Latest news with #Sikora
Winnipeg Free Press
2 hours ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Plant-based love
Brittany Martens and Caitlin Sikora are business owners and trailblazers on a mission. Since last year they've been putting in the time, the work and the commitment to create Herbivore Haven, a large-scale vegan market. Now they're riding high on their labour of love and working on the next chapter. The two creative innovators have been fully immersed in building on Herbivore Haven's success. With strengths that work perfectly together, the dynamic duo managed to create two hugely thriving market events so far and are already working on a third for early next year. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Brittany Martens (left) and Caitlin Sikora created the Herbivore Haven vegan market, zine and Google map guide. Interest in all things plant-based continues to grow and not only for those already living a vegan lifestyle. 'In July, there were more non-vegans there. Many said they were not vegan or vegetarian, but heard great things about the first market and curiously came down for the day. Folks left happy, full and helped with the community support big-time as a result. I felt we hit the nail on the head,' Sikora said, adding visitors included those with specific dietary needs for cultural or health-related reasons. The business owner, who creates witty hand-embroidery sold under the name Real Swanky, shares her home with two rabbits, Frank and Gus. Sikora believes strongly in DIY, supporting local and being part of a vibrant community effort. Last month's market at the Winakwa Community Centre featured 64 vendors showcasing everything from vegan jerky to sauces, baked goods, body care products, edible flowers, handcrafted art and crocheted plushies. Visitors showed up to learn, shop and support local creators, growers and business people. 'Vendors, visitors, the venue, they were all pleased as punch with our volunteers,' Sikora said. Herbivore Haven now has its own zine, created by Sikora, which includes a Google Map Guide with over 175 vegan-friendly dining options in Winnipeg and the surrounding area. Users can scan the QR code and be on their way. 'Dining out shouldn't feel stressful, nor should people ever feel excluded because their dietary lifestyle is different. We'd love to help ease up on any obstacles by sharing this resource with the community. We're always adding to it when we find a new spot,' she said. The increased interest in veganism has led to curiosity about learning more about what's available to facilitate that transition, which keeps the Herbivore Haven founders busy. 'We're excited to get moving, with ease, with intention, with compassion,' said Sikora, who has been vegan since childhood. 'There is absolutely a demand for more and we're over the moon about it. Brittany and I have fairly full market schedules with our respective businesses, but understand the need for this in the community is crucial.' Martens' passion for baking led her to start her Plant Kitchen and Bakery business in 2022 and she hasn't looked back. When she's not baking and market planning, she and her partner try to keep up with their two cats and two dogs. Vegan since the age of 16, Martens originally made the switch for health and environmental reasons, but has stayed vegan for the animals. 'I believe that eating meat isn't a necessity, especially when we have grocery stores full of plant-based options that can keep us healthy and satisfied. I feel deep compassion for all animals and try to reduce harm in any way I can,' Martens said. For Martens and Sikora, Herbivore Haven started as a fun project to bring the vegan market scene to Winnipeg in a bigger way. The Robert A. Steen Community Centre in Wolseley has held a few vegan markets and both Sikora and Martens were happy to contribute there as much as they could. 'The Herbivore Haven market last month was only our second one and we were thrilled to see around 1,000 visitors come through the doors,' said Martens. 'We saw people of all ages. It was amazing to meet some lon-time vegans and older attendees who were just as excited to be there. We love creating a space that feels safe for everyone, regardless of their lifestyle or age.' For Sikora, plant-based love is more than just a catchy phrase — it's a mindset rooted in compassion, sustainability and conscious living. 'By promoting a vegan, or vegan-forward lifestyle, we're encouraging people to make choices that are kind not only to animals, but to the planet and their own health,' Sikora said, adding that on the environmental front, plant-based diets have a significantly lower impact compared to animal-based ones. 'From reducing greenhouse gas emissions and conserving water to preserving biodiversity and reducing deforestation, every plant-based or plant-forward meal is a step toward a more sustainable world. It's a tangible way for folks to reduce their ecological footprint and contribute to climate solutions. But it's also about leading with kindness. 'Choosing a vegan or vegan-forward lifestyle aligns our values with our actions, extending love and respect to all living beings and the ecosystems that support us. 'Plant-based love' is our way of reminding the community that what's on our plates can reflect the kind of world we want to live in: one that's greener, gentler and more just.' Martens said she's seeing more curiosity and openness about this lifestyle than ever before. 'A lot of folks are looking to reduce their meat and dairy intake for health, environmental or ethical reasons and they're excited to find plant-based alternatives that are familiar and delicious,' said Martens. Every Second Friday The latest on food and drink in Winnipeg and beyond from arts writers Ben Sigurdson and Eva Wasney. 'To me, 'plant-based love' is about leading with compassion towards animals, the planet and other people. A vegan lifestyle is a small but powerful way we can reduce harm and make more intentional choices. Instead of focusing on being perfect, I encourage others to find moments of kindness in their everyday routines. I believe this is what truly leads to great change.' Martens and Sikora want to continue building a welcoming space where people of all backgrounds can come together to explore plant-based living. Behind the scenes, they're already collaborating with companies to make their next event even more memorable. 'There's definitely a demand for more events, which fuels us to work even harder,' Sikora said. The next Herbivore Haven market will be held March 22, 2026. For updates and resources follow @herbivorehavenmarket on Facebook and Instagram. fparts@
Chicago Tribune
25-06-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Defeated Markham Park Board member appointed to Bremen District 228 Board
Bremen High School District 228 recently welcomed a new board member, filling an almost three-month vacancy after the previous member ran for a village board. School Board members chose Laurence Patterson II to fill the vacancy. Patterson, who was a Markham Park Board member from 2019 to 2023, when he lost a reelection bid, said he is excited for the opportunity to continue his long-term goal of 'breaking down generational barriers' and helping local youth engage with their community. The opportunity was 'right place, right time,' Patterson said. Former board member Marquita Marshall Motley resigned her position in late April, after winning the election that month for the Hazel Crest Village Board. Patterson said it was a school employee who encouraged him to seek the school board position after his election loss. 'My motivation for me applying to this role is the same,' Patterson said. 'We need more positive influences in our communities, and I'm under the belief that I can help shape that narrative.' The district serves more than 5,000 students at Bremen High School in Midlothian, Hillcrest High School in Oak Forest, Tinley Park High School and Oak Forest High School. Superintendent Brad Sikora said the district is working to improve academic achievement after falling short of state learning standards for English/language arts, math and science. The board also aims to improve instruction, fiscal responsibility and public relations, and Patterson's spirit of collaboration aligned with these goals and stood out among the other four candidates, Sikora said. 'My main goal is to continue fostering a united team environment within the board,' Patterson said. 'I see this board evolving in the same sense as how education is evolving. We have obstacles such as (artificial intelligence) and technology that continues to create some challenges but as a board, I feel we are ready to and will lead on these issues.' Sikora said the district hopes to improve academic performance by improving the district's graduation rate, the number of freshmen on track to graduate and the rate of students passing classes. 'Those three metrics work hand in hand,' Sikora said. 'We put a focus on making sure that we have all the supports available so that all of our students, especially our freshmen, don't fall behind, don't fall through the cracks and when you have them on track in a good system, generally that system carries through.' Patterson said he has experience helping businesses with operations, marketing and access to financial resources, along with influence running a foundation that brings socks to veterans and children. In his experience, he said, community work is not easy, but it's exciting to continue offering community resources. Patterson's appointment follows the election in April that brought new member Alicia Soliz to the board. Patterson has 60 days to complete onboarding training required for non-elected members. 'I've only served on the board for a week, and I'm proud to say that the support that I have is second to none,' Patterson said. 'This board is what leadership looks like, and I'm proud that I have the opportunity to work with them as we move Bremen High School District 228 forward.'
Dominion Post
12-06-2025
- Business
- Dominion Post
Mon Commission grappling with soaring insurance costs
MORGANTOWN — 'This is just not sustainable.' Monongalia County Commissioner Tom Bloom lamented that the annual increases in the cost of group employee health insurance is on a trajectory that will consume an untenable percentage of the county's overall budget in the near future without intervention. On Wednesday, the commission approved a proposal from Highmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield that comes with a 20.48% cost increase to the county when it takes effect Aug. 1. All told, the percentage increase absorbed by the county will total just over $1 million. Commissioner Sean Sikora explained that the final agreed-upon number was actually negotiated down significantly from Highmark's opening offer, which would have kept everything unchanged from the current plan — except the cost, which would have jumped 34.8%. In order to bring the percentage down, the commission agreed to raise employee deductibles from $6,000 single/$12,000 family to $7,000/$14,000. That disclosure was followed by a commitment from the commission to cover all employee deductibles at a potential maximum cost of $900,000. There will be a change on the employee end. Co-insurance — the percentage of a medical bill the patient pays after meeting the deductible — will increase from 10% to 20%. 'Really, that's the only negative impact to the employees,' Sikora said. 'There's two positive impacts. One, they're not getting a premium increase when there is one — a significant one. Two, they're not having to pay any deductible, which previously they had to pay $750 or $1,500.' Sikora explained that the county, like many other public and private entities, is facing what's known as the 'group plan dilemma' in which costs rise higher and higher while the level of satisfaction – either from employees, employers or both – falls. Embedded within the group plan concept is the inevitability that a small number of individuals will push costs up for everyone. It was explained that the offer Highmark first presented to the county was predicated on the fact that the company paid out 23% more than it collected in premiums in the current cycle. 'The problem we're dealing with is our experience in claims is what's driving our cost. There's nothing we can do about that. It's really just what they call in the industry the 'group dilemma.' Having these group plans, if we put it out to bid or we ask for a new proposal, we're paying for our experience. All that information is known and all that information is out there. We have a small portion of our participants that account for nearly 50% or 60% of all our claims, and those aren't going away.' While the commission opted to move forward with the Blue Cross/Blue Shield proposal, the insurance discussion isn't over. The body recently heard a pitch regarding ICHRA, or Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement, through which employees would work with a consultant to select their own health plan options from various insurance carriers and the commission would reimburse employees tax-free for premium costs up to a defined amount. As it stands, the commission is looking at an overall insurance spend of approximately $6 million in a $43.6 million budget. That's up from about $4.9 million. Based on recent history, there's no indication the county won't be back in this position a year from now. 'And that's just not realistic. That's not acceptable. We have to look at other options,' Bloom said.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ex-security guard on being scolded by Michael Jordan for letting beautiful girls near: "He told me that I was being terrible at my job"
During his tenure as an event security personnel, Joseph Sikora was responsible for ensuring the safety of various famous celebrities. His role extended beyond just protection, as he was also responsible for creating a pleasant and enjoyable experience for these high-profile individuals at every event. To achieve this, Sikora faced the challenge of managing enthusiastic fans, keeping them at bay to prevent any potential disturbances or harm to the celebrities. Although he had received training for such responsibilities, Sikora candidly acknowledged his shortcomings when he was assigned to escort the legendary Michael Jordan. In a revealing moment, Sikora recounted that his focus on safety wavered when a group of attractive women approached him, asking if they could get closer to MJ. Caught up in the excitement of the situation, he let his guard down. However, Jordan, unfazed by the women's presence and looks, promptly called Sikora out for neglecting his duties. "I was working security at a club in Chicago called Le Passage and they assigned me to personal like to some of the celebrities that would come, just make sure that you know nobody messes with Bill Murray you know, and all these [celebrities]," Joseph revealed on "The Angie Martinez Show" in 2022. "But then Michael Jordan was there and like, you know, there'd be like these beautiful girls, [like] 'Oh, can I say hey to Michael?' and I am like, 'Yeah,' and he's like, 'What are you doing? You're supposed to be like, nobody comes [to me],' like, 'I am just trying to chill,' and he told me that I was, you know, being terrible at my job, but he was right," he added. Unlike other NBA legends known for their public flings, Jordan has always taken a different approach to dating and relationships. While some might perceive this as unusual for a famous athlete, his perspective is rooted in his past experiences that have shaped his views on the matter. In the past, Mike had a girlfriend whom he deeply cared for. However, over time, the Chicago Bulls superstar realized that her intentions were not genuine — she was only after his wealth and fame. "It got tired in five, six days," Jordan told GQ Magazine's David Breskin. "I could see it. Right now," he says, "I don't trust no one except my mother." The experience left a bad taste in Michael's mouth. It also likely influenced his decision to keep his romantic life private, steering clear of the limelight that often accompanies celebrity relationships. As it stands, Jordan has completely embraced a new chapter in his life, leaving behind any remnants of his past relationships. Currently, he seems to be thriving alongside his wife, Yvette Prieto. The couple married in 2013 and have shared a joyful and fulfilling life together since then.
CNBC
06-05-2025
- Business
- CNBC
Industrial name with AI ties makes a key move to boost its growing data center business
Dover , an American industrial company founded more than 70 years ago, is strengthening its foothold in a fast-growing market shaping the future of computing. The news Illinois-based Dover on Monday announced an agreement to pay more than $622 million in cash to acquire Sikora — a German firm whose technology supports the build-out of data centers. The deal, expected to close in the second quarter, gives Club name Dover a business that has experienced a double-digit organic growth rate over the last three years. Essentially, Sikora makes specialized systems that measure different parameters in the cables that go into energy-intensive data centers, which have become increasingly important as more companies adopt artificial intelligence and need ever-increasing computing power to run these heavy workloads. Sikora will soon become a part of Dover's pumps and process solutions segment, which includes Dover's thermal connectors for the liquid cooling of data centers. Big picture The announcement follows promising signs about continued data center spending. Eaton , a maker of power management solutions for AI data centers, posted a solid quarter on Friday. During the post-earnings conference call, incoming CEO Paulo Ruiz held Eaton's growth rate steady for its data center business despite macroeconomic uncertainty from President Donald Trump 's tariffs. Ruiz referred to the big tech companies that reported earnings in late April, which included portfolio names Meta Platforms , Amazon , and Microsoft, saying, "all the calls we have had this week, all the hyperscalers have confirmed the level of [capital expenditures]. So, we believe that this 15% [compound annual growth rate] for data centers is still intact." The data center market accounts for 17% of Eaton's overall revenue, which was $6.38 billion in the first quarter. Before that, Dover also had upbeat things to say about its data center exposed business when it reported first-quarter earnings last month. Management forecasted that 20% of Dover's portfolio will grow double digits in aggregate for 2025, in part, citing "strong demand" for its liquid cooling applications in AI data centers. Dover's Q1 revenue totaled $1.87 billion. Unlike Eaton, Dover does not break out its sales based on end market. Bottom line The Sikora deal is a small one for Dover, which has a $23.48 billion market capitalization, but we're happy to see it. "It's not a sexy or fancy business, but that's what Dover is. It's a collection of these niche businesses that are driving better margins and growth," Jeff Marks, the Investing Club's director of portfolio analysis, said Tuesday. "That's what they look to acquire." Sikora did nearly $114 million in sales last year. Even after the Sikora purchase, Dover will still have plenty of cash, which Jeff and Jim Cramer touted as a reason to favor Dover. Case in point: Dover ended Q1 with $2.8 billion of liquid assets — over 50% of that was excess cash. The Club sees two options: "They still have a lot of dry power and excess cash available to either look for more deal-making or maybe we see a step up in the buyback," said Jeff. DOV YTD mountain Dover YTD We continue to own this stock because of its industrial turnaround story with exposure to key mega trends. Not only the data center buildout to support AI computing, but also electrification more broadly. Dover's business in the biopharma industry is also another attractive area. We last added to our Dover position on April 9 at around $150 per share in an extremely oversold market. it was a discipline buy. The trade was shortly before President Trump froze "reciprocal" tariffs at 10% on U.S. trading partners, excluding China. On that news, the overall market surged higher, and Dover jumped 9.7% to roughly $166 apiece that day. Shares of Dover slipped Tuesday but still traded above $171 each. For the Club, we have Dover stock at a buy-equivalent 1 rating and a $210 per share price target. (Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust is long DOV, ETN, META, MSFT, AMZN. See here for a full list of the stocks.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB. NO SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR PROFIT IS GUARANTEED. Dover Corp.'s Steam-Thru SIP connectors in use in a biopharmaceutical setting. Dover , an American industrial company founded more than 70 years ago, is strengthening its foothold in a fast-growing market shaping the future of computing.
