Tag: PR Newswire

PHOENIX, Oct. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Arizona Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (AZASLA) proudly celebrates the success of the 38th Annual Sonoran Golf Open, held on September 25, 2025, at Whirlwind Golf Club in Chandler, Arizona.

This year’s tournament brought together landscape architects, industry partners, and community supporters for a day of camaraderie, competition, and connection — all in support of the Bob Schottke Scholarship Fund. Thanks to the generosity of participants, sponsors, and volunteers, AZASLA is donating over $11,000 from tournament proceeds to the fund, which helps support students pursuing landscape architecture degrees in Arizona.

“The Sonoran Golf Open continues to be one of the highlights of our chapter’s year,” said Justin Azevedo, Past Chapter President. “It’s a great opportunity to celebrate our profession while giving back to the future of landscape architecture in Arizona. The continued support for the Bob Schottke Scholarship Fund ensures that Bob’s legacy lives on by helping students follow in his footsteps.”

The 2025 Sonoran Golf Open was made possible through the incredible support of Presenting Sponsor, Hunter Industries, along with numerous event sponsors, raffle donors, and volunteers who helped make the day a success. Their dedication and contributions ensure this long-standing tradition continues to thrive each year.

AZASLA extends sincere gratitude to everyone who participated in and supported the 38th Annual Sonoran Golf Open. Planning is already underway for the 39th Annual Tournament in 2026, promising another exciting event dedicated to supporting the future of landscape architecture in Arizona.

About the Bob Schottke Scholarship Fund

The Bob Schottke Scholarship Fund, established by the Arizona Chapter of ASLA, honors the legacy of longtime member and mentor Bob Schottke, who dedicated his career to advancing the landscape architecture profession and supporting emerging professionals. The fund provides financial assistance to students enrolled in accredited landscape architecture programs in Arizona.

About AZASLA

The Arizona Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (AZASLA) represents landscape architecture professionals and students across Arizona. The organization advocates for the advancement of the profession through education, outreach, and community engagement.

Learn more at www.azasla.org.

Contact:

Arizona Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (AZASLA)
Email: communications@azasla.org 
Website: www.azasla.org

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SOURCE ARIZONA CHAPTER OF AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Oct. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Meijer is announcing a voluntary recall of select Lullaby Lane and Meijer Corporate Seasonal (MCS) branded children’s sleepwear because the garments were not fully tested against the correct size flammability standards. These products are being recalled out of an abundance of caution. There have been no reports of injuries.

The impacted products are various colors of children’s one-piece footed sleepwear with zippers in sizes 12, 18, and 24 months that were sold between December 28, 2024, and October 15, 2025. The 0-9-month size sleepwear was tested against the correct standards and therefore is not impacted. A full list of impacted SKUs can be found here.   

Customers can confirm if their product is impacted by matching the SKU information on the site with the information on their sleepwear. The UPC, style number, and production date are printed on a sewn-in side-seam label for all products. The brand and size are directly printed on the inside of the garment near the neck for Lullaby Lane products. An image of the season and size is directly printed on the inside of the garment near the neck for the MCS-branded products.

Customers who have purchased any of these products should immediately discontinue use. A full refund of the original purchase price can be requested at the Customer Service desk of the nearest Meijer store. Customers with questions regarding this voluntary recall can contact Meijer at 877-363-4537 from 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM (EDT) daily.

About Meijer: Meijer is a privately owned, family-operated retailer that serves customers at more than 500 supercenters, grocery stores, neighborhood markets, and express locations throughout the Midwest. As the pioneer of the one-stop shopping concept, more than 70,000 Meijer team members work hard to deliver a friendly, seamless in-store and online shopping experience featuring an assortment of fresh foods, high-quality apparel, household essentials, and health and wellness products and services. Meijer is consistently recognized as a Great Place to Work and annually donates at least 6 percent of its profit to strengthen its communities. Additional information on the company can be found by visiting newsroom.meijer.com.

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SOURCE Meijer

2025 report underscores the combined impact of hurricanes, hail and flooding as severity and loss costs continue to climb

ATLANTA, Oct. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — LexisNexis® Risk Solutions today released its 10^th annual LexisNexis U.S. Home Trends Report, providing an updated analysis of by-peril claims trends in the U.S. home insurance industry to help carriers make more informed, strategic decisions. Examining loss cost and claims frequency and severity, the report also offers insights into seasonality shifts, catastrophic claims and geographic patterns, including trends by U.S. state.

Key Takeaways

• All Peril severity increased 9% between 2023 and 2024, the highest in seven years, with 2024 breaking records set in 2023 as the U.S. experienced 27 climate disasters with $1 billion or more in damages, and 21% above the long-term average. All Peril loss cost was 49.7% higher in 2024 than in 2019.
• Catastrophe claims represented 42% of claims across all perils combined in 2024, while catastrophe losses increased to 64%, another seven-year high signaling the growth of catastrophic events driving overall loss trends.
• Wind claims surged in 2024, with severity up23.5% and loss costs jumping 30.7%, fueled by Hurricanes Helene and Milton – two of the costliest events of the yearⁱ. Losses peaked in September last year, the height of hurricane season.
• Hail loss costs was 19% above the seven-year average in 2024 and nearly two-thirds of claims deemed catastrophic. Loss cost for other weather-related perils declined across Fire and Lightning (down 3%) and Non-Weather-Related Water (down 4.3%) from 2023 to 2024, while Weather Related Water rose 25.4%.

“U.S. home insurers are facing two converging challenges: climate-driven catastrophes intensifying and inflation continuing to drive up repair and replacement costs,” said George Hosfield, vice president, home insurance, LexisNexis Risk Solutions. “These pressures are helping to contribute to higher premiums for U.S. consumers as carriers work to manage rising loss costs. The data shows just how critical it is for the insurance industry to leverage more advanced analytics to help anticipate risk and maintain resilience. Last year, catastrophe claims accounted for nearly two-thirds of all losses, which was the highest level we’ve seen in the seven years included in this year’s study.”

All Peril Trends

• The U.S. home insurance industry has experienced an upward trend in loss cost across all perils combined over the past seven years.
• Severity reached its highest level in seven years in 2024, increasing 21% above the long-term average, likely driven by sustained inflationary pressures across all perils. While severity is high, frequency declined from 2023 to 2024 by 11.6%.
• Colorado ranked highest in loss cost from catastrophic claims, while Nebraska had the highest loss cost of All Peril claims combined in 2024, driven by Hail losses. U.S. states with the highest combined catastrophe and non-catastrophe loss costs include Colo., Minn., Neb., La. and S.D. The lowest ranking states include Nev., N.H., W. Va., Vt. and Maine.

Hail Perils

• In 2024, the U.S. experienced 5,373 hail events, down from 2023ⁱⁱ, but the loss costs continued their upward trend, sitting 19% above the seven-year average.
• The U.S. experienced 11 severe weather/hail events with the cost of hail damage exceeding $3 billion per annum – up from less than $500 million in the last 24 yearsⁱⁱⁱ.
• States with the highest impact of hail-related perils include Colo., Neb. and Kansas. In 2024, the highest loss cost peril in Texas was hail over other weather events.
• Hail peril seasonality over the past seven years continues, with April, May and June observing the highest frequency and loss cost.

Wind, Water, Fire and Lightning Perils

• Wind peril frequency rose 5.8%, along with loss cost increasing 30.7% from 2023-2024. Severity increased 23.5% year over year.
• Fire and Lightning perils in 2024 saw decreases across loss cost (-3%) and frequency (-13.5). However, severity increased 12.2% in 2024, likely due to major fires in New York, Connecticut and New Mexico^iv. Catastrophic claims made up 10% of claims in 2024.
• In 2024, there were 91 flash flood emergencies, a record-breaking number since 2003^v, causing an increase in loss cost. Weather-Related Water loss cost increased 25.4% from 2023 to 2024, with claims severity up 29.6%, while claims frequency declined 3.2%. Oregon recorded the highest loss cost due to a severe winter storm with strong winds and freezing temperatures that led to burst water pipes^vi. In 2024, 64% of weather-related water claims were catastrophic.

Non-Weather-Related Perils

• Addressing claims related to water damage, such as leaking pipes and appliances, Non-Weather-Related Water perils decreased across loss cost (-4.3%) and frequency (-9.9%) while severity increased (6.2%) in 2024.
• Theft loss cost and frequency decreased by 20% and 20.9%, respectively, in 2024, and severity rose by 1.1%, partially attributed to the rising cost of consumer goods such as high-end appliances and kitchenware^vii.
• Liability loss cost increased 5.5% along with severity (18.8%) in 2024, while frequency decreased by 11.2%.
• Other Perils, including physical damage claims not included elsewhere, extended coverage, damage to property of others, etc., saw a severity increase of 2.4% year over year. Loss cost, along with frequency, both declined 24.6% and 17.3%, respectively, from 2023 to 2024.

“The sharp rise in severity across multiple perils highlights the need for carriers to think beyond short-term rate actions,” continued Hosfield. “Carriers that leverage more advanced property data insights–from roof condition to water damage risk–can make more informed underwriting decisions and stand a better chance of weathering the storm even as climate volatility and inflation continue to pressure the market.”

Download the latest LexisNexis U.S. Home Trends Report.

About LexisNexis Risk Solutions

LexisNexis® Risk Solutions harnesses the power of data, sophisticated analytics platforms and technology solutions to provide insights that help businesses across multiple industries and governmental entities reduce risk and improve decisions to benefit people around the globe. Headquartered in metro Atlanta, Georgia, we have offices throughout the world and are part of RELX (LSE: REL/NYSE: RELX), a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. For more information, please visit www.risk.lexisnexis.com, and www.relx.com.

Media Contacts:
Chas Strong
LexisNexis Risk Solutions
Phone: +1.706.714.7083
Charles.Strong@lexisnexisrisk.com 

ⁱ Adam B. Smith, “2024: An active year of U.S. billion-dollar weather and climate disasters,” National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration (NOAA) Climate.gov, https://www.climate.gov/news-features/blogs/beyond-data/2024-active-year-us-billion-dollar-weather-and-climate-disasters
ⁱⁱ “Facts + Statistics: Hail,” Insurance Information Institute, 2025, https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-hail
ⁱⁱⁱ “Hail Statistics by State,” YPA Public Adjusters, https://www.ypapublicadjusters.com/hail-statistics-by-state/
^iv Hristina Byrnes, “Year In Review: The 25 Biggest Wildfires of 2024,” Climate Crisis 247, https://climatecrisis247.com/gallery/year-in-review-the-25-biggest-wildfires-of-2024/
^v Mary Gilbert, “An unprecedented number of flood emergencies have ravaged the US. It’s a warning of what’s to come,” CNN, https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/25/weather/record-numbers-of-an-extreme-warning-show-the-reality-of-climate-change 
^vi Lillian Karabaic, Joni Auden Land and Courtney Sherwood, “Cold weather, power failures continue in aftermath of Oregon storm,” Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB), https://www.opb.org/article/2024/01/14/winter-storm-ice-snow-deaths-power-failures-portland-oregon-willamette-valley  
^vii Whizy Kim, “The surprising reason luxury goods are booming,” Vox, https://www.vox.com/money/23728283/luxury-designer-boom-nike-lvmh-pandemic-le-creuset

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SOURCE LexisNexis Risk Solutions

NEW YORK, Oct. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — On October 22, Attain Partners led “Strengthening the Scaffolding: What Nonprofits Need Now to Sustain Society’s Future,” a groundbreaking summit that brought together several of the most influential Chief Development Officers in the nonprofit sector. Representing organizations that collectively raise more than $19 billion annually, these leaders gathered for a closed-door discussion focused on the urgent challenges and opportunities facing philanthropy today.

Hosted by Sterrin Bird, Nonprofit Executive in Residence at Attain Partners, the summit marked the first in-person meeting of this distinguished group of female nonprofit leaders since they began convening virtually in 2020. The event served as a forum for deep reflection and action planning at a pivotal time for the industry—one in which public trust is shifting, fundraising models are evolving, and the nonprofit workforce continues to face mounting pressure.

“Philanthropy has always been a powerful force for possibility,” said Bird. “Bringing these extraordinary leaders together was about more than conversation, it was about amplifying the collective voice of women who are shaping the future of giving. Together, we are reimagining what philanthropy can be and ensuring that generosity continues to sustain our society’s foundation.”

The summit participants included senior fundraising and development leaders at some of the world’s most impactful nonprofit organizations: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Heart Association, American Red Cross, Blood Cancer United, Breakthrough T1D, Educational Media Foundation, Feed the Children, New York Public Radio, Orbis International, Save the Children US, United Way Worldwide, USA for UNHCR, and We Are For Good.

Discussions explored how the sector can adapt to modern demands while staying rooted in the timeless values of empathy and community. Attain Digital, the firm’s technology and innovation practice, played a key role in shaping the summit’s vision and outcomes.

“We’re passionate about empowering nonprofits to maximize their impact through technology and innovation,” said Reshma Patel-Jackson, Partner and Attain Digital Lead. “This event underscores our commitment to helping mission-driven organizations evolve for a digital future, strengthening their ability to connect, inspire, and create change at scale.”

Insights from the summit will inform an upcoming thought leadership paper titled “Strengthening the Scaffolding: What Nonprofits Need Now to Sustain Society’s Future,” to be published on attainpartners.com. The paper will spotlight key themes from the convening and offer a collective call to action for the nonprofit community.

Additional information about the firm’s Fundraising Advisory and Precision Philanthropy services can be found here.

About Attain Partners
Based in McLean, Va., Attain Partners is a leading management and technology consulting firm delivering services and solutions to advance client missions across the education, nonprofit, healthcare, and state and local government landscapes. For more information, please visit attainpartners.com.

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SOURCE Attain Partners

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Long before social media influencers and content creators took over the internet, Sherry Bennett was already paving the way. This month marks 29 years since she began her blogging journey, an extraordinary milestone that places her among the earliest digital entrepreneurs in the world.

What began in 1996 as a simple website has grown into a thriving blog empire, spanning multiple successful sites and generating several million dollars in revenue. Over nearly three decades, Bennett has witnessed the transformation of blogging from personal sharing into a sophisticated and extremely lucrative business model.

“When I started blogging, there were no social media platforms, no WordPress, no tools or guides to follow,” Bennett said. “It was all trial and error. To still be doing this 29 years later, and making a living doing something I love, is incredibly rewarding.”

Through her latest platform, TheBloggingQueen.com, Sherry Bennett shares expert advice and actionable tips drawn directly from her decades of real-world experience. As a result, the site has become a go-to destination for new and aspiring bloggers.

For those who want a more structured approach, Ms. Bennett created her signature course, “Blogging Step-by-Step,” a comprehensive guide to blogging. The course walks new bloggers through every phase of building a successful blog – from choosing a niche and a name and setting up a site to creating content, growing traffic, and monetizing effectively.

Bennett’s longevity in the digital space gives her a unique perspective on the evolution of online business. From early HTML pages to today’s highly automated content systems, she’s seen the entire landscape shift – and continues to adapt with each new trend.

To celebrate her 29-year milestone, Sherry Bennett has introduced her newest course, “Build a Blog Empire,” designed for intermediate and advanced bloggers who are ready to scale further. In this in-depth program, she reveals the exact strategies, monetization systems, and traffic-growth methods that she has personally used to create and grow her own 7-figure blog empire.

“Build a Blog Empire takes everything I’ve learned from nearly 30 years in this business and distills it into a roadmap that any serious blogger can follow,” Bennett said. “I created it to show that success in blogging isn’t about luck or viral moments – it’s about strategy, and structure.”

Beyond her courses, Sherry Bennett also encourages other entrepreneurs, helping them improve their digital presence, and design long-term business systems that support both financial freedom and creative fulfillment. Her mission is to empower others to build sustainable, ethical online businesses that stand the test of time – just as hers has.

Contact:

Sherry Bennett
***@thebloggingqueen.com

Photo(s):
https://www.prlog.org/13106310

Press release distributed by PRLog

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SOURCE The Blogging Queen

BEIJING, Oct. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — With a year-on-year growth rate of 5.2 percent, China’s economy has maintained an overall stable development trajectory with steady progress in the first three quarters of this year.

This hard-won rate of 5.2 percent has demonstrated the stability and resilience of the Chinese economy, which enhances the country’s confidence and resolve to overcome difficulties. And the new development philosophy plays a key role in this.

The tide of the times is surging, outlining the magnificent trajectory of China’s economy. As global changes unseen in a century are rapidly evolving and challenges from external headwinds and internal transitions are interwoven, a profound shift in mindset is now shaping the future of China’s economy with formidable strength.

President Xi Jinping said that the China of today stands at a new historical starting point in development. “In light of development requirements in the new stage, we need to stick to a problem-oriented approach so that we can implement the new development philosophy with even greater precision. We need to effectively address the issues relating to unbalanced and insufficient development in order to make our development high-quality,” Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said, according to Qiushi Journal.

The new development philosophy features innovative, coordinated, green, open and shared development, is the “ballast stone” and “power source” for the Chinese economic ship to create new opportunities in crises and open up new prospects in changing circumstances, and has demonstrated strong vitality and resilience on the path of high-quality development.

The more magnificent the journey, the more it requires the strength of stewardship.

High-quality development is an intrinsic requirement of Chinese modernization. Under the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, especially Xi Jinping Thought on Economy, and by fully, accurately and comprehensively implementing the new development philosophy and accelerating the building of a new development paradigm, China’s economy will surely stride forward on the path of higher quality, more efficient, fairer, more sustainable and safer development.

Innovation

In today’s world, whoever holds the leading spot of scientific and technological innovation and takes the first step in scientific and technological innovation will seize the initiative and gain an advantage. The key to Chinese modernization lies in scientific and technological modernization. China must leverage scientific and technological innovation, develop new quality productive forces in light of local conditions and strengthen the support capacity of the modern industrial system for high-quality development.

The breakthrough in chip technology epitomizes how sci-tech innovation, as a pivotal variable, is accelerating its transformation into the “largest increment” for high-quality development.

In a lab of Chinese chipmaker New Sonic Technologies in Shenzhen, South China’s Guangdong Province, technicians are holding their breath and intently watching the waveforms jumping on the test system. They’re working on the high-end radio frequency (RF) filter – a “micron-level device” crucial for 5G communications and smart terminals.

“On a film just a few microns thick, we engrave tracks that can precisely guide sound waves while ensuring stability under extreme conditions,” the company’s founder Zou Jie said. The company started research and development (R&D) on the high-end RF filter technology four years ago, at a time when the device were almost 100 percent relying on imports.

The breakthrough came from technological self-reliance and self-improvement. Every year, the company invests over 100 million yuan ($14.1 million) in R&D. Simulation, tape-out, testing, analysis – the entire laboratory erupts in excitement when the self-developed filter surpasses foreign peers in multiple core performance metrics.

The breakthrough also is attributed to the company’s close collaboration with upstream wafer fabs and downstream packaging plants, during which they jointly process debugging and collaborative structural optimization. Now, this hard-won “Chinese chip” has been widely adopted by leading smartphone and tablet brands, ranking among the top in domestic market shipments.

A strong industrial sector also makes a strong economy. The modern industrial system forms the material and technological foundation of a modern nation, while its innovation ecosystem serves as the core engine. While traditional industries are accelerating their transition toward high-end, smart, and green development, China’s emerging and future industries are also flourishing and expanding vigorously. The new landscape has significantly enhanced the resilience and security of industrial and supply chains.

Today, China invests over 3.6 trillion yuan in R&D, maintaining its position as the world’s second-largest R&D spender. The country has climbed to the 10th place in the Global Innovation Index and is now home to more than 140,000 specialized and sophisticated small and medium-sized enterprises that produce new and unique products.

Greenness

The green and low-carbon transition represents the trend of our times, while green development defines the undertone of high-quality development. The fundamental approach to achieving sustainable growth is to establish an economic system that promotes green and low-carbon development and foster a comprehensive green transformation in economic and social development.

In the Kubuqi Desert of North China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, millions of photovoltaic panels converge into a “sea of energy.” The green electricity generated by the “sea,” which is transmitted through ultra-high-voltage power grids across mountains and rivers, lights up millions of homes in eastern city clusters thousands of kilometers away.

China’s photovoltaic industry suffered a big hit several years ago due to a sudden international trade barrier, which froze the industry with orders plummeting and inventories soaring.

Recalling the situation, Liu Qiang, general manager of photovoltaic module producer Eging PV, said that “either perish in adversity or be reborn under pressure.”

Chinese photovoltaic industry has obviously chosen the latter and embarked a journey of “turning crisis into opportunity.” The development was not only about survival but also a pressing self-evolution driven by the urgent need for sustainable development.

For example, with regards to upstream, polysilicon producers in western China have been leveraging abundant green electricity resources and technological innovation to minimize energy consumption in production, so as to build green and low-cost competitive advantages from the source.

In midstream, solar panel manufacturers in eastern China have been joining force to collaboratively make breakthrough in next-generation high-efficiency battery technology. Downstream players have also expanded the use of green energy as a way to significantly reduce energy costs for businesses.

The result of this “stress test” is very impressive. To date, China’s photovoltaic industry chain has been reshaped through collaboration, gradually forming a multi-point supported and more resilient supply chain system. Meanwhile, a full set of technology, standard and service involving the industry has successfully expanded globally, becoming an oasis and lighthouse for sustainable development in the new era.

A flurry of data underscores this transformation. China now provides over 80 percent of the world’s photovoltaic modules and 70 percent of wind power equipment. During the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period, China’s exports of wind and solar products cumulatively reduced carbon emissions for other countries by approximately 4.1 billion tons.

Openness

South China’s Hainan Province opens a new window for the mutual promotion of China’s dual circulation. The Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) will officially launch an island-wide independent customs operation on December 18 this year.

“In the past, I had to wait for overseas purchases or find opportunities to go abroad to buy new cosmetic products. Now, I can simply purchase a ticket and fly to Hainan, where prices of those products are also cost effective,” said Zhang Lu, a Chinese traveler who was shopping at the duty-free shop at the Haikou Meilan International Airport in Hainan.

Zhang’s change in experience is a vivid footnote to how China activates its super-large domestic market through high-level opening-up. Hainan’s duty-free policy represents a highly valuable institutional opening-up measure. The policy firmly “draws back” the massive outbound consumption power, playing a symphony of the new development paradigm. It also draws in more world-leading brands, driving prosperity across local tourism, hospitality, logistics, and a hundred other industries, while creating numerous job opportunities.

The trajectory of the FTP’s development embodies the vision of a great nation. Facing headwinds and backlashes in economic globalization, China’s door to opening-up will not close; it will only open wider. And a more open China will undoubtedly bring more opportunities to the world and, through exchanges with the world, shape greater resilience and vitality for its own high-quality development.

To date, China has completely eliminated foreign investment access restrictions in the manufacturing sector, while opening-up in the service sector is advancing steadily. As of the end of June, the actual foreign investment utilized in China during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period has reached $708.73 billion and the country has established 22 free trade zones.

A series of pragmatic measures to expand opening-up have won widespread praise from the international community and the “vote with their feet” by multinational companies, who believe that “believing in China is believing in a better tomorrow.”

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-times-opening-up-new-prospects-amid-changing-circumstances-302592897.html

SOURCE Global Times

VERO BEACH, Fla., Oct. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Watercrest Senior Living Group proudly announces that Watercrest Buena Vista Senior Living has received a 100% deficiency free survey from the state of Florida.

A deficiency free survey is an unannounced evaluation by state surveyors that finds zero violations, meaning the facility meets or exceeds all state and federal regulations for quality and safety. Achieving this is a top indicator of excellence and demonstrates a commitment to providing exceptional resident care, a positive environment, and maintaining the highest standards in staffing, services, quality of life and procedures.

“Earning a deficiency free survey is an outstanding accomplishment that reflects teamwork, dedication and a commitment to excellence,” says Johnita Jackson, Vice President of Clinical Operations for Watercrest Senior Living Group. “We congratulate the Watercrest Buena Vista team on this distinction and their success in creating an exceptional experience for residents and associates.”

Watercrest Buena Vista is an award-winning independent, assisted living and memory care community located in the popular region of Central Florida known as ‘The Villages.’ The community was most recently  recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a 2025 Best Independent Living Community with  the highest achievements for ‘feels like home’ and ‘activities and enrichment,’ and notably high ratings in safety, value, staff, and care services.

Residents of Watercrest Buena Vista enjoy outstanding amenities and exceptional care in a beautiful community offering Southern style balconies and outdoor gathering spaces, manicured lawns and walking paths, resort-style pool and patios, and purposeful Watercrest health and fitness programming.

Watercrest Buena Vista is located at 5867 E County Road in The Villages; for information contact the community at 352-604-5119.

About Watercrest Senior Living Group


Watercrest Senior Living Group was founded to honor our mothers and fathers, aspiring to become a beacon for quality in senior living by surpassing standards of care, service and associate training. Watercrest senior living communities are recognized for their luxury aesthetic, exceptional amenities, world-class care, and innovative memory care programming offering unparalleled service to seniors living with Alzheimer’s and dementia. An eight-time certified Great Place to Work, Watercrest specializes in the development and operations of assisted living and memory care communities and the growth of servant leaders.  For information, visit www.watercrestseniorliving.com.

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SOURCE Watercrest Senior Living Group

WWP strengthens its role as the nation’s largest nonprofit funder of veterans service organizations, fueling a network of partners that closes gaps in care

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Oct. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) announced today its 2025-2026 community partnership grants, funding 39 best-in-class organizations that will stand alongside WWP to support veterans, service members, their families, and caregivers.

Together, WWP™ and its community partners are expanding care, closing gaps in services, and forming a nationwide network of support to accomplish things that no organization can accomplish alone.

“When a veteran needs support, they don’t see organizations and logos — they see people who either show up or don’t,” said WWP CEO Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Walt Piatt. “That’s why Wounded Warrior Project is uniting the veteran service community and leading with action. Keeping the promise to those who served means warriors and their loved ones should never stand alone. We convene the strongest partners and power their work directly. Together, we are saving lives.”

WWP has invested $436 million in 221 military and veteran organizations since 2012. These investments improve veterans’ quality of life, reduce suicide risk, and provide interconnected, comprehensive support as their needs evolve. With its network of partners, WWP is advancing veteran well-being through unique, integrated solutions.

WWP funds and partners with specialized veterans and military service organizations focused on the following areas:

• Connection and community integration
• Family resiliency and caregivers
• Financial wellness and wrap-around services
• Special operation forces
• Seen and unseen wounds of war

The organizations WWP is partnering with in 2025-2026 are:

• America’s Warrior Partnership
• Armed Services Arts Partnership
• Armed Services YMCA of Alaska
• Bastion Community of Resilience
• Boulder Crest Foundation
• Cohen Veterans Network
• Comfort Crew for Military Kids
• CreatiVets
• D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families
• Dog Tag Inc.
• Elizabeth Dole Foundation
• EOD Warrior Foundation
• Farmer Veteran Coalition
• Gold Star Peak, Inc.
• Green Beret Foundation
• Hiring Our Heroes, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation
• Homes For Our Troops
• Hope For The Warriors
• National Military Family Association
• Navy SEAL Foundation
• Operation Healing Forces
• Operation Homefront
• Our Military Kids
• Shepherd Center (SHARE Military Initiative)
• Soldiers To Sidelines
• SongwritingWith:Soldiers
• Special Operations Warrior Foundation
• Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Alaska Behavioral Health
• The Donovan & Bank Foundation
• The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc.
• The Honor Foundation
• Third Option Foundation
• Three Rangers Foundation
• Travis Manion Foundation
• U.S.VETS
• Veterans of Foreign Wars
• Vets4Warriors
• Warrior Canine Connection
• Warriors & Quiet Waters

About Wounded Warrior Project

Wounded Warrior Project is our nation’s leading veteran services organization, focused on the total well-being of post-9/11 wounded, ill, or injured veterans. Our programs, advocacy, and awareness efforts help warriors thrive, provide essential lifelines to families and caregivers, and prevent veteran suicides. Learn more about Wounded Warrior Project.

 

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SOURCE Wounded Warrior Project

Over 500 Cities to Celebrate Volunteer Heroes on November 1

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — On November 1, over 500 mayors from across the United States will proclaim Extra Mile Day – a day recognizing the difference-making individuals and organizations who are unselfishly “going the extra mile” in volunteerism and service in their local communities.

According to Extra Mile Day founder Shawn Anderson, the message of the unique declaration, however, has even greater potential.  “Imagine if you asked your boss, ‘What is something extra I can do to help us succeed?’ Imagine if you asked a friend, ‘What can I do to help you reach your goal?’ Imagine if you reached out to a non-profit whose mission you cared about and said, ‘I want to help,'” says Anderson. “It’s living with that sort of extra-mile attitude and effort that has the power to influence everything about our lives.”

Whether it is encouraging others to pursue goals with passionate purpose or uplifting people who have been rocked by disappointment, Anderson, the author of A Better Life: An Inspiring Story About Starting Over, dedicates his life to empowering others to live the best version of themselves. Anderson’s message is consistent and to the point: “Want a better life? Go the extra mile.” Anderson also literally walks his talk. The Extra Mile Man has walked across nine countries since 2014 and pedaled a bike solo coast-to-coast across the United States twice.

“We easily point out what we don’t like about our lives and spend time wishing for better jobs, healthier bank accounts, and happier relationships,” says Anderson. “But all the complaining and wishing in the world won’t change our lives. It’s when we do more and give more than we currently are that we create the opportunity for change to happen. Extra Mile Day reminds us that the positive change we seek begins with the person in the mirror.”

For more information about Extra Mile Day, visit ExtraMileAmerica.org.

Contact:
Shawn Anderson
3104024826
403389@email4pr.com

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SOURCE Extra Mile America

ST. LOUIS, Oct. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Verde Resources Inc. (OTCQB: VRDR) (Verde), a road materials company offering proprietary, environmentally sustainable solutions, announced that independent laboratory testing by the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) has evaluated the performance of its BioAsphalt™ cold recycling mix, integrating biochar and produced entirely from 100% Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP).

NCAT’s initial evaluation confirmed that Verde’s proprietary cold-recycled asphalt mix not only meets but good key industry specifications for cold-recycled pavement materials. The mix demonstrated exceptional strength, durability, and moisture resistance, reinforcing its potential suitability for future surface-layer applications.

Testing conducted in accordance with ASTM D6931 (Indirect Tensile Strength) and AASHTO T283 (Moisture Susceptibility) produced results well above standard benchmarks for cold-mix asphalt. The mix achieved an Indirect Tensile Strength (ITS) of 61.8 psi (426.1 kPa) under dry conditions and 45.6 psi (314.2 kPa) under wet conditions, with a Tensile Strength Ratio (TSR) of 0.74, surpassing the industry threshold of 0.70 typically required for cold-recycled materials. These results reflect a notable improvement in cohesion, retained strength, and overall mix performance, exceeding expectations at this stage of testing.

Beyond its mechanical performance, these findings underscore the potential of Verde’s carbon-sequestering BioAsphalt™ technology as a scalable, low-carbon alternative to traditional paving materials, advancing the next generation of sustainable, high-performance infrastructure.

Traditionally, cold recycling of 100% RAP has been used primarily in intermediate and base layers beneath the surface course. The ability to extend its use to the top layer, where pavement endures direct traffic loads, while simultaneously enabling carbon sequestration, marks a meaningful step forward for the industry.

“These NCAT results show that our cold mix BioAsphalt™ is redefining what’s possible with recycled materials,” said Eric Bava, COO of Verde Resources. “The performance improvements we’re seeing give us tremendous confidence as we move into surface-grade application testing, demonstrating that performance and sustainability can work in perfect alignment, paving the way for a new generation of carbon-sequestering infrastructure.”

“The testing indicates promising performance across key engineering parameters,” added Dr. Nam Tran, Associate Director at NCAT. “Verde’s innovative combination of biochar and specialized emulsion demonstrates clear potential for cold-recycled asphalt that could be ready for surface applications.”

As a sustainable alternative to conventional road materials, Verde’s burnerless, solvent-free BioAsphalt™ can be produced and applied at ambient temperatures year-round, dramatically reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. By combining biochar with 100% recycled materials, a major landfill and environmental challenge in many metropolitan areas, Verde transforms waste into a carbon-sequestering surface course application that offers a compelling,

high-value-added alternative within the industry. With vast reserves of RAP readily available in many urban and nearby surrounding areas, the solution is not only sustainable but also scalable and economically practical, empowering industry partners to reduce costs while generating carbon credits that flow directly to their bottom line.

Verde is redefining what it means to go green. Too often seen as a luxury that comes at a premium, sustainability is now proving to be a common-sense advantage and a win for asphalt producers, frontline workers, taxpayers, and the environment alike. BioAsphalt™ lays the foundation for resilient, low-carbon, and modern infrastructure that delivers real-world performance while accelerating decarbonization across the hard-to-abate construction sector, all at the lowest possible life-cycle cost.

In July, NCAT provided early validation of Verde’s technology, confirming its potential to reimagine sustainable road construction. Building on that milestone, Verde has entered into a 10-year exclusive agreement with Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions, the largest asphalt marketer in North America. Together, the newly formed alliance is executing a strategic go-to-market plan designed to accelerate commercialization, expand market reach, and drive long-term revenue growth.

Together with Ergon, Verde is advancing this innovation toward full-scale market adoption and commercialization, delivering a practical, high-performance, carbon-sequestering asphalt solution designed to pave the roads of the future.

About Verde Resources Inc.:

Verde Resources Inc. (OTCQB: VRDR) is an emerging leader in sustainable infrastructure, specializing in innovative and cost-effective solutions to help the industry seamlessly #TransitionToZero™. By integrating proprietary technologies with sustainable practices, Verde is at the forefront of creating low-carbon materials for infrastructure worldwide.

The company is driving transformation in a sector long overdue for change. Its approach reduces greenhouse gas emissions, sequesters carbon dioxide, optimizes the use of native soils and recycled materials, accelerates installation, and improves overall efficiency, all while lowering costs.

For more information, please visit https://www.verderesources.com

About NCAT:

NCAT is a world leader in asphalt pavement technology, partnering with the National Asphalt Pavement Association, state transportation departments, the Federal Highway Administration, and industry stakeholders. Globally recognized for research, training, and technology transfer, it focuses on safe, sustainable, and cost-effective pavements.

For more information, please visit https://eng.auburn.edu/research/centers/ncat/

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This press release and statements of Verde’s and Ergon’s management made in connection with the matters addressed by this press release contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the Company’s expectations, projections, and potential future developments. These statements are subject to the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Forward-looking statements involve significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed or implied. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “plan,” “believe,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “project,” “intend,” or similar expressions.  In this press release, forward looking statements include those related to (i) the anticipated benefits to Verde of the license agreement with Ergon, (ii) the proposed $2 million investment by Ergon into Verde, which is not currently subject to definitive documentation, (iii) the anticipated attributes and advantages of Verde’s products and (iv) Verde and Ergon’s future commercial plans in general.  These and other statements are based on current expectations and speak only as of the date of this release.

A non-exclusive list of risks and uncertainties that could cause the forward-looking statements herein to differ from future results include, without limitation: (i) the risk that Ergon will be unable to sell Verde-enabled products in the marketplace in sufficient volume so as to generate meaningful revenue for Verde, (ii) risks resulting from Verde’s dependence on Ergon as Verde’s exclusive North American distributor, (iii) the risk that the contemplated $2 million investment by Ergon into Verde may not be consummated on terms beneficial to Verde, or at all and (iv) the risk that the commercial relationship between Verde and Ergon may face challenges that result in material adverse effects on Verde.  Other Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include those contained in the Verde’s filings with the SEC, which can be accessed here. 

Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained herein. Except as required by applicable law, Verde does not plan to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein, whether because of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise.

For Media and Investors:
info@verderesources.com
Crocker Coulson, AUM Media
Crocker.coulson@aummedia.org
(646) 652-7185

© 2025 Verde Resources, Inc.  All rights reserved.

 

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SOURCE Verde Resources Inc.