Latest news with #MikeHoward
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Golden mussel found on boat in Folsom Lake State Recreation Area
( — Golden mussels have made their way to Folsom Lake after they were discovered during a boat inspection. • Video above: Officials have no idea how Golden Mussels make their way to the region According to the California Department of Parks and Recreation, the new vessel inspection program at the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area found an infestation of growing golden mussels on a boat on Tuesday at Beals Point. CDPA stated that during the inspection, one of the California State Parks staff found many live golden mussels attached to a vessel. The boat was recently in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta area. At this time, officials said that state parks are working with the owner and other agencies to safely decontaminate and quarantine the boat. Image: California Department of Parks and Recreation 'Thanks to this new program and the diligent work of our inspection team, we prevented this vessel from ever touching the water, which could have had catastrophic consequences,' said Folsom Lake State Recreation Area Superintendent Mike Howard. 'The inspection and quarantine program we have implemented is in place to protect billions of dollars of water and hydroelectric infrastructure in addition to recreation and the fishery. The discovery of live golden mussels yesterday validates the importance of this effort.' State Parks and staff and partner shops have inspected almost 5,000 boats since implementing the new boat inspection and quarantine program on April 14, said CDPA. After the inspection, the boats receive a quarantine seal, which is applied for 30 days, and are not allowed to enter the water during the break. After quarantining is done, the boats are allowed to be back in the water, have the seal removed by authorized staff, and be allowed to launch, stated CDPA. CDPA said that golden mussels were found in the Delta area in October of last year. They pose a significant threat to the ecological health of all waters of the state, its water conveyance systems, infrastructure, and water quality. For more information on the Golden Mussels preventive program, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40 News.
CBS News
07-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Invasive golden mussels found attached to boat during Folsom Lake inspection
FOLSOM – After implementing an inspection and quarantine program at Folsom Lake to try to stop the spread of golden mussels, state park officials said the highly invasive aquatic species was found attached to a boat. So far, nearly 5,000 vessels have been inspected. Now, state parks officials said golden mussels were found attached to a boat during an inspection on Tuesday at Beals Point. California State Parks said the live golden mussels were on a boat that was pulled from the water of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and brought to Folsom for an inspection. Golden mussels were found attached to a boat during an inspection at Folsom Lake. California State Parks "The inspection and quarantine program we have implemented is in place to protect billions of dollars of water and hydroelectric infrastructure in addition to recreation and the fishery," Folsom Lake State Recreation Area Superintendent Mike Howard said. "The discovery of live golden mussels [on Tuesday] validates the importance of this effort." Park officials are working with the owner and other agencies to safely decontaminate and quarantine the boat. This comes about four weeks after the inspection and quarantine program was implemented at Folsom Lake. Ahead of the summer season, boats must be inspected and receive a quarantine seal and cannot enter the water for 30 days. After that, the boats can return to the lake. Golden mussels were found in the delta last year, becoming the first known time the highly invasive golden mussels were found in North America, officials said. They pose a threat to water quality and infrastructure. They can also damage boats by attaching to hulls and clogging engines. All trailered or motorized vessels must go through the inspection and quarantine. It does not apply to canoes, kayaks and other non-motorized boats.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
California quarantines boats in 2 lakes to protect fisheries, water supply from invasive mussel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Boats and other marine vessels entering two California lakes will now be inspected then quarantined for 30 days to help prevent the spread of an invasive species of mussel. The move applies to all trailered and motorized vessels launching into Folsom Lake and Lake Clementine, which are located northeast of Sacramento. Officials will check the vessels for evidence of a mussel species known as golden mussels; creatures that made their first known appearance in North America when they were discovered in October 2024 in the Port of Stockton. The port is located less than 100 miles from Lake Folsom. Originally from parts of Southeast Asia, the dime-sized animals are capable of disrupting recreational activities and local economies in environments where they do not have a natural predator, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Invasive Mussels Pose Threat To Yellowstone National Park They noted that the mussels can displace native species and sport fish, as they can eat large amounts of microscopic plants and animals those organisms depend on. The mussels can also jeopardize the flow of water to local municipalities, farms and power plants, due to their ability to multiply quickly and clog water intakes and fish screens. Additionally, the animals can quickly attach themselves to and colonize hard surfaces on boats and other marine vessels, leading to engines becoming clogged. Vessels going from one body of water to another can lead to the spread of the highly invasive mussel species, increasing the impact of the mussels. For example, Folsom Lake is a reservoir formed by Folsom Dam, which produces electricity for many California residents. If golden mussels were to make their way into the lake, their infestation could impact the power generation at the dam, according to the California State Parks. "California State Parks is working with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and numerous state agencies to take critical steps to prevent golden mussels from infesting Folsom Lake and Lake Clementine," said Folsom Lake SRA Superintendent Mike Howard. "We thank boaters for their understanding as we implement the new procedures and are working to make the inspection processes as efficient as possible." He added that the prevention measures are a better alternative to closing the lakes to vessels or a golden mussel infestation. How To Watch Fox Weather California State Parks officials said the mussels were likely introduced to the Golden State by a ship traveling from an international article source: California quarantines boats in 2 lakes to protect fisheries, water supply from invasive mussel
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
SMART Modular Technologies Introduces its Non-Volatile CXL E3.S Memory Module
New module provides persistent memory that enables checkpointing, snapshotting and low latency write cache for demanding data center compute and storage applications NEWARK, Calif., March 25, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SMART Modular Technologies®, Inc. ("SMART"), a Penguin Solutions®, Inc. brand (Nasdaq: PENG) and a global leader in integrated memory solutions, solid-state drives, and hybrid storage products, announced today it is now sampling its redefined Non-Volatile CXL Memory Module (NV-CMM) to Tier 1 OEMs based on the CXL® 2.0 standard. This innovative product combines non-volatile high-performance DRAM memory, persistent flash memory and an energy source in a single removable EDSFF form factor to deliver superior reliability and serviceability for data-intensive applications. The NV-CMM module further expands the SMART family of CXL products introduced in the last year. "Our NV-CMM represents a paradigm shift in memory technology for data centers," said Torry Steed, senior product marketing manager at SMART Modular Technologies. "By combining the benefits of non-volatile memory with the CXL standard, we're making it significantly easier for system integrators to incorporate compact, non-volatile, high performance persistent memory into their products." The NV-CMM represents a significant leap forward in memory technology, offering: Enhanced System Performance: By ensuring data persistence and minimizing the need for complex recovery processes, NV-CMMs significantly boost system responsiveness and performance. This is particularly beneficial for write-latency sensitive applications such as high-performance computing, in-memory databases, and real-time analytics. Data Persistence: Onboard backup power ensures critical data is preserved during unexpected power outages, enhancing system reliability and cluster availability. Versatile Form Factor: The E3.S 2T form factor provides flexibility for various server configurations. Advanced Connectivity: PCIe Gen 5 and CXL 2.0 compliance ensures seamless integration with the latest data center architectures. The NV-CMM is poised to redefine memory in several key areas: Accelerate Storage Systems: As a high-speed cache tier, NV-CMMs significantly boost storage appliance performance. Enhanced Data Recovery: Critical for maintaining data integrity during power failures or system crashes. Optimized Virtualization: Supports faster virtual machine (VM) restarts and reduces downtime in cloud infrastructures. Efficient Write Caching: Improves overall system performance by quickly acknowledging write operations. Mike Howard, from TechInsights, commented: "The introduction of NV-CMMs leveraging the CXL standard marks a significant milestone in addressing the growing demands of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and big data analytics. SMART's innovation in this space positions them at the forefront of the memory industry." SMART is offering NV-CMM evaluation samples for enterprise customers and system integrators. For more information including specifications, pricing, and availability, visit the product page. The stylized "S" and "SMART" as well as "SMART Modular Technologies" of SMART Modular Technologies, Inc. "Compute Express Link (CXL)" and all other trademarks and registered trademarks are the properties of their respective owners. About SMART Modular Technologies, Inc.A Penguin Solutions Company SMART Modular Technologies helps customers around the world enable high performance computing through the design, development, and advanced packaging of integrated memory solutions. Our portfolio ranges from today's leading edge memory technologies to standard and legacy DRAM and Flash storage products. For more than three decades, we've provided standard, ruggedized, and custom memory and storage solutions that meet the needs of diverse applications in high-growth markets. View source version on Contacts Product Marketing Contact Torry SteedSMART Modular TechnologiesSenior Product Marketing Manager39870 Eureka Dr., Newark, CA Media Contact John CrookSMART Modular TechnologiesMarketing Communications+1 (510) Maureen O'LearyPenguin SolutionsDirector, Communications+1 (602) 330-6846pr@ Sign in to access your portfolio
Axios
06-03-2025
- Health
- Axios
Minnesota mulls insurance mandate for weight-loss drugs
Minnesota lawmakers are renewing a push to require insurance coverage of anti-obesity drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Why it matters: These life-changing drugs, known as GLP-1s, are helping millions of Americans shed pounds and lower their risk of more serious conditions like heart attacks and strokes. More than 600,000 prescriptions for the medications were dispersed in Minnesota in 2024, a 13% increase from the prior year. Yes, but: A high price tag and uneven insurance coverage prevent some patients who would benefit from a prescription from getting — or staying — on the medication, as Axios has reported. The annual cost of GLP-1s can be $11,000 or more without insurance. How it works: The state bill would mandate coverage for the "management and treatment of obesity," including FDA-approved weight loss drugs, bariatric surgery and "evidence-based" behavioral and lifestyle interventions like nutrition counseling. Friction point: Coverage mandates carry a high price tag because the federal Affordable Care Act dictates that states help cover private insurers' costs for mandates that go beyond what's required by federal law. Case in point: A state Commerce Department analysis of an earlier version of the bill estimated that it could cost between $2.6 million and $8 million in the first year. Similar cost concerns have thwarted proposals to cover other popular but expensive medical treatments, including IVF. What they're saying: Rep. Mike Howard (DFL-Richfield) told Axios that an increase in stories from constituents whose insurance companies decided to halt coverage of their GLP-1 treatment makes the push "more important than ever." "That is a huge blow for somebody to go from having it covered to potentially paying more than $1,000 a month," said Howard, who reintroduced the bill in the House this year. "People should be able to access the health care they need, at a price they can afford." What we're hearing: The Minnesota Council of Health Plans doesn't take a position on individual mandates, but has said in the past that it worries about the cumulative impact these requirements have on overall plan and premium costs. The other side: DFL Sen. Alice Mann, a doctor who's carrying the bill in the Senate, countered that the long-term savings — and quality of life benefits — are worth the upfront spend. "When we invest in prevention we can prevent all sorts of bad things from happening," Mann told Axios, citing increased risks of medical issues ranging from diabetes to falls. The catch: State coverage mandates don't apply to the large swath of consumers who work for large companies that are self-insured, meaning not everyone would get the benefit even if it passed. The big picture: The state debate comes as the Trump administration considers whether to follow through with a Biden proposal requiring Medicare and Medicaid to cover anti-obesity drugs. Sponsors of the state law said uncertainty about the fate of that rule — and the threat of Medicaid cuts more broadly — underscore the need for coverage in Minnesota. What we're watching: Whether the state bills get a hearing this year. Zoom out: More mandates in the mix The weight loss coverage bill is one of a number of proposed insurance mandates competing for a slice of state funding in what's expected to be a relatively austere budget year. Other bills require coverage for vasectomies, maternal mental health, over-the-counter birth control, some acupuncture services and gene therapy for sickle cell anemia. Plus: A proposed mandate for fertility treatment coverage has also been reintroduced. State of play: Any of these bills would need bipartisan support to pass the divided Legislature. House Majority Leader Harry Niska (R-Ramsey) told Axios that while "a lot" of Republican legislators are concerned about the additional costs, his caucus will consider mandates on a case-by-case basis. Gov. Tim Walz is open to a conversation about these mandates, but will wait until after Thursday's budget update to take a position on bills with a fiscal impact, spokesperson Claire Lancaster told Axios.
