Pinnacle Turkey Creek 5K raises money for older adults
This event raised awareness and money for Send Senior Citizens Love whose mission is to improve 'the lives of seniors around the world.'
Tennessee Valley Authority leads Douglas Lake 'Community Day of Service'
This was the first year for the event, but there are plans for more in future years, said Gabi Walsh, marketing manager for Pinnacle Turkey Creek.
'We're happy that so many people want to support a great nonprofit,' Walsh said.
Ashley Lynch, founder of Send Senior Citizens Love, said it was humbling and amazing to see so many people come out to support this cause. She started her nonprofit in 2019 after the death of her grandparents.
'I wanted to do something in memory of them,' Lynch told 6 News. 'COVID hit, everybody went on lockdown and the seniors were often forgotten, so I wanted to do something to cheer them up.'
Morristown hosts the Tennessee State Disc Golf Championships
She said she wants to raise awareness for older adults who might feel isolated.
Lynch added, 'Next year we'll plan bigger.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Los Angeles Times
01-08-2025
- Los Angeles Times
‘This fire could have been prevented': How utilities fought removal of old power lines
The abandoned power line suspected of igniting the Eaton fire could have been removed years ago under a rule proposed by state Public Utilities Commission staffers, but the regulation was weakened amid opposition from Southern California Edison and other utilities, according to records and interviews. State regulators have long known that old transmission lines could set off wildfires, and in 2001 they proposed a safety rule that would have forced Edison and other electric companies to remove abandoned lines unless they could prove they would use them in the future. Amid opposition from the utility companies, the Public Utilities Commission studied the proposal for several years, ultimately watering it down to allow the old lines to remain up until executives decided they were 'permanently abandoned,' records show. One of those old transmission lines, Edison's Mesa-Sylmar line that last saw service during the Vietnam War, is at the center of dozens of lawsuits claiming it ignited the devastating Eaton fire on Jan. 7. The inferno roared through Altadena, killing 19 people and destroying 9,400 homes and other structures. Edison has said a leading theory of the fire's cause is that the century-old line somehow briefly re-energized, creating an arc that sparked the wildfire. The investigation is continuing. Raffy Stepanian, an electrical engineer who was part of the commission's safety team that proposed the 2001 rule to take down abandoned lines, said commission members dialed back the regulation under fierce lobbying by the state's utilities. 'There was a lot of pressure on us to agree with utilities on everything,' Stepanian said, adding that the utilities 'pretty much wrote those rules.' Now retired from the commission, Stepanian lives in Altadena. His house survived the Eaton fire, but homes adjoining his property were destroyed. 'This fire could have been prevented,' he said. Edison, responding to questions from The Times, said the company kept the Mesa-Sylmar transmission line in place because it thought it might need the line in the future. It last transported electricity in 1971. 'We have these inactive lines still available because there is a reasonable chance we're going to use them in the future,' said Shinjini Menon, Edison's senior vice president of system planning and engineering. Menon said the company inspects and maintains the dormant lines to ensure their safety. Loretta Lynch, the commission's president in 2001 when the changes were proposed, said she remembers the safety staff coming to her and explaining why the rules needed to be strengthened. But the effort met with resistance from utility executives, she said. Ultimately, the commission allowed the utilities to debate the rules at dozens of workshops over two years. The weakened proposal was approved in 2005, less than two weeks after Lynch's term had expired. Lynch's departure left just three people on the five-member commission, which was chaired by Michael Peevey, the former president of Edison International, Southern California Edison's parent company. 'The folks who were trying to improve safety got pulled into a back room with a bunch of industry participants and what happened was a final decision that rolled back safety regulations,' Lynch said. In an interview this week, Peevey acknowledged that in the hindsight of 20 years, a time when utilities have repeatedly sparked some of the biggest wildfires in the state, the commission might have acted differently. 'If we knew then what we know now, perhaps we would have come to a different conclusion,' he said. The other commissioners who approved the rule were Susan Kennedy, who was chief of staff for former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Geoffrey Brown, an attorney and cousin of former Gov. Jerry Brown. Brown said he couldn't recall the details of the vote. Kennedy had no immediate comment. In the years since the commission's 2005 decision, abandoned power lines have continued to pose a threat, with hundreds of miles of the unused transmission lines running like spider webs through California. In 2019, investigators traced the Kincade fire in Sonoma County, which destroyed 374 homes and other structures, to an abandoned line owned by Pacific Gas & Electric. After the Eaton fire, PUC executive director Rachel Peterson was called before the Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee to address how the agency monitors abandoned power lines. 'If we wanted to know where all of the inactive lines are, is there a place where we can get that information?' asked Assemblywoman Rhodesia Ransom (D-Tracy). 'Not as of today, Assemblymember,' Peterson replied. 'And I would, I guess, I'd say in part because the service territories are so large and the pieces of equipment are so numerous that a registry of a specific element may or may not exist. However, we'll take that back and look at it.' 'Is there a timeline requirement for them to remove abandoned lines?' asked Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo (D-Santa Clarita). 'There's no timeline,' Peterson responded. Terrie Prosper, a commission spokeswoman, wrote in an email that the commission expects the companies to inspect and safely maintain the dormant lines just as it does for those that are energized. 'Requiring utilities to remove power lines prematurely … would be shortsighted and could significantly raise bills for utility customers,' Prosper wrote. She declined to make officials available for interviews. Edison said earlier this year that the unused transmission line in Eaton Canyon may have become energized through induction, a process where magnetic fields created by nearby live lines cause the dormant line to electrify. The company built two transmission lines that run parallel to the dormant Mesa-Sylmar line. They were energized when videos captured the Eaton fire igniting under one of the Mesa-Sylmar transmission towers. After the 2019 Kincade fire, PG&E said it had agreed with the commission to remove 262 miles of lines that had no future use. The company said it would prioritize the removal of those where the risk of induction was high. 'At the right conditions, failing idle facilities can pose significant wildfire and safety risks,' PG&E wrote in its plan to remove the lines. Edison says it has 465 miles of idle transmission lines in its territory. Kathleen Dunleavy, an Edison spokeswoman, said the company could not release the locations of those lines because it was 'considered confidential.' How to define 'abandoned' State utility rules have long stated that 'permanently abandoned' lines must be removed so they 'shall not become a public nuisance or a hazard to life or property.' But utilities and commission safety staff sometimes disagreed on what lines had been abandoned. In 2001, when the commission and its staff proposed strengthening the rule, Edison was challenging the agency's finding that it had violated it by failing to remove an electric line at a Lancaster home that had been demolished. A man who Edison said was attempting to steal equipment had climbed the pole and been electrocuted, according to commission documents. Edison told the safety staff that it had a pending order for service to be re-installed to the property, arguing it was not abandoned. Staff later discovered there was no such work order, according to the commission's investigation into the death. To strengthen the rule, the commission said in a January 2001 order that it would define permanently abandoned lines as any line out of service 'unless the owner can demonstrate with appropriate documentation' how it would be used in the future. Edison and other utilities objected to that proposal and a dozen other rule changes the commission had proposed, asking for the plan to be debated at a workshop, documents show. Ultimately, an administrative law judge at the commission allowed 50 days of workshops over the course of two years. The judge also allowed Edison and other utilities to pay $180,000 to choose and hire a consultant to facilitate the workshops, according to commission documents. The goal of the workshops, according to a commission document, was 'to gather parties' views and attempt to narrow disagreement.' At the workshops, one or two of the commission's safety staff defended the proposal while listening to comments from dozens of employees from the electric utilities and the telecommunications companies, according to an utility industry website that kept executives apprised of the developments. The companies did not just want to debate the commission's proposed rule changes. Documents show the companies suggested 50 other changes to the safety rules, including some that would significantly weaken them. Lynch, the former commission president, called the workshops 'the worst way to go about fact-finding on what is needed to ensure safety' and said the utility-paid facilitator had 'unheard of' powers in drafting the workshop notes, which were incorporated into the commission's final decision. In the final wording, gone from the proposal was any requirement for utilities to document how they planned to use dormant lines in the future. Instead the language revised the rule to define permanently abandoned lines as those 'that are determined by their owner to have no foreseeable future use.' With that definition, utilities could keep their old unused lines up indefinitely if executives believed they might be used in the future. The commission's vote 'perverted the entire intent' of the proposal meant to strengthen the rules, Lynch said. Instead the commission's final decision reduced safety requirements. 'It's very Orwellian,' she said. 'Up is down.' In an interview in July, Connor Flanigan, Edison's managing director of state regulatory operations, pointed out that commission staff had been given the power to block a company proposal at the workshops, which were open to the public. 'When the commission holds these proceedings, they try to be very transparent,' he said. The document outlining the commission's final decision includes quotes from Edison executives praising the workshop process. 'Like most parties, SCE achieved some, but not all, of the rule changes it sought,' the executives said.
Business Wire
28-07-2025
- Business Wire
Bristol Myers Squibb and Bain Capital Create New Company Dedicated to Developing Innovative Immunology Therapies that Address the Unmet Medical Needs of Patients
PRINCETON, N.J. & BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY, 'BMS') and Bain Capital today announced the creation of a new independent biopharmaceutical company ('NewCo') focused on developing new therapies for autoimmune diseases that address significant unmet needs of patients. The newly formed company launches with five immunology assets in-licensed from BMS and a $300 million financing commitment that was led by Bain Capital. The NewCo has a broad pipeline consisting of three clinical-stage and two Phase 1-ready investigational medicines that each target promising mechanisms in autoimmune diseases. The most advanced assets in the NewCo's portfolio are afimetoran, an oral, potential best-in-class TLR7/8 inhibitor that is currently being studied in a Phase 2 clinical trial for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and BMS-986322, an oral TYK2 inhibitor, which successfully established proof-of-concept in a positive plaque psoriasis Phase 2 trial. Other licensed assets include BMS-986326, a novel, potential best-in-class, IL2 fusion protein that is currently being studied in Phase 1 clinical trials for SLE and atopic dermatitis, and BMS-986481 and BMS-986498, two Phase 1-ready biologics targeting the IL18 and IL10 pathways respectively. The assets licensed to NewCo reflect the strength of BMS's scientific innovation and hold promise to address unmet needs for patients with autoimmune diseases. As part of the agreement, BMS will retain a nearly 20 percent equity stake in NewCo and will be entitled to royalties and milestones tied to the success of each asset. Robert Plenge, MD, PhD, Executive Vice President and Chief Research Officer at BMS, will also serve on NewCo's Board of Directors. This transaction reflects BMS's strategic shift in Immunology research to focus on assets that have the potential to reset the immune system and promote tissue repair. It also further demonstrates the company's sharpened strategy to invest in areas where BMS is best positioned to lead, while enabling the continued development of promising medicines. 'These assets have significant potential, and we are confident that this new company will drive their development to ensure greater impact for patients,' said Julie Rozenblyum, Senior Vice President, Business Development at BMS. 'Bain Capital's exceptional track record in building successful life science companies by providing focused development and dedicated resources makes them ideally suited to advance these assets to realize their full promise.' Daniel S. Lynch will serve as the Executive Chairman of the Company's Board of Directors and interim CEO. Mr. Lynch is an accomplished biopharmaceutical industry leader with decades of strategic, management and operational experience at companies spanning many stages of growth. Nicholas Downing, MD, Adam M. Koppel, MD, PhD, and Andrew Kaplan from Bain Capital will also join Mr. Lynch and Dr. Plenge of BMS on NewCo's Board of Directors. 'We are excited to partner with BMS and we share their commitment to improving lives through science,' said Adam Koppel, a Partner at Bain Capital Life Sciences. 'We look forward to working together and leveraging our company creation experience to build out this new platform and advance these distinct assets in an effort to bring innovative, high-quality therapies to patients with autoimmune diseases.' 'This is a unique opportunity to build an innovative biotech company with a strong scientific foundation and differentiated development capabilities,' said Mr. Lynch. 'I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to leverage my background and experience to contribute to the success of the company as it seeks to develop much-needed new therapies, and I look forward to supporting BMS and Bain Capital in the build-out of the company's operations.' Bain Capital is investing in NewCo through its Life Sciences and Private Equity teams, drawing on over 40 years of supporting the growth and innovation of healthcare companies globally. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board also joined the investment. About Bristol Myers Squibb: Transforming Patients' Lives Through Science At Bristol Myers Squibb, our mission is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. We are pursuing bold science to define what's possible for the future of medicine and the patients we serve. For more information, visit us at and follow us on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. Bristol Myers Squibb Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding, among other things, the research, development and commercialization of pharmaceutical products, the creation of NewCo and the agreement with NewCo. All statements that are not statements of historical facts are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and projections about our future financial results, goals, plans and objectives and involve inherent risks, assumptions and uncertainties, including internal or external factors that could delay, divert or change any of them in the next several years, that are difficult to predict, may be beyond our control and could cause our future financial results, goals, plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the statements. These risks, assumptions, uncertainties and other factors include, among others, that the expected benefits of, and opportunities related to, the creation of NewCo and the agreement with NewCo may not be realized by Bristol Myers Squibb or may take longer to realize than anticipated, that the assets described in this press release, may not achieve their primary study endpoints or receive regulatory approval for the indications described in this release in the currently anticipated timeline or at all and, if approved, whether such assets will be commercially successful. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements in this press release should be evaluated together with the many risks and uncertainties that affect Bristol Myers Squibb's business and market, particularly those identified in the cautionary statement and risk factors discussion in Bristol Myers Squibb's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, as updated by our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements included in this document are made only as of the date of this document and except as otherwise required by applicable law, Bristol Myers Squibb undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise. About Bain Capital Founded in 1984, Bain Capital is one of the world's leading private investment firms. We are committed to creating lasting impact for our investors, teams, businesses, and the communities in which we live. As a private partnership, we lead with conviction and a culture of collaboration, advantages that enable us to innovate investment approaches, unlock opportunities, and create exceptional outcomes. Our global platform invests across five focus areas: Private Equity, Growth & Venture, Capital Solutions, Credit & Capital Markets, and Real Assets. In these focus areas, we bring deep sector expertise and wide-ranging capabilities. We have 24 offices on four continents, more than 1,850 employees, and approximately $185 billion in assets under management. To learn more, visit Follow @BainCapital on LinkedIn and X (Twitter). corporatefinancial-news
The Hill
23-07-2025
- The Hill
2 children in Tennessee recovering from rare La Crosse virus spread by mosquitoes
KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE / WJW) — Two children in Tennessee are now recovering at home after being hospitalized for La Crosse virus, a rare mosquito-borne virus that can, in severe cases, lead to inflammation of the brain. The Knox County Health Department said the two children were hospitalized earlier this month. They mark the first cases of the virus this year in the county, according to health officials. Meanwhile in Ohio, a 66-year-old man was recently confirmed to have contracted La Crosse virus, Nexstar's WJW reports. What is La Crosse virus? La Crosse virus is a mosquito-borne infection. Most people who get it don't have symptoms, but those who do can have a fever, a headache, nausea, and vomiting, Knox County health officials said. In rare cases, it can become severe and lead to inflammation of the brain, or encephalitis. 'Severe disease occurs most often in children under 16 years old,' said a KCHD spokesperson. 'Most severe cases require hospitalization but will recover with supportive care. However, up to 15 percent of cases can have major neurologic complications.' According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 30 and 90 La Crosse cases are reported annually. But this number is thought to be a 'substantial under-diagnosis' due to the 'under-reporting of less severe cases.' Cases are primarily found during the late spring through early fall while mosquitoes are most active. How is La Crosse virus spread? It comes from the bite of an infected Aedes triseriatus, or eastern treehole mosquito. The Aedes mosquitoes primarily bite people in wooded areas during dawn and dusk. 'They are a little bit more of a shy mosquito, they don't aggressively come out and bite people,' Caroline Terakedis, director of environmental health services for the Tuscarawas County Health Department, told WJW. 'It's difficult to treat standing water for them because they prefer to breed in small tiny areas like tree holes, but they really like scrap tires.' 5 million above-ground pools recalled after deaths reported in 6 states Humans do not spread the virus, the CDC says. Symptoms can occur within five to 15 days of a bite. Where have cases been reported? CDC data shows that between 2003 and 2024, more than 1,500 cases of La Crosse virus were reported, with 15 confirmed deaths over the same time period. Nearly two dozen states saw at least one case of La Crosse virus during that time. North Carolina and Ohio each saw over 300 cases, while Tennessee and West Virginia had over 200 each. Other states that recorded at least one case include Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin. 'Quiet cracking' is the newest term for a workplace problem — and it's 'pretty pervasive,' expert says The vast majority of human cases reported to the CDC were among those under the age of 18. How to avoid getting La Crosse virus Similar to advice for preventing West Nile virus, health experts recommend using insect repellants (such as DEET, Picaridin, IR3535 and oil of lemon eucalyptus), treating your clothes with repellents like permethrin, wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants while near wooded areas, and covering strollers with mosquito netting. Knox County health officials also recommended reducing standing water on your property to control the mosquito population. This includes turning over items that hold water, like flowerpot saucers, once a week. Health officials have advised parents and guardians to seek emergency care if they see neurological issues in their children. This would include seizures, mental changes, and drowsiness or trouble staying awake. The Tuscarawas County Health Department says there is no vaccine against the virus, and there are no medications to specifically treat La Crosse encephalitis.
