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Mike Rogers discusses contentious Senate race at Detroit business luncheon
Michigan Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers joined the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce Annual Business Luncheon on Friday, Oct. 16 in Detroit. He talked about the state of Michigan and the Senate race with FOX 2’s Roop Raj.
Everton Insider Makes Major David Moyes to Celtic Claim
The Everton insider has shared his view on the recent links involving David Moyes and Celtic.
Alliance for Health releases H.R. 1 predictions | The Pajaronian
About one in three people who rely on Santa Cruz County Alliance Medi-Cal—25,000 people—will lose benefits by the end of 2028, said Central California Alliance for Health CEO Michael Schrader.
LaMelo Ball Gives Timberwolves New Way to Use Rudy Gobert
The Minnesota Timberwolves have already seen how quickly a physical defense can disrupt actions built around Rudy Gobert's screens. Against Detroit, that pressure kept Minnesota from finding the offensive rhythm it had established against New York. LaMelo Ball Gives Timberwolves New Way to Use Rudy Gobert For a team with major ambitions, the problem extends …
Matchday 31: Who can clinch playoffs or be eliminated?
By MLSsoccer staffThis weekend during Matchday 31:Six teams can clinch an Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs spot.One team can be eliminated from Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs contention.Nashville SC can clinch ...
SACE’s $31 billion US portfolio underscores the strength of Italy-US business ties
Italy’s export credit agency, SACE, has €27 billion in outstanding commitments in the United States, highlighting the strong economic ties between the two countries. The agency is actively facilitating Italian companies’ access to the US market and attracting investment into Italy, with a focus on high-value sectors like advanced manufacturing and strategic technologies. SACE’s presence in the US underscores the growing integration of Italian industrial supply chains into major American projects
How Chick-fil-A started, grew into a major company
Chick-fil-A has come a long way since opening as a small roadside diner in Georgia in 1946.
Major independent political analyst moves Jared Moskowitz-Scott Singer congressional race to ‘lean Democratic’
“Democrats (are) in a decent position to hold this seat.” A major political handicapper, The Cook Political Report, moves South Florida’s 25th Congressional District contest to “lean Democratic.”
Starlink a 'major card' for Ukraine, sudden speed limits show risk
The recent disruption of Ukraine's military-grade Starlink service has spotlighted the risks, as well as efforts to diversify communications options.
NYC businesses hope for another boost from Knicks season
The Knicks begin their season as defending NBA champions for the first time since 1973.
Healey and Minogue made their final pitches to voters in a tense debate. Here are 4 takeaways.
The two clashed over housing costs, public accountability, abortion access, immigration enforcement, and energy policy.
Plague is stoppable. The next health threat may not be.
The word plague is scary. Centuries ago, the Black Death killed tens of millions of people and changed the course of history. Plague still kills people around the world, and the word still evokes catastrophe. New fears of plague surfaced on October 2, when a lab worker in Irkutsk, Russia, died of pneumonia. Reports suggested that she may have contracted plague through a laboratory exposure. Understandably, people were alarmed. On October 7, the World Health Organization called for the Russian Federation to be transparent about what it knew. WHO issued an update on October 10. Russian authorities told WHO that testing did not identify plague and that investigations found no laboratory release. WHO said confidence in its risk assessment remained limited and that further clinical, epidemiological, and laboratory information was needed. The cause of the woman’s illness remains unknown, and WHO says a laboratory-associated exposure cannot be excluded. As I explained in a recent interview, this incident is very unlikely to lead to a pandemic. Plague is still active, including in the U.S., which sees a handful of cases each year. But it is a disease we can prevent and treat. Plague doesn’t spread readily, and it responds to antibiotics. The standard response—isolate the patient, trace contacts, and administer antibiotics and monitor for symptoms among contacts for seven days—works. We have even planned for antibiotic-resistant plague. At CDC, we developed a playbook for antibiotic-resistant plague and ran exercises on how to find and stop it. CDC guidance anticipates engineered resistance and recommends two different classes of antibiotics if there’s reason to suspect it. There is no evidence that resistance—or even confirmed plague—is involved in this incident. We have thought through how to address plague, but we’re not ready for the next major health threat that emerges from a lab or from animal spillover to humans. What should concern people is how little stands between the world and the next pathogen to get loose. Since peak COVID, epidemic preparedness has fallen off the political agenda, but the risk is greater than ever. More labs handle dangerous pathogens with more ways to make those pathogens deadlier, and more people live and work in close contact with animals. There are actions we can take now: We need better lab safety in every country. The number of labs that work with dangerous pathogens has increased worldwide over two decades, but there’s no enforceable international standard and no inspection regime; the Biological Weapons Convention, fifty years on, still has no verification mechanism. Labs that study dangerous germs need strong safety systems, training, and oversight. We need to reduce spillover events. Three in four emerging human infections start in animals, and there’s a lot we can do to reduce spillover risk, but the world is doing very little of it. Live-animal markets are one place to act. For instance, closing live-bird markets helped control H7N9 influenza in China. Reducing opportunities for people to encounter infected animals can prevent infections before they become outbreaks. In The Formula for Better Health, which is now out in paperback along with the hardcover, Kindle, and audiobook versions, I argue that labs do too many risky experiments with too many dangerous pathogens in too many institutions, and that every experiment should first answer one basic question: Is the likely benefit greater than the risk? Spillover risk can also be reduced: In the book, I discuss how Brazil cut its deforestation rate by 70% from 2004 to 2012 while increasing agricultural production and reducing risky contact between people and forest animals. We need faster detection and response. Delay costs lives. Strong surveillance, good labs, and trained responders can turn a single case into a small cluster of infections instead of an epidemic. Resolve to Save Lives has worked for nearly a decade to help countries find and stop outbreaks faster. The 7-1-7 target, which Resolve to Save Lives developed with partners in Uganda and elsewhere, provides a clear standard: detect within 7 days, notify within 1 day and complete all essential early response actions within 7 days. In Uganda’s Kasese district, for example, a review of a measles outbreak using 7-1-7 identified shortages of accessible funds, fuel, and vehicles that delayed the response. District leaders established funds they could access quickly. When, a few months later, the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever appeared, the district detected it in three days, notified authorities in one, and mounted an effective response in two. Only one case was confirmed, and the patient survived. Because funds were available before the emergency, authorities were prepared and able to act. This kind of preparation can’t wait until the next crisis begins. Plague is an old disease we that know how to stop. The next threat may be harder to recognize, harder to treat, and easier to spread. Safer labs, less risk of spillover, and faster outbreak detection and response need sustained investment now, while we still have time to prevent the next emergency. Share
Seoul National University of Science and Technology Researchers Show How Smartphones Can Help Detect Lung Problems in Children
/PRNewswire/ -- Respiratory disease in children is a major global concern. Although stethoscopes help clinicians detect abnormal lung sounds, access to...
Shaikin: Questions about Shohei Ohtani's health, a salary cap and Mark Walter loom for Dodgers
Major League Baseball is heading toward a turbulent offseason. There are four major things the Dodgers must address if they want to get back to the top.
Ohtani's health, salary cap, Mark Walter loom large for Dodgers
Major League Baseball is heading toward a turbulent offseason. There are four major things the Dodgers must address if they want to get back to the top.
Trump attacks fellow Republicans for ‘hurting Texas’ during senate election race
A GOP loss in Texas would be a major blow for the US president and the Republicans
Cook County Public Health encourages vaccinations as respiratory illness season approaches
As temperatures drop and residents spend more time indoors, Cook County Public Health and Human Services is reminding residents to get vaccinated against influenza and COVID-19. Respiratory illnesses become more common during the colder months as people gather indoors, increasing opportunities for viruses to spread. “From a public health perspective, this is a good time to...
It's time to reassess the size of our solar system, scientists say
The edge of our solar system may be defined not by a sharp boundary, but by a "complex dance among forces, energies and trajectories," two researchers argue.
Busan Film Festival 2026 Takeaways: Record Crowds, Political Storm
Busan 2026 takeaways: record crowds, ‘The Assassin(s)’ row and Majid Majidi’s war speech, plus co-production, AI and the ACFM market.
From labs to billboards: Behind China’s push to turn scientists into patriotic icons
Giant tributes to nuclear physicists and rocket scientists are popping up across major Chinese cities. However, academic Erik Baark observes that behind the scientific drive is a push for academic reforms.
Green Bay highlights sustainable business initiative
The program, funded by a local grant from the “Daybreak Fund”, helps business owners find ways to make their company more sustainable.
'The Traitors' recap: 'Fruitgate' theory has the secret killers sweating
Spoiler alert: Major spoilers for "The Traitors: New Blood" follow. A new theory exposing "The Traitors" may be coming to fruition.
Halloween festivities drive Denton business sales
Denton businesses and city officials report a major economic boost from the annual Halloween celebrations and Denton's Day of the Dead Festival.
Medical Advantage plans to leave NH including CVS Health, BMC Health System
There are major upcoming changes to Medicare Advantage plans that will impact thousands of Granite Staters.
Prehistoric Treasures Take Over Orlando Science Center
Orlando Science Center’s resident paleontologist Mac Bodden stopped by the show with real ancient fossils to celebrate National Fossil Day—giving us an incredible up-close look at prehistoric history right here in Central Florida.
Frustrated with Trump, voters overwhelmingly want change, AP-NORC poll finds
A strong majority of voters believe that President Donald Trump is falling short at home and abroad, and they want major change in the upcoming midterm elections, according to a new AP-NORC poll that raises serious warning signs for the Republican Party at a critical moment.
A day after Netflix's major layoffs, Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria leaves
Netflix on Thursday said its Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria is leaving the company and named former Disney executive Peter Rice as her replacement.
Comedian Vidura Bandara Rajapaksa is wondering what comes next
Vidura Bandara Rajapaksa turns his immigrant experience and anger into comedy. Now, with that pressure easing, he’s wondering what comes next.
Giants Facing a Surprising Trap Game Against the Saints
The New York Giants are facing a major trap game this Sunday.
Hollywood Layoffs: Netflix, Skydance and UMG Cut Jobs
Hollywood faces widespread layoffs as Netflix, Universal Music Group and Skydance announce job cuts amid major industry changes.
Suspicious materials sent to members of Congress, police say
Several other pieces of suspicious mail were sent to state officials this week, according to FBI.
Disney Inks Major Creator Deal With Dude Perfect (Exclusive)
The Texas-based sports creators and the media company have signed a wide-ranging partnership that will span entertainment, sports, consumer products and experiences.
Becky G opens up about her rise to fame and mental health journey
Latin superstar Becky G sits down with NBC News' Morgan Radford to talk about her latest album, Baraja Bendita, and opens up about her journey with mental health.
Fall River mill building purchased by local family-owned business
A historic Fall River mill is now under new ownership, and the buyers aren’t a major developer. Instead, it’s a family-owned business with roots in the city.
Suburban office condos fetch $2.4 million
An in-state investor bought the majority of an office park in Lorain, giving them control over the site in a growth market, said the selling broker.
California students post gains in math, science and English in 2025-26
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California students made gains across key academic and success measures during the 2025-26 school year, with test scores rising in English, math and science while the statewide graduation rate reached a record high of 87.9 percent. For the first time, the state released assessment results and California School Dashboard data together to give families and educators a more complete picture of student performance.English language arts scores increased 0.5 percentage points to 49.3 percent of students scoring proficient or advanced, while math scores rose 1.1 percentage points to 38.4 percent. Science showed the strongest improvement, jumping 3.3 percentage points to 36 percent of students scoring proficient or advanced.The statewide chronic absenteeism rate dropped 1.1 percentage points to 18.3 percent. The suspension rate declined to 2.8 percent, marking the third consecutive year of improvement."At a time when California continues to focus on accelerating learning and closing opportunity gaps, these results provide important evidence that our sustained investments are making a difference," Gov. Gavin Newsom said. "The continued progress we are seeing is a testament to the hard work of students, families and educators across the state—and we will continue working to build on these gains."The percentage of students prepared for college and career increased to 55.2 percent, up 2 percentage points from the previous year. More than 54 percent of graduates completed coursework required for admission to University of California and California State University systems, an increase of 0.9 percentage points."California has made important strides in expanding student supports and opportunities, but the pace of academic improvement reminds us that our work is far from finished," State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said.Eighth grade students posted the strongest score trends in both English language arts and math. Science performance improved across all tested grades, with the strongest gains at the high school level.African American students demonstrated larger-than-average improvements across English, math and science. Hispanic or Latino students showed larger-than-average improvements in English and math, with positive math score trends across all grades.Students who were socioeconomically disadvantaged made gains across all 3 subjects, including larger-than-average improvements in English and math. Students who were homeless continued to demonstrate gains across grades, with particularly strong improvements in math."We are encouraged to see students making gains across all 3 major assessments and are especially encouraged by the progress of African American students, Hispanic or Latino students, socioeconomically disadvantaged students and homeless youth," said Linda Darling-Hammond, president of the California State Board of Education.The progress comes as California's public school system undergoes significant demographic change. Statewide school enrollment declined to approximately 5.73 million students in 2025-26, nearly 500-thousand fewer students over the past decade.The number of students with disabilities increased approximately 25 percent over the same period, from about 680-thousand to more than 850-thousand students. Graduation rates increased across nearly all student groups, including notable increases for American Indian or Alaskan Native students at 4.3 percentage points and students with disabilities at 3.7 percentage points.In Downey Unified School District, the rate of students demonstrating proficient or advanced grade-level knowledge increased by 2.1 percentage points in English, 2.8 percentage points in math and 4.7 percentage points in science. The district aligned graduation requirements with college admission expectations and invested in inclusive special education practices, expanded career technical education and expanded learning opportunities."The gains Downey Unified is seeing in student assessment results and on the Dashboard are the result of years of focused, consistent work across the district," Superintendent Roger Brossmer said.In Exeter Unified School District, proficiency rates increased by 4.6 percentage points in English, 2.3 percentage points in math and 3.6 percentage points in science. The district placed a strong focus on phonics and the science of reading, particularly in kindergarten through second grade."The gains Exeter Unified is seeing in student assessment results and on the Dashboard are the result of having great people who are focused on the right work, and great students who want to do well," Superintendent Melanie Dorough said.Union Elementary School District saw proficiency rates increase by 1.5 percentage points in English, 2 percentage points in math and 4 percentage points in science. Teachers regularly analyze state and local assessment data to guide instruction, supported by strong core instruction and early literacy strategies."Union Elementary School District's achievement gains reflect a focused, data-driven approach to meeting the needs of every student while fostering a strong sense of belonging, safety and connection," Superintendent Carrie Andrews said.The California Department of Education is examining local results to better understand strategies and conditions associated with stronger student outcomes. The state has made significant investments in recent years, including literacy and math coaching, tutoring, expanded learning opportunities, community schools and universal transitional kindergarten.
Medicare open enrollment starts now. These changes will arrive in 2027
Open enrollment comes as inflation adds pressure on seniors whose healthcare costs have risen and as midterm elections are weeks away. Voters have consistently said cost-of-living is a major concern.
Majority of Small Business Owners Rely on Their Businesses to Fund Their Future, New Survey Finds
For many U.S. small business owners, their financial future depends heavily on the businesses they've built, yet new research reveals significant gaps in the planning and preparation needed to support a successful exit.
Monte Ahuja gives CSU another $10 million
The Cleveland entrepreneur's latest gift will overhaul business education with a focus on entrepreneurship and emerging tech.
Atrium investing $340 million in new behavioral health hospital in University City
It is one of the largest investments in behavioral health in the region.
Americans with disabilities worry over cuts to major health survey
NEW YORK • The federal government is planning to dramatically shrink its most influential health survey, and some researchers worry that the changes will underestimate how many Americans are disabled. At least half the survey questions could be axed. The cost-saving change is part of an ongoing effort to slim down the 69-year-old National Health […]
Louisiana rapper Kevin Gates, friends hit the Cajundome and other live music in Acadiana this week
Looking for live music?
Louisiana lands in the top 10 for business competitiveness
VOICE YOUR OPINION What is the single most important step Louisiana should take to develop the workforce needed to support major economic development projects? Vote here in today’s poll. Louisiana ranks ninth nationally among the best states for doing business in 2026, according to a new report from economic development publication Area Development, […]
$1.18M NSF award expands UTulsa’s advanced research infrastructure
A $1.18 million NSF Major Research Instrumentation award will bring advanced XPS technology to UTulsa, expanding research capabilities in energy, aerospace, manufacturing and materials science.
Judge’s order explains decision in State Health Plan, Atrium dispute
A North Carolina Business Court judge offered a written explanation Wednesday for his decision not to issue a temporary restraining order or injunction in a dispute between the State Health Plan and Atrium.
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.
Side Dish joins Good Day to talk entertainment headlines
Talk show host Kelly Clarkson and an antique store are in a dispute after the store offered a fake bird for $15,000, refused to sell it to her, and later raised the price to $15 million.
Why do we like being scared? The science behind Halloween
Why do we enjoy being scared? Clemson psychology professor Cynthia Pury explores the science behind fear and why feeling safe is important.
Free Lamanda Park Workshop Hands Would-Be Business Owners a 17-Item Checklist
Starting a business in Pasadena comes with a list: a name, a legal structure, insurance, financing and a city business license that has to be renewed every year. A two-hour workshop Saturday at a Pasadena branch library aims to put that list in order. SCORE Los Angeles, the nonprofit presenting the session, says attendees will leave with a 17-item checklist of steps for getting a business established. The Pasadena Public Library is sponsoring the workshop, according to SCORE. The listing says the session is meant for people thinking about starting a business and for those who have recently started one. SCORE wrote that the program “cuts through the confusion and chaos” of figuring out what it takes to start a business. According to the listing, it covers the legal requirements for a start-up business, along with other practical steps worth taking. Beyond those basics, the session covers taxes, the elements of a business plan and marketing, according to the listing. It also weighs the pros and cons of different legal structures, examines the major causes of business failure and offers ways to avoid legal problems. Attendees will hear how SCORE can help new businesses succeed. Some of the rules a new owner must follow are local. The city’s Department of Finance requires that annual license to be displayed prominently at the place of business. Businesses that sell tangible goods also need a state seller’s permit showing their Pasadena address, and any business that prepares or sells food needs approval from the Pasadena Health Department, according to the department. Even charities are covered: “Charitable non-profit businesses are required to obtain a business license,” the department’s guidance says. SCORE lists two instructors for the workshop. Dick Mader, a SCORE mentor who serves on the chapter’s board of directors, started a media distribution
Companies pledge free software and computing for AI in science
The European Commission has announced that a group of companies and foundations will offer free services, such as software or access to supercomputers, to European scientists using AI in their research.Unveiled on October 15 at a conference in Dublin, the initiative is the latest step by the Commission to try to help researchers use the technology. Scientists have used forms of AI, such as machine learning, for decades. But advances in deep learning in the past decade, and the wider interest in large language models since the release of ChatGPT in 2022, have spurred governments to invest in new AI tools that could help the scientific process.In July, the US announced it is spending $5 billion on the Genesis Mission, which it describes as a “national effort to harness AI for science,” funding 278 projects across areas such as autonomous labs or new AI tools in astronomy. The Commission has also identified AI in science as a priority, but the €107 million it pledged from Horizon Europe in 2025 does not come close to US spending levels. That said, the vast majority of public research spending in the EU comes from national funds. Today’s announcement at the European AI in Science Summit doesn’t commit any new public money. Instead, it launches the AI in Science Enablers Initiative, a set of voluntary contributions from companies and foundations. The idea is that the companies also benefit by getting access to scientific ecosystems, and feedback on how their tools work. Google, for example, has put up €3 million of cloud computing credits to European researchers. The Novo Nordisk Foundation intends to make its supercomputer, Gefion, available to European researchers, according to the Commission statement. The chipmaker Nvidia said it would provide access to tools, compute, training and collaborative projects.The publisher Elsevier also offered complementary licenses to some of its AI tools, plus AI training for PhD, postdoctoral and master’s students. The French AI firm Mistral will provide the European research community with access to its open-weight models, Vibe seats and application programming interface credits, according to the Commission’s statement. Vibe is one of the firm’s chatbot models. The idea is that more firms and foundations will come on board in the future as the initiative grows.
Augustana Expands Government & International Affairs Department With Four Specialized Majors
In Fall 2026, the Augustana University Government & International Affairs Department expanded its degree program offerings to include more specialized majors — giving students focused pathways aligned with their interests, workforce demands and graduate school preparation.
10 businesses opening or closing soon in New Orleans
Retailers, boutique hotels and more.
Trump donor leading Caucasus fund has major Armenia holdings, Russia business history
WASHINGTON, Oct 15 (Reuters) - US President Donald Trump’s pick to lead a $201 million investment fund in the Caucasus holds major telecom and mining interests there and formerly ran a Russia-focused ...
Trump Donor Leading Caucasus Fund Has Major Armenia Holdings, Russia Business History
By Alexandra Ulmer and Jonathan Landay WASHINGTON, Oct 15 (Reuters) - US President Donald Trump’s pick to lead a $201 million investment fund in the Caucasus holds major telecom and mining interests there and formerly ran a Russia-focused investment firm that touted close ties to the Kremlin,
How Trump’s megabill may be affecting you right now
When Republicans ask voters to keep them in the majority, they frequently point to the most significant policy achievement of Trump 2.0 — the tax and spending cuts bill known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Pens Points: Heading Further West
Coming off a loss in Chicago to open their first major road trip of the season, the Pittsburgh Penguins will now continue heading west and climb to a mile above sea level for a meeting with the Colorado Avalanche on Friday night to open a back-to-back set that will conclude on Saturday in Las Vegas […]
Postseason Awards: 5 Blue Jays Named Finalists for Major Honor
Toronto led the American League in errors in 2026. How did five players wind up in the conversation for a Gold Glove Award?
What is it like running a Fortune 500 business? HP’s regional CTO on adopting AI safely and motivating tech teams
Over the past few months, Fortune has spoken with senior HP leaders to understand how the company is evolving—from innovation and culture to customer engagement and the future of work.
MyChart and a major hospital said I could opt out of sharing my health data. But they didn’t make it easy
My journey with MyChart and a major hospital included a notary, the hospital not honoring its own policies and employees that gave me wrong information.
July 2026 Healthcare Data Breach Report
In July 2026, 77 healthcare data breaches affecting 500 or more individuals were reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office In July 2026, 77 healthcare data breaches affecting 500 or more individuals were reported to the HHS Office for Civil Rights, involving the protected health information of more than 33 million individuals. That’s a 10% month-over-month increase in data breaches and a 642% increase in affected individuals.
Vietnam's Aquatic Entertainment Landscape Enters a New Era as Landmark Attractions Raise the Bar
/PRNewswire/ -- Vietnam's aquatic entertainment landscape is entering a new chapter. As the country continues to develop major tourism and leisure...
NC State Health Plan moves most Atrium providers out of network
An ongoing dispute between the North Carolina State Health Plan (SHP) and Atrium Health intensified on Wednesday, with the SHP moving most Atrium providers from the non-preferred tier to the out-of-network tier for its 750,000 members, effective Jan. 1.
Business Council Of New York Visits Crystal Windows
National manufacturer Crystal Window & Door Systems was selected by The Business Council of New York as one of 11 stops on its week-long 2026 Manufacturers’ Week bus tour of major manufacturers across the state. On Monday, October 5, The Business Council bus pulled into the parking lot at Crystal’s Queens headquarters and factory where Business
Brewers blasts leave Dodgers on brink
The Milwaukee Brewers produced a late home run blitz to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 and leave the reigning World Series champions on the brink of elimination from Major League Baseball's playoffs on Wednesday.That rally came after starting pitcher Blake Snell produced a dazzling performance from the mound to keep the reigning MLB champions in the game.
Scientists reviewed studies covering 1.17 million children and found a major research gap
Researchers identified 104 pregnancy and birth cohorts representing more than 1.17 million children across 41 countries, documenting the availability of data on early-life nutrition and neurodevelopment. Approximately 99% of participants in the income-stratified analysis came from high- or upper-middle-income countries, while differences in data collection and assessment methods complicate future international comparisons.
Philadelphia Phillies Fire 2 Coaches After Early Playoff Exit
The Philadelphia Phillies made some major coaching staff changes after their early exit from the MLB playoffs. The post Philadelphia Phillies Fire 2 Coaches After Early Playoff Exit appeared first on HEAVY.
Jean-Marc Jancovici: 'As long as there is no shared understanding that the impact of a heatwave is lasting, politicians will not act'
The energy engineer and founder of the Shift Project think tank lays out the major climate challenges facing future governments, with six months to go before France's 2027 presidential election.
Alan Mandell dead: Actor and interpreter of Samuel Beckett dies
Alan Mandell, an acclaimed classical actor and one of the foremost interpreters of playwright Samuel Beckett‘s work, has died.
New California test scores show most students don’t meet standards in math, English or science
California's 2026 test scores follow a familiar trend: incremental improvement from the prior year, with the majority of students behind grade-level standards.
Political ad rates case frozen through midterms
The Supreme Court in an unsigned decision Wednesday sided with Republicans in a dispute over expanding discounted television advertising rates beyond political candidates ahead of the midterms. The unsigned order from a majority of the court paused a ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals from the 4th Circuit that could have allowed the courts […]
Shohei Ohtani Makes Major Routine Change After Dodgers Show Trust
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani stayed late on Tuesday working to fix his swing as he slumps in the postseason.
Scientists identify avian cholera as major cause of penguin deaths in Antarctica
Thousands of Adélie penguins found dead in Antarctica in 2024 were primarily victims of avian cholera, not high pathogenicity avian influenza (H5N1) as researchers initially suspected, according to a ...
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”
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PROFILE: Ben Sio
New President of CenterState CEO Brings Nearly Two Decades of Experience to Drive CNY Growth By Stefan Yablonski Ben Sio serves as president of the CenterState Corporation for Economic Opportunity — or CenterState CEO. The independent Syracuse-based nonprofit is committed to creating inclusive, equitable and sustainable economic growth in Central New York. “I started in this position in March, so it has been six months. I’m in my 19th year with CenterState,” he said in August. As president, he is responsible for overseeing the organization’s administration and governance, while leading and executing its vision to be an effective advocate, exceptional employer and a force for positive outcomes for the community. He previously served as chief of staff and senior vice president of strategy, policy and planning, overseeing the organization’s long-term strategic planning, consulting, corporate governance, fundraising and development, land-use planning and government relations. In his years with the organization, Sio has led or supported many high-profile strategic initiatives including the creation of the CNY Rising Plan, the launch of the NUAIR Alliance and the region’s UAS strategy, the creation of the Micron-enabled Community Priorities Document and the recently awarded NY Smart I Corridor Tech Hub. “When we decided to split Rob’s [Simpson] role into two positions, he has the CEO title and I got the president title. Rob remains focused on forward looking vision strategy for the organization and I’m more focused on the day-to-day operations,” he explained. “I’m also responsible for building consensus around strategic needs and priorities and managing the change necessary to drive execution. It’s an eventful job. “The experiment that we call CenterState is always evolving and shifting and addressing where we see market demand and market failure. “If we see something in our economy that isn’t going the way we think it should go, then whether it is housing development or workforce development or something else, we are always figuring out how to step into these situations and address those challenges.” “We are the largest ever in terms of staff that we have ever been. We are no longer the 20-person organization we were when we started out many, many years ago,” he said. “There are more day-to-day things to take care of. But also there is just so much happening in the community right now that is pulling CenterState and our expertise in so many directions. I tell people if we were bored and not busy, then I’d be really concerned about what we are doing. But we are not bored. We’ve certainly got our hands full — and that is a good thing.” CenterState has now approximately 63 employees on its staff, according to recent nonprofit database records. It’s involved in myriad programs, ranging from Genius NY, a business accelerator competition for uncrewed systems, IoT and robotics startups, to CenterState Up Start, a collaborative business development program that connects local, service-based businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs to the tools and networks that help them thrive. CNY Guy Through and Through A Central New York guy through and through, Sio was born and raised in Skaneateles. “My mom was a teacher, an art teacher. My father worked for many, many years with National Grid. He was there through the transition from Niagara Mohawk to National Grid,” he said. “Neither of my parents were touched by cutbacks and job loss. But I grew up going through that transition and being concerned that there were rounds of layoffs. My childhood connection to the economy here in Central New York … years ago it was on the decline. There were people that lived here that were concerned about losing their job. They were thinking they lived in a place that didn’t show much promise.” That narrative translated to his generation, he added. “The kids that grew up in the ‘90s in Central New York were very much told, directly or indirectly, by their parents, that they had to go somewhere else to find economic opportunity. That is what I grew up thinking,” he said. “I only went a few miles down Route 20 for college — in Geneva, New York; I graduated from Hobart and William Smith College with a bachelor’s degree in public policy and political science. “I got real interested in regional economies; because what makes regional economy is what makes the economy successful. And when I graduated, I had an opportunity to move to Washington, DC and work down there at a nonprofit doing this work.” However, he decided to stay in Central New York. “I got hired two weeks after I graduated. I got hired by the Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce. At the time it was one of two entities doing economic development in Central New York — [the Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce and the Metropolitan Development Association] — and it eventually became CenterState CEO,” he said, referring to 2010 merger between the two organizations. During his time at CenterState, Sio has also split time at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., where he supported communities developing export and foreign direct investment (FDI), a long-term cross-border investment where an individual or company from one country buys a lasting stake or control in a business located in another country. The program — known as Global Cities Initiative — was designed to help leaders in major U.S. and international metropolitan areas reorient their local economies toward global markets. “Early on in my tenure at CenterState, we had done a lot of work with the Brookings Institution, just regional planning stuff. We worked with them on developing a regional export plan, to export more products out of Central New York and a larger business plan for the region. They hired me on to help replicate those plans in different parts of the country,”Sio explained. “So, I worked there for three or four years. I worked for CenterState, but I was technically loaned to Brookings for a period of time to help them do this work elsewhere.” Family ties “My wife is Carly. We have been married 14 years. We have two kids, a 3-year-old and a 7-year-old. “With a 3-year-old and a 7-year-old, fun is a relative term these days. We do a lot of hiking. The kids this summer got very interested in waterfalls. We’ve hit every waterfall we could in a short hike — we’ve done Skaneateles and some others.” “I do woodworking and wood turning — it’s a branch of woodworking; you use a wood lathe. My big thing there is making wood bowls. I do that in most of my free time, which is not much,” he quipped. “I like to get into my woodshop and make a bowl and decompress and turn off the rest of the world for a little bit. I usually do it late at night when the house is quiet. It is definitely my escape from the day to day. I make a lot of bowls; all different sizes, all different species of wood. It’s a fun thing to do for me.” He gives away many of his creations. “They are mostly gifts — I don’t really sell them. I really don’t have time to go set up a booth at a fair or craft show. I usually give them away. I donate them to different things. If you are in my periphery, you’ve likely received a salad bowl from me as a gift. I just need to find something to do with all the stuff that I create,” he said. Lifelines Name: Benjamin Sio Position: President, CenterState CEO Birth Date: Not provided Birth place: Syracuse Residence: Westvale Education: Hobart and William Smith Colleges in the Finger Lakes Affiliations: Member of the boards of Skaneateles Festival, Greccio Foundation, Interfaith Works, CNY Community Foundation Personal/family: Married with two kids Hobbies: Woodworking and woodturning
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
BUSINESS UPDATE: All About Cannabis
SUNY Oswego’s cannabis studies prepares for growing business opportunities By Mary Beth Roach [caption id=attachment_11114 align=alignright width=383] Marthinus (Martin) Koen is associate professor of criminal justice and cannabis studies at SUNY Oswego. He and the chair of the SUNY Oswego’s Criminal Justice Department, Roger Guy, created the program.[/caption] As the cannabis industry in New York state continues to grow, so do the business opportunities. New York’s legal cannabis market is projected to hit $3 billion in annual sales this year and more than 600 licensed dispensaries are operating across the state, according to budpedia.com. It’s estimated that New York will add about 16,160 new cannabis jobs in 2026, according to the 2026 U.S. Cannabis Jobs Report. SUNY Oswego, realizing the potential, now offers two programs to acquaint both matriculated and non matriculated students with aspects of this multi-billion-dollar business. Its cannabis studies microcredential came out last year and a minor was introduced this fall. The microcredential allows traditional students to add electives to their degree. Students who are not enrolled in the college can sign up to take classes to learn more about the field, growing the crop and managing or opening a dispensary, according to Marthinus (Martin) Koen, associate professor of criminal justice and cannabis studies at SUNY Oswego. The classes are designed to give those who wish to pursue business opportunities in the field a much broader understanding of cannabis and a more overall perspective of the various aspects of running a business, such as supply chain management, customer service and best practices. “When you’re trying to market it, when you’re trying to make sales, you’re understanding will be a lot more vast and nuanced,” he said. “The last 10 years especially, the hard science on cannabis increased and we have a lot more nuanced understanding right now that hasn’t yet permeated the pop culture,” he added. Koen’s team is also hoping to develop an independent study class that will help somebody who wants to apply for a license. That the classes fill up quickly should come as no surprise. “I think there’s a lot of people who are excited about it because it’s a new industry,” he said and they see an opportunity to make some money. Matriculated students may look at it as fun to learn about and stack on top of their existing major or minor. According to the college’s website, students interested in a microcredential would take cannabis law and policy and cultivation of cannabis, along with two other electives. For the first elective they could select either the economics of cannabis or manufacturing, distribution, and logistics of cannabis; and the second elective would be either cannabis science, analysis, and well-being or cannabis and society. The idea for a microcredential in cannabis studies at SUNY Oswego began in 2023, Koen said, as SUNY statewide was advocating for these types of initiatives. Koen and the chair of the SUNY Oswego’s Criminal Justice Department, Roger Guy, began brainstorming on ideas. Catching their attention was the legalization of full recreational marijuana use in New York state in 2021 and the problem-riddled rollout of the state’s Office of Cannabis Management. Guy and Koen created a Criminal Justice Elective called CRJ 420, called cannabis and society, to see if there was any interest. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that there was interest —a lot of it. Further discussions led to the microcredential, cannabis studies, which incorporated science, business and anthropological perspectives, Koen said. They were allowed to create their own prefixes for the classes, such as CAN 310; CAN 320; and CAN 420. Yes, the 420 was intentional — it’s a slang term and symbol used to refer to cannabis consumption and counterculture — but it’s also meant to reflect that the course, being on the 400 level, is “very academically involved,” Koen explained. The term 420 was coined in 1971 by a group of California high school students as a secret code to meet at 4:20 p.m. at a campus landmark to search for an abandoned cannabis crop nearby. The phrase has evolved, to say the least. It is now associated with cannabis use worldwide. For more information, visit ww1.oswego.edu/academics/microcredentials/cannabis-studies.