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MEDICAL MONDAY: Emplify Health by Gundersen receives accreditation for new psychiatry residency program
Emplify Health by Gundersen received accreditation earlier this fall for a new psychiatry residency program, clearing the way for the health system to begin recruiting its first class.
Juventus Mental Health Week: A week dedicated to mental wellbeing
Mental health is an integral part of every person’s wellbeing, and the connections we build can make all the difference. Feeling seen, heard and...
LMH Health Cancer Center reaccredited for excellence in breast care
The LMH Health Cancer Center has once again earned accreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a quality program administered by the American College of Surgeons. The recognition follows a rigorous review process conducted every three years and confirms that LMH Health meets national standards for breast cancer care, patient support, quality […]
Business Notes: Virginia Beach police, fire departments reaccredited; pretzel shop opens in Kill Devil Hills
View which organizations are giving back and which ones are celebrating milestones.
Independent Bank relocates its headquarters to downtown Grand Rapids
Independent Bank relocated its headquarters to the Founders Building in downtown Grand Rapids, bringing more than 60 employees to the site.
Ben Affleck talks 'Animals,' living in LA longer than Boston
Affleck talks crafting an "LA story" and the lesson from his high school drama teacher he tapped while filming the new thriller.
McNeese’s College of Business Earns Reaffirmation of Accreditation
The McNeese State University College of Business has earned reaffirmation of its accreditation from AACSB International, The Association to Advance Collegiate
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden cancels health coverage for striking employees
Striking employees of the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden are being removed from the nonprofit's healthcare plan, according to a letter from the garden. Lewis Ginter wrote to CBS 6: "The law does not require employers to continue paying wages or unaccrued benefits to striking workers who are not actively
Business in brief: Oct. 5, 2026
Weekly news and notes from the Henrico business community. Better Business Bureau serving Central Virginia, headquartered in Glen Allen, has begun continuously monitoring licenses and regulatory credentials of its accredited businesses through a partnership with Branvio Inc. BBB said the system replaces repeated manual database checks and has freed more
Talkiatry Earns Joint Commission Accreditation for Behavioral Health Care
/PRNewswire/ -- Talkiatry, the nation's largest psychiatric provider group and the preferred in-network psychiatry partner for more than 70 U.S. health...
How Americans’ Financial Health Is Faring In The “K-Shaped” Economy
Hey all, Jason here. Money20/20 is still two weeks away, but I’ve already started packing (not procrastinating for once!). My calendar is already filling up with various sessions I want to catch, meetings, and of course happy hours, dinners, and other side events. If you’ll be in Vegas and want to catch up, let me know by replying to this email, and we can try to find a time amidst the chaos of the Venetian. A big if not totally unexpected piece of news dropped on Friday: the Independent Community Bankers of America, a trade group that represents smaller U.S. banks, filed a lawsuit against the OCC and Comptroller Jonathan Gould, arguing that the regulator’s move to grant trust bank charters to firms seeking to use them to conduct substantial non-fiduciary activities exceeds the authorities granted to the OCC by Congress. I haven’t had time to fully digest the legal filing or speak to folks in my network about it, but you can expect to see coverage and analysis on it in next week’s newsletter. Subscribe or Support by Upgrading The NerdCon agenda just dropped. It’s stacked. Partner content: Nubank built an AI-first bank. Chime built its own banking core. Figure and Valon are rebuilding the mortgage stack. At NerdCon, you’ll hear from the people behind those bets: what they chose, what they learned, and what they’re still figuring out. The agenda is live, with leaders from Nubank, Chime, OpenAI, Remitly, Mercury, Figure, Valon and more. Follow the mainstage conversations, bring the problem your team is wrestling with to a hands-on workshop, or pull up a chair at a roundtable. Pick your quests. Meet us in San Diego, November 18–20. Fintech Business Weekly readers save 20% with code FBW20. Explore the Agenda Things To Know & Other Good Reads Federal Reserve Board finalizes changes to enhance the transparency and public accountability of its stress test and reduce volatility in its stress test-related capital requirements (Federal Reserve Board of Governors) FDIC Announces Conclusion of Independent Monitorship (FDIC) Modernizing Financial Regulation: Initial Observations from eSLR (Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman) The Data Version of Godzilla versus Kong: FRED Takes on AI (Fed Governor Christopher Waller) Financing the AI buildout (Brookings) Q3’26: Rules for Banks but Not for Crypto (Fintech Takes Banking) The Inevitability of Local Stablecoins (Lombard Notes) Delusions of AI Governance: The Human-in-the-Loop Comfort Blanket (Fintech Snark Tank) Stripe agrees to acquire Parafin to expand revenue opportunities for platforms and help small businesses grow (Stripe) Listen: Fighting Fraud in the Age of AI, with SEON’s Tamas Kadar (Fintech Business Weekly) How Americans’ Financial Health Is Faring In The “K-Shaped” Economy If there is one overarching theme across the economy and politics in the U.S. at the moment, it’s “affordability.” The term is vague enough to encompass a panoply of factors shaping Americans’ day-to-day lives: rising costs for the hallmarks of being “middle class,” including healthcare, housing, childcare, and education, inflation and rising interest rates, and a job market with the specter of AI hovering over it. At the same time, policy shifts under the Trump administration have resulted in reduced subsidies to those who get health insurance under the Affordable Care Act and new restrictions on qualifying for Medicaid and SNAP, the impacts of which have yet to be fully felt. These factors are contributing to declining consumer confidence and general dissatisfaction with the economy, despite continuing GDP growth and stock market records. This divergence is encapsulated in the idea of the “K-shaped” economy, in which a small proportion of Americans have seen their wealth balloon, while the majority of American households struggle to preserve the lifestyle they have. Perhaps the greatest determinant of which branch of the “K” a household is on is whether their wealth and income are primarily derived from employment vs. from assets. Nearly two decades of low interest rates and, more recently, elevated rates of inflation have benefited asset owners, while those whose income is primarily or solely derived from labor have largely seen real purchasing power stagnate or decline. This is reflected in recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data showing that labor share of U.S. GDP — the fraction of economic output that accrues to workers as compensation in exchange for their labor — dropped to just 52.8% in Q2 2026, the lowest since the BLS began keeping records. In 1947, approximately 2/3rds of economic output accrued to workers; even as recently as 2001, labor’s share of GDP was 64.1%. Against this backdrop, we’ve seen the rise of more credit and credit-like products: cash advance apps, “no-fee” overdraft, earned wage access, and buy now pay later, which are often used as small-dollar short-term borrowing mechanisms to meet immediate consumption needs or pay other bills (eg utilities, cell phone, other debt payments). With the markers of a middle class existence and, increasingly, basic financial stability seemingly out of reach for many, it should be no surprise there’s been an increase in “financial nihilism,” something industry peers like Alex Johnson and Frank Rotman have discussed and analyzed the roots of. The explosion of gambling and gambling-adjacent products and services — often marketed under the guise of being an “investment” — is inextricably intertwined with the rise of financial nihilism. Crypto, sports betting, and, more recently, prediction markets offer an escape or even hope of sorts, like a contemporary, digital version of a scratch-off lottery ticket, while leaving the overwhelming number of people who use such products worse off. Share of Households That Are Financially “Vulnerable” Ticks Up The Financial Health Network’s 2026 Financial Health Pulse® report adds context on how American households are faring. (I linked to this report in last week’s newsletter, but wanted to take time to further unpack the data in the report this week.) The Financial Health Network publishes the report annually, providing insight into how Americans’ financial circumstances are changing over time. The 2026 report is derived from a survey fielded in April and May 2026. The report leverages survey responses to assess indicators of financial health across spending, saving, borrowing, and planning/protecting and to determine a zero to 100 “FinHealth” score. Those with scores between 0 and 39 are considered “Financially Vulnerable,” consumers with scores ranging between 40 and 79 are defined as “Financially Coping,” and those with scores of 80 to 100 are “Financially Healthy.” The report found that moderate improvements in 2025 were reversed, with the share of respondents considered financially “vulnerable” rebounding to 17%. The longitudinal data reflect the impact of pandemic-era programs, like expanded unemployment, cash stimulus payments, and pauses of federal student loan payments. The positive impacts of those programs, as reflected in the Financial Health Pulse reports, had largely disappeared by 2023. While pandemic-era inflation — to be fair, in part caused by the various support and stimulus measures — had come down from as high as 9% in 2022, it has rebounded since the start of Trump’s second term, with tariffs and energy market disruptions owing to the war in Iran pushing prices back up. Specific indicators in the survey that deteriorated from 2025 to 2026 include the share of respondents spending less than their income over the past 12 months, the share paying all bills on time over the past 12 months, the share that have a manageable amount or no debt, the share that are “moderately” or “very” confident their insurance is adequate to cover them in an emergency, and the share that “somewhat” or “strongly” agree that their household plans ahead financially. Unsurprisingly, lower- and moderate-income households are more likely to struggle to pay their bills on time and have any funds leftover to save. The share of low-income households whose income exceeded their spending dropped from 35% in 2025 to 31% in 2026, while the share of upper-income households whose income exceeded expenses remained unchanged at 63%. Households with student loans or revolving credit card debt reported having “a bit more” or “far more” debt than was manageable at rates far higher than those not carrying these types of debts. The share of those with student loan debt indicating their debt load was too high to manage increased from 50% in 2025 to 55% in 2026, while the share of those with revolving credit card debt saying the same ticked up from 51% in 2025 to 54% in 2026. Households that had student loans were markedly more likely to be financially “coping” or “vulnerable” vs. those without student loans. In 2026, 27% of households with student loans were considered financially vulnerable, a jump of 6% points vs. 2025. Households without student loans saw just a 1% point increase (not statistically significant) in those considered financially vulnerable. Households’ perception of the affordability of categories of goods and services paints a stark picture, with less than one-fourth considering higher education affordable, about a third deeming childcare affordable, and less than half viewing healthcare as affordable. Fintech Business Weekly is made possible by the generous support of paying subscribers — bringing you independent analysis of banking, fintech, and crypto without fear or favor. You can support my work by becoming a paying subscriber if you aren’t already. Paying subscribers enjoy: access to the entire archive of nearly six years of newsletters extended versions of the weekly newsletter, with additional content and analysis and (for founding member tier) quarterly personal 1:1 fintech Q&A / strategy calls with me, tapping into my unparalleled knowledge of the intersection of banking and fintech and experience working in the sector, including helping to launch Goldman Sachs’ retail bank Marcus Support Fintech Business Weekly You can also support Fintech Business Weekly by sponsoring a newsletter or podcast, putting you in front of 93,000+ of the most influential decision makers in banking, fintech, and crypto. Learn more about sponsor opportunities or request a media kit by dropping me an email. Democratic Senate Report Highlights How Iran Uses Tether to Evade U.S. Sanctions Iran uses stablecoins, specifically Tether, to evade sanctions, fund regional proxies, and to purchase military drones, a report released last week by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations says. The report was authored by committee ranking member Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and the minority staff. Crypto and stablecoin proponents will often push back on criticism that criminals make use of these assets by arguing that, on an absolute dollar basis, far more illicit funds flow through traditional banking systems and payment rails than via crypto and stablecoins. And while that is likely true, it elides the reality presented in news story after news story: whether state actors — Russia, Iran, North Korea — or criminal groups, those looking to engage in illicit transactions increasingly favor stablecoins and, specifically, Tether (USDT). The report from the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations released last week adds context to how Iran uses Tether has a lynchpin in its shadow banking system. The report analyzed 846 wallets that have been sanctioned or targeted for seizure, finding that 84% of them transacted exclusively or primarily in Tether. The ability to create near limitless, anonymous wallets and to move funds effectively instantaneously and irreversibly have made crypto a favored financial mechanism for bad actors. Stablecoins solved key drawbacks of bitcoin, namely, the original cryptocurrency’s highly volatile value in dollars. And while Tether (the company) has the technical ability to “freeze” or destroy funds, the company is often limited and reactive in its approach to doing so, the Senate report argues. Tether, which is nominally based in crypto-friendly El Salvador, “has stated that its compliance with OFAC sanctions is ‘voluntary’ and that it follows ‘OFAC guidelines,’” the Senate report says. Owing to these favorable attributes, Tether “became a primary cryptocurrency for Iran, Hamas, Hizballah, and the Houthis beginning in 2023 and has expanded in scale since,” according to the report. Tether’s role in Iran’s shadow banking system, the report says, is enhanced by crypto exchanges like Bybit, Kyrrex, OKX, Gate, and Binance, and through “over the counter” exchanges and hawala networks. The consequences of these financial flows aren’t hypothetical. The Senate report links Tether as a funds transfer mechanism to Iranian proxies in the region, including Hizballah, the Houthis, and Hamas. Tether has also been used to make payments to secure components necessary to manufacture drones, the report says. The report concludes by arguing that “[s]tablecoin issuers with a significant nexus to the United States, particularly those that offer dollar-denominated stablecoins, should be subject to American sanctions law rather than being allowed to hide behind foreign jurisdictions.” Stablecoin issuers like Tether must be held accountable for repeated failures to prevent illicit finance and sanctions violations by law enforcement, the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and OFAC, the report argues. [Paying Subscriber Exclusive] OUSD Goes Live, Make Your Own Neobank, U.S. Sanctions Russia’s A7 Network As “Transnational Criminal Organization” OpenUSD, the stablecoin issued by the Open Standard consortium that includes Stripe, Visa, Mastercard, core providers, crypto firms, and numerous banks, went live last week. Social commerce platform Whop raised eyebrows in fintech by offering creators on its platform the ability to launch their own neobanks, which the company describes as “great businesses that are easy to run,” in just 15 minutes. And OFAC and FinCEN target Russia’s “shadow banking” A7 Network — more on these stories after the paywall.
Pharr Police Earns State Accreditation
A department-wide achievement for Pharr Police. The Pharr Police Department has earned state accreditation, recognizing rigorous standards in professionalism, accountability, training and leadership. Chief Juan Gonzalez credits the dedication and professionalism of the entire department.
Orlando Science Center receives top recognition for its animal programs
The science center noted it is one of only 15 institutions nationwide to hold accreditation from both AZA and the American Alliance of Museums
Coastal forces shape building sciences practice
When Built Environments relocated to Wilmington, the firm’s partners weren’t looking for the lazy tranquility one hopes for when on vacation. Instead, they sought sultry heat. They wanted to understand whipping coastal winds and punishing precipitation – the kind that tropical storms produce. That’s because how materials degrade can reveal a lot about how they can be improved. “We specifically chose the Wilmington market because it does fall within Climate Zone 3A, which is a coastal warm-humid climate,” said Jarrett Davis, who joined Built Environments in 2023 to lead the company’s building science practice. “There’s not a lot of product research in that climate zone, but there are a lot of structures here that get weatherized pretty severely.” Built Environments has provided building science, material testing and code compliance consulting for 25 years, ever since principal materials scientist Steve Doggett founded the company in Minnesota. “There are very few manufacturers that understand fully how their own materials and products work, whereas we know their shortfalls and their benefits out in the real world on jobsites,” Doggett said. “That’s why the original Built Environments was formed, to make buildings better.” He said the 15-employee company is just as comfortable on a jobsite, retrofitting a high-end beachside property, for example, as it is recreating some of the coast’s most intense weather conditions in the great indoors. The company operates an A2LA-accredited ISO/IEC 17025 mechanical testing laboratory on Wright Street. The year-old facility has expanded Built Environments’ in-house capabilities, Doggett said. “We’re able to simulate that hurricane wind (and) rain and perform structural and impact testing on wall assemblies, roof assemblies and glazing assemblies,” he said. “There are certain requirements that those windows and doors need to meet as far as wind ratings and pressure ratings and things of that nature.” Standard Glass Co.-Glass Depots, of Wilmington, is currently testing a new glazing system using Built Environments’ stress testing, the partners said. One method involves what’s called a “large missile cannon.” “We take 8-foot two-by-fours, and we shoot them at assemblies, so they have to withstand that impact,” Davis said. “It’s pretty cool to see, I’m not going to lie.” In many cases, the lab can run a full, wall-scale test of a product in a matter of weeks or months, whereas “it might take midrange manufacturers years,” Doggett said. “We’re nimble. We can cut that time in half.” The lab also develops intellectual property. Doggett, for example, shares a patent with Sustant LLC, of Minnesota, on a fastener patch to increase the air and water tightness within building envelopes. “We have too many ideas and not enough time,” he said. But the partners noted that they or their fellow principals – of which the company has four total, including a principal engineer and a principal codes and standards expert – could be anywhere on a given day, including in the courtroom providing expert testimony in contentious insurance cases. “Let’s say there is a fire on a structure,” Davis said. “We can analyze all the specific materials within that assembly – an exterior wall or something like that – because there are loads that require certain heat release. And so, we can measure each one of those materials, if need be, to say if this was likely or not a code-approved assembly.” Despite what can be inferred in a lab, the partners said nothing beats learning from how materials change over time under real-world strain. Take, for instance, the curious case of the creaking condo. “We recently had a customer that came to us trying to assess a sound issue of a roof. It was making noises that no one could explain or account for. How do you tackle something like that?” Doggett asked rhetorically. “There’s really no generally agreed-upon methodologies.” The problem turned out to be a faulty installation of a commercial roof system. “The building in this particular case was not local,” he said. “In the initial installation, the commercial roofing contractor installed the wrong fasteners in the wrong locations into the deck, and essentially the solar radiation was causing the building to move quite substantially early in the morning when the sun initially hit that assembly after a quite cool evening, causing the threads on the fasteners to kind of jump within the material, within the metal.” Built Environments designed an effective repair methodology that was within budget, the partners said. “We get the bizarre,” Doggett said. “I will say that’s something that has stayed the same over 25 years.” The partners said they are hiring, and that Cape Fear Community College is one of their main recruiting grounds. Davis and Doggett look for talented people who can understand traditional methodologies yet are open to on-the-job training and new understandings, they said. After all, it’s not just weather that can ruin a building. “My favorite saying is,” Davis said, “‘What are the eight most expensive words in construction? That’s how my daddy used to do it.’”
Coastal forces shape building sciences practice
When Built Environments relocated to Wilmington, the firm’s partners weren’t looking for the lazy tranquility one hopes for when on vacation. Instead, they sought sultry heat. They wanted to understand whipping coastal winds and punishing precipitation – the kind that tropical storms produce. That’s because how materials degrade can reveal a lot about how they can be improved. “We specifically chose the Wilmington market because it does fall within Climate Zone 3A, which is a coastal warm-humid climate,” said Jarrett Davis, who joined Built Environments in 2023 to lead the company’s building science practice. “There’s not a lot of product research in that climate zone, but there are a lot of structures here that get weatherized pretty severely.” Built Environments has provided building science, material testing and code compliance consulting for 25 years, ever since principal materials scientist Steve Doggett founded the company in Minnesota. “There are very few manufacturers that understand fully how their own materials and products work, whereas we know their shortfalls and their benefits out in the real world on jobsites,” Doggett said. “That’s why the original Built Environments was formed, to make buildings better.” He said the 15-employee company is just as comfortable on a jobsite, retrofitting a high-end beachside property, for example, as it is recreating some of the coast’s most intense weather conditions in the great indoors. The company operates an A2LA-accredited ISO/IEC 17025 mechanical testing laboratory on Wright Street. The year-old facility has expanded Built Environments’ in-house capabilities, Doggett said. “We’re able to simulate that hurricane wind (and) rain and perform structural and impact testing on wall assemblies, roof assemblies and glazing assemblies,” he said. “There are certain requirements that those windows and doors need to meet as far as wind ratings and pressure ratings and things of that nature.” Standard Glass Co.-Glass Depots, of Wilmington, is currently testing a new glazing system using Built Environments’ stress testing, the partners said. One method involves what’s called a “large missile cannon.” “We take 8-foot two-by-fours, and we shoot them at assemblies, so they have to withstand that impact,” Davis said. “It’s pretty cool to see, I’m not going to lie.” In many cases, the lab can run a full, wall-scale test of a product in a matter of weeks or months, whereas “it might take midrange manufacturers years,” Doggett said. “We’re nimble. We can cut that time in half.” The lab also develops intellectual property. Doggett, for example, shares a patent with Sustant LLC, of Minnesota, on a fastener patch to increase the air and water tightness within building envelopes. “We have too many ideas and not enough time,” he said. But the partners noted that they or their fellow principals – of which the company has four total, including a principal engineer and a principal codes and standards expert – could be anywhere on a given day, including in the courtroom providing expert testimony in contentious insurance cases. “Let’s say there is a fire on a structure,” Davis said. “We can analyze all the specific materials within that assembly – an exterior wall or something like that – because there are loads that require certain heat release. And so, we can measure each one of those materials, if need be, to say if this was likely or not a code-approved assembly.” Despite what can be inferred in a lab, the partners said nothing beats learning from how materials change over time under real-world strain. Take, for instance, the curious case of the creaking condo. “We recently had a customer that came to us trying to assess a sound issue of a roof. It was making noises that no one could explain or account for. How do you tackle something like that?” Doggett asked rhetorically. “There’s really no generally agreed-upon methodologies.” The problem turned out to be a faulty installation of a commercial roof system. “The building in this particular case was not local,” he said. “In the initial installation, the commercial roofing contractor installed the wrong fasteners in the wrong locations into the deck, and essentially the solar radiation was causing the building to move quite substantially early in the morning when the sun initially hit that assembly after a quite cool evening, causing the threads on the fasteners to kind of jump within the material, within the metal.” Built Environments designed an effective repair methodology that was within budget, the partners said. “We get the bizarre,” Doggett said. “I will say that’s something that has stayed the same over 25 years.” The partners said they are hiring, and that Cape Fear Community College is one of their main recruiting grounds. Davis and Doggett look for talented people who can understand traditional methodologies yet are open to on-the-job training and new understandings, they said. After all, it’s not just weather that can ruin a building. “My favorite saying is,” Davis said, “‘What are the eight most expensive words in construction? That’s how my daddy used to do it.’”
How Washington Funded the Politicization of Science
Over the last half-decade, the National Science Foundation (NSF) has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on projects designed to influence academic policies, both in the sciences and other disciplines. The aim was to foster a progressive conception of social justice in these fields. In pursuit of this end, the foundation earmarked nearly a million dollars for a project titled “Creating Inclusive Scientific Societies through Policies and Practices,” over a million for a project on “Faculty Online Learning Communities for Gender Equity,” and over $2 million to foster “racial equity focused departmental change.” Through a public records request, I’ve obtained the proposals and progress reports for dozens of NSF grants designed to promote social justice. Although funding for these grants was eventually halted by the Trump administration, the projects illustrate an important facet of recent higher-education policy. Many of the university policies that promised “social transformation” didn’t arise in a vacuum. They were actively encouraged by outside funders—often by the federal government itself. Subscribe Accreditation—the peer-review process which enables universities to receive federal grants and student loans—has recently become a policy battleground, with accreditors wielding significant power over both universities and academic disciplines. In 2020, when Oregon Health and Science University’s medical school issued an extensive diversity action plan—which promised “consequences” for employees who failed to support “DEI, anti-racism and social justice”—it specifically pointed to the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), the medical-school accrediting body, to justify the overhaul. The NSF actively promoted DEI-focused accreditation policies. The proposal for a $1.2 million program on promoting “community engagement” in STEM, which I obtained through a records request, notes that the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology was exploring changes to its criteria “that would incorporate JEDI [justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion].” The proposal promised to “support broader JEDI efforts in the general criteria for engineering.” Another grant funded a conference designed to “identify and share best practices and strategies to integrate IDEA principles in accreditation criteria”—referring to an acronym that stands for “inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility.” Scholarly societies have become another flashpoint in debates over higher education. Critics argue that many of these societies, which have the power to shape entire disciplines, have become increasingly politicized. Again, through its giving, the NSF played a role in promoting this politicization. In one million-dollar grant that received funding in 2024, a group of psychologists proposed a series of social-justice reforms to the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues. The proposal, which I obtained via a records request, asserts that “[r]edistributing resources (such as moving different people into leadership roles) is not enough” and that the society’s “governance structures do not yet reflect its stated values of diversity, equity, and inclusion.” Its solution: review and rework the society’s criteria for leadership development, academic awards, conferences, and publications. Adjusting review criteria informed by “intersectionality” designed to fight “epistemic exclusion” is an easy way to introduce de facto ideological litmus tests into the peer-review process. For many of the grants I obtained, such litmus tests seem to be the point. “Academic departments are racialized social systems that produce and sustain the byproducts of systemic racism,” a proposal for a $2.7 million project funded in 2024 asserts, promising to develop “departmentally-focused change efforts that cultivate values, assumptions, and behaviors that advance racial equity.” The University of Illinois Urbana Champaign’s million-dollar “I-ADVANCE” project, which effectively created a small DEI bureaucracy on campus, promised to Embed 28 ADVANCE faculty fellows in STEM departments” to amplify its equity goals. Another $1.2 million project promised to create “faculty online learning communities,” made up of scientists at universities around the country, that would eventually build department-level diversity action plans. “Ultimately,” the proposal asserts, perhaps more perceptively than its authors realized, “both organizational change and intersectionality frameworks deal with power.” Indeed, such grants confer a great deal of power to administrators and scholar-activists, who can even use the mere availability of funding as a tool to advance their causes. That history is worth remembering amid today’s debate over federal involvement in higher education: Washington has been shaping university priorities for years, including by financing efforts to instill progressive ideas about race, gender, and equity into academic institutions—and many of the policies those grants encouraged remain embedded within universities long after the federal money has stopped flowing. John D. Sailer is the director of higher education policy and a senior fellow at Manhattan Institute. Share
Accreditation puts Cougar Health Services among ‘elite’ group nationally
Cougar Health Services has earned another three years of national accreditation, continuing a distinction it has maintained for 30 years.
ER Nurses – Holy Cross Health – Sarah Petty, BSN, RN, CEN, TCRN, CPEN, CCRN
Sarah Petty, BSN, RN, CEN, TCRN, CPEN, CCRN, has spent her nursing career looking for ways to learn, grow and better care for patients. After graduating from the University of South Carolina School of Nursing in 2015, she began her career as an Emergency Department nurse at a Level I Trauma Center. Her work has […]
Top Ranking for Bellevue University's Counseling Master's
CounselingPsychology.org ranked Bellevue University's Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program No. 2 among counseling master's programs in Nebraska for 2027. The ranking recognizes Bellevue University's CACREP-accredited program and its online format designed to support students preparing for counseling careers and licensur...
Funding forensic science is essential to keeping New Mexico’s justice system working - NM Department of Public Safety
At the New Mexico Department of Public Safety’s Forensic Laboratory, continuing to produce reliable, accredited results is not necessarily about chasing the newest technology. Often, it is about replacing equipment that has simply reached the end of its useful life. That distinction is important as the state considers how much to invest in the laboratory […]
Creedence Revived brings classic rock to Sturgis
Creedence Revived kicks off the 2026 season at the Sturges Young Center for the Arts with classic CCR hits.
Jalen Brunson and KATSEYE are impressively deadpan in 'SNL' promo
"That was a silly one."
Ballad Health hosts open house at Bristol Regional Medical Center
BRISTOL, Tenn. (WJHL) — Ballad Health held an open house Thursday at Bristol Regional Medical Center, and officials talked about the Boone McCrary scholarship two years after Hurricane Helene. McCr…
Memories for profit: Is influencer marketing becoming too much?
Wimbledon removes accreditation for influencers to attend the U.S. Open.
American Bar Association Fights to Keep Power to Vet Law Schools
Losing its accreditation ability would be a blow to the nation’s largest association of lawyers and another example of how the Trump administration is reshaping higher education.
Aberdeen's attacking issues laid bare
The 48 chances created by Stephen Robinson's side is the lowest tally in the division - same for their 37 chances from open play - while they have the fewest shots on target (18) and second-fewest shots (70). It must be noted Aberdeen haven't had the kindest fixtures, with Robinson keen to point out they have faced five of last season's top-six teams in their opening seven games. Eight points have been accrued, leaving the Dons seventh in a congested table and just two points shy of fourth, so there's no reason for panic.
Fine Entertainment Launches El Corazón Investment Offering for Accredited Investors
Fine Entertainment Launches El Corazón Investment Offering for Accredited Investors...
Alabama man convicted of wife’s 1985 murder gets new trial, judge calls bite mark evidence ‘junk science’
Charles McCrory was convicted after an expert said he bit his wife during her murder. But the expert has since changed his mind.
Man charged with theft of AC units from Girby Road business
Mobile police arrested Darnell Craig in connection with a theft at a business on Girby Road, officials said.
AMC's debt buyback depends on securing at least $3.97 billion
Noteholders can receive $1,009.70 per $1,000 plus accrued interest. The offer expires Sept. 30, with settlement expected Oct. 5 if conditions are met.
HCA Healthcare (HCA) Acquires a Healthcare College. Can Training Capacity Improve Staffing?
HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:HCA) announced on September 15 that it had completed its acquisition of The College of Health Care Professions. The institution serves more than 8,000 students annually through 10 Texas campuses and online programs, offering more than 20 accredited healthcare programs. For HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:HCA), the opportunity is to connect education more […]
Maringá seal second win in the Série C final stage
Maringá defeated Botafogo-PB and claimed its second win in the final stage of Série CCredits: Fernando Teramatsu / MFCMaringá secured its second win in the final stage of Série C this Saturday (19...
Herberger Business School celebrates 50 years of accreditation
HBS was only the second university in the state to earn the honor when they were first accredited in 1976.
International Business University Becomes First University in North America to Earn QAA International Quality Accreditation
International Business University (IBU) has become the first university in Canada, and North America to earn International Quality Accreditation (IQA) from the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), the UK's expert quality body for higher education. The five-year accreditation provides independent international recognition of IBU's academic quality and quality assurance practices.
UP Health System - Marquette receives ACR accreditation for mammography
Staff at UPHS - Marquette say that mammography is an important tool for early detection of breast cancer and can help detect cancer before symptoms arise.
Aurora Cannabis Provides Business Update; Accretive Acquisition of Safari Flower Company and Leading European Performance Expected to Fuel International Growth in the Fiscal Second Quarter 2027 and Beyond
NASDAQ| TSX: ACB Re-affirms FY27 Q2 guidance for sequential growth in quarterly net revenue and adjusted EBITDA1 Following the receipt of EU-GMP certification...
Arrest made after early morning shooting at Dothan business
The victim got shot in the back while fleeing the property.
Pager Health℠ Earns NCQA Wellness & Health Promotion Reaccreditation
/PRNewswire/ -- Pager Health, a leading healthcare navigation and wellness company, today announced it has received its sixth consecutive Wellness & Health...
Sheryl Lee Ralph calls ‘Abbott Elementary’ the ‘only real comedy’ nominated at the Emmys
Sheryl Lee Ralph calls ‘Abbott Elementary’ the ‘only real comedy’ up for Outstanding Comedy Series at this year’s Emmy Awards.
Health Brief: Exclusive | States line up for Medicaid drug pilot
At least 19 have applied to the Trump administration’s drug-pricing experiment offering internationally benchmarked prices under Medicaid
The rising power of American Muslims
Is this a new era for American Muslims?American Muslims are building their own cultural institutions – New York Magazine and The Guardian have reported on flourishing ecosystems of cafes, magazines, dance nights, meetups and readings for Muslims and/or people with heritage from the SWANA region. And on a political level, Muslims like Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani have become prominent faces of the left. On the one hand, this swell of Muslims coming up in politics and building cultural institutions is not surprising – there are over 4 million Muslims in America. On the other hand, this shift is pretty significant given how deeply Islamophobia and racism are rooted in our culture. So what's changed for American Muslims in recent years, and what’s stayed the same? What does it mean that Muslims are accruing a little more political and cultural capital now, and that non-Muslims are noticing?To get deeper into it, Brittany is joined by Dr. Donna Auston, cultural anthropologist, and Dr. Tazeen Ali, scholar of Islam in America and associate professor of religion and politics at Washington University in St. Louis.Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
MDH Home Health & The MDH Hospice Both Earn CHAP Accreditation
Community Health Accreditation Partner, Inc., (CHAP) announced that McDonough District Hospital Home Health Care and The MDH Hospice have both been
Xavion Chambers leads Roosevelt to bounce back victory over Jay
Xavion Chambers accrued 329 total yards and threw for five touchdowns to help the Rough Riders earn their first high school football victory of the season.
Emplify Health by Gundersen to launch psychiatry residency program
Emplify Health by Gundersen is expanding its medical education offerings with the addition of a new psychiatry residency program following accreditation from the ACGME.
Master’s in Management or MBA? Two Graduate Business Degrees, Two Paths Forward
Compare Wilmington University’s MBA and M.S. in Management programs. Find the IACBE-accredited degree that aligns with your leadership and career goals.
Yourgene Health Insight DPYD assay achieves IVDR accreditation
Yourgene Health (part of the Novacyt Group), an international molecular diagnostics company with a broad portfolio of integrated technologies and services, announces the commercial launch of its In Vitro Diagnostic Regulation (IVDR)-certified Yourgene® Insight DPYD assay, expanding the Company's clinical genetics portfolio across regulated European markets.
GameSquare Enters Definitive Contribution Agreement to Acquire Sports, Music and Entertainment IP Assets from FanEngine
("FanEngine"), a technology and media asset consolidator that collectively enables sports, music and entertainment IP owners to build direct relationships with fans and monetize those relationships through gamification, brand integration, events, content, commerce, and experiences.The Transaction is expected to be immediately accretive to profitability and represents the next step in GameSquare's strategy to build a differentiated, end-to-end platform spanning audience analytics, creators, agenc
GameSquare Enters Definitive Contribution Agreement to Acquire Sports, Music and Entertainment IP Assets from FanEngine
Highly profitable transaction expected to be immediately accretive to earnings and support multiple recurring revenue opportunitiesFanEngine's assets add well-known global IP assets Peaky Blinders, Simon's Cat, The Two Robbies and Friends, 4Cast Media Platform featuring Former England Captain Ben S…
Bryan Health receives $750,000 grant to create Rural Family Medicine Residency program
The grant will provide funding over three years to support accreditation planning, curriculum development, faculty recruitment, resident recruitment and other activities necessary to establish a new program.
House rebukes Navy for refusing to investigate pilot brain injury
Several career pilots have raised concerns that repeated exposures may cause brain injuries that slowly accrue and lead to debilitating mental health problems.
Kiwanis learns about health department
SIDNEY — Sidney-Shelby County Health Department Accreditation and Medical Reserve Corps Coordinator Eileen Ferree spoke at a recent Sidney Kiwanis Club meeting.
CCRES Real Job Preview: Behavioral Health Industry Challenges
CCRES employees discuss the challenges of behavioral health careers and how teamwork helps students communicate and regulate emotions.
McCrabb: Middletown health commissioner embraced career as ‘a calling’
Some people know their future career plans before they’re old enough to drive.
One year after its founder's death, Armani faces challenge of 'inevitable evolution'
One year after the death of founder Giorgio Armani, the Italian fashion house is entering a pivotal period as the clock starts ticking on plans for an initial stake sale, after the group spent the last year focused on governance.
LZ Sees Surprising Result in Search for Dark Matter
Key Takeaways Dark matter is the mysterious substance that accounts for the vast majority of matter in our universe. LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) is a world-leading dark matter detector and specializes in searching for WIMPs, or weakly interacting massive particles. A new LZ study found one particle interaction that is difficult to explain with known background processes and could potentially have been caused by a WIMP. LZ continues to run to see if additional data strengthens or weakens the hint of a dark matter interaction. For the better part of a century, people have been trying to understand dark matter. This invisible substance makes up roughly 85% of the mass in the universe but has never been directly detected. Determining exactly what it is remains one of the biggest questions about our world. Now, a new analysis from the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment has recorded a single particle interaction that researchers have great difficulty explaining with known background signals from normal matter. The result does not yet meet the statistical threshold required to claim a discovery, but is the most compelling hint of dark matter reported by the experiment to date. LZ is an international collaboration of 250 scientists and engineers from 39 institutions. The detector is managed by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and operates nearly one mile below ground at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in South Dakota. The experiment uses 10 tonnes of ultrapure liquid xenon to search for dark matter and is optimized to look for WIMPs, or weakly interacting massive particles. The results were presented in a scientific talk at the 2026 TeV Particle Astrophysics conference in Japan. The paper will be released on the online repository arXiv and submitted to the journal Physical Review Letters. “We’re very intrigued to see this event in the data, in the region where we expect dark matter to show up and the competing backgrounds are very low,” said Rick Gaitskell, a professor at Brown University and the spokesperson for LZ. “With only one event, we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. We are not claiming to have seen dark matter. But we have seen something interesting that we want to share with the scientific community for their input.” The LZ collaboration studies experimental data in batches. In the new result, researchers analyzed 220 live days of data collected between March 2023 and April 2024. The collaboration had previously searched this dataset for faint signals from the simplest kinds of WIMP interactions. The new analysis searched for a broader range of possible WIMP interactions that could deposit more energy in the detector. LZ is particularly sensitive to such signals while also minimizing false positives. “This was a detailed study in a region we hadn’t explored within this dataset, and we spent months of additional effort to understand all the possible causes of background events,” said Sam Eriksen, a senior research associate at the University of Bristol in the U.K. and lead author of the study. “We understand our detector and the backgrounds so well that even a single outstanding event, like the one we found, is important. We expect dark matter events to be extremely rare, so only a handful could mark the first detection of WIMP dark matter.” If the anomalous event was caused by dark matter, the WIMP that generated it would likely have a mass of at least 200 GeV/c2 (gigaelectronvolts), or more than 200 times the mass of a proton. It would also suggest a specific type of interaction between WIMPs and ordinary matter beyond the simplest model. The LZ results have not reached “5-sigma” significance, the statistical threshold considered a discovery in physics. The new analysis is 2.6 sigma, meaning there is approximately a 0.5% chance that the event could be explained by known backgrounds. With additional data, researchers can test whether the finding continues to grow in significance or fades away. LZ has already accumulated the world’s largest dark matter dataset and will continue to accrue WIMP search data at SURF, substantially improving their search statistics. LZ searches for dark matter by looking for signature flashes of light from energy deposited in the detector. The collaboration leverages multiple methods to prevent or account for particle interactions caused by normal matter. This includes the mile of rock that shields the detector from cosmic rays from space, a water tank and outer detectors that protect the central detector from background neutrons, and a suite of computational tools that disentangle particle interactions and reject dark matter mimics. “Outlier events in the data are not unexpected, but they usually stand out as a background of some kind when you look at them deeper,” said Aaron Manalaysay, a physicist at Berkeley Lab and the chair of LZ’s Institutional Board. “This is the first example in any experiment I’ve worked on of an outlier that appears valid in every way. Of course, we’re still twisting our brains trying to think if there’s a rare background mechanism we could’ve missed, but it’s thrilling to wonder if this could be the first hint of a dark-matter observation.” LZ is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of High Energy and Nuclear Physics, and the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center, a DOE Office of Science user facility. LZ is also supported by the Science & Technology Facilities Council of the United Kingdom; the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology; the Swiss National Science Foundation; the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Dark Matter Particle Physics; and the Institute for Basic Science, Korea. Thirty-nine institutions of higher education and advanced research provided support to LZ. The LZ collaboration acknowledges the assistance of the Sanford Underground Research Facility. ### Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) is committed to groundbreaking research focused on discovery science and solutions for abundant and reliable energy supplies. The lab’s expertise spans materials, chemistry, physics, biology, earth and environmental science, mathematics, and computing. Researchers from around the world rely on the lab’s world-class scientific facilities for their own pioneering research. Founded in 1931 on the belief that the biggest problems are best addressed by teams, Berkeley Lab and its scientists have been recognized with 17 Nobel Prizes. Berkeley Lab is a multiprogram national laboratory managed by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science. DOE’s Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit energy.gov/science.
Theranostic pair shows promise for diagnosing and treating kidney cancer
The paired agents 68Ga and 177Lu-NYM096 target carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX), an enzyme that is highly expressed in ccRCC.
The IDA Health Window Is Gaining Traction: Four Responses to the Proposal
I recently proposed an IDA Health Window as the future of multilateral global health financing. The proposal is beginning to gain traction. It has received interest (mostly positive, but always with good, constructive challenges) from colleagues associated with the Accra Reset; Africa CDC and the African High-Level Ministerial Committee on Global Health Architecture Reform; low- and middle-income country health and finance officials; key high-income donors including the UK, France, Germany, and Norway; the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank; the World Health Organization, Wellcome Trust, and civil society.
Colorado Sues EarnIn For “Immoral, Unethical, Oppressive and Unscrupulous” Business Practices
Hey all, Jason here. When this hits your inbox, I should be en route to the airport — not to go anywhere myself, just to pick up my better half. I must admit, it’s been strange to be home alone (well, with two dogs) for two weeks! Really lets me “optimize” to spending more time on reading/writing/working, whether that’s healthy or not! Looking forward to getting back into a (somewhat) more balance routine. Subscribe or Support by Upgrading Compare Notes With the People Who Built Modern Fintech Partner content: Remitly CEO Sebastian Gunningham. Increase founder Darragh Buckley. Linda Du, Co-founder & President at Valon. They’ll unpack the decisions behind building and scaling major financial products: what they got right, what broke, what they would do differently, and how AI and new infrastructure are changing the operator playbook. Most events tell you where fintech is going. NerdCon puts the people who built the present in the room and asks them what comes next. Expect an operator-led conversation grounded in real products, real trade-offs and lessons earned the hard way. Fintech Business Weekly readers save 20% on Regular tickets with code FBW20 before standard pricing ends September 11. Meet the Builders Things To Know & Other Good Reads Advent and Stripe Abandon $50 Billion Pursuit of PayPal (Bloomberg) Trump Family’s New Crypto Bank Is Backed by Abu Dhabi Sheikh (Wall Street Journal) The multiplying risks of financing data centres (FT) Let the Bond Market Speak (Wall Street Journal) Did we waste a crisis? Modest proposals to reform deposit insurance. (Fintech Takes Banking) Untangling Guggenheim: How Private Credit Built Its Own Universe (Net Interest) The Hater’s Guide To Circular Financing — Part One (Ed Zitron) Fiat Ventures Rebrands to FGV Capital, Announces $35M Oversubscribed Fund II (BusinessWire) Socure Announces Strategic Growth Investment at $5.2B Valuation and Acquires Agentic Operations Platform Fravity (Socure) Listen: When Consumer Protection Disclosures Work Too Well (Consumer Finance Monitor Podcast) Colorado Sues EarnIn For “Immoral, Unethical, Oppressive and Unscrupulous” Business Practices When Andreessen Horowitz led EarnIn’s $39 million Series B in 2017, Alex Rampell, a partner at the storied venture capital firm, described EarnIn’s small-dollar advance product as “free,” relying on “entirely on voluntary contributions instead of fees.” Rampell favorably compared EarnIn’s approach to typical payday loans, writing, “Payday loans historically have had the potential to be a slippery slope for consumers into financial distress: opaque systems and steep fees that are hard to repay and set individuals back further than where they started. For many Americans living paycheck to paycheck, that kind of slide into debt can be extremely difficult to recover from.” But EarnIn’s product — which, the company says, isn’t a “loan,” legally speaking — ends up being anything but free for most users. While it is technically possible to take a no-fee advance from the company, most users incur “Lightning Speed” (instant funding) fees and/or ostensibly optional tips that combined can equate to annualized percent rates that can reach over 1,000%. With an average term of 9.77 days, even fees and tips that are small on an absolute dollar basis are equivalent to high APRs on an annualized basis. A lawsuit filed last week by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser against EarnIn describes the company and its product and business practices quite differently than Andreessen’s Rampell; “EarnIn’s business practices are unfair because they are immoral, unethical, oppressive and unscrupulous,” the complaint, filed in District Court in Denver, Colorado, says. EarnIn’s marquee product, Cash Out, isn’t a loan, the company says, as Cash Out is not “[f]orward [l]ooking” because “[t]he money is transferred based on earnings to date,” does not carry a mandatory fee to access funds, and is “non-recourse,” meaning EarnIn cannot pursue recovery from users who don’t repay advanced funds. EarnIn is sometimes referred to as an “Earned Wage Advance” service. Though, unlike some others in the broader category, EarnIn does not integrate with employers’ payroll or time and attendance systems. Rather, EarnIn attempts to verify a user’s income and employment, by examining direct deposit transaction data in their linked external bank account, by using GPS location and Bluetooth data to estimate a user’s time spent at work, if they work in a fixed location, and/or by having a user provided a work email address. While repayment is theoretically optional, as EarnIn would have no recourse, such as reporting non-payment to the credit bureaus or a collections agency, this is anything but clear to users of the EarnIn app, Colorado’s complaint argues. During the process of taking a Cash Out, users must agree to a preauthorized debit of the amount advanced, plus any expedited funding fee and/or tips. Though users technically can revoke this ACH authorization, the fact that they have this right isn’t presented to users during the Cash Out process, but rather is included in linked terms and conditions few users are likely to actually read. And users who do wish to revoke their ACH authorization must do so three or more days before the scheduled transaction date by emailing EarnIn’s customer support. Similarly, EarnIn’s marketing claims that it carries “no interest” and “no mandatory fees” is technically true, but is not the reality for many of the app’s users, the Colorado complaint argues. Further, EarnIn has extensively marketed to users the ability to “access your pay today,” to get “instant” funds, and to get funds “the same day you work” — when, in reality, this speed of access was only possible by paying the additional, undisclosed Lightning Speed fee. The Colorado complaint highlights this contradiction specifically, noting: EarnIn tells consumers that they can ‘Make any day payday with EarnIn’ and that there no ‘hidden’ or ‘mandatory fees.’ For a consumer to access their pay on the same day requested, they would have to pay the Lightning Speed fee. In the fine print of the advertisement EarnIn discloses that ‘[f]ees apply to use Lightning Speed,’ a direct contradiction to the larger text of the advertisement, and a fact that would not be immediately understood by a consumer as ‘Lightning Speed’ is not defined nor explained. Like other small-dollar lending services, rather than explicitly charge interest, EarnIn collects a markup on the optional Lighting Speed fee, which, given the nature of the transactions, many users opt for, as well as offering users the option to leave “tips.” EarnIn leverages either Real-Time Payments (RTP) rails or push-to-card via debit rails if a user opts for the optional Lightning Speed. But while these capabilities cost EarnIn, on average, $0.075 or $0.20 per transaction, respectively, EarnIn charges users significantly more. Initially, EarnIn charged as little as $1.99 for Cash Outs up to $24. But EarnIn has hiked these fees multiple times, and now charges $4.99 for Cash Outs up to $75 and $6.99 for those over $75. According to the Colorado complaint, EarnIn leverages “dark patterns” to manipulate users and to make it more difficult to avoid tipping. Examples of these “road blocks” highlighted in the complaint include: As of 2023, in the EarnIn app, a consumer attempting to get a loan under the default settings had to make at least eighteen separate taps to complete the transaction and reduce the tip to $0. There is an alternative method to leave a $0 tip, via the “Custom tip” feature, but EarnIn made this option difficult to access by visually deemphasizing it and positioning it near devices’ “home” button. Using language and imagery such as “Tip to pay it forward,” “Your generosity supports the service + helps,” “Your tips make a difference,” and “[t]he APR for this cash out is 0%. Your tips help support us.” While Lightning Speed and tipping are, in theory, both optional, in practice, users nearly always ended up paying something. According to the Colorado suit, users were charged either a tip or an expedite fee for more than 92% of transactions, with an average APR of nearly 388%. And, although the advances are “non-recourse,” EarnIn successfully collects on nearly all transactions — 99.18%, according to the complaint, which, Colorado argues, “demonstrat[es] that EarnIn’s advances function as high cost loans, not voluntary payments.” The share of EarnIn users incurring fees — despite the product being marketed as 0% APR — is hard to reconcile with Andreessen investor Rampell’s favorable description of EarnIn vs. “opaque systems and steep fees” associated with payday loans, which, Rampell says, can be “extremely difficult” for borrowers to extricate themselves from. According to Colorado’s suit, EarnIn’s Cash Out product “trapped many consumers in extreme cycles of high-cost reborrowing.” The suit gives an example of one consumer in the state, who took out a whopping 1,151 loans, paying a total of $4,038.50 in Lightning Speed expedited funding fees on loans that averaged the equivalent of 1,421% APR. Another Colorado user, the suit says, took out 1,033 loans, paying $8,561.22 in tips and fees at an average APR of 1,539% . These types of usage patterns demonstrate “the severe and repeated financial harm caused by EarnIn’s illegal lending model,” the Colorado complaint argues. In aggregate, from January 2023 through July 2025, EarnIn extended 3.1 million loans to 56,778 users in Colorado — an average of nearly 55 transactions per person during the time period. EarnIn lent more than $300 million and collected more than $16 million from Colorado users in Lightning Speed fees and in tips. Ultimately, the Colorado complaint argues that “EarnIn’s Cash Outs are loans under Colorado law, and EarnIn’s contention that its product is not a loan based on its disclaimer of any legal repayment obligation lacks any real-world significance given how the Cash Out transactions actually operate in practice.” Colorado further argues that “EarnIn was not working with companies here in providing consumers with funds but acted as a third-party lender and charged illegally high rates, used deceptive design strategies to extract some charges, and trapped consumers in repeat borrowing. Colorado will continue to stand up for consumers and hold companies accountable when they violate our credit laws or attempt to evade them through misleading practices.” Colorado’s suit alleges EarnIn assesses finance charge in excess of that permitted by Colorado law, that EarnIn failed to make legally required disclosures to Colorado borrowers, that EarnIn made supervised loans to consumers without obtaining the requisite license, that EarnIn violated the state’s Deferred Deposit Loan Act, that EarnIn engage in unfair and deceptive trade practices, and that EarnIn made false or misleading statements concerning price. The suit seeks a court order enjoining EarnIn from violating relevant Colorado laws, for EarnIn to refund amounts charged in excess of state law, fees, costs, and penalties, and other relief the court deems to be just. Fintech Business Weekly is made possible by the generous support of paying subscribers — bringing you independent analysis of banking, fintech, and crypto without fear or favor. You can support my work by becoming a paying subscriber if you aren’t already. Paying subscribers enjoy: access to the entire archive of nearly six years of newsletters extended versions of the weekly newsletter, with additional content and analysis and (for founding member tier) quarterly personal 1:1 fintech Q&A / strategy calls with me, tapping into my unparalleled knowledge of the intersection of banking and fintech and experience working in the sector, including helping to launch Goldman Sachs’ retail bank Marcus Support Fintech Business Weekly You can also support Fintech Business Weekly by sponsoring a newsletter or podcast, putting you in front of 93,000+ of the most influential decision makers in banking, fintech, and crypto. Learn more about sponsor opportunities or request a media kit by dropping me an email. Q2 Quarterly Banking Profile: Five Quick Takeaways The FDIC released its quarterly banking profile, which is always worth a read, for the second quarter. The profile provides an aggregate snapshot about the overall health of the 4,238 institutions whose deposits are insured by the FDIC, who, collectively, hold more than $26 trillion in assets and saw a total net income of more than $90 billion in the second quarter. Net income was up 12% vs. Q1 2026, with lower provisions and realized gains on securities helping to drive the improvement, somewhat offset by increases in non-interest expense and applicable income taxes. Overall net interest margin was basically flat quarter over quarter (up 1 basis point vs. Q1 2026), though community banks saw NIM grow by 10 basis points, to 3.81%. Unsurprisingly, given that interest rates haven’t changed, unrealized losses on securities changed little, edging up slightly to $326.7 billion vs. $325.1 billion in Q1 2026. Aggregate credit quality has remained benign, with asset quality actually improving slightly in Q2. Overall, institutions reported a 9 basis point decline in their past-due and non-accrual rate, to 1.44%. Net charge off rate also declined by 2 basis points, to 0.57%. And finally, the FDIC’s deposit insurance fund stands at $161.1 billion, making the DIF reserve ratio 1.48% — above the statutory minimum of 1.35%, but still below the designated target reserve ratio of 2%. [Paid Subscriber Exclusive] Nissan Withdraws ILC App, State Associations Plan BankChain Alliance, FDIC Defines “Unsafe or Unsound Practice” For First Time Automaker Nissan withdrew its application to charter a Utah industrial loan company and its corresponding application to the FDIC for deposit insurance last week, on August 19th. Nissan’s application had been outstanding for more than a year, as it originally applied in June 2025. Recent applications to the OCC to form national banks have been decisioned, one way or the other, substantially more quickly than has historically been the case.
Xbox’s new disc-to-digital program gives physical games a digital future
Most" Xbox One and Series games are compatible; discs will still work after being claimed.
A Season of Change for Public Health Accreditor
The Council on Education for Public Health is changing language in its standards on racial disparity, prompting criticism from scholars. It also walked away from federal recognition.
Analysis | Darline Graham’s ‘oops’ moment and the pitfalls of acknowledging ignorance
Like the senator from South Carolina, candidates have admitted to not knowing things before. Doing so rarely ends well for them.
Crews battle late-night fire at Gravity Smokehouse
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Accrediting body considers changes to racism curriculum standards for public health schools
The accrediting group for schools of public health is weighing the removal of language that specifically requires programs to teach about structural bias and racism.
Blue Shield of California Renews NCQA Health Plan Accreditation, Advancing Commitment to Quality
"NCQA accreditation is a widely recognized benchmark of healthcare quality,"
Saturday Sports: Tim McCreadie inducted to Hall of Fame and more
Here’s a recap of your North Country sports this Saturday.
‘From A to Z’: How the LSBDC is beating the odds for local startups
The Louisiana Small Business Development Center is the state’s largest, federally and state-funded resource for entrepreneurs, providing no-cost, confidential business consulting and specialized training. Nationally accredited and operating through nine […]
UT Austin Launches 5-Year Engineering-Business Degree With McCombs B-School
UT Austin’s new five-year Cockrell-McCombs honors program lets students earn an engineering bachelor’s and specialized business master’s degree.
Ranking the Titans’ 5 projected cornerbacks from best to worst
The Tennessee Titans totally revamped the cornerback room this offseason. They signed three unrestricted free agents to notable contracts. After trading Roger McCreary and Jarvis Brownlee last season, they cut L’Jarius Sneed earlier this summer. With a new-look cornerback room, we’ve ranked the Titans’ projected five cornerbacks from best to worst. Alontae Taylor The Titans […]
Boone Health earns accreditation for mastectomy services
Boone Health has earned accreditation from the American Board for Certification for its mastectomy program.
Northwestern earns CACREP accreditation for clinical mental health counseling
Northwestern College’s master’s program in clinical mental health counseling has received accreditation from the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), the premier nationally recognized accrediting organization for counseling education programs.
Former NCCU Director of Athletics Dr. Wicker McCree Named Women Leaders in Sports Nike Lifetime Achievement Honoree
Durham, N.C. - Former North Carolina Central Director of Athletics Dr. Ingrid Wicker McCree, who retired from NC Central after 30 years of service as a coach and administrator in 2021, was announced as a Nike Lifetime Achievement Award honoree by Women Leaders in Sports on Tuesday.
Fresno County Jail earns distinguished honor for health care standards
The Fresno County Jail has earned Full Accreditation from the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC), recognizing its medical, dental, and ment
Medi-Share Receives Annual Health Care Sharing Accreditation
This marks the fourth consecutive accreditation for Medi-Share MELBOURNE, FL / ACCESS Newswire / July 30, 2026 / Medi-Share, the nation's leading health care sharing ministry and the first ministry to be awarded accreditation from the Health Care ...
The Entertainment Community Fund Reveals 2026 Alex Dubé Scholarship Recipients
The Entertainment Community Fund has revealed the five recipients of the 2026 Alex Dubé Scholarship Program. These one-time awards of up to $10,000 per recipient are distributed annually to dancers enrolled in accredited graduate degree programs.
Toughest of tests awaits free-scoring Dundee
To say last season was a rollercoaster for Dundee is an understatement. The number of ups and downs would put fairground rides to shame. Once again he is having to preside over a significant squad turnaround with a host of key players, like Luke Graham, Tony Yogane, Cameron Congreve and Jon McCracken having departed.
Health100™ Earns Industry Accreditation for Consumer Data Privacy and Security
Health100™, a CVS Health company, earned CARIN Accreditation from DirectTrust, recognizing its commitment to secure, transparent access to personal health information.
World Cup goalkeeper Goodman joins Dundee from Palace on loan
Crystal Palace goalkeeper Owen Goodman has joined Dundee on a season-long loan on his return from the World Cup with Canada. Jon McCracken, last season's first choice, left Dundee for Bradford City this summer and Goodman has been brought in to challenge Kieran O'Hara for the number one jersey.
RWJBarnabas Health's Dr. Kelly Keefe Marcoux to be Inducted as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing
Kelly Keefe Marcoux, PhD, CPNP-AC, PPCNP-BC, CCRN, Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer at Children's Specialized Hospital, part of the Children's Health network at RWJBarnabas Health, has been selected to become a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (Academy).
Joint School of Public Health Earns National Accreditation
July 20, 2026, NORFOLK, Va. — The Joint School of Public Health at Old Dominion University and Norfolk State University has earned accreditation from the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).
Briar Cliff University Expands Business Programs, Introduces New Degrees and Curriculum Enhancements
Briar Cliff University is introducing new undergraduate and graduate academic programs, expanding interdisciplinary learning opportunities, restructuring its business department, and pursuing specialized business accreditation to better prepare students for evolving workforce needs.
Our PlayStation price analysis shows why physical games still matter
Used discs are often cheaper than even deep digital discounts.
The Wingman
Mark Kelly’s résumé and the goodwill he’s accrued as Gabby Giffords’s spouse have granted him a high level of admiration. Can it translate to excitement for a presidential campaign?
Kansas Health Science University Granted Accreditation by the WASC Senior College and University Commission, Meeting Rigorous Quality Assurance Standards
Wichita, Kan., July 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kansas Health Science University (KHSU) has been granted accreditation by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), a significant milestone in the school’s mission to produce forward-thinking, empathetic healthcare leaders. WSCUC is an institutional accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The agency’s outcomes-focused accreditation supports institutions in building and sustaining innovative educational programs
Say More: I’m heartbroken my in-laws have chosen guns over grandkid visits
Not taking the kids to visit their grandparents until they get a gun safe is the right call, but it doesn’t make it any less painful for the letter writer.
Uber Announces Acquisition Offer for Delivery Hero
Cash consideration of €41.50 per share offered to all Delivery Hero shareholders, representing an Equity Value of $14.8 billion, or $13.7 billion adjusted for Uber’s prior stake purchases The transaction is expected to be accretive to Non-GAAP EPS upon close; high-single-digit percentage accretion by year three Delivery Hero has separately agreed to sell part of its business covering 14 markets to SSW Partners Management Board and Supervisory Board of Delivery Hero unanimously welcome and support the Takeover Offer and intend to recommend Delivery Hero shareholders to tender into the offer, subject to their review of the Offer Document Prosus has irrevocably committed to tender their shares, which would bring Uber’s total economic interest to ~53% Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: UBER) has entered into a business combination agreement with Delivery Hero, extending the world’s largest mobility and delivery platform to a total of 99 markets, with combined pro-forma Gross Bookings of $236
CCIB names Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Ltd. as inaugural Indigenous Small Business of the Year Award recipient
TORONTO, ON, July 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canadian Council for Indigenous Business (CCIB) is proud to announce that Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Ltd. (CCR) is the inaugural recipient of the Indigenous Small Business of the Year Award, in recognition of its work creating economic opportunities through Indigenous-led forestry, wildfire rehabilitation and environmental stewardship. CCR is an Indigenous-owned forestry organization representing the communities of Tŝideldel, Tl’etinqox, and Y
Business Value of AI Is Spiking, Driven by Increased Adoption and Agentic Expectations, SAP Finds
A new SAP and Oxford Economics study shows businesses are increasingly driving value from AI, even as challenges continue to accrue.
UCA College of Business Global Accreditation Extended
The University of Central Arkansas College of Business has successfully achieved the extension of its business program accreditation by the
Savannah State University business school earns continued prestigious AACSB accreditation
Savannah State University's College of Business Administration has extended its prestigious AACSB accreditation, remaining the only public HBCU in Georgia with the globally recognized business distinction.
Grant McCray makes season debut as Bericoto placed on IL
This afternoon, the San Francisco Giants announced that they placed Victor Bericoto on the 10-day IL “with an oblique strain” and taking his spot on the roster is 25-year old Grant McCray, in the majors for the first time in 2026. McCray had surgery back in June to repair his left hamate bone and up […]
Watertown business expanding facility, plans to hire 10 more workers
A Watertown manufacturer is expanding its facility as production increases.
AACSB extends accreditation for La Salle University's School of Business
As the longest-serving global accrediting body for business schools, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation is an achievement held by only 6 percent of institutions offering business degrees worldwide.
Charlton College of Business maintains AACSB accreditation, placing UMass Dartmouth among the world’s top business schools
Reaccreditation recognizes Charlton’s commitment to academic quality, faculty excellence, student success, and regional economic impact
AMC Entertainment (AMC) Is Down 8.7% After Equity Raise To Retire 2027 Notes And Fund Upgrades
In late June 2026, AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. completed a registered direct equity offering of about US$200.03 million and moved to fully redeem US$125.47 million of its 6.125% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2027 at par plus accrued interest. The company plans to use the remaining proceeds to bolster cash reserves and fund growth-oriented upgrades across its theatres as early as this autumn. Next, we’ll explore how using fresh equity capital to retire higher-cost debt and invest in...
Cornerstone University Appoints National Nursing Leader Gay L. Landstrom to Lead Nursing Program
Cornerstone University appoints nationally recognized nursing leader Dr. Gay Landstrom to lead its CCNE-accredited nursing program.
NBA fans troll Victor Wembanyama after MVP chants in France
Victor Wembanyama is back in France after leading the San Antonio Spurs to the NBA Finals. While his team failed to win the championship, he still received a lot of love from his countrymen. The 7-foot-4 center entered a club…
Semi-communal 'compound houses' in Ghana affect how people participate in political activity
Could the precise architectural form of your residence influence how much you participate in politics? A new study by MIT scholars finds this to be exactly the case—at least in Accra, Ghana, where many ...
'Rangers close to re-signing McCrorie'
Rangers are closing in on a deal to bring 28-year-old versatile Scotland-capped defender Ross McCrorie back to Ibrox from Bristol City. Rangers Review) Rangers are preparing to submit a formal offer for 22-year-old Dundee centre-back Luke Graham in the coming weeks. Football Insider) Head coach Steven Pressley says Dundee have received "plenty of phone calls" about Luke Graham this summer, but there has been no firm offers for the centre-half who trained with the senior Scotland squad before the World Cup.
Brooklyn College Names New Dean for the Murray Koppelman School of Business
Shalei V. K. Simms, Ph.D., appointed to lead Brooklyn’s only AACSB-accredited business school.
Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity announces winners across the Entertainment and Craft Track Lions
Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity announces winners across the Entertainment and Craft Track Lions