Arkansas Governor Seeks to Block Health Insurance Rate Hikes
Some companies are requesting average rate increases of more than 50%, according to the Arkansas Insurance Department.
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21 minutes ago
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Union Pacific Celebrates Its Newest Intermodal Terminal in the Heart of America
The Kansas City Intermodal Terminal provides regional shippers seamless access to growing markets KANSAS CITY, Kan., August 07, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Union Pacific Railroad celebrated the grand opening of its newest intermodal terminal today in Kansas City, Kansas. This is the fourth intermodal facility Union Pacific has opened since 2021 as part of its ongoing commitment to quickly meet customers' needs and grow the railroad's intermodal footprint. The Kansas City Intermodal Terminal (KCIT) is strategically located near several key highway and interstate arteries that will provide shippers seamless access to Union Pacific's intermodal rail network, with fast, truck-competitive transit times. "This new terminal reflects our commitment to building for the future and providing our customers with convenient and cost-effective access to the U.S. supply chain," said Kenny Rocker, executive vice president-Marketing and Sales at Union Pacific Railroad. "Our customers want faster, more reliable freight options and this terminal delivers." The terminal will serve both domestic and international containerized shipments of grains, consumer goods, refrigerated products, and auto parts in the Midwest region, and will help to convert more truck traffic to rail, which will reduce congestion on the nation's highways and lower greenhouse gas emissions. The new terminal also will significantly increase Union Pacific's local capacity with room available for future growth. It includes two new paved parking lots, additional working tracks for peak efficiency and will feature precision gate technology, providing truckers with automatic entry and exit. Union Pacific also announced it will shift its KCIT domestic service from the Intermodal Container Transfer Facility (ICTF) terminal in Long Beach, California, to the City of Industry terminal in Southern California. Domestic units moving to KCIT will now benefit from Union Pacific's expedited premium network six days a week, offering a more than 25% faster journey and up to 25 hours in savings compared to current industry options, with just over 2.5 days transit. Making the change to City of Industry will complement the KCIT terminal and allow for expanded market access, efficient drayage management and enhanced logistics planning. Units originating in Kansas City will continue to utilize the existing expedited premium train to the City of Industry terminal. ABOUT UNION PACIFIC Union Pacific (NYSE: UNP) delivers the goods families and businesses use every day with safe, reliable and efficient service. Operating in 23 western states, the company connects its customers and communities to the global economy. Trains are the most environmentally responsible way to move freight, helping Union Pacific protect future generations. More information about Union Pacific is available at View source version on Contacts MEDIA CONTACT:Kristen South, Corporate Communications & Media Relationskmsouth@ (402) 544-3435 Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
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How gerrymandering has reshaped the political map for red and blue states
The redistricting battle gripping Texas has put a spotlight on the ongoing debate over gerrymandering and its long-term effects on the electorate. Sam Wang, the founding director of the Electoral Innovation Lab and the creator of the Gerrymandering Project , a research lab focused on creating the most fair district maps, told ABC News that state leaders from both sides of the aisle have changed election boundaries to make it stacked with constituents who vote in their favor. In the last 20 years, with access to advanced computer algorithms, those gerrymandering attempts have become more egregious as whole counties have been divided up with pinpoint precision, resulting in districts with areas with outlandish shapes, he said. "Gerrymander is partisanship maximized above all of the other things," Wang said. The practice was first identified and coined in 1812 when Massachusetts Gov. Elbridge Gerry signed a bill that redrew the state's congressional maps to benefit the Democratic-Republican party. Maps are typically redrawn at the beginning of each decade to reflect changes in the population from the latest census. Kareem Crayton, the vice president of the Washington D.C. office of the Brennan Center for Justice, who has spent years researching redistricting, told ABC News the redistricting campaigns since the 2000s have led to a systemic cycle of gerrymandering, especially in the South. MORE: Texas redistricting: What's at stake as Republicans aim to pick up 5 House seats "States like Florida and Texas have the worst examples of gerrymandering," he said. But Crayton also pointed out that states with Democratic majorities, like Illinois, have responded with their own maps that also skew districts in their favor, leading to an endless cycle. "All of these states are looking around at each other like 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' thinking who's going to fire first," he said, referring to the Western film. "There is no sheriff in town saying this is not helping everyone." While Republican and Democratic leaders in those states have contended they are redrawing their maps to adequately reflect their communities, Wang said the math and geography aren't backing their arguments. Wang's lab created a mathematical algorithm that creates district maps using key demographic factors. Racial demographics from the Census, environmental and geographic information from local data and other public sources are used to create district maps that remove political bias. Those maps are then compared to the district maps currently in place. "That tells us what someone who didn't care about political parties would do," he explained. "We have harnessed the power of computer simulation to see what would be neutral." Texas is one of the 15 states in the map that earned an F grade based on the Gerrymander Project's formula. Although the state legislature and congressional delegation are led by a Republican majority, Texas's current districting map is divided in a way that gives the GOP an advantage, according to the project. The analysis shows that the redistricting negates a challenging vote. Travis County, for example, includes the city of Austin, which has leaned Democratic, but the county includes five congressional districts around it. By not including Austin in the suburban areas, the congressional district will lean Republican, according to the analysis. The Gerrymander Project's analysis found that the county splits in Texas, which is the number of districts within a single county, are higher than the average split per state, based on its analysis. MORE: Video Michigan citizens take on gerrymandering with redrawn congressional map For example, more dense Dallas County is home to five congressional districts, and two of the districts' boundaries extend into the next county. Such division leads to confusion among voters as to what their district is, according to Crayton. Crayton said that such county splits have led to more examples of elected officials running unopposed. "If you're a candidate from an opposing party, you're going to have an uphill battle trying to run in a district where the majority of the voters are registered to the majority," he said. "We've seen it happen all of the time where a Democrat or Republican simply won't put the time and effort to run because the gerrymandered district puts the odds against them," Crayton said. Although the majority of the states that got the project's F grade are in the South and show more of a Republican advantage, the experts warned that blue states in other parts of the country have used gerrymandering as well. Illinois, which is one of the Midwest states with an F grade, is the prime example, they said. Its current map, which was adopted in 2021, contains non-compact districts, which leads to unequal voter density per area, and more county splits than the average, according to the Gerrymander Project. One egregious example is the state's 13th congressional district, which covers a nearly 2,300 square mile boundary that extends from its southern point near the border with Missouri to Springfield, right in the center of the state, and then east to the city of Champaign. The boundaries keep a huge concentration of Democratic leaning voters, according to the Gerrymander Project. Wang noted that the Supreme Court's 2019 decision that ruled gerrymandering for party advantage cannot be challenged in federal court has removed key guardrails for preventing states from taking part in severe party redistricting. The case involved gerrymandering allegations in North Carolina, and while the court's majority ruled that the practice may be "incompatible with democratic principles," federal courts had no jurisdiction in reviewing those cases. Wang said that most states have taken gerrymandering to their limit and made it extremely hard for state legislatures to revert their boundaries to more fair areas. MORE: Redistricting battles in Texas and elsewhere: Will courts play a role?: ANALYSIS "The lemon has been squeezed dry," he said. However, Wang noted that gerrymandering cases have prompted the public to speak out and take action to turn the tide and rein in gerrymandering in some key states. Virginia, for example, used a special master in 2022 to draw up its current maps following a court case brought by the state's constituents and some local elected officials. The court ordered the special master to create district maps to adhere to federal requirements of population equality, the Voting Rights Act mandates, state constitution and statutes in its districting process. As a result of its changes, the state, which has a slight Democratic majority in its state legislature, has no partisan competitiveness in its congressional districts, according to the Gerrymander Project, which awarded Virigina an A rating. The district's geography is "Fairly compact" and has the national average number of county splits, according to the project's analysis. Wang said ballot initiatives that removed the legislature from the districting process have risen in popularity in many states and have made a huge difference. Arizona, which also has an A rating by the project, has been using an independent redistricting commission after voters passed a ballot initiative in 2000 that changed state regulations. The state, which has a Republican majority in its state legislature, does not have a partisan advantage in its state districts, according to the Gerrymandering Project. Its districts are seen as "fairly compact" and are the average number of county splits, according to the analysis. Crayton and Wang said the state-run solutions to redistricting are a good step forward, but ultimately, it is going to take Congressional legislation to end partisan influence in these maps. Wang said that public opinion has consistently shown that constituents seek fair maps regardless of their political affiliations. "If Congress were to really pursue it, it could be bipartisan and get a lot of support," he said of legislation that prohibited gerrymandering tactics. "And we've seen it work."
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
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Tim Scannell, Former Stryker President & COO, Named Chair of Longeviti Neuro Solutions Amid $10M Capital Infusion From Soleus Capital
Appointment to Chair of the Board and Additional Growth Funding Accelerate Longeviti's Mission in Developing Platform Solutions for Complex Neurological Disorders BALTIMORE, Aug. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Longeviti Neuro Solutions, a neurotechnology company with a focus on innovative platform solutions for complex brain disorders, today announces the appointment of Tim Scannell, former President & COO of Stryker Corporation, as Chair of its Board of Directors. The company also reveals a $10 million strategic capital partnership with Soleus Capital to accelerate hiring, product development, and medical education efforts in the United States and abroad. Scannell brings a wealth of experience in the medical device market having served in leadership positions with Stryker Corporation for over thirty years. He advanced from sales and marketing to executive leadership roles highlighted by ten years as Group President of MedSurg & Neurotechnology and three years as President and COO of Stryker. He was responsible for assisting in the selection and development of the strategies and talent that delivered over the last three decades and continues to deliver outstanding results today. Scannell is currently scaling MedTech businesses with his involvement as board representative and chair for multiple public and private companies, with the majority offering interaction with neurosciences and neurosurgeons. In his role as Chair, he will assist with formulating strategic plans and providing oversight while serving as a sounding board for management. Longeviti established a strategic capital partnership with Soleus Capital, a healthcare investment firm based in Greenwich, CT. The firm, which invests in the innovative areas of life sciences including medical technology, biotechnology, diagnostics, and life science tools, has committed $10 million in structured financing to fund key strategic priorities for Longeviti. With this capital, Longeviti is poised to accelerate talent acquisition needs, continued development of its groundbreaking neurotechnology platforms, expand its market presence, and continue delivering life-changing innovations that enhance patient care. 'Tim's appointment as Chair of the Board brings world-class leadership and unmatched insight from decades of success in building, and leading, high-performing MedTech companies. His experience will be instrumental as we sharpen our strategy and deepen our impact in neurotechnology. Coupled with the $10 million capital infusion from Soleus Capital, Longeviti now has the momentum to grow our team, advance critical research, and accelerate the development and delivery of life-changing solutions for patients with complex brain disorders,' shared Jesse Christopher, Co-Founder and CEO, Longeviti Neuro Solutions. 'I easily said 'yes' to joining the Board of Directors for Longeviti, mainly because of the talent. I've known several of Longeviti's leaders for years, and admire their tenacity, persistence, and goals to make an instrumental difference in the neuro industry. Longeviti's technology is revolutionary and will support the advancement of patient care in neurosciences, creating a value for the industry, our shareholders, and employees,' said Tim Scannell, Chair, Board of Directors, Longeviti Neuro Solutions and former President and COO, Stryker. 'I'm honored to share my experiences and opinions to support the success of Longeviti.' 'We were introduced to Longeviti by a respected key opinion leader who had firsthand experience using their innovative products in clinical practice. We were deeply impressed by the company's mission and strong operating results,' shared Ben Lund, Partner, Soleus Capital. 'It was clear to us that with the right capital support, Longeviti could scale its team, reach more clinicians and patients, and amplify its impact on those living with complex brain disorders. We are proud to be part of that growth.' About Longeviti Neuro Solutions ( Longeviti Neuro Solutions is a leading innovator in functional neurotechnology, dedicated to developing advanced solutions that improve the lives of patients with neurological conditions during and after surgery, while also returning them to anatomical normalcy. The Baltimore-based company has full manufacturing, packaging, designing, and sterilizing capabilities in-house with multiple FDA clearances, successful FDA audits, and ISO 13485 Certifications. Longeviti has 50 worldwide patents to date. Longeviti's mission is to develop innovative platform solutions for complex brain surgery. Its products are currently approved for use in over 120 hospitals across the globe. To date, Longeviti neurosurgical implants have helped over 4,000 patients. About Soleus Capital ( Soleus Capital is a healthcare investment firm based in Greenwich, CT. Founded in 2018, the company currently has ~$2B in assets under management. Soleus partners with companies across three strategies – public equity, private equity and structured credit – and across each of the life sciences subsectors – biotechnology, medical technology, life science tools and diagnostics. Contact: Nicole Halsey/Natalie Van Buskirk Polished Nichols PR & Marketing nicole@ natalie@ 410.952.2122/443.956.4765 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
