Latest news with #Knisely
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
West Virginia Watch reporter wins a Dan Rather Medal for her foster care reporting
Amelia Ferrell Knisely joined West Virginia Watch when the outlet launched in July 2023, and has been covering West Virginia's foster care system since 2019. (Amelia Ferrell Knisely | Courtesy photo) West Virginia Watch reporter Amelia Ferrell Knisely has placed second in the Dan Rather Medals for News and Guts competition. Knisely won for her reporting for West Virginia Watch, which 'fought for transparency in West Virginia's overwhelmed foster care system.' For six months, Knisely requested from the West Virginia Department of Human Services documents that show how much the state spent on housing foster children in hotels in 2023. Instead of financial documents, the department sent Knisely a mostly redacted report on children staying in hotels, motels, offices and hospitals between January and October 2023. With that report, she wrote her award-winning article, 'WV agency won't release docs showing where money was spent putting foster kids in hotels.' 'The level of neglect exposed by this reporting is reprehensible,' one of the judges wrote. 'The amount of work it took to get the information, public information, to shed light on this was incredible.' And in the email informing Knisely of her win, John Bridges, a lecturer in journalism at the University of Texas at Austin, where the awards are housed, wrote: 'Indeed, your work was just the kind of dogged reporting that Dan Rather had in mind when he created these awards with the University of Texas.' Knisely original records request was denied, former Gov. Jim Justice's office did not respond to her emails and a then DoHS spokesperson denied her interview request with state child welfare leaders. 'Despite their intimidation, insults and ongoing resistance to answering my questions, I persist and have a great newsroom behind me.' Knisely told the Dan Rather Medals for News and Guts. 'I'm still covering foster care and will continue to do so. These children deserve it.' Knisely joined West Virginia Watch when the outlet launched in July 2023. She has been covering West Virginia's foster care system since 2019. Over the years, she's spoken with foster children abused in out-of-state facilities, child protective services workers who can't keep up with caseloads, biological parents who want answers and foster parents who feel lost in a complex system. She's written about state leaders' attempts — or lack thereof — to fix the problems, and spotlighted organizations helping vulnerable children. Read her foster care reporting for West Virginia Watch here. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
With Intel's latest layoffs, will the Ohio plant ever be built?
Then-Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger, Gov. Mike DeWine joined by politicians and business leaders break ground ceremony for Intel's new semiconductor manufacturing site, September 9, 2022, in Licking County, Ohio. (Photo by Graham Stokes for the Ohio Capital Journal / Republish photo only with original story) Ohio's top union leader is disappointed and concerned following Intel's announcement of significant layoffs, which could affect the state's multi-billion-dollar manufacturing plant. The corporation refused to answer questions on how this could impact the state. 'The last 100 days have been very concerning for me,' said Mike Knisley, with the Ohio State Building and Construction Trades Council. Thousands of union workers and billions of dollars — stalled. 'A lot of sweat equity into making sure that they were ready when Intel barked — we're ready to move with this,' Knisley said. 'That's a little bit of a disappointment … I just don't know in present time if that's gonna be viable or not.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX WEWS/OCJ has been reporting for years on tech giant Intel's massive semiconductor manufacturing facility — one that was supposed to be operational by now — and its financial hardships. Knisely explained that workers are concerned now that the company has announced it will lay off a significant amount of its workforce, less than a year after cutting 15%. Bloomberg News reported 20%, but the company didn't respond to comment on that number. Intel's stock has dropped by more than 50% in the last year, while the industry has grown by more than 120%. After spending 25 years on the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Intel was replaced on the index by Nvidia, a leader in artificial intelligence, in late November. The company also had mass layoffs in October, cutting 15,000 jobs. An Intel spokesperson declined to answer questions about how this could impact Ohio but pointed to Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan's statement, which said, in part: 'We are navigating an increasingly volatile and uncertain macroeconomic environment … We are seen as too slow, too complex, and too set in our ways—and we need to change.' Still, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine remains positive that the plant will be built by Intel's updated date — in the 2030s. 'They put now close to $8 billion into the ground,' DeWine said. 'There's going to be chips that are going to be made there, I will guarantee you that.' But he acknowledged the struggles the company is facing. 'What happens with Intel, what the future is with Intel — we certainly don't know,' the governor said. They are not the only major corporation cutting the work of thousands of Ohio workers. Microsoft recently stopped a $1 billion project to create multiple data centers in the state. The company did not respond to requests for comment. 'It would be a bad look for all of Ohio, including us with the trades, if everything went south and they just walked away,' Knisely said about Intel. Still, the governor is telling Knisely not to worry. 'No company is going to invest as much money as they have already put into Ohio and walk away from it,' DeWine said. Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on Twitter and Facebook. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
09-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Altoona library hosts inaugural mini golf fundraiser
ALTOONA, Pa. (WTAJ) — The Altoona Area Public Library hosted its inaugural mini golf fundraiser to benefit its children's programs. The library is usually a quiet place to read a book six days a week. Altoona residents had a different thing to read — 19 greens scattered throughout three floors. 'We thought this would be a fun way maybe to get folks who haven't been here before to come in,' Jennifer Knisely, the executive director for the Altoona Area Public Library said. 'They get to see a really nice variation on what we have to offer here at the library for kids, families, teens and adults.' Families walked through the front doors of the 'clubhouse' to get their balls, scorecards and putters. Over 200 presale tickets were bought from families ready to get out of the house. 'People are anxious to get out and about and do something with their families,' Knisely said. From there, they made their way through every hole on the first floor before making their rounds to the upstairs area and then down two flights to the final couple of holes. 'We weren't sure what to expect, but it's been great,' golfer and parent Jill Davis, standing next to her daughter Mabel, said. 'It's really fun.' 'It's nice that the families can come out and enjoy it together, not just the kids and then the parents,' Judy Kifer, another golfer said. 'The whole family can come and have a good time.' The funds raised during the event will be directed toward the children's program. 'That's where we find that we have the most need for consumable supplies and things like that,' Knisely added. March is Read Across America Month, which is asking kids to read more. The event's course layout serpentines through the many sections of books available at the library, helping promote the idea that reading is good to do. 'It helps with a lot of different cognitive things when it comes to growing and getting older as a kid,' Hailey Killinger, a student volunteer from Mt. Aloysius College said. 'So I think it's very important.' 'It's just another way to celebrate literacy and a lifelong love of reading,' Knisely added. In an age where digital media has taken over, the fundraiser reminds residents of how books can intrigue and teach. It doesn't matter if you are a kid or an adult, that remains the goal for the library. Johnstown YMCA pairs St. Patrick's Day with fitness in 5K Altoona library hosts inaugural mini golf fundraiser Central Pennsylvania anti-hunger programs given financial boost Bedford Borough celebrates 230th anniversary of establishment Bedford charter school permanently closing after school year 'My husband is actually behind us right now looking at books, and he's not a big reader,' Davis said. 'So maybe after this year will be.' 'The more families that we can get in here to, get that message across and to support that in the homes, the better,'Knisely said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
More worries as Intel, once again, delays massive Ohio chipmaking plant
Then-Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger, Gov. Mike DeWine joined by politicians and business leaders break ground ceremony for Intel's new semiconductor manufacturing site, September 9, 2022, in Licking County, Ohio. (Photo by Graham Stokes for the Ohio Capital Journal / Republish photo only with original story) Concerns about Intel's long-awaited multi-billion dollar manufacturing plant in Ohio continue to swell as the tech giant has once again delayed the project — this time until next decade. The Buckeye State was supposed to have the first-of-its-kind semiconductor facility up and running by now. Instead, Intel's latest major delay comes amid the 'needs' of the business and 'broader market demand,' according to executive Naga Chandrasekaran. The company promised Central Ohio at least $20 billion, now nearly $30 billion, for a plant that would create tens of thousands of jobs. This wouldn't have been possible without the CHIPS Act, which President Joe Biden signed in August 2022. The immediate economic impact was supposed to be major, especially for Licking County. The plant was supposed to create 3,000 longer-term, higher-paying jobs, 7,000 construction jobs, and tens of thousands of additional jobs. The highest profile were the researchers and facility workers making the chips. Semiconductors are the chips behind e-commerce, social media, cars, computers, and everything that uses digital technology, which nowadays is just about everything. Now, Ohio is anticipating two fabrication facilities — the original is set to be constructed in 2030 with operations beginning by 2031. The second would be completed in 2031 and begin in 2032. 'We're just really on for a little bit longer ride than what we thought,' said Mike Knisley with the Ohio State Building and Construction Trades Council. Intel previously blamed delays over the past few years on the lack of the CHIPS Act money, but they received $1.5 billion for the Ohio plant from the federal government in November. Fed officials finalize $7.8 billion in grants for Intel projects, including $1.5 billion in Ohio But now, Chandrasekaran said the company is continuing construction at a 'slower pace,' something that Knisely said is part of industry norms — but he also understood why it is concerning. 'We've got to have faith in that company,' he said. 'It would be disastrous for everybody, not just the trade unions, but for the administration, for the millions of dollars that have been spent on incentives and things like that.' State Sen. Bill DeMora, D-Columbus, argued that Ohio needs to hold Intel accountable. 'Intel is a huge company, and it's gonna be a lot of jobs and it's a huge project, but you can't let them just hold the state hostage for as long as they want to,' DeMora said. 'It's ridiculous.' Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and the state have already given billions to subsidize the project. Knisely added that the unions and colleges have been training workers. Cities have also been a part of the progress. 'The City of Columbus is planning a nonstop bus route down 161 to get to Intel,' DeMora said, in addition to other types of deals Franklin County is making to help out the neighboring county. Workers have been waiting while the days pass, Knisley added. 'Some of the larger unions, electrical workers and the pipefitters, spent an enormous amount of money on training, getting ready for this,' he said. 'We've got a fallback position on this and all the work in Central Ohio. Had we not had that, and we had made all this investment on recruiting and training, it could have been a real detriment to the unions to put that kind of investment in [and not have it pan out] — but thank God that we have other investors around the area.' DeMora has been concerned about the tech company for months now. Former CEO Pat Gelsinger suddenly resigned in December. Intel's stock has dropped more than 50% in the last year while the industry has grown more than 120%. After spending 25 years on the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Intel was replaced on the index by Nvidia, a leader in artificial intelligence, in late November. The company also had mass layoffs in October, cutting 15,000 jobs, slashing its workforce by 15%. Some officials in Ohio have privately worried that Intel will become another 'Foxconn' scandal. In 2023, Ohio-based Lordstown Motors filed for bankruptcy and sued international manufacturer Foxconn for failing to live up to and follow through on their massive investment deal. 'At some point, you got to hold their feet to the fire and either take away some of their tax incentives, start charging them — start taking back some of the money they were promised until they actually do what they're supposed to do,' DeMora said. The Ohio Department of Development defended the company in a statement. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 'Intel's latest report highlights the progress the company is making on its Ohio One project. The statewide economic impact of this investment is already evident — 6.4 million construction hours worked by Ohioans from 83 counties, and more than 430 Ohio companies supporting the effort across 50 counties. We remain confident that Intel will deliver on its commitments to the State of Ohio, and we have every indication that the plants will become operational. Large-scale projects of this magnitude are inherently complex, and while we hope to have the plants online sooner, construction estimates may shift. However, as the agreement stands, Intel is still expected to meet its investment, job, and payroll commitments by 2028, and that has not changed,' spokesperson Mason Waldvogel said. DeWine's team also said it still believes in Intel. 'While we are disappointed the plants will not open sooner, construction continues at the Ohio Intel site and the company has continued to tell the state the fabs will be completed and produce chips,' DeWine's spokesperson Dan Tierney said. 'This is a construction delay. The project is moving forward.' JobsOhio, a private nonprofit that is, for clarity, a partner of the state when it comes to economic development, is also following the same rhetoric. 'Although Intel's timeline has moved to address market realities, the commitment to creating at least 3,000 jobs and $20 billion in capital investment while continuing construction of its most advanced chip production fabs on Earth in Ohio remains unchanged. One of the competitive advantages of choosing Ohio is that we are a flexible partner with the ability to work alongside Intel as it moves the project forward on its adjusted timeline, placing Ohio at the center of cutting-edge semiconductor production that is essential to American national economic security and national defense,' spokesperson Matt Englehart said. But DeMora wondered if Intel was breaking their agreement to the state by continually delaying. No, according to the governor's office. In a back-and-forth with Tierney, he did explain some of the clawback provisions, which are ways for Ohio to get its money back if Intel underperforms. 'The terms are that they have to make a specific investment, they have to maintain a specific payroll and they have to keep a specific number of jobs,' Tierney said, saying that Intel is making all of those requirements right now. What isn't in the contract? A way to ensure the project is completed or operating by a certain date or timeframe. We asked why not. 'The company is upholding its end of the bargain,' Tierney said. 'So why argue today over a provision that's not in the contract and really has nothing to do with what was promised — which was money spent in the state of Ohio's economy and jobs being created.' We asked why the agreement didn't have both the benchmarks he mentioned and a completion date provision. 'The purpose of a clawback provision is to get the company to do what it promised, and what it promised was investment and jobs — and those are the terms that we will look at at the appropriate time, which again is far in the future,' he said, noting that the date Intel needs to meet their commitments is in 2028. Case Western Reserve University business law professor Eric Chaffee said that it is standard to have completion clauses. But because construction is fickle — and because Ohio clearly really wanted this project — some bargaining was likely done. 'In regard to thinking about contract law, it's about building relationships between parties, and you have to make choices about what's important in regard to those relationships,' Chaffee said. 'Ohio made choices in regard to what they wanted to ensure. There's still incentives, as far as I can tell, for Intel to get this facility completed, but there's just not the penalties that might make them a little bit more incentivized to do that.' They don't need a completion clause because they already have the benchmarks, Tierney argued. 'We live in the real world where we're competing against other states to build things here,' the spokesperson answered. Still, Knisley believes the project will be completed. 'Everybody is bullish on Intel, even with their poor performance on Wall Street, the change in leadership,' he said. 'A lot of things that might give people pause on this, but we still have all the faith that the project's going to go on.' Intel confirmed that they are still dedicated to Ohio, and their official comment said that this delay does not 'diminish our long-term commitment.' Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on X and Facebook. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
More worries as Intel, once again, delays massive Ohio chipmaking plant
Then-Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger, Gov. Mike DeWine joined by politicians and business leaders break ground ceremony for Intel's new semiconductor manufacturing site, September 9, 2022, in Licking County, Ohio. (Photo by Graham Stokes for the Ohio Capital Journal / Republish photo only with original story) Concerns about Intel's long-awaited multi-billion dollar manufacturing plant in Ohio continue to swell as the tech giant has once again delayed the project — this time until next decade. The Buckeye State was supposed to have the first-of-its-kind semiconductor facility up and running by now. Instead, Intel's latest major delay comes amid the 'needs' of the business and 'broader market demand,' according to executive Naga Chandrasekaran. The company promised Central Ohio at least $20 billion, now nearly $30 billion, for a plant that would create tens of thousands of jobs. This wouldn't have been possible without the CHIPS Act, which President Joe Biden signed in August 2022. The immediate economic impact was supposed to be major, especially for Licking County. The plant was supposed to create 3,000 longer-term, higher-paying jobs, 7,000 construction jobs, and tens of thousands of additional jobs. The highest profile were the researchers and facility workers making the chips. Semiconductors are the chips behind e-commerce, social media, cars, computers, and everything that uses digital technology, which nowadays is just about everything. Now, Ohio is anticipating two fabrication facilities — the original is set to be constructed in 2030 with operations beginning by 2031. The second would be completed in 2031 and begin in 2032. 'We're just really on for a little bit longer ride than what we thought,' said Mike Knisley with the Ohio State Building and Construction Trades Council. Intel previously blamed delays over the past few years on the lack of the CHIPS Act money, but they received $1.5 billion for the Ohio plant from the federal government in November. Fed officials finalize $7.8 billion in grants for Intel projects, including $1.5 billion in Ohio But now, Chandrasekaran said the company is continuing construction at a 'slower pace,' something that Knisely said is part of industry norms — but he also understood why it is concerning. 'We've got to have faith in that company,' he said. 'It would be disastrous for everybody, not just the trade unions, but for the administration, for the millions of dollars that have been spent on incentives and things like that.' State Sen. Bill DeMora, D-Columbus, argued that Ohio needs to hold Intel accountable. 'Intel is a huge company, and it's gonna be a lot of jobs and it's a huge project, but you can't let them just hold the state hostage for as long as they want to,' DeMora said. 'It's ridiculous.' Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and the state have already given billions to subsidize the project. Knisely added that the unions and colleges have been training workers. Cities have also been a part of the progress. 'The City of Columbus is planning a nonstop bus route down 161 to get to Intel,' DeMora said, in addition to other types of deals Franklin County is making to help out the neighboring county. Workers have been waiting while the days pass, Knisley added. 'Some of the larger unions, electrical workers and the pipefitters, spent an enormous amount of money on training, getting ready for this,' he said. 'We've got a fallback position on this and all the work in Central Ohio. Had we not had that, and we had made all this investment on recruiting and training, it could have been a real detriment to the unions to put that kind of investment in [and not have it pan out] — but thank God that we have other investors around the area.' DeMora has been concerned about the tech company for months now. Former CEO Pat Gelsinger suddenly resigned in December. Intel's stock has dropped more than 50% in the last year while the industry has grown more than 120%. After spending 25 years on the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Intel was replaced on the index by Nvidia, a leader in artificial intelligence, in late November. The company also had mass layoffs in October, cutting 15,000 jobs, slashing its workforce by 15%. Some officials in Ohio have privately worried that Intel will become another 'Foxconn' scandal. In 2023, Ohio-based Lordstown Motors filed for bankruptcy and sued international manufacturer Foxconn for failing to live up to and follow through on their massive investment deal. 'At some point, you got to hold their feet to the fire and either take away some of their tax incentives, start charging them — start taking back some of the money they were promised until they actually do what they're supposed to do,' DeMora said. The Ohio Department of Development defended the company in a statement. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 'Intel's latest report highlights the progress the company is making on its Ohio One project. The statewide economic impact of this investment is already evident — 6.4 million construction hours worked by Ohioans from 83 counties, and more than 430 Ohio companies supporting the effort across 50 counties. We remain confident that Intel will deliver on its commitments to the State of Ohio, and we have every indication that the plants will become operational. Large-scale projects of this magnitude are inherently complex, and while we hope to have the plants online sooner, construction estimates may shift. However, as the agreement stands, Intel is still expected to meet its investment, job, and payroll commitments by 2028, and that has not changed,' spokesperson Mason Waldvogel said. DeWine's team also said it still believes in Intel. 'While we are disappointed the plants will not open sooner, construction continues at the Ohio Intel site and the company has continued to tell the state the fabs will be completed and produce chips,' DeWine's spokesperson Dan Tierney said. 'This is a construction delay. The project is moving forward.' JobsOhio, a private nonprofit that is, for clarity, a partner of the state when it comes to economic development, is also following the same rhetoric. 'Although Intel's timeline has moved to address market realities, the commitment to creating at least 3,000 jobs and $20 billion in capital investment while continuing construction of its most advanced chip production fabs on Earth in Ohio remains unchanged. One of the competitive advantages of choosing Ohio is that we are a flexible partner with the ability to work alongside Intel as it moves the project forward on its adjusted timeline, placing Ohio at the center of cutting-edge semiconductor production that is essential to American national economic security and national defense,' spokesperson Matt Englehart said. But DeMora wondered if Intel was breaking their agreement to the state by continually delaying. No, according to the governor's office. In a back-and-forth with Tierney, he did explain some of the clawback provisions, which are ways for Ohio to get its money back if Intel underperforms. 'The terms are that they have to make a specific investment, they have to maintain a specific payroll and they have to keep a specific number of jobs,' Tierney said, saying that Intel is making all of those requirements right now. What isn't in the contract? A way to ensure the project is completed or operating by a certain date or timeframe. We asked why not. 'The company is upholding its end of the bargain,' Tierney said. 'So why argue today over a provision that's not in the contract and really has nothing to do with what was promised — which was money spent in the state of Ohio's economy and jobs being created.' We asked why the agreement didn't have both the benchmarks he mentioned and a completion date provision. 'The purpose of a clawback provision is to get the company to do what it promised, and what it promised was investment and jobs — and those are the terms that we will look at at the appropriate time, which again is far in the future,' he said, noting that the date Intel needs to meet their commitments is in 2028. Case Western Reserve University business law professor Eric Chaffee said that it is standard to have completion clauses. But because construction is fickle — and because Ohio clearly really wanted this project — some bargaining was likely done. 'In regard to thinking about contract law, it's about building relationships between parties, and you have to make choices about what's important in regard to those relationships,' Chaffee said. 'Ohio made choices in regard to what they wanted to ensure. There's still incentives, as far as I can tell, for Intel to get this facility completed, but there's just not the penalties that might make them a little bit more incentivized to do that.' They don't need a completion clause because they already have the benchmarks, Tierney argued. 'We live in the real world where we're competing against other states to build things here,' the spokesperson answered. Still, Knisley believes the project will be completed. 'Everybody is bullish on Intel, even with their poor performance on Wall Street, the change in leadership,' he said. 'A lot of things that might give people pause on this, but we still have all the faith that the project's going to go on.' Intel confirmed that they are still dedicated to Ohio, and their official comment said that this delay does not 'diminish our long-term commitment.' Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on X and Facebook. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
