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Leading Independent Proxy Advisory Firm Glass Lewis recommends shareholders vote ONLY on the WHITE proxy card ‘FOR’ all of Ocean Power Technologies Board nominees

Both Leading Independent Proxy Advisory Firms – ISS and Glass Lewis – Now Recommend Voting “FOR ALL” of the Board’s Highly Qualified and Experienced Nominees

 

OPT Continues to Urge All Holders to Vote ONLY on the WHITE Proxy Card Today “FOR” All the Company’s Board Nominees and Other Proposals

 

 

MONROE TWP., N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Ocean Power Technologies, Inc. (NYSE American: OPTT)

“(OPT” or the “Company),” a leader in innovative and cost-effective low-carbon marine power, data, and service solutions, today announced that Glass, Lewis & Co., LLC (“Glass Lewis”), a leading independent proxy advisory firm, has joined Institutional Shareholder Services Inc.

 

 

“(ISS)” in recommending that the Company’s shareholders vote ONLY on the WHITE proxy card “FOR” all of the OPT Board of Directors’ (the “Board)” highly qualified and experienced director nominees at the upcoming 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders “(2023 Annual Meeting),” scheduled to be held on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, via live webcast.

 

In its report recommending support for all of OPT’s director nominees, Glass Lewis notes that:1

  • “[…] the incumbent directors appear to have appropriate qualifications and expertise to oversee the Company and that the board is sufficiently independent.”
  • “[…] we note that the incumbent chairman, Mr. Cryan, has considerable turnaround experience, including at three companies and has served in an executive position at a firm that consults companies facing challenges.”
  • “We observe that the board has also undergone significant refreshment in recent years, five out of six incumbent directors were appointed to the board in 2020 or 2021 and that average tenure of the incumbent directors is four years.”

In addition, Glass Lewis shares the Company’s concerns as to the purpose of Paragon’s interest in OPT:

  • “[…] we do question the nature of Paragon’s interest in the Company and we share the concern raised by the incumbent board that Paragon may have an undisclosed agenda.”

 

As a reminder, shareholders may receive proxy materials from an activist investor, Paragon Technologies, Inc. “(Paragon)” (OTC Pink: PGNT). A vote for any of Paragon’s purported nominees on theblue proxy card will not be counted at the 2023 Annual Meeting. Shareholders are urged not to sign or return any blue proxy card and to discard Paragon’s materials. Please vote only on the WHITE proxy card. If a shareholder previously signed a blue proxy card sent by Paragon, that proxy card can be revoked by voting on a new WHITE proxy card. Only the latest-dated proxy card will count.

 

Shareholders are urged to protect their investment by voting “FOR” all of OPT’s proposals, including voting “FOR ALL” of the OPT Board’s highly qualified and experienced director nominees, by promptly signing, dating, and returning each of the WHITE proxy cards they have received or by voting by telephone or internet. Time is short so shareholders are urged to vote TODAY the WHITE proxy card to ensure that their votes are received in time to be counted at the 2023 Annual Meeting.

 

***

THE OPT BOARD UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” ALL THE COMPANY’S PROPOSALS, INCLUDING A VOTE “FOR ALL” THE OPT BOARD’S NOMINEES ON THE WHITE PROXY CARD

OPT SHAREHOLDERS ARE REMINDED THAT THEIR VOTE IS VERY IMPORTANT, NO MATTER HOW MANY OR HOW FEW SHARES THEY OWN

TIME IS SHORT SO PLEASE VOTE THE WHITE PROXY CARD TODAY

PLEASE COMPLETE, DATE, SIGN, AND RETURN EVERY WHITE PROXY CARD YOU RECEIVE

DO NOT SIGN OR RETURN ANY BLUE PROXY CARD SENT BY PARAGON

***

 

If shareholders have any questions or require assistance in voting your WHITEproxy card, please contact Morrow Sodali, our proxy solicitation firm, at:

MORROW SODALI

509 Madison Avenue Suite 1206

New York, NY 10022

Shareholders Call Toll Free: (800) 662-5200

Banks, Brokers, Trustees, and Other Nominees Call Collect: (203) 658-9400

Email: OPT@investor.MorrowSodali.com

 

About Ocean Power Technologies

OPT provides intelligent maritime solutions and services that enable safer, cleaner, and more productive ocean operations for the defense and security, oil and gas, science and research, and offshore wind markets. Our PowerBuoy® platforms provide clean and reliable electric power and real-time data communications for remote maritime and subsea applications. We also provide WAM-V® autonomous surface vessels (ASVs) and marine robotics services. The Company’s headquarters is in Monroe Township, New Jersey and has an additional office in Richmond, Calif. To learn more, visit www.OceanPowerTechnologies.com.

 

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements that are within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any such forward-looking statements in this release are identified by certain words or phrases such as “may”, “will”, “aim”, “will likely result”, “believe”, “expect”, “will continue”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “intend”, “plan”, “contemplate”, “seek to”, “future”, “objective”, “goal”, “project”, “should”, “will pursue” and similar expressions or variations of such expressions. These forward-looking statements reflect OPT’s current expectations about its future performance, plans, and objectives. By their nature, forward-looking statements rely on a number of assumptions and estimates that could be inaccurate and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to materially differ from those anticipated or expressed in any forward-looking statement. These estimates and assumptions reflect our best judgment based on currently known market conditions and other factors. Although we believe such estimates and assumptions to be reasonable, they are inherently uncertain and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that are beyond our control, including, without limitation risks related to our ability to execute on our strategy, drive growth, and create value for our stockholders; our ability to develop, market, and commercialize our products; our ability to monetize our opportunity pipeline; our ability to achieve and, thereafter, sustain profitability; our ability to win government contracts, including in the defense and security sectors; the possibility that we may not be able to obtain the necessary facility and personnel clearances to qualify for certain government contracts, including in the defense and security sectors; our ability to continue the development of our proprietary technologies; our expected continued use of cash from operating activities unless or until we achieve positive cash flow from the commercialization of our products and services; our ability to obtain additional funding, as and if needed; our history of operating losses, which we expect to continue for at least the short term and possibly longer; our ability to control our expenses; our ability to attract and retain qualified personnel, including executive management; our ability to manage and mitigate risks associated with our internal cyber security protocols and protection of the data we collect and distribute; our ability to protect our intellectual property portfolio; the impact of inflation related to the U.S. dollar on our business, operations, customers, suppliers and manufacturers, and personnel; our ability to meet product development, manufacturing and customer delivery deadlines; our ability to identify and penetrate markets for our products, services, and solutions; and the risks related to the actions of Paragon Technologies, Inc. against OPT and the related litigation brought against OPT in the Delaware Court of Chancery, including the amount of related costs incurred by OPT and the disruption caused to OPT’s business activities by these actions.

 

Many of these factors are beyond our ability to control or predict. These factors are not intended to represent a complete list of the general or specific factors that may affect us. Additional factors are described in OPT’s Form 10-K, Form 10-Q, and Form 8-K reports (including all amendments to those reports). Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which such statements are made, and OPT undertakes no obligation or intent to update such forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances arising after such date. OPT cautions investors not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. These cautionary statements qualify all forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf.

 

Important Additional Information And Where To Find It

OPT has filed with the SEC a revised definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A on December 4, 2023, including a form of WHITEproxy card, and other relevant documents with respect to its solicitation of proxies for OPT’s 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders scheduled to be held on January 31, 2024 (the “2023 Annual Meeting”). INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE REVISED DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT (INCLUDING THE SUPPLEMENT THERETO FILED WITH THE SEC ON JANUARY 3, 2024 AND ANY OTHER AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO OPT’S REVISED DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT) FILED BY OPT AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS THAT OPT FILES WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN OR WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT OPT’S SOLICITATION. Investors and security holders may obtain copies of these documents and other documents filed with the SEC by OPT free of charge through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. Copies of the documents filed by OPT are also available free of charge by accessing OPT’s corporate website at www.oceanpowertechnologies.com, by writing to OPT’s Corporate Secretary at Ocean Power Technologies, Inc., 28 Engelhard Drive, Suite B, Monroe Twp., N.J. 08831, or by contacting OPT at (609) 730-0400.

 

Certain Participant Information

OPT, its directors, and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies with respect to a solicitation by OPT in connection with matters to be considered at OPT’s 2023 Annual Meeting. Information about OPT’s executive officers and directors, including information regarding the direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, is available in OPT’s revised definitive proxy statement for the 2023 Annual Meeting (including the schedules and appendices thereto), which was filed with the SEC on Dec. 4, 2023. To the extent holdings of OPT securities reported in the revised definitive proxy statement for the 2023 Annual Meeting have changed or subsequently change, such changes have been or will be reflected on Statements of Change in Ownership on Forms 3, 4, or 5 filed with the SEC. These documents are or will be available free of charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

___________________________________

1 Permission to quote Glass Lewis was neither sought nor obtained. Emphases added.

Contacts

Investors:

609-730-0400 x401 or

InvestorRelations@oceanpowertech.com

Media:

609-730-0400 x402 or

MediaRelations@oceanpowertech.com
Or

Longacre Square Partners

Joe Germani / Dan Zacchei

jgermani@longacresquare.com / dzacchei@longacresquare.com

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AdvanSix provides update on plant production rates

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — AdvanSix (NYSE: ASIX) announced that it has experienced a process-based operational disruption at its Frankford, Pa., manufacturing site.

 

As a result, phenol and acetone production at the Frankford facility, as well as production at its Hopewell and Chesterfield, Va., facilities, have been reduced. There have been no health, safety and environmental issues associated with the event.

 

“We are keenly focused on the safe return of our operations to target rates and working collaboratively with our customers to mitigate the impact of our reduced output on their operations,” said Erin Kane, president and CEO of AdvanSix.

 

“We are confident in our action plan at Frankford and our ability to enable a return to planned utilization rates across our integrated value chain by the end of January. We have also taken the opportunity to pull forward planned maintenance work at our Hopewell facility originally scheduled for later in the first quarter.”

 

The Company expects to incur an approximately $18 to $23 million unfavorable impact to pre-tax income in the first quarter of 2024, including the unfavorable impact of fixed cost absorption, lost sales, and incremental cost to purchase replacement product.

 

The unplanned interruption did not have a material impact on fourth quarter 2023 results. The Company will further discuss its fourth quarter and full year 2023 financial results and outlook during the previously scheduled conference call with investors on Friday, Feb. 16 at 9 a.m. ET.

 

About AdvanSix

AdvanSix is a diversified chemistry company that produces essential materials for our customers in a wide variety of end markets and applications that touch people’s lives. Our integrated value chain of our five U.S.-based manufacturing facilities plays a critical role in global supply chains and enables us to innovate and deliver essential products for our customers across building and construction, fertilizers, agrochemicals, plastics, solvents, packaging, paints, coatings, adhesives, electronics and other end markets. Guided by our core values of Safety, Integrity, Accountability and Respect, AdvanSix strives to deliver best-in-class customer experiences and differentiated products in the industries of nylon solutions, chemical intermediates, and plant nutrients. More information on AdvanSix can be found at http://www.advansix.com.

 

Forward Looking Statements

This release contains certain statements that may be deemed “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that our management intends, expects, projects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “outlook,” “project,” “strategy,” “intend,” “plan,” “target,” “goal,” “may,” “will,” “should” and “believe” and other variations or similar terminology and expressions. Although we believe forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond our control and difficult to predict, which may cause the actual results or performance of the Company to be materially different from any future results or performance expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: general economic and financial conditions in the U.S. and globally; the potential effects of inflationary pressures, labor market shortages and supply chain issues; instability or volatility in financial markets or other unfavorable economic or business conditions caused by geopolitical concerns, including as a result of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the conflict in Israel and Gaza, and the possible expansion of such conflicts; the effect of the foregoing on our customers’ demand for our products and our suppliers’ ability to manufacture and deliver our raw materials, including implications of reduced refinery utilization in the U.S.; our ability to sell and provide our goods and services; the ability of our customers to pay for our products; any closures of our and our customers’ offices and facilities; risks associated with increased phishing, compromised business emails and other cybersecurity attacks, data privacy incidents and disruptions to our technology infrastructure; risks associated with employees working remotely or operating with a reduced workforce; risks associated with our indebtedness including compliance with financial and restrictive covenants, and our ability to access capital on reasonable terms, at a reasonable cost, or at all, due to economic conditions or otherwise; the impact of scheduled turnarounds and significant unplanned downtime and interruptions of production or logistics operations as a result of mechanical issues or other unanticipated events such as fires, severe weather conditions, natural disasters, pandemics and geopolitical conflicts and related events; price fluctuations, cost increases and supply of raw materials; our operations and growth projects requiring substantial capital; growth rates and cyclicality of the industries we serve including global changes in supply and demand; failure to develop and commercialize new products or technologies; loss of significant customer relationships; adverse trade and tax policies; extensive environmental, health and safety laws that apply to our operations; hazards associated with chemical manufacturing, storage and transportation; litigation associated with chemical manufacturing and our business operations generally; inability to acquire and integrate businesses, assets, products or technologies; protection of our intellectual property and proprietary information; prolonged work stoppages as a result of labor difficulties or otherwise; failure to maintain effective internal controls; our ability to declare and pay quarterly cash dividends and the amounts and timing of any future dividends; our ability to repurchase our common stock and the amount and timing of any future repurchases; disruptions in supply chain, transportation and logistics; potential for uncertainty regarding qualification for tax treatment of our spin-off; fluctuations in our stock price; and changes in laws or regulations applicable to our business. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results, developments and business decisions may differ from those envisaged by such forward-looking statements. We identify the principal risks and uncertainties that affect our performance in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the risk factors in Part 1, Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, as updated in subsequent reports filed with the SEC.

Contacts

Media

Janeen Lawlor

(973) 526-1615

janeen.lawlor@advansix.com

Investors

Adam Kressel

(973) 526-1700

adam.kressel@advansix.com

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Cenntro regains compliance with Nasdaq minimum bid price rule

FREEHOLD, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Cenntro Electric Group Limited (NASDAQ: CENN) (“mCenntro” or “the Company”), a leading electric vehicle technology company with advanced, market-validated electric commercial vehicles, announced today that on Dec. 22, 2023, the Company received written notice from The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) that for the ten consecutive business days from Dec. 8, 2023, to Dec. 21, 2023, the closing bid price of the Company’s common stock has been at $1.00 per share or greater. Accordingly, Cenntro has regained compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2).

About Cenntro Electric Group Ltd.

Cenntro Electric Group Ltd. (or “Cenntro”) (NASDAQ: CENN) is a leading designer and manufacturer of electric commercial vehicles. Cenntro’s purpose-built ECVs are designed to serve a variety of organizations in support of city services, last-mile delivery, and other commercial applications. Cenntro plans to lead the transformation in the automotive industry through scalable, decentralized production, and smart driving solutions empowered by the Cenntro iChassis. For more information, please visit Cenntro’s website at: www.cenntroauto.com.

 

Forward-Looking Statements

This communication contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical facts. Such statements may be, but need not be, identified by words such as “may,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “could,” “should,” “intend,” “plan,” “will,” “aim(s),” “can,” “would,” “expect(s),” “estimate(s),””project(s),” “forecast(s)”, “positioned,” “approximately,” “potential,” “goal,” “strategy,” “outlook” and similar expressions. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements regarding assembly and distribution capabilities, decentralized production, and fully digitalized autonomous driving solutions. All such forward-looking statements are based on management’s current beliefs, expectations and assumptions, and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied in this communication. For additional risks and uncertainties that could impact Cenntro’s forward-looking statements, please see disclosures contained in Cenntro’s public filings with the SEC, including the “Risk Factors” in Cenntro’s Annual Report on Form 10K/A filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 6, 2023 and which may be viewed at www.sec.gov.

Contacts

Investor Relations Contact:
Chris Tyson

MZ North America

CENN@mzgroup.us
949-491-8235

Company Contact:
PR@cenntroauto.com
IR@cenntroauto.com

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Universal Display Corporation named to The Wall Street Journal’s list of Best-Managed Companies of 2023

EWING, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — $OLED #OLED — Universal Display Corporation (Nasdaq: OLED) (UDC), enabling energy-efficient displays and lighting with its UniversalPHOLED® technology and materials, has been named to The Wall Street Journal’s (WSJ) Top 250 ranking of The Best-Managed Companies of 2023.

 

The annual Management Top 250 ranking of America’s best-run companies is based on a holistic measure of corporate effectiveness that was developed by the Drucker Institute and examines five dimensions of corporate performance: customer satisfaction, employee engagement and development, innovation, social responsibility and financial strength.

 

“This recognition is a testament to the dedication, passion and hard work of our incredible UDC team members and is a celebration of our commitment to excellence in every facet of our global company,” said Steven V. Abramson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Universal Display Corporation.

 

“From our broadening portfolio of innovative and energy-efficient products and services to fostering a corporate culture of inventiveness, integrity, inclusion and collaboration, we are building on our robust leadership position in the growing OLED ecosystem. As we approach the 30th anniversary of UDC’s founding, we are excited to reach even greater heights in the future and make a lasting impact in the industry.”

 

About Universal Display Corporation

Universal Display Corporation (Nasdaq: OLED) is a leader in the research, development and commercialization of organic light emitting diode (OLED) technologies and materials for use in display and solid-state lighting applications. Founded in 1994 and with subsidiaries and offices around the world, the Company currently owns, exclusively licenses or has the sole right to sublicense more than 6,000 patents issued and pending worldwide. Universal Display licenses its proprietary technologies, including its breakthrough high-efficiency UniversalPHOLED® phosphorescent OLED technology that can enable the development of energy-efficient and eco-friendly displays and solid-state lighting. The Company also develops and offers high-quality, state-of-the-art UniversalPHOLED materials that are recognized as key ingredients in the fabrication of OLEDs with peak performance. In addition, Universal Display delivers innovative and customized solutions to its clients and partners through technology transfer, collaborative technology development and on-site training. To learn more about Universal Display Corporation, please visit https://oled.com/.

 

Universal Display Corporation and the Universal Display Corporation logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Universal Display Corporation. All other company, brand or product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks.

 

All statements in this document that are not historical, such as those relating to the projected adoption, development and advancement of the Company’s technologies, and the Company’s expected results and future declaration of dividends, as well as the growth of the OLED market and the Company’s opportunities in that market, are forward-looking financial statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements in this document, as they reflect Universal Display Corporation’s current views with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated. These risks and uncertainties are discussed in greater detail in Universal Display Corporation’s periodic reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, in particular, the section entitled “Risk Factors” in Universal Display Corporation’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022. Universal Display Corporation disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement contained in this document.

 

Follow Universal Display Corporation

Twitter
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(OLED-C)

Contacts

Universal Display:
Darice Liu

investor@oled.com
media@oled.com
+1 609-964-5123

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Best’s Review looks ahead to 2024 key issues

OLDWICK, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — In a new article, Best’s Review speaks to experts about what they see as the insurance industry’s top issues in the coming year.

 

Hot topics include natural catastrophes and climate risk, generative artificial intelligence, cyber risk, litigation and nuclear verdicts, as well as the U.S. presidential election.

 

The insurance workforce is also in the spotlight as layoff announcements have accelerated. Read the full story in “Insurers Look Ahead to 2024 and Key Issues: Catastrophes, Inflation, Layoffs, AI and More.”

 

Best’s Review is AM Best’s monthly insurance magazine, covering emerging issues and trends and evaluating their impact on the marketplace. The complete content of Best’s Review is available here.

 

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

 

Copyright © 2023 by A.M. Best Company, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Contacts

Patricia Vowinkel
Executive Editor, Best’s Review®
+1 908 882 1771
patricia.vowinkel@ambest.com

Categories
Business Economics Energy Environment Science

Asbury Carbons Inc. announces price increases across all graphite product lines, cokes, and non-carbon materials

ASBURY, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Asbury Carbons Inc. announced on Friday that it will be introducing price increases for its graphite products (natural and synthetic) as well as cokes and non-carbon materials.

Price increases will range up to 10 percent, depending on the product and grade, and will go into effect for shipments beginning Jan. 1, 2024.

 

These price increases are necessary to help offset the increased cost of raw materials, energy, transportation, and manufacturing.

 

About Asbury Carbon, Inc.

Founded in 1895 by Harry M. Riddle and based in Asbury, NJ, Asbury Carbons Inc. is the world’s most reliable source for high-quality graphite, cokes, carbon materials, and graphene-engineered solutions.

 

The company provides more than 2,000 grades of materials, which it processes to customers’ exacting requirements for various applications, including polymers and rubbers, paints and coatings, lubricants, specialty ceramics, friction products, insulation, and other materials.

 

For nearly 130 years, Asbury has set an industry standard for meeting customers’ needs, providing flexible and innovative solutions, and investing in employees. The company operates 12 manufacturing locations across the U.S., Mexico, Canada, and the Netherlands and has sales offices across North America, Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit https://www.asbury.com/.

 

Contacts

Phone: +1 908.537.2155

Email: info@asbury.com

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On Instagram, journalists and creators inside Gaza see a surge in followers as they document the Israel-Hamas war

—  One journalist has added more than 12 million followers.  The work highlights some of the challenges and dangers of covering the conflict.

 

 

NBC News:

 

Before early October, Motaz Azaiza’s Instagram account documented life in Gaza to about 25,000 followers with a mix of daily life and the ongoing hostilities between Israel and Hamas.

 

That began to change in the days after Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel and the retaliation on Gaza. Since then, more than 12.5 million people have begun following Azaiza’s feed, which has become a daily chronicle of Israeli strikes.

Many other journalists, digital creators and people active on social media based in the region have seen a similar uptick in followers. Plestia Alaqad, a journalist whose work has been featured by NBC News, has gained more than 2.1 million, according to the social media analytics company Social Blade. Mohammed Aborjela, a digital creator, gained 230,000. Journalist Hind Khoudary drew 273,000 in the last five days of October. Photographer and videographer Ali Jadallah added more than 1.1 million.

 

Those surges have made Instagram, an app generally associated with lighthearted social media posts and lifestyle influencers, a suddenly crucial view into Gaza. The app has previously been embraced by some journalists, most notably photojournalists, but the sudden increase in followers appears to have no precedent.

 

The posts can at times be difficult to absorb. Most if not all appear to be firsthand videos rather than recycled content: People pulled from rubble, children crying over the bodies of their parents, and to-camera accounts of what the journalists are seeing and feeling.

 

The unfiltered coverage, as seen in the Instagram post below, adds a unique element to the broader journalistic efforts to capture what’s happening in Gaza.

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CzBI6aigIqX/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

 

It’s a role that Instagram may not fully embrace (parent company Meta has broadly moved away from the news), but it appears the company is doing little to discourage the growth of the accounts. The app has rules against graphic content but does make exceptions for posts that are “newsworthy and in the public interest.” Some posts are initially covered by a “sensitive content” warning.

 

Instagram and other social media apps have come under some scrutiny over concerns that pro-Palestinian voices have been censored or suppressed. Meta confirmed in October that the company had accidentally limited the reach of some posts but said the problem was a bug that did not apply to one specific type of content and denied any censorship.

 

Meta also worked with the people behind the account Eye on Palestine after the company said it had detected a possible hacking attempt. That account had already been among the most-followed accounts focused on Palestinians before the war, with about 3.5 million followers. The account is back online after a multiday outage and now has more than 7 million.

 

The emergence of Instagram also comes as the social media platform X, once the go-to destination for journalists and witnesses to breaking news, has come under fire for its shortcomings around misinformation related to the conflict. Telegram is also a popular app for unfiltered updates but has a relatively small user base in the U.S.

 

A Meta spokesperson declined to make anyone from Instagram available for an interview.

 

Foreign journalists covering the Israel-Hamas war are facing enormous challenges obtaining firsthand information, and that dynamic is having a deep effect on the world’s understanding of what’s happening especially in Gaza, according to organizations that monitor press freedom.

 

The obstacles for reporters are wide-ranging even for a war zone. These include physical danger to journalists, lack of access to Gaza itself and the logistical challenges of operating within Gaza such as electricity and internet blackouts.

 

Many major media operations including NBC News have sent reporters to Israel to cover Hamas’ attack and the ongoing conflict, during which more than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed and more than 200 have been taken hostage, according to Israeli authorities. More than 9,000 people have been killed in Gaza from the Israeli counteroffensive, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health.

 

Few foreign reporters are believed to be in Gaza, according to journalists outside the territory. Israel and Egypt control entry to Gaza and have not allowed in foreign journalists, according to a petition this week signed by nearly 100 French journalists demanding access to the strip, France 24 reported Tuesday.

 

Marc Owen Jones, an associate professor of Middle East studies at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar who closely follows social media, said the accounts are important “precisely because of the chaotic and toxic information environment that is so heavily mediated and sanitised.”

 

“It is so hard for anyone to get into Gaza that these journalists using Instagram are one of the only windows into bearing witness,” he said in a text message.

 

Those challenges were most apparent last Friday when a near-total communications blackout and Israeli bombing made it almost impossible to tell what was happening in Gaza. Also Friday, Reuters reported that Israel’s military had told international news organizations that it could not guarantee the safety of their journalists operating in Gaza.

 

As communication systems were gradually restored, voices from Gaza began to cut through the silence on social media.

 

A video of Khoudary and Azaiza uploaded on Saturday served as a sort of public service announcement confirming they were alive. Many commenters expressed their concern, worried that their lack of posts meant they had been hurt or killed. Neither responded to interview requests.

 

They both said they were struggling to get in touch with family members in other parts of the Gaza Strip.

 

“We don’t know where our families are and we don’t know if they’re ok and we really need to know what they’re going through because yesterday was a very bad night,” Khoudary said. “It was one of the deadliest nights on the Gaza strip.”

 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cy8gT7PtfwX/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

 

More than 30 journalists and media workers have been killed in the conflict as of Tuesday, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, a press freedom organization based in New York. Another nine journalists were reported missing or detained, it said.

 

Sherif Mansour, the Middle East and North Africa program coordinator at the Committee to Protect Journalists, said any journalist working in Gaza is in danger.

 

“In a way, the people who are needed the most are the ones who are most vulnerable right now,” Mansour, who is based in the U.S., said in a phone interview.

 

He said that Hamas has contributed to the censorship of journalists within Gaza including through harassment.

 

“It’s basically hard to get by or be able to do work, but there has always been enough people trying to tell the story,” he said.

 

A regular stream of videos and images has made it out of Gaza, but the spread of misinformation and unverified claims — often in the form of legitimate content that is old or inaccurately described — has added to the challenge of verifying information from the region. On Instagram, many of the Palestinian journalists are verified, which means Instagram confirmed the identity of the person behind the account.

 

Jones noted that declining trust in the media has pushed some people to seek information directly from firsthand sources.

 

“They are also providing unfiltered coverage that has a raw and authentic quality, and the current distrust of the mainstream media is not helped by the more sanitised (for understandable reasons) content,” he wrote.

 

 

CORRECTION (Nov. 3, 2023, 9:30 a.m. ET): A pervious version of this article misstated Marc Owen Jones’ position at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar. He is an associate professor, not assistant.

 

— Techmeme

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Six Flags Magic Mountain breaks ground on California’s largest solar energy project

Phase One for New 12.37-Megawatt Solar Carport Structure Begins on November 1

 

LOS ANGELES — (BUSINESS WIRE) — #SixFlagsMagicMountain — Six Flags Magic Mountain, the undisputed Thrill Capital of the World, in partnership with Solar Optimum and DSD Renewables (DSD), today announced the official ground breaking of a new 12.37-megawatt solar carport and energy storage system. The Six Flags Magic Mountain project is the largest single-site commercial renewable energy project in California and largest solar project allocated toward a for-profit organization in the United States.

 

“We’re thrilled to be breaking ground on this monumental project and taking the next step towards a cleaner, greener future,” said Six Flags Magic Mountain Interim Park President Jeff Harris.

 

“We’re continuing to make advancements towards improving and protecting the environment, and are honored to be industry leaders, paving the way for other theme park companies around the world. Our partners and established solar and renewable energy industry experts at Solar Optimum and DSD Renewables, as well as our partners with Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger’s Office, have been instrumental in bringing this project to fruition, allowing us to break ground at an increased timeline. Getting a glance at what this massive structure will bring to our parks and community is simply remarkable,” he added.

 

Key components of the Six Flags Magic Mountain solar installation include:

  • A 637,000 square foot, 12.37-megawatt solar carport built over the main guest parking lot and team member parking lot;
  • The park will be able to offset 100% of its energy usage with solar power;
  • Estimated 3,544 guest parking spaces and 771 team member parking spaces;
  • Approximately 30 electric vehicle charging spaces in the guest parking lot;
  • Added shade coverage to keep cars cool for guests and team members;
  • Increased security systems and protection;
  • Battery storage system producing approximately 2 megawatts of power with up to 8-megawatt hours of capacity that can be deployed daily;
  • Produce 20.8 million kilowatt hours of energy annually, which is equivalent to the electricity consumption of 2,874 homes;
  • Offset greenhouse gas emissions each year comparable to 34,194 barrels of oil consumed, 5,110 tons of waste recycled rather than landfilled, and 17,612 acres of U.S. forests;
  • Offset carbon dioxide equivalents each year comparable to taking 3,182 cars off the road, 37.8 million miles driven by an average gasoline-powered automobile, and 1.6 million gallons of gasoline consumed; and
  • Produce 517.89 million kilowatt hours of energy in a 25-year period, which offsets greenhouse gas energy consumption equivalent to 911 million miles driven by gasoline-powered automobiles and the carbon sequestration equivalent to 434.3 thousand acres of trees planted.

 

The Six Flags Magic Mountain project is the third solar installation for Six Flags. Properties in Northern California at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom and New Jersey at Six Flags Great Adventure have also developed on-site solar capabilities with over 30 megawatts of fully operational solar power systems installed. These three sites will rank as the largest volume of onsite Solar PV systems for any U.S. organization with a combined total of 42.37 megawatts.

 

“We are excited to break ground on this solar-plus-storage project at Six Flags Magic Mountain and watch the Solar Optimum team work their installation magic. Solar canopies have always been an excellent use of otherwise underutilized space and this site, with its wide open parking lots, provides the perfect canvas to build on,” said Danielle Fidel, Senior Director, Developer Network at DSD. “Partnering with Solar Optimum through DSD’s Developer Network has allowed us to make this project a reality for Six Flags and we’re looking forward to it coming to life!”

 

“The Six Flags Magic Mountain solar project stands as the largest of its kind in the nation, boasting an impressive area exceeding 637,000 square feet of shade structures,” said Arno Aghamalian, CEO and Founder of Solar Optimum. “The magnitude of this undertaking is a marvel in itself, and as we initiate the construction phase, we are excited to offer a glimpse into what this project will evolve into by the year’s end.”

 

“Not only does this project rank as a remarkable national achievement, showcasing the integration of solar technology, carports, energy storage, and electric vehicle charging, but it is also a testament to the dedication and collaborative spirit of all those involved,” continued Aghamalian. “From the offices of the Governor and LA County Supervisor to SCE, our development partners, and a dedicated team of individuals, we are rapidly ushering this project to completion.”

 

For 63 years, Six Flags has been committed to protecting and improving the environment and its communities, striving toward the expansion of sustainability and ESG-related initiatives and efforts. By actively working to reduce the environmental impact of its amusement park operations, the company continues to make meaningful advancements in adopting solar power throughout its operations and otherwise reducing greenhouse gas emissions. For more information regarding Six Flags’ sustainability and ESG-related initiatives, visit sixflags.com.

 

About Six Flags Magic Mountain

Six Flags Magic Mountain, known as the Thrill Capital of the World, boasts 20 world-class roller coasters—more than any other theme park on the planet—and is home to more than 100 rides, games, and attractions, including roller coaster icons like Twisted Colossus, Tatsu, Goliath, and X2. For more information, visit www.sixflags.com/magicmountain.

 

About Six Flags Entertainment Corporation

Six Flags Entertainment Corporation is the world’s largest regional theme park company with 27 parks across the United States, Mexico and Canada. For 63 years, Six Flags has entertained hundreds of millions of guests with world-class coasters, themed rides, thrilling water parks and unique attractions. Six Flags is committed to creating an inclusive environment that fully embraces the diversity of our team members and guests. For more information, visit www.sixflags.com.

Follow us on Twitter @sfmagicmountain

Like us on Facebook @sixflagsmagicmountain @sixflagshurricaneharborla

Follow us on Instagram @sixflagsmagicmountain

Follow us on TikTok @sfmagicmountain @hurricaneharborla

 

About Solar Optimum

Solar Optimum is a Los Angeles-based solar, battery storage and roofing company that provides homeowners and businesses in California, Nevada, and Arizona with progressive, premium energy solutions – with unmatched value. Since 2008, Solar Optimum has been on a mission to educate and inspire its customers to become 100% energy independent, and with over 300 MW installed, thousands of customers have now reached that goal.

 

Solar Optimum’s premier certifications, top-of-the-line products and warranties, and award-winning customer service have earned Solar Optimum the position as the #1 ranked California EPC for Solar and Battery Storage and #2 ranked National EPC for Solar and Storage (in the Residential and Commercial category) according to Solar Power World International. To learn more, visit www.SolarOptimum.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

 

About DSD Renewables

DSD Renewables (DSD) is transforming the way organizations harness clean energy while building a more sustainable future. With unparalleled capabilities including development, structured financing, project acquisition and long-term asset ownership, DSD accelerates the deployment of renewable energy resources and creates significant value for our commercial, industrial, and municipal customers and partners. Backed by world-leading financial partners, our team brings a distinct combination of ingenuity, rigor, and accountability to every project we manage, acquire, own, and maintain. To learn more, visit DSDRenewables.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

Contacts

Alex French

sfmmpr@sixflags.com
661-400-3143

Categories
Business Energy Environment Lifestyle Local News Science Weather & Environment

Altus Power and Brightcore Energy announce completion of multiple solar projects across New Jersey

Clean electric power to benefit local residents through New Jersey’s Community Solar program

 

STAMFORD, Conn. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Altus Power, Inc., (NYSE: AMPS), the leading commercial-scale provider of clean electric power, and Brightcore Energy, a leader in developing and implementing renewable energy solutions for the commercial and institutional market, on Thursday announced the completion of 19 solar arrays across New Jersey utilizing rooftops from Brennan Investment Group’s portfolio of logistics buildings. In total, the assets will represent 7.4 megawatts (MWs) of solar arrays which will be owned and operated by Altus Power and will offer the benefits of clean, electric power to the local community.

 

“New Jersey has one of the fastest growing community solar programs in the country and Altus Power and Brightcore Energy have been working together to make this program a reality,” said Gregg Felton, co-CEO and co-founder, Altus Power. “Brennan has proven to be an important partner for Altus in developing and constructing solar projects that will benefit the entire community.”

 

“We are pleased to have the opportunity to work with Altus Power and Brennan to develop this project to bring green, sustainable energy to the surrounding communities. This project was rather unique in that it encompassed so many locations within one project. There was quite a bit of coordination to align all the logistics,” said Mike Richter, President of Brightcore Energy.

 

The 7.4 MWs add to Altus Power’s total of 120 MWs across New Jersey as of June 30th of this year and is part of the expected 40 MWs to be completed in the state by the end of 2023. The Brennan assets are expected to produce clean electricity avoiding the equivalent of 5,200 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually.

 

Altus Power serves more than 20,000 Community Solar subscribers nationwide. Community Solar provides homeowners and renters of diverse income brackets access to the benefits of clean energy and power bill savings without the requirement of roof space or home-installation of solar panels. Customers interested in the benefits of clean energy can learn more by visiting www.altuspower.com.

 

About Altus Power

Altus Power, based in Stamford, Connecticut, is the leading commercial-scale provider of clean electric power serving commercial, industrial, public sector and Community Solar customers with end-to-end solutions. Altus Power originates, develops, owns and operates locally-sited solar generation, energy storage and charging infrastructure across the nation. Visit www.altuspower.com to learn more.

 

About Brightcore Energy

Brightcore Energy, based in Armonk NY, is a leading provider of end-to-end clean energy solutions to the commercial and institutional market. Solutions include high-efficiency heating and cooling systems (geothermal) for both new construction and existing building retrofits, commercial-grade solar, LED lighting and controls, energy storage, electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, smart building solutions, and other emerging technologies. Brightcore’s turnkey, end-to-end solutions encompass; preliminary modeling & feasibility, design & engineering, financing & incentive management, construction & implementation, and system performance monitoring. Visit www.BrightcoreEnergy.com to learn more.

Contacts

For More Information:
Chris Shelton

Head of Investor Relations

mediarelations@altuspower.com

Categories
Culture Energy Lifestyle Perspectives Science

BOSSIP Horoscopes: Week of October 8th

It’s a new week and we’re back with a brand new set of horoscopes to help you plan for the week ahead by checking what the stars have in store!

Source: iOne Digital / Tommy de Yampert

 

Here’s another week of astrological forecasts, courtesy of our favorite — Psychic Zya.

 

 

Astro Overview:

Lots of action in the cosmos this month and especially this week. Take note that we have officially entered eclipse season which always bring sweeping change both internally and externally.

 

We have a New Moon Solar Eclipse in Libra on October 14 which will allow us to readjust our partnerships of all varieties and seek to bring balance and harmony. Under this eclipse prepare for harsh and swift endings to relationships that simply don’t work. This will hold especially true for those who are in tumultuous situations where growth is stagnant. Remember this placement packs a heavy punch so again brace for abrupt changes.

 

Backing up date wise a bit we have Venus is in Virgo from October 8-November 8, 2023. This is a great time to go for cosmetic surgery, get into the best shape of your life or finally get yourself into therapy. Healing of all types will flourish under this transit.

 

And finally Mars enters into Scorpio from October 12, 2023 – November 24, 2023. This transit will help boost any Venus in Virgo goals as it allows us to be focused, passionate and determined.

 

You may also find that under this transit any latent supernatural abilities may come to the surface. This is a great time to get into esoteric studies or careers if you feel so inclined.
Enjoy your week.

 

Did you know that you can book a psychic reading with ZYA at ASKZYA.COM? Use code BOSSIP10 for 10% off. **Limited offer.

Alright, let’s see what’s in the stars for you this week!

Source: iOne Digital / Tommy de Yampert

 

CAPRICORN:

If you’ve been struggling to find inner peace, then look towards your openess or lack thereof towards building a community. The cards are saying that either you’re surrounded by the wrong people which are dragging you down or you need to make a conscious effort to build up a circle that you trust and enjoy.
RED FLAG: Be savvy about long term financial decisions over this month and double check all locked in interest rates.

SWEET SPOT: Notes of cinnamon, lavender and chocolate make for a relaxing week ahead. Maybe try a lavender latte or look for a new tea selection just in time for the fall season.

 

Book a psychic reading with ZYA at ASKZYA.COM. Use code BOSSIP10 for 10% off. **Limited offer.

Keep reading for more BOSSIP horoscopes!

 

 

— Bossip