More than 55,000 drivers have signed up to drive with throo in New York City since its June launch. After Denver, throo plans to open in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and Pittsburgh in the fourth quarter of 2026.

NEW YORK, Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Throo, the 0% commission ride-hailing app, today opened its first market outside New York City, three months after launch. Riders can request a car in Denver from the same throo app, signed into the same account, with the same payment method already on file.

Throo takes no commission on any trip. Drivers pay a flat $1 per trip instead: one dollar on a $12 crosstown ride and one dollar on a $70 airport run, in every city and on every product throo operates. More than 55,000 drivers have signed up to drive with throo in New York City since June.

Denver rides are provided by Drivers Cooperative Colorado ("COOP"), a driver-owned cooperative serving the Denver metro area. COOP is approved by the State of Colorado and authorized for pickups at Denver International Airport, so riders can be picked up at the terminal and travel anywhere in the metro area.

Throo also confirmed its next three markets. Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and Pittsburgh all open in the fourth quarter of 2026.

One dollar a trip — lower fares, more for drivers

Because throo's fee never changes, the difference shows up on both sides of the trip.

Riders pay less. On Save Throo, the app's lower-cost option, a Manhattan–JFK trip is more than 20% cheaper on average than comparable Uber and Lyft products.

Drivers keep more. A throo driver keeps what the rider pays, less one dollar and any applicable fees and taxes. Even on the longest trips, throo only takes $1.

Working with a cooperative

COOP's drivers own the company and share in its earnings. A platform that takes a percentage of every fare takes it out of those same earnings, which is what makes most platforms difficult partners for a cooperative.

"We are glad to be launching in our first city outside New York with COOP—a partner who shares our core philosophy," said Kay Woo, founder of throo / TADA. "Our 0% commission model is how we take on the high fares and heavy commissions of the incumbents: drivers get more rides and they keep everything they earn."

Because throo charges a flat fee instead, COOP keeps its own economics intact. COOP sets its own local Denver fares and its members keep them on the terms they set for themselves. Throo brings the rider demand and the dispatch technology.

"A partnership with throo allowed our Drivers Cooperative-CO to take off, providing reliable service to riders in Colorado. By connecting both cities—Denver and New York—we hope to provide New Yorkers with the same rideshare service through the Cooperative, and Denverites with throo when traveling to New York. These connected apps will allow us to support each other's mission," said Minsun Ji, Executive Director, Drivers Cooperative Colorado.

What this means for New York riders

New Yorkers already using throo can now ride across the Denver metro area with the same app, the same login and the same saved payment method.

Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and Pittsburgh follow in the fourth quarter of 2026.

How to ride

Throo is free to download on iOS and Android. Throo covers the five boroughs of New York City and the Denver metro area, including pickups and drop-offs at Denver International Airport.

About throo

Throo is a 0% commission ride-hailing app that first launched in New York City in June 2026 and now operates in Denver, with Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and Pittsburgh opening in the fourth quarter of 2026.

About COOP

Drivers Cooperative Colorado ("COOP") is a driver-owned cooperative providing ride-hailing service in the Denver metro area through its COOP Rideshare app. Its driver-members own and govern the company and share in its earnings.

Media contact

Throo — Debbie Lee, [email protected]

COOP — Minsun Ji, [email protected]

SOURCE throo

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Fitness studio coming to Franklin, offering exclusive grand opening promotions and hosting community events

FRANKLIN, Tenn., Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- BODYBAR Pilates, the high energy, reformer-based Pilates studio, today announced it will open its first studio in The Volunteer State, located at 995 Meridian Blvd., Suite 100 in Franklin. The grand opening is scheduled for Monday, October 26.

Leading up to the grand opening, a limited number of founding memberships are available, offering early members up to 15% off* their membership for life along with priority booking and a complimentary class before doors open. In addition, BODYBAR Pilates Franklin will host a series of community events designed to introduce locals to the brand's signature workouts and the studio team. These include:

- Sip & Shop at BODYBAR Franklin – September 23 4pm–7pm. Shake off the workday with Sip & Shop. Prosecco, wine, and light bites will be available for guests to try, and various raffle prizes will be given out throughout the evening.

- BODYBAR Pilates x 111 Motorclub – September 26 at 8:30am. Get your day started with a free mat Pilates class at 111 Motorclub! This workout will help strengthen the core and improve mobility. Space is limited; attendees must bring their own mat and water.

- Studio Tour – September 24 8:30am-5:30pm. Come take a sneak peek tour of our brand-new studio, meet the team, and get excited for what's ahead.

- Studio Tour – October 2 4pm-7pm. Come check out the all-new Franklin studio. Guests can explore the space and envision their future Pilates routine with us!

- Studio Tour – October 3 9am-2pm. Stop by the brand-new studio and see where strength, community, and movement will come together.

Those interested in attending can RSVP by calling 615-345-3554 or emailing [email protected]. Walk-ins are also welcome at all events.

BODYBAR Pilates Franklin is owned and operated by first-time franchise owner, Brenda Warkow. After building a successful career in financial services and sales management, where she led a team of 60 employees across North and South America, she left the corporate world behind in pursuit of a role with better work-life balance. As a longtime fitness enthusiast, she was interested in the health and wellness industry and began exploring investment opportunities. However, despite years of trying a variety of workouts, she struggled to find a workout that kept her engaged long-term. That changed after her first BODYBAR Pilates class – inspired by the brand's unique and modern approach to Pilates, she decided to bring BODYBAR to her community. In addition to opening her first studio, Warkow is also pursuing certification as a BODYBAR Pilates instructor.

"I'm so honored and excited to be opening BODYBAR's very first Tennessee studio," said Brenda Warkow, franchise owner, BODYBAR Pilates Franklin. "From the very first class I took, I knew BODYBAR was something special, and that's why I believe our community is really going to resonate with it. Our workout is accessible to all fitness levels and uses equipment like the chair, tower, and jumpboard, which sets us apart from others in the area. I'm excited to introduce our studio to the community and welcome our first members soon!"

The Franklin studio will span 2,900 square feet, filled with abundant natural light and a 900-square foot retail area. The studio will also house 14 Reformers and a private room for one‑on‑one training that must be reserved in advance. The studio will offer BODYBAR's signature athletic Pilates classes, led by certified instructors and designed to support strength, balance, mobility, and overall well-being for all fitness levels, using state-of-the-art Pilates equipment.

"2026 has been a milestone development year for BODYBAR Pilates, and we're still gaining momentum," said Kamille McCollum, chief brand officer, president, and co-founder of BODYBAR Pilates. "We just opened our 100th studio in Fort Worth, and by year's end, we'll have operations in 28 states, adding Indiana and Nebraska. It's incredible to see how far we've come, and we owe it to our awesome franchise owners like Brenda who put the blood, sweat and tears into making BODYBAR studios what they are today. We can't wait to see what she does in Franklin."

BODYBAR Pilates continues to grow nationwide, with over 23,000 members, more than 70 studios in the pipeline and 13 slated to open by year's end. Following this opening, Warkow plans to open her second studio in Brentwood in late 2027.

Founded to redefine fitness, BODYBAR Pilates' mission is to cultivate a balanced, athletic, and real community. For more information about the new studio, membership packages and event registration, please call 615-345-3554, email [email protected] or visit BODYBAR Pilates Franklin. You can also follow the studio on Facebook and Instagram.

*Founding memberships are 15% off in September and October.

About BODYBAR Pilates

Founded to redefine fitness, BODYBAR Pilates' mission is to cultivate a balanced, athletic, and real community. We are committed to providing a fiercely effective workout experience, powered by Pilates, that helps individuals discover their physical potential and enhance their overall well-being both on and off the Reformer. Our expert-led classes cater to all fitness levels in a welcoming environment, utilizing state-of-the-art Pilates equipment. As a growing franchise, BODYBAR presents an exciting opportunity for entrepreneurs in the fitness industry. Joining the BODYBAR family means becoming part of a movement that empowers individuals to achieve their fitness goals while building a thriving, community-centric business. This opportunity is ideal for entrepreneurs looking to make a meaningful impact in the fitness world with a reputable, innovative brand.

Contact:

Alexis Paul

Tidehouse

954-893-9150

[email protected]

SOURCE BODYBAR Pilates

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Locally hosted series led by Laura Sacchi highlights the homes, people, businesses, and lifestyle that define Bozeman and the surrounding region.

BOZEMAN, Mont., Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- REAL Shows Network (RSN), the national television platform dedicated to elevating real estate and lifestyle storytelling, has added Life Montana Style, a new locally hosted series serving Bozeman and the surrounding region, to its lineup. The real estate and lifestyle TV series is hosted by local real estate leader Laura Sacchi and produced by RSN's Emmy-nominated, Telly Award-winning team.

Viewers can learn more about the series and watch episodes of Life Montana Style at realshows.tv.

The series captures the spirit of Bozeman by blending real estate, local culture, community stories, and the lifestyle that makes the area unique. Each episode features Laura Sacchi:

- Highlighting notable neighborhoods and distinctive properties throughout the Bozeman area

- Celebrating local businesses, nonprofits, and community organizations

- Spotlighting the people and stories that shape everyday life in the region

- Exploring the experiences and lifestyle that make Bozeman a distinctive place to call home

"As host of Life Montana Style, my goal is to shine a light on the people and places that make Bozeman and the surrounding region such a special place to call home," said Laura Sacchi, host of Life Montana Style. "From longtime local businesses to new voices in our community, I want viewers to see themselves and their neighbors reflected on screen while discovering the lifestyle that makes this area so unique."

Life Montana Style is part of REAL Shows Network's growing lineup of locally branded series that highlight communities across the United States.

As part of RSN's national network of locally branded shows, Life Montana Style gives its host a full 30 minutes to build a recognizable, personality-driven brand while authentically representing the unique character of Bozeman and the surrounding region. The show also provides local businesses, nonprofits, entrepreneurs, and community leaders a high-quality platform to share their stories through cinematic, lifestyle-driven segments.

Rooted in RSN's mission of positive media, Life Montana Style focuses on authenticity, connection, and the everyday experiences that make communities stand out. It celebrates the homes, people, businesses, and lifestyle that give the Bozeman area its distinctive character while offering viewers an engaging, professionally produced look at life in the region. High-resolution images and video clips from Life Montana Style are available upon request.

About REAL Shows Network

REAL Shows Network (RSN) is a national TV network for top real estate professionals and influential local leaders, giving select hosts in each market the exclusive opportunity to lead a full 30-minute show that showcases their expertise, partners, and community. Created by an Emmy-nominated, Telly Award-winning production team, RSN delivers cinematic, lifestyle-driven storytelling and strategic media exposure that builds authority, deepens community connection, and elevates positive stories in each market. For more information, visit realshows.tv.

SOURCE REAL Shows Network

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LONE TREE, Colo., Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- WaveDash Software Inc., an innovator in aviation log management technology, today announced the official launch of its comprehensive log management platform designed specifically for E-enabled aircraft.

The cutting-edge software is engineered to collect, categorize, harmonize, and organize complex security logs, streamlining data management for modern aviation fleets. As aircraft become increasingly connected and data-intensive, WaveDash Software provides a unified solution to ensure operational efficiency, data accuracy, and seamless data accessibility. WaveDash will work with e-enabled aircraft from multiple manufacturers as well as other avionics logging systems.

"Our platform addresses the critical need for structured and harmonized data in modern aviation," said David Chartier, Chairman of WaveDash Software Inc. "By transforming fragmented log data into actionable insights, we empower operators to optimize their fleets with unprecedented clarity."

"WaveDash was created to address the needs of our aviation clients by request of our airline clients" said Dr. Jonathan Butts, Co-Founder and board member

"We continue to explore opportunities to improve the security posture of our aviation clients and WaveDash has been a huge driver." said Billy Rios, Co-Founder and board member.

"It has been an ongoing pleasure to work with the aviation industry in creating what we believe is the most robust log analysis platform specifically designed to meet the industry needs." said Isaac Lee, Lead Developer.

"The opportunity to create products and services that will significantly enhance the safety and security of such a critical industry leaves me both elated and humbled" said Mike Ahmadi, Chief Operating Officer. "It is indeed a privilege to have the opportunity to help an industry that so many rely on."

The company is led by an experienced executive and technical team, including David Chartier as Chairman, Mike Ahmadi as Chief Operating Officer, founders Jonathan Butts and Billy Rios, and Isaac Lee as Lead Developer. Under the technical leadership of Isaac Lee, the platform has been developed to meet the rigorous demands of the aviation sector, ensuring high reliability, security, and integration capabilities.

For more information about WaveDash Software Inc. and its log management solutions, please visit www.WaveDash.com or contact [email protected]

SOURCE WaveDash Software Inc.

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Fragments, the new Métaphores textile capsule, explores material, texture and light across furniture and interiors at Lemieux et Cie in SoHo.

NEW YORK, Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Lemieux et Cie and Métaphores, the French textile Maison within Hermès' textile division, announce a retail partnership launching October 7, 2026, with Fragments at Lemieux et Cie in SoHo. The partnership marks Métaphores' first collaboration with a designer-led showroom in the United States and the U.S. debut of Fragments on furniture.

The collaboration grew out of a shared interest in neuroaesthetics, the study of how visual and sensory experience shapes perception. In interiors, it looks at how material, texture, light, color and proportion shape the experience of a space beyond its appearance.

"Neuroaesthetics is giving language to something designers have long sensed by instinct: our experience of a room is not purely visual," said Christiane Lemieux, founder and creative director of Lemieux et Cie. "Weight, warmth and density all contribute to how a space is perceived and felt. Émilie Paralitici and I realized we'd arrived at that understanding independently, and Fragments brings those ideas together on furniture, at full scale."

Métaphores begins with the fiber, approaching textiles through material and construction. Its practice draws on the century-old expertise of Verel de Belval in furnishing silks and Le Crin in handwoven horsehair. Lemieux et Cie begins with the object, approaching furniture and interiors through design history and a collector's point of view.

In Fragments, natural and technical fibers, among them wool, cotton and linen, come together in woven constructions like tactile samples drawn from the living world. Grain, vibration and chromatic density emerge through a sensory approach. Yarns become fuller. Structures reveal themselves. Surfaces come alive with supple bouclé textures, nuanced color accents and oversized slub yarns that create relief. Each fabric reveals a different architecture of material, capturing, filtering or diffusing light.

For the launch, Fragments will appear throughout the showroom alongside textiles from across the Maison's collections. The installation will feature fabrics on sofas, accent chairs, benches and Pierre Jeanneret dining chairs, as well as pillows and full-height drapery. Dedicated displays will provide a closer look at individual fabrics and their construction.

"Fragments begins with the material itself, through its grain, density and relationship with light," said Émilie Paralitici, creation and image director of Métaphores. "More than a decorative element, we wanted the collection to express a tangible presence, a new way of inhabiting both interiors and furniture."

Following the launch, Métaphores fabrics will remain available through Lemieux et Cie in SoHo for upholstery and interior projects.

Lemieux et Cie x Métaphores: Fragments opens October 7, 2026, at Lemieux et Cie, 161 Grand Street, New York, NY 10013. Showroom hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday through Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.

ABOUT LEMIEUX ET CIE

Founded in 2022 by designer, author and entrepreneur Christiane Lemieux, Lemieux et Cie is a New York design house shaped by design history and a collector's point of view. Drawing on a French and Canadian upbringing and a lifelong study of art and design history, Christiane Lemieux brings an editorial eye to every collection. The house creates furniture, lighting, rugs, art and objects with a focus on provenance, craftsmanship and material.

For more information, visit lemieuxetcie.com | Instagram @lemieuxetcie | LinkedIn: Lemieux et Cie

ABOUT MÉTAPHORES

Métaphores is a French textile Maison within Hermès' textile division, creating fabrics for interiors. The Maison brings together the century-old expertise of Verel de Belval in furnishing silks and Le Crin in handwoven horsehair with its own work in textile development and design. Its collections are developed with specialist makers and carefully selected materials, alongside an ongoing effort to reduce environmental impact.

For more information, visit metaphores.com | Instagram @metaphoresparis | LinkedIn: Métaphores

MEDIA INQUIRIES

For interview requests, product information and high-resolution imagery, please contact:

Lemieux et Cie: [email protected]

Métaphores: [email protected]

SOURCE Lemieux et Cie

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- Viva-Thera makes its public debut with four modalities pursuing HIV prevention, treatment and cure, supported by XtalPi's platform capabilities.

- Viva-Thera combines its first atomic-resolution MPER-TMD-CT structure with XtalPi's AI and automation platform to advance a small-molecule PCC.

- MPER vaccine immunogens elicit antibody levels approximately five times those of the study comparator in rhesus macaques; antisera retain antiviral activity at a 1:1,000 dilution.

BOSTON and SHENZHEN, China, Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- XtalPi (HKEX: 2228) announced that Viva-Thera, a biotechnology company it incubated and backs as a strategic shareholder, has nominated a preclinical candidate (PCC) targeting the membrane-proximal external region (MPER) of HIV-1 gp41. The partners completed discovery and optimization in seven months by combining Viva-Thera's atomic-resolution structural research with XtalPi's AI drug design and automation platform.

In its public debut, Viva-Thera also reported functional vaccine results in rhesus macaques and progress in targeted gene delivery. The company is pursuing HIV prevention and cure through four modalities—vaccines, long-acting small molecules, gene therapy and cell therapy—with XtalPi providing computational design, predictive modeling and experimental automation across the portfolio.

MPER forms part of the membrane-fusion machinery that HIV uses to enter cells. Together with the adjacent transmembrane domain, it retains approximately 90% sequence identity across viral strains, making it an attractive target for broad-spectrum intervention. Its position against the viral membrane and changing conformation have made precise targeting a persistent challenge.

Building on founder and Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Qingshan Fu's extensive MPER research, Viva-Thera's team obtained the first atomic-resolution structure of the HIV-1 Env MPER–transmembrane domain–cytoplasmic tail (MPER-TMD-CT) region using solution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The team then reconstituted MPER-TMD in membrane structures on nanoparticle surfaces, grounding screening in both the target's structure and its membrane environment.

Deploying generative AI from the outset, XtalPi navigated a chemical space of approximately 10 million compounds to quickly isolate five validated hits with desirable drug properties and strong antiviral activity. By continuously leveraging its generative models to engineer and optimize the leads, the partners drove the program to preclinical candidate (PCC) nomination in just seven months.

The AI-accelerated asset targets gp41-mediated membrane fusion at MPER, opening a path toward a broad-spectrum antiviral with a binding site distinct from those addressed by reverse-transcriptase, integrase, and protease inhibitors. Ultimately, the differentiated approach could broaden the range of effective HIV drug combinations and help restore treatment options for patients facing resistance to existing therapies.

The company's vaccine program draws on the same structural foundation. Its MPER immunogens elicited antibody levels in rhesus macaques approximately five times those of the conventional HIV immunogen comparator. Antisera retained substantial inhibition of HIV pseudovirus infection at a 1:1,000 dilution—functional evidence that the immune response could interfere with viral entry.

Viva-Thera's gene-therapy program addresses integrated HIV proviral DNA, which can persist despite antiviral treatment and cause rebound after treatment stops. The company is developing a non-replicating, HIV-derived vector to deliver CRISPR-Cas9 tools to CD4+ T cells. It has completed vector construction, cell-infection experiments and CD4+ T-cell introduction in humanized mice, and is preparing live-virus infection and treatment studies.

Drawing on its extensive track record in drug discovery, XtalPi equips Viva-Thera with an AI and automation platform that scales across multiple therapeutic modalities. Within this collaboration, XtalPi's AI engine actively drives small-molecule generative design, analyzes immunogen conformations and binding affinities, models gene-therapy dosing, and computationally optimizes in vivo immunotherapies. This computational heavy lifting is seamlessly integrated with XtalPi's robotic automation, enabling high-throughput testing and rapid, iterative refinement.

Viva-Thera drives the overarching biological strategy, deploying its structural insights, virological expertise, and targeted delivery systems to direct experimental validation and define the core clinical challenges. Empowered by these integrated capabilities, Viva-Thera is uniquely positioned to advance complementary vaccine, gene, and cell therapies in parallel—simultaneously pursuing broad-spectrum protection against infection and strategies to eradicate the viral reservoir.

"Our vision is to bring together the interventions needed to prevent HIV and ultimately cure it—from blocking infection to addressing the viral reservoir," said Dr. Qingshan Fu, Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Viva-Thera. "XtalPi's AI and automation platform allows us to pursue that ambition across multiple therapeutic modalities, at a pace and breadth that would be difficult to achieve through conventional R&D. By combining our understanding of HIV biology with these capabilities, we can explore more possibilities in parallel and move promising discoveries toward medicines faster."

"AI's value in science must ultimately be measured by what it makes possible for people," said Dr. Shuhao Wen, Chairman of XtalPi. "Through investment, incubation and partnership, we are committed to giving exceptional scientists the capabilities to tackle difficult diseases where progress could change patients' lives. Viva-Thera embodies that ambition: deep scientific expertise directed at a challenge that has resisted decades of research. Our role is to help teams like this translate their discoveries into medicines that expand treatment options and bring lasting improvements in health within reach."

About Viva-Thera

Viva-Thera Biotech Co., Ltd. is an innovative biopharmaceutical company incubated by XtalPi Inc. Established in 2025, the company has developed a proprietary targeted immunotherapy platform to advance novel therapeutic and preventive approaches for HIV. Its pipeline includes HIV gp41-MPER nanoparticle vaccines, MPER-targeted long-acting therapeutics, targeted delivery systems for CD4+ immune cells, as well as gene therapy and in situ immunotherapy approaches. Viva-Thera is committed to advancing transformative solutions for HIV, with the ultimate goal of achieving breakthroughs in vaccine development and enabling a functional cure for the disease.

About XtalPi

XtalPi Holdings Limited (XtalPi, 2228.HK) was founded in 2015 by three physicists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It is an innovative R&D platform powered by quantum physics, artificial intelligence, and robotics. By integrating first-principles calculations, AI algorithms, high-performance cloud computing, and standardized automation systems, XtalPi provides digital and intelligent R&D solutions for companies in the pharmaceutical, materials science, agricultural technology, energy, new chemicals, and cosmetics industries.

SOURCE XtalPi

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With 40% of Veterans Affairs knee-replacement patients living in rural areas, national data show why rehabilitation must reach Veterans across geography and fractured care settings.

BROOKFIELD, Conn., Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- ROM Technologies Inc.® (ROMTech®), creator of the PortableConnect® Rehab System, announced today that its at-home rehabilitation model can help address two barriers facing Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) knee-replacement patients: 1) distance from rehabilitation services; and 2) coordination between VA and Community Care.

VA leaders and clinicians can explore PortableConnect® or contact ROMTech to discuss access to home-based rehabilitation for Veterans.

Approximately 3 million rural Veterans are enrolled in VA health care, and 54% are age 65 or older. In a national VA knee-replacement study, 40.8% of patients lived in rural areas, making repeated long distance travel a potential barrier to consistent rehabilitation.

A national study identified 93,063 primary knee replacements among VA enrollees from October 2019 through July 2024; 58,152, or 62.5%, occurred through Community Care. The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) consistently points to referral delays and scheduling bottlenecks in the split system. Fragmented oversight and communication can push the administrative burden onto the patient during the already difficult recovery period. Veterans therefore need timely, coordinated rehabilitation regardless of where surgery occurs.

Travel is already a significant VA operational consideration. Its 2026 revised budget request includes approximately $2.29 billion for Beneficiary Travel, although the VA does not report how much is attributable to rehabilitation or rural Veterans. In a separate rural cancer-care initiative, the VA brought services closer to nearly 4,000 Veterans, supporting more than 11,000 appointments while avoiding more than 900,000 travel miles.

"Veterans should not have to choose between the protracted travel required to reach rehabilitation and missing it altogether," said Peter Arn, ROMTech Chief Executive Officer. "PortableConnect delivers structured rehabilitation at home while keeping clinicians connected 100% of the time to each Veteran's recovery across VA and Community Care."

The PortableConnect platform provides clinician-directed therapy, remote monitoring and real-time recovery data. ROMTech has deployed the PortableConnect in the homes of more than 200,000 patients nationwide, including patients from 63 VA hospitals. In a separate internal analysis of 35,294 patients, users averaged 2.7 sessions per day, seven days per week—approximately 38 sessions during the first two weeks after discharge, compared with 4 to 6 ambulatory physical therapy sessions during the same period.

In a separate analysis of self-reported outcomes from 2,371 PortableConnect patients following total knee replacement, patients reported:

- 2.9% overnight hospital readmission rate and a 2.5% rate of falls with injury, compared with published rates of 6.7% and 8.0%, respectively.

- 2.6% combined rate of deep-vein thrombosis or infection involving the surgical knee and a 2.8% manipulation-under-anesthesia rate, approximating published rates or lower.

The PortableConnect gives the VA a scalable way to extend rehabilitation access and clinical oversight into the home, expand capacity and support continuity across VA and Community Care.

About ROMTech

ROM Technologies Inc. (ROMTech) is a medical technology company advancing rehabilitation through its Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-registered PortableConnect Rehab System. It's mission is "To deliver best-in-class patient recovery through intelligent technology, clinical precision, and human-centered care." The system combines clinician-directed therapy, remote patient monitoring, artificial intelligence-driven insights and real-time data. Founded in 2013 and based in Brookfield, Connecticut, ROMTech continues to expand across orthopedic rehabilitation and additional health care applications. Fast Company named ROMTech one of the Most Innovative Companies of 2025; LexisNexis named it to the Top 100 Global Innovators for 2026; and MedTech Breakthrough recognized the PortableConnect as the 2026 Best Home Health Care Solution. Learn more at www.ROMTech.com.

SOURCE ROMTech

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From the Court to the Community: Jayden Johnson and Salad House Fuel Elizabeth Youth

Elizabeth basketball standout brings healthy meals and a day of basketball back to local youth through a growing NIL Partnership with Salad House

ELIZABETH, N.J., Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- For Jayden Johnson, giving back to the community that shaped him has become as important as what happens on the basketball court. The Elizabeth basketball standout recently welcomed local boys and girls to the Fred Erxleben Recreation Center for a free, full-day basketball camp centered around skill development, competition, mentorship, and community. Joining Johnson for the day was his partner, Salad House, which fueled campers during lunch with a selection of the New Jersey-based restaurant brand's signature wraps and meals.

Johnson has developed an organic relationship with Salad House, frequently visiting the brand's Newark and Westfield locations near his hometown of Elizabeth and calling it one of his preferred healthy options for a pregame or postgame meal. That relationship made Salad House a natural fit when Johnson began planning how he could provide campers with a quality meal during a full day in the gym.

During the lunch break, Salad House delivered platters of its signature wraps, including fan favorites such as the Buffalo Chicken Wrap and Crispy Mutha Clucka Wrap, giving young athletes a chance to refuel before returning to the court for the afternoon session.

The food quickly became a highlight of the day.

For Johnson, however, the partnership meant more than a healthy lunch. "Elizabeth is home, and being able to give kids from my community a full day where they can come into the gym, compete, learn, and have fun means a lot to me," Johnson said. "I wanted everything about the camp to be first-class and completely free for the kids. Salad House is already somewhere I personally like to eat before and after games, so having them step up and help feed everybody made the partnership feel real and authentic."

The collaboration reflects Johnson's growing focus on using his platform beyond basketball. After establishing himself as one of Elizabeth's most recognizable young athletes, Johnson has made community engagement a priority, leveraging his NIL to create opportunities for younger players to interact with someone who grew up playing on many of the same courts.

Rather than simply putting his name on a camp, Johnson spent the day working directly with participants through basketball instruction, drills, competitions, and conversations about the work required to continue developing both on and off the court.

Salad House's involvement also reflects the athlete partnerships the brand continues to build throughout the region, connecting healthy eating, sports, and local community initiatives in the markets its restaurants serve.

"Jayden genuinely enjoys Salad House and understands how important nutrition is as a top athlete, but what makes this partnership special is his commitment to his community," said Jerry Eicke, Salad House Chairman. "When he told us what he had created for kids in Elizabeth, we wanted to support him. Being able to provide lunch and help fuel an entire day of basketball was exactly the type of impact we want these partnerships to have."

The camp was held at the Fred Erxleben Recreation Center in Elizabeth, providing local youth with free access to basketball instruction and programming in their own community. For Johnson, it is only the beginning. "This is where I come from," Johnson added. "As I continue growing in basketball, I want the kids here to grow with me. If I have partners that believe in me, I want to find ways to bring those relationships back home and create opportunities for other people too."

Through Johnson's partnership with Salad House, the day provided a simple example of what athlete-brand relationships can look like when they extend beyond traditional endorsements: a hometown athlete, a regional business, and a shared investment in the next generation.

About Jayden Johnson: Jayden Johnson is a high school basketball standout from Elizabeth, New Jersey, who has emerged as one of the area's notable young players. While representing Elizabeth, Johnson helped capture a 2024 state championship and surpassed the 1,000-career-point milestone. He will finish his high school career at nationally recognized St. Thomas More (CT). Jersey Sports Group represents him for NIL and marketing opportunities.

About Salad House: Salad House is a fast-casual, health-conscious restaurant franchise founded in New Jersey in 2011, built around fresh, customizable meals that fuel active lifestyles. Known for its high-quality salads, wraps, grain bowls, sandwiches, and more, Salad House delivers a modern approach to convenient, better-for-you dining. As the brand continues to expand across the East Coast and beyond, Salad House remains committed to serving fresh food, supporting local communities, and making healthy eating more accessible. To learn more about Salad House and its franchise opportunities, visit www.thesaladhouse.com or www.saladhousefranchising.com.

SOURCE Salad House

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Sikh Advocacy Group Petition UN General Assembly to Recognize Punjab as Occupied Territory and Affirm Sovereign Right to Self-Determination - No Peace Without Freedom

NEW YORK, Sept 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -— Today, human rights advocacy group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) formally submitted a comprehensive legal memorandum to the United Nations General Assembly President, UN Member States, and the Secretary-General. The petition demands urgent international intervention against an escalating campaign of state-sponsored genocide, ethnocide, and transnational repression orchestrated by India's regime.

https://x.com/SFJ_US_Official/status/2102401711323087074?s=20

The memorandum establishes the legal and historical foundation for positioning Indian Governed Punjab as a distinct territory under foreign and administrative occupation. Highlighting the existential crisis facing the indigenous Sikh nation, SFJ underscores that internal pathways for autonomy within the Indian constitutional framework have been entirely foreclosed through decades of militarized suppression and state-backed genocidal violence.

Statement by SFJ General Counsel, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun:

"The question before the United Nations is the survival of Sikhs as the indigenous people of Punjab — their identity, culture, ancestral homeland and political future. The memorandum documents what Sikhs are facing: genocide, ethnocide, economic strangulation, narcotics, demographic displacement and decades of state violence."

"When internal pathways for protecting an indigenous people have been exhausted, self-determination becomes the peaceful path forward. The Khalistan Referendum is the ballot through which Sikhs are exercising that right — because there can be no peace without freedom."

Key Pillars of the Submission to the United Nations:

Activation of Remedial Sovereignty: With domestic remedies exhausted, the Sikh nation's right to external, remedial self-determination is legally activated under Article 1 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and Articles 3, 7, and 8 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). The global Khalistan Referendum operates as a non-violent, democratic, and transparent exercise of this exact right.

Transnational Repression and 5GW Warfare: The submission highlights the Modi regime's borderless "Fifth Generation War" (5GW), detailing state-sponsored extrajudicial operations on foreign soil. This includes the June 2023 assassination of Canadian activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, thwarted plots against SFJ General Counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the United States, and active "Duty to Warn" intelligence alerts issued by law enforcement to referendum coordinators in Canada and the United Kingdom. These actions violate Article 2(4) of the UN Charter regarding the prohibition of the threat or use of force against state sovereignty.

Structural and Historical Genocidal Policies: The brief outlines systematic state actions inside Indian occupied Punjab since 2014—including the weaponization of class-A narcotics resulting in over 9,000 deaths, severe economic strangulation driving over 18,000 agrarian suicides, and forced demographic engineering. It links these contemporary actions to historical atrocities, including the 1984 military attack on Harmandir Sahib (Operation Blue Star), the November 1984 anti-Sikh Genocide, and the covert extrajudicial elimination of over 100,000 Sikhs between 1988 and 1995.

Precedent of International Jurisprudence: Invoking the International Court of Justice's Chagos Advisory Opinion (2019), SFJ emphasizes that self-determination obligations are erga omnes, creating a binding legal interest and duty for all UN Member States to cooperate with the General Assembly in dismantling colonial and administrative subjugation.

Prayer for Relief: Sikhs for Justice petitions the UN General Assembly to formally recognize Punjab as a territory occupied by India, acknowledge the distinct indigenous status and plight of the Sikh nation, and condemn transnational state violence designed to suppress peaceful democratic voting in Khalistan Referendum.

SOURCE Sikhs For Justice

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The first-ever voter engagement campaign aimed at survivors of extreme weather will feature events in more than a dozen states including concerts, artistic performances, and roundtables.

The tour will launch on September 25 in Burnsville, NC, to mark the two-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene with a concert from local banjo and ballad singer Murphy Campbell and other local musicians.

NEW YORK, Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Extreme Weather Survivors (EWS), a nonprofit dedicated to amplifying the voices of everyday people harmed by extreme weather events, launched a new voter engagement campaign, "Stolen Summers," to engage and motivate survivors of disasters ahead of the midterm election to have their voices centered in policy decisions.

The nationwide campaign will feature events in more than a dozen states, including major stops in North Carolina, Texas, Colorado, and California, states with key elections that have been recently impacted by extreme weather. EWS is partnering with artists, organizers, community leaders, and survivors to curate unique programs to showcase the real-life experience of survivors and demand leaders prioritize their needs during the lengthy and expensive recovery process.

In addition to the events, the campaign also includes support, guidance, microgrants and toolkits for survivors to rally their local communities through grassroots gatherings, supporting the individual survivors becoming the experts and leaders creating change and helping rebuild their communities. View the current slate of programming at https://www.extremeweathersurvivors.org/stolensummers; additional events and details will be added throughout the fall.

"Disasters leave behind loss, but they also reveal the immense strength of individual leaders and communities when we pull together," said Sierra Kos, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director of Extreme Weather Survivors. "Through music, roundtable discussions, and performance art, this next chapter of Stolen Summers is about creating spaces for survivors to reclaim their narratives and force their stories to be heard and acknowledged. It's time for elected leaders to stop looking away from the crisis at hand, so we're inviting them to meet us in these spaces to have important conversations and inspire action before more is stolen from us. The name Stolen Summers was coined after so many communities shared how much is being stolen from them by the rise of extreme weather disasters and extreme heat."

"Western North Carolina has been home to people within my family for centuries. In the wake of Hurricane Helene, I saw the quality I know mountain people to carry demonstrated generously — altruism," said Murphy Campbell, Hurricane Helene survivor and Appalachian folk singer. "Concern for their neighbor before themselves, fierce independence to rebuild on their own terms, and resilience in hopes of better for future generations of Appalachians. That's why we are hosting this event in the heart of Yancey County — to finally give back to those that need it. I sing songs from my family for the same reason I desire to help rebuild in the wake of Helene — to preserve the hardship and stories of those who made Western North Carolina home."

"Too often, we encounter disasters as headlines, numbers, or images on a screen, and then the world moves on. But for the people who lived through them, the story is still unfolding," said Arian Moayed, actor, co-founder and board chair of Waterwell. "Theater has this incredible ability to bring us into someone else's experience and ask us to really listen. With Stolen Summers, we're putting survivors' own words at the center and using performance to make those experiences immediate, human, and impossible to ignore. Waterwell is proud to help create a space where these stories can be heard, felt, and carried with us beyond the theater."

The programming will kick off in Burnsville, North Carolina, on September 25th, honoring the two-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene. EWS is partnering with Appalachian folk singer Murphy Campbell, alongside local partners including Common Cause NC, for a curated community concert featuring local folk singers. The evening will celebrate the spirit of the community through music and shine a spotlight on the painful recovery process since Helene.

The campaign will conclude on October 22nd with a theatrical event in Los Angeles in partnership with Waterwell, Lee Sunday Evans, and Arian Moayed. The event will feature professional actors performing curated survivor stories for a live audience, with musical performances woven between segments, for a full day of storytelling showcasing how extreme weather has affected communities nationwide.

The midterm campaign is a continuation of the organization's successful "Stolen Summers" programming. EWS hosted the first-ever national survivor summit in Washington, D.C., earlier this summer, bringing together more than 75 survivors from across the country to demand our leaders prioritize the voices and needs of extreme weather survivors.

EWS also released this summer new national polling showing that 71% of Americans report personally experiencing at least one extreme-weather impact in the past three years, while 64% agree people affected by disasters are often left to fend for themselves after the initial emergency passes.

SOURCE Extreme Weather Survivors, a project of Tides Center

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