Bringing Soft Lines And Distinctive Weaves That Bring Warmth And Depth To Personal, Lived-In Spaces

NEW YORK, Sept. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Ernesta, a leader in custom rugs, today introduces nine new styles, including the Modern Geometry collection, where soft lines, distinctive weaves and dynamic textures form patterns instead of color, and expands its recently launched Earth Tones line. Crafted from premium natural fibers like wool, jute, and cotton, the collections channel warmth and softness with striking pieces designed to be the focal point of open, shared spaces where their textural pattern can be fully appreciated.

"With Modern Geometry, we're answering something designers have been asking us for: rugs with the depth and durability to anchor a room, not just decorate it," said Rosa Glenn, Chief Merchandising Officer at Ernesta. "It's the same philosophy behind our latest additions to Earth Tones. Whether it's texture or tone doing the work, every style across these collections brings warm tones and tactile detail into a room, turning it into a retreat that's made to last for years to come."

Rather than relying on color, each style in Modern Geometry builds its pattern through texture, as high-low pile, weave and construction come together to create seven distinct styles. The collection spans hand-knotted, hand-tufted and handwoven constructions in wool, jute and cotton, with pile heights and pattern scale varying by style.

As with every Ernesta rug, each design is custom-sized to the inch, allowing customers to fit the collection's textures and patterns to any room.

The new styles include:

- Alya: A hand-knotted wool shag with a deep, enveloping pile, so its texture stands entirely on its own, softened by a series of finishing washes to minimize shedding from the start.

- Amos: A handwoven, undyed wool rug with a sculptural, high-low surface, alternating thick pile with flatwoven sections for a patchwork-like texture rather than a set repeat.

- Claudia: A wool flatweave with a fine-lined chevron pattern, drawn out into a wider zigzag for a graphic, rhythmic look that still feels light in a room.

- Dawson: A plush wool-cotton blend with a marled, tonal texture rather than a defined pattern, its color coming from the weave itself for a soft, forgiving foundation.

- Essie: A hand-tufted wool rug with a raised-bar pattern, its rows of bars sitting above a recessed base for a design built from height rather than color.

- Gemma: A hand-knotted wool rug that sets a flatweave against a plush pile, letting the pattern read in blocks of texture rather than color.

- Isla: A hand-loomed wool, jute, and cotton blend with a variegated, high-low stripe that shifts as it goes rather than forming straight lines, bringing movement to clean, streamlined spaces.

Ernesta is also expanding its recently launched Earth Tones collection with two new arrivals: Amber and Nadia. These natural-material, low-profile additions provide a warm and grounding presence for any room.

- Amber: A hand-loomed blend of wool and jute with a tonal, hardwearing weave, its low profile and muted earth tones built for high-traffic spaces.

- Nadia: A handwoven wool-cotton blend with a soft stripe, its color coming from a mix of yarn tones rather than dye, giving the pattern a warmth machine-made styles rarely match.

This launch continues Ernesta's commitment to premium, custom rugs that offer tailored aesthetics without compromise. Customers may also opt for an optional Protective Treatment for enhanced durability against spills. Every rug is custom-sized to the inch for a precise fit and typically delivered within 2–4 weeks. Through an expanding showroom network, Ernesta also provides enhanced services, including white glove delivery, installation, and specialty options such as stair runners and custom cutouts.

The Earth Tones and Modern Geometry Collections are now available at ernesta.com. To learn more or request samples, please visit the website or find a local Ernesta Showroom.

About Ernesta

Ernesta is America's largest retailer of custom-sized, designer-quality rugs. The company enables interior designers and homeowners to create beautifully tailored rugs in virtually any size, delivered in weeks rather than months. By combining premium materials, transparent pricing, personalized design guidance, and a seamless omnichannel shopping experience, Ernesta is transforming the purchasing process for one of the most important design elements in the home. Recognized by Good Housekeeping as a 2025 Home Renovation Awards winner, Ernesta is setting a new standard in home design.

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Foss & Company's continued partnership with HCR shows how pairing the Small Building Participation Loan Program with state and federal Historic Tax Credits is unlocking capital for smaller-scale affordable housing projects across New York.

ALBANY, N.Y., Sept. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Foss & Company, a leading tax equity syndicator, today announced the closing of four historic rehabilitation investments in Buffalo, Albany, Fredonia, and Kingston, New York, supported by New York State Homes and Community Renewal's (HCR) Small Building Participation Loan Program (PLP). Together, the projects — the Eckhardt Building, the Selfridge & Langford Building, 343 Central, and 80 Washington Street — will create or preserve 156 affordable housing units, pairing PLP financing with state and federal Historic Tax Credits (HTC) to close financing gaps that HTC equity alone cannot bridge on smaller-scale rehabilitation projects.

"PLP is one of the more effective tools New York has for reaching the small and mid-sized buildings that larger financing structures tend to pass over," said John Sorel of Foss & Company. "When you pair it with historic tax credit equity, you get a model that works in Fredonia as well as it does in Buffalo — proof that public-private partnerships like this can scale across very different markets."

HCR administers PLP as part of its mission to build, preserve, and protect affordable housing while supporting community revitalization. The program provides low-interest financing specifically for rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of existing affordable housing, addressing a gap that has historically made smaller rehabilitation deals difficult to finance through conventional channels.

The Four Projects

Eckhardt Building — Buffalo, NY

A 1940s former department store in Buffalo's Broadway-Fillmore Historic District, now delivering 28 affordable apartments (rents restricted to an average of 65% AMI) and roughly 22,000 square feet of commercial space, fully leased to a nonprofit child day care provider. Construction is complete.

Selfridge & Langford Building — Albany, NY

A four-story former furniture showroom near the State Capitol, being converted into 49 rent-restricted units (up to 80% AMI) with approximately 3,900 square feet of ground-floor commercial space and shared resident amenities.

343 Central — Fredonia, NY

Rehabilitation of six existing multifamily properties totaling 40 units — sixteen one-bedroom and twenty-four two-bedroom apartments affordable at up to 80% AMI. Developer Good Carbon is incorporating geothermal systems and other efficiency upgrades.

80 Washington Street — Kingston, NY

Adaptive reuse of the former Home for the Aged of Ulster County into 39 affordable apartments (up to 80% AMI), open to tenants of any age, preserving a historic Hudson Valley asset.

"We're proud of our continued work with HCR," Sorel added, "and we'll keep building on this model of pairing PLP with historic tax credits to reach communities that need it most."

ABOUT FOSS & COMPANY

Founded in 1983, Foss & Company is a national tax equity investor and fund sponsor that, since its inception, has deployed over $11 billion in tax equity on behalf of insurance, banking, and other large corporate clients into historic rehabilitation projects, renewable energy, and advanced energy production facilities. Foss & Company is a full-service advisor with proven expertise in helping its partners navigate the world of tax equity investments. For more information about Foss & Company, please visit www.FossandCo.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements based on current expectations and projections, subject to risks including changes in tax law, construction/completion risks, energy production variability, and market conditions that could cause actual results to differ materially. Foss & Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements.

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DALLAS, Sept. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- American News Group News Commentary - The global rare earth magnets market is projected to grow from approximately $21.98 billion in 2025 to about $30.01 billion by 2030, a compound annual growth rate of roughly 6.4%, according to a report from ResearchAndMarkets.com, driven by demand from electric vehicles, wind turbines, robotics and consumer electronics. Building a domestic supply chain to feed that demand is no longer only a federal project. Increasingly, it is being assembled state by state, and Texas is making a strong case to be at the center of it. Active Companies from around the markets with current developments this week include: Tactical Resources Corp. (NASDAQ: TREO), MP Materials Corp. (NYSE: MP), USA Rare Earth, Inc. (NASDAQ: USAR), Critical Metals Corp. (NASDAQ: CRML), Ramaco Resources, Inc. (NASDAQ: METC).

Persistence Market Research sizes the magnet market at approximately $15.8 billion in 2026 and projects about $30.4 billion by 2033, a CAGR of roughly 9.8%, and identifies North America as the fastest-growing region at about 11.3% a year, a pace it ties to U.S. investment in domestic magnet supply chains. The firms measure the market differently, but both point to the same shift: more of the value chain moving back onto North American soil.

Texas already hosts the most visible piece of that effort. North Texas is home to the largest U.S. rare earth magnet manufacturing operation, and West Texas holds some of the country's best-known heavy rare earth ground in Hudspeth County. What connects those two ends of the state is not geology but relationships: offtake agreements, state and local incentives, utilities, rail, water and the industrial partners needed to move material from a quarry to a finished product. That is the gap a growing number of rare earth developers are trying to close, and it helps explain why commercial and regional networks have become as valuable to early-stage companies as technical data.

Tactical Resources Corp. (NASDAQ: TREO) Appoints P. Lourcey Sams, Chairman of the Pecos River Commission, as Special Advisor

Appointed as Special Advisor effective September 23, 2026.

Mr. Sams was appointed by the President in April 2026 as U.S. Commissioner and Chairman of the Pecos River Commission.

Nearly five decades of experience spanning energy, commercial development and regional economic development in Texas.

Role focused on commercial partnerships, stakeholder relationships and state and local funding opportunities across Texas and the Southern United States.

Serves in an advisory capacity and is not a director or officer of the Company.

Tactical Resources Corp. (NASDAQ: TREO), a U.S.-focused rare earth elements company, has announced the appointment of P. Lourcey Sams as Special Advisor, effective September 23, 2026. Mr. Sams was appointed by the President in April 2026 as U.S. Commissioner and Chairman of the Pecos River Commission. He is a Midland, Texas-based energy and business executive, co-founder, Chairman, CEO and President of Pennant Development and Production, LLC, and has served as President of Banner Energy, Inc. since 1988.

As Special Advisor, Mr. Sams will advise on market entry, expansion and commercialization strategies across Texas and the Southern United States. The Company said he will help identify and facilitate introductions to strategic partners, suppliers, customers, joint venture partners, feedstock providers, offtake partners and other commercial counterparties, and support relationship development with state and local government bodies, economic development agencies, industry associations, utilities, logistics providers and other regional stakeholders. His mandate also includes helping identify state and local funding, grant and economic development opportunities.

Mr. Sams began his career as Senior Landman for Amoco Production Company's West Texas and New Mexico Division and has more than forty years of experience in land, trade negotiation and government regulation. He served as CEO of Brazos Valley Water Alliance, L.P., is co-founder and President of the Pecos River Resolution Corporation, is Past Chairman of the Midland Development Corporation, and was appointed by Texas Governor Mark White to the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission.

"Lourcey brings decades of experience in energy, business and economic development, together with deep relationships across Texas," said Ranjeet Sundher, Chief Executive Officer of Tactical Resources. "As we advance the Peak Project into its next phase, his network and judgment will be valuable in helping us build strategic and commercial relationships, engage with regional stakeholders and identify opportunities that support our development strategy."

"Texas has the industrial base, the energy and the infrastructure to build a domestic rare earth supply chain," said Mr. Sams. "Tactical has material already out of the ground in West Texas. I want to help connect the company with the partners and opportunities that can move it forward."

That material is the core of the Peak Project in Hudspeth County, Texas. Peak sits within the active Sierra Blanca Quarry, roughly 90 miles southeast of El Paso, and focuses on rare earth-enriched pre-crushed fines stockpiles generated by years of railway ballast crushing. The Company has previously reported a heavy rare earth profile in its analytical dataset, has engaged Forte Dynamics Inc. to conduct a gap analysis and develop a roadmap toward a preliminary economic assessment, and began trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market on August 20, 2026.

Tactical Resources Corp. (NASDAQ: TREO) is a natural resources company focused on rare earth elements critical to advanced technologies, including semiconductors, electric vehicles, robotics, aerospace systems and national defense applications. The Company is advancing the Peak Project in Hudspeth County, Texas, as part of its strategy to help build a secure domestic supply chain and reduce reliance on foreign-controlled sources, and is also pursuing metallurgical processing and separation technologies.

There are several risks associated with the Company's plans. The Peak Project remains at an early stage: Tactical has not completed mineral resource estimation work, and no preliminary economic assessment, pre-feasibility study or feasibility study has been completed. The appointment of an advisor does not ensure that any partnership, offtake, funding, grant or other agreement will be obtained, and Mr. Sams serves in an advisory capacity only. As a recently listed company, Tactical will need additional financing to advance the project, which may not be available on acceptable terms, and its share price may be volatile. Readers should review the risk factors in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov, including the registration statement on Form F-4 filed in connection with the Company's Nasdaq listing and the Company's subsequent filings, and the forward-looking statements in the Company's releases.

Read this and more news from around the sector at: https://americannewsgroup.com/

In other industry developments and happenings in the market this week include:

MP Materials Corp. (NYSE: MP) has made North Texas the anchor of its magnet business. The company selected a 120-acre site in Northlake, Texas, for 10X, a planned rare earth magnet manufacturing campus less than 10 miles from its existing Independence facility in Fort Worth, with more than $1.25 billion of investment and over 1,500 jobs expected. MP said the project is supported by a significant state and local incentive package and a 10-year Pentagon offtake commitment.

Independence began commercial metal production in 2024 and produced its first alloy flake and finished magnets on commercial equipment in 2025. MP has said 10X will cement North Texas as the center of gravity for the U.S. rare earth magnet supply chain, a clear example of how state-level support and anchor customers are shaping where the domestic industry is being built.

USA Rare Earth, Inc. (NASDAQ: USAR), whose Round Top heavy rare earth and critical minerals deposit sits in Hudspeth County near Sierra Blanca, completed its combination with Serra Verde Group on September 3, 2026. Serra Verde's mining and processing operation in Goiás, Brazil began production in January 2024, and USA Rare Earth describes it as the only scaled producer of all four magnetic and other critical heavy rare earth elements outside Asia.

The transaction gives USA Rare Earth producing heavy rare earth feedstock while it continues to develop Round Top and its magnet manufacturing plans, and it illustrates how developers are pairing domestic resources with operating supply to shorten the path to customers.

Critical Metals Corp. (NASDAQ: CRML) reported on September 16, 2026 that testwork on concentrate from its Tanbreez rare earth project in Greenland achieved greater than 99% dissolution of eudialyte concentrate into 19 ultra-high-purity rare earth products. The company also released preliminary modelling for a proposed joint venture refinery in Romania, expected to receive 50% of Tanbreez concentrate under an existing term sheet.

Critical Metals shares traded sharply higher on September 21 after the United States announced a security agreement with Denmark covering Greenland, although commentators noted the agreement does not grant mining rights. The company's refinery economics remain preliminary and subject to further engineering, environmental studies and permitting.

Ramaco Resources, Inc. (NASDAQ: METC) offers a direct example of state support for an early-stage rare earth project. The company broke ground on a pilot processing plant and laboratory adjacent to its Brook Mine near Sheridan, Wyoming, supported by a $6.1 million matching grant from the Wyoming Energy Authority's Energy Matching Fund.

With 2,000+ décor options, 9,000+ costumes and accessories, and thousands of handouts at pennies per piece, Oriental Trading is the one-stop shop for decorating, throwing more parties, and pulling off a trunk-or-treat without blowing the budget.

OMAHA, Neb., Sept. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The skeletons go up before the leaves come down. Nearly half of Halloween shoppers, 49%, start buying in September or earlier, according to the National Retail Federation, and 74% of Americans now celebrate. Total Halloween spending is on track for a record $13.5 billion this year, an average of $115.14 per person, and decorations alone account for $4.3 billion of it.

What changed isn't the holiday. It's how long it lasts. A family that used to buy one costume and a bag of candy now decorates the porch early, sends a kid to a school party mid-October, dresses up a car trunk for the church trunk-or-treat, and still hands out candy on the 31st. That's four separate shopping lists, and most people piece them together across four different stores.

Oriental Trading Company built its Halloween assortment to collapse that list into one order, with the bulk pricing that makes going bigger actually affordable.

Key Facts

- One order for the whole season: décor, costumes, trunk-or-treat kits, party supplies, candy, crafts, and handouts, all from one retailer instead of four.

- 2,000+ value and premium décor options, from tabletop pieces to full-scale yard displays.

- 9,000+ costumes and accessories for kids, adults and groups.

- Thousands of handouts at pennies per piece, including glow-in-the-dark fangs at about 5¢ each and bulk lollipops at roughly 9¢ each.

- 1500 trunk-or-treat items, including complete themed decorating kits starting at $9.99.

- Halloween craft kits as low as 57¢ per kit, with 1,000+ activities for classroom parties, scout troops and rainy October afternoons.

- Three new 2026 collections: Witching Hour, Monster Mayhem, and Frightfully Fun.

- Free shipping on orders $49 and up.

Why the season keeps stretching

Ask anyone who decorates early and they'll tell you the same thing: it's more fun that way. You get weeks out of the decorations instead of one weekend. The kids get to look at the ghost in the window every day on the way to school. And decorating has become as common as carving pumpkins, with 42% of celebrants dressing up a home or yard..

Trunk-or-treats are a big part of that shift. Churches, schools and neighborhood associations line up cars in a parking lot, families decorate their trunks, and kids walk from car to car. It's contained, it's faster, and it's turned into its own competitive decorating event. Oriental Trading carries 1,500+ trunk-or-treat items, including complete themed kits so a parent can decorate a trunk in about 15 minutes without a Pinterest deep-dive.

Going bigger without spending bigger

The math on a stretched-out Halloween can get ugly fast. More weeks of decorating means more decorations. More parties mean more handouts, more craft supplies, and more costumes.

Oriental Trading's bulk pricing is what makes the longer season workable. A bag of 72 glow-in-the-dark fangs runs about $3.89, roughly a nickel apiece. A 300-count pack of Dum Dum lollipops is around $27, about 9¢ each. Craft kits start at 57¢ per kit, so a classroom party for 25 kids costs less than a large pizza.

"Halloween used to be one night. Now celebrations stretch across the season, and families are decorating for more than one night," said Brian Moen, Chief Marketing Officer at Oriental Trading Company. "We want to be the one place where you can get the yard décor, the trunk-or-treat kit, the class party crafts and the candy, all in one order, at prices that let you say yes to all of it instead of picking two. We want to help you really celebrate."

The trunk-or-treat has its own rules

A trunk-or-treat isn't a party you throw once and take down. Families sign up for the church one, the school one, and the one the neighborhood association runs in the grocery store parking lot. Same car, three weekends, and nobody wants to show up with the same theme twice.

Complete kits make that manageable. Oriental Trading's themed trunk-or-treat kits start around $9.99 and come with the backdrop, the props and the signage, so a parent can swap themes between events without starting from scratch. Bulk giveaway assortments cover the handout side, with 100-piece and 72-piece packs sized for the volume a trunk actually goes through.

Value families can plan a budget around

- 2,000+ value and premium décor options

- 9,000+ costumes and accessories

- Thousands of handouts at pennies per piece

- 1500+ trunk-or-treat items, with complete kits from $9.99

- 1,000+ Halloween activities, with craft kits from 57¢

- Free shipping on orders $49+

Top Products for Halloween:

- Trunk-or-Treat Kits

- Halloween Décor

- Party Supplies

- Handouts & Candy

- Costumes

- Crafts

Frequently Asked Questions:

When should I start decorating for Halloween? Whenever you want. Most people now start early. Nearly half of Halloween shoppers, 49%, begin buying in September or earlier, according to the National Retail Federation. Oriental Trading stocks 2,000+ Halloween décor options, and there's still time to put the ghosts up and enjoy them throughout October.

Where can I buy cheap Halloween decorations in bulk? Oriental Trading sells Halloween décor in bulk with 2,000+ value and premium options, plus coordinated decorating kits so a room or a porch looks pulled together without buying pieces one at a time.

What do I need for a trunk-or-treat? A decorated car trunk and something to hand out. Oriental Trading carries 1500+ trunk-or-treat items, including complete themed decorating kits starting at $9.99 that come with the backdrop, props and signage, plus bulk giveaway assortments so you don't run out.

What are good non-candy Halloween handouts? Small toys, glow-in-the-dark novelties, stickers and temporary tattoos all work, and they don't melt. Oriental Trading offers thousands of handouts at pennies per piece, including glow-in-the-dark fangs at about 5¢ each.

How do I throw a Halloween class party on a budget? Buy the crafts and handouts in bulk. Oriental Trading has 1,000+ Halloween activities with craft kits as low as 57¢ per kit, so a party for a class of 25 stays well under $20 for the activity.

Where can I buy Halloween costumes for the whole family? Oriental Trading carries 9,000+ costumes and accessories for kids, adults and groups, with free shipping on orders $49 and up.

What's new for Halloween 2026? Oriental Trading launched three new collections this year: Witching Hour, Monster Mayhem, and Frightfully Fun, spanning décor, party supplies and handouts.

About Oriental Trading Company

Oriental Trading Company, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is a leading retailer of party supplies, crafts, toys, school and teaching supplies, fundraising products, and seasonal décor. Founded in 1932 and headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, Oriental Trading helps families, educators, nonprofits, churches and organizations celebrate, create and connect through affordable products and inspiring ideas. Guided by its mission to make life more fun, the company offers more than 60,000 products across its family of brands, including MindWare®, SmileMakers® and Fun Express®.

Media Contact

Christianna Pally

Brilliant Agency

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IAN LOPATIN, CO-FOUNDER OF SPIRITUAL GANGSTER AND OF COURSE SANCTUARY, SET TO RELEASE DEBUT NOVEL ON 10/10

NEW YORK, Sept. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Ian Lopatin, Co-Founder of Spiritual Gangster and Of Course Sanctuary, is set to release his debut novel The Way of a Spiritual Gangster on October 10th.

In his new book, the entrepreneur, speaker, wellness maven, and former entertainment lawyer challenges the idea that stress is the price of success and offers a new framework for high performance rooted in clarity, presence and purpose. After three decades spent building businesses, studying human performance and exploring the intersection of spirituality and modern life, Lopatin has arrived at a central belief: the quality of a life is determined not by what happens to us, but by the state from which we live it.

In The Way of a Spiritual Gangster, Lopatin challenges one of the most deeply ingrained beliefs among high achievers—that stress is simply the price of success. Drawing from his own entrepreneurial journey, timeless wisdom and lessons from the mentors who shaped his life, he offers an alternative operating system for achieving extraordinary results without sacrificing presence, joy or purpose along the way.

"I believe the biggest lie high performers have been told is that stress is the price of success," says Lopatin. "We've been conditioned to believe that if we want to achieve more, we have to sacrifice our peace, our presence and often our relationships. I believe there is another way. You don't need to suffer through your life or change it, you need to change the state you're living it from."

Before he founded the Of Course Sanctuary, a transformational community that helps entrepreneurs, executives, founders, athletes and creators master the state from which they live, lead and perform, Lopatin founded At One Yoga, helping pioneer the integration of music and modern culture into the yoga experience before selling the company to Life Time Fitness. He and his wife, Vanessa, subsequently co-founded Spiritual Gangster, one of the first global lifestyle brands to merge yoga, mindfulness and conscious living with modern fashion and culture.

The Way of a Spiritual Gangster will be available October 10, 2026 through Mark Victor Hansen Library publishing.

Media Contact:

Kayla Doering

LMPR Communications

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New Survey Finds Patients Want Home-Based Cardiac Rehab, While Coverage and Clinical Oversight Drive Participation

- Vivalink's survey of more than 150 adults with cardiac conditions emphasizes the demand for flexible, home-based cardiac rehabilitation programs.

- Insurance coverage and ongoing clinical oversight are key factors in whether patients will participate in home-based cardiac rehab.

- Patients are receptive to remote patient monitoring when the technology is easy to use, comfortable, and automatically shares data with their care team.

CAMPBELL, Calif., Sept. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Vivalink, a leading provider of digital healthcare solutions, today published new data examining patient attitudes toward home-based cardiac rehabilitation and remote patient monitoring (RPM). The findings point to strong demand for more flexible approaches to these rehabilitation programs and highlight the importance of insurance coverage, clinical support, and seamless technology in making home-based programs viable for patients.

The survey of more than 150 U.S. adults with cardiac conditions found that patients are highly receptive to completing cardiac rehabilitation outside of a traditional hospital or clinic. If a provider recommended a home-based program, 79% of respondents said they would be very or somewhat likely to participate, and when given the choice between in-clinic and home-based options, 68% said they would prefer a primarily home-based or hybrid approach.

Interest alone, however, may not be enough to drive participation. When asked to identify their top considerations for participation in home-based care, respondents ranked insurance coverage higher than any other factor measured (58%). Sixty percent indicated they would not pay out of pocket for a home-based program, while 87% said knowing the program was covered by insurance would make them more likely to participate.

The findings also suggest that patients want the flexibility of recovering at home without losing connection to their care team. When assessing willingness to participate, patients cited active monitoring and review of data by their providers and having the ability to contact their care team as equally important as having easy-to-use monitoring equipment and flexibility to participate on their own schedule.

Key findings from the survey include:

- RPM is gaining patient acceptance: Seventy-eight percent of respondents said they would be comfortable using a wearable at home, and 81% were very or somewhat confident that a wearable could accurately capture the information their care team needs.

- Patients want technology to run in the background: Sixty-three percent of respondents cited automatic transmission of health information to care teams, without requiring them to manually record or submit data, as the most important factor for making RPM easy to use. This was followed by device comfort (57%), clear and simple instructions (44%), and little or no setup (37%).

- The biggest concerns about using RPM at home are practical: Among the top concerns for choosing home-based care, lack of motivation to exercise alone emerged as number one (40%), followed by lack of space or equipment at home (37%) and concern about performing exercises correctly (31%), outranking clinical or technological worries.

"These findings show that patients value cardiac rehabilitation programs that offer greater convenience and flexibility while still keeping their care team closely connected," said Sam Liu, vice president at Vivalink. "The opportunity is to make RPM simple and unobtrusive while giving clinicians the information they need to stay involved. At the same time, expanding access will require reimbursement models that make home-based care an option patients can realistically participate in."

Vivalink's acute RPM solution combines patient-friendly medical wearables with an integrated data platform and clinician portal for continuous remote data collection and monitoring. The solution is also used for other applications such as post-operative atrial fibrillation monitoring at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, and epilepsy induced cardiac events studies at Ochsner Health in New Orleans, Louisiana, to advance research and care delivery across cardiology and neurology.

For more information on Vivalink's solutions, click here. To download the full survey results, visit: https://www.vivalink.com/what-remote-cardiac-rehab-patients-want.

About Vivalink

Vivalink is a leading provider of digital healthcare solutions for remote patient monitoring in healthcare and clinical trials. By combining medical wearables, advanced algorithms, and clinical applications, we provide a more effective and accessible approach to patient care worldwide. Learn more at www.vivalink.com.

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Sept. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association (DIPRA) is proud to announce the promotions of Gregg Horn to Senior Vice President of Research and Josh Blount to Vice President of Technical Resources.

The promotions recognize the leadership and expertise Gregg and Josh bring to two of DIPRA's most important areas of work: research and technical resources.

As Senior Vice President of Research, Gregg will lead DIPRA's research activities, including DIPRA's technical research efforts, Standards activities, and comparative studies of substitute materials. He will provide leadership for research initiatives supporting municipal specification development, coordinate the Association's technical research efforts, and work closely with DIPRA leadership, member companies and technical committees.

Josh, as Vice President of Technical Resources, will provide leadership and management for DIPRA's technical personnel and oversee the Association's technical resources. His responsibilities will include supervising the Regional Engineer Program and its staff, overseeing technical programs and participating in national and international standards development.

"The Regional Engineer Program, Research and Technical Resources continue to be the backbone of our organization, as they have been for more than 100 years," said DIPRA President David Cole. "Gregg Horn and Josh Blount have demonstrated the knowledge, leadership and commitment necessary to build on that strong foundation. These promotions position us well to continue delivering the research, technical expertise and industry support that our members and the water infrastructure community depend on."

Gregg and Josh will work closely together to ensure DIPRA's research and technical programs remain aligned with the Association's strategic priorities and industry best practices. The promotions will strengthen coordination between research, technical resources, and the Regional Engineer Program while continuing DIPRA's longstanding commitment to advancing the proper application of Ductile iron pipe.

Josh will oversee the Regional Engineer Program, including its planning, budget and performance, and will serve as lead staff on DIPRA's Technical Committee. Gregg will oversee the Research Program and its budget and will facilitate DIPRA's Technical Committee, Environmental Subcommittee and other committees addressing research and technical aspects of the promotion and advancement of Ductile iron pipe.

"These are critical roles for DIPRA and for the future of the Ductile iron pipe industry," Cole said. "We are fortunate to have Gregg and Josh leading these efforts, and we look forward to what they will accomplish in their new positions."

Gregg has dedicated 40 years to DIPRA, where he has overseen the association's research projects as well as leading its Regional Engineer program. He joined DIPRA in 1986 as a Regional Engineer, was promoted to Director of Regional Engineers in 1990, and assumed the role of Vice President of Technical Resources in 2013. In that leadership role, Horn worked closely with water utilities and others to conduct research at DIPRA test sites to advance understanding of the performance, value, and longevity of Ductile iron water mains. He is a Life Member of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and has served on numerous committees and subcommittees within AWWA, ASCE, ASTM and ISO.

Josh joined DIPRA in 2015 as a Staff Engineer/Project Manager and has advanced through roles as Regional Engineer, Senior Regional Engineer and, since 2022, Regional Director. In that role, he provided technical guidance to water and wastewater utility professionals and consulting engineers on system planning, design, installation and asset management related to Ductile iron pipe. Josh also provided technical training and presentations, connected industry professionals with relevant technical resources, and helped continue to strengthen DIPRA's relationships across the water infrastructure industry. He is a member of AWWA, and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). At ASCE, Josh serves on the Seismic Design for Buried Pipelines technical committee for the Utility Engineering and Surveying Institute (UESI) Pipelines division.

Read the blog post about the promotions here.

About DIPRA

Founded in 1915, the Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association (DIPRA) has served as a resource and technical advisor to the water industry. DIPRA also provides representation on standards-making committees as well as technical research on a variety of application-based topics. While DIPRA member companies have different names and locations, they share a common commitment to produce and deliver the finest quality water and wastewater pipe material in the world - Ductile iron pipe - and at the greatest possible value to its purchasers.

SOURCE Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association (DIPRA)

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10-year partnership with OG&E delivers more than $2.1 million in combined cost avoidance and incentives for Noble

ARDMORE, Okla., Sept. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Noble Research Institute, a trusted educational resource for farmers and ranchers since 1945, marked the 10th anniversary of its participation in OG&E's Strategic Energy Management (SEM) program. Since joining the program in 2017, Noble has achieved cumulative energy savings of 23,102,086 kWh and 318 kW in demand reduction — equivalent to more than $1.6 million in cost avoidance — along with $516,606.16 in overall program incentives.

The milestone reflects a decade of collaboration between Noble, OG&E and CLEAResult, the program's administrator, focused on operational excellence rather than large-scale capital investment. Through consistent, hands-on energy management practices, Noble's facilities team achieved significant, measurable savings across its campus.

Over the course of the partnership, Noble implemented a series of notable projects and continuous improvement measures, addressing three critical areas of the campus' energy performance:

- Optimized HVAC Scheduling: By rethinking when air handling units, VAVs, RTUs and chiller plant equipment needed to run, the team eliminated unnecessary 24/7 operation and brought baseload energy consumption down across the campus.

- Central Plant Optimization: Refinements to BAS sequencing, setpoints and lead/lag staging brought chiller, cooling tower, pump and boiler operation in line with the campus's real-time load, rather than fixed or oversized schedules.

- Operational Load Reduction: Consistent attention to plug loads, temperature setbacks, minimum ventilation and exhaust run-times, and the shutdown of equipment when it wasn't needed steadily chipped away at baseload energy use over time.

"Being part of OG&E's Strategic Energy Management program for the past decade has changed how our facilities team thinks about energy use," said Richard Brown, director of facilities at Noble Research Institute. "It gave us a framework to continually look for smarter ways to operate, and the guidance of the CLEAResult and OG&E teams made that kind of sustained improvement possible. Ten years in, we're still finding new ways to save."

For OG&E, the results underscore the value of the SEM program's long-term, relationship-based approach to energy efficiency.

For more information about OG&E's Strategic Energy Management program, visit https://www.oge.com/web/portal/label_ord/energy-solutions/efficiency-programs/commercial-industrial-energy-efficiency.

For more information about Noble Research Institute, visit https://www.noble.org/.

About Noble Research Institute

Noble Research Institute is the nation's largest nonprofit dedicated to farm and ranch management and has been a leading, trusted resource in agriculture since 1945. The organization serves agricultural producers with education, research and consultation on regenerating soil health to improve their land, livestock and livelihood. Demonstrating its ongoing commitment to restoring U.S. grazing lands, Noble actively manages 13,500 acres of working ranchlands to provide real-world insights and applications for farmers and ranchers.  

For more information about Noble Research Institute, visit www.noble.org.

About OG&E

OG&E, a subsidiary of OGE Energy Corp., provides our customers in Oklahoma and western Arkansas with the safe, reliable electricity needed to power their businesses and homes with some of the nation's lowest electric rates. We provide reliable electric service to approximately 915,000 customers and generate 6.9GW of electricity from nine power plants. OG&E delivers more than 34.4 million megawatt-hours of electricity each year through its network of power plants, transmission lines, and distribution infrastructure designed for reliability and resiliency. Our employees live, work, and volunteer in the communities we serve. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

SOURCE Noble Research Institute LLC

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With Virginia utilities preparing first-in-the-nation filings on grid utilization and policy interest growing nationwide, new paper provides regulators and utilities a common approach to measuring how the grid is used over time and delivering more affordable energy

WASHINGTON, Sept. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Utilize Coalition, a nonprofit supported by Carrier, Google, Tesla, and other energy industry leaders, today released Beyond Peak: Defining, Measuring, and Optimizing Grid Utilization, a new policy paper proposing a common framework for measuring how effectively transmission and distribution infrastructure is used over time.

The paper comes as policymakers search for new solutions to electricity affordability, and grid utilization moves rapidly into state law and utility regulation. Earlier this year, Virginia became the first state to enact legislation requiring major electric utilities to propose grid utilization metrics. By October 15, Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power must file proposals with the State Corporation Commission that include both utilization metrics and assessments of how efficiently their existing grid infrastructure is being used.

Other states are beginning to ask similar questions, with emerging legislative or regulatory interest in grid utilization in Colorado, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, and elsewhere.

"Grid utilization is moving from an idea to a real regulatory question, and that means policymakers, regulators, and utilities need a common language for what they are actually measuring," said Ian Magruder, Founder and Executive Director of Utilize Coalition. "Virginia's utilities are weeks away from making the first filings required under a state grid utilization law, and similar conversations are happening around the country. This paper is intended to provide a practical starting point: measure utilization consistently, interpret the numbers in context, and use that information to make better decisions and achieve better outcomes for customers."

The new paper builds on independent analysis released earlier this year by The Brattle Group and commissioned by Utilize Coalition and GridLab. That analysis found that better utilization of the existing U.S. power system could reduce consumer electricity bills by more than $100 billion over the next decade.

Beyond Peak defines grid utilization for transmission and distribution infrastructure as the share of deliverable energy that is actually delivered over a given period. Unlike peak measurements, which show how infrastructure performs during its highest-demand periods, utilization captures how infrastructure delivers value across time. The paper argues that utilization should add to — not replace — existing information about peak demand, reliability, system constraints, asset condition, growth, and cost.

The paper recommends several principles for putting that definition into practice:

- Report nominal and operational utilization together. A nominal calculation uses a fixed reference rating to provide a transparent, reproducible benchmark, while an operational calculation reflects usable capacity under defined operating and reliability conditions. Reporting both can help utilities and regulators track performance, identify changes, and balance transparency with decision relevance.

- Treat utilization as a diagnostic tool, not a score to maximize. A high or low utilization value does not by itself determine whether additional load can be served or whether new infrastructure is needed. The paper recommends interpreting utilization alongside existing system metrics and indicators to inform better decision-making.

- Match the measurement to the decision. Utilization can be measured at different system levels, over different geographic boundaries, and across different time periods. The appropriate resolution, complementary metrics, and practical limits will differ between transmission and distribution and across planning decisions.

- Use utilization performance to distinguish grid needs and evaluate what's working. Utilization information can help identify where additional demand may fit on the existing grid, where flexibility or capacity-enhancing technologies may address a narrow constraint, and where larger infrastructure investments may be needed. It can also give utilities and regulators a common language to evaluate existing programs and investments, understand the value they provide, and assess whether they contribute to system productivity and affordability.

This represents a new dimension to how we build and use the grid. The paper emphasizes that improving utilization is not an alternative to building the grid America needs — it is a way to ensure that both existing and new infrastructure are used as effectively and affordably as possible.

ABOUT UTILIZE COALITION

Utilize is an industry-led coalition focused on improving grid utilization to make electricity cheaper, faster, and more reliable. The coalition works with policymakers, utilities, and stakeholders to unlock unused capacity on the existing electric grid, helping states meet rising demand while lowering electricity rates. Learn more at www.utilizecoalition.org.

Media contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Utilize Coalition

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Collins Aerospace to expand engine components facility to support growth and customer demand

14,000-square-foot addition boosts capacity for increasing commercial and military aviation programs

DES MOINES, Iowa, Sept. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Collins Aerospace, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, today announced a 14,000‑square‑foot expansion of its West Des Moines manufacturing facility. The multi-million-dollar investment increases capacity to meet growing customer demand.

The facility specializes in the production of advanced fuel distribution systems, including original equipment components and spare parts, and provides maintenance, repair and overhaul services. These products support a wide range of commercial and military platforms, with the site shipping more than 25,000 engine nozzles each month. It also operates as an FAA-certified Part 145 repair station specializing in engine nozzle systems and powerplant accessories.

"The investment at our West Des Moines site demonstrates our commitment to advancing commercial and military aviation through our innovative fuel‑distribution technology," said James Bagg, vice president and general manager of Engine Control Systems at Collins Aerospace. "This expansion helps us enhance delivery performance, improve manufacturing capabilities and add jobs to meet growing customer demand."

The West Des Moines operation currently employs approximately 300 full‑time employees. With the expansion, Collins plans to add additional roles by the end of 2026, with continued hiring expected into 2027 to support long‑term program growth.

In 2023, Collins completed a $14 million, 9,000‑square‑foot expansion of its Delavan Drive facility that significantly increased its additive manufacturing capacity with state‑of‑the‑art metal 3D printers. This investment has enabled faster production, reduced lead times and lighter, more efficient aerospace parts.

Today, the site is recognized as a world leader in advanced fuel nozzle production and received the National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program certification for additive manufacturing, underscoring its critical role in supporting next generation aircraft technologies.

Construction on the expanded facility is scheduled to begin later this month, with completion expected mid-2027.

About Collins Aerospace 

Collins Aerospace, an RTX business, provides advanced aerospace and defense solutions across avionics, aircraft interiors, aerostructures and engine components, mission systems, and power and control systems. Our global employees are dedicated to delivering innovative technologies to enhance aircraft performance, passenger comfort, operational safety and reliability.   

About RTX 

With more than 180,000 global employees, we push the limits of technology and science to redefine how we connect and protect our world. With industry-leading capabilities, we advance aviation, engineer integrated defense systems for operational success, and develop next-generation technology solutions and manufacturing to help global customers address their most critical challenges. The company, with 2025 sales of more than $88 billion, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.       

For questions or to schedule an interview, please contact [email protected].

SOURCE RTX

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