Philadelphia Union Acquire Up To $750,000 In Allocation Money From Colorado Rapids

CHESTER, Pa. (Nov. 20, 2019)

– Philadelphia Union announced today that they have acquired up

Union trade defender Auston Trusty to Rapids in exchange for $600,000 of guaranteed Allocation Money; Club can receive an extra $150,000 in additional Allocation Money pending incentives

to $750,000 in Allocation Money from the Colorado Rapids in exchange for defender Auston Trusty in one of the largest transactions in Union history. In 2020, the Union will receive $300,000 in Targeted Allocation Money and in 2021, $300,000 in General Allocation Money.

Additionally, the Union will receive an additional $150,000 in General Allocation Money if Trusty meets certain performance metrics. Furthermore, the Union will receive 30% of the transfer fee if Trusty is sold outside of the league on or before Dec. 31, 2021 and 25% on or after Jan. 1, 2022. The percentage would only apply to any amount of total allocation money received over what the Rapids paid the Union for Trusty, not the total transaction fee.

MORE: Big fee, depth key to Auston Trusty deal

“On behalf of the organization, we want to thank Auston for his hard-work and contributions to the team,” said Ernst Tanner, Union Sporting Director. “Auston has been an integral part of our defensive line since signing with the club in 2016 and his efforts helped lead the team to consecutive playoff appearances. With the depth of our defensive roster, we believe this is the best move for both the club and Auston. As one of our homegrown signings, we are proud of his accomplishments and wish him the best of luck in Colorado.”

Trusty was signed by the Union as a Homegrown Player in August 2016. He played three seasons for the club, making 56 appearances for the team and earning a career total of two goals and one assist. During the 2018 season, he was the only player on the Union to play every minute of every regular-season match, setting a new league record for the youngest field player to do so over a 34-game regular season.

TRANSACTION:

Philadelphia Union acquire up to $750,000 in Allocation Money from the Colorado Rapids in exchange for defender Auston Trusty on November 20, 2019.

\’An act of faith and kindness\’: How Buddy Checks make a difference

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<article aria-label=\”\’An act of faith and kindness\’: How Buddy Checks make a difference\” class=\”post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry node node-web-content node-promoted\” id=\”node-247693\”>
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<img alt=\”\’An act of faith and kindness\’: How Buddy Checks make a difference\” class=\”attachment-post-thumbnail\” height=\”300\” src=\”https://www.legion.org/sites/legion.org/files/styles/scalecrop800x479/public/Post%2018%20Buddy%20Check.jpg?itok=4l5IaQAB\” style=\”display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\” typeof=\”foaf:Image\” width=\”501\”/>
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(Photo by Steven B. Brooks)
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<strong>
<a href=\”https://www.legion.org/\”>
T
<span style=\”font-family: verdana, geneva;\”>
he American Legion
</span>
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</strong>
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<span class=\”post-meta-info posted-on gray-icon\” style=\”font-family: verdana, geneva;\”>
<time class=\”entry-date published\” datetime=\”2019-11-20 14:00:00\”>
NOV 20, 2019
</time>
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<div class=\”addthis_inline_share_toolbox\” data-description=\”Legionnaires reach out to fellow veterans around Veterans Day, create programs to ensure effort is ongoing. \” data-media=\”https://www.legion.org/sites/legion.org/files/styles/scalecrop800x479/public/Post%2018%20Buddy%20Check.jpg?itok=4l5IaQAB\” data-title=\”\’An act of faith and kindness\’: How Buddy Checks make a difference\” data-url=\”https://www.legion.org/membership/247693/act-faith-and-kindness-how-buddy-checks-make-difference\”>
<div aria-labelledby=\”at-1b87d9b8-c12c-4aee-b8fb-60ce046f99eb\” class=\”at-resp-share-element at-style-responsive addthis-smartlayers addthis-animated at4-show\” id=\”atstbx\” role=\”region\”>
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<span class=\”char char_$ID/[No_character_style]\” style=\”font-family: verdana, geneva;\”>
Prior to Veterans Day, American Legion National Commander Bill Oxford
<a href=\”https://www.legion.org/commander/247461/time-check-our-battle-buddies\” target=\”_self\”>
called on Legionnaires
</a>
to follow up on the inaugural Buddy Checks to fellow veterans that debuted last March and received National Executive Committee support the following spring.
</span>
</p>
<p class=\”para para_body\”>
<span class=\”char char_$ID/[No_character_style]\” style=\”font-family: verdana, geneva;\”>
During the 2019 Spring Meetings, the NEC passed Resolution 18, which calls for the twice-annual Buddy Checks to be conducted Legion-wide on the weeks of The American Legion’s birthday and Veterans Day.
</span>
</p>
<p class=\”para para_body\”>
<span class=\”char char_$ID/[No_character_style]\” style=\”font-family: verdana, geneva;\”>
American Legion posts again stepped up. In Weehawken, N.J., members of Post 18
<a href=\”https://www.legion.org/veteransday/247626/just-right-thing-do\” target=\”_self\”>
took to the streets
</a>
to connect with members of the post who haven’t been active in recent years, including one 91-year-old World War II widower.
</span>
</p>
<p class=\”para para_body\”>
<span class=\”char char_$ID/[No_character_style]\” style=\”font-family: verdana, geneva;\”>
“That’s what (non-commissioned officers) do in the service. You’re supposed to check up on your troops,” Post 18 Commander Chris Page said. “We’re charged … with the health and welfare of our troops. What we like to do is check up on our members and make sure they’re OK. We also check in on their families as well. It goes back to helping out with the community.”
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</p>
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<span class=\”char char_$ID/[No_character_style]\” style=\”font-family: verdana, geneva;\”>
And in Fort Gibson, Okla., members of Frank Gladd Post 20 were conducting Buddy Checks and came into contact with an 87-year-old Korean War veteran who hadn’t paid his membership dues in two years. Past Post and District Commander Jim Quinn said the veteran told the post he could no longer make it to post meetings and that his membership in the Legion was no longer important to anyone.
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<span class=\”char char_$ID/[No_character_style]\” style=\”font-family: verdana, geneva;\”>
“I was dispatched to the veteran\’s house with his membership card,” Quinn said. “When I arrived at the veteran’s house, he invited me in and we had about a half-hour conversation about the current weather and our time in service. I asked him about his welfare and if there was anything we at the post could do for him. He replied that he was fine but he had trouble driving.”
</span>
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<p class=\”para para_body\”>
<span class=\”char char_$ID/[No_character_style]\” style=\”font-family: verdana, geneva;\”>
Quinn left the veteran’s membership card with him and “told him if he needed any help with going places to call the post and we would arrange to take him where he needed to go. He told me he was not in that bad of shape but if he needed help he would call.”
</span>
</p>
<p class=\”para para_body\”>
<span class=\”char char_$ID/[No_character_style]\” style=\”font-family: verdana, geneva;\”>
The post processed the veteran’s membership with “Pay It Forward” funds. Two weeks later the veteran called the post and requested Quinn return to his house. “When I arrived he presented me with a check for his 2019 and 2020 dues,” Quinn said. “The moral of this story is cast your bread upon the waters, and it will be returned to you tenfold. An act of faith and kindness shown to this veteran convinced him that his post stands for the ideals of The American Legion and not just to collect dues.”
</span>
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<p class=\”para para_body\”>
<span class=\”char char_$ID/[No_character_style]\” style=\”font-family: verdana, geneva;\”>
The following are a few more examples of what posts did on Veterans Day or have developed as programs to follow the Buddy Check philosophy.
</span>
</p>
<p class=\”para para_body\”>
<span class=\”char char_$ID/[No_character_style]\” style=\”font-family: verdana, geneva;\”>
• In St. James, N.C., American Legion Post 543 had a busy Veterans Day weekend that included distributing poppies that Saturday, and taking part in a parade and a Veterans Day picnic. A Buddy Check also was performed on Veterans Day, when the post’s honor guard and officers visited the Carillion Assisted Living where – after the colors were presented and the national anthem played – veteran residents were given a challenge coin from the Post 543 Commander George Freeman, and widows of veterans were given U.S. flags representing their loved ones’ service. Post 543 Service Officer Steve Muir said the post also has 70 active programs that regularly reach out to veterans in need in the community. “I must say that what Post 543 does in the Brunswick County, North Carolina community goes way beyond Buddy Checks,” said Muir.
</span>
</p>
<p class=\”para para_body\”>
<span class=\”char char_$ID/[No_character_style]\” style=\”font-family: verdana, geneva;\”>
• In Blue Ash, Ohio, American Legion Post 630 has initiated a “Never Alone” program. Coordinating with the Cincinnati VA Medical Center, the post receives notice whenever a veteran with no known family passes away. The post ensures there are veterans graveside to give their fellow veteran the proper farewell. The program was the idea of Post 630 member Pat Buschman.
</span>
</p>
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\’An act of faith and kindness\’: How Buddy Checks make a difference

(Photo by Steven B. Brooks)

he American Legion

NOV 20, 2019

Prior to Veterans Day, American Legion National Commander Bill Oxford

called on Legionnaires

to follow up on the inaugural Buddy Checks to fellow veterans that debuted last March and received National Executive Committee support the following spring.

During the 2019 Spring Meetings, the NEC passed Resolution 18, which calls for the twice-annual Buddy Checks to be conducted Legion-wide on the weeks of The American Legion’s birthday and Veterans Day.

American Legion posts again stepped up. In Weehawken, N.J., members of Post 18

took to the streets

to connect with members of the post who haven’t been active in recent years, including one 91-year-old World War II widower.

“That’s what (non-commissioned officers) do in the service. You’re supposed to check up on your troops,” Post 18 Commander Chris Page said. “We’re charged … with the health and welfare of our troops. What we like to do is check up on our members and make sure they’re OK. We also check in on their families as well. It goes back to helping out with the community.”

And in Fort Gibson, Okla., members of Frank Gladd Post 20 were conducting Buddy Checks and came into contact with an 87-year-old Korean War veteran who hadn’t paid his membership dues in two years. Past Post and District Commander Jim Quinn said the veteran told the post he could no longer make it to post meetings and that his membership in the Legion was no longer important to anyone.

“I was dispatched to the veteran\’s house with his membership card,” Quinn said. “When I arrived at the veteran’s house, he invited me in and we had about a half-hour conversation about the current weather and our time in service. I asked him about his welfare and if there was anything we at the post could do for him. He replied that he was fine but he had trouble driving.”

Quinn left the veteran’s membership card with him and “told him if he needed any help with going places to call the post and we would arrange to take him where he needed to go. He told me he was not in that bad of shape but if he needed help he would call.”

The post processed the veteran’s membership with “Pay It Forward” funds. Two weeks later the veteran called the post and requested Quinn return to his house. “When I arrived he presented me with a check for his 2019 and 2020 dues,” Quinn said. “The moral of this story is cast your bread upon the waters, and it will be returned to you tenfold. An act of faith and kindness shown to this veteran convinced him that his post stands for the ideals of The American Legion and not just to collect dues.”

The following are a few more examples of what posts did on Veterans Day or have developed as programs to follow the Buddy Check philosophy.

• In St. James, N.C., American Legion Post 543 had a busy Veterans Day weekend that included distributing poppies that Saturday, and taking part in a parade and a Veterans Day picnic. A Buddy Check also was performed on Veterans Day, when the post’s honor guard and officers visited the Carillion Assisted Living where – after the colors were presented and the national anthem played – veteran residents were given a challenge coin from the Post 543 Commander George Freeman, and widows of veterans were given U.S. flags representing their loved ones’ service. Post 543 Service Officer Steve Muir said the post also has 70 active programs that regularly reach out to veterans in need in the community. “I must say that what Post 543 does in the Brunswick County, North Carolina community goes way beyond Buddy Checks,” said Muir.

• In Blue Ash, Ohio, American Legion Post 630 has initiated a “Never Alone” program. Coordinating with the Cincinnati VA Medical Center, the post receives notice whenever a veteran with no known family passes away. The post ensures there are veterans graveside to give their fellow veteran the proper farewell. The program was the idea of Post 630 member Pat Buschman.

Camden County Prosecutor Concludes Use of Force by Police was Accidental in Camden City Shooting

CAMDEN CITY, NJ (Nov. 21, 2019)–The Camden County Prosecutor’s Office (“CCPO”) has completed its investigation into the use of force by an Investigator of the Camden

County Sheriff’s Department and has concluded that the use of force was accidental and not criminal. The CCPO determined that it is not necessary to present this matter to the Grand Jury because there were no material facts in dispute regarding the lawfulness of the use of force. The investigation was conducted in accordance with the Attorney General’s Independent Prosecutor Directive (July 28, 2015, Supplemental Law Enforcement Directive Regarding Uniform Statewide Procedures and Best Practices for Conducting Police Use of Force Investigations) (“Directive”). Pursuant to the Directive, the Attorney General’s Office conducted an independent review of the use of force and agreed with the CCPO’s determination that there were no material facts in dispute and that the actions of the Investigator in this case that led to the accidental discharge were justified. The Attorney General’s Office concurred with the CCPO’s conclusion to forego presentation of this matter to the Grand Jury.

The incident occurred on August 22, 2018, within a residence located on 2

Street, in the City of Camden. The Investigator accidentally discharged his department-issued handgun, while clearing a residence during the execution of a narcotics, no-knock, search warrant, resulting in a graze wound to the arm of a seventeen-year-old male. Upon entering the basement apartment, the Investigator encountered a male resident in the hallway. That resident refused to comply with the Investigator’s commands to get onto the ground and to stop moving toward the investigator and his team behind him. As a result, the Investigator unholstered his weapon to use the flashlight attached to the frame of his weapon, directly in front of the trigger guard. As the Investigator tried to flick the flashlight and momentarily distract the resident, he accidentally hit the trigger instead. The resident was not injured. However, his seventeen-year-old friend was behind him in the hallway, and his arm was grazed.

Personnel from the CCPO responded and conducted an investigation. Statements were taken from the Investigator, the resident, and the other officers present. During the course of the investigation, the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office complied with all portions of the Attorney General’s Law Enforcement Directive regarding uniform statewide procedures and best practices for conducting police use-of-force investigations. The investigation revealed that the discharge was accidental and that the Investigator’s actions were not criminal. Accordingly, no criminal charges are being filed against the Investigator with regard to this incident.

Following the investigation, the CCPO charged the resident with multiple counts of Possession of a Weapon, Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance, Distribution/Intent to Distribute a Controlled Dangerous Substance and Distribution/Intent to Distribute a Controlled Dangerous Substance within 500 feet of a Park.

All persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

The undisputed facts indicate the Investigator’s conduct was justifiable under the law, and taking all of the facts into account, all of the evidence supports the conclusion that the discharge was accidental. Accordingly, our investigation and review of all information failed to disclose sufficient evidence to prove an allegation of criminal conduct against the Investigator. This statement was prepared and disseminated to the public in accordance with §8 of the Directive.

Released Thursday, November 21, 2019

Ohio State Program Helps Pet Owners Cope During Grief Process

Newswise — COLUMBUS, Ohio – Making end-of-life decisions for your pet or coping with the loss of an animal is something that no pet owner wants to think about. A program at

The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center

recognizes the importance of human-animal bonds and

provides grief support for pet owners facing tough decisions for their animal.

“Grief is a very real and life-impacting feeling – whether that loss of a loved one is a human or animal,” said Joelle Nielsen, a licensed social worker and Honoring the Bond program coordinator at Ohio State Veterinary Medical Center. “We believe every veterinary medical center should have a social worker available to support pet owners navigating this loss.”

The

Honoring the Bond

program at Ohio State Veterinary Medical Center is one of only about 30 programs in the U.S. that provides a full time social worker to support pet owners faced with the loss of their beloved pet.

“If you go to a human hospital, you’re guaranteed to have the support of either a social worker or a chaplain. That’s rare in a veterinary hospital setting,” Nielsen said.

Credit: The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Sally Malaret made a scrapbook to remember her dog, Max. Talking to a veterinary social worker after Max passed away helped Sally cope with the loss and open her heart to her new dog, Fiona.

Ohio State’s Veterinary Medical Center treats more than 40,000 pets each year with a variety of specialty services ranging from emergency medicine to oncology. Nielsen works as a liaison between the veterinary team and the client to help sort through confusing medical terminology, offer support for those coming in on an unexpected emergency basis, assist with processing difficult end-of-life decisions, facilitate family discussions with children and provide assessment and referral for additional resources.

Nielsen acknowledges that – as with any type of grief – the process is different for everyone and stresses that one of the most important things she does with pet owners is to normalize their experience. “It’s common for people to face conflicting feelings generated from a societal stigma surrounding grieving the loss of an animal,” said Nielsen. “I want people to know that it’s completely normal to grieve the loss of their pet.” Nielsen suggests the following to help people through the loss of a beloved pet:

Try not to compare your experience to others.

We all grieve differently.

Remember there is no standard timeline for the grief process.

The goal is to begin to feel better as the days go by but there may be ups and downs.

Find an outlet for your emotions.

If talking about your feelings is difficult, you can also memorialize your pet by making a scrapbook, creating a memory box or journaling.

Find a pet loss support group

, book, website or therapist who specializes in pet loss for ongoing support.

If the sadness doesn’t ease with time,

don’t be afraid to seek help from a professional counselor.

Nielsen developed and coordinates the Hospital-Based Veterinary Social Work Group, which provides support and collaborative opportunities for the small niche of social workers employed by veterinary medical centers across the U.S. and Canada.

“We hope this group can serve as a model for veterinary medical centers and ultimately expand support services to more pet owners,” Nielsen said.

To learn more about the Honoring the Bond Program, visit

vet.osu.edu/honoringthebond

###

PASBDC Business Owners Optimistic about 2020 Economy

KUTZTOWN, PA (11/20/2019) The annual Pennsylvania Small Business Development Center (PASBDC) Entrepreneur Economic survey results are in and it looks like small-business owners across the Commonwealth are optimistic for the coming year.

As of the date of this release, 660 small-business owners out of more than 9,000 clients served by the PASBDC over the past three years responded to the PASBDC annual survey. The aggregate results indicate that 25% expect the economy in 2020 to get better and 40% expect it to be the same. Small-business owners are even more positive about their own firm\’s growth with more than 65% expecting their revenue to increase and 60% expect profitability to improve.

When it comes to their intentions to hire more workers, the results indicate that 37% expect to hire additional staff with hiring happening either primarily in the second quarter of 2020, or steadily throughout the year. Please see the charts in the link below for more details:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/stories/SM-3MJ9WXR7/

The PASBDC network of 16 centers and more than 90 outreach offices serves pre-venture and established business owners throughout the Commonwealth with no cost, confidential professional consulting services. These consulting services include help with strategic planning, market or sales strategies, financial analysis and loan packaging, export marketing reports, cybersecurity, government procurement and certifications. This past year, more than 7,000 small-business owners sought help from their local SBDC as a proactive step toward working on their business to either start or to grow their business.

With such a positive 2020 economic outlook from existing clients and increasing request from growth entrepreneurs for strategic planning, the PASBDC projects the demand for consulting services to remain very high. Professional full-time consultants at 16 premier Pennsylvania higher education institutions deliver world class consulting help to early stage and growth entrepreneurs. Unlike many other programs, PASBDC consultants can work with any for-profit entrepreneur in the Commonwealth that meets the SBA definition of a small business (typically less than 500 employees). To be able to meet these entrepreneurs\’ increasing needs, the PASBDC is seeking additional funding of $2 million from the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) to support the 3E (Empowering Entrepreneurs through Engagement) program for growing the Commonwealth\’s entrepreneurial economy. The 3E program leverages the PASBDC\’s unique placement and affiliation with Pennsylvania higher education and its federal partner, the Small Business Administration.

\”By engaging our existing entrepreneurs, our alumni and our student entrepreneurs, we will expand Pennsylvania\’s position as an excellent state in which to start and grow a business,\” said PASBDC State Director Ernie Post.

Empowering Entrepreneurial Skill Trades Sector Growth

First, PASBDC will use a portion of the DCED 3E investment to apply for other federal grants such as POWER and EDA. The DCED investment will enhance entrepreneurial engagement with skilled trades workers such as electricians, plumbers, welders, carpenters, masonry and HVAC to increase new business startups within the trade skill workforce. Leveraging existing institutional relationships with community colleges, trade schools and apprenticeship programs will help fuel the launch of new business startups within the skilled trades sector.

Empowering Student Entrepreneur\’s

Building on this program, PASBDC will work with more than 7,000 existing entrepreneurs to offer growth assessments, strategies and tactics to help them remain on a growth trajectory. Leveraging PASBDC\’s place at universities, internship programs will connect students with small growing businesses that desperately need an educated workforce for continued growth.

Using the highly-successful University of Scranton SBDC internship program as a model, the PASBDC will replicate this model in every region of the Commonwealth. This will achieve several economic development objectives including linking college students with existing entrepreneurs, providing experiential learning for students that will lead to them considering entrepreneurship as a career pathway and helping existing entrepreneurs with their current workforce need for continued growth. PASBDC\’s host institutions recruit a considerable number of students to come to Pennsylvania for their education. This program will help students consider staying in Pennsylvania after graduation for job opportunities or to launch a small business.

Engaging Alumni

The 16 universities in the PASBDC network graduate more than 25,000 students each year. This presents an opportunity to launch an alumni event campaign promoting the benefits and resources available in Pennsylvania to help them start a business or to purchase an existing business. This will help to create potential buyers of Pennsylvania existing businesses that having owners seeking to exit their businesses in the future. Pennsylvania has a high percentage of business owners over the age of 55. Their exit will cause a major disruption to the Commonwealth\’s economy if new business owners are not recruited and connected with aging entrepreneurs. The PASBDC is uniquely positioned to run alumni campaigns to recruit potential business buyers. As part of this campaign, the PASBDC will create a webpage that is specifically designed to allow potential business buyers to connect with businesses that are available for sale in the Commonwealth. To help facilitate the successful transition of the Commonwealth\’s aging entrepreneurs, the PASBDC will develop a business valuation and succession planning programs to guide business sellers to a successful transition to a new owner.

Engaging the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

Finally, PASBDC\’s host institutions connect the network\’s centers with accelerators, incubators and makerspaces that have been launched across the Commonwealth. A portion of this $2 million DCED investment will be used to connect these accelerators, incubators and makerspaces with PASBDC technical assistance, business consulting and educational programs within these locations.

For more information about the funding request or the PASBDC, contact 1-877-4PA-SBDC.

About Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers (SBDC)

The Pennsylvania SBDC network is the only statewide, nationally accredited program that provides high quality one-on-one consulting, training and information resources to empower new and existing businesses. SBDC consultants work with entrepreneurs in confidential, individualized sessions to help them with a range of business issues including testing a new business proposition, shaping a business plan, investigating funding opportunities and much more. The SBDC program is a public/private partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and 16 universities and colleges across the Commonwealth. For more information on the Pennsylvania SBDC services and impact, please visit

www.pasbdc.org

About Kutztown University Small Business Development Center (SBDC)

The Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers (PASBDCs) work with small firms to help them compete and grow in today\’s highly competitive global economy. Combining the expertise of a professional staff with the resources of the state\’s best colleges and universities, the SBDCs provide high quality business management consulting, information, and educational programs that build small firms\’ capacities to compete in domestic and international markets. Funding support and resources for the Kutztown University SBDC program are provided by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania through the Department of Community and Economic Development, through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration, and through support from Kutztown University. All services are extended to the public on a non-discriminatory basis. All opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA. Special arrangements for persons with disabilities can be made. The KUSBDC is also funded under a cooperative agreement from the Defense Logistics Agency.

5 Key Upgrades For Your Business

A smart business owner will always be looking for upgrades to boost their brand. Things can change quickly in the business world, and being able to update and stay current is critical for staying ahead of the competition and satisfying your customers. Even a minor upgrade could have a big impact on the success of your brand, so it is always worth considering any kind of positive change, no matter how big or small. With this in mind, here are a few upgrades to consider, which could help your business and keep you ahead of the curve.

1.Chat

It needs to be easy for your target customer to get in touch with you so that they can get questions answered. If it is hard to contact your team and/or it takes too long to receive a response, then they will simply take their business elsewhere, which is why having a live chat function is so valuable and a simple upgrade that you can easily make.

2. Web Hosting Company

Upgrading your web hosting company to a reliable provider like Krystal is a simple yet highly effective move to make. Modern-day consumers will not wait around for pages to load, and you need to have a website that you can rely on; an experienced and trusted web hosting company is the best way to achieve this.

3. Technology

There is constantly new technology being developed, which means that it can be hard to stay current. Upgrading your tech that you use in the office can streamline the business operation, reduce workload for your staff, increase productivity, boost morale, and much more. New tech can be a huge expense, but you could always look to lease new technology, which also gives you the ability to upgrade again once the lease expires.

4. Marketing

Marketing is another area that is constantly changing and developing, so making a slight change to your strategy could be a fruitful upgrade. Marketing strategies like SEO and PPC remain hugely important, but you could look into another method to revamp your marketing strategy and attract new business. Influencer marketing is a good option to try and is a form of marketing that is on the rise.

5. Cybersecurity

Cybercrime is on the rise and is the biggest threat affecting businesses. It will only become a bigger problem in the coming years, which is why it is so important for businesses to be aware of these threats and to have high-quality cybersecurity in place. Upgrading to industry-leading antivirus software, VPN, and a firewall will be vital for protecting your business and customers and will provide peace of mind during what can be worrying times, especially when you hear of so many horror stories of businesses being affected by cybercrime.

These upgrades could help your business to grow and find greater success. You do not always have to make huge changes and formulate complex growth strategies to boost your business, as even a small upgrade could have a big impact on your business.

Musical Mean Girls Playing at the Kimmel Center

FEATURING PHILADELPHIA NATIVE,

MARY KATE MORRISSEY

(Philadelphia, PA, November 19, 2019) ––

Mean Girls

– the record-breaking new musical comedy produced by Lorne Michaels, Stuart Thompson, Sonia Friedman, and Paramount

Pictures based on the hit film – is now playing at the Kimmel Center Cultural Campus at the Academy of Music running through December 1. The

Mean Girls

First National Tour features Philadelphia native, Mary Kate Morrissey.

Mean Girls

features a book by nine-time Emmy Award winner Tina Fey, based on her screenplay for the film; music by three-time Emmy Award winner Jeff Richmond; and lyrics by two-time Tony Award nominee Nell Benjamin. Tony Award winner Casey Nicholaw directs and choreographs.

The tour cast features

Danielle Wade

as Cady Heron,

Mariah Rose Faith

as Regina George,

Megan Masako Haley

as Gretchen Wieners,

Jonalyn Saxer

as Karen Smith,

Mary Kate Morrissey

as Janis Sarkisian,

Eric Huffman

as Damian Hubbard,

Gaelen Gilliland

as Mrs. Heron/Ms. Norbury/Mrs. George,

Adante Carter

as Aaron Samuels,

Kabir Bery

as Kevin Gnapoor and

Lawrence E. Street

as Mr. Duvall.

The cast also includes

English Bernhardt

DeShawn Bowens

Will Branner

Morgan Bryant

Sarah Crane

Ixchel Cuellar

Mary Beth Donahoe

Niani Feelings

Sky Flaherty

Samuel Gerber

Fernell Hogan II

Asia Marie Kreitz

Olivia Renteria

Grace Romanello

Sydney Mei Ruf-Wong

Marcus Shane

Kaitlyn Louise

Smith

David Wright Jr.

and

Blake Zelesnikar

Mary Kate Morrissey who plays Janis Sarkisian in the

Mean Girls

tour, attended Bishop Shanahan High School in Downingtown, PA. She was a member of the Philadelphia All Catholic Chorus and most notably was a former Kimmel Center Programming intern. Her family has resided in South Philly and Upper Darby, now living primarily in Downingtown.

New York Magazine calls

Mean Girls

“HILARIOUS! A smart, splashy new musical that delivers with immense energy, a wicked sense of humor and joyful inside-jokery.”

Chicago Tribune

said “Tina Fey writes FUNNIER, SMARTER, SHARPER satire than anyone else in the business.”

People Magazine

calls the show “FRESH, FUN AND INFECTIOUS – Jeff Richmond and Nell Benjamin’s songs keep the laughs coming!”

The New York Daily News

said

Mean Girls

“TICKLES THE EARS, EYES AND FUNNY BONE – the direction by Casey Nicholaw packs style, invention and red bull-force energy.” And,

Entertainment Weekly

calls it “A MARVEL: DAZZLING & HILARIOUS!”

Mean Girls

opened on Broadway in April 2018 to rave reviews at the August Wilson Theatre, where it continues playing to packed houses. The show had its world premiere at the National Theatre in Washington D.C., in the fall of 2017.

Cady Heron may have grown up on an African savanna, but nothing prepared her for the wild and vicious ways of her strange new home: suburban Illinois. How will this naïve newbie rise to the top of the popularity pecking order? By taking on The Plastics, a trio of lionized frenemies led by the charming but ruthless Regina George. But when Cady devises a plan to end Regina’s reign, she learns the hard way that you can’t cross a Queen Bee without getting stung.

The creative team includes Scott Pask (Set Design), Gregg Barnes (Costume Design), Kenneth Posner (Lighting Design), Brian Ronan (Sound Design), Finn Ross & Adam Young (Video Design), Josh Marquette (Hair Design), Milagros Medina-Cerdeira (Make-Up Design), Mary-Mitchell Campbell (Music Director), John Clancy (Orchestrations), Glen Kelly (Dance and Incidental Music Arrangements), Mary-Mitchell Campbell, Jeff Richmond, and Natalie Tenenbaum (Vocal Arrangements), Howard Joines (Music Coordinator), and Telsey + Co / Bethany Knox, CSA (Casting).

Mean Girls (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

, produced by

Atlantic Records

, is now available.

This season, the Kimmel Center Cultural Campus is pairing its 2019-20 Broadway shows with charities, and

Mean Girls

’ charity partner is Susan G. Komen Philadelphia. Use code PINK and $1 from every

Mean Girls

tickets sold with the code will be donated to Susan G. Komen Philadelphia.

MEAN GIRLS

Kimmel Center Cultural Campus’ Academy of Music

Tuesday, November 19, 2019, 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, November 21, 2019, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, November 22, 2019, 8:00 p.m.

Saturday, November 23, 2019, 2:00 p.m.

Saturday, November 23, 2019, 8:00 p.m.

Sunday, November 24, 2019, 1:00 p.m.

Sunday, November 24, 2019, 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019, 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019, 1:00 p.m.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, November 29, 2019, 2:00 p.m.

Friday, November 29, 2019, 8:00 p.m.

Saturday, November 30, 2019, 2:00 p.m.

Saturday, November 30, 2019, 8:00 p.m.

Sunday, December 1, 2019, 1:00 p.m.

Recommended for ages 12 and older.

The listed age is a recommendation, but please use your own discretion when making a decision for your young-theatergoer. Ultimately, the recommended ages are guidelines. Only you will know how your child will respond to the live theater experience. Please consider the following factors when making your decision: the content in the show, age recommendations, the age and personal development of your child, and previous experiences. All patrons regardless of age require a ticket, including babes in arms.

Tickets

Tickets are on sale now and start at $20.00. Tickets can be purchased by calling (215) 893-1999, visiting

www.kimmelcenter.org

, or at the Kimmel Center Box Office. Group sales are available for groups of 10 or more and can be purchased by calling (215) 790-5883. More information at

www.kimmelcenter.org

Hacktivist Sentenced, Man Took Down Government Websites

For a few days in 2017, visitors to the websites for the city of Akron, Ohio, and its police department received error messages instead of the municipal webpages. A hacker had overwhelmed the sites with traffic.

City officials spent about four days in a game of whack-a-mole with the hacker, restoring the sites only to have them attacked again. In this type of attack, known as distributed denial of service (DDoS), bots or other computers overwhelm a single website with traffic until the site shuts down from lack of bandwidth. In addition to denying the public access to the websites, other city services were limited by the outage. After the initial four-day attack, hacking attempts directed at local and state government continued off and on for months.

The city quickly notified the FBI, which opened an investigation.

“When you have a persistent attacker going after a single site, the organizations have to spend a lot of time and effort handling it. There are also often effects on other systems besides the website,” said the special agent who investigated the case out of the FBI’s Cleveland Field Office.

This hacker was a “hacktivist” who liked to brag about his work, helping investigators quickly find him. James Robinson, then 32, posted screenshots of the sites he’d taken down and of the tools he had used. When questioned by investigators, Robinson admitted to these attacks and to several previous DDOS attacks on more prominent websites, such as the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, and the Department of the Treasury.

Robinson told investigators he had grudges against the city’s police department. He was also involved in a hacking group and participated in hacks directed by that group.

“He was very vocal about what he was doing. He wanted to bring attention to his opinions,” the agent said of the hacktivist.

With the availability of “stressor” sites online that will cheaply conduct a DDOS attack on your behalf, Robinson didn’t require any special technical skills to take down these sites. He was adept at using these tools.

“When you have a persistent attacker going after a single site, the organizations have to spend a lot of time and effort handling it.”

Special agent, FBI Cleveland

Robinson pleaded guilty to damaging protected computers and was sentenced in October to six years in prison.

The FBI case agent stressed the importance of organizations protecting their websites and other online infrastructure as much as possible. Quickly notifying authorities of an intrusion or attack is also critical.

“The Internet is based on trust, and it’s like a network of roads. When you’re driving, you trust other drivers will stop at stop signs. Occasionally, a driver doesn’t stop, and someone gets hurt,” the agent said. “When someone acts maliciously on the Internet, bad things happen, and there are real-world impacts. That’s why we have to pursue these types of cases.”

Resources

Akron Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Launching Denial of Service Attacks That Shut Down Websites for the City of Akron and the Akron Police Department

source Department of Justice