The program invited cross-functional employee teams to submit projects completed during Conagra's fiscal years 2023 and 2024. Each submission was evaluated by a panel of peers, with the final winners selected by the company's sustainability leaders.

Flexco introduces Natural Elements, a new line of wood vinyl plank products available in 4” by 36” formats in 18 colors and a luxury vinyl stone tile available in 18” by 18” sizes in eight colors.

Metallika from Surfaces brings “the beauty of pure aluminum, transformed in sophisticated patterns and color combinations with stone and glass.”

Tile Redinow offers Redi Trench, an incredibly exciting marriage of design and function for the commercial construction sector, in particular for the hospitality industry.

by Taylor Griggs

The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support! 

Good morning, Portland! There's rain on the menu for today, but you probably didn't need me to tell you that. Hopefully you know how to layer for November in Portland by now. Anddddd that's all the small talk we have time for this morning, so chop chop. It's news time. 

IN LOCAL NEWS: 

• Portland City Council is set to vote today on a five-year contract renewal for the Downtown Portland Clean & Safe district, as well as a major expansion of the service area it covers and a fee hike. A couple weeks ago, when this item was first brought to the council, many Portlanders testified against the contract renewal. Now, four incoming city councilors (Mitch Green, Sameer Kanal, Tiffany Koyama Lane and Angelita Morillo)—along with community organizations and dozens of residents, have penned a letter to the current City Council asking them to postpone the contract renewal. 

Why the negativity for Clean & Safe? Well, as an excellent new article from our Courtney Vaughn details, the Clean & Safe district is overseen by an organization that has significant overlap in its management with the Portland Metro Chamber, AKA the Portland Business Alliance. The new contract would funnel a good portion of the $58 million contract to the Metro Chamber, which they will spend on lobbying efforts for private business interests. The program is also convoluted and lacks oversight, and it contributes majorly to the criminalization of homeless people in downtown Portland. So there's a lot wrong with it. Read the article for more of the details, and stay tuned for City Council's decision today. 

• The Portland Auditor's Office has released a much-anticipated (by me, at least) report on the Portland Bureau of Transportation's (PBOT) Vision Zero Action Plan, which the city adopted in 2016 in an effort to eliminate traffic crash fatalities and serious injuries. But in the eight years since the Vision Zero plan was adopted (and been updated twice), traffic crash deaths have increased in Portland, especially in the last four years. In 2023, 69 people were killed in traffic crashes on Portland streets. Given the current reality, it's understandable that people are questioning how effective the Vision Zero program is. 

While the Auditor's Office isn't seeking an overhaul of the program, the report recommends PBOT makes several key changes to improve Vision Zero outcomes. The audit report says PBOT should create a better project evaluation system, install more speed cameras, and use more qualitative data to determine the most equitable safety projects. According to PBOT, most of the concerns expressed in the audit report have already been addressed in the most recent Vision Zero update.

PBOT leaders did say they are hopeful more traffic safety improvements will be possible when Portland finally (fully) transitions to its new, less-siloed form of government in January. The report just came out this morning, so there hasn't been much in the way of community response yet, but I'm sure it will spark some Thoughts, capital "T." 

•  On a related note, the World Day of Remembrance of Road Traffic Victims is this Sunday, an annual day to honor the many lives lost prematurely to traffic violence. Community organizations Families for Safe Streets, BikeLoud PDX, and Oregon Walks will join PBOT, elected leaders, and community members for a gathering at Portland City Hall. Find out more about the event here. 

          View this post on Instagram                      

A post shared by Families for Safe Streets PDX (@fss_pdx)

• Here's a painful fact, courtesy of a new investigation from OPB and ProPublica: Despite President Biden's repeated promises to save old growth forests in the Pacific Northwest, the Bureau of Land Management is allowing timber companies to log such forests now more than in the last 10 years. Biden's BLM is on track to log 47,000 acres of public lands during his four years in office— about the same amount that Trump oversaw during his first term in office. And, get this: This is after Biden made an executive order to protect mature and old-growth forests in 2022! Considering the rare beauty of these forests—and, more importantly, their importance to ecosystems and ability to mitigate carbon emission—this is very unfortunate. The Biden administration hasn't answered for the BLM's actions, or if they're planning to take steps to further protect old growth forests in preparation for the next Trump administration. Let's hope he makes some changes while he still can, because we all know Trump will be a lot worse. 

• Rene Gonzalez, after losing his bid for mayor, is seeking donations of up to $579 because his campaign is in debt. I wonder if anyone will pay him. 

Stealing this from the other site because y’all need to see it. Anyone gonna donate $579 to Rene Gonzalez’s failed campaign for mayor??? @pradapdx.bsky.social

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— Taylor Griggs (@taylorgriggs.bsky.social) November 12, 2024 at 5:11 PM

IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS: 

• President-elect Donald Trump (ouch) has asked Vivek Ramaswamy (ouch again) and Elon Musk (commentary unnecessary here) to lead a new government agency that he plans to create in order to regulate federal spending. The new agency will be called the Department of Government Efficiency, which just happens to create the acronym DOGE, a reference to the Shiba Inu meme of the mid-2010s and the joke cryptocurrency by the same name that Musk promoted. Apparently, a Department of Government Efficiency needs to be run by two people. I hope I am adequately conveying my tone of contempt here. 

As ridiculous as this all is, it's also extremely bad. Trump, Musk, and Ramaswamy's plan is to fire thousands of federal employees, cut necessary regulations, and ultimately destroy many of the most crucial components of the federal government. All we can do is hope that SOME Republicans in Congress (we don't need all of them!) will realize how idiotic this is and block Trump's attempt to create a new government agency, which he can't do without congressional approval. Or can he? The limit to this idiocy knows no bounds.

However, given these men's volatility—which is replicated in many others in Trump's sphere—it does seem pretty likely that they'll all be in a huge fight by the time Trump takes office. I do think there are some major catfights on the horizon, if that gives you any comfort in these trying times. 

fundamentally this is what Trump administrations are all about: the guys. there will be new guys every week. they will startle you, you'll be astounded by them, and then as quickly as they appeared they will fade into an indistinguishable mass, leaves on the forest floor.

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— Peter (@notalawyer.bsky.social) November 12, 2024 at 4:39 PM

• Here's something that will NOT give you comfort in these trying times: Despite the hope last year would mark a global carbon dioxide emissions peak, humans are burning more fossil fuels this year than we did last year. The world is on track to put 0.8 percent more carbon into the atmosphere than in 2023. Though this is not surprising, it IS actually crazy behavior from humanity (and let me be clear, it's a tiny minority of humans leading the charge on this, though a substantially larger minority are eagerly/mindlessly participating in burning fossil fuels at a rate incompatible with the future of life on this planet). Good thing we will have strong climate leadership in the White House come January. NOT!!!! 

• One way people are attempting to #resist Elon Musk after he helped Trump get into office and will now seemingly play a key role in his administration? Leaving Twitter, AKA X, the social media site he bought and ruined. Bluesky may be the place to be now. (I am finding it much more pleasant.) 

In the week since the U.S. presidential election, Elon Musk has used X, the social media platform he owns, to reiterate his support for President-elect Donald Trump. Some of X’s users have decided they want to post elsewhere. Among the largest beneficiaries of that desire is Bluesky. nyti.ms/48JtYAt

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— The New York Times (@nytimes.com) November 12, 2024 at 10:46 PM

• Okay, here's some actual good news: The U.S. House voted down a bill that would've helped Trump censor and persecute his political opponents. The Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act had previously received bipartisan support, but after Trump was elected, some Democratic lawmakers (and The Intercept) raised alarm bells. The bill would give the U.S. Treasury Department complete authority to revoke the tax-exempt status of nonprofits it deems are "terrorist supporting organizations," which Trump could use to enable the destruction of nonprofits that the future president doesn't politically align with. WHEW. 

• Finally, please watch this video of a little boy and his crow friend. ???????? Bye bye! 

          View this post on Instagram                      

A post shared by Dogs | Puppies | Family (@yourpaws.global)

April 24, 2015

Elon Musk’s SpaceX is preparing for the sixth test flight of Starship, the world's most powerful rocket. It aims to conduct the launch as early as 18 November. Here’s everything we know so far

Months after his successful solo exhibition featuring a compelling selection of his religious paintings billed “The Lord was There” in New York earlier this year, Christian master portrait artist Zimou Tan is now on a mission to make his work more accessible to art lovers of faith and he launched a Kickstarter campaign Tuesday to help him reach it.

Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and BJC Health System have launched the joint Center for Health AI. The center will focus on making care more personalized and effective for patients and more efficient and manageable for physicians, nurses and all those striving to ensure patients receive the very best care.

University of Kentucky Co-Executive Vice Presidents for Health Affairs Eric N. Monday and Robert S. DiPaola sent the following message to the UK HealthCare community on Nov. 6, 2024: We are very pleased to announce that Chris DeSimone and Tim Slocum have accepted the positions of Executive Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer, respectively.

In a groundbreaking study, researchers at McMaster University have identified a potential treatment for Sandhoff and Tay-Sachs diseases--two rare, often fatal lysosomal storage disorders that cause progressive damage to nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. After years of investigating the diseases' underlying mechanisms, the research team has identified an existing FDA-approved drug that could significantly improve quality of life for affected patients and their families.

Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and BJC Health System have launched the joint Center for Health AI. The center will focus on making care more personalized and effective for patients and more efficient and manageable for physicians, nurses and all those striving to ensure patients receive the very best care.

University of Kentucky Co-Executive Vice Presidents for Health Affairs Eric N. Monday and Robert S. DiPaola sent the following message to the UK HealthCare community on Nov. 6, 2024: We are very pleased to announce that Chris DeSimone and Tim Slocum have accepted the positions of Executive Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer, respectively.

In a groundbreaking study, researchers at McMaster University have identified a potential treatment for Sandhoff and Tay-Sachs diseases--two rare, often fatal lysosomal storage disorders that cause progressive damage to nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. After years of investigating the diseases' underlying mechanisms, the research team has identified an existing FDA-approved drug that could significantly improve quality of life for affected patients and their families.

[Domestic] :
A group representing families of South Koreans abducted by North Korea plans to launch leaflets toward North Korea from waters off the coast of Goseong, Gangwon Province. The group made the announcement Thursday, having called off plans to launch leaflets last month due to opposition from local ...

[more...]

European mobile payment solutions BANCOMAT,

Mastercard has introduced Biz360, a digital platform...

Sahabat-AI would enable Indonesians to build artificial intelligence-based services and applications in Bahasa Indonesia and various other local languages, with the understanding of local context, the companies said in a joint statement.

Campbell Soup Co. plans to reorganize its businesses into three divisions, each headed by a president. In addition, Irene Chang Britt, president–Pepperidge Farm and senior vice president–Global Baking and Snacking, will leave the company.

Cheez-It, a Kellogg brand, has ventured into the chip aisle with the introduction of Cheez-It Crunch’d, its first cheesy puff.

Launching its own snack brand only three years ago, Simply 7 Snacks has copacked snacks for customers across the country for years.

Fabienne Saadane-Oaks joins ABF Ingredients as CEO, effective March 16.

KMZ last updated Thu, 14 Nov 2024 11:49:39 GMT

From absorbents and apparel to eye, foot, hand, fall protection and more, ASSE Safety 2015 attendees reviewed innovative products and services June 7-9 at ISHN's booth in Dallas's Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. The votes have been counted and the winners are below...

Young women and girls in Kazakhstan share their stories of trafficking, exploitation and violence and how connection and compassion is helping them to raise their voices and show leadership.

TyreGo.ie is now offering excellent value with their new Tyre Changer & Wheel Balancer packages.

Car Accident lawyer Anthony Carbone is proud to announce the launch of a new website to guide victims of car accident injuries

TyreGo.ie has recently launched its first batch of Easy Balance Balancing Compound to the website.

Burberry has introduced its first virtual scarf try-on experience in its ‘Wrapped in Burberry’ holiday campaign. Partnering with AR provider WANNA, the immersive experience lets customers view iconic Burberry scarves in real-time, with over 50 styles and two classic options. Available online and in select stores, customers can share images and directly access product pages for purchases.

Epic Group has restructured its leadership team, appointing Sunil Daryanani and Dinesh Virwani as executive vice chairmen, and Suraj Kalra as CEO to drive its strategic objectives. Led by founder Ranjan Mahtani, the committee also includes leaders in finance, HR, procurement, and digitalisation, aiming to strengthen Epic’s global presence, improve operations, and enhance stakeholder value.

The "Call for speakers and workshop facilitators" page has been created. [21 Jan 2008]

Duncan Ireland has been in the Internet Officer role at the University of Strathclyde since late 2002. His time is largely taken up with rolling out the T4 Sitemanager CMS (see http://www.strath.ac.uk/terminalfour/). Before arriving in academia, Duncan could be found at Scottish Amicable (latterly Prudential) where he worked on a project to implement the MediaSurface CMS. Prior to that he worked for BAE Systems where he saw the introduction of standard desktops, internet access and an Intranet. His leisure time is largely spent learning how to duck(!) while training with Caledonian Muay Thai in Glasgow (see http://www.caledonianmuaythai.co.uk/) - he refutes any suggestion that this training was deliberately undertaken to bring more folk round to his way of thinking in meetings. Duncan took part a panel session on "Whose Web Is It Anyway?" with Andrew Cox and Brian Kelly. Duncan can be contacted at Duncan.Ireland AT strath.ac.uk

Australia’s premier business organisation dedicated to promoting investment and trade with China will be the first bilateral business chamber to be part of the Victorian Coalition Government’s new International Chamber House (ICH). The Australia China Business Council (ACBC) will move its head office from Sydney to Melbourne to be part of ICH, which is set to open later this year in Melbourne’s city centre.

The Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Melbourne has announced a research partnership with Japan’s Takeda Pharmaceutical Company to develop new medicines that address significant medical needs in gastroenterology. The strategic partnership will allow scientists from Monash University and Takeda to work together to better understand the causes of these gastrointestinal diseases, and work towards developing treatments and therapies for disorders that affect millions of people worldwide.

The global data centre and software giant, Equinix, has recently opened a new state-of-the-art data centre in Melbourne, as part of its expansion plans throughout the Asia-Pacific region. The centre, which is strategically located in Port Melbourne, about 2.5 kilometres from the Central Business District, will help to meet the growing regional demand for premium data centre services, and comes amidst strong growth in Australia and Victoria’s IT markets. Equinix has invested A$60 million in the centre, known as ME1, and early reports indicate an successful launch.

Regenerative medicine research efforts are set to strengthen in Australia with the recent announcement between Melbourne’s Monash University and leading US biomedical institution, MDI Biological Laboratory.

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 6:00pm
Location:
Organized By: University Career Center

Are you a student or recent graduate passionate about making a difference? Join us this fall for our virtual information sessions hosted by the Partnership for Public Service! Our Call to Serve team is excited to guide you through the pathways to impactful careers in the federal government. The Partnership’s Call to Serve team will share: 
Entry-level government opportunities, including internship and fellowship programs.
Practical tips to navigate the federal hiring process.
Tools for effectively searching government jobs.
This is a unique chance to gain valuable insights and set yourself on a path to make a meaningful impact in the federal government. Don’t miss out—spaces are limited, so secure your spot today by signing up here.  Participants are required to sign up on our website, do not sign up via Handshake! 

Proteomics International Announces Director Departure  TipRanks

Clinical functional proteomics of intercellular signalling in pancreatic cancer  Nature.com

The Chicago Transit Board today approved an amendment to an agreement with JRTC Holdings, the firm tasked with redeveloping the former James R. Thompson Center, which will result in major changes for the Clark/Lake Loop Elevated station.

The Annunciation by Master Peace Collection is a(n) Limited Edition. The Edition is Limited to n/a pcs

The U.S. Air Force plans to refine its concept for the future Increment 2 of the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). “Increment 2–we are ‘danger’ close to getting started in earnest […]

Rocket Lab [RKLB] announced its first launch deal for the upcoming medium-lift Neutron rocket —  a multi-launch agreement with an unnamed commercial satellite constellation operator.  Rocket Lab announced the deal […]

Oxbox’s new line of products for use with the refrigerant R-454B represents a crucial step in the company’s efforts to protect the climate and reduce HFC emissions, the company said.

The Ontario Power Authority (OPA) has announced updates to the saveONenergy Retrofit Program that provide additional financial incentives for Ontario businesses to reduce energy used by lighting, HVAC systems, refrigeration systems, and building plug loads.

Wyse Meter Solutions and Certified Building Systems (CBS) have announced a strategic partnership to give condominium owners more control over utility expenses. Wyse and CBS said they will integrate their capabilities in energy management, creating opportunities to reduce energy use by 25-to-40 percent.

TMI Climate Solutions, a manufacturer of advanced air handling, hydronic systems, and custom HVAC solutions, has announced a new subsidiary, TMI Climate Solutions Canada Inc. The company also announced completion of a new 200,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Pointe-Claire (Montreal), Quebec.

Ameresco Inc. announced that it has partnered with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) on a new energy savings project. The $3.9 million (CAD) comprehensive energy efficiency and facility renewal project at NRC research facilities is expected to save over $330,000 annually in utility costs.

Enercare Inc. has announced the launch of the Enercare Fresh Start Program, a new corporate social responsibility program designed to help families transitioning between temporary shelters and a home of their own.