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Troy Aikman responds to reported MNF contract tensions with Joe Buck: 'I'm looking forward to … where my next landing spot might be'

Oct 15 • 10:12 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Clinton Policy Institute outlines maternal health solutions for states

Health Care Clinton Policy Institute outlines maternal health solutions for states It’s the first major report from the project, which launched in July to foster nonpartisan policies to improve the wellbeing of children and families. Stephanie Akin 10:00 AM, Oct 15, 2026 Dr. Jacob Lenz performs an ultrasound at the Oklahoma State University obstetrics and gynecology clinic in Tulsa, Okla., on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Mary Conlon) The Clinton Policy Institute is calling on states to lead efforts to curb maternal mortality, releasing a 61-page playbook Thursday highlighting successful policies that could be adopted nationwide. The playbook is the first major report from the Clinton Foundation’s project, which launched in July to foster nonpartisan state and local policies to improve the wellbeing of children and families. “Eighty percent of maternal deaths are preventable, and we know what works,” CPI Chair Jennifer Klein said. “The solutions are well established and evidence-based.” CPI’s mission is to convene political leaders from both parties, policy experts, state officials and other stakeholders to explore solutions to longstanding problems. “What we aim to do is bring together people who are deeply engaged, but may not be meeting together in the same room,” Klein said, noting that state policymakers might not always be aware of what their peers are doing in other states. In May, CPI brought together lawmakers from Virginia and Pennsylvania, two of the 14 states that have passed bipartisan maternal health “Momnibus” packages modeled after a comprehensive federal proposal that has repeatedly stalled, called the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act. Other participants included Dr. Mona Hanna, founder of Rx Kids, a Michigan program that provides direct cash allowances to pregnant women and infants. Pennsylvania Rep. Morgan Cephas, who was part of the group, said she learned about funding opportunities she hadn’t come across during her decade in the Legislature. “As legislators we can issue grants, we can pass legislation, we can move policy, but we want to ensure that funding opportunities and programs that are tackling this issue are sustainable,” Cephas said. The playbook outlines broad areas where state policy can make a difference, such as allowing Medicaid to pay for doulas and remote patient monitoring, and using federal and private grant funding to pay for home visits to pregnant and postpartum women. For each category, it highlights innovative programs that can serve as models, with examples of specific actions state lawmakers and governors’ offices can take. Those include the Rx Kids model, which gets funding from the Michigan state budget; Pennsylvania’s Healthy Moms Vibrant Futures strategic action plan, emphasizing equity-centered maternal care, regional collaboration, Medicaid innovation, and workforce development that was launched this year with more than 160 stakeholders; and Kansas’s Bridging Plan, which reserves three slots and provides at least $26,000 in loan forgiveness for obstetric residents who commit to practicing in rural or underserved communities for 36 months. CPI emphasizes that its work is nonpartisan. Klein, the director of the White House Gender Policy Council under former President Joe Biden, acknowledged that CPI also takes positions on abortion, Medicaid funding, and the need to address the economic and social drivers of poor health, which might rankle some conservatives. “We don’t shy away from talking about those things that we think are part and parcel of the maternal health crisis in this country,” Klein said. “That said, there are so many policies that are both evidence-based and have been tried successfully in both red and blue states, and people can see that they can have real impact.” She pointed to the federal option to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage from 60 days to 12 months that was made available during the Biden administration and has since been adopted by every state but Arkansas. Other initiatives embraced across party lines include Medicaid coverage for midwives and doulas, as well as “bundled” payments for prenatal and postpartum care. That alternative payment model, pioneered in states such as Arkansas, Colorado and Tennessee, incentivizes fixed fees to cover all healthcare services associated with pregnancy and childbirth. Advocates say it promotes more coordination among caregivers, discourages unnecessary interventions, and expands postpartum support. In addition to maternal health, the initiative is also focused on addressing family economic security, children’s well-being, and democracy and civic resilience.

Oct 15 • 10:00 AM EDT • Health • pluribusnews.com

Are the Dodgers going to get swept?

The sweepers of 2025 might get swept by the sweepees of 2025

Oct 15 • 9:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Tennessee Titans news: Benching Cam Ward is a possibility

The Tennessee Titans have struggled mightily to kick off the Cam Ward era.

Oct 15 • 7:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Oilers’ Vasily Podkolzin On Fire, Makes Canucks Trade Look Baffling

Two years ago in August 2024, the Vancouver Canucks traded Vasily Podkolzin to the Edmonton Oilers for a 2025 fourth-round pick, one that was used on David Lewandowski. The Canucks would surely take that back now. Podkolzin is off to an incredible start to the 2026-27 season, looking like a guy who might finally be […] The post Oilers’ Vasily Podkolzin On Fire, Makes Canucks Trade Look Baffling appeared first on HEAVY.

Oct 15 • 12:41 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Sabres’ Russian Prospect Prokhor Poltapov Dominating KHL

The Buffalo Sabres might have a future contributor currently plying his craft in the Kontinental Hockey League in Russia. His name is Prokhor Poltapov. Poltapov probably isn’t a known name to casual Sabres fans, but the diehards will know about him. He’s not yet in North America, but the hope is that he’ll show up […] The post Sabres’ Russian Prospect Prokhor Poltapov Dominating KHL appeared first on HEAVY.

Oct 14 • 11:39 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Your Business Probably Has More Data Than Insight by Nathan Tayloe

Most businesses know more about themselves than they ever have. Leaders have access to financial reports, sales pipelines, customer data, employee metrics, website analytics, and dashboards for almost every part of the organization. CRMs track every stage of the sales process. Marketing platforms report results in real time. AI can analyze and summarize enormous amounts of information in seconds. Yet I've sat in plenty of meetings where all of that information is available, and some of the most important questions are still surprisingly difficult to answer. What's actually working? Why are customers choosing us? Where are we losing opportunities? What should we do differently? Having the data and understanding what it means are two very different things. More Information Doesn't Always Create More Clarity Over the past decade, businesses have invested heavily in visibility, and that's a good thing. We can understand performance with a level of detail that would have been unimaginable not long ago. But there's an unintended consequence. The easier something becomes to measure, the easier it is to assume it must be important. Website traffic goes up, so that looks positive. Leads increase, so marketing appears to be working. Sales activity climbs, so the pipeline looks healthy. Maybe. The numbers tell us what happened. Understanding why it happened, whether it matters, and what we should do next still requires judgment. Not Everything That Matters Fits on a Dashboard Consider a customer who ultimately contacts your company through Google. The data may attribute that lead to search. What it may not show is that the customer heard about you from a colleague six months earlier, saw your company mentioned in an industry publication, followed one of your employees on LinkedIn, and read several reviews before finally searching for your company. Google may have produced the click. It didn't necessarily create the decision. This happens throughout a business. Some of the things that matter most are difficult to reduce to a single metric: Why your best customers stay Why talented employees choose your company Why a prospect trusts one provider over another Why one service is gaining momentum while another isn't Why the market perceives your business the way it does Data can help answer those questions, but it needs context. Better Decisions Start With Better Questions One of the easiest traps for leaders is starting with the information in front of them rather than the decision they're trying to make. Instead of opening a dashboard and asking, "What does the data show?" it can be more useful to start with a different set of questions: What are we trying to understand? What decision are we trying to make? What would we need to know to make that decision confidently? That changes the role of data. Instead of looking at every number available and searching for meaning, you're using information to understand something specific about the business. Information Still Requires Judgment More sophisticated analytics and AI will continue to give leaders access to better information, faster. That's valuable, but I don't think it reduces the importance of experience and judgment. If anything, it increases it. Someone still has to decide which numbers deserve attention, which patterns matter, what context might be missing, and when the data isn't telling the whole story. The goal isn't to know more about your business simply because you can. It's to understand your business well enough to make better decisions. Good data can tell you what happened. Good leadership has to decide what it means. — Learn more about how we help organizations turn business, customer, and marketing insights into smarter strategies at tayloegray.com, or reach out directly at nathan@tayloegray.com.

Oct 14 • 8:00 PM EDT • Business • wilmingtonbiz.com

Ubisoft plans cuts at German studios, adding to wave of workforce reductions

Ubisoft is planning to reduce its workforce in Germany, where it operates a trio of studios, by about 100 workers, Game File has learned. The company wants to offer employees buyouts to, should enough people accept, avoid having to lay anyone off. “In Germany, we initiated discussions with the Works Council last week regarding a proposed voluntary departure plan across Ubisoft Dusseldorf, Ubisoft Berlin & Ubisoft Mainz,” a company rep told Game File. A “works council” is a union-like group representing employees. “The voluntary plan is the primary measure being proposed to support the intended organizational changes,” the Ubisoft rep added. The company declined to confirm the scale of the potential headcount cut. Of the impacted studios, Mainz might be the best known to the public. It leads development of the Anno series and shipped the well-reviewed strategy game Anno 117: Pax Romana in November 2025. Berlin and Dusseldorf operate as support studios within Ubisoft’s creative network. Berlin recently supported the development of Rainbow Six Siege and the Rayman Legends Retold remake. Dusseldorf also contributed to those projects, as well as The Settlers and Ubisoft-branded escape rooms. Dusseldorf is the biggest of the three studios, with some 400+ workers, compared to just over 100 at the other two, a source familiar with the reductions and the teams told Game File. More than half of these new reductions of about 100 people are expected to happen at Dusseldorf. The planned cuts were announced at a town hall for the German studios on Tuesday of last week. In an email follow-up, the studio group’s managing director, Benedikt Grindel, said the cuts were intended to “best position our German studios for the future... with a clearer focus on their role, capabilities and organizational setup needed for the work ahead.” The email was an echo of the past. In January 2025, Grindel had emailed the Ubisoft developers in his region (or studio “zone”) to explain that a round of 185 cuts at the time, including about 65 at Dusseldorf, were “essential to improve our operational efficiency and ensure the long-term sustainability of our studios, the zone and the company.” A half-decade of continued job cuts Ubisoft has been aggressively cutting its headcount for years. At the end of September 2022, it had 20,729 workers. By the end of March 2026, that total was down to 16,590. Studio management is trying to trim costs as it grapples with a changing industry and a drought of releases, let alone hits. The company announced earlier this year that it had reduced its costs since 2022 by “nearly €325 million” ($362m) and planned to lower them through 2028 by another €180 million ($200m). In June the company said it was closing down its Winnipeg and Belgrade studios and cutting roles in its Barcelona team. Even commercial and creative success hasn’t spared studios from this ongoing company-wide contraction. As Game File was nailing down details around the proposed cuts in Germany, Ubisoft management was informing workers of cuts in its Singapore studio, which shipped a hit remake of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag this past July. Some 70 positions in Singapore are being eliminated “to align the studio with upcoming production needs,” per a company rep’s statement to Game File. In early 2024, a large team in the Singapore studio launched the multiplayer pirate game Skull & Bones. It performed poorly but has been supported with regular content updates since. Many of Ubisoft’s studios around the world are heavily subsidized via regional grants and tax breaks. Singapore had been among them for years, but received no such local assistance in the 12 months ending this past March. News of the Singapore cuts broke today alongside word that Ubisoft is also proposing the closure of RedLynx, pending negotiations with officials. The Finnish studio behind the motorbike series Trials was founded in 2000 and sold to Ubisoft in 2011. As reported by VGC (and corroborated by Game File), Ubisoft management told employees it could not come up with a new, sustainable assignment for RedLynx. The 2025 workforce at Ubisoft Dusseldorf were straight-up cuts. This time, Ubisoft is hoping the reductions at its trio of German studios will largely come from workers taking a payout to leave. The company offered such voluntary dismissals at its Massive Entertainment studio (The Division) a year ago. For the German studios’ buyouts this time around, Ubisoft and the Works Council had discussed a formula that’d pay a worker’s monthly salary multiplied by 1.5 and by the number of years they’ve worked at the company, according to Game File sources. The formula is still subject to negotiations with the Works Council and has not yet been part of an official offer to workers. It could be adjusted up or down, and it could be supplemented with additional bonuses. Asked about the floated payout formula, a Ubisoft rep told Game File, “The terms of a potential voluntary departure program remain subject to negotiation with employee representatives. No final agreement has been reached, and we won’t comment on specific proposals while discussions are ongoing.” Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Item 2: Epic’s AI adventures Epic Games (Fortnite, the Unreal engine) is all-in on using AI to try to transform the way it makes video games and game-making tools. It’s leaders appear to be undeterred by any resistance among gamers and some game developers around generative AI—and instead emboldened by advances, particularly in AI-assisted programming. A recap of the last three days: On Monday, Bloomberg reported that Epic management told workers last week that development of an upcoming game combining Star Wars and Marvel characters would be “AI first.” Employees would be expected to use AI models such as Claude to code the game. A manager told Epic’s developers there would be “[n]o more hand-written code” and that art for the game would be “generated with full AI workflows,” per the outlet. Just ahead of that story running, Epic founder Tim Sweeney tweeted: “We have a huge pivot underway here at Epic, moving developers around to retool for maximum AI acceleration. The aim isn’t to do the same stuff with fewer people, but to enable everyone here to build MORE and BETTER stuff, and to bring the benefits to all teams using Unreal.” In a follow-up, Sweeney predicted that most game development processes would be at least three times faster a year from now than they were in January 2026, thanks to AI. To a person on X who told him he was failing to read the room, Sweeney said: “Much of the room wants it to be 2016 again, but it’s not. Our job, as the provider of tools and technology to much of the industry, is to design for the present that is and the future that will soon be.” On Wednesday, Epic announced it was releasing a faster launcher for its Epic Games Store marketplace. It did so by stating in a blog post as clear as could be that the launcher is an AI-enabled, vibe-coded project: Programming is hard. So, instead of doing that, we vibe coded a new Epic Games Launcher that’s way faster and more responsive than the current one, and has a new look. Programming is hard? That was unexpected phrasing from a company founded by a legendarily great programmer. Back in 2011, Sweeney told me that he’d picked up programming quickly as a kid and rejoiced at the power it gave him. “I could look at any program that anybody else had written and, with enough effort, build something cooler.” Item 3: The Xbox Labs experiment (and one of the people behind it) Microsoft’s Xbox division, which is flooding the zone with announcements lately, yesterday revealed a new internal tech-tinkering team called Xbox Labs. In the words of Xbox boss Asha Sharma Labs is “a small group of game makers, engineers and scientists whose job is to turn emerging ideas into things our players and developers can experience.” Conventional wisdom coming out of the announcement is that Labs is a team that’ll focus on ideas driven by generative AI. In her announcement, Sharma cited some of the dizzying achievements in tech and gaming over the past month as AI agents and other AI tools have been deployed to swiftly figure out how popular games work, then rebuild them and mix them up. She mentioned seeing ”games rapidly decompiled and rebuilt to run on hardware they were never originally designed to support” and said “[p]erhaps more surprisingly, we’ve seen many of the biggest games in the world have been remixed into the source code of another.” (Minecraft plus Elden Ring, for example, or Fortnite + Super Monkey Ball + Overwatch + Diablo + others.) Sharma also cited the work of Windows PC games being ported to run in browsers, a seeming reference to a recent AI-assisted fan port of Halo. Or perhaps Call of Duty or GTA. Sharma didn’t use the specific term “AI” in her memo, but she came close, citing AI “agents” and their potential for game-making tools that Labs could help craft: I think XBOX has an important role to play here. Coding became the first major workload for agents because they can write, run, and test software. Games share many of those same properties, and people spend more than 72 billion hours a year playing XBOX games, roughly five times the estimated time spent writing code worldwide. We’ve spent 25 years learning how to make great games, and I want our game makers to help shape what these new technologies make possible. As we learn, we’ll share the tools we build with developers across the industry, just as we always have. When I asked an Xbox rep if Labs was an AI-centric team, they said genAI was not the focus, describing it as having a broader mandate for using new tech in new ways in gaming. As an example, they pointed to Xbox’s recently launched disc-to-digital gaming usage rights program. Microsoft didn’t specifically name anyone involved full-time in Xbox Labs yesterday, but on social media and LinkedIn, I spotted Adrian Mato IDing himself as leading the creatio of tools at Labs and talking up the launch. Mato first caught my attention in late September, when he said on X that he was “starting to build a new team at Xbox focused on products and tools for how games get built and distributed as agentic tools become more capable.” At the time, he framed AI-based tools as a supplement to traditional game dev tools. “I don’t think we need to replace them,” he said. Since then, he’s publicly shown interest in AI and in games. He’s recently spent some of his X feed marveling at the power of AI agents and praising the lighting in the latest Gears of War. Following the Labs announcement yesterday, he enthused about the Xbox Labs’ stylish landing page. He wrote: “We built some fun tools to art-direct shaders in real time, experimented with interactive ASCII art, and sprinkled in lots of tiny details. “Move your mouse to leave a colorful trail that reveals the original footage, or interact with the video to trigger bursts of particles. “A lot of love went into making it all feel just right. “More to come”

Oct 14 • 4:31 PM EDT • Technology • gamefile.news

Broncos dealt uncomfortable question from ESPN analyst on Bo Nix

This speculative question might become real very soon for the Broncos.

Oct 14 • 4:02 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

YouTube is upending Hollywood — and Alphabet might be the best entertainment bet

The creator economy has turned the entertainment industry on its head this year, with YouTubers now directing box-office hits. Are entertainment giants like Disney (DIS) and Netflix (NFLX) still the stocks to buy? Gerber Kawasaki Wealth & Investment Management CEO Ross Gerber and his expert panel weigh in on the rise of creator-led projects taking hold in the film industry. Today's Market Hang panel consists of Yahoo Finance's Julie Hyman, Business Insider Today executive editor Dan DeFrancesco, Baird investment strategist Ross Mayfield, and SlateStone Wealth partner and chief market strategist Kenny Polcari.

Oct 14 • 2:22 PM EDT • Entertainment • finance.yahoo.com

Could the Marlins be Pursuing a Power Hitter?

While the Fish are funneling a lot of funds towards free agency, a power threat might be on the shopping list

Oct 14 • 12:26 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Repairing the iPhone Duo’s folding screen costs as much as a new iPhone

You might want to get AppleCare Plus.

Oct 14 • 12:21 PM EDT • Technology • theverge.com

How the Zelda Ocarina of Time remake changes the classic game’s script

At the start of the iconic 1998 Nintendo 64 game The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, our playable hero Link wakes up in his tree cabin, heads outside and is greeted by his friend Saria. “Yahoo! Hi, Stotil!" she says. In other people’s copies of the games, she might say “Hi, Link!” or “Hi, Brick!” or use whatever other name the player was allowed to input when first launching the game. The more important point is that she starts with a “Yahoo!” In Nintendo’s 2011 remake of Ocarina of Time for the 3DS handheld, Saria greets Link with that same word. But for the 2026 Switch 2 re-remake of Ocarina of Time, out November 5, Saria’s salutation has changed: “Hello, Link!” she exclaims. There’s no “Yahoo” to be heard. Last month, in an official Nintendo video preview, Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma described the remake as a “faithful interpretation using modern technologies.” Faithful means the gameplay hasn’t changed much. Dungeons, quests, and just generally what you do in the game doesn’t seem to have changed, not based on what Nintendo has shown nor the hour of the game I played in New York City a couple of weeks ago. The graphics have been overhauled. The controls have been tweaked. Players can now manually control the camera and make Link jump with the press of a button, both notable differences from the original 1998 design. But Link’s journey appears to take the same path, with the same obstacles in its way. The remake’s biggest alteration to Ocarina of Time that I’ve spotted so far just might be the script. About the game’s story, Aonuma said in September, “We’ve added quite a lot of new dialogue for the characters, so that their personalities shine even more.” Earlier this month, I played a chunk of the Ocarina of Time remake at a Nintendo showcase. In the game’s earliest moments, I made a point of talking to characters and recording what they said. I found the script to be more colorful, more natural in its phrasing, more careful to establish its characters, and certainly more wordy even with the removal of that one “Yahoo!”. I’ve got some very early-game examples, so you can judge the new writing for yourself.

Oct 14 • 11:32 AM EDT • Technology • gamefile.news

ON THE JOB: ‘Where Do You See Your Career or Business in 3 to 5 Years?’

“For the next three to five years, I am looking to grow Oswego County Opportunities’ support for the county’s economic development to fight poverty and take advantage of the major investments that are coming to the area.” — Kevin Dean, Executive director, Oswego County Opportunities, Fulton “I love what I’m doing. I’m trying to do this as long as they let me. It’s so exciting to walk the floors at the various factories, talk with community leaders and be part of the solutions to their business problems. As we do this work with manufacturers and community members, we are helping the next generation have these great jobs in skilled manufacturing. I’d like to have the same job title for years to come. I’ve watched the last five years with awe and it makes me proud and excited to be from Upstate New York. I want to keep being part of the conversation that, yes, we can do it in Upstate New York.” — Randy Wolken, President and CEO, Manufacturing Association of Central New York (MACNY) “I oversee the Rochester and Syracuse offices. We’re seeing continual growth as there are more and more job seekers and companies that are looking to fill positions as the economy grows. I’d like to have another Upstate New York office in our region to help promote people under me. I want to see that happen. With an increase in the job market, that is what the end goal is here for sure. We currently have offices in Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse and Albany, among more than 300 worldwide.” — Briana Calabrese, Marketing director and vice president of finance & accounting and administrative & customer support, Robert Half Recruiters & Employment Agency, Syracuse “Hopefully, we’ll continue to grow by word of mouth. I just took over a couple of years ago. I was an employee for 27 years. Business is great and we’re up on sales from where we were last year and I’m hoping that continues to happen. I get an overwhelming response from people who say they want to support local businesses. It’s my objective when people walk out the door that they want to come back. In a small town like this, it’s crucial. I see myself in five years doing exactly what I’m doing now: sticking with it and trying to grow Fulton Screen Printing.” — Tim Stone, Owner, Fulton Screen Printing, Fulton “I am 85 years old and teach four fitness classes a week and swim four times a week. I hope to live to be 90 — if I can do that, I won’t complain. The older I get, the less afraid I am of dying. What I don’t want to do is get some sickness where I’m lingering and I’m in pain and it just goes on and on. I expect to be exercising as much as I can and I hope I will know when I need to back off to accommodate different problems I may have when I’m older. For a short time, I got up at 6 a.m. to jog for a half hour every morning. But I had to avoid dogs, so I quit jogging. I hope to be able to swim for life. When I swim for half an hour, whatever problems I have wash away. I will still be working in exercise in five years. I also write research articles. It challenges my mind. You have to challenge your mind and body and have some kind of goals and reasons to go on living. My wife died three and a half years ago, so I try to go out and do things, even though she’s no longer here.” — Fred Wilson. Certified personal trainer at Fitness After 50 and leader of senior fitness classes, Syracuse “I expect to continue working as a local financial adviser professional for the next several years. I really enjoy working with my clients and consider it a privilege to come to work every day, helping my clients reach their financial goals.” — Randy L. Zeigler, Certified financial planner practitioner, chartered financial consultant and private wealth adviser, Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC, Oswego “I see myself doing something with young people. I want to open an after-school program as a safe space for high schoolers where they can get tutored, behavioral health, get something to eat. I want to do something with policy. I have thought of doing something with neurodivergent kids where kids can run some kind of business. I want to do anything with community like therapy and psychotherapy. I want to still be able to offer those services to people. At 55, I’m not sure how much I will do. I will see what happens after graduation from Keuka College.” — Della Joyce Smith, Master’s student, Syracuse “I think the core of the gym is in personal training. I don’t see that changing. People will still need a gym and personal training will stay. There may be some loss to AI as there is in just about every industry, but there’s always been the ability to go online and get a workout. I don’t think AI will cut into business any more than the internet has. I think the class structure is shifting. Large group classes might be fading away for a while. I see more people going to specialized classes like Pilates. I wouldn’t be surprised if maybe the traditional classes like boot camps started to fade away. It’s important to adapt. Maybe someday I’ll need to get some new kinds of classes. Everything tends to go in cycles.” — Ryan Vollmer, Certified personal trainer and owner Edge Strength and Conditioning, Syracuse “I have been growing my firm at 24% a year. In five years, we may be purchasing or building a new office building to accommodate the new growth. Right now, our focus is on growth and adding team members, mostly financial advisers and administrative staff.” — Terri Krueger, Chartered financial consultant and senior financial adviser with Orla Wealth Management in Syracuse “Over the next three to five years, I see TDO continuing to experience steady, sustainable growth as new industries establish and expand their presence across Central New York. These investments will create new opportunities throughout the regional manufacturing supply chain, and TDO will continue evolving our capabilities to help both existing manufacturers and emerging industries grow, compete, and succeed.” — Jim D’Agostino, CEO and executive director Central New York TDO (Train, Develop, Optimize), Liverpool

Oct 14 • 8:23 AM EDT • Business • oswegocountybusiness.com

BUSINESS UPDATE: A 138-year-old New York Manufacturer Gets Another Life in Fulton

E.J. Willis Co. was founded in New York City in 1888 and for generations it has made ship’s bells and other equipment for the U.S. Navy and American shipbuilders. This summer, the new owner moved the company’s equipment to Fulton By Stefan Yablonski E. J. Willis Co. cast brass ship’s bells — handcrafted in the United States since 1888. Ship bells, “built to last a lifetime at sea,” are now manufactured in Fulton. E.J. Willis Co. has moved its operation and manufacturing business to Fulton. They are currently operating out of N.E.T & Die. The company is now under the ownership of Jonathan Hyatt. He recently acquired the company after seeing a for sale note on Craigslist. [caption id=attachment_11110 align=alignright width=400] Entrepreneur Jonathan Hyatt is the new owner of E.J. Willis Co. He bought the business this summer after finding a listing on Craigslist by chance.[/caption] “I had been looking for something to do. I had been 20 years in corporate America and I was just tired of building someone else’s empire, you know what I mean? I was in consulting, pretty much a jack of all trades. I wanted to do something that I could call my own,” he explained. “I’d been on this path of trying to find a business to buy for about a year. One night I am on Craigslist about 11:30 in mid-April searching for something completely unrelated. At the bottom of Craigslist was a ‘things you might be interested in from outside of your area.’ There was an ad that said 138-year-old bell manufacturing company for sale. So, I clicked; why not, right? I wasn’t looking to buy a manufacturing company, but I went down the rabbit hole, absolutely fell in love with the history and ended up buying it.” He read the ad and responded. “I called and I am talking to the owner of the business for about two hours. We ended with, let’s have another chat and then come on out here and have a look. I figured, well I might wind up getting kidnapped and getting murdered or there is a real business here. But I gotta see it through,” he quipped. “And sure enough, there is a big machine shop operation there. The gentleman who owned it was retiring and in the corner of this shop is a little room where they make bells and they have been doing this ever since the company had started.” That’s the one constant thing that has survived the changes of the business. [caption id=attachment_11061 align=alignright width=300] Sales 1929 general catalog published by E. J. Willis Co, listing all the merchandise it sold. It’s like the Sears Roebuck and Co. catalog for marine parts.[/caption] “I drove home and told my wife, ‘This is what I am doing for the rest of whatever we are calling this — mid-life crisis.’ And she said, ‘absolutely you got to do it.’ I took out a loan and off we go.” He put in an offer on the business and they closed on July 1. He didn’t disclose what he paid for the company. “In terms of price, the seller and I have agreed to keep those terms private.” “I am finding that I am a business owner, an archeologist, opening files and cabinets that haven’t been opened in 100 years. It’s just amazing, just cool things that I am finding,” he said. “I want to build the business back. I want to be able to sell the bells to outsiders. I think they are beautiful. “It’s really a wild story about a company that started in lower Manhattan, exploded in the automotive space, sold parts to the Wright Brothers, moved into the aeronautical world and then landed in marine. The cool thing, I have been digging around and the gentleman who owned the company prior to me was not a digital guy. There is nothing out there. “Now I am sitting here with all the art from like the 1930s, the E.J. Willis boat catalog it’s like 250 pages of things this company used to make. It’s like the Sears-Roebuck and Co. catalog for marine parts. We are modernizing, we are staying true to the heritage of the business. It’s exciting to be the next steward of the whole business.” Initially he thought he’d move everything from the company’s plant in Middleville, Herkimer County, to Boston, out of convenience. “Then I thought let’s keep the foundry where it is. Let’s not move anything right away,” he said. “I want to get a good sense of what we’ve got, what works and what doesn’t. “I went to the foundry and met with the people there, lovely people, and said here is my position — I am buying a company where everyone is retiring. There is machining and polishing to be done, who would you work with around here? Without hesitation they said, ‘you need to go to NET Tool & Die and talk to Michelle [Shatrau]. She is a third-generation machinist and she runs the company now.’” So, he drove to Fulton. “I knocked on the door, they let me in. And she said, ‘how’d you get in here?’” he said with a laugh. “We became fast friends. I told her what I am doing. It must have struck a nerve. She has a very entrepreneurial background. I must have said something right because she came out and she said, ‘I’d love to help you. Why don’t we move the equipment that you have into my large building and I will give you a space to work at and use my team?’” [caption id=attachment_11058 align=alignleft width=300] Bell in progress awaiting assembly[/caption] It’s a great relationship so far. “We are bringing the business into the modern world. It’s been a lot of stuff all at once. But it has been very exciting,” he said. “We moved in a month ago [in July]. We closed on the business July 1. We moved a couple weeks later. We had all our equipment set up, electrical being run, everything. [caption id=attachment_11059 align=alignright width=300] Bell attached to a lathe going through the machining process[/caption] “We’re working with NET Tool & Die to rebuild production and preserve manufacturing processes that, in some cases, existed mostly in the heads and hands of the people who had been doing them for decades. We’re currently working on several 200-pound ship’s bells and bringing an old two-way manual bilge pump back into production.” He said he will be working with NET employees for the time being, adding, “I’d love to get to a point where I have so much growth that I need to hire people.” No one wakes up and says, ‘I am buying a bell today,’ Hyatt admitted. [caption id=attachment_11060 align=alignleft width=225] Bell after receiving a custom etching toward the bell mouth[/caption] “Everyone does wake up and has things that deserve acknowledgment and remembering — a promotion, a marriage, the birth of a child,” he said. “These are the things I feel like if there was something that could capture a particular moment in time and will literally outlast the person that bought it, a bell is that. We can engrave a bell if you get married or the birth of a child. We can put anything on a bell. “I have orders, yes. I am working on several orders right now. We have a little bit of busyness. But there are still some things to work out. I want to make things consistently and continue to move forward.”

Oct 14 • 8:23 AM EDT • Business • oswegocountybusiness.com

BUSINESS UPDATE: Port Perseveres Despite Tariffs’ Negative Impact

‘We are hanging tough ... in an environment that is incredibly difficult to do business in right now,” the port’s director says By Stefan Yablonski Tariffs imposed by the Trump administration have hurt the Port of Oswego by slashing Canadian aluminum cargo volumes and reducing revenue. “We’re doing good. We are hanging tough. It is a tough time for our line of business in general, you know with these tariffs and the amount of Canadian aluminum that we see through our docks,” said the new executive director, Tom Drumm. “Compared to 2025, we are doing exceedingly well in traffic coming in; not necessarily the volumes we were seeing, but yeah we are hanging tough in an environment that is incredibly difficult to do business in right now.” “I don’t know where people get these numbers to be honest. We have never publicly stated how much our revenue is down or up or left to right. We don’t have a strong sense of those revenue numbers until the shipping season really closes up. We won’t have an accurate picture of the revenue standpoint until after the shipping season, typically in late November,” he added. “What I can tell you is several of our Canadian vessels that carry the aluminum cells — the volume of aluminum on those vessels we have seen decreasing. That is attributed to a few factors. One is where Novelis is in in their restart process. Novelis is rocking and rolling right now. They are starting to pull a lot of aluminum from the port of Oswego, the aluminum that they roll down into coils. “Another factor plainly is the tariffs. Canadian aluminum is tariffed at 50%. So, on those vessels we are seeing lower numbers than we would like. We’d like to see vessels carrying roughly 10,000 metric tons of aluminum. Over the course of this year, we have seen more in the range of 4,000 to 6,000. “Every piece of that aluminum that we receive here by vessel at the port is from Canada and is subsequently hit with the 50% tariff. It directly affects us because we’ve received less volume than we would traditionally see pre-tariff times.” When the port receives less aluminum from those vessels it means less hours for the ILA (International Longshoremen Association) as far as folks that work on the dock, he said. When cargo declines, it affects everyone, fewer hours for longshoremen, fewer loads for truck drivers, fewer rail shipments and less business for local suppliers. “Outside of the aluminum that comes in by vessel, the port topped out at having roughly 4,600 aluminum ingots stored on site at the port. That project had never been done before. The port of Oswego had never had that many of those size ingots in our yard,” he said. “It has been a busy summer for the ILA. Would we like to see more work for them? Sure. They are working all those barges when they come in, but as opposed to working 15 hours they might be working seven or eight hours. It hasn’t been a distinct decline in ILA hours. There has been plenty of work to keep our guys busy throughout the summer.” More salt “We just brought salt back to the port in several, several years. Around Harborfest time at one point we had a salt barge here with about 24,000 metric tons of rock salt and we had an aluminum barge here the same week. We had close to 40 men working,” he said. “Yeah, the other products definitely keep us busy. The salt project was a massive project, one that we are proud of. I’ve got 24,000 metric tons of salt on site that has to go somewhere — that’s going to be another project.” It is important for the port to continue to look at different products, different commodities to try to diversify some of its revenue, he said, adding, “We have done a pretty good job of that in my first five months here … particularly with the rock salt we have on site right now. It is important to continue to try to stand out and work through some projects outside our usual business. I enjoy it. It is a challenge every single day we put our head down and we try our best.”

Oct 14 • 8:23 AM EDT • Business • oswegocountybusiness.com

SPECIAL REPORT: Tough Business

A string of vacant restaurant buildings shows that many restaurants in the region are struggling — and several are closing By Stefan Yablonski [caption id=attachment_11132 align=alignright width=401] Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill on Route 31 in Clay closed its doors in April. It had been in operation since at least 2008.[/caption] By their nature, most restaurants have a limited life. An astonishing 60% go out of business within three years of opening, largely due to fundamental flaws in the planning of the operation. But even restaurants that experience years of success almost always face eventual closure. The restaurant business is very hard and because of both personal factors and external factors beyond anyone’s control, restaurants don’t last forever. For many restaurants, age is a big factor, according to Kenneth Walsleben, professor of practice, entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises at Syracuse University. “The owners have been at it for 20 or 25 years, if not longer, they want some time to themselves,” he said. Such was the case for Jocko’s Famous Ritz Diner in Oswego. Jocko Reitz bought the building in the late 1970s from Robert Shapiro. However, when he stepped away from the business, it eventually closed. [caption id=attachment_11142 align=alignright width=402] For nearly 80 years, Vona’s Restaurant passed through three generations of family in Oswego. It closed its doors on Dec. 31, 2025.[/caption] For nearly 80 years, Vona’s passed through three generations of family in Oswego. Vona’s Restaurant officially closed its doors on Dec. 31, 2025, when no family member wanted to take over. It is on the market. The Ruby Tuesday in Oswego operated for about two decades before permanently closing in April 2026. The restaurant faced multiple temporary health department closures in 2024 and 2025 due to persistent fruit fly and foundation pest issues. Management posted a final closure notice on the doors in mid-April 2026 and the building was put up for sale. The same pattern has been happening in Onondaga County. The big building once used by Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill on Route 31 in Clay remains empty, more than six months after the restaurant closed its doors in April. It had been in operation since at least 2008. [caption id=attachment_11130 align=alignright width=401] Ruby Tuesday in Oswego operated for about two decades before permanently closing in April 2026.[/caption] Just down the road from Smokey Bones, the popular Outback Steakhouse closed in August 2024. Another restaurant took its place, La Cocina Mexican Restaurant, but it closed shortly after. The building sits empty. Other very popular restaurants in the northern suburbs of Syracuse have recently closed. Among them, Fireside by the River in Baldwinsville and Primo Nestico’s Bistro Bar in North Syracuse. “I haven’t really paid attention to the Syracuse area. There has always been some turnover, but there probably has never been a tougher time to be a restauranter than now. It’s just brutal,” Walsleben said. In the first year, roughly 20% to 25% of restaurants close or change hands, according to the National Restaurant Association. [caption id=attachment_11122 align=alignright width=401] Outback Steakhouse closed in August 2024. Another restaurant took its place, La Cocina Mexican Restaurant, but it closed shortly after. The building sits empty.[/caption] “Depending on what statistics you look at, you’ll find that any business has a high mortality rate in the first year. That is just the nature of entrepreneurship,” Walsleben said. “There are certain ones that are getting hit hard while others are more fruitful. “And when you look at the restaurant industry you have to factor in labor which is a large part — typically a third of your expenses — and those costs are going up. And there is always turnover which means investing money to train people. Then you’ve got food costs, which is also a third of the typical restaurant budget. Since the pandemic labor has gone up 41%, food costs have gone up 35%. That’s a big tight squeeze righty there. That’s two-thirds of your budget that has gone up 35% to 40% in the last few years. And then the only way you can make that work is to raise the prices.” The National Restaurant Association reports menu prices are up 36% since February of 2020. In a survey released by the association, more than eight in 10 restaurant owners reported that their food, beverage and labor costs are now higher than before the pandemic. You have to deal with the reality of are the customers willing to pay for that? Walsleben added. Restaurants historically have very thin margins; their profit margin is about 5%. “You have a third that goes into food, a third that goes into labor and about 28%, 29% that goes into everything else — overhead, insurance etc. So that brings you down to your 5% leftover,” he said. “Everything is going up. Customer expectations are going up and people aren’t going to spend that much more. So, you have a tight squeeze here,” Walsleben continued. “Restaurants who use delivery apps, they pay a fee to those guys. Those guys don’t work for free. So, you can kind of see where the squeeze comes from.” Stuck in the middle There are pockets of opportunity; the two extremes of the market can make a profit. But the middle gets squeezed out. “If you are a low-end fast-food kind of place, there is room for that. People have changed their budgets. They are still going out, but they are not spending more,” according to Walsleben. “The high end remains positive. If you have a restaurant that brings a specific experience … a great food product or you are catering to high end customers who aren’t so budget conscious, those patrons are going to expect a high-end experience. They expect excellent food every time. They are expecting excellent service. If you can meet those expectations there is room for you at the top. It’s just the guys in the middle are getting the squeeze from both ends. Tough competition, customer expectations, costs are up. Menu items, you can’t raise the prices as much as you need to. That is why you are seeing a lot of restaurants baling out.” The ones that can adapt quickly are the ones who are doing OK. “Success is heavily dependent on the strength of a restaurant’s concept development and the planning of its execution. Eventually things aren’t always new. Things change. So, if you are in the restaurant business you have got to change your menu — keep things new, fresh and update your meals. It is very fickle industry. One year carbs are out, the next year berries are out. Everybody’s diet changes — constantly chasing the latest phase. You have got to adjust your menu and move with those modifications. If you have a static menu that you have used the last couple years that hasn’t changed except for the pricing, you’ve got a problem,” he said. A lot of times these buildings are singular purpose, he added. “You have a commercially viable kitchen and you got a seating area. There is not a lot of other businesses that cater to that type of a layout. So, it’s pretty common to see another restaurant slide in,” he said. One of the things a banker learns early on is you don’t lend money to restaurants … because they fail so quickly. It is very hard to predict who the winners will be. So, if you are a restaurant in addition to all the other challenges, it is very difficult to get loans, according to Walsleben. “You might work really well in the kitchen. But that doesn’t mean you are a great businessperson,” he said. “Restaurants can fail because the owner didn’t know how to manage things properly. There are a lot of challenges. “There is opportunity at the high end and the low end. But in the middle, that’s the death valley. There are just so many things working against you. You really need to have something that will pull people in and continue to pull people in because you to constantly have to change. Think about a theme and a product that is unique to the area people don’t travel that far these days you have to be able to deliver it in an innovative fashion and keep updating to keep people coming in the door.” Out of Business? How Fast? Do nine out of 10 restaurants fail in their first year, as commonly claimed? No. Survival analysis of 1.9 million longitudinal microdata for 81,000 full-service restaurants in a 20-year U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics non public census of business establishments in the western US shows that only 17% of independently owned full-service restaurant startups failed in their first year, compared with 19% for all other service-providing startups, according to ResearchGate. The median lifespan of restaurants is about 4.5 years, slightly longer than that of other service businesses (4.25 years). However, the median lifespan of a restaurant startup with 5 or fewer employees is 3.75 years, slightly shorter than that of other service businesses of the same startup size (4.0 years). What Makes a Restaurant Successful? Opening and maintaining a successful restaurant is not as easy as creating a great menu and serving excellent food. It takes more than that, according to local restaurant owners who have been in business for decades in the region. They all agree that there are some guidelines to running a successful restaurant. • Quality food: Successful restaurants know exactly what they serve and who they serve it to. Delivering the same great taste every single time builds loyal customers. • Smooth operations: Friendly greetings and attentive staff make guests feel welcome from the moment they walk in. Hiring staff for personality and training for skill ensures reliable, caring service. • Smart marketing: Exceptional food and experiences naturally get people talking and sharing online. Word of mouth can help entice customers. Consistent social media and targeted advertising brings in new and repeat guests also. The menu is what keeps patrons coming back to Mimi’s Diner in Fulton, located at 201 N. Second St. “We locally source our produce and our meats. Our chicken and biscuits is a popular, popular special,” said Richard Tagliareni, the third-generation owner and general manager. “It’s all homemade. We have consistently served quality food.” His grandfather started the business more than 55 years ago. Mimi’s is engrained in the community. They cater to the community and are very involved in everything from the schools to local events. The first Mimi’s Drive-In opened in Mexico. Then a second in Oswego and then Fulton. Fulton’s Mimi’s is the only one left. “The last couple of weeks have been kind of slower than normal. October is usually a busier month for us People will start coming back around again. Also, the price of gas is affecting some things,” Tagliareni added. “We try to keep our prices in line. You go out to eat, you’re going to spend about a hundred bucks or so for two people for dinner. You come here to Mimi’s you are probably for two people for dinner it’s between $50 and $60. We are trying to keep our prices in line. We did have to increase our prices a little bit but things are looking OK.” For the Press Box, 29 E. First St., Oswego, it’s also about great food and a family atmosphere. “Our sports bar and restaurant was established in 1984,” said Alison Canale Scanlon, manager. “I think putting the time into everything makes a big difference and treating people like family when they walk into your restaurant. That’s how we have always operated since 1984.” “It’s the family oriented aspect,” she added. “Consistency, quality and presentation of our food — that’s the secret to a successful restaurant. We try to be very consistent with it. We treat people like family when they come in; because we know how we want to be treated when we go to a restaurant. We treat people the same or better.”

Oct 14 • 8:23 AM EDT • Business • oswegocountybusiness.com

Hospice, Home Health Moratoria: What Might Come Next

Many hospice providers are struggling to grow amid the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) temporary moratoria on hospice and home

Oct 14 • 7:28 AM EDT • Health • hospicenews.com

Yankees' Latest Rumor Shows They Might Just Be Clueless

What exactly are the New York Yankees thinking here?

Oct 14 • 7:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

GTA 6 Developer Rockstar Insists Its Next Game Won't Take Another 8 Years to Make

Rockstar has promised that its next game following GTA 6 won’t take as long to come out, although it failed to hint at what it might be.

Oct 14 • 6:48 AM EDT • Technology • ign.com

Are Blue Zones real? One researcher finds the data deeply flawed

The data behind Blue Zones might not be that strong

Oct 14 • 6:00 AM EDT • Science • scientificamerican.com

Why we need to rethink what causes depression

Depression is more complicated than you might think and requires a more nuanced approach.

Oct 14 • 5:00 AM EDT • Science • sciencefocus.com

Horoscopes

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Your moodier side might emerge this week. But the dark period should pass in time for the party-loving Lamb to go on a happy

Oct 14 • 12:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • floridaweekly.com

Wings reportedly nearing contract extension with DeBrincat

The Red Wings might be keeping one key piece of their roster.

Oct 13 • 9:52 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Harry Cohen gets the Jeopardy treatment in latest ad making politics fun

His buzzer might be on the fritz, but this ad assures voters his policies aren't.

Oct 13 • 5:53 PM EDT • Politics • floridapolitics.com

Perspective | Don't throw out what works: Leveraging cooperative learning as a scaffold for science and engineering practices

With new science standards in North Carolina, the solution might be to incorporate them into old strategies like collaborative learning.

Oct 13 • 5:30 PM EDT • Science • ednc.org

Los Javis storm global cinema with 'La Bola Negra.' It might mean Oscar glory for Netflix

“La Bola Negra,” a $15 million Spanish queer epic, is expected to challenge “The Odyssey” for best picture | KMBZ

Oct 13 • 4:20 PM EDT • Entertainment • audacy.com

Opinion: How Illinois’ treasurer is using public money to spur new housing

Michael Frerichs' office might not be the first that comes to mind on housing, but he says he's trying to go beyond the traditional mold.

Oct 13 • 1:38 PM EDT • Business • chicagobusiness.com

Microsoft’s top science exec is leaving to fulfill a childhood dream: Joining a Formula 1 team

Peter Lee, the longtime Microsoft Research leader, plans to join the Mercedes Formula 1 team in a newly created AI advisor role. He'll work on physics problems for the team's car, predictive models and how F1's regulators might govern AI.

Oct 13 • 1:27 PM EDT • Science • geekwire.com

Katie Zacharia ends first White House press briefing after 14 minutes

Katie Zacharia took the lectern for the first time as White House press secretary on Oct. 13, but if you blinked, you might have missed it.

Oct 13 • 12:27 PM EDT • Politics • usatoday.com

Lane Kiffin Is The Most Overrated Coach in College Football

Lane Kiffin gets treated like an elite coach, but his lack of major championships and disappointing start at LSU raise serious questions about his reputation. At what point are we going to admit that Lane Kiffin might be the most overrated head coach in college football? For years, Kiffin has been treated like an offensive…

Oct 13 • 12:19 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Chicago Bears NFL Draft needs: backup quarterback

Here are a couple quarterbacks that could still be on the board, around the time that the Chicago Bears might start to look at taking a QB.

Oct 13 • 12:07 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Josue De Paula: Meet Shohei Ohtani’s potential NLCS Dodgers replacement

The 21-year-old could see an elevated role during the NLCS with Ohtani struggled mightily in the batter's box.

Oct 13 • 10:38 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Chicago Cubs news— Cabrera, Shaw, King, Detmers, Gray

The Chicago Cubs are wondering what to do with Cabrera — mainly to stop his blister problem. And that might fix him.

Oct 13 • 8:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Are the clouds finally parting? New Mexico TV, film production business eyes better days

You might say the TV and film production industry in New Mexico has won simply by surviving a prolonged, worldwide slump in recent years.

Oct 13 • 7:00 AM EDT • Business • santafenewmexican.com

To save democracy, you might want to go to church

The solution to some of American democracy’s biggest problems might be something old and controversial: More religion.

Oct 13 • 6:00 AM EDT • Politics • vox.com

Medicaid provider might end its coverage for Ochsner network, affecting 70,000

One of Louisiana’s four Medicaid plans might no longer cover treatment at the state’s largest healthcare network, Ochsner Health System, after Dec. 1, potentially affecting 70,000 people.

Oct 13 • 5:00 AM EDT • Health • lailluminator.com

Remembering 1970 Britain — a cautionary tale

Well, if you listen to the polls and the political talking heads these days, in less than a month we will see a blue something sweep across the electoral map. Some say a blue wave and bolder predictors claim a blue tsunami is coming. Heck, I’ve even seen a prediction that Kansas might elect a […]

Oct 13 • 3:00 AM EDT • Politics • coloradopolitics.com

AI worms and 'digital slime mold': Welcome to next AI nightmare fuel

Small AI models might soon be capable of worming their way into smart ovens and refrigerators, Anthropic said.

Oct 13 • 1:29 AM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com

Lamar Jackson might be ready to play in Week 6

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is uncertain for practice Wednesday, and for the Week 6 game against the Cleveland Browns

Oct 12 • 8:15 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

AI behaves more like a brain than a database – cognitive science’s role in its origin story helps explain why

When people think about what ChatGPT or other large language models are doing behind the scenes, it’s common to reach for the language of computing. You might assume there is

Oct 12 • 8:15 PM EDT • Science • insightnews.com

How worried should Catholics be about the pope’s health?

Pope Leo XIV announced on Sunday that he will undergo surgery this week to remove a “nodule” from his lung. The pope made the announcement at the end of his Sunday Angelus address, asking for prayers. “Dear all, recently, during some checkups, the doctors discovered a nodule in my lung. It was detected at a very early stage and was well-localized,” Leo said. “The doctors felt it was necessary to intervene, and so, following their advice, I decided to have surgery to remove it. The procedure is already scheduled for the next few days. I thank you for your spiritual support and I entrust myself to your prayers.” The Vatican press office subsequently added that Leo is scheduled to undergo surgery at the Gamelli hospital on Tuesday, Oct. 13. The pope is expected to spend up to a week in the Gamelli recovering, after which, for the moment, he is still expected to undertake his largest and longest to-date Apostolic journey, heading to Argentina, Uruguay, and Peru, beginning Nov. 6. Prayers have, understandably, poured in from dioceses around the world, accompanied by the best wishes of heads of state and international institutions. So how worried should Catholics be for the health of the pope? The Vatican’s messaging around Leo’s pending surgery is, in many ways, a new approach to papal health issues. But, despite the pope’s personal candour, the Holy See’s messaging perhaps raises as many questions as it answers. Subscribe — Leo’s decision to announce his own medical status and pending hospital stay during the Sunday Angelus is, it should be said, already something of a big deal. Traditionally, the health of popes simply hasn’t been discussed publicly or officially, until circumstances made it absolutely necessary. Memorably, in 2023 Pope Francis was rushed to the Gemelli in an ambulance, exhibiting signs of cardiac arrest according to many close to him, only for the Sala Stampa to put out a statement insisting he was merely going in for “pre-scheduled” tests. That Pope Leo has decided to announce his condition himself, with remarkable frankness, is a significant comms policy shift around the Apostolic Palace. This might reflect a deliberately more open posture, as opposed to the traditional, otiose evasiveness, and the first fruits of an American pope and American prefect of the Dicastery for Communications favoring honesty as a baseline. Equally, it must be allowed, it could be that the pope’s situation is serious enough that there would be no keeping it under wraps or playing it off, and the decision was made to be as open as possible to head off speculation about the papal health. Certainly, Leo appeared to make every effort to sound reassuring — stressing that, whatever the diagnosis is, exactly, it is “well-localized” and “early stage.” Of course, for everyone listening, talk of a “nodule” in a lung will immediately send thoughts — and prayers — running to concerns about words not used, like “cancer,” “tumor,” “begnin” or “malignant.” To be clear, none of those words may yet be medically appropriate. And there is every reason to believe and assume that Leo is giving almost as much information as he may have himself at this stage. But the context of the pope’s announcement and the timing of his surgery do reasonably raise reasonably serious concerns for Leo. We don’t know, and this isn’t to say anyone has the right to expect to know, when the routine medical checks made this discovery. It could have been last week, last month, or even earlier. As such, it isn’t really possible to say with what kind of urgency Leo is being brought in for surgery. However, there is clearly some serious urgency to the matter. Leo making the announcement and going into hospital this week, of all weeks, means he is having to miss the balance and conclusion of his global meeting of the heads of the world’s bishops conferences, which he convened in Rome this week. That, as the Vatican has announced, has meant some serious changes to the schedule, with the newly minted dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Tagle, subbing in for the closing Mass on Wednesday, and the meeting’s organizers announcing that the final working document/summary of the meeting being delayed until Leo can read and feed into it. Those changes suggest that the timing of Leo’s surgery isn’t of his own choosing, and he is acting on the best medical advice he can get by moving urgently. Had this issue been discovered weeks ago, it seems reasonable to assume the pope would have seen it dealt with before the meeting began. And were it possible to delay it, even by a few days to allow the meeting to conclude as scheduled, the expectation would surely be he’d have opted for that. It cannot be excluded that Leo is simply having to fit in with the schedules of his medical team, but a man who occupies arguably the most important and prominent role in Italy, if not Western Europe, could generally be assumed to be the one whose calendar others work around. All this points to a very recent medical discovery leading to a “days matter” diagnosis, or at least suspected possible diagnosis. Of course, another factor weighing in the balance is Leo’s upcoming apostolic visit to three South American countries, including a return to Peru, where he spent many years as a priest and bishop. It is entirely possible that the doctors, and the pope himself, are more concerned about the potential knock-on effects of surgery, and the time needed for recovery, for a 71-year-old — even one as physically sound and actively sporty as Leo. The pope is due to depart Rome November 6 for his 10-day three-country trip, returning on Nov. 17. It may be that Leo has simply made the decision to allow maximum time for his own post-op recovery, and even allow for potentially unforeseen circumstances, so that he is at full strength for the landmark trip. While it might be an inconvenience, and clearly a last-minute wrench in the works for the Amoris meeting, it is possible that Leo simply weighs the importance of that conference more lightly in the balance than even the possibility of missing his homecoming trip to Peru, or even having to scale back his itinerary for the trip. If that is the case, it would suggest a real abundance of caution by the pope approaching his Latin American tour, and a sobering indication of where Leo ranks the non-synodal meeting currently underway in Rome. In any event, what can be said for certain is that the pope having to take this, of all weeks, out of his schedule for surgery and an extended hospital stay is extremely unfortunate timing. It is clear that this is a decision Leo has made on the advice of his doctors. Together, they clearly consider that the risks of delaying, even by a little as a few days, represents an unacceptable risk for the pope. Even expecting and allowing for Leo’s full and speedy recovery, that should be a very sobering thought for Catholics everywhere. Subscribe

Oct 12 • 6:38 PM EDT • Health • pillarcatholic.com

Why Sabres Pulled Colten Ellis From Goalie Start Vs. Panthers

The Buffalo Sabres have three players they trust as their goalie. Colten Ellis might be third in the pecking order behind Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alex Lyon (currently injured), but Ellis still gets opportunities from head coach Lindy Ruff, too. The latest opportunity for Ellis came on Monday afternoon. The Sabres were taking on the Florida […] The post Why Sabres Pulled Colten Ellis From Goalie Start Vs. Panthers appeared first on HEAVY.

Oct 12 • 5:24 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

SnakePit Post-season GDT, #12

A double-bill of championship series, so enjoy it. Might only be one more this year, on Thursday. We start off with the National League, where the Dodgers will seek to even the series after losing the opener 2-1 in Milwaukee. A good start for the Brewers, but things won’t be any easier for them today: […]

Oct 12 • 5:00 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

How Ownership and Politics Might Force the Braves to Trade This Star

The Atlanta Braves might have a much bigger problem on their hands than another disappointing postseason exit. Franchise superstar Ronald Acuña Jr. is suddenly at the center of controversy, and the possibility of Atlanta trading its former MVP is becoming a legitimate offseason talking point. During a recent episode of Acuña’s podcast La Bestia ,…

Oct 12 • 12:52 PM EDT • Politics • sports.yahoo.com

Google’s Fitbit Air is getting a shiny new Metal Mesh band and better automatic tracking

The Fitbit Air is finally getting another band option that isn’t fabric or polyurethane. Instead, the Metal Mesh band might...

Oct 12 • 12:38 PM EDT • Technology • 9to5google.com

Arc Raiders player-numbers rebound with the launch of Frozen Trail and the game's 2.0 release, but they might be deceptively high

Arc Raiders' 2.0 update and Frozen Trail expansion have caused the game's Steam player numbers to surge again.

Oct 12 • 10:20 AM EDT • Technology • eurogamer.net

When climate change brings the heat, what happens to a mighty redwood?

In heat wave-like temperatures, coast redwoods' photosynthesis slows down, which may put one of Earth's most efficient carbon storers in jeopardy.

Oct 12 • 10:00 AM EDT • Science • sciencenews.org

🎥 Outrageous goals lit up the weekend !

Lionel Messi working his magic, out-of-this-world strikes and nets bulging: here are the most spectacular goals you might have missed this weekend. Time to catch up!Rodrigo Cascavel (Tondela, Liga Por...

Oct 12 • 9:46 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

This Terrifying New Series Just Might Be Your Next Spooky Season Obsession

A new take on a legendary horror story just arrived in time for spooky season, and viewers are already giving it major praise. Here’s why fans are calling the latest adaptation a must-watch.

Oct 12 • 9:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • purewow.com

MMQB – The Tale of Two Halves

What might’ve been

Oct 12 • 7:15 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

When permafrost thaws in mountainous landscapes

Germany’s highest peak, the Zugspitze, is one of the world's best-monitored permafrost sites. Its rock is still stable, but researchers believe that might change in the next decade.

Oct 12 • 4:51 AM EDT • Science • dw.com

Will Smith is in a slump, but benching him isn't an option for Dodgers

Will Smith's vital contributions at catcher means the Dodgers can't afford to bench him even though he has struggled mightily at the plate this postseason.

Oct 12 • 1:30 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Can keeping your phone in your pocket harm sperm health? Doctor explains what the science says

The idea that carrying a phone in your pocket might affect fertility sounds like the kind of health scare that spreads faster than the science behind it. According to Dr.

Oct 11 • 11:52 PM EDT • Science • timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Archbishop Brock says Erie needs to have conversation on gun control

It might seem political to talk about gun policy at a time like this. Bishop Dwane Brock doesn't care.

Oct 11 • 5:19 PM EDT • Health • goerie.com

Patriots vs. Raiders Odds: FanDuel, Kalshi, Polymarket and Prediction

The New England Patriots are favored to get back above .500 on Sunday, but the Week 5 betting board is sending a more cautious message about how comfortable that victory might be.New England enters at 2-2, while the Las Vegas Raiders are 3-1 and have covered the spread in all four games.The Patriots also head […] The post Patriots vs. Raiders Odds: FanDuel, Kalshi, Polymarket and Prediction appeared first on HEAVY.

Oct 11 • 10:20 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Saquon Barkley injury update: When will Eagles RB be back?

Saquon Barkley is out for Sunday's tilt against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but when might the Philadelphia Eagles running back return?

Oct 11 • 10:09 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

These are the voters who will decide the midterm elections

Move aside, “soccer moms.” Control of Congress might come down to voters like these.

Oct 11 • 6:00 AM EDT • Politics • washingtonpost.com

Can the midterm campaign trail point to 2028 presidential viability for Democrats?

After Clinton and Harris's losses, cautious voters might worry that for Democratic female presidential candidates the third time may not be a charm.

Oct 11 • 5:07 AM EDT • Politics • usatoday.com

5 Cheaper Android Tablets To Buy Instead Of The Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra

If you're in the market for a new tablet and have been eyeing Samsung's Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra, you might consider these cheaper alternatives.

Oct 10 • 11:17 PM EDT • Technology • bgr.com

Samsung Galaxy S27 might finally introduce DC dimming

The tech might only be coming to the Pro and Ultra models for now, though. We already heard word that Samsung Display is gearing up to start Galaxy S27...

Oct 10 • 5:01 PM EDT • Technology • gsmarena.com

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Might Have Taken Another Leap

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander doesn't need to add any physical skills. Instead, he and his teammates need to create easier opportunities for high-percentage buckets. Shai playing off ball might accomplish exactly that.

Oct 10 • 1:00 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

The possibility that Trump will cost the GOP the Senate is coming into focus

President Donald Trump might well have cost Republicans the Senate majority in both 2020 and 2022. It’s likely to happen again.

Oct 10 • 6:30 AM EDT • Politics • cnn.com

Will We Ever Understand Dementia?

Since the days of Dr. Alzheimer himself, there has been a dream that severe senility might have an explanation — and a cure. The search for both has never been more urgent.

Oct 10 • 5:00 AM EDT • Science • nytimes.com

Vikings Get Intriguing Jauan Jennings Take Amid 49ers Speculation

Over the offseason, the Minnesota Vikings signed Jauan Jennings to a one-year, $8 million contract. Initially, it appeared as though the Vikings had their WR3 with the departure of Jalen Nailor. However, this signing isn’t going the way Minnesota might have wanted. Jennings has had two catches for nine yards in three games for the […] The post Vikings Get Intriguing Jauan Jennings Take Amid 49ers Speculation appeared first on HEAVY.

Oct 10 • 2:59 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Science fiction vs. reality: CTOs assess fears of AI doom

Tech leaders from Trulioo, ModelOp, Reality Defender, and Indigo BioAutomation examine how real the cautions from speculative stories might be.

Oct 9 • 4:27 PM EDT • Science • informationweek.com

Business News: Movado Selling Ebel To F.P. Journe And Chanel In Deal Heralding Comeback Of Once Mighty Swiss Brand

Consortium of buyers, including François-Paul Journe and French luxury group Chanel, buys 95% stake in Ebel for $66.5 million.

Oct 9 • 3:00 PM EDT • Business • hodinkee.com

Country music’s richest singer: You might be surprised by who leads with $1 billion

Dolly Parton was near the top of the list, but she wasn't number-one.

Oct 9 • 1:56 PM EDT • Entertainment • pennlive.com

Think your dog is ruining your sleep? Science says it might be you

Can sleeping with your dog help you get a better night's sleep? New research suggests it might. There's nothing better than waking up with a pup curled up next to you. (Scripps News)

Oct 9 • 1:26 PM EDT • Science • kpax.com

Gears Of War: E-Day Estimated To Have Sold Just 320,000 Copies Despite Rave Reviews

But the Game Pass math is more complicated than you might think

Oct 9 • 12:41 PM EDT • Technology • kotaku.com

Why Is My Scalp So Tender in One Spot?

Experts break down what might be behind your scalp soreness.

Oct 9 • 9:36 AM EDT • Health • prevention.com

Might L-O-N-G spell relief again soon?

Rollie Returns?!

Oct 9 • 8:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

In New York governor's race, a Republican rallies with Trump and leans into his political playbook

NEW YORK (AP) — In his campaign to become the next governor of New York, Republican Bruce Blakeman has suggested Democrats might steal the election, played up fears about immigrant criminals and posted AI-generated videos depicting the state as dangerous and unaffordable.

Oct 9 • 7:33 AM EDT • Politics • wral.com

In New York governor's race, a Republican rallies with Trump and leans into his political playbook

In his campaign to become the next New York governor, Republican Bruce Blakeman has suggested Democrats might steal the election, played up fears about immigrant criminals and posted AI-generated videos depicting the state as dangerous and unaffordable.

Oct 9 • 7:29 AM EDT • Politics • clickorlando.com

In New York governor\'s race, a Republican rallies with Trump and leans into his political playbook

In his campaign to become the next New York governor, Republican Bruce Blakeman has suggested Democrats might steal the election, played up fears about immigrant criminals and posted AI-generated videos

Oct 9 • 7:29 AM EDT • Politics • lancasteronline.com

In New York governor's race, a Republican rallies with Trump and leans into his political playbook

NEW YORK (AP) — In his campaign to become the next governor of New York, Republican Bruce Blakeman has suggested Democrats might steal the election, played up fears about immigrant criminals and poste...

Oct 9 • 7:29 AM EDT • Politics • yahoo.com

In New York governor's race, a Republican rallies with Trump and leans into his political playbook

In his campaign to become the next New York governor, Republican Bruce Blakeman has suggested Democrats might steal the election, played up fears about immigrant criminals and posted AI-generated videos depicting the state as dangerous and unaffordable.

Oct 9 • 7:29 AM EDT • Politics • news4jax.com

In New York Governor's Race, a Republican Rallies With Trump and Leans Into His Political Playbook

NEW YORK (AP) — In his campaign to become the next governor of New York, Republican Bruce Blakeman has suggested Democrats might steal the election, played up fears about immigrant criminals and posted AI-generated videos depicting the state as dangerous and unaffordable. And on Friday night, he'll ...

Oct 9 • 7:29 AM EDT • Politics • usnews.com

Are the AI industry’s apocalyptic warnings just a marketing ploy?

When tech CEOs say their products might kill us all, are they trying to sell us something?

Oct 9 • 6:00 AM EDT • Politics • vox.com

Unity woman paralyzed in sledding accident partners in new styling business

Angela Vaslavsky knows she will walk again. After being launched into a pair of downed trees while sledding on New Year’s Eve, Vaslavsky, 44, suffered a paralyzing spinal cord injury. Doctors thought she might not survive the night, let alone regain mobility in her arms or legs. Ten months later,

Oct 9 • 5:28 AM EDT • Business • triblive.com

Analysis | The politics of prediction markets

Amid concerns that political insiders might use privileged knowledge to make money, there’s a new wave of efforts to regulate the platforms.

Oct 9 • 5:25 AM EDT • Politics • washingtonpost.com

Hands-on — Xbox's brand new PC app offers BIG performance improvements

VIDEO: Today, I got a sneak peek at an early version of the Xbox PC app rebuilt experience, and for some it might look quite familiar.

Oct 8 • 10:39 PM EDT • Technology • windowscentral.com

Dylan Harper among starters for Spurs game against Hawks

The second-year guard came off the bench last season, but his outstanding play in the Finals might lead coach Mitch Johnson play him in a three-guard look this year.

Oct 8 • 7:54 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Speaker Johnson says he doesn’t know what’s next for him if GOP loses House

The remarks prompted speculation the Republican leader might retire from politics if Democrats retake the chamber.

Oct 8 • 5:15 PM EDT • Politics • washingtonpost.com

Pretend you're sitting at Elizabeth Holmes' desk on this weirdly detailed website

With over a thousand emails, slides, texts, and documents from the United States v. Elizabeth Holmes trial, Extend engineer Bo Lau created a website that simulates what it might have been like to rifle through the Theranos founder's desk.

Oct 8 • 5:00 PM EDT • Technology • techcrunch.com

Ben Affleck may have subtly exposed he owns a prayer candle with his face on it

The actor might have revealed he owns his own merch.

Oct 8 • 4:26 PM EDT • Entertainment • yahoo.com

GTA 6 Cyberleek update: Everything leaked so far, what might be next

We thought the leaks were done, but we were wrong.

Oct 8 • 2:29 PM EDT • Technology • mashable.com

Think your dog is ruining your sleep? Science says it might be you

Can sleeping with your dog help you get a better night's sleep? New research suggests it might. There's nothing better than waking up with a pup curled up next to you.

Oct 8 • 1:41 PM EDT • Science • scrippsnews.com

5 House districts where Republicans are looking to turn the tables as Democrats eye big midterm wins

Here's a look at places where a cash bump and prime issues might help the party hold their own on election night.

Oct 8 • 1:15 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org

Samsung’s over-ear headphones might be called ‘Galaxy Studio’

According to a fresh leak, Samsung’s upcoming over-ear headphones might be called “Galaxy Studio.” A leak earlier this year revealed...

Oct 8 • 11:35 AM EDT • Technology • 9to5google.com

THE THERMOMETER

There might be a Heat Advisory near you in Week 6

Oct 8 • 9:40 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Whoops! Scientists Might Have Had the Origin of Animals All Wrong.

Molecular clocks push the dawn of animal life back to a frozen world 800 million years ago.

Oct 8 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • popularmechanics.com

Concern after Europeans endorse US science agenda

Germany’s biggest research funder has said it is “concerned” after Berlin, plus several other European countries, endorsed a controversial US-led science policy statement. On October 4, the White House announced that 16 countries, including Germany, the UK, Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Poland, Japan and South Korea had backed the Kyoto Vision for a Golden Age of Science.The document, agreed on the margins of the annual Science and Technology in Society forum in Kyoto, which gathers science ministers from across the world, appears uncontroversial at first sight. It’s a one-page statement, without any concrete measures, that touches on reducing administrative burden on scientists, experimenting with new funding models and the use of “super intelligence” in science, the Trump administration’s preferred term for artificial intelligence. However, what’s controversial is that much of the language in the Kyoto Vision reflects Science: A New Golden Age, a major policy document released by the White House in July.That document attracted criticism for deriding universities as “legacy institutions” and suggesting money be diverted to new research labs. In a speech in Kyoto on October 4, Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office for Science and Technology Policy and the report’s author, said that the US was seeking to “diversify the ways that we support research to meet our best scientists where and when they do their best work.” The worry is that the Trump administration may be using genuine dysfunctions in academia as a pretext to defund and disempower universities, which US vice president JD Vance has labelled “the enemy.” Many in Europe also want more experimentation and reform of how science is organised and funded, and agree with criticisms of academia made by Science: A New Golden Age. But some also fear that if the US pushes for reform partially in bad faith, it could politicise and undermine the whole agenda. Washington is currently trying to change federal funding rules so that political appointees can block and cancel scientific grants. It has cut grants mid-project on topics related to diversity and other politically forbidden areas. And last year, it threatened to cut Harvard University’s federal funding unless it admitted a “critical mass” of new faculty and students to create campus “viewpoint diversity.” “Particularly concerned”Because of this wider US political context, the Kyoto Vision’s otherwise innocuous sounding statement that “we encourage experimentation with new institutional models for science that provide varying levels of autonomy, resources and direction” has caused consternation in Europe, particularly from some of Germany’s biggest science organisations. A spokesperson for the German Research Foundation (DFG), the country’s biggest funder, said that it would “closely monitor whether the current US administration uses the Kyoto Vision to restructure research funding to the detriment of research institutions such as universities and their autonomy.” The DFG was “particularly concerned” with the statement’s references to Science: A New Golden Age, they continued. A spokesperson for the German Rectors’ Conference, which represents the country’s universities, said that the reference to “new institutional models” raises “questions on the underlying understanding of academic freedom and autonomy.” Research funding must “guided first and foremost by scientific not political principles,” they went on. Dampen criticismEuropean endorsement of the Kyoto Vision might dampen domestic criticism of the Trump administration’s science policy, some in the US fear, by suggesting international support. “What we saw from Germany, Japan, the UK and other countries, is an impulse that the administration has exploited with our own science reform movement, a belief they can use dialogue to make things better,” said Cole Donovan, director of science policy at the campaigning group Stand Up for Science. “In practice, the administration has done the opposite.” Not a binding statementThere’s been so much concern in Germany that the country’s federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space put out a statement defending its endorsement of the Kyoto Vision, which it has posted on its website. Related articlesIs metascience being co-opted?European researchers sound the alarm that Trump rule changes will hit cooperationThe US ‘golden age’ science strategy: what Europeans need to know The ministry said that it “should be regarded as a basis for discussion and does not constitute a binding statement.” Backing the statement gives Germany the chance to raise “issues and concerns” with the US during upcoming talks on science and technology scheduled for November. “Although these intentions appear, in principle, to be worthy of support, they will be scrutinised and examined more closely as the process continues,” the statement continues. Super intelligence?A ministry spokesperson confirmed to Science|Business that Germany had broadly endorsed the Kyoto Vision.However, they said Berlin had not agreed to final changes in the statement to refer to AI as super intelligence. In September, facing protests against data centres and polling that suggests US citizens are far more concerned than excited by the technology, Trump issued an executive order that attempts to rebrand AI as super intelligence, following polling on social media.The name change is to “reflect the transformative capabilities of these technologies and the limitless opportunities they create for the American people,” the order says. EU askedThe UK and Italian science ministries did not respond to a request for comment on their endorsement of the Kyoto Vision. Although most EU countries did not endorse the statement, it’s not clear which states the US asked. The White House Office for Science and Technology Policy did not return a request for comment. A European Commission official, speaking under condition of anonymity, said that the US had approached the EU, but too late for the EU to quiz all its member states on whether Brussels should endorse the statement.

Oct 8 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • sciencebusiness.net