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Birds of Prey Way is your headquarters for fun after the World Cup races at Beaver Creek this weekend. The super-G will be held Saturday at 10:30 a.m. and the giant slalom races will be held on Sunday at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Before, during and after (there is a big screen in Beaver Creek Plaza in case you want to watch the races there) you can check out all the vendors who will be showing products, providing samples and tastings and giving plenty of things away. Dozens of vendors will be setting up shop to help you learn more about their products. Don’t miss giveaways from event partners including a GoPro camera from the stage each day. Stop by the Vail Valley Foundation booth to get signed up for the daily giveaways. Support the U.S. Ski Team by flying their colors and stopping by their booth filled with merchandise with proceeds going back to the team. “We have a lot of great sweatshirts, fleeces and different styles of hats and all sorts of great gifts for the whole family for the holiday season,” said Max Gradinger, marketing operations associate for the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team. If you want to see the hottest new collaboration, stop by the Aviator Nation booth, where the ’70s-inspired California lifestyle brand has teamed up with the Birds of Prey World Cup to offer cobranded merchandise designed by the founder of Aviator Nation, Paige Mycoskie. “Paige is very hands on with all the designs throughout the company, and whenever there is an event like this or a music festival that she is excited about, it’s really cool to see what she comes up with,” said John Thompson, national event production manager with Aviator Nation. “Paige and her fiancé are avid skiers, and they have ties to Beaver Creek.” The Birds of Prey collaboration features a retro skier with a ’70s vintage aesthetic can be found in the booth and you can purchase items on site. Want to wear what the World Cup champions like Marco Odermatt of Switzerland wears? Check out the base layers at the X-BIONIC booth. “The Accumulator base layer is a product of the Swiss Ski Team so Marco Odermatt and the rest of the racers are skiing in this and it has the 3D Bionic Sphere System so it actually has threads in it that traps your sweat and then slowly evaporates it, so it is just trying to keep your body at a regulated temperature of 98 degrees,” said Bruce Perry, who was here to represent X-BIONIC performance clothing and VAN DEER-Red Bull Sports skis. “VAN DEER is a world class race ski that Marcel Hirscher wanted everyone to ski and it’s now available to the public and if people want to test them out, we send them over to Gorsuch so they can get out on a pair,” Perry said. There’s also a new shoe from X-BIONIC at the booth. “X-BIONIC just launched their trail running shoe where your foot is actually in the shoe instead of on it. It wraps around your foot and there is just really cool technology supporting it,” Perry said. Want to fly the friendly skies? United Airlines is here with a fun experience at a 10-by-10-foot photo booth that offers photo opportunities with its green screen, lights, fans, heaters and sound effects that mimic a United Airlines jet taking off to give you the feeling of jetting off somewhere fun. “It’s really to showcase the fact that United Airlines flies to more ski destinations than any other airline. So, you get to pick on your photo overlay which ski town you want to go to next and that will be placed on your photo. Photos are sent to you digitally but if you give us your address on our iPad screen, we’ll send an actual postcard of your picture,” Mandy Heumann, of 160Over90 Agency, who is in Beaver Creek doing this first-ever activation of this type with the United Airlines photo booth. Speaking of photo ops, you have to stop by the gorgeous and cozy booth created by Josh Cellars. Here they will be featuring Hearth Cabernet Sauvignon which was created for at-home gatherings with family and friends and is meant to be sipped and savored, especially by a warm fire. Enjoy the flavors of dark fruits like plums, black cherries and blackberries in this jammy, full-bodied red wine. To keep yourself going, grab a caffeinated beverage from Celsius. Stop by the Celsius Chalet for a complimentary can of Celsius and you have six different flavors to choose from, including Vibes flavors, two original flavors and one that is not carbonated for those who don’t want the fizz and bubbles. You can also grab some handwarmers that will come in handy since you’ll want to stay outside for all the fun. Inside they will have heaters if you need to warm up and photo op locations inside and outside the chalet. At the Celsius booth on Saturday, U.S. Men’s Ski Team member and valley local River Radamus will be doing an autograph signing at 4 p.m. Does fringe make you fast? That’s what the gals at Hoohah say. Anna Tedstrom grew up in the valley and is the creative mind behind this brand that brings cute and playful clothing with a vintage and whimsical feel to the slopes. Check out the western set which is a ski jacket with a Texas longhorn cattle silhouette embroidered on it with matching ski pants and both have fringe for a fancy feel. The sunny-side bibs are conversation started on the chair lift and their functional and fashionable insulated fanny packs will keep your beer cold until après. Like diamonds? And we’re not talking double black diamonds on the ski slopes, we’re talking the real thing. Bling yourself out with ski racing and snowflake inspired jewelry by Double Diamond Jewelry from Lake Tahoe, which is the official jeweler of the World Cup in Beaver Creek. The snowflake jewelry collection is made from the image of real snowflakes and are then placed into a CAD image and then made into gorgeous jewelry. The Birds of Prey logo and other ski-inspired imagery are also wearable pieces of art. The Beers of Prey is in its ninth year and is a mini beer festival within the World Cup weekend on Saturday starting at 2 p.m. There will be nearly a dozen breweries on hand giving out samples of limited edition, seasonal and other specialty craft brews. Look for fan-favorites like New Belgium Brewing and Odell Brewing Company out of Fort Collins and beer from the home team, Vail Brewing Company. There will also be beers from all over the United States like Brewery Ommegang from Cooperstown, New York and Firestone Walker 805 Beer from the central coast of California. This is a ticketed event, and tickets are $45 the day of Beers of Prey. Birds of Prey Way will keep the party going all weekend long with a variety of musicians and DJs bringing the musical magic. Saturday Sunday For a full schedule of music, Beers of Prey breweries, giveaway information and more, go to BCWorldCup.com .MELBOURNE: Spotify has just released its 2024 Spotify Wrapped, the music streaming site’s annual presentation of each user’s yearly listening habits. It gives you a fun recap of your most listened to songs, artists and genres from the past year – complete with stats like how many minutes you listened and your top genre “phases” or “moments”. The tradition has seized the cultural zeitgeist throughout the whole year, with a lot of online discourse surrounding what music will top your listens for the year. In addition to the exciting way the list is presented (aesthetically pleasing tiles, interactive elements), the answer to its ability to captivate may be found in one simple idea: We inherently like understanding ourselves. But what does this mean? We can unpack this further in the psychological theories of self-concept, social comparison and social connection. SELF-CONCEPT Self-concept is how we see ourselves. It develops from our experiences and our responses to these experiences. Music is one of those unique mediums that reflects what we’ve experienced (for example, a break-up) and how we feel (sadness and yearning). So, when we see a yearly list of our top artists, genres and songs, it’s like looking into a mirror that tells us who we’ve been throughout the year. This drive towards self-reflection is likely because it fulfils some of our most fundamental human needs. Remember that time when everyone was doing the Myers-Briggs personality test? In 1943, the American psychologist Abraham Maslow developed his theory of human needs. According to this theory, humans have a need for esteem (gaining respect and recognition within our communities) and self-actualisation (realisation of one’s potential). Neither of these can occur without first an understanding of who we currently are. Sharing a list, then, is a way of saying to others, “this is me!”. But sharing your Wrapped list serves more functions than simply self-expression. It facilitates social comparison and social connection. SOCIAL COMPARISON In 1954, American social psychologist Leon Festinger published his social comparison theory. He believed humans are naturally inclined to compare themselves to others. We constantly evaluate where we stand in relation to those around us. When you post your Wrapped list, you aren’t just saying, “this is what I listened to” or “this is who I am”. You’re also inviting others to engage in a subtle social dialogue. Seeing someone else with the same song on their list might spark a sense of connection. Seeing that you’re in the top 1 per cent of Taylor Swift fans might make you feel even a little superior (and others a little envious). (As a side note, I hope this happens to me again this year.) Seeing someone else’s Wrapped can also inspire and validate. If a friend’s list includes a mix of genres you’ve never explored, you might feel encouraged to branch out. Or you might see someone else’s list and feel relieved you’re not the only one obsessed with an artist. Whether conscious or subconscious, these comparisons drive engagement with Spotify. SOCIAL CONNECTION Sharing our Spotify Wrapped satisfies another fundamental human need: Belonging. Humans are inherently social creatures who want to feel loved and accepted. Music is one of the oldest ways we’ve connected with one another. Sharing our Wrapped lists isn’t just about showing off who we are, but about finding common ground. It’s about finding your tribe, a group of people we can feel safely connected to. This is even more important during a period in which people’s opinions are becoming more divided and for a younger generation where loneliness is becoming an increasing problem. BUILDING ON YOUR OWN WRAP This urge to know about yourself and to share is very human. This year, however, I challenge you to go beyond just dropping a like on someone’s story. Sure, the dopamine hit is great and is part of what keeps us coming back to this yearly ritual. But it takes more than that to meet our need for connection. This year, use Spotify Wrapped to start up a conversation with someone. Maybe about how their experiences and feelings this year led to the songs appearing on their list. You might learn something new about them and create or revitalise a meaningful connection. And that’s a wrap. Kelvin Shiu Fung Wong is Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology at Swinburne University of Technology. This commentary first appeared on The Conversation.
The Washington Commanders put kicker Austin Seibert on injured reserve Tuesday, just over 48 hours since he missed an extra point that would have tied the score with 21 seconds left against Dallas. Seibert also missed a field-goal attempt and another extra point in the loss to the Cowboys. He missed the previous two games with a right hip injury but said afterward he was fine and made the decision to play. The Commanders filled that roster spot by signing running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. off their practice squad. Austin Ekeler had a concussion and Brian Robinson Jr. sprained an ankle Sunday. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflThe Miami Dolphins have set themselves up for a potential playoff push. After a 2-6 start and missing Tua Tagovailoa for a few weeks, the Dolphins looked dead in the water. They've flipped the narrative, winning their last two games against the Los Angeles Rams and Las Vegas Raiders . They still have some work to do if they want to reach the postseason, as Miami's currently slated as the No.9 seed in the AFC. The 5-6 Indianapolis Colts and 6-5 Denver Broncos stand in their way of capturing the final playoff spot. The Dolphins could very well sneak into the playoffs if their final seven games go as planned. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler believes that the Dolphins are the team that can make the most noise if they reach the playoffs. The Dolphins have woken up from a 2-6 slumber with back-to-back wins, having scored 111 points since Tua Tagovailoa returned from a concussion four weeks ago. The roster is talented enough to make a run, with playmakers galore on offense and a defense finding its rhythm. The remaining schedule is manageable, too: Houston and Green Bay are tough to beat, but the Jets (who are on the schedule twice), Patriots and Browns have proven to be the opposite. San Francisco in Week 16 seems like a winnable game based on the 49ers' current trajectory. They won't be able to compete with the Buffalo Bills for the AFC East, but the Dolphins look like a team on a mission to reach the playoffs by any means possible.
Plymouth Argyle head coach Wayne Rooney says the club's junior team could have done better than his first XI in the 6-1 loss at Norwich City. The Pilgrims were second-best for much of the game and could have conceded more goals had Norwich not been as wasteful with their chances, especially in the first half. It was the former England captain's heaviest loss since taking over at Home Park in the summer. Argyle have still to win a game away from home this season and are two points outside the relegation places with three of the four sides below them having games in hand. “We were nowhere near good enough – we are down to the bare bones with injuries but that is no excuse,” said Rooney - who was missing players including captain Joe Edwards, Northern Ireland goalkeeper Connor Hazard and forwards Ibrahim Cissoko, Morgan Whittaker and Muhamed Tijani. "But if players want to come in the team and stay in the team then they need to perform better than that. "I could probably put the under-18 team out there and they wouldn't concede six goals, so I'm very disappointed, angry, frustrated and the next 24-48 hours are not going to be very nice for the players, but we need to get to the bottom of why this is happening." Rooney says he will try and understand why his team are so poor away from home - with just two draws from their nine matches outside Devon this season. "Getting that win and better results away from home - we know it's difficult in this league for teams to win away from home - but we have to be a lot better than we were tonight," the 39-year-old added. "I feel for the fans who came here because I know the distance they've travelled to get behind the players and I know for any fan when you see your team put in that performance and get that result you're not going to be pleased about it. "I'm dealing with it, I'm trying to get to the bottom of why every now and again we're having these results and hopefully I can do that sooner rather than later."London house fire spreads to neighbouring property
BLUE BELL — Montgomery County Community College recently celebrated its milestone 60th anniversary year with two special events at the Blue Bell Campus on Dec. 5, just days before the anniversary of its founding date of Dec. 8, 1964. Kicking off the day’s festivities was a ribbon-cutting ceremony for MCCC’s new 20,180-square-foot Hospitality Institute. “This new facility is much more than an attractive space; it is a catalyst for learning, connection and opportunity,” said Dr. Victoria L. Bastecki-Perez, MCCC president. “Together, we are continuing Montco’s strong legacy of shaping lives and communities for generations to come.” Dr. Bastecki-Perez was joined by Montgomery County Commissioners Thomas DiBello and Neil Makhija who spoke and presented a special citation. Members of the campus community, including MCCC trustees, employees and students, came together to celebrate the official opening of the building, which had previously served as the campus bookstore before renovations began in 2022. MCCC’s hospitality offerings include associate degree and certificate programs in culinary arts, baking and pastry arts and tourism and hospitality management, with plans to add new programs in the future. For the 60th-anniversary celebration, guests reminisced as they viewed the retrospective exhibit filled with 60 years of MCCC history, including Brian Brendlinger, son of LeRoy Brendlinger, MCCC’s first president. (Photo by Linda Johnson) In Montgomery County Community College’s new Hospitality Institute, students have the opportunity to master front- and back-of-the-house skills in the educational restaurant. (Photo by Linda Johnson) Montgomery County Community College hosted a special 60th-anniversary celebration in the evening of Dec. 5 for invited students, current and former employees, alumni, and community members. (Photo by Linda Johnson) For the 60th-anniversary celebration, guests reminisced as they viewed the retrospective exhibit filled with 60 years of MCCC history, including Brian Brendlinger, son of LeRoy Brendlinger, MCCC’s first president. (Photo by Linda Johnson) The facility includes chocolate, pastry and pasta kitchen laboratories, a custom wood-burning pizza oven and an innovation kitchen space for creative programs, such as its award-winning Food Recovery Program. The program, led by Karima Roepel, director of the Hospitality Institute, and AmeriCorps VISTA Fellow Jennifer Fanega, repurposed 7,500 pounds of excess food from culinary classes into more than 3,200 meals for the college’s food pantry, addressing food insecurity while reducing landfill waste. The program received the 2023-2024 Innovation of the Year Award from The League for Innovation in the Community College. Additionally, the Hospitality Institute includes an educational restaurant and a pastry shop, which provide hands-on learning opportunities for students to master both the front- and back-of-the-house operations. The restaurant has both indoor and outdoor dining spaces. “The Hospitality Institute will be a game-changer, not only for our students but also for Montgomery County’s workforce and economy,” said Dr. Raj Guttha, MCCC trustee, noting that the hospitality industry is one of the most vibrant and essential industries in the region. MCCC Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost Dr. Chae Sweet said the Hospitality Institute already has become a gathering space for students and employees during the soft opening this fall. “The Hospitality Institute will be a beacon for the broader community, too, offering culinary classes for cooking enthusiasts, youth camps, team-building events and dining experiences,” Dr. Sweet said. After the ribbon cutting, MCCC continued its celebration later in the evening when invited students, current and former employees, alumni, and community members gathered for a special 60th-anniversary event beginning in Parkhouse Hall. Named after A. Russell Parkhouse, a Montgomery County commissioner who was a key advocate for the college’s founding, the building served as the perfect venue for the event. Bastecki-Perez welcomed guests and spoke about how MCCC continues to fulfill the founders’ vision to create opportunities for all learners. “Montgomery County Community College is committed to breaking down barriers and opening doors, ensuring that everyone has a pathway to opportunity,” she said. “Our Mustangs, through their many successes, leave indelible hoofprints, elevating families and their communities for generations and creating lasting success. United in purpose, we will continue to transform lives, destinies and future generations.” Following the formal remarks, attendees were invited to explore the campus. Select buildings featured anniversary-themed exhibits, including a retrospective exhibit filled with 60 years of MCCC history in College Hall and a special 60th-anniversary student video project played inside the Montco Cultural Center theater. The two events concluded a year-long series of activities commemorating the college’s 60th anniversary. Highlights included the Acts of Service Challenge, where students and employees were encouraged to perform 60 minutes of service a month in their communities, special 60th- anniversary episodes of the “Montco on the Move” podcast, and a ‘Human 60’ formation to kick off the fall semester. To learn more about the Hospitality Institute and its programs, visit mc3.edu/hospitality . For details about the 60th anniversary celebration, visit mc3.edu/60years.
The Right Wing’s Outlaws – Captured as Art
Giant cyborg cockroaches could be the search and rescue workers of the futureAP News Summary at 5:00 p.m. EST
Where’s Niko? Jovic has gone from starter to Heat’s missing man amid Spoelstra challenges.Columbia (South Carolina), Dec 24 (AP) Victims' families and others affected by crimes that resulted in federal death row convictions shared a range of emotions on Monday, from relief to anger, after President Joe Biden commuted dozens of the sentences. Biden converted the sentences of 37 federal death row inmates to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. The inmates include people who were convicted in the slayings of police, military officers and federal prisoners and guards. Others were involved in deadly robberies and drug deals. Also Read | Sheikh Hasina Extradition: Bangladesh Requests India To Extradite Former Prime Minister; New Delhi Confirms Communication. Three inmates will remain on federal death row: Dylann Roof, convicted of the 2015 racist slayings of nine Black members of Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina; the 2013 Boston Marathon Bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, and Robert Bowers, who fatally shot 11 congregants at Pittsburgh's Tree of life Synagogue in 2018, the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S history. Opponents of the death penalty lauded Biden for a decision they'd long sought. Supporters of Donald Trump, a vocal advocate of expanding capital punishment, criticized the move as an assault to common decency just weeks before the president-elect takes office. Also Read | Brian Thompson Murder Case: Luigi Mangione Pleads Not Guilty to State Murder, Other Charges in UnitedHealthcare CEO’s Death. Victims' families and former colleagues share relief and anger Donnie Oliverio, a retired Ohio police officer whose partner, Bryan Hurst, was killed by an inmate whose death sentence was commuted, said the execution of “the person who killed my police partner and best friend would have brought me no peace.” “The president has done what is right here,” Oliverio said in a statement also issued by the White House. But Hurst's widow, Marissa Gibson, called Biden's commutation distressing and a "complete dismissal and undermining of the federal justice system,” in a statement to The Columbus Dispatch. Heather Turner, whose mother, Donna Major, was killed in a 2017 South Carolina bank robbery, called the commutation of the killer's sentence a “clear gross abuse of power” in a Facebook post, adding the weeks she spent in court with the hope of justice “just a waste of time.” “At no point did the president consider the victims,” Turner wrote. “He, and his supporters, have blood on their hands.” Decision to leave Roof on death row met with conflicting emotions There has always been a broad range of opinions on what punishment Roof should face from the families of the nine people killed and the survivors of the massacre at the Mother Emanuel AME Church. Many forgave him, but some say they can't forget and their forgiveness doesn't mean they don't want to see him put to death for what he did. Felicia Sanders survived the shooting shielding her granddaughter while watching Roof kill her son, Tywanza, and her aunt, Susie Jackson. Sanders brought her bullet-torn bloodstained Bible to his sentencing and said then she can't even close her eyes to pray because Roof started firing during the closing prayer of Bible study that night. In a text message to her lawyer, Andy Savage, Sanders called Biden's decision to not spare Roof's life a wonderful Christmas gift. Michael Graham, whose sister, Cynthia Hurd, was killed, told The Associated Press that Roof's lack of remorse and simmering white nationalism in the country means he is the kind of dangerous and evil person the death penalty is intended for. “This was a crime against a race of people," Graham said. “It didn't matter who was there, only that they were Black.” But the Rev. Sharon Richer, who was Tywanza Sanders' cousin and whose mother, Ethel Lance, was killed, criticized Biden for not sparing Roof and clearing out all of death row. She said every time Roof's case comes up through numerous appeals it is like reliving the massacre all over again. “I need the President to understand that when you put a killer on death row, you also put their victims' families in limbo with the false promise that we must wait until there is an execution before we can begin to heal,” Richer said in a statement. Richer, a board member of Death Penalty Action, which seeks to abolish capital punishment, was driven to tears by conflicting emotions during a Zoom news conference Monday. “The families are left to be hostages for the years and years of appeals that are to come,” Richer said. “I've got to stay away from the news today. I've got to turn the TV off — because whose face am I going to see?” Biden is giving more attention to the three inmates he chose not to spare, something they all wanted as a part of what drove them to kill, said Abraham Bonowitz, Death Penalty Action's executive director. “These three racists and terrorists who have been left on death row came to their crimes from political motivations. When Donald Trump gets to execute them what will really be happening is they will be given a global platform for their agenda of hatred,” Bonowitz said. Politicians and advocacy groups speak up Biden had faced pressure from advocacy organizations to commute federal death sentences, and several praised him for taking action in his final month in office. Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the ACLU, said in a statement that Biden “has shown our country — and the rest of the world — that the brutal and inhumane policies of our past do not belong in our future.” Republicans, including Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, on the other hand, criticized the move — and argued its moral ground was shaky given the three exceptions. “Once again, Democrats side with depraved criminals over their victims, public order, and common decency,” Cotton wrote on X. “Democrats can't even defend Biden's outrageous decision as some kind of principled, across-the-board opposition to the death penalty since he didn't commute the three most politically toxic cases.” Liz Murrill, Louisiana's Republican attorney general, criticized the commuted sentence of Len Davis, a former New Orleans policeman convicted of orchestrating the killing of a woman who had filed a complaint against him. “We can't trust the Feds to get justice for victims of heinous crimes, so it's long past time for the state to get it done,” the tough-on-crime Republican said in a written statement to the AP. One inmate's attorney expresses thanks — and his remorse Two men whose sentences were commuted were Norris Holder and Billie Jerome Allen, on death row for opening fire with assault rifles during a 1997 bank robbery in St. Louis, killing a guard, 46-year-old Richard Heflin. Holder's attorney, Madeline Cohen, said in an email that Holder, who is Black, was sentenced to death by an all-white jury. She said his case “reflects many of the system's flaws,” and thanked Biden for commuting his sentence. “Norris' case exemplifies the racial bias and arbitrariness that led the President to commute federal death sentences,” Cohen said. “Norris has always been deeply remorseful for the pain his actions caused, and we hope this decision brings some measure of closure to Richard Heflin's family.” (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Commanders place kicker Austin Seibert on injured reserve
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The gunman who stalked and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson fled New York City by bus, police officials told CNN on Friday. Video of the suspected shooter leaving the scene of the shooting Wednesday showed him riding a bicycle to Central Park and later taking a taxi cab to a bus depot, Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told CNN. Here's the latest: The gunman who killed the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer may have fled the city on a bus, New York City police officials told CNN on Friday. Video of the suspected shooter leaving the scene of the shooting Wednesday showed him riding a bicycle to Central Park and later taking a taxi cab to a bus depot, Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told CNN. “We have reason to believe that the person in question has left New York City,” Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. The gunman who killed the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer made sure to wear a mask during the shooting yet left a trail of evidence in view of the nation’s biggest city and its network of security cameras that have aided authorities piecing together his movements and his identity. A law enforcement official said Friday that new surveillance footage shows the suspect riding the subway and visiting establishments in Manhattan and provided more clues about his actions in the days before he ambushed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson . The gunman’s whereabouts and identity remain unknown Friday, as did the reason for Wednesday’s killing. New York City police say evidence firmly points to it being a targeted attack . ▶ Read more about the search for the gunman In many companies, investor meetings like the one UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was walking to when he was fatally shot are viewed as very risky because details on the location and who will be speaking are highly publicized. “It gives people an opportunity to arrive well in advance and take a look at the room, take a look at how people would probably come and go out of a location,” said Dave Komendat, president of DSKomendat Risk Management Services, which is based in the greater Seattle area. Some firms respond by beefing up security. For example, tech companies routinely require everyone attending a major event, such as Apple’s annual unveiling of the next iPhone or a shareholder meeting, to go through airport-style security checkpoints before entering. Others forgo in-person meetings with shareholders. ▶ Read more about how companies protect their leaders Those images include New York’s subway system, a law enforcement official said. In establishments where the person was captured on camera, he always appeared to pay with cash, the official said. The official wasn’t authorized to discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. — Mike Balsamo Medica, a Minnesota-based nonprofit health care firm that serves 1.5 million customers in 12 states, said it’s temporarily closing all six locations. The firm has offices in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska and North Dakota, and employs about 3,000 people. Employees will work from home, Medica spokesman Greg Bury said in an email Friday. “The safety of Medica employees is our top priority and we have increased security both for all of our employees,” a statement from Medica said. “Although we have received no specific threats related to our campuses, our office buildings will be temporarily closed out of an abundance of caution.” Bury also said biographical information on the company’s executives was taken down from its website as a precaution. The insurer cited the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in its announcement about the Dec. 12 event. “All of us at Centene are deeply saddened by Brian Thompson’s death and want to express our support for all of those affected. Health insurance is a big industry and a small community; many members of the CenTeam crossed paths with Brian during their careers,” Centene CEO Sarah M. London said in a news release. “He was a person with a deep sense of empathy and clear passion for improving access to care. Our hearts are with his family and his colleagues during this difficult time.” Centene Corp. has grown in recent years to become the largest insurer in Medicaid, the state- and federally funded program that covers care for people with low incomes. Insurers manage Medicaid coverage for states, and Centene has more than 13 million people enrolled in that coverage. The insurance company also said it’s focused on ensuring the safety of employees and assisting investigators. “While our hearts are broken, we have been touched by the huge outpouring of kindness and support in the hours since this horrific crime took place,” the company said. But he said Friday that he’s confident police will arrest the shooter. “We are on the right road to apprehend him and bring him to justice,” Adams said on TV station WPIX. Later, it removed their names and biographies entirely. Police and federal agents have been collecting information from Greyhound in an attempt to identify the suspect and are working to determine whether he purchased the ticket to New York in late November, a law enforcement official said. Investigators were also trying to obtain additional information from a cellphone recovered from a pedestrian plaza through which the shooter fled. The fatal shooting of Brian Thompson while walking alone on a New York City sidewalk has put a spotlight on the widely varied approaches companies take to protect their leaders against threats. Experts say today’s political, economic and technological climate is only going to make the job of evaluating threats against executives and taking action to protect them even more difficult, experts say. Some organizations have a protective intelligence group that uses digital tools such as machine learning or artificial intelligence to comb through online comments to detect threats not only on social media platforms such as X but also on the dark web, says Komendat. They look for what’s being said about the company, its employees and its leadership to uncover risks. ▶ Read more about the steps companies take to protect their leadership Police said Thursday they found a water bottle and protein bar wrapper from a trash can near the scene of the ambush and think the suspect bought them from a Starbucks minutes before the shooting. The items were being tested by the city’s medical examiner.
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