Maverick Corporation, in partnership with it's electric, will deliver end-to-end EV infrastructure for the largest curbside charging contract in the Country

BOSTON, Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Maverick Corporation, a leading EV Make Ready design and construction firm, today announced it will lead the design, construction, and installation work for it's electric's newly awarded contract to build New York City's permanent PlugNYC curbside EV charging network across all five boroughs. The announcement comes as Maverick celebrates its 30th year in business, continuing a long track-record of successful engagements and depth of experience in projects requiring close coordination with utilities and municipal agencies.

In August, it's electric, the U.S. leader in curbside EV charging, was officially selected by the City of New York and their partner, the New York Power Authority (NYPA), to replace the city's current pilot infrastructure and install an additional 600 new curbside chargers over the next three years, with Maverick providing engineering and construction services. The NYC buildout, the largest municipal curbside EV charging buildout in the country, is targeted at neighborhoods with high concentrations of New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) drivers and limited off-street parking, and is expected to play a central role in helping the city meet its Green Rides Initiative – which requires that all Uber and Lyft trips licensed by the TLC be electric or accessible by 2030. For this major expansion of their highly utilized curbside charging program, NYC DOT is building on their successful partnership with the New York Power Authority, made possible through a contract with their sister agency the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, to procure the contractors best able to meet their needs for curbside charging infrastructure build out, equipment, and operation.

"Maverick has enjoyed a long-standing relationship with NYPA, New York State, and local entities for several years, doing the design and construction of EV infrastructure in support of the state's robust EV charging initiatives," said Diarmuid Clancy, President of Maverick EV Services. "We are excited to put our pedigree and experience to work for NYC DOT and PlugNYC, along with our valued partners."

New York State has long been a leader in advancing greener, more sustainable transportation infrastructure. For both Maverick and it's electric, the NYC contract represents the culmination of years of work in service of that goal and recognition of the kind of large-scale execution needed to help state, local, and municipal partners meet ambitious climate targets in a way that delivers real, measurable benefit to the communities they serve.

"Maverick and it's electric share a symbiotic relationship," Clancy added. "it's electric's leadership in charging solutions for the burgeoning demand for curbside and on-street charging is coupled with Maverick's full Make Ready design, construction, installation, and utility coordination capabilities. Together, we bring clean, sustainable charging infrastructure to states, cities, and towns, and we share core values around the importance of greener, more renewable energy options for both individual and commercial transportation."

Maverick and it's electric have a long-standing partnership, with the two companies previously delivering the City of Boston's curbside charging program in 2025, showcasing a proven, at-scale playbook before taking on New York City's five-borough buildout.

"You can design the best curbside charger in the world, but none of it matters if you can't actually get it built safely, on time, and in coordination with the utility, on a real city block. That's what Maverick brings to this partnership," said Nathan King, co-founder and CEO of it's electric. "We know firsthand what it takes to execute at this scale — Maverick was our partner when we did our first-of-a-kind buildout for the City of Boston, and their decades of experience were a huge part of getting that project powered and delivered. Now, as we take on the largest curbside charging buildout in the country, having a partner with 30 years of Make Ready experience behind every install is what makes a project like this actually possible."

"The Mamdani administration is taking aggressive action to address the climate crisis and achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. For the transportation sector, our main goal is making it easier and more affordable for New Yorkers to walk, bike, and take transit," said NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn. "But for those who still drive, we need to dramatically accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles. This initiative will make charging more affordable and convenient, helping support the transition from fossil fuel-powered vehicles to electric vehicles and expand charging access to TLC-licensed drivers and residents of low- and moderate-income neighborhoods underserved by private charging options."

Founded in 1996, Maverick has completed several hundred EV Turnkey and Make Ready projects across New York, New England, and beyond, including a 5,000-charger buildout in the Northwest. The company's client list includes NYPA, the New York Office of General Services, Applegreen, the City of Boston, Eversource, and Rhode Island's NEVI program, among others.

To learn more, please visit: https://www.maverickcorporation.com/.

About Maverick Corporation

Maverick Construction Corporation, headquartered in Boston, MA, is a full-service Engineering, Procurement, and Construction Company servicing large-scale communications and power networks. With offices located throughout the US and Europe, and projects completed all over the globe, Maverick has an unparalleled track record for quality that dates back to the company's launch in 1996.

Maverick's global team delivers detailed design, innovative engineering, professional installation, and comprehensive infrastructure management to municipal and state governments, power companies, and communication service providers throughout the US and beyond. To learn more, please visit: https://www.maverickcorporation.com/.

About it's electric

Millions of drivers lack home or private garages and cannot transition to electric vehicles due to the lack of on-street charging. it's electric accelerates the adoption of EVs with its scalable and simple curbside charging solution ensuring that every community has access to clean, sustainable transportation options.

To learn more about it's electric, please visit https://www.itselectric.us.

Press Contact:

Jenny Bourne

2087618447

www.maverickcorporation.com/

SOURCE Maverick Corporation

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Protecting our rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and aquifers is critical to delivering high-quality drinking water

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of the American Water Works Association's (AWWA) Annual Source Water Protection Week (September 27 to October 3), Virginia American Water is drawing on this year's theme to "Protect the Source," and highlighting our commitment to providing customers with safe, clean, reliable water services.

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

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

The company's source water protection efforts include:

- Conducting nearly 1 million tests and measurements each year at American Water state-of-the-art research laboratories.

- Application of the most advanced technology, equipment, and filtration processes.

- Constant collaborative work with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other state and local agencies to meet or surpass water quality standards and address emerging contaminants so that potential impacts to water quality are minimized.

"Source water protection is not something we focus on just one week out of the year. It's built into our daily operations" said Thalika Hollingsworth, Source Water Protection Program Manager, Virginia American Water. "Protecting our drinking water sources requires community collaboration. We all play a role in safeguarding these vital resources for generations to come."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Learn more about how water is treated and how it makes it to your tap here.

About American Water  

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

About Virginia American Water

Virginia American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, is the largest regulated water company in the state, providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable water and wastewater services to approximately 384,000 people. For more information, visit www.virginiaamwater.com and join Virginia American Water on LinkedIn, Facebook, and X.

SOURCE American Water

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Protecting our rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and aquifers is critical to delivering high-quality drinking water

BEL AIR, Md., Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of the American Water Works Association's (AWWA) Annual Source Water Protection Week (September 27 to October 3), Maryland American Water is drawing on this year's theme to "Protect the Source," and highlighting our commitment to providing customers with safe, clean, reliable water services.

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

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

The company's source water protection efforts include:

- Conducting nearly 1 million tests and measurements each year at American Water state-of-the-art research laboratories.

- Application of the most advanced technology, equipment, and filtration processes.

- Constant collaborative work with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other state and local agencies to meet or surpass water quality standards and address emerging contaminants so that potential impacts to water quality are minimized.

"While we celebrate Source Water Protection week each year, protecting our water resources is really about the choices we make every day," said Thalika Hollingsworth, Source Water Protection Program Manager, Maryland American Water. "From the actions we take in our communities to the work we do as part of our daily operations, we all play a role in protecting and improving drinking water sources for future generations."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Learn more about how water is treated and how it makes it to your tap here.

About American Water  

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

About Maryland American Water

Maryland American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, provides safe, clean, reliable and affordable water services to approximately 32,000 people. For more information, visit www.amwater.com/mdaw/ and join Maryland American Water on LinkedIn, Facebook, and X.

SOURCE American Water

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Medisights Pioneers New Standard: AI Agents Capture Unprecedented Near Real-Time Market Intelligence in Complex Diseases Like Multiple Myeloma

NEW YORK, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Medisights, the AI-native platform for life sciences, today announced the successful completion of a landmark study demonstrating that purpose-built Artificial Intelligence (AI) agents can seamlessly navigate the intricate, rapidly evolving landscape of Multiple Myeloma to capture actionable market intelligence at scale. By successfully training AI to track this highly complicated disease state, Medisights has pioneered a new methodology for unlocking physician insights that were previously deemed unachievable by traditional approaches.

Multiple Myeloma is recognized as an extremely complicated disease marked by highly innovative and constantly changing treatment practices. Historically, traditional qualitative primary market research has taken months to execute, leaving life sciences companies relying on outdated data. Medisights drastically accelerates this timeline—compressing months of research into mere days and weeks—delivering near real-time market intelligence that empowers teams to act quickly.

The groundbreaking Medisights study set out to answer a critical industry question: "Can AI keep us up to date with deep information on outlier innovative practices and in near-real time, and are there unmet needs that pharma companies in this space need to know about?" Furthermore, the research tested whether AI could accurately reveal what is happening, enabling commercial teams to map the complex reference and referral patterns for CAR-T therapies as they happen.

The results were definitive. Medisights' clinical-grade AI moderators conducted in-depth, adaptive, and highly humanized conversations with specialists. In the past, traditional market researchers would struggle to get at-length interview time with physicians due to several factors. In contrast, Medisights' dynamic AI agents fostered engaging, natural interactions that interviews routinely lasted 45 to 60 minutes. This extended dialogue successfully captured the underlying logic behind prescribing behaviors and mapped geographical nuances in CAR-T referral pathways.

Key Strategic Insights & Actionable Market Intelligence Uncovered:

- Proactive Market Access & Insurance Navigation: The study identified insurance authorization as a primary barrier to entry for in vivo CAR-T therapies.

- Closing the Mechanistic Awareness Gap: Intelligence revealed a significant knowledge gap among community oncologists who frequently conflate in vivo CAR-T with allogeneic or off-the-shelf ex vivo products—highlighting an urgent requirement for targeted medical education to clarify viral-vector and LNP-mediated T-cell engineering.

- Value Proposition & Treatment-Free Intervals: Specialists confirmed that eliminating manufacturing wait times serves as the gateway to a meaningful treatment-free interval—establishing "speed-to-treatment" in rapidly progressing patients as the defining narrative for in vivo therapies over bispecifics.

- Benchmarking Efficacy Expectations: Results demonstrated that clinical adoption hinges on anchoring in vivo efficacy directly to established ex vivo benchmarks, specifically MRD negativity rates, depth of response, and overall survival metrics.

"Imagine a world where you have AI acting as a real-time intelligence layer, continuously engaging with specialists to keep you up to date on outlier innovative practices as they happen," said Frank Seo, CEO of Medisights. "By cracking the code on AI in complex diseases like Multiple Myeloma, we can finally map regional reference patterns for CAR-T therapies and identify precise barriers to adoption giving life sciences companies unprecedented, near real-time visibility into the market."

Unlike generic AI agents, Medisights' agents are aligned with curated advanced clinical taxonomies, ensuring absolute fidelity to clinical facts. This breakthrough ensures that life sciences commercial teams, medical affairs, and field forces can now access a single, verifiable source of truth.

About Medisights

Medisights is a frontier data and technology company purpose-built for compliant life sciences insights at scale. Led by a seasoned executive team with foundational roots at Veeva Systems, Medisights deploys AI-moderators that aim to unlock qualitative depth in HCP interactions. This intelligence is then captured to build Digital Doctor Twins—enabling life sciences teams to actively "talk" to the data, test messaging, and identify unmet needs. With AI-driven workflows, the company is rebuilding market research beyond static reports to a level of insight currently unseen in the market. They do it in a way that is compliant, traceable, and purpose-built for highly complex therapeutic markets.

For more information, visit www.medisights.com.

Media Contact:

Medisights Public Relations

[email protected]

www.medisights.com

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CLEVELAND, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- KeyCorp (NYSE: KEY) and its banking affiliates have raised their prime lending rate to 7.00 percent from 6.75 percent, effective tomorrow, Sept. 17, 2026.

About KeyCorp

KeyCorp's roots trace back more than 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $191 billion at June 30, 2026.

Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 950 branches and approximately 1,100 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank Member FDIC.

SOURCE KeyCorp

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In the news release, 17-Year-Old UCLA Student Launches ClassSwap to Help Students Get Into the Classes They Need, issued Sept. 15, 2026 by ClassSwap LLC over PR Newswire, we are advised by a representative of the company that two hyperlinks have been added. The complete, corrected release follows:

17-Year-Old UCLA Student Launches ClassSwap to Help Students Get Into the Classes They Need

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- When 17-year-old UCLA student Joseph Borna struggled to get into the college classes he needed, he encountered a problem familiar to students everywhere: full courses, long waitlists, unanswered emails and the constant hope that someone might suddenly drop. So Joseph built the tool he wished existed.

While completing his final UCLA coursework, Joseph launched ClassSwap, a student-focused platform that helps college students connect with classmates who want to switch courses or sections and receive alerts about relevant enrollment opportunities.

Students often know exactly which class they need. The harder part is getting a seat. A required course may fill within minutes, and students can spend days refreshing enrollment portals, emailing professors for add codes, checking group chats or posting online in hopes that the right person sees their message.

"I kept thinking that there are students all over campus trying to solve the exact same problem separately," Joseph said. "There should be one place where they can actually find each other."

On ClassSwap, students can list the class they currently have and the class or section they are trying to get into. When another student has a compatible need, ClassSwap can help connect them. Students can also watch classes and receive notifications about relevant opportunities.

The platform is initially focused on campuses including UCLA, Santa Monica College, USC and CSUN. Joseph sees ClassSwap as filling a gap left by existing college tools. Students can already read professor reviews, plan schedules and check course catalogs, but once a desired class is full, their options often become far less organized.

"There are great tools for deciding what class you want," Joseph said. "But when that class is full, students are often left refreshing a page or asking around. ClassSwap starts where those tools stop."

The timing is especially important during registration and the opening weeks of classes, when students are frequently adding, dropping and switching courses. The more students from the same campus who participate, the more useful the network becomes.

"I had a problem, I knew other students had the same problem, and I wanted to build the solution I wish I had," Joseph said.

ClassSwap is available at ClassSwap.org.

About ClassSwap

ClassSwap is a student-focused platform that helps college students navigate course enrollment by connecting students who want to switch classes or sections and by providing notifications about relevant enrollment opportunities.

Media Contact

Maya Borna

ClassSwap

3108578497

[email protected] 

Website: ClassSwap.org 

SOURCE ClassSwap LLC

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Gastech 2026 in Bangkok Converts Global Energy Ambition into Billions of Dollars in Deals

- Cementing the event's place at the centre of global energy growth and dealmaking, Gastech 2026 has seen memoranda of understanding, supply agreements and investment commitments with a combined estimated value of $40 billion USD announced or advanced in Bangkok - dmg events

- Major agreements spanning LNG supply, power generation, upstream development, petrochemicals and shipping show how decisions made at Gastech 2026 are translating directly into new supply, infrastructure and industrial capacity.

- The Strategic Conference continued to advance the discussions on policy, capital and infrastructure that are required to sustain this momentum and deliver secure, affordable and reliable energy at the scale global growth demands.

BANGKOK, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Billions of dollars in energy agreements are moving from discussion to delivery at Gastech 2026. By the end of day three, memoranda of understanding, supply agreements and investment commitments with a combined estimated value of $40 billion USD were announced or advanced in Bangkok, cementing Gastech's essential role as the global meeting place where the energy industry does business.

The agreements announced and progressed during Gastech 2026 demonstrate the event's unique ability to turn strategic dialogue into commercial action. Producers, buyers, governments, investors, technology leaders and infrastructure providers are using the event to secure long-term supply, expand power-generation capacity, unlock new resources, strengthen shipping capability and build the infrastructure projects required to meet rising global demand.

These agreements are not simply commercial milestones. Together, they will influence how energy moves across markets, where new capacity is built and how quickly economies can respond to rising electricity consumption, industrial growth and the expansion of AI. Key deals announced or advanced during the first three days include:

- China Gas Holdings and Venture Global LNG announced a landmark 20-year sales and purchase agreement for 0.5 million tonnes per annum of US LNG from 2030, strengthening supply security for one of the world's largest energy markets.

- GE Vernova and B.Grimm Power signed agreements for natural gas-turbine supply and long-term services, supporting new and existing power-generation capacity in Malaysia & Thailand.

- PETRONAS, PTTEP JDA and the Malaysia-Thailand Joint Authority formalised a 35-year production-sharing contract and natural gas sales agreement in the Malaysia-Thailand Joint Development Area, delivering new natural gas supply to both countries.

- Eni and the Government of Senegal signed a memorandum of understanding to assess the oil potential of five offshore blocks, with the aim of expanding the country's production of secure and affordable energy.

- Sarawak finalised discussions with Indorama Ventures and Japanese partners on an estimated US$1 billion downstream natural gas and petrochemicals investment in Bintulu, which will strengthen local industrial capacity and create new value from regional resources.

- Samsung Heavy Industries secured a US$1.2 billion order for LNG carriers and crude oil tankers, adding to the fleet capacity required to keep global energy trade moving.

- YPF CEO Horacio Marín announced the company's plan to sign two or three LNG sales agreements for its proposed Argentina LNG export project.

Alongside this industry-defining commercial activity, Gastech's Strategic Conference continued to drive high-level conversations on the future of energy security, reliability and affordability. Across the programme, energy ministers, CEOs, policymakers, investors and technology leaders examined the policy, infrastructure and delivery strategies that will allow energy systems to grow with the speed and resilience required to support the world's expanding population and economies.

The ministerial session titled 'Africa Takes Power: Control, Sovereignty and Growth' explored how African nations can convert energy potential into industrial growth, greater energy access and long-term economic value. Speakers considered the partnerships and investment models needed to ensure that resource development strengthens national resilience while opening new supply opportunities for international markets. Hon. Yeukai Simbanegavi, Deputy Minister for Energy & Power Development, Zimbabwe, stated:

"Over the years, we have been relying on imports from other nations, but recently we have discovered oil in the northern part of Zimbabwe. We are working with investors, but we still need more people to come and work with us. We need to upgrade our national grid so that investors can have the correct infrastructure in place to be able to market their investments."

The need for unprecedented infrastructure investment across the value chain was emphasised by government leaders and energy executives throughout the event's Strategic Conference. During the session 'Building Energy Security: The Global Race to Deliver Natural Gas Infrastructure', which examined the pipelines, processing facilities, LNG terminals and power infrastructure required to turn natural gas into reliable energy for homes, cities and growing economies, Paul Marsden, President, Bechtel Energy, said:

"I think predictability is becoming more important in the development of large capital infrastructure. We need to know where the molecule is going to be produced and when, so we can place bets on that. People who are cooking food and heating their homes rely on fuel arriving at a predictable time and being affordable."

The call for greater capital mobilisation and infrastructure development was echoed during the session 'Advancing Sustainable Maritime Infrastructure and Fleet Capacity', as James Sagar, CEO, Hanwha Shipping, explained how the maritime sector can expand the ships, ports and logistics systems needed to support reliable international energy trade, while improving the resilience, efficiency, and sustainability of critical natural gas supply chains. He stated:

"Shipping is a long-term investment. It should be grounded in discipline. How do you maintain the value of an asset over 20 or 30 years? You have to finance it and work with both the supply side and the demand side. When it comes to regulation, we need to ensure that the right technology is in place throughout the life of that ship. It all starts with partnerships and collaboration."

Maintaining the central role of natural gas in an evolving energy mix will depend on how effectively the industry reduces emissions across its value chain. The session 'Capturing the Lost Opportunity: Driving Global Alignment on Methane Abatement Across Natural Gas Supply Chains' considered how stronger measurement, shared standards and technology deployment can reduce methane emissions and enhance the long-term competitiveness of natural gas. Adeleye Falade, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria LNG, stated:

"I think the first place to start is to redefine what methane is: every tonne of methane is a lost opportunity, not just from a volume point of view, but also from the value point of view. Once you get to the point of being able to measure it, the business case becomes very clear."

With one day remaining, Gastech 2026 continues to demonstrate how commercial partnerships and strategic collaboration must advance together to deliver on the world's fast-growing and increasingly complex energy needs. The agreements concluded in Bangkok will set the stage for how the industry responds to the opportunities and challenges presented by an evolving global economy, ensuring that both emerging and established markets have the secure, reliable and affordable energy they need to keep growing with confidence.

About Gastech

Gastech is the world's largest exhibition and conference for natural gas, LNG, low-carbon solutions, hydrogen, shipping, AI for energy and electrification. Gastech 2026 is expected to welcome more than 50,000 attendees from over 150 countries, 800+ exhibiting companies and 800+ speakers.

For further information and registration, visit the official Gastech website. https://www.gastechevent.com

For media accreditation, visit the Gastech media centre. Register here

About dmg events

Since 1989, dmg events has created connections that enable growth by bringing together global industries, governments and innovators to drive collaboration, unlock commercial opportunity and advance meaningful progress across the world's most important markets. Through high-impact events and strategic partnerships, dmg events supports businesses and communities to navigate change, accelerate innovation and build sustainable success.

Operating from 13 offices worldwide, dmg events delivers more than 30 energy and policy events annually. Across four continents, its leading events, including ADIPEC and Gastech, bring together policymakers, industry leaders, investors and innovators to engage on the priorities shaping the future of energy systems and global markets.

SOURCE dmg events

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From Backpacks to Checkups, AZ Blue Health Choice Supports Arizona Students Beyond the Classroom

From school supplies and well-child visits to health screenings and classroom support, AZ Blue Health Choice is helping students thrive across Arizona.

PHOENIX, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Health Choice (AZ Blue Health Choice) is working alongside community partners to help Medicaid families access the school supplies, preventive healthcare, and support children need to succeed both in the classroom and beyond.

This year, AZ Blue Health Choice is investing in a backpack initiative with Equality Health Foundation that will provide approximately 3,000 backpacks filled with school supplies to children and families across Arizona. The backpacks include everyday classroom essentials such as notebooks, folders, pencils, crayons, rulers and glue sticks, helping ease the financial burden many families continue to face.

But the initiative is about more than school supplies.

The backpack distribution is tied to efforts to increase well-child visits and connect children with preventive care. By partnering with trusted pediatric and primary care practices, AZ Blue Health Choice and Equality Health Foundation are helping families access annual wellness visits that can identify health concerns early, support healthy development, and keep children ready to learn.

"Every child deserves the opportunity to start the school year feeling prepared, supported and healthy," said Heather Carter, CEO of AZ Blue Health Choice. "Something as simple as a backpack filled with supplies can make a real difference for families. When we pair that support with access to preventive care, we're helping children show up healthy, confident and ready to learn."

The backpack program is one of several ways AZ Blue and AZ Blue Health Choice are supporting students and families across Arizona.

This year, community health fairs in Cochise, Maricopa, Pima, Pinal and Yavapai counties helped connect 1,350 families with important health resources, including:

- 132 sports physicals

- 130 dental screenings

- 237 biometric and A1C screenings

- 700 fresh produce bags distributed

- 600 hygiene kits distributed

- 57 hearing and vision screenings

These efforts help address barriers that can impact a child's ability to learn, from access to healthcare and nutrition to basic school supplies and preventive services.

Through partnerships with schools, healthcare providers and community organizations, AZ Blue Health Choice continues to invest in programs that improve health, expand access to care, and strengthen communities across Arizona. To learn more, visit AZ Blue in Action.

SOURCE Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona

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Peer-reviewed article by University of Phoenix scholars identifies curriculum-career alignment, critical thinking, and experiential learning and mentorship as strategies graduates associate with career readiness.

PHOENIX, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- University of Phoenix College of Doctoral Studies scholars affiliated with the Center for Educational and Instructional Technology Research (CEITR) have published a peer-reviewed study examining how higher education institutions can support graduate employability as workplace skill demands continue to change.

Published in the International Journal of Innovative Business Strategies, as the article, "Graduate Employability in a Changing World," the mixed-methods study draws on the perspectives of 380 graduates of U.S. colleges and universities and found strong agreement that employability is supported when academic learning is intentionally connected to careers, practical applications and opportunities to develop adaptable skills.

Among 11 employability strategies evaluated by respondents, connecting curriculum to careers received the highest rating, followed by teaching critical thinking and adaptability, incorporating real-world applications and encouraging internships or employment. The researchers found that graduates especially associated employability development with practices delivered through faculty instruction, advising and mentoring.

"Our findings suggest graduates value career relevance when it is built throughout the educational experience," said Rheanna Reed, DM, lead author and research fellow in the Center for Educational and Instructional Technology Research (CEITR) at University of Phoenix College of Doctoral Studies. "Connecting learning to careers, creating opportunities to apply knowledge and helping learners develop adaptability can make career readiness a more intentional part of higher education."

Graduates emphasize experiential learning and practical skill development

Open-ended responses reinforced the quantitative findings. Among 306 graduates responding to a question about employability best practices, experiential learning was the most frequently cited strategy, appearing in 77 responses. Other frequently identified practices included skill development, mentorship and networking, and curriculum-career alignment.

The study also identified barriers that may make employability opportunities harder to access. Among 292 respondents answering a question about challenges, time constraints and competing responsibilities were cited most frequently. Labor market and financial constraints were also identified.

The researchers conclude that higher education institutions can support employability by integrating career relevance across curricula, expanding access to experiential learning, strengthening mentoring and networking opportunities, and encouraging self-directed learning and continuous skill development.

The authors note that the study reflects graduates' self-reported perceptions and does not directly measure the effectiveness of particular institutional practices or establish causal relationships. Its cross-sectional design and panel-based sample also limit the extent to which findings can be generalized.

The authors previously presented study findings in a session titled, "Graduate career readiness and employability: Global issues in education and research," at the London International Conference on Education, November 3-5, 2025, and at the University of Phoenix College of Doctoral Studies' Knowledge Without Boundaries Summit in October 2025.

About the authors

The authors are affiliates of the Center for Educational and Instructional Technology Research (CEITR), housed within the University of Phoenix College of Doctoral Studies, which supports scholarly research and collaboration on topics related to teaching and learning, online and in-person education, educational technology strategies, and educational policies, practices and theories.

Rheanna Reed, DM, is a research fellow with the CEITR and serves as Faculty Quality Assurance Manager at the University. She has worked in higher education since 2006 and conducts research focused on instructional quality, faculty support, student success and graduate employability. She earned her Doctor of Management in Organizational Leadership from University of Phoenix.

Louise Underdahl, Ph.D. is a doctoral instructor in the University of Phoenix College of Doctoral Studies and a research fellow with CEITR. Her scholarship examines graduate employability, career development, mentorship, worker autonomy and human-AI collaboration. Underdahl has taught at University of Phoenix since 2004 and earned her doctorate from the University of Southern California.

Nicole Gulley, Ed.D., is a University of Phoenix College of Doctoral Studies alumna affiliated with CEITR. Her research interests include student retention and graduate employability, and she has contributed to University research examining nontraditional online student retention as well as employer needs, graduate skills and curriculum design.

Shawishi Haynes, Ph.D., Ed.D., serves as a University Research Methodologist in the University of Phoenix College of Doctoral Studies and is affiliated with CEITR. Haynes has more than 30 years of healthcare leadership experience and has been faculty at University of Phoenix since 2008, serving in multiple academic and leadership capacities. Her research interests include graduate employability, student retention, healthcare workforce challenges, and alignment between academic preparation and evolving workforce needs.

Mar Navarro, Ph.D., is a University Research Methodologist in the University of Phoenix College of Doctoral Studies and a CEITR research fellow. Her research focuses on cognition and cognitive ergonomics, including how people learn, understand and process information, with particular interests in online teaching and learning, student retention and graduate employability.

The full article, "Graduate Employability in a Changing World," is available in the International Journal of Innovative Business Strategies, 11(1), at https://infonomics-society.org/ijibs/published-papers/volume-11-2025/.

About the College of Doctoral Studies

University of Phoenix's College of Doctoral Studies focuses on today's challenging business and organizational needs, from addressing critical social issues to developing solutions to accelerate community building and industry growth. The College's research program is built around the Scholar, Practitioner, Leader Model which puts students in the center of the Doctoral Education Ecosystem® with experts, resources and tools to help prepare them to be a leader in their organization, industry and community. Through this program, students and researchers work with organizations to conduct research that can be applied in the workplace in real time.

About University of Phoenix

University of Phoenix is Built for Real Life. 50 Years Strong. The University innovates to help working adults enhance their careers and develop skills in a rapidly changing world through flexible online learning, relevant courses, academic AI pillars, and skills-mapped curriculum for associate, bachelor's and master's degree programs. Active students and alumni have access to Career Services for Life® resources including career guidance and tools. For more information, visit phoenix.edu.

SOURCE University of Phoenix

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From Courtroom to TikTok: New Alcatraz East Exhibit Explores How Social Media Is Changing Crime Coverage

The Alcatraz East Crime Museum is opening a new exhibit showcasing pop culture crime influencer Stephanie Giancristofaro

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn., Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Alcatraz East Crime Museum is opening a new exhibit showcasing TikTok's influence on modern crime reporting. The exhibit will feature Stephanie Giancristofaro, a criminal defense attorney who has become an influencer on TikTok with over 326,000 followers. This exhibit comes on the 10th anniversary of the popular app being used by an audience of all ages.

"There is a tremendous amount of information, and misinformation, surrounding high-profile criminal cases online," said Giancristofaro. "I use my platform to bring the conversation back to the facts: what the evidence actually shows, what the law actually says, and what is simply speculation. People are entitled to their own opinions, but those opinions should start with accurate information."

Giancristofaro started posting videos on TikTok after seeing that the public often struggles to understand the legalities involved in criminal cases. After the murder of four college students at the University of Idaho in 2022, she began making videos to help people gain a better understanding of the criminal defense process and laws regarding the case. People appreciated the videos because Giancristofaro helped clarify confusing information about the case they were seeing dominate the headlines. This led her to continue with other cases so people could better understand the issues in terms they could easily grasp.

According to the Pew Research Center, 37% of adults in the U.S. report that they use TikTok, and that number continues to grow each year. They report that around 55% of adults who use the popular app regularly get their news from it, while 95% say they use it for entertainment purposes. Giancristofaro's videos get millions of views, showing how much interest people have in that type of content.

On September 20, 2026, TikTok celebrates its 10th anniversary. Originally launched as Douyin from a small apartment in China in 2016, it expanded internationally a year later. The popularity of the app was greatly boosted in 2018, when it merged with the app Musical.ly, which featured people lip-syncing to songs. TikTok has surged in popularity as people find that the algorithm excels in serving up content that is unique to each person's interest. It has become an outlet for influencers of all types to find their unique audience, including for those who are interested in crime news, criminal defense, and related issues.

"The new TikTok influencer exhibit is going to be a fascinating addition to our pop culture section," said Ally Mills, artifacts and programs manager at Alcatraz East Crime Museum. "It's become a widely used platform and continues to grow in popularity. People are now using it to get information about criminal cases and more."

The museum features over 100 exhibits and interactives, as well as four temporary exhibit spaces, showcasing many famous items, including Al Capone's rosary, Ted Bundy's dental molds, and Charles Manson's acoustic guitar. This top museum is open daily at 10 am. The last tickets are sold 60 minutes before closing. These interactive experiences are available for an additional fee for birthday parties, school groups, scouts, team building, or other special events. To get a discounted rate for groups of 15 or more, complete the online form and allow up to 72 hours for confirmation. For more information about tickets, discounts, temporary exhibits, and all the museum has to offer, visit the website: https://www.alcatrazeast.com.

Alcatraz East Crime Museum has updated its board of crime experts, which includes Derwin Bradley, a retired master police officer; James R. Knight, a crime writer; Robin Maynard, a certified crime scene investigator in Florida; Derek Newport, a law enforcement veteran who worked for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation for 20 years; and Judge Belvin Perry, Jr., who presided over the notorious case against Casey Anthony, among others.

About Alcatraz East

Alcatraz East is the most arresting crime museum in the United States. Guests of all ages can embark on a unique journey through the history of American crime, crime-solving, and the justice system. Through interactive exhibits and original artifacts, Alcatraz East is an entertaining and educational experience for all ages - so much fun it's a crime! This family attraction is at The Island's entrance, 2757 Parkway, Pigeon Forge, TN. The last ticket is sold 60 minutes before closing. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.alcatrazeast.com.

Source:

Pew Research Center. 8 facts about Americans and TikTok. March 2026. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2026/03/02/8-facts-about-americans-and-tiktok/ 

SOURCE Alcatraz East Crime Museum

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