Latest news with #JesseJames
Associated Press
12 hours ago
- Business
- Associated Press
VizyPay Recognized as a Fastest-Growing Company on the Inc. 5000 List for the Fifth Consecutive Year
VizyPay, LLC ('VizyPay'), a leading provider of innovative payment solutions, is proud to announce its inclusion on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America for the fifth year in a row. This year, VizyPay ranks nationally at #4,029, solidifying its position as a dynamic leader in the financial services industry. Waukee, IA - August 17, 2025 - Since its inception, VizyPay has been dedicated to empowering small and medium-sized businesses with seamless, affordable payment processing options. The company's continued growth reflects its commitment to innovation, exceptional customer service, and a relentless focus on meeting the evolving needs of its clients. A Year of Strategic Innovation and Growth This achievement comes on the heels of a significant milestone — VizyPay proudly unveils VEXIS, a proprietary, next-generation Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform engineered to accelerate enterprise growth, streamline operations, and enhance the user experience for both the organization and its clients. Architected from the ground up, VEXIS enables operational agility, precision, and data-driven performance. The platform marks a strategic leap in VizyPay's innovation roadmap, demonstrating an ongoing commitment to building scalable, future-ready solutions that deliver measurable value for the company, its Sales Partners, and the small businesses they champion. Key Highlights 'We are honored to once again be recognized by Inc. 5000 as one of the fastest-growing companies in the country,' said Austin Mac Nab, CEO of VizyPay. 'This recognition, coming shortly after launching VEXIS, highlights our strategic focus on innovation and operational excellence. Our new CRM is a game-changer, enabling us to serve our clients more effectively while continuing to fuel our growth.' VizyPay's growth trajectory is supported by ongoing expansion efforts, new product launches, and strategic partnerships — all aimed at reinforcing its leadership in the financial technology space. About VizyPay Founded in 2017, VizyPay is a payment technology company dedicated to simplifying payment processing for small and medium-sized businesses. With a focus on transparency, affordability, and personalized service, VizyPay helps merchants grow by providing tailored payment solutions backed by a passionate team committed to their success. For more information, please visit: Media Contact: Jesse James Chief Revenue Officer VizyPay, LLC Phone: 1-888-899-0918 Email: [email protected] VizyPay is proud to be part of the Inc. 5000 community and looks forward to continued growth and innovation in the years Contact Company Name: VizyPay Contact Person: Media Relations Email: Send Email Country: United States Website: Source: Presswire
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Yahoo
Did he or didn't he? History wrestles with legend of Jesse James' jump over Devil's Gulch
Jun. 13—GARRETSON, S.D. — In 1876, legendary outlaw Jesse James and his brother Frank were on the run after committing a bank robbery in Northfield, Minnesota. Chased by a posse, the two Missouri natives raced west, managing to stay ahead of their pursuers. Eventually, they crossed into what was then Dakota Territory. What exactly happened next has long been open to speculation. But local myth holds that Jesse James, moving as fast as he could on horseback, managed to make a leap of roughly 18 feet over Devil's Gulch in Garretson, leaving the justice-seeking posse behind and allowing him to escape capture. Now, nearly 150 years later, the picturesque quartzite rock canyon, nestled in a nook in Garretson and boasting remarkable scenic beauty, still attracts visitors to take in the view and ponder whether the American legend actually managed to make it across the gap. An annual summer festival in town is even named after him. For Wayne Fanebust, a Sioux Falls-based historian and author of several non-fiction books including Chasing Frank and Jesse James: The Bungled Northfield Bank Robbery and the Long Manhunt, the answer to the question of did Jesse James jump Devil's Gulch is fairly clear. "I'm saying it did not happen," Fanebust told the Mitchell Republic in a recent interview. "I know, I'm a myth buster." Fanebust calls Jesse James' alleged leap of Devil's Gulch one of his favorite topics. As a historian who has researched the Wild West age of 19th century United States and penned historical books on the Civil War and turn-of-the-century true crime incidents, he has vast experience in digging into topics where the facts have become hazy with the passage of time. The Devil's Gulch jump is one such case where the facts are hard to come by, but there are some aspects about what led up to the alleged jump that is known. Jesse James and his brother, Frank, along with six other members of their gang, attempted a bank robbery in Northfield, Minnesota on Sept. 7, 1876. It was a messy affair, with four men killed during the ensuing gun battle, including two members of the gang. It was a lot of blood spilled for a total take of about $25 in nickels. Now on the run, the group split up a few days later but still managed to evade capture. Trying to make their way back to their home state of Missouri, the brothers made stops near Luverne, Minnesota on Sept. 17 of that year and entered what was then Dakota Territory about five miles north of Valley Springs later that evening, a timeline that suggests the James brothers were never near Devil's Gulch. "It's known they were 12 miles north of present-day Luverne in the evening. They were in Dakota Territory, (but) in all likelihood they traveled as fast and steadily as they could over that ground, and they would have missed it altogether," Fanebust said. The Devils Gulch gap today measures about 18 feet across and rises about 30 feet above the creek bed below. The lead up to the eastern edge of the gap is rugged and uneven, with dense trees obstructing any clear path where James could have spurred his horse on to a full gallop. Though it is assumed by many that a well-rested horse could clear such a gap, the short approach of the chasm calls into doubt just how much momentum could be carried into the jump. The legend also tends to overlook the details of Frank James. He is not mentioned jumping the gulch along with his brother, leading Fanebust to wonder why Frank James didn't get the same credit his more famous sibling did. Fanebust, who researched the event in countless pages of newspapers, books and libraries, said the legend began in the 1920s, when an area newspaper gave an account of an unnamed individual who "showed us the place where Jesse James jumped the channel riding horseback." A year or so later, more articles on the legend followed, and that summer, a W.W. Sanders invited a group of area newspaper men to the site for a tour where he repeated the claim. The story eventually gained more and more fame, to the point that it's still referred to in 2025. Fanebust said the legend, though almost certainly untrue, could have grown out of a true story where Jesse James or both brothers did leap across a creek or similar landmark on horseback during their escape. Over the years, the story grew, the gap became wider and the plunge to the bottom of the canyon deeper, with resident fans of local lore eventually settling on the picturesque setting of Devil's Gulch as the location where the myth took place. There's no solid evidence that it occurred, Fanebust said. But the spectacular mental image of a man on horseback making such a jump in a scenic area — something straight out of a western movie — makes for an enticing story. "Somehow it got built up into this legendary, impossible, leap across Devil's Gulch," Fanebust said. "It's probably nothing that we will ever be able to prove or disprove." The ambiguous nature of the legend hasn't stopped Garretson from embracing the story. Residents still celebrate the notion that maybe, just maybe, James did make the jump with the annual Jesse James Days event, which was held this year on Friday and Saturday, June 13 and 14. The two-day event features street dances, car shows and other entertainment that helps promote the Minnehaha County community of 1,175 people. Carrie Moritz, who co-owns the Garretson Gazette newspaper along with her husband Garrick and also serves as president of the Garretson Commercial Club, which organizes Jesse James Days, said residents look at the legend with a bit of a wink and a nod. Folks know the story is unlikely to be true, at least as it's told today, but that doesn't mean that it isn't fun to talk about. But there are a few facets of local lore that do add some credence to the tale. "Maybe it's just a tall tale that got told," Moritz said. "But we do have documentation from local farmsteads that Jesse stayed at their place. Or that he stole a horse from their farmstead, or what have you. So there is known evidence that he and his brother were around here. But as for outrunning the posse and jumping the gulch? Who knows." There are other angles that could support the theory. Moritz noted that over the course of 150 years the landscape of the gulch has changed. Erosion has likely widened the gap to its present width, meaning that if James did jump the gulch all those years ago, it was likely not as wide a jump as it appears today. She also said the land where Devil's Gulch rests, which is owned by the Wiese family and leased to the city for public use, was not always densely packed with trees. The trees that add so much to the beauty of the area were planted by the family sometime in the mid-20th century. This means James' jump may have been both much shorter and had a much smoother leadup to the jump than is there today. "It looks like old-growth forest, but it's not," Moritz said. As for where Frank was during Jesse's legendary jump? Moritz said it has been posited that Jesse temporarily stashed his brother in a cave a ways up north on Split Rock Creek and then went on a ride to distract the posse from their underground hideout, which would explain Frank's absence from the legend. That cave is now collapsed, Moritz said, but it was a popular spot for adventurous kids to explore in the 1950s. Whether or not James successfully jumped Devil's Gulch — or another anonymous span of creek somewhere miles away — Jesse and Frank James did eventually make their way back to Missouri without being cornered by the posse. Jesse James was eventually killed by Robert Ford in 1882, and Frank James surrendered to authorities shortly after. He lived a quieter life after his brother's death, leaving the criminal world and working a variety of odd jobs. He died in 1915. But their legacy as old West outlaws lives on, particularly in places like Garretson, where visitors come by the thousands for Jesse James Days in the summer. Moritz said the celebration is a fun time that promotes the community, offers a wide range of activities and entertainment and brings all-important dollars into the local economy. "It does make a huge financial impact, and that's part of the reason it's put on by the Garretson Commercial Club," Moritz said. "That's how you get tourism money, and that's always the goal — to get people to come to town, enjoy the atmosphere we've got around here and just realize that we've got a great little town here." Whether his infamous jump over Devil's Gulch actually occurred continues to be debated. Fanebust said the uncertainty of exactly what happened is part of the appeal of the story, and the myth is not likely to die out. The story serves to spur interest among the public on the Wild West and its expansive mythology, and he said interest in the topic can lead to the study of other historical stories that are just as interesting but can also be proven to be true. Believing the Devil's Gulch legend may require a leap of faith, but Fanebust said the event will likely continue on long into the future. And there's nothing wrong with that, he said. "It is a legend with a long life, and it is an integral part of the story of the great escape by the James brothers," Fanebust wrote in a summary of the events. "There is no point in trying to drive a stake through it, because it can't be killed. Somewhere out there someone might find an answer, a rational explanation for an issue that seems to be pleading for closure. But then again, maybe not. Maybe, just maybe, the romance of history has a legitimate place in this outlaw narrative alongside plain, dull facts."
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
This North Texas town is the Best Historic Small Town of 2025, list says
A North Texas town just made a national list for its storied history. USA TODAY's 10BEST list for the Best Historic Small Towns of 2025 was recently released. The 10 towns on the list were nominated by a panel of experts that includes travel writers, newspaper editors and USA TODAY editors, and were then voted on by USA TODAY readers. The 10 historic small towns all have populations of less than 25,000 people, and all have multiple historical landmarks. 'The United States has a fascinating history, and exploring the places which most affected it is much more engaging than simply reading about it,' USA TODAY wrote in its ranking. These 10 historic small towns feature 'fun and affordable ways to dive into our nation's past,' USA TODAY wrote. Only one Texas town made the list. Drum roll, please... ⚡ More trending stories from our newsroom: →VIDEO: See Tom Cruise visit a North Texas theater →A Fort Worth lunch full of trendy items for under $25 →These are the most unsafe hospitals in North Texas Voters said Granbury's multiple historic landmarks is where 'Texass history comes alive.' 'It's a small town that's worth a detour off the beaten path.' voters said. Specific mention was given to the Hood County Courthouse and Historic Granbury Square, the Hood County Jail Museum, the Yeates-Duke 1858 Working Museum and the newly-restored Grand Opera House. Oh, and Jesse James is said to have been buried in Granbury. This is the fourth year Granbury has won the USATODAY 10BEST Best Historic Small Town award. The town previously won in 2019, 2020 and 2021. The rest of the towns on the list have 'small populations with big histories,' USA TODAY wrote. Here's the full list: 1. Granbury, Texas Abilene, Kan. Worthington, Ohio Ludington., Mich. Ruston, La. Newport, Ky. Mackinac Island, Mich. Castine, Maine Eureka Springs, Ark. Astoria, Ore.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lawmakers consider tax incentives to promote employee ownership and safe gun storage
Wisconsin State Capitol (Wisconsin Examiner photo) Wisconsin lawmakers considered new tax incentives meant to encourage the development of more employee-owned businesses and cooperatives and to promote safe gun storage. Both measures drew bipartisan support during a hearing Tuesday in the Assembly Way and Means Committee. One bill — AB 17 — would provide a tax credit to businesses that make the transition to a model that gives employees a stake. The credit would cover 70% of the costs for converting a business to a worker-owned cooperative or 50% of the costs for converting the business to an employee stock ownership plan. Businesses could receive a maximum of $100,000 from the tax credit. In a worker-owned cooperative, employees jointly own the business and have control over its operations. Employee stock ownership plans give employees partial or full ownership of a company's stock as an investment for their retirement. According to the UW Center for Cooperatives, there are 728 cooperatives across the state, including 33 worker-owned cooperatives. The bill would create an individual income tax subtraction and a corporate income and franchise tax deduction for the capital gain realized from the conversion. It would also instruct the Department of Revenue to create a program to promote employee-owned and cooperative business structures, providing education, outreach, technical assistance and training. 'More than ever, Wisconsin benefits from companies keeping jobs here, investing in their communities and staying locally owned,' bill coauthor Sen. Jesse James (R-Thorp) told lawmakers on the committee. This type of business structure, he said, is a 'strong tool' to encourage that goal. James said the tax incentive would help businesses considering switching because the conversion process can be complicated and expensive. According to the National Center for Employee Ownership, a transition to a worker-owned model can initially cost between $10,000 and $30,000. Converting to an employee stock ownership plan can generally cost between $100,000 and $300,000, with ongoing costs of $20,000 to $30,000 a year. Several Wisconsinites who have benefited from making the switch testified in favor of the bill. John Dally, a veterinarian, said it would provide 'critical support' for cooperatives in Wisconsin. Dally started a practice about 20 years ago with a colleague in Spring Green, and in 2020, they acquired another location in Mazomanie. As they were getting older, he said, they began considering retirement and the future for their business, Cooperative Veterinary Care. 'We wanted to ensure the practice would stay in these small communities, continue to serve the families and the pets that we just come to know and love — we've worked with them for our entire careers — and we also wanted to have some fair and equitable options for our employees and have a return on our investment to sell,' Dally said. Dally said historically veterinary practices would be sold to younger associates, but with increasing costs of education, many young veterinarians cannot take on the additional debt that comes with taking it over. Private equity firms and large corporations have also been acquiring small practices in recent years, he said. According to Brakke Consulting, a veterinary management consulting firm, nearly 25% of general veterinary practices and 75% of specialty practices, such as emergency and surgery care, are owned by large corporations. The issue of consolidation in the pet care field by large corporations has gotten the attention of U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut. 'We were looking around and thinking, what could we do, and I came upon this idea of employee ownership and it just made total sense,' Dally said. He said the transition in 2022 to a worker-owned cooperative cost about $30,000. He said a grant helped with the expense, and they also received support from the UW Center for Cooperatives. Dally said that their team of veterinarians, technicians and assistants have been able to take ownership of the business. The employees, he said, range in age from 20 to 58 and come from a variety of backgrounds. 'We all came together to create bylaws, manage the business, make decisions about how to allocate resources in smart and equitable ways,' Dally said. He said the cooperative has kept these veterinary services in these communities when they might have closed as they retired or sold to a large corporation who may or may not have kept them there. In the three years since transitioning, Dally said the worker cooperative has developed a beneficial health insurance program and a mental health program, invested in new equipment, raised wages and distributed additional profits back to the employees. 'It's just created a tangible, positive impact on our local communities. It provides a clear pathway for employees to not only work for the business, but to own a piece of it and benefit from its success and all their efforts and enthusiasm,' Dally said. 'Our experience in transitioning to this model is proof that it works, particularly in small communities.' Dally said it would not have been possible without the help they received, and the bill could provide the necessary support to other businesses looking to make the transition. 'It will allow businesses like ours to thrive and continue serving their communities while providing meaningful economic benefits for workers. It has the potential to change the landscape of business ownerships in Wisconsin, especially in these rural communities that are often overlooked by larger corporate interests,' Dally said. 'We need your support to make this a reality.' Kristin Forde with the UW Center for Cooperatives told lawmakers that the center's staff has seen greater interest in employee ownership as a succession strategy for retiring owners, but the models remain largely unknown among business owners. Forde said the state is likely to face a crisis in business as Baby Boomers prepare to retire. 'We really see employee ownership as… a solution to that problem,' Forde said. The legislation, she said, would tie together education and financial incentives to ensure that employee-owned cooperatives are a 'feasible solution to retaining jobs and services in our communities.' Republicans and Democrats also appeared supportive of AB 10, which would eliminate sales taxes on devices meant to ensure safe storage of guns. According to the CDC, unintentional injury is a top cause of death among children with guns being a leading method for injury. 'It was kind of jarring to hear that,' bill coauthor Rep. Adam Neylon (R-Pewaukee) said. Neylon said unsecured firearms are a major cause for those deaths and injuries, and that he wanted to propose a way to make safe storage more affordable. 'This isn't about politics,' Neylon said. 'This is about saving kids' lives.' Neylon said after hearing from constituents and consulting with the state Department of Revenue, he has amended the bill to cover a variety of devices in addition to gun safes. The amendment defines a 'firearm storage device' as a locked and fully enclosed container and excludes glass-faced display cabinets. It adds 'firearm safety' devices, 'installed on a firearm designed to prevent unauthorized access to the firearm or to prevent it from being operated without first deactivating the device.' Rep. Joan Fitzgerald (D-Fort Atkinson) said she supports the action, but called for more to be done. 'Protecting our kids and our communities should be top of mind for many of us… and there are a lot of people that are not responsible gun owners, so I do think we need to do more in this area,' Fitzgerald said. Gov. Tony Evers has also included the proposal in his 2025-27 budget, but Republican leaders on the Joint Finance Committee have removed it from his previous budget proposals and have said they plan to write their own budget. Fitzgerald asked Neylon why he proposed the measure if it was included in Evers' budget. 'I think, personally, this is at risk of being pulled out of the budget as a public policy item,' Neylon said. While his bill does have a fiscal impact, 'I think there's precedent of doing this through legislation in the past,' he added. 'But if it ultimately is in a budget that I support, I would be happy about that.' Lawmakers also considered AB 64, which would allow teachers to claim a tax deduction of up to $300 for expenses, including professional development courses, books and other classroom supplies. It, too, has bipartisan support. Bill coauthors Sen. Dan Feyen (R-Fond du Lac) and Rep. David Armstrong (R-Rice Lake said) the bill mirrors the deduction that is already available for teachers when they file their federal taxes. 'This would double the potential benefit and bring teachers significantly closer to be made whole,' Armstrong said. Armstrong noted that teachers 'sometimes find it necessary to purchase books or supplies for their classrooms.' He added that he has two daughters who are teachers and remind him about the costs 'consistently at the beginning of school.' CESA 6 CEO Ted Neitzke told lawmakers his wife, a Sheboygan middle school language arts teacher, has a classroom with likely 'tens of thousands of dollars worth of Mrs. Neitzke's investments in books and materials.' 'This is something that… would be a great tool for local school systems, especially when we're competing nationally for talent, to be able to support our staff in reimbursing some costs that they spend,' Neitzke said. 'Any little bit helps.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Making the Team: Jesse James relives ‘dream' draft day moment
PITTSBURGH, Pa. (BLACK AND GOLD NATION) – Waiting during the NFL Draft is one of the most nerve-racking experiences that future players will ever endure in their careers. 'The draft is unpredictable,' longtime NFL tight end Jesse James said. 'Everyone likes to think they're going to a certain place, but it doesn't always work out the way you want.' The first two days of the 2015 NFL Draft passed by James, keeping him on the edge of his seat to hear his name called during the final day. Making the Team: How a couple minutes changed Chris Villarrial's life 'When I was sitting there waiting, each pick that went by felt like there was a 45-pound plate being stacked on my chest,' the Penn State product said. 'I felt the pressure building.' During the fifth round, the western PA native would receive a phone call from a familiar area code, 412. Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told James over the phone that his hometown team would be drafting him. 'It was definitely a dream come true,' the 160th overall pick said. All of the draft day waiting, angst and anxiety was worth it for him. 'It's definitely a big moment in your life,' James said. Not only was he going to play for the team he grew up rooting for but also suit up with his childhood hero in Steelers tight end Heath Miller. 'The knowledge that (Heath) gave me was huge and I built my career with that foundation,' James said. 'I went in and tried to copy all the processes he went through, and it became extensive. All the stuff that I learned from him really was the foundation for the success I had in my career.' While it was a dream scenario for James, he knew he had to wake up and work to stay in the league. 'I didn't start off playing right away. I had a lot to prove,' the South Allegheny alum said. 'You weren't going to be given anything you did. So, I sat around the first couple weeks of the season as a healthy inactive and just trying to get a moment to prove myself.' James' moment would eventually come during week nine of his rookie season against the Oakland Raiders. He would catch a touchdown in the fourth quarter to extend the Steelers lead to two scores, which ultimately helped them get the 38-35 win. 'That game I had to block against some of the best guys in the league,' James recalled. 'It was like Khalil Mack and Aldon Smith. So, it was a tough match up and I was able to step up to the challenge and prove my value to the team.' James would go on to spend eight years in the NFL with five total teams, being a classic example that good things can come to those who work and wait. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
