Latest news with #Bissonnette
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
HCC Student Innovation team advances to national finals
HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) – A trio of Holyoke Community College students is heading to Washington, D.C., next month after their sustainable cooling system project for AI-driven data centers earned them a spot in the finals of a prestigious nationwide innovation competition. Jacob Bissonnette of Holyoke, Anjou Edwards of Westhampton—both business administration majors—and Nora Goncalves, an engineering major from Williamsburg, were selected as one of 12 finalist teams for the 2025 Community College Innovation Challenge. Massachusetts millionaires tax is funding these public schools The annual contest is organized by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) in partnership with the National Science Foundation. Their project, titled 'Green Computer Processing – Reducing Data Energy Consumption,' aims to build a closed-loop cooling system designed to recapture lost energy and reduce waste in large-scale computing centers. It was one of only two projects from Massachusetts to reach the final round, alongside a team from Middlesex Community College. 'It's an amazing feeling, because it wasn't just the culmination of all our efforts, but the efforts of everyone who's been supporting us this far – the faculty, our coaches, the whole school helping to put us up,' said Bissonnette. From June 9–12, the team will participate in an 'Innovation Boot Camp' in Washington, where they will receive coaching on business planning, stakeholder engagement, communication strategies, and market dynamics. The boot camp concludes with a student poster session on Capitol Hill with STEM leaders and congressional stakeholders, followed by formal pitch presentations to determine the winning teams. The competition, now in its ninth year, is designed to cultivate entrepreneurial thinking among community college students by challenging them to solve real-world problems using STEM-based approaches. Teams consist of two to four students and a faculty or administrator mentor. 'Congratulations to the 2025 CCIC finalists,' said Walter G. Bumphus, President and CEO of AACC. 'The finalist projects showcase the incredible talent and creativity of the nation's community college students. I am proud to stand with our partners at the National Science Foundation to provide this forum to advance these student leaders as they become our future scientists, entrepreneurs, and engineers, addressing real-world issues and positively impacting our daily lives.' The HCC team is advised by Michele Cabral, professor of accounting at the college. 'The national Community College Innovation Challenge is designed to enable community college students to discover and demonstrate their capacity to use STEM to make a difference in the world and to translate that knowledge into action,' said Cabral. 'Jacob, Anjou, and Nora will be the first group of students ever representing HCC on this national stage.' Holyoke Community College appoints first Latina Chief of Police Bissonnette and Edwards were originally recognized as 'Ultimate Achievers' during HCC's inaugural campus Innovation Challenge last fall. Goncalves joined their team in the spring to prepare for the national contest. Top teams in the challenge will receive cash awards of $3,000 for first place, $2,000 for second, and $1,000 for third, along with access to patent experts to help further develop their ideas. 'Even if we don't make it to the top three, we still get to have this amazing experience and add that to our resumes,' said Bissonnette. 'It's incredible for our professional development.' 'We'll get to network with experts in the field, politicians, and people who know how to get patents,' added Edwards. 'So, if you want to make this business into something more serious, which is our goal, this is the perfect first step.' Other finalist projects in this year's competition addressed a range of issues, including food insecurity, burn treatment, aviation safety, nicotine addiction, neonatal care, fire prevention, and assistive technologies. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'NHL On TNT' Studio Director Shares How The Show Balances Hijinks With Sharp Analysis
Next Tuesday, the 46th annual Sports Emmy Awards will be handed out in New York City. This year, the studio team at the NHL on TNT received its first-ever nomination for its coverage of the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs. They're up against some heavy hitters: ESPN's College Gameday, the road to the Final Four on CBS and TNT, and the studio shows for the NBA and MLB post-seasons. With the 2025 NHL playoffs currently in full swing, it's unclear right now whether the TNT crew will be able to make it to the ceremony. 'With conference finals starting next week, right now we're really in the grind with getting ready,' said Morgan Weinbrecht, who has been the show's studio director since its inception. A former associate director at TNT's acclaimed Inside the NBA, Weinbrecht is already a nine-time Emmy winner. She has also worked on the network's March Madness coverage and previously at ESPN. An Atlanta native, Weinbrecht caught the hockey bug after her puck-loving husband took her to a Nashville Predators game. Now, she's at the forefront of a studio show that balances hijinks with sharp analysis, amid a heavy dose of unpredictability that often leads to viral moments that break the internet. Last Sunday, the Florida Panthers' 2-0 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs served up a golden opportunity to throw a post-game birthday party for Brad Marchand – much to the chagrin of unabashed Leafs supporter and panelist Paul Bissonnette. Bissonnette's fearlessness and willingness to let himself be the butt of the joke makes for entertaining and unpredictable television. But that's not all he brings. 'You can't teach somebody to be that kind of personality and be genuinely one of the kindest, sweetest human beings,' said Weinbrecht. 'That's something that endears us all to him more, and I truly believe it comes across on camera. Not a day goes by that he doesn't come into the studio and fist-bump every single crew member and ask them about their family or some conversation that he remembered that he had with them weeks ago. 'I would copy and paste that across all of our crew, but when you have someone that wild… I jokingly asked him, two years ago at the Winter Classic, 'Can we hang you from the Space Needle to do a hit?' He was, like, 'Yeah, let's do it.' And I was like, 'I was kind of kidding, but now that you're in, maybe we need to look into this.' He's game for anything.' Over four seasons, Bissonnette has become an astute analyst. 'He's also probably one of the most particular while watching the game,' Weinbrecht said. 'He wants specific camera angles. He wants to say specific points. His breakdowns are flawless and very, very thorough. I think people don't give him enough credit for his hockey knowledge.' The NHL on TNT is a collaborative effort. Anyone can pitch an idea, then the group will ideate to make it the best that it can be. Weinbrecht has been on board since Day 1 in 2021. She helped create the look and feel of the show and has been hands-on as studio director for regular-season and playoff games, Winter Classics, the 4 Nations Face-Off and the 2023 Stanley Cup final. 'When you're sitting down and watching a studio show, or a game, everything you physically see is my job, and every story that you hear is the producer's job,' she said. 'And then, those two things come together. 'We don't use a lot of graphics on our show. We like to think of ourselves as a bit more talk show/entertainment. That allows me to really get in with the cameras and how we shoot the guys – and you don't always see the talking head. Sometimes Hank (Henrik Lundqvist) is making fun of Biz, so I'm taking a shot of Biz because you want to see his reaction – you want to see him take the jab that's being thrown at him. 'It's so collaboratively creative. It takes all of us together to make the final product.' Pushing the envelope and being unpredictable can sometimes lead to unexpected outcomes. 'Every time that any of them have broken the set, it was never intentional,' she said. 'I think a lot of people are like, 'Oh, you guys set that up,' and I'm, like, 'No, I really don't want them to break thousands of dollars' worth of technology equipment for fun'. There's plenty of things we can break for fun. That isn't it.' Looking ahead to the rest of the playoffs, the studio team will remain in Atlanta for TNT's conference final games, then move onsite for the Stanley Cup final, with Wayne Gretzky once again joining the panel. 'There's nothing like taking the show and putting it down among the fans and being able to watch the guys interact with the fans,' Weinbrecht said. 'Wayne Gretzky is just one of the kindest people you will come across – he stops all the time, and he takes photos, and he loves being in front of a crowd. It's great to bring it out there and be able to bring all that energy and excitement and connect with the fan bases.' The 46th annual Sports Emmy Award ceremony will be streamed live on Tuesday, May 20 at 7 p.m. ET on
Time of India
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
'F**king scumbags': Paul Bissonnette thrashed Panthers and mocks Brad Marchand after controversial Game 1 hit on Leafs goalie
Former NHL bruiser and current analyst Paul Bissonnette didn't hold back in his explosive reaction to the Florida Panthers ' Game 1 antics against the Toronto Maple Leafs , which included a hit that left goalie Anthony Stolarz injured and out of the game. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now As the Leafs opened their second-round Stanley Cup playoff series with a tight 5-4 win last month, tensions immediately boiled over — both on the ice and in the commentary. Paul Bissonnette explodes on 'scumbag' Panthers Paul Bissonnette, known for his unfiltered style on the Spittin' Chiclets podcast, went off on Florida's Sam Bennett for his controversial hit that forced Stolarz out with a head injury. 'We knew they were going to be f**king scumbags the entire time,' Bissonnette said. 'You try to take out our starting goalie? And then go after (Joseph) Woll? He didn't have his best night, but, in relief after that nonsense from Sam Bennett. You guys are f**king scumbags.' The incident left the Leafs scrambling, with backup Dennis Hildeby called into action. Stolarz had been a key part of Toronto's success in the opening round, and losing him so early in the series added major stress to an already intense matchup. Paul Bissonnette calls out Brad Marchand's disappearing act in playoff opener Bissonnette also took the opportunity to take a dig at Panthers forward Brad Marchand, whose Game 1 presence was barely felt according to the former enforcer, 'Marchand — were you even playing tonight? Didn't really notice you.' Marchand, known for being a pest on the ice, was largely invisible on the scoresheet and in terms of impact — a fact Bissonnette didn't let slide. Maple Leafs Media Availability | RD2 GM1 Post Game vs Florida Panthers | May 5, 2025 Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube also didn't mince words postgame. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Reacting to the play that took Stolarz out, Berube said, 'Elbow to the head, that was clear as day.' Berube expressed frustration that no penalty was called and added, 'I mean... I don't know... I think we handled it the way we should've. I am not sure why there is not a call on it.' As Game 2 loomed, Bissonnette had one final rallying cry for Toronto, 'So get angry. Take Game 2. Then go into that building in Sunrise — and bend them over, .. . just finish the job.' Also Read: Paul Bissonnette's fiery remarks have reignited the rivalry, putting added pressure on both teams. With tensions high, all eyes now turn to Game 2 for answers, retaliation, and redemption.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Paul Bissonnette Sends Stern Warning to Panthers Before Maple Leafs Series
The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Florida Panthers are set to meet in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second time in three years, and Paul Bissonnette lost no time stirring the pot. On Friday's episode of the 'Spittin' Chiclets' podcast, Bissonnette took direct aim at the Panthers, sending a direct warning their way. Advertisement 'Now it's on to Goliath, the Florida Panthers, and we have unfinished business with you,' Bissonnette said. Bissonnette went on to mention a few Panthers players, including forwards Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett. 'You hear that, 'Bennett the Menace'?' Bissonnette said. 'Hi, Matthew! We just took down your brother Brady, and now we're coming for you.' Bissonnette also reserved a special moment for new Panthers forward Brad Marchand. 'My arch (expletive) nemesis,' Bissonnette said. 'I'm going to take you down, once and for all. You hear me, Brad!? You're going down, buddy. Put the war paint on because it's our time. It's our year. Advertisement 'Go, Leafs, Go! Go, Leafs, Go! Yes!' Florida Panthers center Brad Marchand (63) looks on during a stoppage of Navarro-Imagn Images Florida reached the second round by defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games, winning all three on the road. Toronto eliminated the Ottawa Senators in six games, with the final game played in Toronto. Toronto won the Atlantic Division over the Panthers and enters the second round holding home-ice advantage. Florida, however, dominated the Leafs in the regular season, taking three of four games between both franchises. Game 1 between the Leafs and the Panthers is scheduled for Monday, May 5 at 8 p.m. ET at Scotiabank Arena, with the last postseason meeting between both teams ending with Florida beating the Leafs in five games back in 2023. Advertisement Related: Matthew Tkachuk's First Message to Brady Tkachuk After Senators-Maple Leafs Related: NHL Delivers First Official Update on Maple Leafs-Panthers Series
Edmonton Journal
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Edmonton Journal
'Hostility' between Mitch Marner, Leafs could see star winger leave Toronto, Bissonnette says
Article content Now an NHL commentator, the retired enforcer says that 'a little hostility' between Mitch Marner and the Toronto Maple Leafs could lead to the star winger leaving Toronto this summer. During an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show on Monday, the man affectionately known as BizNasty, shared his thoughts on the Pittsburgh Penguins firing longtime coach Mike Sullivan and what the team can do this summer in an attempt to return to the playoffs. Bissonnette pointed towards Marner, arguably the league's biggest pending free agent, and his connection with Kyle Dubas, the former Maple Leafs GM who now runs the Penguins. 'One (upcoming top-tier free agent) that probably sticks out is Mitch Marner (who) hasn't signed yet,' Bissonnette said. 'He's a Toronto Maple Leaf. Kyle Dubas loves Mitch Marner. He was with him in Toronto. 'There's a little hostility between the Maple Leafs and Marner, based on the fact that they tried to trade him at the deadline for Mikko Rantanen, who was available, and they were willing to part ways with Mitch Marner, even though he had a 100-point season.'
