Latest news with #Czarnecki
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Milwaukee currently has the second worst air quality in the US, The New York Times says
Milwaukee is again experiencing some of the worst air quality in the U.S. from Canadian wildfire smoke on June 5, according to The New York Times. The city had the worst air quality in the country around noon EST on June 4, with an air quality index of 153, the Times reported. While Chicago has since topped the Times' list with an AQI of 161, Milwaukee claims the second spot. As of 11 a.m. EST on June 5, city has an air quality index of 139, the Times reported. Aurora, Colorado is experiencing the same index as Milwaukee. This AQI is considered "unhealthy for sensitive groups," according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's standards. For indexes in this range, members of sensitive groups could experience negative health effects. The general population is "less likely" to be affected, according to As a result, an air quality advisory from Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has been extended until noon on June 6, Air Management Outreach Coordinator Craig Czarnecki confirmed to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Czarnecki noted the scope of the advisory will be reduced and include the following counties in the eastern portion of the state: Brown, Door, Kenosha, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Marinette, Milwaukee, Oconto, Ozaukee, Racine, Sheboygan, Walworth, Washington and Waukesha. The AQI for these areas will range from "moderate" to "unhealthy for sensitive groups," he said, adding air quality throughout "much of the rest of the state" has improved to the "moderate" level. More: Canadian wildfire smoke is still affecting Wisconsin. How to keep kids and pets safe with poor air quality The DNR has interactive air quality maps, which show the AQI and any active alerts or advisories by county. You can view them on the department's website. You can also type in your ZIP code into the website. For those interested in receiving alerts, you can sign up to receive air quality advisory notices through the DNR's website at More: Air quality map: View current air quality conditions in Milwaukee This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee has second worst air quality in US on June 5: NYT
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Canadian wildfire smoke could affect Wisconsin all summer. Here's how to track air quality
Wisconsin could see the affects of wildfire smoke throughout the summer as blazes across Canada rage on, subsequently affecting air quality in the U.S. Most recently, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources issued an air quality advisory for the entire state from June 3 to June 4. But, the state has already surpassed the total air quality advisory totals from wildfire smoke issued in 2024. Two advisories were issued in 2024 and three have been issued in 2025 thus far, DNR Air Management Outreach Coordinator Craig Czarnecki told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in an email. Czarnecki added that more advisories are "possible throughout the summer." "As these wildfires become more frequent, last longer, or burn more intensely, it increases the chances that smoke will impact air quality here in Wisconsin," he said. Czarnecki said the department encourages Wisconsinites to "stay informed and take appropriate precautions" when air quality advisories are issued. Here's everything you should know about potential effects of these wildfires in Wisconsin: There are more than 200 wildfires burning across Canada as of June 3, with 104 classified as "out of control," according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. For Wisconsin specifically, the DNR said smoke is coming from wildfires in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. These fires have burned hundreds of thousands of acres, resulting in the evacuation of at least 17,000 people as of May 30. More: What to know about Canadian wildfire smoke's effect on Wisconsin, Milwaukee air quality The map below shows the locations of wildfires throughout North America and outlines where the smoke from those fires has gone. Wisconsin is just one of several states affected by the smoke. Wildfire smoke is a "complex mixture" of pollutants shown to cause a range of health effects, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These effects can be "relatively minor," like eye irritation, to more serious, including premature death, the agency says. Moreover, particle pollution can affect the body's ability to "remove inhaled foreign materials," like viruses or bacteria, the EPA says. Short-term exposure — classified by the EPA as a few days — can result in respiratory and cardiovascular effects, such as difficulty breathing, reduced lung function and heart attacks. A study of wildland fire fighters showed "cumulative short-term exposures" — classified as multiple days to a few weeks — led to reduced lung function, per the EPA. The agency notes studies have not determined health effects from wildfire smoke inhalation "over multiple seasons." More: Canadian wildfire smoke is fouling U.S. air quality. We show where. Here are some steps you can take to protect yourself from the smoke, according to the DNR: Check local air quality index Stay indoors Keep windows and doors closed Avoid activities that can increase indoor pollution, like vacuuming or using candles Install a high-efficiency air filter Wear an N95 mask if outside for long time periods The AQI is the EPA's index for reporting air quality, according to the EPA's AirNow website. It's divided into six categories on a scale of zero to 500, with higher numbers indicating increased air pollution and subsequent health risks. For specific categories and totals, you can view an AQI table on the AirNow website. The DNR has interactive air quality maps, which show the AQI and any active alerts or advisories by county. You can view them on the department's website. USA TODAY contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What is causing the bad air quality in Wisconsin?
Business Wire
02-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Keller Williams Taps Canva in Bold Move to Empower Agents with World-Class Design Tools
AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Keller Williams Realty, LLC (KW), the world's largest real estate franchise by agent count, announces a flagship enterprise relationship with Canva, the world's only all-in-one visual communication platform, providing all KW-affiliated agents with enhanced access to Canva's industry-leading design platform to elevate marketing at scale. 'Together with Canva, we're reimagining real estate marketing,' said Chris Czarnecki, CEO and President of KW. 'Together with Canva, we're reimagining real estate marketing,' said Chris Czarnecki, CEO and President of KW. 'It is another milestone in our commitment to equipping entrepreneurs with best-in-class tools to build their brand and grow their business.' 'By bringing the power of Canva directly to our affiliated agents, at no additional cost, we're unlocking the ability to create standout marketing faster and easier,' said Czarnecki. The relationship with Canva will allow KW-affiliated agents to easily create stunning branded marketing materials using Canva's robust visual suite. In May, Czarnecki first previewed the news to core franchise leaders across KW at Mega Leadership Camp, KW's franchise-wide leadership conference in Dallas, Texas. Key Features of the Flagship Enterprise Relationship: Design Templates: Access to an extensive library of hundreds of bespoke templates designed by KW and Canva for everything from social media posts and marketing flyers to listing and buying presentations and yard signs, all behind one convenient login. AI-Powered Design: Canva's AI features are used to generate and edit text, images, videos, and fully editable designs, further simplifying the creative process. Dynamic Marketing: Designs populate in Canva with KW-affiliated agent and MLS data to create hyper-targeted, client-specific content, streamlining customization and boosting marketing effectiveness. An Innovation Commitment: KW and Canva will continue to collaborate on world-class design templates and features tailored to the evolving needs of real estate professionals, ensuring KW-affiliated agents have the most effective tools to market their business. Customer Engagement Benefits: Create impactful marketing materials that will resonate with real estate clients and drive conversions, all powered by the combined strengths of KW and Canva. Brand Consistency Tools: Agents can keep their assets consistent and on-brand with KW's brand kit, which is easily accessible within Canva and includes brand colors, logos, and fonts. Future Integration with Command: KW is exploring opportunities to integrate Canva into Command, its smart CRM-plus platform, to streamline marketing workflows even further. 'High-quality marketing is more important than ever in real estate. We're combining the brand power of Keller Williams with Canva's creative horsepower to give agents access to smart, scalable marketing,' said Rob Giglio, Chief Customer Officer at Canva. 'Whether AI-powered content, dynamic data integration, or just knowing your next listing flyer is 100% on-brand, we're taking the guesswork out of great design,' said Giglio. 'This is all about bridging the gap between creativity and productivity so agents can better serve their clients and grow their business.' The rollout of the offering is expected to happen in Q3'25. 'By combining the power of Canva's industry-leading design platform with KW's agent-informed branding templates, we're delivering cutting-edge marketing tools—built by agents, for agents,' said Chris Cox, the Chief Technology and Digital Officer of KW. About Keller Williams Austin, Texas-based Keller Williams Realty, LLC is the world's largest real estate franchise by agent count. It has more than 1,000 market center offices and 164,000 affiliated agents. The franchise is No. 1 in units and sales volume in the U.S. Since 1983, the company has cultivated an agent-centric, technology-driven, and education-based culture that rewards affiliated agents. For more information, visit About Canva Launched in 2013, Canva is the world's leading all-in-one platform for visual communication and collaboration. Built to empower everyone to design, Canva serves the creative and design needs of enterprises, small businesses, consumers, and students in more than 190 countries worldwide. Whether you're a novice taking your first steps in design, or a creative professional seeking powerful tools, Canva ensures users have what they need to transform an idea into something beautiful. Underpinned by the world's most comprehensive library of designer-made content, Canva is powered by a suite of products and proprietary AI tools that elevate how individuals and teams create, collaborate, and communicate with ease.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Keller Williams Taps Canva in Bold Move to Empower Agents with World-Class Design Tools
AUSTIN, Texas, June 02, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Keller Williams Realty, LLC (KW), the world's largest real estate franchise by agent count, announces a flagship enterprise relationship with Canva, the world's only all-in-one visual communication platform, providing all KW-affiliated agents with enhanced access to Canva's industry-leading design platform to elevate marketing at scale. "Together with Canva, we're reimagining real estate marketing," said Chris Czarnecki, CEO and President of KW. "It is another milestone in our commitment to equipping entrepreneurs with best-in-class tools to build their brand and grow their business." "By bringing the power of Canva directly to our affiliated agents, at no additional cost, we're unlocking the ability to create standout marketing faster and easier," said Czarnecki. The relationship with Canva will allow KW-affiliated agents to easily create stunning branded marketing materials using Canva's robust visual suite. In May, Czarnecki first previewed the news to core franchise leaders across KW at Mega Leadership Camp, KW's franchise-wide leadership conference in Dallas, Texas. Key Features of the Flagship Enterprise Relationship: Design Templates: Access to an extensive library of hundreds of bespoke templates designed by KW and Canva for everything from social media posts and marketing flyers to listing and buying presentations and yard signs, all behind one convenient login. AI-Powered Design: Canva's AI features are used to generate and edit text, images, videos, and fully editable designs, further simplifying the creative process. Dynamic Marketing: Designs populate in Canva with KW-affiliated agent and MLS data to create hyper-targeted, client-specific content, streamlining customization and boosting marketing effectiveness. An Innovation Commitment: KW and Canva will continue to collaborate on world-class design templates and features tailored to the evolving needs of real estate professionals, ensuring KW-affiliated agents have the most effective tools to market their business. Customer Engagement Benefits: Create impactful marketing materials that will resonate with real estate clients and drive conversions, all powered by the combined strengths of KW and Canva. Brand Consistency Tools: Agents can keep their assets consistent and on-brand with KW's brand kit, which is easily accessible within Canva and includes brand colors, logos, and fonts. Future Integration with Command: KW is exploring opportunities to integrate Canva into Command, its smart CRM-plus platform, to streamline marketing workflows even further. "High-quality marketing is more important than ever in real estate. We're combining the brand power of Keller Williams with Canva's creative horsepower to give agents access to smart, scalable marketing," said Rob Giglio, Chief Customer Officer at Canva. "Whether AI-powered content, dynamic data integration, or just knowing your next listing flyer is 100% on-brand, we're taking the guesswork out of great design," said Giglio. "This is all about bridging the gap between creativity and productivity so agents can better serve their clients and grow their business." The rollout of the offering is expected to happen in Q3'25. "By combining the power of Canva's industry-leading design platform with KW's agent-informed branding templates, we're delivering cutting-edge marketing tools—built by agents, for agents," said Chris Cox, the Chief Technology and Digital Officer of KW. About Keller Williams Austin, Texas-based Keller Williams Realty, LLC is the world's largest real estate franchise by agent count. It has more than 1,000 market center offices and 164,000 affiliated agents. The franchise is No. 1 in units and sales volume in the U.S. Since 1983, the company has cultivated an agent-centric, technology-driven, and education-based culture that rewards affiliated agents. For more information, visit About Canva Launched in 2013, Canva is the world's leading all-in-one platform for visual communication and collaboration. Built to empower everyone to design, Canva serves the creative and design needs of enterprises, small businesses, consumers, and students in more than 190 countries worldwide. Whether you're a novice taking your first steps in design, or a creative professional seeking powerful tools, Canva ensures users have what they need to transform an idea into something beautiful. Underpinned by the world's most comprehensive library of designer-made content, Canva is powered by a suite of products and proprietary AI tools that elevate how individuals and teams create, collaborate, and communicate with ease. View source version on Contacts Media Contact: Darryl G. FrostDirector of Public Relations and Media / 254-466-3627 Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
City to update parks
ELKHART — The City of Elkhart Parks and Recreation Department is looking to replace and update playgrounds at many of its properties this year, officials said. Jamison Czarnecki, superintendent of the Elkhart parks department, said the city is in the process of switching out a lot of playgrounds and adding a few more. The parks department is replacing and updating five playgrounds at Weston Park, Geroldeon Thursby Park, Island Park, Riverview Softball Complex and Gans Park. One new playground will be installed at SOMA Gardens located off of Division Street. 'More projects will be installed later in the year as they're confirmed with the public,' Czarnecki said. The funding for these projects is provided by the city's general fund, a grant from the Community Foundation and a Community Champions Playground Grant from GameTime, officially through PlayCore. Riverview Softball Complex is estimated to have a toddler playground complete by the end of April, according to Czarnecki. The playground at Geroldeon Thursby is estimated to be complete by the first week of May. Weston Park's playground will completed by mid-May, according to Czarnecki. Island Park's playground is estimated to be completed by the end of May. The renovations at SOMA Gardens estimated to be complete in late June, and Gans Park should be complete in mid to late July. Czarnecki said Walker Park will also be getting a new bathroom building and an outdoor gym, which are planned to be done by late May. He said there will be a celebration on June 7 at Walker Park to mark the recent improvements. 'The Elkhart Park Foundation is going to put on a full day of activities to highlight the improvements of the park,' Czarnecki said. Czarnecki said the administration has been focused on making improvements to the parks to help with neighborhood and community engagement. He said it will also bring people into the parks to be more active and for their overall health. Czarnecki said in the last master plan process, it was recognized that several playgrounds were past their lifespan. 'Many of these are over 30 years old and have become potential liability hazards,' Czarnecki said. 'We were able to go after this grant which opened up a lot of opportunity to replace them at one time. In doing so, it's going to make our parks safer because people will be out there on the new equipment checking them out with their kids, with their families, and with their friends.' Czarnecki said the impact of these investments to the city will bring people out into the parks and will give families and residents an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. He also said when a city invests in its parks, residents and business are more likely to stay. Christopher Baiker, president of the city Parks and Recreation board, said the master plan for the parks department is consistent with the city's broader ASPIRE plan. 'We're really trying to build a park system for everyone,' Baiker said, 'so that all areas of the community are served and that we upgrade all of the existing equipment and then also, kind of in a forward thinking manner, plan to better utilize our parks.' Residents who would like more information about the parks can visit
