SOUTHLAKE, Texas, Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ: SABR), a leading global travel technology company, today announced that Rochelle Boas has been elected Executive Vice President – Chief Legal and Administrative Officer, effective immediately.

In her expanded role, Boas will continue to lead Sabre's Legal organization and will assume responsibility for overseeing the company's People Team. Chief People Officer Dave Medrano will report to Boas.

"Rochelle is a trusted leader whose judgment and strategic perspective have made a meaningful impact across Sabre," said Kurt Ekert, president and CEO of Sabre. "Bringing our Legal and People functions together under her leadership will strengthen alignment across the organization and help us move with greater speed and focus."

Boas joined Sabre as Executive Vice President – Chief Legal Officer in 2024 and serves on the company's executive leadership team.

About Sabre

Powering the agentic revolution in travel. Sabre is an AI-native technology leader, backed by one of the world's largest travel data clouds. With AI at its core and operating at unparalleled scale, Sabre transforms insights into innovation, empowering airlines, hoteliers, agencies and other partners to retail, distribute and fulfill travel worldwide. Sabre is built on an open, modular, cloud-native architecture and serves as the backbone for both established leaders and bold, new disruptors, guiding them to the next age of travel retailing through intelligent, connected, and personalized experiences. For more information, visit www.sabre.com.

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SOURCE Sabre Corporation

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Company puts its full weight behind Revitalign®, the orthotic footwear brand many podiatrists recommend and consumers have chosen more than 3 million times

WACO, Texas, Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Waco Shoe Company today announced that Revitalign® is now the company's flagship brand, marking a new chapter as the business celebrates its 10th anniversary. Established in September 2016 to develop and produce comfort footwear built on proprietary orthotic technology, the company now places its full support behind Revitalign®, the brand that has grown into its strongest performer with more than 3 million pairs sold.

"A decade ago, we set out to design supportive, on-trend and stylish footwear on orthotic technology we could stand behind, and the market has responded," said Jeff Antonioli, co-owner of Waco Shoe Company. "Over 3 million pairs later, Revitalign® has earned its place as our flagship brand. We own this technology, we've refined it, and we've built a line that delivers real support in the trend-forward styles people want to wear every day."

Revitalign® is built on Full Contact Comfort® proprietary orthotic footbed technology that Waco Shoe Company owns and has refined over the past decade. That technology anchors every pair, delivering the support and alignment that podiatrists recommend and consumers rely on for supportive footwear. Well-recognized within the podiatric community, the brand's Yumi™ and Kholo™ product lines remain unique to Revitalign®.

The company's continued dedication reflects a clear strategic expansion. Where Revitalign® once centered on recovery-focused footwear, the brand now extends into full lifestyle footwear, offering a broader range of colors and styles engineered for daily use. Throughout that expansion, the orthotic support at the core of every product remains unchanged.

"With proven demand, proprietary technology, and exclusive product ownership, Revitalign® enters its next chapter from a position of strength," Antonioli adds. "We are ready to reach a wider audience of podiatrists, retailers and everyday consumers who value support without sacrificing style."

To learn more about Revitalign® and its portfolio of footwear, visit Revitalign.com.

About Revitalign®: Revitalign® by Waco Shoe Company, a trusted leader in orthotic footwear and footcare, creates quality sandals, shoes, slippers and boots that feel great all day. The Waco, Texas-based company offers a variety of men's and women's footwear designed with innovative, comfortable and orthotic-driven footbeds with Full Contact Comfort®. Revitalign® is available online at Revitalign, Nordstrom, QVC, Amazon and at select local specialty shoe retailers. Learn more at Revitalign.com.

SOURCE Revitalign®

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TORONTO, Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- MP Materials Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer James Litinsky topped Bedford Group/TRANSEARCH's 2026 mining compensation rankings with a reported fiscal 2025 total compensation of US$28.0 million (C$39.2 million).

Litinsky's compensation was overwhelmingly weighted toward long-term equity, including US$24.8 million (C$34.6 million) in stock awards, together with US$2.2 million (C$3.1 million) in annual non-equity incentive compensation. His base salary was US$1.0 million (C$1.4 million).

The result comes during a transformational period for MP Materials, which operates the Mountain Pass rare-earth mine and processing facility in California and has expanded into U.S. magnet manufacturing. In July 2025, the company entered into a major public-private partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense to accelerate development of a domestic rare-earth magnet supply chain.

Litinsky has led MP Materials since its inception in 2017, making the compensation outcome one associated with a long-serving founder and CEO rather than a new-hire package. Later in 2025, the company granted him a one-time US$15 million (C$21.0 million) performance-based equity award tied in part to milestones under its U.S. government agreements and other long-term operating objectives.

"MP Materials is operating at the centre of one of the most strategically important areas of the U.S. critical-minerals market, and Litinsky's compensation reflects the scale of that mandate," said Frank Galati, Managing Partner and Executive Compensation Practice Leader at Bedford Group/TRANSEARCH. "What stands out is that the vast majority of his reported compensation was delivered through long-term equity rather than fixed salary, with a significant portion tied to future performance and strategic milestones."

Bedford's 2026 Report on Board and Executive Compensation in the Mining Industry analyzes compensation practices at 346 publicly traded companies, covering more than 1,300 Named Executive Officers (NEOs) and 1,900 directors. The report serves two distinct functions: benchmarking current-market compensation according to company asset value and assessing year-over-year changes using the same companies from one year to the next.

The analysis found that median base salary increased 4% from fiscal 2024 across CEOs, CFOs and the remaining NEOs. Median total compensation increased 14% for CEOs and CFOs and 8% for remaining NEOs, demonstrating that changes in incentive compensation continued to have a greater impact on total pay than changes in fixed salary.

Other findings from Bedford's 2026 report include:

- 79% of executives received equity compensation during fiscal 2025.

- Stock options were concentrated among smaller companies: of those granting equity compensation, 94% of companies with less than $100 million in assets used options, compared with 19% of companies with more than $20 billion in assets.

- Performance Share Unit (PSU) prevalence moved in the opposite direction, increasing from 26% in the Under $100 million tier to 88% in the $20 billion-plus tier.

- CFO turnover reached 21.3%, the highest level in Bedford's five-year dataset.

- Female representation among CFOs reached 20.8%, the highest among the executive positions reviewed by Bedford.

The report also examines executive and Board compensation by company size, short- and long-term incentive design, equity compensation practices, change in control and severance provisions, share ownership guidelines, Board and executive diversity, and current compensation governance practices.

The 2026 Bedford Report on Board and Executive Compensation in the Mining Industry is available now from Bedford Group/TRANSEARCH. Boards and executives can use the study to test the competitiveness of their own programs – and, with Bedford's advisory expertise in compensation strategy, governance, and executive search, align pay and leadership with the long-term needs of the business. Access the report here.

*All currency conversions based on the Bank of Canada's 2025 average exchange rate.

About Bedford Group/TRANSEARCH

Bedford Group/TRANSEARCH is an executive search and talent management firm serving Canadian and international organizations. Bedford's compensation practice provides executive and director compensation benchmarking, incentive design, governance and advisory services and publishes annual industry-specific compensation reports.

SOURCE Bedford Group/TRANSEARCH

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Fans can enter for a chance to win a limited-edition Pierogy & Sour Cream couples costume that adds Mrs. T's Pierogies to your Halloween lineup, not just your freezer

SHENANDOAH, Pa., Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Who says the perfect food pairing has to stay on the dinner table? To celebrate National Pierogy Day on October 8, Mrs. T's is taking the beloved duo of pierogies and sour cream from mealtime to spooky season with limited-edition Pierogy & Sour Cream couples costumes, giving fans a whole new way to show off their love for pierogies all October long!

About Mrs. T's Pierogy & Sour Cream Costume Giveaway

Starting October 1, fans can enter* for a chance to snag a limited-edition Mrs. T's Pierogy & Sour Cream couples costume:

- Where: Sweepstakes post on @mrstspierogies' Instagram or Facebook page

- How to enter: Tag the person you'd want to dress up with, whether that's your BFF, boo or fellow pierogy lover

- What you could win: One (1) Mrs. T's Pierogy costume and one (1) Sour Cream costume, plus coupons redeemable for boxes of Mrs. T's Pierogies at major retailers

- How many winners: 100 lucky fans!

"Pierogies and sour cream have long been a go-to pairing at mealtime. So when our fans asked for costumes that brought their love for pierogies to life, we knew we had to make it happen," said Olivia Zawatski, Marketing Communications Manager at Mrs. T's Pierogies. "These limited-edition costumes put a playful spin on a pairing our fans already love, giving them a fun new way to celebrate National Pierogy Day with us this October. We can't wait to see how our Pierogy Squad gets into the spirit!"

Mrs. T's Pierogies Are the Freezer Staple You Need All Season Long

While the costumes are taking pierogies beyond the dinner table, Mrs. T's Pierogies remain a go-to freezer staple for mealtime, snacktime and everything in between. Budget-friendly and easy to prepare, they're perfect for busy weeknights, last-minute meals and those inevitable "I'm hungry!" moments. Whether it's a quick bite before trick-or-treating, a crowd-pleasing side for a festive gathering or a snack before a night of spooky fun, Mrs. T's makes it easy to keep the freezer stocked with something tasty for whatever the season brings.

The Story Behind National Pierogy Day

At its heart, National Pierogy Day is about celebrating the joy pierogies bring to mealtime. Celebrated each year on October 8, the holiday became official in 2008 and recognizes the day in 1952 when Mrs. T's Pierogies founder Ted Twardzik Sr., the son of the Mrs. T, made his very first pierogy sale to his local grocery store in Shenandoah, PA. The holiday recognizes pierogies – pasta pockets stuffed with the stuff you love: creamy mashed potatoes, cheesy goodness and other big, bold flavors that are best enjoyed with the ones you love.

Mrs. T's invites its #PierogySquad and first-time members to share how they are celebrating National Pierogy Day this year by using #NationalPierogyDay and tagging @mrstspierogies on social. To join the fun and celebrate National Pierogy Day, or for recipe inspiration, fans can visit www.mrstspierogies.com, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Pinterest.

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Void where prohibited. Open to legal residents of 50 US/DC who are at least 18 years old as of date of entry. Begins 8:00 AM ET on October 1, 2026; ends 11:59PM ET on October 13, 2026. For Official Rules and eligibility, visit http://www.mrstspierogies.com/npd: Ateeco Inc. D/B/A Mrs. T's Pierogies.

About Mrs. T's Pierogies

In 1952, Ted Twardzik Sr. dreamed of starting a food company inspired by his mother's pierogy recipe. He remembered how popular the Polish dumplings were at church festivals and thought people would be excited to purchase them from their local grocery stores year-round. Later that year, Ted sold the very first pierogy samples to his local grocery store in Shenandoah, PA, and to honor his mother Mary Twardzik – the Mrs. T – he called his company Mrs. T's Pierogies. Now, more than 70 years later, Mrs. T's Pierogies is the largest producer of frozen pierogies, producing 600 million pierogies a year.

Categories: Food & Beverage, Consumer Campaigns, Holidays & Seasonal, Promotions & Giveaways

Tags: #NationalPierogyDay #PierogySquad #MrsTsPierogies #HalloweenCostumes

SOURCE Mrs. T's Pierogies

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REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Dell'Oro Group, the trusted source for market information about the telecommunications, security, networks, and data center markets, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Frank Yang to build out coverage on the Data Center Optical Connectivity market. Mr. Yang brings more than 25 years of experience in networking and data center technologies, spanning high-speed connectivity, data center networking architectures, and product strategy. His extensive technical and market experience positions him to provide in-depth analysis of the rapidly evolving market, including Optical Interconnects, Ethernet Adapters and Smart NICs, as well as the traffic driven by AI workloads.

"AI is transforming networking from a supporting interconnect function into a core determinant of data center performance, scale, and efficiency. Data center optical connectivity is advancing rapidly in speed, architecture, packaging, and thermal design. Server networking is also evolving quickly in port configurations, programmability, and form factors," said Yang.

"To address these massive shifts, my focus will be on building comprehensive quantitative forecasting models for the Data Center Optical Connectivity market—covering 800G, 1.6T, and 3.2T pluggable modules, coherent optics, near-packaged optics (NPO), and co-packaged optics (CPO)—as well as tracking the rapid evolution of server Ethernet adapters and smart NICs.

"This work is driven by the explosive scaling demands of AI clusters, where traditional interconnect bottlenecks threaten compute efficiency. By synthesizing a holistic perspective across server architectures, high-performance networking fabrics, thermal and power efficiency requirements, and data center physical connectivity infrastructure, we can deliver a unified view of how system co-design shapes the future of AI infrastructure. I look forward to bringing my industry experience to Dell'Oro Group as AI infrastructure evolves," continued Yang.

Prior to joining Dell'Oro Group, Mr. Yang held product management and engineering roles at Legrand, CommScope, and Dell, with extensive experience in data center connectivity and Ethernet technologies supporting cloud and AI infrastructure. He holds an MBA from The University of Texas at Austin and graduate degrees in Electrical Engineering from Texas Tech University and Chongqing University, and has contributed to industry conferences, papers, and patents.

Dell'Oro Group is a market research firm that specializes in strategic competitive analysis in the telecommunications, security, enterprise networks infrastructure, and data center markets. Our firm provides in-depth quantitative data and qualitative analysis to facilitate critical, fact-based business decisions. For more information, contact Dell'Oro Group at +1.650.622.9400 or visit www.delloro.com.

SOURCE Dell'Oro Group

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Award-winning EdTech analytics platform recognized for giving K-12 districts clear visibility into student screen time, app usage and compliance

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Linewize, the North American division of global safety and student wellbeing leader Qoria, today announced Linewize EdTech Manager has been named a winner in the Primary Education category of the Tech & Learning Awards of Excellence: Back to School 2026.

Coinciding with this industry recognition, Linewize announced that EdTech Manager's highly anticipated Screen Time reporting feature has officially launched this month and is now available to school districts nationwide.

Designed specifically for K-12, EdTech Manager gives school leaders a complete view of how students spend time on school-provided devices. IT leaders and administrators can see daily screen time data at the district, school, grade and student level as well as breakdowns of time spent at school vs. at home. Districts also get app inventory and approval status, license costs, adoption rates and data privacy agreement tracking. The App Directory feature allows districts to easily publish a single, shareable source of truth for approved apps, to provide visibility to parents, school boards, and auditors.

As K-12 districts face growing pressure from state screen time requirements, school boards and parents to account for student device use, EdTech Manager equips district leaders to:

- Report on the screen time data admins need to meet legislative thresholds.

- See which apps are driving screen time through the Share of Screen Time report, and which schools and grades use devices most.

- Drill down to the individual student level to support parent conversations, targeted interventions, and documentation.

- Get more value from their technology spend by flagging unused, expired, or low-usage licenses and showing adoption by school, class, teacher or student.

- Identify where training is needed and replicate what's working across schools.

"District leaders are being asked harder questions than ever about how students spend their time on devices, and they need real answers, not guesswork," said Harrison Parker, Executive Vice President of Linewize. "EdTech Manager gives schools the data to make confident decisions that keep technology in service of learning and student wellbeing, and we're proud to see that recognized by Tech & Learning."

Tech & Learning, one of the industry's leading education technology publications, has celebrated innovative education technology through its Awards of Excellence program for more than four decades. Judged by a panel of experienced education technology experts, the awards showcase the products and solutions that help educators deliver more engaging and effective teaching and learning experiences. One Tech & Learning judge noted that Linewize EdTech Manager "gives us valuable visibility into how technology is being used across our schools."

For more information about Linewize EdTech Manager, visit www.linewize.com.

About Linewize

Built by a global team of education experts and former school IT administrators, Linewize offers content-aware hybrid web filtering, student threat detection, classroom management, screen time and app analytics, and a proprietary digital safety program that provides parental controls and expert information on online safety for families. Linewize's comprehensive digital safety and wellbeing framework helps school districts address today's digital challenges to keep students safe in their online lives.

SOURCE Linewize

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$180 Million, 77,000 Acre Iconic Texas Ranch Listed to Sell

Historic 77,721-acre Texas Panhandle water oasis -Turkey Track Ranch reemerges and returns to market following recovery from the Smokehouse Creek Fire, the largest wildfire in recorded Texas history.

DALLAS, Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Icon Global announces the return to market of Turkey Track Ranch, one of America's great legacy ranches, at $180 million, including a 25% mineral stake. Spanning nearly 80,000 acres under one fence, the Texas Panhandle legacy ranch brings together significant water resources and more than a century of Coble and Whittenburg family ownership.

The ranch was withdrawn from the market following the February 2024 Smokehouse Creek Fire, which burned approximately 60% (46,000 +- acres) of the property's range land. Recorded as the largest wildfire in Texas history and burning over one million acres to the township of Canadian and into Western Oklahoma, the fire was responsible for the killing of thousands of head of livestock, two human fatalities and the destruction of approximately 500 buildings. The fire began when a fallen utility pole adjacent to the Turkey Track Ranch boundary brought down live power lines.

The sellers were at the time in sale negotiations. Turkey Track was withdrawn from the market and given time to recover before being offered again. The land has come back with renewed strength and vigor, including robust regrowth of native vegetation, pastures and wildlife. Approximately 65 miles of new fencing have been installed and the cattle operation again in full swing. The managers of the ownership shareholders recently voted to resume public marketing and proceed with the sale of the ranch.

Water is central to the property. Stretching from Caprock country to the Canadian River, the ranch includes high mesas, open range, sheltered draws and river bottoms. Its water resources include approximately 26 miles of Canadian River frontage, eight major creek basins and natural springs, with the Ogallala Aquifer beneath the land. Across the property, 64 water wells serve livestock and wildlife, while five irrigation pivots cover 838 acres.

During the drought of the 1950s, the family began building earthen dams to slow runoff and protect the soil. That conservation work continued over decades. In 2016, Turkey Track was named a regional honoree of the Environmental Stewardship Award Program for its land and water management.

Icon Global founder Bernard Uechtritz stated, "I have represented some of the great ranches of the American West, and Turkey Track belongs in their company. The water here is extraordinary, the legacy and history incredible. It is a best in class, and rarity both. Available legacy ranches with this scale, production, recreation and history are today few and far between, scarce anywhere in the American West. Nearly 80,000 acres under one fence, a 25 percent mineral stake and more than a century of family ownership make this a very rare offering. This is a ranch you buy with the next hundred years in mind."

The ranch encompasses the Adobe Walls battle sites of 1864 and 1874. Its brand dates to 1878, and W. T. Coble acquired the original headquarters in 1916. More than a century of Coble and Whittenburg ownership has carried that history into the present offering.

The 77,721± acre holding returns as a rare opportunity to own a landmark of American ranching and to shape its future over generations to come.

Turkey Track Ranch is offered exclusively through Icon Global. For property information, photographs and viewing arrangements, visit Turkey Track or contact 214.855.4000.

About Icon Global

Icon Global designs and implements strategic, tactical, national and global marketing campaigns for Iconic real estate, and additionally provides specialty advisory and portfolio services for owners of unique assets across the USA, parts of Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Icon represents banking and governmental institutions, and high net worth individuals', as well as corporations and family offices globally in the acquisition, management and disposition of property in all asset classes. Icon Global was founded by complex deal maker and International real estate advisor, Bernard Uechtritz.

- Email campaign preview: [Email preview link]

- BACK ON MARKET Video preview: [video link]

- Photography: [press photography link]

- Official Launch Feature video; Flying The Turkey Track; Global Preview

- Property background and history:Turkey Track Ranch

SOURCE Icon Global Group, LLC

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BOSTON, Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts ("Blue Cross"), the title sponsor of Greater Boston's municipally owned bike-sharing system Bluebikes, is turning 100 bikes pink this October in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. For every ride taken on one of the limited-edition pink-wrapped bikes, Blue Cross will donate $1 to Ellie Fund, a nonprofit supporting breast cancer patients across Massachusetts, up to $10,000.

Now in its second year, the initiative will also include an additional commitment from Lyft. Once Blue Cross reaches its $10,000 commitment, Lyft, the operator of Bluebikes, will donate $1 per qualifying ride, up to an additional $10,000.

This year's bikes feature a pink breast cancer ribbon-inspired design created by Roberta Trindade, a local student artist from UMass Boston who has a family history of breast cancer. The imagery conveys a message of strength, connection and support. Roberta's design brings her own artistic interpretation to the bikes, with the goal of raising awareness and recognizing those affected by breast cancer. In addition to the bike wraps, the beacon light on all bikes throughout the Bluebikes system will glow pink throughout October.

How it works: A total of 100 pink-wrapped bikes, 50 classic and 50 ebikes, will be available throughout the Bluebikes system between October 1-31. No code, sign-up or additional action is required; riders simply need to take a ride on on of the limited-edition bikes for their ride to count toward the donation.

What they're saying:

- Jeff Bellows, vice president of corporate citizenship and public affairs at Blue Cross: "Breast cancer touches so many people and families, and we're proud once again to come together and make a difference. Every ride on one of the pink-wrapped bikes helps support The Ellie Fund and the critical services it provides to patients and families across Massachusetts."

- Abby Sieverling, general manager at Bluebikes: "Bluebikes helps people get where they're going while staying connected to the communities around them. We're proud to team up again with Blue Cross and The Ellie Fund, turning everyday rides into a way to support people affected by breast cancer."

- Meredith Mendelson, executive director at Ellie Fund: "We are so grateful to Blue Cross and Lyft for continuing this meaningful partnership and helping raise awareness and support for breast cancer patients and their families. The funds generated through this activation help us provide essential services, including transportation, meals and childcare reimbursement, that remove barriers to treatment, ease the day-to-day challenges, and allow patients to focus on healing."

By the numbers: Since becoming title sponsor in 2018, Blue Cross has provided thousands of free and discounted rides to promote healthier lifestyles and access to biking, contributing to more than 25 million rides overall. Last year, Blue Cross launched its first fleet of Breast Cancer Awareness bikes, raising funds for Ellie Fund through rides taken throughout October.

Bluebikes is municipally owned by 13 cities and towns in eastern Massachusetts and jointly managed by the Cities of Boston, Cambridge, Everett and Somerville, and the Town of Brookline. The system is operated by Lyft.

About Bluebikes

Bluebikes is public transportation by bike. The system is municipally owned by thirteen cities and towns in eastern Massachusetts, jointly managed by the Cities of Boston, Cambridge, Everett and Somerville and the Town of Brookline, and operated under contract by Lyft. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is the system's title sponsor. Riders can find 600 stations and 5,500 bikes, including ebikes, across the thirteen municipalities: Arlington, Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Medford, Malden, Newton, Revere, Salem, Somerville and Watertown. Since 2011, riders have taken more than 25 million trips on Bluebikes. For more information about Bluebikes, visit bluebikes.com.

About Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (bluecrossma.org) is a community-focused, tax-paying, not-for-profit health plan headquartered in Boston. We are committed to showing up for everyone like they're the only one and guiding our members to the exceptional health care they deserve — affordably, equitably and seamlessly. In keeping with our commitment, we are rated among the nation's best health plans for member satisfaction and quality. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

About Ellie Fund

For over 30 years, Ellie Fund has provided breast cancer patients and their families with the essential support they need to focus on healing. Based in Needham, MA, the organization serves any patient who lives or receives treatment in Massachusetts by funding critical support services — including grocery assistance, transportation, childcare reimbursement, housekeeping, and integrative therapy — through its signature personalized approach. Ellie Fund assists more than 2,000 patients annually, building community and delivering practical help, education, and hope throughout every step of the breast cancer journey.

SOURCE Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts

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Event connects agricultural, conservation and technology stakeholders

WESTMINSTER, Colo., Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Approximately 40 participants joined the third annual Endangered Species Act (ESA) Farm Tour, held September 14-16 across Minnesota and South Dakota. The National Alliance of Independent Crop Consultants (NAICC), Weed Science Society of America (WSSA), and the Foundation for Environmental Agriculture Education (FEAE) host the event each year at various locations.

"Every ESA farm tour underscores the value of bringing regulators, researchers, crop consultants, conservation specialists and agricultural practitioners together in the field to identify workable approaches that advance environmental stewardship and agricultural productivity," says Dawn Refsell, Ph.D., WSSA President-Elect and 2026 ESA Farm Tour participant. "Ultimately, the tours result in facilitating new ways to collaborate and new ideas to overcome the many agricultural and environmental challenges we face to ensure a better future."

This year's tour brought together representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, NAICC, WSSA, South Dakota State University, University of Minnesota, and Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative, among other area agricultural stakeholders. Over three days, participants examined how conservation practices, agricultural technology and practical mitigation measures can support both productive farming and protection of threatened and endangered species.

"The open discussions we had during the tour made it clear to me that crop consultants have a central role to play in helping farmers implement the new pesticide ESA requirements," says Steve Hoffman, Managing Agronomist at Indepth Agronomy, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and NAICC member. "I am encouraged and excited about the promise of these agencies working with production agriculture in positive and collaborative ways to improve the trajectory of endangered species and to create examples of success of which we can all be proud."

The tour began at Split Rock Creek State Park, near Jasper, Minnesota, with a discussion of habitat restoration for the Topeka shiner, a freshwater minnow, and how ESA mitigation measures can help protect the species. Participants also walked through a Pesticide Use Limitation Area to better understand its features and implications for adjacent agricultural production land. University of Minnesota researchers updated participants on current work in soil conservation, soil health and erosion mitigation. A visit to the Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative, Renville, Minnesota, highlighted the need for pest management solutions for weed and disease challenges, as well as the role crop rotation systems can play in reducing erosion in low-residue crops.

On the second day, participants visited a grain and livestock farm operated by David and Benji Hiebert, near Iroquois, South Dakota. They discussed how rotational grazing and cover crop programs have improved soil health and water quality while supporting efficient livestock production. Later, an aerial application demonstration showed how fixed-wing aircraft can manage boom width and offset. A follow-up discussion at an airport at Brookings, South Dakota, covered cockpit controls and the mapping programs pilots use to navigate around sensitive areas and account for environmental factors during application.

At South Dakota State University, the group considered how ESA requirements affect weed management and how precision agriculture could help address those challenges. Topics included technologies that use electricity to target weeds and variable-rate nitrogen applications tailored to crop needs.

"For me, the 2026 ESA Farm Tour was valuable, because it gave us the opportunity to have real conversations in the field about how pest-management decisions are made, how we implement conservation practices, and the challenges growers face every day," says James Todd, Plainview, Texas. "As an independent crop consultant, I appreciated being able to share how we use integrated pest management, field experience, and science to help growers make practical decisions while also protecting the environment and meeting ESA requirements. I came away from the tour feeling that this kind of face-to-face dialogue is essential for building trust and developing solutions that work for both agriculture and species conservation."

To learn more about WSSA and its Endangered Species initiatives, visit: https://wssa.net/endangered-species/. For more about NAICC, visit: https://naicc.org/, and for more about FEAE, visit: https://naicc.org/feae/.

About the Weed Science Society of America 

The Weed Science Society of America is a nonprofit scientific society, founded in 1956 to encourage and facilitate the development of knowledge concerning weeds and their impact on the environment. The Society promotes research, education and extension outreach activities related to weeds, provides science-based information to the public and policy makers, fosters awareness of weeds and their impact on managed and natural ecosystems, and strengthens cooperation among weed science organizations across the nation and around the world. For more information, visit www.wssa.net.

SOURCE Weed Science Society of America

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ST. LOUIS, Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of American Water Works Association's Annual Source Water Protection Week (September 27 to October 3), Missouri American Water is highlighting its commitment to providing customers with safe, clean, reliable water services.

"Protecting our source water is the first step in providing safe, clean, reliable drinking water," said Rich Svindland, President Missouri American Water President. "Keeping our rivers, lakes and groundwater free from pollution reduces potential risks that could negatively impact the water supply and keeps treatment costs down."

American Water's Source Water Protection Program provides a structured framework for assessing risks, engaging stakeholders and implementing proactive measures to safeguard drinking water supplies.

The company's source water protection efforts include:

- Voluntary participation in source water protection programs

- Regular monitoring to identify changing source water conditions and emerging risks

- Working collaboratively with regulatory agencies and local stakeholders to protect source waters and maintain compliance with water quality standards

- Engaging communities through outreach and education to help residents understand how activities within a watershed can affect drinking water sources

During Source Water Protection Week, Missouri American Water is encouraging individuals to take the following actions and incorporate them into their year-round practices:

- Plant landscaping around homes or businesses with more permeable surfaces, such as mulch, that allow water to soak into the ground.

- Do not over-apply chemicals to plants and avoid application immediately before it rains.

- Keep litter, pet waste and yard waste out of streets and storm drains. Pet waste contains bacteria that can find its way into waterways through runoff.

- Select non-toxic or less toxic alternatives to typical household products, such as cleaning agents.

- Dispose of pharmaceuticals by taking them to collection sites, where available. Don't flush them down the toilet!

- Use hazardous waste collection sites and services to dispose of items such as chemicals, paints, motor oil and batteries. Report any hazardous material spills, illegal dumping or suspicious activity to local or state authorities.

Learn more about American Water and Source Water Protection here.

About American Water  

American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States. With a history dating back to 1886 and celebrating 140 years in 2026, We Keep Life Flowing® by providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water and wastewater services to approximately 14 million people with regulated operations in 14 states and on 19 military installations. American Water's approximately 7,000 talented professionals leverage their significant expertise and the company's national size and scale to achieve excellent outcomes for the benefit of customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders.  

For more information, visit amwater.com and join American Water on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Instagram.

About Missouri American Water

Missouri American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, is the largest regulated water utility in the state with over 700 dedicated employees working to provide safe, clean, reliable and affordable water and wastewater services to approximately 1.7 million people.

For more, visit missouriamwater.com and follow Missouri American Water on X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.

SOURCE American Water

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