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

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.

Delaware Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police arrest Harrington man for Unlawful Weapons Possession

DOVER (Nov. 19, 2019) – A DNREC Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police investigation ended on Nov. 17 with the arrest of a Harrington man for multiple charges of illegal possession of

firearms and ammunition.

Charles M. Bright Jr., 58, was charged with three total counts of possession, purchase, ownership, or control of a firearm or ammunition by a person prohibited. Bright was arraigned at Justice of the Peace Court 7 in Dover and released on his own recognizance, pending a future court appearance.

Upon completion of the investigation, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers approached the suspect while he was deer hunting and in possession of a .50-caliber CVA muzzleloader. In addition to the muzzleloader confiscated at the scene, a Ten Point crossbow, 20-gauge Remington shotgun, and numerous rounds of shotgun ammunition were seized from Bright’s residence.

Delaware law prohibits a person from owning or possessing any type of deadly weapon whose criminal history includes prior felony convictions; misdemeanor convictions associated with violent crimes, drug convictions, or mental conditions as defined under the law; or court-issued protection from abuse orders. Deadly weapons consist of all types of firearms, as well as ammunition and any type of bow to include compound, recurve, or crossbow.

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.

Fats, Oils, and Grease Go in the Trash

New Jersey American Water provides tips for proper disposal of

cooking grease to protect home plumbing and sewers

CAMDEN CITY, N.J. – NOV. 19, 2019 –

Next week, Thanksgiving will kick off the holiday season, bringing friends and loved ones together to celebrate, bond, and most of all eat. Many hours are spent cooking the perfect feast, but not much thought is given to cleaning it all up.

Gloucester City News blog files

Along with turkey, gravy, and all the trimmings comes fats, oils, and grease that should not be poured down the drain.

When washed down the drain, grease and oil can adhere to the insides of the pipes causing clogs that lead to sewer overflows and in the worst cases, sewer backups for homeowners. Neither dishwashing detergents nor garbage disposals have the ability to properly break down these materials, which build up over time.

“Fats, oils, and grease are typically liquid when warm but solidify at cooler temperatures,” explains Manoj Patel, Senior Production Manager, Statewide Sewer Operations at New Jersey American Water. “This allows them to pass through your drain in the sink, but once they get to the lower parts of the house drain and cool they turn into a thick sludge that sticks to the pipe interior. Overtime, this causes problems such as sewer blockages and overflows that pose potential health and environmental hazards. We encourage our customers to follow these tips to prevent wastewater blockages.”

New Jersey American Water provides the following tips for handling fats, oils, and grease to ensure clear pipes and sewer system lines:

Never pour grease down sink drains or into toilets.

Pour fats, oils, and grease into an empty jar or coffee can.

Allow the grease to cool and solidify before throwing the container in the trash.

Install baskets or strainers in sink drains to catch food scraps.

Scrape food scraps and grease from plates, pots, and utensils into the trash before washing.

For more information regarding

wastewater tips

and

treatment

, view the infographics on New Jersey American Water’s website.

About New Jersey American Water

New Jersey American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 2.7 million people. For more information, visit

www.newjerseyamwater.com

and follow New Jersey American Water on

Twitter

and

Facebook

About American Water

With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 7,100 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to more than 14 million people in 46 states. American Water provides safe, clean, affordable and reliable water services to our customers to make sure we keep their lives flowing. For more information, visit

amwater.com

and follow American Water on

Twitter

Facebook

and

Juniors defeat Seniors in Powder Puff 8-6

On a chilly night under the Wednesday Night Lights the Junior Class of 2021 defeated the upper Senior Class of 2020, 8-6 in a fierce battle by the two classes.

Senior Qb Chole Bennett handed sprinter Meghan Ferry the ball for a 22 yard touchdown giving the Seniors an early 6-0 lead after the failed point after attempt.

Juniors would not be denied as the athletic combo of Crystal Johnson and Gracie Fenton ran behind the blocking of Emily Keith to take the lead. Johnson plunged 2 yards to tie the game at 6 – 6 before Qb Fenton sprinted around the left side for the 2 point conversion and the 8 – 6 win

Halftime entertainment was provided by the Junior Class ALL MALE cheerleading squad

Photos courtesy of Bruce Darrow

More Photos at https://darrowphotos.com/

Junior Qb Gracie Fenton winning conversation

Juniors Celebrate Crystal Johnson (center) Touchdown

Junior Class Cheerleading Squad

Senior Meghan Ferry TD Run

Seniors Celebrate Touchdown

Jefferson Health Hosts 10th Annual ‘Tree of Lights Remembrance Celebration

Sewell, NJ (November 20, 2019)

– Staff and community members gathered at the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center – Washington Township as Jefferson Health New Jersey hosted its 10

annual “Tree of Lights” remembrance celebration.

Attendees celebrated the lives of loved ones who are battling, or have battled, cancer by symbolically placing an ornament on the tree. The popular holiday event benefits the Cancer Center’s Patient Assistance Fund.

The tree lighting ceremony followed remarks by

Jeffrey A. Dubnow

, Associate VP of Development, Jefferson Health Foundation – New Jersey;

Dr. Ana

María

López,

Medical Director of Medical Oncology & Infusion Suite and Chief of Cancer Services; and Radiation Oncologist

Dr. William Ross Green

Pictured:

Shelley Fralinger

, Chief Radiation Therapist at SKCC-WT, placing an ornament on the “Tree of Lights.”

CNBNews Hunting/Fishing NJ: Youth Deer Hunt Saturday

Antler Point & Antlerless Deer First Requirements Do NOT Apply

This Saturday, Nov. 23, is the

Youth Firearm Deer Hunt

giving youth hunters an opportunity to harvest a deer prior to the opening of the regular firearm deer seasons. Those with a

Youth Firearm Hunting License

may hunt with a shotgun or muzzleloader (Rifle Permit required) under the direct supervision of a person at least 21 years old with a valid NJ firearm license.

Youth Deer Hunt Information

Youth License Information

Take a Kid Hunting Program

Know Your Hunting Location

(DMZ, DMU)

Reporting a Deer Harvest

Deer Harvest Report Card

(pdf)

The Division wishes all youths a safe and successful hunt!

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

###

Report Shows How Google Promoted Amazon Over Over Smaller Competitors

Chris White |

The Daily Caller

Google makes algorithmic changes to help larger corporations over smaller ones and the mega search engine boosted Amazon and Facebook, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday, citing inside sources.

The company made algorithmic changes to its search results that favored fellow big tech giants,

according

to the report, which relied on an analysis of the company’s system and interviews with sources. Google believes customers prefer products from larger outlets, the report notes.

The move to tilt algorithms toward monster corporations, which was a hotly discussed decision inside the company, boosted Amazon’s products, even if such items were discontinued, the report notes, citing sources.

Google pushed back on TheWSJ’s representation of its algorithms. “It’s inaccurate to suggest we did not address issues like discontinued products appearing high up in results,” Lara Levin, the spokeswoman, told reporters.

Google also takes measures to help Silicon Valley giants Facebook and Amazon appear more often in search results, one source told TheWSJ.

“There’s this idea that the search algorithm is all neutral and goes out and combs the web and comes back and shows what it found, and that’s total BS,” the former executive said. “Google deals with special cases all the time.”

Levin addressed that issue, too.

“We prioritize issues based on impact, not any commercial relationships,” she said, noting that the search team does not seek to provide specialized guidance to website owners. Faster indexing of a site does not guarantee more results, Levin added.

TheWSJ report also highlighted several examples where Google shut off a company’s lifeline. Online marketer eBay, for instance saw a $200 million hit on its revenue in 2014 after Google lowered the ranking of several of eBay pages that provided traffic to eBay.

Executives decided to pressure Google, with employees meeting with search engineers, the report notes.

Google agreed to improve rankings as eBay worked to make its pages more “useful and relevant,” sources told TheWSJ. The corrections did not prevent Google from later levelling more demotions on eBay, the report notes.

TheWSJ report dovetails with an exclusive the Daily Caller

broke in April

in which documents showed Google employed two official policies called the “misrepresentation policy” and the “good neighbor policy” that informed the company’s “XPA news blacklist.”

“The deceptive_news domain blacklist is going to be used by many search features to filter problematic sites that violate the good neighbor and misrepresentation policies,” the policy document states, according to the TheDC’s report.

WSJ’s Friday report will not tamp down calls from Democrats and Republicans to investigate Google.

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, for instance, released a plan in March to

impose

new rules on tech companies with $25 billion or more in annual ad revenue, forcing Amazon and Google to dramatically reduce their hold on online commerce. She

announced

her bid to run

against

President Donald Trump in February.

Trump is also a critic of Google and other tech companies. He

laid

into CEO Sundar Pichai in August after a company insider claimed at the time that the tech giant is preparing to foil the president’s reelection bid.

Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact

licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

published here with permission

The Daily Caller