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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The Civic 50 Award Honors Blue Shield of California as One of the Most Community-Minded Companies in the Nation
Nonprofit health plan recognized for its commitment to "Stand for What's Right" for third consecutive year. OAKLAND, Calif., June 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Shield of California has been named a 2025 honoree of The Civic 50 by Points of Light, the world's largest organization dedicated to increasing volunteering. For more than a decade, The Civic 50 award has served as the national standard for corporate citizenship and showcases how leading companies are moving social impact and community to the core of their business. "Living our mission and building a healthier California requires us to be present in our communities and show up as a positive force," said Mike Stuart, interim president and CEO, Blue Shield of California. "This recognition is a testament to the passion and commitment of our employees and how we come together to make a positive difference for our members, communities and planet. We are very proud to be recognized again by The Civic 50 for our strong culture of philanthropy and our dedication to living out our mission." The Civic 50 honorees are top community-minded companies in the United States with annual revenues of at least $1 billion. Honorees are selected through an annual survey that evaluates the scale, sophistication and impact of their employee volunteering, community engagement and corporate philanthropy work. Blue Shield is one of California's largest health plans with more than 7,500 employees, serving 6 million members. Blue Shield is a nonprofit health plan that voluntarily caps its income at 2% of revenue, returning the difference back to customers and California communities. "In an ever-evolving landscape, companies are looking to ensure that they can meet the needs of their communities, customers and stakeholders," said Jennifer Sirangelo, president and CEO, Points of Light. "Companies like Blue Shield of California are leading the way in showing how social impact benefits their employees' well-being, strengthens the communities where they do business, and brings value and meaning to their work. Their efforts provide a model for others looking to bring the benefits of volunteering and social impact to their workforce and they're extremely deserving of this recognition." An honoree in 2021, 2023 and 2024, Blue Shield was recognized this year for a variety of programs including: Record-breaking employee volunteerism and givingNearly every employee (99%) gave back in 2024, volunteering more than 68,000 hours and donating over $1.6 million (including company match) to more than 2,600 nonprofit organizations. The company facilitated more than 375 volunteer events, ranging from home repairs and tree plantings, to fundraising for therapy animal programs and diabetes prevention. Investing in communitiesIn 2024, the health plan contributed $20 million to its Blue Shield of California Foundation, which supported 99 grants to organizations that are working to make California the healthiest state and end domestic violence. In addition, Blue Shield invested $7.2 million in California nonprofits that are advancing mental health, environmental sustainability and the future healthcare workforce. Expanding access to youth mental health supportBlueSky, Blue Shield's youth mental health initiative, celebrated its 5-year anniversary last year. The initiative invests in best-in-class nonprofit organizations and programs that promote emotional well-being for young people across California. To date, BlueSky has supported over 20,000 youth and educators through therapy, training and youth advocacy programs. Driving environmental actionBlue Shield is leading the health plan industry in addressing the intersection of climate and health. Committed to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), Blue Shield has also expanded efforts to address emissions across its supply chain. At the same time, Blue Shield continued to invest in nonprofit groups focused on environmental justice, while empowering employees and members to take part in sustainability efforts. In 2024, 71% of eligible members chose paperless communications, saving the equivalent of over 20,000 trees annually. The Civic 50 survey is administered by True Impact, and the results are analyzed by VeraWorks. The survey instrument consists of quantitative and multiple-choice questions that inform the scoring process. The Civic 50 is the only survey and ranking system that exclusively measures corporate community engagement. For more on The Civic 50, visit Read more about Blue Shield of California's citizenship efforts at or visit the "Standing for What's Right" section of our 2024 Mission Report. About Blue Shield of CaliforniaBlue Shield of California strives to create a healthcare system worthy of its family and friends that is sustainably affordable. The health plan is a tax paying, nonprofit, independent member of the Blue Shield Association with nearly 6 million members, over 7,500 employees and more than $25 billion in annual revenue. Founded in 1939 in San Francisco and now headquartered in Oakland, Blue Shield of California and its affiliates provide health, dental, vision, Medicaid and Medicare healthcare service plans in California. The company has contributed more than $60 million to Blue Shield of California Foundation in the last three years to have an impact on California communities. For more news about Blue Shield of California, please visit Or follow us on LinkedIn or Facebook. About Points of LightPoints of Light is a nonpartisan, global nonprofit organization that inspires, equips, and mobilizes millions of people to take action that creates a positive impact through volunteering and civic engagement. Through partnerships with nonprofits, companies and social impact leaders, the organization galvanizes volunteers to meet critical needs for healthier and more resilient communities. As the world's largest organization dedicated to increasing volunteer service, Points of Light engages more than 3.8 million volunteers across 32 countries. For more information, visit CONTACT: Mark SeeligBlue Shield of California 510-607-2359 media@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Blue Shield of California Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
NDTV
08-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Lahore Anti-Aircraft Site Hit. NDTV Explains 'Suppression Of Enemy Air Defence'
New Delhi: A Pakistani air defence system installed in one of its major cities, Lahore, was destroyed in a counter-strike by India in the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday, the Press Information Bureau said in a statement today. India launched strikes at Pakistani air defence radars and systems at different areas this morning, the government said. India's response came after the Pakistani military fired missiles and drones at Indian military installations in 15 cities in western and northern India in a night attack. India successfully intercepted all the incoming threats, the government said. "Today morning, Indian armed forces targeted air defence radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Indian response has been in the same domain with the same intensity as Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an air defence system at Lahore has been neutralised," the government said. The destruction of enemy anti-aircraft radar and weapon systems is one of the most important steps any nation would take early on during the breakout of hostilities, as it would allow their aircraft to enter hostile airspace without challenge and can rule the skies. This will in turn help ground forces advance with the help of close air support, or CAS. What Is SEAD Formally called Suppression of Enemy Air Defence, or SEAD, it essentially means disrupting and destroying enemy air defence systems that could be used to shoot down Indian aircraft. Sometimes, it goes by the acronym DEAD to mean Destruction of Enemy Air Defence. The US is an experienced hand in SEAD missions. "The criticality of SEAD/DEAD - most importantly the negating of the surface-to-air missile threat - is really a basic tenet in warfare," says Mike Stuart, Director of Advanced Programs Business Development at the US aerospace and defence firm Northrop Grumman. "That means freedom of maneuver on the battlefield, and without the freedom of maneuver you're isolated and you can't engage when you want to engage," says Mr Stuart. History Of SEAD During World War II, Britain's air force made the first attempts at locating, suppressing and destroying enemy air defence using aircraft. After their own success of integrating radar, communications, command centres and air defences into a total system during the Battle of Britain, the British adopted tactics to find and defeat similar German equipment, US Navy Lieutenant Commander Michael Paul wrote in a 2008 paper titled 'Location, Suppression, and Destruction of Enemy Air Defences: Linking Missions to Realise Advanced Capabilities'. Wellington bombers equipped with radar detection equipment served the prerequisite mission to find the suspected German radar sites. But British researchers understood that radar geolocation was only a prerequisite to suppressing or destroying the threat. They quickly made a device that, when installed in an aircraft, received transmissions from a German radar site, amplified them, and sent them back to it. The targeted radar would receive the retransmitted "echos" and incorrectly display multiple false aircraft targets, which would confuse the operator. The device, codenamed Moonshine, was installed in a small number of P-82 Defiant "turret fighter" aircraft. These aircraft were the originating designs for electronic attack aircraft that would later become a key part of SEAD missions. Nonetheless, after specifically designed aircraft completed the job of locating enemy air defences, dedicated jamming aircraft only produced a temporary sanctuary of suppression. The final mission to destroy enemy air defences was ultimately left to aircraft with bombs, Lt Commander Paul wrote in his paper. Evolution Of SEAD Missions During the Vietnam War, the US Air Force (USAF) carried out SEAD missions after the North Vietnam Army set up highly effective integrated air defence systems centered on the Soviet-made SA-2 'Guideline' missile. At the time, the USAF had to quickly respond to the deadly threat, and its answer was to introduce an array of new weaponry and electronic warfare equipment, as well as advanced tactics to neutralise the SA-2 sites, says Northrop Grumman on its introduction to SEAD/DEAD. The post-Vietnam war era saw the development and employment of advanced anti-radiation missiles, specialised electronic warfare assets, and new air tactics for SEAD operations. In response, the complexity of enemy integrated air defence systems evolved to complicate SEAD targeting and provide resilience to air defence systems. The last 30 years of air campaigns, such as Libya in 1986 (and 2011), the Persian Gulf War in 1991, Bosnia in 1995, Kosovo in 1999, and to a lesser extent Iraq in 2001 and 2003 - stand as testament to increasingly complex adversary integrated air defence systems and the necessity of effective SEAD air operations as a key enabler during the campaigns, USAF Colonel Joseph Speed and Lieutenant Colonel Panagiotis Stathopoulos (retired) said in a June 2018 report 'SEAD Operations of the Future' published by the Joint Air Power Competence Centre. SEAD Weapons Since the Vietnam War, anti-radiation missiles have advanced significantly in terms of capability including increased ranges, improved seeker capabilities, and being able to overcome enemy countermeasures (including the simple act of turning the radar off), according to Northrop Grumman. To protect aircrew on the frontline, it is favourable for anti-radiation missiles to detect the radio frequency energy of a radar and fire the anti-radiation missile outside the engagement zone of the integrated air defence system. "Everybody's looking for extended range to preserve a sanctuary for the launch platforms, which is a position where they cannot be shot at, but they can still engage the surface threats or various target sets," says Mr Stuart, the Northrop Grumman officer. SEAD In Indian Context As demonstrated today by destroying an air defence radar and system in Pakistan's Lahore, India has the capability to strike Pakistani surface-to-air missile (SAM) sites and gain air superiority in the event of a full-scale war. SEAD missions usually need air-to-ground anti-radiation missiles that sniff radar signals and fly towards the SAM radar site. Electronic warfare aircraft can also jam radar signals to blind SAM operators and then launch an appropriate missile at it. However, flying SEAD missions is inherently a very high-risk work for combat pilots as they are directly engaging enemy weapon systems that are meant to shoot down aircraft.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Boarding school child abuse scandal spurs two very different bills in WV House and Senate
Miracle Meadows School, a Christian boarding school in Salem, West Virginia, was shut down in 2014 after multiple allegations of abuse of students. (Forbes Law Offices | Courtesy photo) In the wake of a child sexual and physical abuse scandal at a West Virginia boarding school, the Senate and House of Delegates have been considering two very different pieces of legislation. A Senate bill, backed by heiress and actress Paris Hilton, sought to prevent child abuse by regulating in-state residential programs and some outdoor programs that often serve children with behavioral issues. In the House, a bill would have reduced the timeframe that a civil suit brought by a victim of child sexual assault or abuse could be filed against the state's insurance program, the Board of Risk and Insurance Management, known as BRIM. Miracle Meadows in Salem closed in 2014, and dozens of former students who say they were subjected to horrific abuse began coming forward in 2017, and some civil cases are ongoing. The state could be on the hook for $100 million in settlements paid out by BRIM. Both bills are unlikely to become law after not going up for a vote in their respective chambers on Wednesday's Crossover Day deadline. Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Mike Stuart, who parked Senate Bill 817 — the Paris Hilton bill — in his committee, said the legislation needed more work that couldn't be completed by the legislative session deadline. While the measure would have exempted religious programs from regulation, Stuart said concerns from leaders of religious-based programs about 'unintended consequences' had stalled the bill. 'There were some drawbacks that would have taken a lot of time in committee, especially up against the demands of deadlines,' he said. 'It was just more a victim of time than anything [else].' The bill would require state licensure for private adolescent residential programs and some outdoor or boot camp experience. It also banned the use of physical discipline in these programs and mandated that children have regular, unsupervised video communication with their parents. Hilton, who says she was abused in residential treatment facilities as a teen, urged state senators to pass the bill, saying it would establish 'essential protections' for children. Bill sponsor Sen. Laura Wakim Chapman, R-Ohio, said the bill would close 'a hole' in current state law, citing widespread abuse at Miracle Meadows. One lawsuit against the facility on behalf of child victims, which was settled for $50 million, said the children experienced routine beatings and at times were not given toilet paper, requiring them to remain in their own filth. 'Our children have to be protected, and this is one way to protect them,' she said. 'This is such a common sense bill.' West Virginia Watch recently reported that the state has spent $70 million on housing foster children in out-of-state facilities. Chapman said the bill could encourage 'good actors' to set up well-regulated, in-state programs to help children with behavioral issues who are now forced out of state. 'We do need help, and we need to stop shipping our children in crisis out of state,' she said. Stuart, who was nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as general counsel for the federal health department, said he'd like to see the bill workshopped during interim meetings ahead of the next year's legislative session. 'I'm interested in whatever we can do to fix the system,' Stuart said. In the House, a bill sponsored by Speaker Roger Hanshaw would have reduced the window for child victims whose abusers were covered by state insurance to seek relief in civil suits. The measure, House Bill 3516, originated in the House Judiciary Committee late last week, raising concerns from House Democrats that the controversial bill had skipped the typical process of how legislation is introduced in the House. House leadership decided on Wednesday morning to move the bill to its inactive calendar without explanation. Some members said there wasn't consensus among Republicans, who hold a super majority in the House, on the measure. Hanshaw, R-Clay, said the state has been assessing what types of liabilities BRIM should cover. The lengths of some statutes of limitations — the window when claims can be brought — have caused BRIM rates to rise for entities using the insurance program, including county boards of education and cities. The multi-million dollar payouts for Miracle Meadows will be one of the largest liabilities BRIM has had to cover in the last couple of years, Hanshaw said. 'In consultation with BRIM, we decided it makes sense to start the conversation about just how long we should leave open statutes of limitations on various kinds of claims. This bill is one of them, to make it sound like it's more than it is. Is, frankly, pretty irresponsible,' Hanshaw said on Monday. Current law allows a child victim of sexual abuse and assault 18 years after reaching age 18 to bring a civil claim; the bill would give victims two years after reaching age 18 to file a civil claim if it was against an entity covered by BRIM. 'This legislation is a devastating blow to victims of childhood sexual abuse. We know how difficult it is for survivors to come forward, and how long it can take to process that trauma,' said Del. Shawn Fluharty, D-Ohio in a news release. The state Democratic Party called the measure a 'dangerous and callous attempt to roll back legal protections for survivors of childhood sexual abuse.' 'The timing of this bill is especially egregious in light of the tragedy that was exposed less than two years ago at the Miracle Meadows Boarding School for troubled youth in Salem, West Virginia,' the group said Tuesday in a news release. Thirty-two victims have come forward with abuse allegations against Miracle Meadows. Hanshaw said there had been a mischaracterization of what the bill was intended to do. The bill was not 'intended to make life easier for the perpetrators of sexual violence,' he emphasized. There would be no changes to criminal claims or proceedings under the legislation. 'We will punish the perpetrators of horrific violence under the criminal laws of the state of West Virginia, exactly like we always would have,' Hanshaw said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
WV Senate approves making judicial races partisan, cites concerns about electing ‘liberal judges'
Sen. Mike Stuart, R-Kanawha, speaks in support of a bill that would make judicial races partisan in West Virginia. (Will Price | West Virginia Legislative Photography) The state's Republican-dominant Senate approved a measure that would require judicial elections to become partisan races, with the bill sponsor saying West Virginians are 'concerned about liberal judges slipping through the cracks.' Opponents of the bill argued it would inject politics into judicial races — a role that should be guided by the law, not political ideology. In 2016, when Republicans took control of the state House and Senate, lawmakers made all judicial races in the state nonpartisan. 'Now we're moving our clocks back 10 years, which makes no sense to me,' said Sen. Mike Woelfel, D-Cabell, who voted for the 2016 measure. 'Why is it that you want to politicize judicial elections?' Senate Bill 521, sponsored by Sen. Tom Willis, R-Berkeley, would require that the political party affiliation of candidates be listed in the state Supreme Court of Appeals, circuit court judge, family court judge and magistrate primary and general elections. Willis said it can be difficult for voters to find information on judicial candidates. 'The proposition that judges are above the political fray is not consistent with the facts we see on the news every single day,' Willis said Wednesday on the Senate floor. 'To maintain the integrity of our courts system, we need to make sure that we're electing judges that are going to respect the constitution [and] the rule of law.' The bill passed with a 22-12 vote, with 10 Republicans joining the Senate's two Democratic members to oppose the measure. 'Judicial officers are different than other politicians. We want them to be above the political fray,' said Woelfel, who is Senate Minority Leader. 'You're doing a disservice to voters who I say are very informed and you're putting politics into judicial races.' Sen. Ryan Weld, R-Brooke, voted against the measure, saying he voted to make the races nonpartisan when the Senate passed the measure in 2016. 'We saw that need to remove that taint of politics,' Weld said. 'I don't know who's asking for this bill.' State Supreme Court Justice Beth Walker previously testified in opposition to the bill, saying she was one of the few people who had been a candidate in a partisan and nonpartisan election. 'What we do as judges is not political. When you take nonpartisan away and inject partisan politics into the election of judges, it calls into question that very important fairness, impartiality, and neutrality,' she told members of the Senate Judiciary Committee when they were vetting the bill. Willis argued that placing an 'R' by a judicial candidates' name would help voters know a judge's ideology regarding issues like religion, taxes, labor, individual freedom and more. 'If you don't think there's a difference between liberal and conservative judges, you're just not being honest,' he said. 'People come into these jobs with an ideology.' Sen. Joey Garcia, D-Marion, pushed back on that, saying judges shouldn't be applying a political ideology while making a ruling. 'The judge applies the law, not whether they like the law,' Garcia said. 'A judge cannot come in and say, 'I don't like higher taxes, I'm going to give you a break this time … We want judges to be fair.' Sen. Mike Stuart, R-Kanawha, said the bill was 'a gift to voters,' who may not know candidates, better understand their choices on Election Day. 'What people want is either a liberal or conservative on the court,' he said. 'Partisan politics, that's the least of our concerns on this issue. It's to try to help voters understand who they're voting for … there's no question, voters are confused.' The measure would put in place partisan primaries in the primary election and a partisan general election to decide for the judicial races. Board of education elections would remain nonpartisan. The bill now goes to the House of Delegates for consideration. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
WV Senate bill reinstates death penalty in cases of intentionally killing police, first responders
Sen. Mike Stuart, R-Kanawha, talks about his bill, which would bring back the death penalty, in the Senate Judiciary on Thursday, March 6, 2025 in Charleston, (Will Price | West Virginia Legislative Photography) A bill advancing in the Senate would reinstate the death penalty in West Virginia for individuals who are sentenced for intentionally killing a law-enforcement officer or first responder in the line of duty. West Virginia's death penalty was eliminated in 1965, and bill sponsor Sen. Mike Stuart, R-Kanawha, says the narrow application of capital punishment would show the state's appreciation for law enforcement. 'Our first responders face extreme challenges in the field today,' Stuart said. 'Those folks who knowingly and intentionally place them in death and remove them from their families, their communities and their public service, [it] is the most heinous crime … We will not tolerate anyone harming these folks in the line of duty.' According to Senate Bill 264, the execution of the inmate would have to occur in a correctional facility in West Virginia and could be carried out by any legally acceptable means, including lethal injection or firing squad. Implementation of the measure would cost an estimated roughly $26 million since it could require a 75-bed execution chamber to be constructed and may result in the construction of a new building. The cost also includes necessary staff and lethal injection drugs. The state's Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation, which estimated the cost, said the state 'could expect significant costs to train and equip the legal community to handle death penalty cases and appeals.' Stuart pushed back on the estimated cost after committee legal counsel said that 21 incarcerated persons would have qualified for the death penalty since 1980 under the legislation. A 75-bed chamber wouldn't be necessary, Stuart argued. The Senate Judiciary passed the measure, sending it to the Senate Finance Committee for consideration due to its potential cost. Sen. Joey Garcia, D-Marion, was among senators who voted against the measure, saying he was 'shocked' to see it on the committee's agenda. He was the only lawmaker to publicly speak out against the measure ahead of the vote. '[It] does not align with the values of the state of West Virginia and its people,' Garcia said. 'I have a fear that although it has been narrowly tailored … it's one of the worst things that could happen to those people who are serving, but I also have a fear that this is just the beginning.' Stuart, who introduced similar legislation last year, cited the 2023 death of West Virginia State Police Sgt. Cory Maynard. Timothy Kennedy pleaded not guilty after being accused of ambushing Maynard after the trooper was responding to a call of shots fired near Matewan in Mingo County. Kennedy's trial is scheduled for later this year. Elmer Brunner, convicted of killing two elderly women, was the last man in West Virginia to die by capital punishment in 1959. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
