbeks, the company has been growing fast.
“Payme is a leading payment service provider in Uzbekistan that supplies high-quality payment solutions to its 1.3mn customers. It facilitates utility payments, P2P transfers, loan repayments, mPOS for QR-based payments and ecommerce purchases. It also provides a marketplace platform for loans from certain Uzbek banks,” TBC says. “Payme has grown rapidly in recent years, increasing its number of clients by around 70% during 2018, while its revenue and net income grew by 41.9% and 24.5%, respectively, year-on-year. At the end of 2018, the gross assets of Payme stood at $0.7mn, while total revenue and profit before tax for the full year 2018 amounted to $1.6mn and $0.8mn, respectively, based on Payme’s unaudited management accounts.”
Payme was founded in 2011 and TBC has agreed to buy a 51% stake with an option to buy out the remaining 49% further down the road. The founders of Payme have stayed on to run the service and participate in the development of the business.
A fintech offering, Payme is a good fit with TBC’s digital banking platform and the two companies are now looking for synergies from which the business will grow and profit.
“The timing of the investment is good but this is not an opportunistic investment for us, but a strategic one. We are in this for the long haul,” says Shagidze.
TBC already has ties with Nikoil bank in Azerbaijan, which is the Georgian bank’s other country of focus says Shagidze.
“In Azerbaijan we have partnered with a local bank where we will have an 8% stake and option to increase it to 51%. Through this partnership, working with local management, we are also developing our digital strategy, built on our strong digital capabilities,” says Shagidze. “International financial institutions (IFIs) like the IFC and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) have expressed an interest in becoming partners in our Uzbek green field bank project.”
The Uzbek market should follow the Azerbaijani one in development and growth as the government puts the necessary reforms into place. The currency controls on exchange have already been removed and the state has liberalised the laws covering foreign ownership of bank shares. Major tax reforms also kicked in in January that make doing businesses easier and more reforms are on the way.
“We have been down this road already ourselves and we know what to expect,” says Shagidze.


text:
Regulation of device effectiveness by FDA should be eliminated, Rep. Barton suggests.
This article was originally published in The Gray Sheet
SEN. HATCH PREFERS "INCREMENTAL" APPROACH TO FDA REFORM, Tricia Knight, health director for the Utah Republican, indicated at the Medical Device Manufacturers Association May 12 during the group's annual meeting in Washington, D.C. Discussing FDA reform initiatives currently under way on Capitol Hill, Knight said that "large proposals don't have as much of a chance as small proposals...in part because of so many competing interests. Incremental reforms may have more of a chance."
You may also be interested in...
Top 100 Review: The Calm Before The Storm – But Some Medtechs Already Reflect The Ravages Of COVID-19
2019 saw fewer revenues-boosting major acquisitions by top-tier medtechs. Companies that reported after the calendar year-end were the first to see the consequences of the pandemic on their annual figures.
Hikma and Sesen Bio have struck a deal that will see Hikma distribute the Vicineum brand in the MENA region.
By establishing a dedicated consumer healthcare subsidiary, Norgine is hoping it can grow its $200m-plus Movicol laxative brand and take advantage of M&A opportunities in the OTC market.


text:
Global companies now have an identity protection solution to offer to customers, no matter their location or language. CSIdentity recently launched Global ID Protector. Global ID Protector proactively detects stolen personally identifiable information to help keep identities safe and addresses a pain point that many companies are facing as data breaches and occurrences of identity theft become a near statistical certainty.
AVG Technologies is one of the first to use CSIdentity’s technology in its AVG Identity Alert offering. Offered as a new feature of AVG Premium Security, AVG Identity Alert will provide customers with comprehensive identity monitoring and protection.
“Identity theft has become an important global issue and CSIdentity is committed to help minimize this online threat,” said Joe Ross, president of CSIdentity. “With 110 million active users around the world, bringing innovative identity protection technology via AVG’s Premium Security will provide an important new dimension related to identity protection and fraud prevention.”
With AVG Identity Alert, customers have 24/7 access to online reports and alerts of elements of their identity that may have been comprised. Utilizing CSIdentity’s proprietary CyberAgent® technology, AVG Identity Alert will monitor criminal web pages, chat rooms, bulletin boards and other online forums for compromised personal information. When illegal activity is detected, such as the trading or selling of personal information online, AVG Identity Alert will notify the customer and provide instructions on how to prevent further exposure, fraud and take action to restore their identity.
“As the prevalence and severity of criminal activity around identity theft continues to grow, our security software products are evolving with new features and enhancements to better protect our customers,” said Tony Anscombe, Ambassador of Free, AVG Technologies. “By introducing AVG Identity Alert as part of AVG Premium Security, we ensure that our customers are receiving not only the ultimate protection for everything they do online, but also peace of mind that we are monitoring their identities to detect criminal activity and help prevent fraud.”


text:
“Valheim” is undoubtedly one of the escape games of 2021, and it finally gets its first major update in a few weeks. In September, developer Iron Gate will deliver the first of four updates promised in the game’s early access roadmap.
The first “Valheim” update is called Hearth and Home and the title should give fans an idea of the new content it will add to the game. As Iron Gate had previously promised, Hearth and Home will be adding new rooms to the game. construction and new in-game food.
Building the base is one of the most crucial aspects of the game “Valheim”, whether players are just starting out or have been playing the game for months. The developer announcement last June that update will introduce dark wood roofs and window hatches.
Players will also find more things to do inside their “Valheim” houses. Iron Gate is adding cooking station expansions so players can spruce up their kitchens with a decent butcher’s table, spice rack, and new pots and pans. There will be an option to place an oven in the house, and that should be a useful item since players will need to start baking their own pies after this update.
Iron Gate said it will rebalance the game’s food system by establishing “more emphasis between improving health and stamina, making food choices more interesting based on your playstyle.” These stats will ultimately affect players’ combat abilities once the first update goes live.
Along with the new building parts, the Hearth and Home update will introduce new ingredients and recipes. The developer said there will be at least 10 new dishes to cook in “Valheim” and that they are cleverly named, such as Eyescream and Shocklate, suggesting that the ingredients to be used will be a far cry from ordinary food types.
Players will have more ways to collect food than to forage for food. Hearth and Home will add onions as new cultivable crops that can also be used in recipes. The first major update of “Valheim” is confirmed to be launched on Thursday, September 16.


text:
JWT has released its fifth annual year-end forecast of key trends that will drive or significantly impact consumer behaviour in the year ahead.
According to the forecast, 2010 will see more brands disclosing everything from calorie counts on menus to carbon emissions to sourcing details; a proliferation of products and services catering to the over-65 set; and an explosion of location-based or -aware services that leverage data from a user’s mobile phone.
“As we approach a new decade, many of the trends we’re identifying are consequences of the Great Recession—for instance, the emergence of consumers who are willing to put significant time and energy into purchases and the accelerating power shift to Brazil, India and China,” says Ann Mack, director of trendspotting at JWT. “As in past years, technological, demographic and geopolitical changes are also key drivers.”
JWT’s “10 Trends for 2010” is the result of quantitative, qualitative and desk research conducted throughout the year. It also pulls from the input of more than 50 trendscouts around the world.
Other key trends cited in the report include: Trickle-Up Innovation -- Products designed for emerging markets are increasingly filtering into the developed world, where customers are welcoming them as cheaper and simpler alternatives to existing choices; Life in Real Time -- The Web is evolving into a constantly updating stream of real-time information, conversation, memes and images. This is creating an increasingly mass culture and shifting perceptions of “current,” moving modern life into the “now”; and Visual Fluency -- The ongoing shift from words to images will accelerate, and we’ll see increasingly innovative ways to explain and illuminate complex topics.
“Trends don’t happen in isolation—they tend to intersect and work in tandem with each other. And many are extensions or outgrowths of older trends,” added Mack. “After all, trends with real significance can’t be assigned to just one calendar year. The trends we’re exploring for 2010 indicate shifts that are likely to be with us for a while.”
The 32-page “10 Trends for 2009” report is available at JWTIntelligence.com. Additional trendletters on JWTIntelligence.com cover topics including the energy race, the collective consciousness, and the recession’s impact on luxury and health and wellness.
The wrap-up of the report can also be viewed here:


text:
Olivier Baraille, currently the CEO of Ikea Belgium, is to become Ikea France's CEO on 1 May. He will replace Stefan Vanoverbeke, who will take charge of Ikea Southwest Europe.
Position switches at Ikea
Baraille has been Ikea Belgium's CEO since 2008 and has worked for the furniture store chain since 1989. Now 49 years old, he has filled several positions in several different countries, including project manager, store manager, sales manager and marketing director, a position he held in France and Sweden.
Ikea has not yet revealed who will become the new CEO of Ikea Belgium.


text:
- Daimler Trucks hands over first all-electric FUSO eCanter trucks to customers
- Daimler launches new DENZA electric vehicle for the Chinese market
- Pride Tour 2018: Daimler supports tolerance and diversity worldwide
- Cortec® Introduces EcoShield® Super Barrier Paper and Linerboard
- Industry calls for urgent clarity on EU workers as survey shows recruitment crunch looming
- Amey and Sersa, as part of the S&C North Alliance, win Infrastructure Achievement Award at National Rail Awards
- Rimac opens 100 new jobs
- Covestro expands global capacity for polyurethane dispersions
Leading cloud and blockchain innovator Shenzhen Onething Technologies Co., Ltd. has announced that it will unveil a new concept of shared computing phone-based smart device OneThing Cloud mini, at CES 2019.
Samsung Electronics has announced that its first automotive-branded processor, Exynos Auto V9, has been selected to power Audi’s next-generation in-vehicle infotainment system, which is expected to make its debut by 2021.
The space robotics market is estimated to be $2.88 billion in 2018 and is projected to reach $4.36 billion by 2023, at a CAGR of 8.64%.
The latest release of the Studio 5000 integrated development environment from Rockwell Automation can help get smart machines to market faster with enhanced security.
At AWS re:Invent, Amazon Web Services, Inc. and Lockheed Martin announced a strategic collaboration to integrate the new AWS Ground Station service with Lockheed Martin’s new Verge antenna network.


text:
Delay for loos' upgrade
WORK to refurbish a block of Felixstowe seafront toilets branded "a disgrace to the town" and used for anti-social behaviour has been delayed.Tourism chiefs have decided to pull the chain on the loos at Bath Tap and spend more than a penny on bringing them up to standards expected by visitors.
WORK to refurbish a block of Felixstowe seafront toilets branded "a disgrace to the town" and used for anti-social behaviour has been delayed.
Tourism chiefs have decided to pull the chain on the loos at Bath Tap and spend more than a penny on bringing them up to standards expected by visitors.
The scheme was made top priority and it was hoped it would be done before the summer season.
But Suffolk Coastal officers now say that because such extensive work is needed it will sadly not be possible to start on site until September.
Instead, three other blocks – Sea Road at the top of Beach Station Road, The Dip and Spa Pavilion – will be done in the next month.
Director of environmental services Deborah Robinson said: "Other options have been explored for Bath Tap, such as demolition and replacement with a prefabricated unit but this would be substantially more expensive and is still unlikely to be completed in the time-scales needed."
- 1 Face masks to be compulsory in shops and public transport, PM announces
- 2 Van driver jailed after A12 crash left motorist with life-changing injuries
- 3 Pensioner who was racially abusive has jail sentence cut
- 4 New store opens in California fulfilling owner's dream
- 5 Online shoppers head to Ipswich for big brands like Primark
- 6 Ipswich man charged with string of motoring offences
- 7 Thousands of cigarettes seized after HMRC officers raid Ipswich stores
- 8 Could American fast food chain Wendy's open a Suffolk restaurant next year?
- 9 More than 20 drivers caught at speeds of 100mph on A14 within an hour
- 10 European store wants to sell alcohol at old Co-op store in Ipswich
Building new loos will also need planning permission, and negotiations were also taking place with Anglian Water as the company has equipment operating part of the town's sewerage system in part of the lavatory block.
Bath Tap loos have been unchanged since Victorian times and have been labelled as "absolutely abominable" by town councillors and generate many complaints from visitors each year.
They say the toilets stink, the latrines and cisterns – all original parts of the century-old block – have parts missing or broken, and are totally unhygienic.
For the past 20 years, the facilities – which stand alongside the prom in Undercliff Road East next to beach huts on the East beach – have had a reputation for "unsavoury incidents".
Parents of children playing on the beach and in the huts and chalets have been greatly concerned by men hanging around the lavatories, and last year put up home-made posters urging mums and dads to be on their guard.
The council is spending £500,000 in the next five years to bring more than half the public toilets in the district area up to the highest standards.
Suffolk Coastal has 38 public toilets, which puts it in the top five per cent of councils in England for the amount of conveniences provided.
It listened to residents' views over the lavs and reversed its initial plans to close and demolish many of them, including half those in Felixstowe.
Now work will be done to provide soap dispensers, hot and cold running water, baby changing facilities, improve lighting, provide maximum practical levels of access for people with disabilities, and improve signs for foot and car users.
Work will also be done at Golf Road, Felixstowe, by April next year, the Triangle the year after, and with improvements to Manor Road, and new blocks at the south seafront and Landguard Fort by 2006.
SPENDING A PENNY
n Suffolk Coastal is in the top five per cent of English districts for its number of public toilets
n Council spends £3.50 per head of population on its loos each year
n Twenty per cent of residents use the public toilets
n Usage of the district's loos is highest in Felixstowe
n People aged 25 to 34 are most likely to use a public loo
n Around 100 people an hour use them at peak times
n It costs £3,759 on average to keep a toilet block clean each year
n Thirty two per cent of people think cleanliness of the toilets is very or fairly poor
n Sixty six per cent of people think loos should be free but those who say we should pay for spending a penny favour a 10p charge