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Yahoo
9 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Hestia Women's Giving Circle celebrates 20th anniversary
PETOSKEY — When the Hestia Women's Giving Circle was first founded in Northern Michigan in 2005, they had fewer than 15 members. Twenty years later, their membership is nearing 90 and they have awarded more than $900,000 in grant funding. According to their website, Hestia's founding members were driven by a desire 'to support local organizations serving women and girls.' 'I was working at Planned Parenthood at the time and a number of us who were associated with Planned Parenthood became acquainted with the concept of giving circles, and specifically women's giving circles,' said founding member Martha Lancaster. 'So we looked at forming one for this community. It took a little while to get going, and we eventually settled on the model that we have now.' Giving circles operate in a way where members pool their resources to support various charitable causes, sometimes focusing on a specific issue. 'We wanted to specifically fund programs that benefited women and girls locally and with a special emphasis on protecting reproductive freedom,' Lancaster said. Subscribe: Check out our offers and read the local news that matters to you More: Hestia Women's Giving Circle seeks applications for grant cycle Over the years, their grant funding has benefitted local nonprofits in ways both big and small, ranging from contributing to the Women's Resource Center of Northern Michigan's Empowering Bright Futures capital project to helping send girls on the Petoskey Youth Advisory Council to a statewide conference. 'Sometimes it can be a small $1,500 grant or as large as a $15,000 grant,' said chair Karen Strough-Donnelly. 'But it just depends on what the focus is and the priorities we have as an organization.' Strough-Donnelly is fairly new to Hestia. She attended her first meeting about four years ago. 'That's where I started learning so much more about our community and the things that the community needed, especially for women and girls, and really believe in the concept behind what we're doing,' she said. 'Our dues money is what funds these grants, so it only comes from dues money. There is no administrative monies to run what we do.' This year, the group plans to award 20 grants from around 30 applications. 'The other thing I'm really proud about is our grant process,' Lancaster said. 'We do a really thoughtful look at the applicants. We ask for data, especially if they were funded before we ask for a report on how they used the funds in the past. We contact them and ask more questions and make sure they know what they're doing.' With 20 years and nearly $1 million worth of grants behind them, Hestia is looking to the future. They recently completed a strategic planning process to focus on ways to recruit new members and continue to grow the impact they can have in the community. 'We're working hard to try and get the word out,' said Strough-Donnelly. 'The more members we can get, the more dues money we can collect and the more we can give.' Those interested in learning more about Hestia can attend their annual member reception and grant presentations from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 18 at Pond Hill Farm. They can also find information at or on the group's social media. — Contact Jillian Fellows at jfellows@ This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Hestia Women's Giving Circle celebrates 20th anniversary in 2025
Yomiuri Shimbun
07-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yomiuri Shimbun
The MAGA Faithful Celebrate the End of the Trump-Musk Bromance
Tom Brenner/For The Washington Post President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference with Elon Musk on May 30 inside the Oval Office. 'Boooooooooooo CYBERTRUCK!' Raheem Kassam stood on a sidewalk in the Capitol Hill stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, pulling a Hestia cigarette from a pack and preparing to light it. He had spotted the truck, a heap of matte silver and sharp angles, parked on the street nearby. It was the uninvited guest to an unofficial party celebrating what the MAGA faithful here view as the end of Elon Musk's influence in President Donald Trump's Washington. The festive mood Thursday night came after an hours-long public feud between Musk and Trump that captivated Washington and appeared to mark the dissolution of the two men's bromance. Musk spent tens of millions to help elect Trump last year before heading up a controversial cost-cutting effort over the past five months known as the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. But Musk turned on Trump this week over the president's massive deficit-busting tax and spending plan. 'We're popping bottles tonight,' said Kassam, who had just set down his tin of caviar and pearl spoon before stepping outside for a smoke break. So goes the sentiment at Butterworth's, the French-inspired bistro on Capitol Hill that has become something of a MAGA clubhouse in Trump's second term. Kassam, the editor in chief of the National Pulse, a right-wing populist news site, is one of the investors. And 'MAGA' – Make America Great Again – is the operative adjective here. Over plates of lamb tartare and generous pours of Côtes du Rhône – perhaps the only liberal thing here – diners said their loyalties would be to Trump in the high-profile breakup. 'This is a lesson the MAGA right needed to learn right now,' he continued. The establishment Republican Party had already gone through something similar, Kassam said, when the tea party 'got bought out by the Kochs,' referring to two wealthy brothers who funded traditionalist conservative causes. 'I was very worried for a time that MAGA would be bought out by the oligarchs, too,' he said. 'And it's just so satisfying to see that that is now no longer the case.' All evening, acerbic tones of a Musk-inspired diss track could be heard across the bar. 'What people need to remember is that, you know, this is President Trump's movement,' said CJ Pearson, a Gen Z MAGA influencer. 'The least-surprising thing I've ever seen,' said Matthew Boyle, the Washington bureau chief of the conservative news outlet Breitbart. 'We were all ready for this from the beginning.' Butterworth's is a haunt of Stephen K. Bannon, the 'War Room' podcast host and former Trump adviser, and his political sympathizers. Bannon never cared for Musk, who embodied the tech right and ultrawealthy interests; the two routinely clashed over the direction of Trump's second term, with Bannon pushing a more populist, nationalist agenda. The attacks often veered into name-calling: Musk called Bannon 'a great talker, but not a great doer'; Bannon called Musk a 'truly evil person' and a 'parasitic illegal immigrant.' Bannon wasn't at Butterworth's on Thursday – he had spent much of the evening on the phone with reporters and allies, reveling in the moment. Phoning in to The Washington Post as a reporter was perched at the bar, Bannon said federal officials should investigate whether Musk, who was born and raised in South Africa, had legally entered the country and should deport him if he hadn't followed all proper procedures. The Post reported last year that Musk worked illegally in the United States as he launched his entrepreneurial career after ditching a graduate studies program in California. And Bannon said Trump should sign an executive order to keep Musk from interfering with government work that his companies have contracts on. Federal officials should take over Musk's businesses, at least temporarily, Bannon said. 'The government should seize control of SpaceX tonight through the Defense Production Act,' Bannon said. He was referring to Musk's declaration Thursday that he would decommission the spacecraft tasked with delivering supplies to the International Space Station – a threat he later retracted. And he said the government should seize Musk's Starlink satellite company while they're at it. 'He's an unstable individual who has a history of massive drug use,' Bannon said, referring to a recent New York Times report. 'He should not be in charge of essential national security programs.' What about that tantalizing tidbit Musk dropped on X – that Trump is 'in the Epstein files?' The claim referred to convicted and deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Musk threw it like a match on his way out the door. 'He is a national security threat,' Bannon said of Musk's claim against Trump and his declared support Thursday for impeaching the president to replace him with Vice President JD Vance. This evening at Butterworth's, technically, wasn't supposed to be about Musk. It was supposed to be about a plaque – specifically, one about the size of a hot dog bun, mounted near a floral pattern sofa by Butterworth's entrance. 'THE AMBASSADOR'S SOFA,' it shouted in bronze. The diplomat in question was British ambassador Peter Mandelson, who had fond notions of being served lobster thermidor 'sprawled out on this sofa here.' That's what he would prefer to talk about. But he indulged The Post's queries about Trump and Musk, too. 'Honestly, I genuinely don't know what Elon has said,' Mandelson said, when confronted about Musk's recent social media posts about Trump. 'But I think the office of the president should be respected at all times.' If Butterworth's is the safe space for the Trump faithful, the X social media site that he owns – formerly known as Twitter – is Musk's. Pearson, the influencer, has seen MAGA influencers taking Musk's side. 'It's completely economically motivated by some of these people who are, honestly, grifters,' Pearson said. 'These are folks who depend on Elon bucks to pay their rent, and now they're betraying their values and their principles simply because they need to make ends meet.' Bart Hutchins, Butterworth's chef and resident bon vivant, stood behind the host counter, turning to tend to a customer waiting to check in for his reservation. Hutchins, like Musk, has gone through more liberal and conservative phases – and Hutchins has liked Musk through none of them. 'Elon Musk is an insufferable nerd, and I hope this marks the end of his engagement with public life,' Hutchins said. 'He's an aesthetic nightmare,' he added. 'Like, he doesn't have anything interesting to say.' Back on the sidewalk, Kassam was twirling a cigarette between his fingertips. He was thinking aloud about Musk's fights with conservative leaders on the international stage, such as Nigel Farage, the leader of Britain's Reform Party whom Musk had harshly criticized. (Kassam, an associate of Farage, said Musk 'went crawling back to him, by the way, and apologized.') There was also Peter Navarro, Trump's longtime trade adviser and a top champion of aggressive tariffs who, like Bannon, served prison time after being found in contempt of Congress in connection with investigations of Trump. After the president announced his 'Liberation Day' tariff plan, Musk posted on X that Navarro was 'truly a moron.' 'Dr. Peter Navarro went to jail for the movement and for the president,' Kassam said, while admitting he is 'not even a huge fan of him personally.' 'But he's a made man. You don't get to pick fights with Dr. Peter Navarro,' Kassam continued. Kassam paused before lighting his cigarette. 'What's also really funny, what Elon doesn't realize, is all of his DOGE people leak all around town,' Kassam said. 'They talk to everyone – they talk to reporters, they talk to MAGA people, they talk to Bannon world people, they talk to everyone, because they're not political people. 'They don't know how to work in this town. And so as I stare at his Cybertruck,' Kassam continued, looking at the vehicle parked on the street a few doors down, 'his greenness has finally come back to bite him. … And good riddance.'
TECHx
21-05-2025
- Business
- TECHx
Hestia Robotics Partners with PROVEN for Saudi Market
Home » Tech Value Chain » Distributors » Hestia Robotics Partners with PROVEN for Saudi Market PROVEN Robotics has announced a new distribution agreement with Hestia Robotics, a leading provider of AI-driven robotic technology. The partnership names PROVEN Robotics as the exclusive distributor of Hestia Robotics' coffee-making solutions in Saudi Arabia. The agreement also gives PROVEN Robotics non-exclusive distribution rights across other GCC countries. It includes exclusive rights to market, sell, install, and support Hestia's products in Saudi Arabia. This partnership brings Hestia's advanced AI-powered robotic baristas and self-service coffee stations to the Kingdom. These solutions are designed for use in high-traffic locations such as offices, hospitals, and airports. The systems include: Fully automated coffee-making technology Interactive touchscreen user interface Smart brewing with beverage customization Remote monitoring and diagnostics Compact, modern design with high reliability PROVEN Robotics reported that this move aligns with its strategy to lead smart service automation in Saudi Arabia. It also supports the Kingdom's Vision 2030 goals. Anwar Almahrasi, Business Development Director at PROVEN Robotics, said the company is excited to introduce these innovations. He added that the collaboration aims to enhance operational efficiency and elevate customer experience in hospitality and retail sectors. Bin Wang, Co-Founder and Product Director of Hestia Robotics, revealed the company's excitement about entering the Saudi market. He noted the Middle East's rapid technological growth and expressed pride in contributing to it. This partnership marks a step forward in bringing smart, automated coffee service technologies to a growing regional market.
Axios
09-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
How to spend 48 hours in Charlotte with LauRen Merola
Your tour guide: LauRen Merola, host of the Maney and LauRen Morning Show on Kiss 95.1 In addition to her on-air work, Merola is the mom of two boys, one on the autism spectrum. April is Autism Awareness Month, and Merola's itinerary includes sensory-friendly activities that the whole family can enjoy. Here's Merola's itinerary for a perfect Charlotte weekend while hosting out-of-town friends or family members. Friday: Harriet's Hamburgers and Hestia We pick up our two boys, Cash and Jax, from school and head to swim lessons at Charlotte Aquatics. We chose this swim school because it has a special needs program. We tried a lot of swim schools in the area, and this has been the best fit for our family. Afterward, we head to Harriet's Hamburgers for dinner with friends and a playdate at The Bowl. Our favorite is the Happiness Meal: Two plain cheeseburgers and fries for the kids, and a burger and glass of bubbles for mom. Then, we grab ice cream at Honeysuckle. Bourbon caramel is where it's at. Afterwards, we drop the kids off with the nanny and head to Hestia for dinner and a nightcap. The kaen sushi roll is a must, and the uni spoon is to die for. And, of course, an espresso martini. Saturday: Therapy riding and a Charlotte FC game We grab Summit Coffee on the way to therapy riding. The lavender oat milk latte is my go-to. We head to class at Mitey Riders Therapy Riding. This non-profit farm has been helping children with special needs for years. Harry and his staff really care about their riders' comfort and progression. Cash has been riding there every Saturday morning for three seasons. While Cash enjoys his hour working on communication, fine motor, and hand-eye coordination skills, I catch up on my work as a board member with the Autism Strong Foundation. After class, we grab lunch at Ilios Crafted Greek. The chicken souvla with a Greek salad and hummus is our usual. Then, it's off to the Charlotte FC game. Taking Cash to live events was once a pipe dream for our family, but with lots of trial and error, we've figured out what works for him. We love supporting our Charlotte FC and Carolina Panthers, and we appreciate that they make accommodations for families on the spectrum. They have sensory bags that you can pick up at any guest services desk that include noise-canceling headphones, fidgets, an identification card that lets staff know that you may need some extra help, and a communications card. They also provide calming spaces if the excitement becomes too much. We feel lucky to have them in our corner so that we can share the joy of sports with our boys. Sunday: We usually have a quiet morning at home as we recover from a big Saturday, and then we grab take-out for lunch. My husband, Dallas, and I close out the weekend with a little relaxation.
