New interdisciplinary practice brings together the firm's existing experience in public-private development, sports and entertainment transactions, NIL, cultural infrastructure and public law

OAKLAND, Calif., Oct. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Redwood Public Law LLP today announced the formal launch of its Sports, Arts & Entertainment Practice, bringing together existing experience across public-private partnerships, sports and entertainment transactions, Name, Image and Likeness (NIL), cultural infrastructure and public law into a dedicated interdisciplinary practice.

The practice is led by Redwood partners Richard D. Pio Roda, Eric S. Casher and Steve Ngo, working alongside Senior Of Counsels Jade Y. Ramos and Neha Shah, whose sports and entertainment practice includes athlete representation, NIL, sponsorship and endorsement agreements, labor and employment issues, and transactions involving artists, creatives, and culture and entertainment organizations.

Together, the team advises public agencies, athletes, artists, creatives, non-profit organizations, and businesses on matters involving contracts and commercial agreements, stadium and venue development, sponsorships and endorsements, governance, public-private partnerships, cultural initiatives and related strategic initiatives.

"Sports, arts and entertainment are integral to and enhance civic life. They shape how communities see themselves, bring people together and serve as catalysts for economic development and community engagement and investment," said Richard D. Pio Roda, Partner and Co-Leader of Redwood's Sports, Arts & Entertainment Practice. "This practice formalizes work that Redwood and our attorneys are already doing and brings together complementary experience across public law, transactions, land use and development and the sports and entertainment industries to serve clients across the ecosystem."

Experience Across the Sports, Arts & Entertainment Ecosystem

Redwood's approach reflects the increasingly interconnected nature of sports, arts, entertainment and the public sector.

The firm currently serves as special counsel to the Oakland Acquisition Company, formerly the African American Sports & Entertainment Group, in connection with the acquisition and development of the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum complex. Ramos previously led the legal team advising the Oakland-based development group in its acquisition effort, work Redwood has continued to advance.

Redwood attorneys also bring experience advising on major sports and entertainment developments throughout California, including the Waterfront Ballpark District at Howard Terminal in Oakland, the redevelopment of Hollywood Park in Inglewood, the ocV!BE mixed-use entertainment district and Honda Center in Anaheim, and DisneylandForward.

That experience encompasses public-private negotiations, real estate and land use, environmental review, development agreements, public finance, construction and public contracting, facility operations and other legal issues that arise throughout the lifecycle of major sports, entertainment and cultural projects.

The practice also extends beyond venues and development. Redwood advises athletes, artists, creatives, sports organizations and entertainment businesses on the legal and strategic infrastructure supporting their careers, organizations and ventures.

The Sports, Arts & Entertainment Practice includes:

- Sports stadiums, entertainment venues and districts, including development, public contracting, land use, environmental review, public finance and facility operations;

- Public-private partnerships among public agencies, developers, sports and entertainment organizations and nonprofit partners; 

- NIL and athlete representation, including NIL agreements, institutional and collective arrangements, and strategic matters across collegiate and professional sports; 

- Professional league and franchise matters, including ownership group representation, league negotiations and expansion bids;

- Artist and creative representation, including agreements involving music, film, visual art, live performance and digital content; 

- Contracts and commercial agreements, including talent, event, vendor, production, licensing and distribution agreements; 

- Sponsorships, endorsements and brand partnerships, including naming rights, venue and event sponsorships, athlete and talent endorsements, brand ambassador agreements, co-branded content;

- Intellectual property and brand protection, including trademark, copyright, licensing and rights of publicity; 

- Media and broadcasting matters, including content, distribution and matters for public and community media organizations; 

- Labor and employment matters for athletes, performers, creative professionals, and the organizations that employ them; 

- Arts and cultural initiatives, including cultural facilities and districts, public art, murals, exhibitions, creative spaces and creative-economy programs; 

- Governance, formation and organizational matters for sports, arts, entertainment and nonprofit entities, including foundations and mission-driven ventures;

- Emerging technology issues affecting athletes, artists and creative businesses, including AI and digital content ownership; and

Government and regulatory matters affecting sports, arts, entertainment and cultural initiatives Ramos brings a distinctive perspective to the practice as both an attorney and former professional and NCAA Division I basketball player. Her experience includes advising collegiate athletes, sports organizations, artists and content creators. She also co-designed and co-instructed the inaugural Name, Image and Likeness legal clinic at UC Berkeley School of Law.

Pio Roda brings extensive experience in transactions, public-private partnerships, governance, public contracting, real estate and land use, while Casher's practice includes complex public agency, development, regulatory and strategic matters. Together with Ramos and attorneys across Redwood's practice areas, the team is structured to address matters that frequently cross traditional legal disciplines.

"Sports and entertainment are changing rapidly, particularly for athletes and creatives who are navigating increasingly complex commercial opportunities," said Jade Y. Ramos, Senior Of Counsel at Redwood Public Law. "Our goal is to help clients understand those opportunities, protect what they are building and create structures that allow their work and ideas to grow."

The launch reflects Redwood's broader commitment to advising clients on complex matters where public investment, private enterprise, culture and community converge.

Redwood will formally celebrate the launch of the Sports, Arts & Entertainment Practice with an event on October 16, 2026 in Oakland at the Historical Rotunda Building located at 300 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza beginning at 5:00pm, PST.

About Redwood Public Law LLP

Redwood Public Law LLP is a California public law firm advising public agencies, nonprofits, businesses and other organizations on complex legal, regulatory, transactional and governance matters. Redwood attorneys collectively serve as City Attorney for 16 California cities and as General Counsel to more than 30 special districts and nonprofit organizations. The firm maintains offices in Oakland and Sacramento and advises clients throughout California.

For more information about Redwood Public Law's Sports, Arts & Entertainment Practice, visit redwoodpubliclaw.com/sports-arts-entertainment.

SOURCE Redwood Public Law LLP

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Powerful lineup includes new limited edition 'Longhorn' TITAN® MAX MyRIDE®

BLOOMINGTON, Minn., Oct. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Toro is showcasing small and mighty residential solutions at Equip Expo in Louisville, Kentucky October 20-23. Each new product is engineered to provide homeowners with compact, powerful and efficient performance to maintain their outdoor spaces — no matter the season.

"Smaller equipment no longer means less powerful with this lineup. Whether it's a mower that takes care of your yard while you kick up your feet, or providing full-sized power in a compact frame that doesn't take up all of your garage space, Toro is proving that smaller actually is better," says Lisa Bloomer, senior director of marketing for Toro's Residential and Landscape Contractor Division. "To celebrate the joy of lawncare, we're also launching a special, limited edition zero turn mower this spring that encapsulates everything it means to own a Toro: power, precision and pride."

New Robotic Mower

The introduction of the Toro HAVEN® AM75 Autonomous Mower offers homeowners a new opportunity to take care of their lawn without lifting a finger. This easy-to-use autonomous solution cuts and maintains properties up to three-quarters of an acre. It takes less time to set up than a typical mow, and best of all, it's your final shift on yard duty. Its LiDAR-guided navigation and 360-degree environmental awareness allow it to map lawns, detect obstacles in real-time, and navigate safely around them. Whether using auto-mapping for defined borders or the mobile app for custom boundaries and exclusion zones, homeowners can enjoy a pristine, always-ready lawn without manual labor. Backed by Toro's trusted heritage, the HAVEN AM75 is Toro's answer to busy lives — set it up once and reclaim your weekends permanently.

New 24-inch Power Max® HD Two-Stage Snow Blower

The new 24-inch Power Max HD is built to clear faster and never quit, with full heavy-duty power in a compact footprint. At its core is a commercial-grade steel gearbox that's 2X stronger than shear pin designs, giving you the toughest powertrain in its class.§ Toro's exclusive anti-clog intake keeps heavy, wet snow moving through the chute, stopping clogs before they start. Enhancements include an all-metal Quick Stick® chute control for instant adjustments, maintenance-free Never-Flat airless tires, and an ultra-wide LED light bar paired with a new footwell light for 360-degree visibility. Compact build, full-power and ready to take on winter's toughest snowfall.

Compact 50-inch TimeCutter® Zero Turn Mower

Speaking of compact, the redesigned 50-inch TimeCutter® brings serious cutting power to properties up to two acres with a new, smaller footprint engineered to take up 20% less storage space than comparable TimeCutter MAX models*. Combining a narrow chassis with powerful twin-cylinder performance and a durable fabricated deck, this mower maximizes cutting width without taking up extra space in the garage. The refreshed model incorporates commercial-grade upgrades including pro-inspired styling with a bold, sculpted front-end design, aggressive tire treads for enhanced traction and stability, and a high-back seat with custom bolstering for superior operator support. Additionally, a new low-step entry design ensures effortless access. Big performance doesn't have to come with a big footprint.

Limited Edition TITAN® MAX MyRIDE® Zero Turn Mower

Some machines are a rare breed. The new TITAN MAX MyRIDE Longhorn edition is one of them. Built on Toro's pro-grade TITAN MAX platform, featuring a powerful 25 hp commercial engine and MyRIDE suspension system, the Longhorn Edition pairs proven performance with a distinctive, blacked-out design: a custom seat, alloy rims and unique Longhorn bull badging. Just 1,000 will be produced, each finished with a serialized, limited edition plate. Look out for more details on when these special zero turn mowers will be available at authorized Toro retailers.

Big, small, or built to stand out, discover how Toro's mightiest lineup yet can transform your yard. To see all of Toro's offerings in person, stop by indoor booth 7148 and outdoor booth 7600D at Equip Expo, or visit toro.com for more information.

About Toro

With roots dating back to 1914, Toro is a leading worldwide provider of innovative solutions for the outdoor environment including turf and landscape maintenance, snow management, rental and construction equipment, and irrigation solutions. Through a strong network of distributors, dealers, retailers and rental stores in more than 125 countries, Toro helps customers care for golf courses, sports fields, public green spaces, commercial and residential properties, construction sites and agricultural operations. More at: www.toro.com.

§Toughest powertrain and 2x stronger vs. grade 2 shear pin gearbox designs per published fastener specs, not independently tested.

*Storage space savings compared to a 50 in. Toro® TimeCutter® MAX.

SOURCE Toro

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Uma Valeti, UPSIDE CEO, Among the Most Exceptional Entrepreneurs at 2026 Builders and Innovators Summit

EMERYVILLE, Calif., Oct. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) is recognizing UPSIDE Foods CEO Uma Valeti, M.D., as one of the Most Exceptional Entrepreneurs of 2026 at its Builders and Innovators Summit in Healdsburg, California.

Goldman Sachs selected Valeti from multiple industries to be honored at the two-day event.

Uma Valeti founded UPSIDE Foods because he loved meat but couldn't reconcile it with the animal suffering involved in producing it. That dilemma launched a decade of innovation in cellular agriculture. What began as an audacious idea to grow real meat directly from animal cells has become an American food technology company driving breakthroughs in science, engineering and advanced manufacturing. Today, UPSIDE is pioneering a new way to make real meat without slaughter, expanding consumer choice, strengthening food security, and inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs to see food and agriculture as exciting frontiers for innovation.

"I started UPSIDE because I love meat and believed we could make it without killing animals," said Uma Valeti, M.D., Founder and CEO of UPSIDE Foods. "A decade later, we've proven the science, and now we're bringing it to scale through American ingenuity and manufacturing. But our ambition goes well beyond one product. The world needs more ways to produce great food, not fewer. I'm incredibly proud of our team and what we're building to give people more choice and help create a stronger, more resilient food system.

"We are pleased to recognize Uma Valeti as one of the most exceptional entrepreneurs of 2026," said David Solomon, Chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs. "As AI reshapes the global landscape, the leaders at UPSIDE Foods are proving that agility and vision can be the ultimate competitive advantages. They are not simply building a great enterprise; they are redefining what is possible in their industry."

In its 15th year, Goldman Sachs' Builders and Innovators Summit is the can't miss gathering for Founders and CEOs of hypergrowth companies. Previous honorees have gone on to successfully lead multi-billion dollar companies, both in the private and public markets. In addition to honoring the most exceptional entrepreneurs each year, the Summit consists of general sessions and clinics led by seasoned entrepreneurs, academics and business leaders as well as resident scholars.

About Uma Valeti, M.D.

Valeti is a cardiologist by training, but an entrepreneur at heart. During his cardiology fellowship at the Mayo Clinic, he was using patients' stem cells to regenerate damaged heart tissue when he had a lightbulb moment. What if he could use a similar approach and grow real meat from animal cells without killing animals? After proving the science was possible over the following years, Uma left his cardiology practice to found the world's first cultivated meat company (UPSIDE Foods) and pioneer a new industry with one mission in mind: make meat right.

About UPSIDE Foods

UPSIDE Foods is the world's first cultivated meat company, founded in 2015 with a bold ambition: to give everyone the choice to eat real meat without killing animals. Rethinking meat from the source, the team pioneered advanced methods for growing real meat directly from animal cells. Its Chicken Filet was the first cultivated meat product green-lit by both the FDA and the USDA and made available for sale in the U.S. The company has raised more than $600 million from a diverse portfolio of investors including Cargill, Softbank, Temasek, Tyson and Whole Foods. For more information about how UPSIDE is on a mission to make meat right and build a more sustainable and scalable food system through cellular agriculture, please visit www.upsidefoods.com.

About Goldman Sachs

Goldman Sachs is a leading global financial institution that delivers a broad range of financial services to a large and diversified client base that includes corporations, financial institutions, governments and individuals. Founded in 1869, the firm is headquartered in New York and maintains offices in all major financial centers around the world.

Press related questions about UPSIDE, please contact Erin Santy at [email protected].

Press related questions about the Summit or Goldman Sachs, please contact Michael Bruen at [email protected].

SOURCE UPSIDE Foods

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More than 1,000 families seek financial assistance as nonprofit launches national "$6 for 1 in 6" fundraising campaign

CHICAGO, Oct. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Stork Foundation for Infertility received a record 1,076 applications for financial assistance during its 2026 grant cycle, highlighting the high cost of fertility treatment for many Americans.

An analysis of applicant data found:

- 85% had no insurance coverage for the fertility treatment they were pursuing.

- $19,149 was the average anticipated cost of applicants' next course of treatment.

- 39% had already spent more than $10,000 out of pocket before applying for assistance.

- Applicants came from all 50 states, underscoring the nationwide demand for support.

In response, The Stork Foundation is launching its "$6 for 1 in 6" fundraising campaign, inspired by the World Health Organization's finding that one in six people worldwide experience infertility. The campaign encourages supporters to donate $6 in honor of a child whose life was made possible through fertility treatment, helping fund grants for families struggling to afford care.

The campaign will run through Giving Tuesday, December 1, 2026, with all funds raised supporting additional fertility treatment grants. The goal is to help more families access treatment through the Foundation's annual grant program.

Supporters can learn more and donate at: https://form-renderer-app.donorperfect.io/give/the-stork-foundation-for-infertility/1in6

The data make clear that cost remains one of the biggest barriers to fertility treatment," said Elizabeth Frattura, founder of The Stork Foundation for Infertility. "Too many families are forced to delay or forgo care simply because they cannot afford it."

The findings reflect a broader national challenge. According to KFF's 2024 Employer Health Benefits Survey, just 27% of large employers offering health benefits reported providing IVF coverage.

More than 100,000 babies were born through IVF in the United States in 2024, yet many families still struggle to afford treatment.

"For those fortunate enough to have built their families through fertility treatment, this is an opportunity to pay it forward," Frattura said. "Every donation helps us say yes to more families."

Founded in 2020, The Stork Foundation for Infertility provides fertility treatment grants of up to $15,000 to eligible individuals and couples facing financial barriers to care. The Foundation is currently reviewing its 2026 applications, with grant recipients expected to be notified in November.

About The Stork Foundation for Infertility

The Stork Foundation for Infertility is a national nonprofit dedicated to increasing access to fertility treatment through financial assistance, education and advocacy. Since 2020, the Foundation has helped individuals and couples overcome financial barriers to building their families. Learn more at storkfoundation.org.

Media Contact

Julie Ferguson

JFPR Media

[email protected]

SOURCE The Stork Foundation

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FRESNO, Calif., Oct. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- PrideStaff recently held its annual blood drive, continuing a community tradition dedicated to Jensen Blanks, a local child whose remarkable story has inspired PrideStaff employees to give back since 2023.

This year's drive successfully exceeded PrideStaff's participation goal. Driven by the theme "Don't Let the Blood Supply Fall," employees, family members, and friends stepped up to donate and support local patients who rely on lifesaving blood products. The annual tradition began in 2023 when PrideStaff learned about Jensen's story through his father, Jason, and chose to dedicate its yearly drive to supporting his family and local patients in need. Born extremely premature, Jensen relied on blood transfusions during his earliest days.

Since then, the PrideStaff team has followed and celebrated Jensen's progress. After having his tracheostomy removed in 2024, Jensen has continued to reach new milestones. Today, he is thriving, has started first grade, and is exploring new interests, including photography, drawing, and music.

"Knowing that people are willing to donate blood for families like ours means more than we can put into words," Jason said. "Thank you so much to everyone at PrideStaff who participated in the blood drive and provided our family and countless others with hope through this life-saving gift. You are our heroes!"

The annual drive reflects PrideStaff's commitment to supporting the communities where its employees live and work. By bringing employees and their families together around blood donation, the company aims to turn a workplace tradition into meaningful help for patients facing critical medical needs.

"Jensen's story is a powerful reminder that one act of generosity can have an impact for years to come," said Tammi Heaton, Co-CEO of PrideStaff. "We are proud of our team for once again coming together to support families in our community. Exceeding this year's donor goal made the event even more meaningful, but the greatest success is knowing these donations can help someone reach their next milestone."

About PrideStaff

PrideStaff was founded in the 1970s as 100% company-owned units and began franchising in 1995. It operates offices in North America to serve thousands of clients and is headquartered in Central California. With 45-plus years in the staffing business, PrideStaff offers the resources and expertise of a national firm, with the spirit, dedication, and personal service of smaller, entrepreneurial firms. PrideStaff is the only nationwide commercial staffing firm in the U.S. and Canada with over $100 million in annual revenue to earn ClearlyRated's prestigious Best of Staffing® 15-Year Diamond Awards three years in a row, highlighting exceptional client and talent service quality.

For more information on our services, or for staffing franchise information, visit our website.

SOURCE PrideStaff

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Williston Basin wells extend pump run life 5.5× and 4.7× with zero production loss after a single bullhead treatment; both pumps continue to operate beyond one year

HOUSTON, Oct. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- TenEx Technologies today announced extended field results demonstrating SandBOND™'s ability to control severe proppant production and protect downhole pumps in long-lateral horizontal wells without sacrificing production.

Chord Energy, a Williston Basin operator, was looking to further decrease pump failures caused by severe proppant production in approximately 10,000-ft lateral wells. Following a single SandBOND™ treatment in two wells, both wells have now operated for more than one year without a sand-related pump failure, with both pumps continuing to run with stable performance.

Field Results:

- Zero pump failures in both treated wells

- More than one year of continuous pump operation following treatment

- Zero production loss and 100% regained permeability

- No intervention rig, workover, or specialized equipment required

- Simple bullhead treatment followed by a 24-hour soak

"Sand-driven pump failures have been a persistent challenge in long-lateral horizontal wells across the industry," said Miguel Peña, CEO of TenEx Technologies. "These results demonstrate that SandBOND™ can break that cycle with a simple, low-complexity treatment while maintaining production. More than a year after treatment, both pumps are still running."

SandBOND™, a non-resin, atomized aluminum-based sand-control technology, is designed to control proppant production while maintaining well productivity. The treatment is bullheaded directly into the well, followed by a 24-hour soak, with no intervention rig, workover, or specialized equipment required.

"The combination of sustained pump performance and zero production losses is particularly significant," said Amr Radwan, Co-Founder and CTO of TenEx Technologies. "These results demonstrate that SandBOND™ can control proppant while allowing the well to continue producing effectively."

The full case study, "Breaking the Cycle of Sand Production–Driven Pump Failures in Long Horizontal Wells," is available at PumpMoreOil.com.

About TenEx Technologies

TenEx Technologies develops materials-based chemistries for new and existing wells that address critical challenges in oil and gas operations. TenEx has deployed its technologies across North America, South America, and the Middle East. The company was selected in 2025 to join Chevron Technology Ventures' Catalyst Program™. For more information, visit www.tenextechnologies.com.

About Chord Energy

Chord Energy is a premier Williston Basin operator with high-quality assets, differentiated technical knowledge, and a strong track record of value creation. Through disciplined capital allocation across top-tier assets and operational excellence, the company delivers abundant energy responsibly, affordably, and reliably while maximizing returns for shareholders. Chord Energy is committed to acting as a responsible steward of its team, communities, and the planet.

SandBOND™ is a trademark of TenEx Technologies.

Contact: Miguel Peña - [email protected]

SOURCE TenEx Technologies, LLC

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The selection highlights GUDEA's growing role in helping organizations track emerging narratives, identify reputational risk, and understand how online conversations take shape in real time

MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- GUDEA, the leading AI-powered narrative intelligence platform known as the "Storm Tracker for the Internet," today announced it has been selected as a Top 20 Finalist in the Startup Battlefield 200 competition at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026. Selected from more than 2,500 startups that applied worldwide, GUDEA will compete on the Disrupt Stage in San Francisco for the $100,000 equity-free grand prize and the coveted Disrupt Cup.

The recognition marks a major milestone for GUDEA and comes just days after the company announced a $7 million seed round, co-led by Mudita Venture Partners and Collide Capital, to expand its work helping organizations detect, understand, and respond to rapidly evolving online narratives. Narrative Intelligence is a rapidly emerging field according to research and advisory firm Gartner, which this year published its inaugural Emerging Market Quadrant for Narrative Intelligence. The firm predicts that 45% of Chief Communications Officers (CCOs) will adopt these tools by 2029.

"We're honored to be the sole representative of the rapidly emerging Narrative Intelligence category named as a Top 20 Finalist in Startup Battlefield," said Keith Presley, co-founder and CEO of GUDEA. "At a time when narratives can shape markets, brands, and public trust in an instant, organizations need more than data, they need context to understand what's happening, clarity to determine what matters, and the ability to act on reliable signals before a narrative takes hold. GUDEA is built to help organizations turn signals into insights, and insights into strategic communications. We're excited to make that case on the Disrupt Stage."

GUDEA combines advanced analytics, behavioral intelligence, and real-time monitoring to help enterprises, public institutions, and other organizations move beyond traditional social listening. Its platform enables clients to identify emerging reputational threats, distinguish authentic from potentially coordinated online activity, and understand who is driving conversations, how narratives spread, and where they may gain traction.

TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 takes place October 13–15 at Moscone West in San Francisco.

For more information, visit gudea.ai.

About GUDEA

GUDEA is an AI-powered narrative intelligence platform that helps organizations understand how narratives form and spread across the digital landscape. By combining natural language analysis with behavioral modeling, GUDEA empowers leaders to anticipate public perception, identify key influencers, and respond to emerging conversations before they define reality.

About TechCrunch Disrupt

TechCrunch Disrupt is the world's leading authority in debuting revolutionary startups, introducing game-changing technologies, and discussing what's top of mind for the tech industry's key innovators. This year, Disrupt gathers the best and brightest entrepreneurs, investors, hackers, and tech fans in-person for interviews, demos, Startup Battlefield 200, Networking, and more.

SOURCE GUDEA

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Third annual initiative exceeds collection goal, with nearly 40,000 food items donated since 2024

CHICAGO, Oct. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Beltone, a global leader in hearing technology, is celebrating a record-breaking year for its third annual Hear2End Hunger Food Drive, collecting 20,640 non-perishable food items to support local food banks and hunger-relief organizations across the country. The month-long initiative, held throughout September in recognition of Hunger Action Month, exceeded its goal of 20,000 items and increased collections by more than 41% over 2025.

Since its launch in 2024, Hear2End Hunger has continued to grow, with food collections increasing each year as Beltone Hearing Centers and their communities come together to support local hunger-relief efforts. That growth reflects the generosity and commitment of the hearing care professionals, patients and neighbors who make it possible.

"What started three years ago as an opportunity for our Hearing Centers to give back has grown into something truly special," said David Molella, President of Beltone Hearing. "To see our communities come together to collect more than 20,000 food items this year alone is incredible. We're grateful to the hearing care professionals, patients and neighbors who continue to embrace Hear2End Hunger and help make a difference in the communities we call home."

Recognizing Outstanding Community Contributions

As part of this year's food drive, the Beltone Foundation is recognizing the three hearing centers that collected the most food items by providing an additional $4,500 in donations to organizations serving their local communities.

- Uniontown, Pennsylvania: Led the nationwide effort with 6,927 food items collected and will present a $3,000 Beltone Foundation donation to Fayette County Community Action Food Bank.

- Visalia, California: Collected 1,353 food items and will present a $1,000 Beltone Foundation donation to Bethlehem Center.

- Warsaw, Indiana: Collected 865 food items and will present a $500 Beltone Foundation donation to Combined Community Services.

Representatives from each recognized Beltone Hearing Center will present the Foundation's donation to their respective community organizations, extending the impact of the food drive beyond the food collected throughout September.

Behind every donation is a person, family, or business choosing to make a difference in their community. That generosity has helped Hear2End Hunger grow into a nationwide tradition built on local connections and neighbors helping neighbors. Beltone looks forward to continuing that tradition in 2027, bringing hearing centers and communities together for a fourth year of giving back.

To learn more about the Beltone Hearing Care Foundation and its commitment to helping people and communities, visit https://www.beltone.com/en-us/why-beltone/beltone-foundation.

About Beltone

Beltone has been helping people hear better and live fuller lives for more than 85 years. As a trusted provider of personalized hearing care, Beltone combines innovative hearing technology with professional support and individualized solutions to help people stay connected to the people and experiences that matter most. With hearing centers across the country, Beltone is committed to making quality hearing care accessible to communities nationwide.

Recognized by Newsweek and USA TODAY as one of America's best hearing retailers and named as one of Forbes best employers, Beltone has been a trusted leader in the hearing care industry for over 85 years, providing reliable, affordable, and advanced hearing aids. With approximately 1,200 locations nationwide, its local offices offer personized service, and its hearing care professionals receive extensive training to provide the best care. As part of the GN Group, Beltone focuses on the needs of its patients through innovative hearing technologies and its "Independent Together" promise to its network. Visit Beltone.com and connect on LinkedIn.

SOURCE Beltone

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Embassy Suites by Hilton Dulles Airport Announces New Ownership

All-suite hotel near Washington Dulles International Airport to undergo property renovations while serving business and leisure travelers visiting Northern Virginia.

BETHESDA, Md., Oct. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Embassy Suites by Hilton Dulles Airport, a premier all-suite hotel near Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), today announced new ownership and management with plans for a comprehensive renovation designed to enhance the guest experience and further strengthen its position as a leading hotel in Northern Virginia.

Located in Herndon, Virginia, along the thriving Dulles Corridor, the hotel provides convenient access to Dulles International Airport, Tysons, Reston Town Center, major technology companies, government agencies, and many of the Washington, D.C. region's most popular business and leisure destinations.

The hotel will continue operating under the Embassy Suites by Hilton brand and remain part of the Hilton Honors loyalty program, providing guests with the spacious accommodation, amenities, and service standards they expect from one of the hospitality industry's most recognized brands.

"We are excited about the future of Embassy Suites by Hilton Dulles Airport and the opportunities ahead for our guests, team members, and community," said Nick Shrestha, General Manager. "The planned improvements will build upon the hotel's longstanding reputation for hospitality while creating enhanced experience for travelers visiting the Dulles Airport area and Northern Virginia."

The planned renovation, scheduled to begin in 2027, will include upgrades to guest suites, public spaces, meeting facilities, and hotel amenities. These enhancements are intended to create a more modern and elevated environment for travelers while maintaining the comfort and convenience that have made the property a preferred choice for visitors to the Washington metropolitan region.

With its convenient location near Washington Dulles International Airport, complimentary made-to-order breakfast, evening reception, flexible meeting space, and spacious two-room suites, Embassy Suites by Hilton Dulles Airport continues to serve the needs of business travelers, government travelers, meeting attendees, and families exploring Northern Virginia and the nation's capital.

The hotel's experienced leadership team will ensure seamless operations and an exceptional guest experience throughout the renovation planning process.

For reservations or additional information, visit www.hilton.com.

About Embassy Suites by Hilton Dulles Airport

Embassy Suites by Hilton Dulles Airport is an all-suite hotel located in Herndon, Virginia, just minutes from Washington Dulles International Airport. The hotel features spacious two-room suites, complimentary made-to-order breakfast, an evening reception, meeting and event space, and convenient access to Reston, Tysons, Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia's leading corporate, government, and technology centers. The property serves business travelers, meeting planners, government travelers, and leisure guests seeking comfortable accommodation near Dulles Airport.

For more information about the Embassy Suites by Hilton Dulles Airport or to book a reservation, visit hilton.com.

SOURCE B. F. Saul Company Hospitality Group

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Of the 11 models I ran on both easy and hard questions, the cheapest on easy work costs 3.6 cents per thousand right answers on my Strix Halo. Give that same model hard questions and a right answer costs 37 times more. Two other models in the set only get twice as expensive over the same jump.

I am a big fan of local LLMs. I control the models and the harnesses, and I pay no subscription fee. That doesn't make local free. I live in California, the land of expensive electricity, and I had never worked out what an answer costs from my Strix Halo system. That question made me wonder how different models stack up, so I measured twenty-seven of them with a power meter running.

Picking the right model is worth more than anything else I tested, and "the right model" depends on how hard your questions are. The cheapest model for easy questions can cost 37 times more per right answer once the questions get hard. Match the model to the job. The numbers behind that are below.

Count correct answers instead of tokens

A "correct answer" here means one of 190 small tasks with checkable answers, split roughly evenly across seven kinds. One kind gives the model a running total starting at zero and an empty stack of numbers, explains five operations, and asks it to apply twenty of them in order:

POP, POP, RESET, DOUBLE, ADD 3, PUSH 8, ADD 7, PUSH 1, RESET, ADD 6, POP, DOUBLE, PUSH 2, ADD 9, DOUBLE, RESET, PUSH 7, PUSH 9, DOUBLE, RESET

PUSH puts a number on the stack, POP takes the top one off and into the running total, and ADD, DOUBLE, and RESET do what they say. The answer is the final total and how many numbers are left on the stack. No single step is hard. You have to hold two values straight for twenty of them without losing your place.

The other six kinds share that shape: follow a chain of arithmetic, transform a list, pull facts from a paragraph padded with distractors, satisfy constraints, write a function that passes tests, and produce output in an exact format. A script decides right or wrong, and prompts run a few hundred tokens.

Those tasks turned out to be too easy, so I also ran 11 of the models against GPQA Diamond: four-way multiple-choice physics, chemistry, and biology written by domain experts and deliberately Google-proof. I ran the first 100 of its 198 questions against each model. That is the "hard questions" column throughout.

Everything is Q4_K_M, with four concurrent requests unless I say otherwise. Energy is integrated from 1Hz wall-power telemetry. I'm in Southern California, so prices use my actual summer consumer rates, not a friendly national average: 34 cents per kilowatt-hour off-peak and 58 cents on-peak. Every dollar figure below is on-peak unless the column says otherwise.

Expect a right answer to cost more as questions get harder

Here is the reason you're reading. The last column is the ratio between the two: how much more a right answer costs once the questions stop being easy. I call it the difficulty tax.

All figures are dollars per thousand correct answers.

"Reasoning off" on three of those rows means what it says. Gemma 4 ships with a reasoning mode enabled, and I measured it both ways. Leaving it on costs up to 48 accuracy points and 6x to 8x the money on easy work. The second post in this series covers that flag.

Two rows need a caveat. qwen3-coder-next (46GB) ran at half the concurrency of the others and nemotron-3-super-120b (77GB) at a quarter, because that much weight plus a large KV allocation hangs this machine. Fewer slots mean longer wall time, and I derive hard-task energy from wall time, so both costs are inflated relative to the rest. Read them as upper bounds. For coder-next that matters a lot, because it scored 79% on the hard questions, joint best in the set.

Read only the first column and qwen3-30b-a3b-instruct is the obvious choice at 3.6 cents per thousand, cheaper than everything else here. Read the second column and it drops to third from last, costing 37x more per right answer than it did a column earlier. Across these 11 models, the difficulty tax runs from 2x to 64x.

Stop sending a 125B model to add 20 numbers

Seven of the 27 clear 97% on my easy suite. For that work, they are interchangeable: you get a right answer either way.

devstral-2-123b is an excellent model, and here it is keeping a running total straight for 20 steps. It does that correctly, for 36x what the cheapest model charges to also do it correctly.

Sending a 125B dense model to add up 20 numbers costs 36x what the cheapest correct model charges for the same result. That is the half of "pick the right model for the job" that people already suspect. The other half needs the hard questions. The fact that seven models tie on my easy suite was my first clue that the suite was too easy, and the fourth post in this series covers what happened when I swapped in GPQA.

Match the model to your workload

There isn't one answer, and the difficulty tax is the reason.

For short, checkable work, which is most of what an agent loop does, use qwen3-30b-a3b-instruct, prompted to think. It costs 3.6 cents per thousand correct answers and takes eight seconds each, and nothing I measured is both cheaper and no worse. It is the best deal on this box by a distance, right up until the questions stop being easy.

For hard work, it is the wrong pick, and it isn't close. It scores 63% on GPQA, and a right answer costs $1.35 per thousand instead of 3.6 cents. Three models sit at the top of the hard questions within a point of each other: qwen3.6-35b-a3b and qwen3-coder-next at 79%, and ornith-35b at 78%.

On these numbers, qwen3-coder-next is the standout of the three. It matches the best hard-task score in the set and costs 4.8 cents per thousand on easy work, second-cheapest overall. A coding-tuned model taking the top score on graduate science questions is not a result I expected, and I re-read the samples twice because of it.

If you don't know which you have, gemma-4-26b-a4b with reasoning off is the hedge. It is the cheapest hard-task model I measured at 36 cents per thousand; it scores 100% on easy work, and its difficulty tax is 3x. It gives up the top of the accuracy range to be predictable, which for a machine serving mixed traffic is usually the right trade. It also costs 30% less per right answer than its dense sibling gemma-4-12b and scores no worse, on a third of the active parameters.

For simple work at volume where 72% accuracy is fine, gemma-3-4b costs 2.5 cents per thousand, still the cheapest thing here.

My own daily driver is none of those four. It is qwen3.6-35b-a3b, which sits in the expensive third of the easy-work cost table and looks dominated there. On hard questions it ties for first, using about an eighth of the tokens that qwen3-30b-a3b-instruct spends getting fewer of them right. A model can be cheap on easy work and expensive on hard work, and neither number settles the choice alone.

Before you pick, check two things that have nothing to do with the model name. Check whether reasoning is on by default and whether you want it, which was worth 48 points and 8x on Gemma 4. And check whether your model stops talking when told to, because twelve of mine wouldn't.

All of this comes from two tasks: a suite I wrote and a set of multiple-choice science questions. That is enough to show that a 125B dense model is a poor way to add up 20 numbers, and enough to show that the difficulty tax is real. It is nowhere near enough to pick your model for you. Take the tables as a shortlist and as a list of things worth measuring, then run your own work against the top few.