Latest news with #Chron
Eater
2 days ago
- Business
- Eater
Legendary Beer Bar Tornado Might Not Be Getting Sold to a ‘Crypto Bro' After All
A contentious purchase of longtime Haight Street bar Toronado has gone Secret Lives of Mormon Wives . Days after would-be buyer Orion Parrott visited the bar with a San Francisco Chronicle reporter and photographer — a visit that devolved into chaos and shouts — current owner Dave Keene's lawyers told Parrot that the sale was off, supposedly because Parrot didn't waive 'certain contingencies within a given period of time,' the Chronicle reports. Parrott told the paper that he can't waive those contingencies because he's waiting on paperwork from Keene. So for now, the sale of a neighborhood institution and one of the city's most important beer bars is on ice. Toronado is closing because Keene, who opened the bar in 1987 and also founded the Barleywine Festival, is retiring. Parrott, a former Raytheon employee and current crypto entrepreneur, seemed like an odd match for Tornado, an old-school place that doesn't even take credit cards. When the San Francisco Standard broke the news in March that he was buying Tornado, the paper called him a 'tech bro' and quoted a group chat message where he said that he was trying to build 'the next great San Francisco food & beverage brand in the steps of Blue Bottle.' The Standard also reported that Parrott planned to launch a ToronadoCash crypto coin, but the reaction from the bar's regulars was so negative he gave up on the idea, he told the Chron . The reaction to Parrott himself also seems harsh. The Chron came to the bar with Parrott to interview and shoot photos on Friday, May 30. The atmosphere was tense, and bartenders cursed at Parrott, the reporter, and the photographer — they were particularly annoyed by the idea of the photographer taking pictures of staff and patrons. By the time they left, Keene was calling the reporter to make it clear he was still the owner. 'I own the Toronado! He does not!' Keene told the paper 'over and over.' Parrott told the Chron that his plans for the space included a 3,000-square-foot rooftop bar and that the former Rosamunde location next door is included in the $1.75 million asking price. Parrott plans to open that as a restaurant again. But now it's unclear whether any of those plans will come to fruition. Per the Chron, Keene and Parrott have not spoken directly, only worked together through the brokers handling the sale, and now Keene seems like he doesn't want to sell, or at least not to Parrott. Sign up for our newsletter.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Officials lock in nearly 7,000 acres of land for future generations: 'Adds a vital new link in the state's network of preserved natural spaces'
Chron, a division of the Houston Chronicle, reported that Texas is adding 6,900 acres of protected land to the state's network of preserved natural spaces. The establishment of this protected area "presents an opportunity for the conservation and management of an ecologically unique and important habitat," said Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) executive director David Yoskowitz. The TPWD announced that the newly-protected area is called the Trinity River Wildlife Management Area, and it is the first time in nearly 20 years that the state has added a significant mass of land to its protected area. These public lands, overseen by TPWD, have a goal to protect native wildlife and habitats and create outdoor recreation opportunities for visitors. The protected status was secured through a combination of public and private funding. In total, Texas has over 50 Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) of over 700,000 acres that cover different ecological regions. Having protected land is important because these areas are critical to preserving natural habitats and biodiversity. Wildlife can thrive in their natural environments, which helps the species become better-established and can revive endangered populations. Protected lands also help communities by maintaining natural landscapes that become areas of recreation and cultural significance, ensuring the lands are conserved for future generations. Chron reports that the new WMA borders more than 11 miles of the Trinity River, bringing together a conservation corridor connecting more than 21,000 acres of protected land, including bottomland hardwood forests and wetlands. The protected area will help naturally absorb and slow floodwater, reducing erosion and improving water quality downstream, having a positive impact on human health. The land is also providing a natural, protected habitat for migratory birds, pollinators that are vital to the health of the region, and other wildlife. TPWD is set to begin restoration efforts of this newly protected area and plans to revitalize the wetlands, bottomland hardwood forests, and upland prairie. In addition to providing a secure habitat for wildlife, the plan is to provide Texans and visitors from other areas more opportunities to connect with nature. The area, according to the article, "adds a vital new link in the state's network of preserved natural spaces." Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
New York Post
23-04-2025
- Automotive
- New York Post
Driverless Waymo taxi ‘traps' passengers while stopped in traffic on one of Austin's ‘scariest roads': report
Way mo' than they bargained for. Passengers using a popular driverless taxi app were trapped inside the fully autonomous vehicle as it parked in the middle of traffic on 'one of the scariest streets in Austin,' according to a report. Waymo ride-hailers in the Texas city drove right into a 'Black Mirror' episode when their self-driving car stopped in a merging lane underneath the MoPac Expressway and locked them inside for several minutes as vehicles whizzed by, according to Chron. Advertisement 'We kept saying 'We're on a highway, please move the car,'' passenger Becky Navarro said in a video that's garnered over 500k views on TikTok. 3 TikToker Becky Navarro claimed her Waymo taxi glitched out during a ride — locking her while the car sat still on a busy roadway. tiktok/@beckypearlatx 'Cars kept honking at us, and it would not move. It would not let us out,' Navarro said while walking with her fellow passenger on the side of the road with the dysfunctional car in the background. Advertisement In a caption to the video, Navarro — who was let out of the car after about five minutes — claimed that the Waymo vehicle drove past their desired destination and towards Austin's downtown area. Later in the video, the car apparently wakes up from its slumber and speeds right past its two former passengers, walking on the side of the road. 'For people who don't know — this is one of the scariest roads in Austin. Being parked on Mopac is a death trap. This is my fear,' one animated TikTok commenter wrote, Chron reported. Navarro claimed that the car only unlocked its doors when the self-professed 'TikTok queen' threatened customer support with going live on the social media app — but Waymo, a subsidiary of Google's parent company Alphabet Inc., claimed the whole issue was a user error. Advertisement 3 After the two passengers exited the vehicle, the driverless car was seen jetting down the street. tiktok/@beckypearlatx 'During their ride, the passengers in the video pressed the 'pull over' button and the vehicle pulled to the side of a 30 mph road with a sidewalk,' a rep for Waymo said in comment to Chron. 'The riders could have safely exited at any time and at no point did our Rider Support team remotely unlock the door for them,' Waymo added. The company further said that passengers can pause their ride and exit the vehicle at any time, the local outlet reported. Advertisement 3 Waymo is a driverless taxi ride-hailing app that operates in four major cities in the United States. Source: Waymo Waymo, however, has had prior issues with allegedly locking passengers inside its driverless cars — which operate in Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin. Tech entrepreneur Mike Johns took a Waymo driverless taxi to the Scottsdale Airport in Arizona earlier this year when his escort glitched out and drove in circles instead of towards his destination. 'I got a flight to catch. Why is this thing going in a circle? I'm getting dizzy,' Johns said to a Waymo customer service representative in a video posted to LinkedIn. A company staffer was eventually able to get control of the vehicle remotely, allowing the LA native to catch his flight home. The remote operation of Waymo vehicles has come in handy on other occasions — with LA cops shutting down a getaway driverless car that a thief hailed after robbing a grocery store.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Nvidia to build 2 new AI supercomputer factories in Texas. Here's where
Days after President Donald Trump issued sky-high tariffs on China, a technology company has announced plans to produce supercomputers entirely in the U.S., with two new factories in Texas. Nvidia, an American corporation that makes chips for artificial intelligence, has secured over "one million square feet of manufacturing space to build and test Nvidia Blackwell chips in Arizona and AI supercomputers in Texas," according to Monday's press release. Nvidia has partnered with two other global companies for the Texas manufacturing plants. The company says it is working with iPhone supplier Foxconn in Houston and Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Wistron in Dallas. Mass production at the two Texas factories "is expected to ramp up in the next 12-15 months," Nvidia says. Trump hits China with 125% tariffs. What are tariffs and who pays for them? In Phoenix, Nvidia has already begun production at chip plants owned by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world's largest dedicated semiconductor foundry. In addition to Nvidia, TSMC produces chips for other leading tech companies like Apple. In Arizona, the Taiwan company is developing six semiconductor fabrication plants, Chron reports. For packaging and testing operations in Arizona, Nvidia is also partnering with leading outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) company Amkor and another Taiwan company, Siliconware Precision Industries Co., Ltd (SPIL). Through these partnerships with leading global companies, Nvidia aims to "produce up to half a trillion dollars of AI infrastructure" in the U.S. within the next four years, the company said Monday. The supercomputers built in Texas will act as data centers solely dedicated to AI. Nvidia predicts the three new sites will together "create hundreds of thousands of jobs and drive trillions of dollars in economic security in the coming decades." The company's founder and CEO, Jensen Huang, emphasized the benefits of expanding operations in the country. "The engines of the world's AI infrastructure are being built in the United States for the first time," Huang said. "Adding American manufacturing helps us better meet the incredible and growing demand for AI chips and supercomputers, strengthens our supply chain and boosts our resiliency." In expanding U.S. operations, Nvidia will avoid more consequences of the trade war. Shortly after Trump raised China's tariffs to a staggering 125%, China and the European Union retaliated with 84% and 25% tariffs respectively. The EU has since paused countermeasures until July 14. — Chron contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Nvidia opens AI supercomputer, chip operations in Texas, Arizona
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
‘My health is in jeopardy': Insurance denies Kansas nursing student's prescription
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A college student from Anthony is speaking out after Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas denied a medicine she has been using successfully for years. Natalie Graves has Crohn's disease, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease. She was on a medical infusion treatment called Remicade. Instead, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas offered her two other options, Inflectra and Avsola. When she switched, she said her disease's symptoms flared up again. 'I had a colonoscopy on Thursday to assess the overall damage of what's going on, and they found that I have some erosions and ulcers caused by that biosimilar medication not being able to manage and control my Chron's,' Graves said. Graves first received a denial letter early in 2024. After filing an appeal, which was also denied, her doctor tried contacting her insurance company personally, with no success in getting the denial reversed. Graves, whose parents have been policyholders with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas for 26 years, said she feels like a test subject. 'It is really frustrating. I'm not a guinea pig. I'm a human being. I'm not just a policyholder. I'm a patient who has a life to live,' Graves said. 'A change needs to be made.' A spokesperson for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas declined to go on camera for an interview but provided the following statement: We are committed to controlling costs for our members. Biosimilars are products highly similar to other biologics that are FDA-approved. Our policy is to use biosimilar drugs when possible as they are equally safe, effective and expected to have the same results at a significantly lower cost. Members who do not tolerate a specific prescription drug have several alternatives. These alternatives include other medications, as well as an appeal process which includes an external review. Members may also be eligible to have their provider submit a reconsideration request. Members with questions about their appeal process are encouraged to call the customer service number on the back of their card.' Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas In the field of gastroenterology, for more than 40 years, Dr. Mark Allen said he has seen dozens of patients denied coverage by their insurance company. He believes it impacts doctors' ability to treat patients nationwide. He spoke in Topeka to support House Bill 2157, which would have established restrictions on step-therapy protocols used by insurance companies when approving prescriptions. It ultimately failed in committee in 2022. 'All gastroenterologists have faced increasing problems with insurance-mandated switching to different drugs,' Dr. Allen said. 31 million Americans borrowed money for health care last year: Poll He said not every person responds to each medicine the same, which is why treatment must be individualized. 'Involve any part of the GI tract. Therefore, the treatment options have to be tailored to that specific patient. Switching drugs is not always in the best interest of the patient,' Dr. Allen said. Graves wants answers, but more importantly, to be placed back on the drug that was working. 'That's completely outrageous and so upsetting. It's not just my life being affected. It's so many other people. Our hands are tied. I have no control over my own health; my own doctor doesn't even have control over my own health,' she said. KSN asked Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas' representatives how many policyholders have been denied from their preferred treatment and how their appeals process works. The insurance company did not respond to a specific list of questions. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
