More than 1,000 families seek financial assistance as nonprofit launches national "$6 for 1 in 6" fundraising campaign

CHICAGO, Oct. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Stork Foundation for Infertility received a record 1,076 applications for financial assistance during its 2026 grant cycle, highlighting the high cost of fertility treatment for many Americans.

An analysis of applicant data found:

- 85% had no insurance coverage for the fertility treatment they were pursuing.

- $19,149 was the average anticipated cost of applicants' next course of treatment.

- 39% had already spent more than $10,000 out of pocket before applying for assistance.

- Applicants came from all 50 states, underscoring the nationwide demand for support.

In response, The Stork Foundation is launching its "$6 for 1 in 6" fundraising campaign, inspired by the World Health Organization's finding that one in six people worldwide experience infertility. The campaign encourages supporters to donate $6 in honor of a child whose life was made possible through fertility treatment, helping fund grants for families struggling to afford care.

The campaign will run through Giving Tuesday, December 1, 2026, with all funds raised supporting additional fertility treatment grants. The goal is to help more families access treatment through the Foundation's annual grant program.

Supporters can learn more and donate at: https://form-renderer-app.donorperfect.io/give/the-stork-foundation-for-infertility/1in6

The data make clear that cost remains one of the biggest barriers to fertility treatment," said Elizabeth Frattura, founder of The Stork Foundation for Infertility. "Too many families are forced to delay or forgo care simply because they cannot afford it."

The findings reflect a broader national challenge. According to KFF's 2024 Employer Health Benefits Survey, just 27% of large employers offering health benefits reported providing IVF coverage.

More than 100,000 babies were born through IVF in the United States in 2024, yet many families still struggle to afford treatment.

"For those fortunate enough to have built their families through fertility treatment, this is an opportunity to pay it forward," Frattura said. "Every donation helps us say yes to more families."

Founded in 2020, The Stork Foundation for Infertility provides fertility treatment grants of up to $15,000 to eligible individuals and couples facing financial barriers to care. The Foundation is currently reviewing its 2026 applications, with grant recipients expected to be notified in November.

About The Stork Foundation for Infertility

The Stork Foundation for Infertility is a national nonprofit dedicated to increasing access to fertility treatment through financial assistance, education and advocacy. Since 2020, the Foundation has helped individuals and couples overcome financial barriers to building their families. Learn more at storkfoundation.org.

Media Contact

Julie Ferguson

JFPR Media

[email protected]

SOURCE The Stork Foundation

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FRESNO, Calif., Oct. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- PrideStaff recently held its annual blood drive, continuing a community tradition dedicated to Jensen Blanks, a local child whose remarkable story has inspired PrideStaff employees to give back since 2023.

This year's drive successfully exceeded PrideStaff's participation goal. Driven by the theme "Don't Let the Blood Supply Fall," employees, family members, and friends stepped up to donate and support local patients who rely on lifesaving blood products. The annual tradition began in 2023 when PrideStaff learned about Jensen's story through his father, Jason, and chose to dedicate its yearly drive to supporting his family and local patients in need. Born extremely premature, Jensen relied on blood transfusions during his earliest days.

Since then, the PrideStaff team has followed and celebrated Jensen's progress. After having his tracheostomy removed in 2024, Jensen has continued to reach new milestones. Today, he is thriving, has started first grade, and is exploring new interests, including photography, drawing, and music.

"Knowing that people are willing to donate blood for families like ours means more than we can put into words," Jason said. "Thank you so much to everyone at PrideStaff who participated in the blood drive and provided our family and countless others with hope through this life-saving gift. You are our heroes!"

The annual drive reflects PrideStaff's commitment to supporting the communities where its employees live and work. By bringing employees and their families together around blood donation, the company aims to turn a workplace tradition into meaningful help for patients facing critical medical needs.

"Jensen's story is a powerful reminder that one act of generosity can have an impact for years to come," said Tammi Heaton, Co-CEO of PrideStaff. "We are proud of our team for once again coming together to support families in our community. Exceeding this year's donor goal made the event even more meaningful, but the greatest success is knowing these donations can help someone reach their next milestone."

About PrideStaff

PrideStaff was founded in the 1970s as 100% company-owned units and began franchising in 1995. It operates offices in North America to serve thousands of clients and is headquartered in Central California. With 45-plus years in the staffing business, PrideStaff offers the resources and expertise of a national firm, with the spirit, dedication, and personal service of smaller, entrepreneurial firms. PrideStaff is the only nationwide commercial staffing firm in the U.S. and Canada with over $100 million in annual revenue to earn ClearlyRated's prestigious Best of Staffing® 15-Year Diamond Awards three years in a row, highlighting exceptional client and talent service quality.

For more information on our services, or for staffing franchise information, visit our website.

SOURCE PrideStaff

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Williston Basin wells extend pump run life 5.5× and 4.7× with zero production loss after a single bullhead treatment; both pumps continue to operate beyond one year

HOUSTON, Oct. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- TenEx Technologies today announced extended field results demonstrating SandBOND™'s ability to control severe proppant production and protect downhole pumps in long-lateral horizontal wells without sacrificing production.

Chord Energy, a Williston Basin operator, was looking to further decrease pump failures caused by severe proppant production in approximately 10,000-ft lateral wells. Following a single SandBOND™ treatment in two wells, both wells have now operated for more than one year without a sand-related pump failure, with both pumps continuing to run with stable performance.

Field Results:

- Zero pump failures in both treated wells

- More than one year of continuous pump operation following treatment

- Zero production loss and 100% regained permeability

- No intervention rig, workover, or specialized equipment required

- Simple bullhead treatment followed by a 24-hour soak

"Sand-driven pump failures have been a persistent challenge in long-lateral horizontal wells across the industry," said Miguel Peña, CEO of TenEx Technologies. "These results demonstrate that SandBOND™ can break that cycle with a simple, low-complexity treatment while maintaining production. More than a year after treatment, both pumps are still running."

SandBOND™, a non-resin, atomized aluminum-based sand-control technology, is designed to control proppant production while maintaining well productivity. The treatment is bullheaded directly into the well, followed by a 24-hour soak, with no intervention rig, workover, or specialized equipment required.

"The combination of sustained pump performance and zero production losses is particularly significant," said Amr Radwan, Co-Founder and CTO of TenEx Technologies. "These results demonstrate that SandBOND™ can control proppant while allowing the well to continue producing effectively."

The full case study, "Breaking the Cycle of Sand Production–Driven Pump Failures in Long Horizontal Wells," is available at PumpMoreOil.com.

About TenEx Technologies

TenEx Technologies develops materials-based chemistries for new and existing wells that address critical challenges in oil and gas operations. TenEx has deployed its technologies across North America, South America, and the Middle East. The company was selected in 2025 to join Chevron Technology Ventures' Catalyst Program™. For more information, visit www.tenextechnologies.com.

About Chord Energy

Chord Energy is a premier Williston Basin operator with high-quality assets, differentiated technical knowledge, and a strong track record of value creation. Through disciplined capital allocation across top-tier assets and operational excellence, the company delivers abundant energy responsibly, affordably, and reliably while maximizing returns for shareholders. Chord Energy is committed to acting as a responsible steward of its team, communities, and the planet.

SandBOND™ is a trademark of TenEx Technologies.

Contact: Miguel Peña - [email protected]

SOURCE TenEx Technologies, LLC

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The selection highlights GUDEA's growing role in helping organizations track emerging narratives, identify reputational risk, and understand how online conversations take shape in real time

MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- GUDEA, the leading AI-powered narrative intelligence platform known as the "Storm Tracker for the Internet," today announced it has been selected as a Top 20 Finalist in the Startup Battlefield 200 competition at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026. Selected from more than 2,500 startups that applied worldwide, GUDEA will compete on the Disrupt Stage in San Francisco for the $100,000 equity-free grand prize and the coveted Disrupt Cup.

The recognition marks a major milestone for GUDEA and comes just days after the company announced a $7 million seed round, co-led by Mudita Venture Partners and Collide Capital, to expand its work helping organizations detect, understand, and respond to rapidly evolving online narratives. Narrative Intelligence is a rapidly emerging field according to research and advisory firm Gartner, which this year published its inaugural Emerging Market Quadrant for Narrative Intelligence. The firm predicts that 45% of Chief Communications Officers (CCOs) will adopt these tools by 2029.

"We're honored to be the sole representative of the rapidly emerging Narrative Intelligence category named as a Top 20 Finalist in Startup Battlefield," said Keith Presley, co-founder and CEO of GUDEA. "At a time when narratives can shape markets, brands, and public trust in an instant, organizations need more than data, they need context to understand what's happening, clarity to determine what matters, and the ability to act on reliable signals before a narrative takes hold. GUDEA is built to help organizations turn signals into insights, and insights into strategic communications. We're excited to make that case on the Disrupt Stage."

GUDEA combines advanced analytics, behavioral intelligence, and real-time monitoring to help enterprises, public institutions, and other organizations move beyond traditional social listening. Its platform enables clients to identify emerging reputational threats, distinguish authentic from potentially coordinated online activity, and understand who is driving conversations, how narratives spread, and where they may gain traction.

TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 takes place October 13–15 at Moscone West in San Francisco.

For more information, visit gudea.ai.

About GUDEA

GUDEA is an AI-powered narrative intelligence platform that helps organizations understand how narratives form and spread across the digital landscape. By combining natural language analysis with behavioral modeling, GUDEA empowers leaders to anticipate public perception, identify key influencers, and respond to emerging conversations before they define reality.

About TechCrunch Disrupt

TechCrunch Disrupt is the world's leading authority in debuting revolutionary startups, introducing game-changing technologies, and discussing what's top of mind for the tech industry's key innovators. This year, Disrupt gathers the best and brightest entrepreneurs, investors, hackers, and tech fans in-person for interviews, demos, Startup Battlefield 200, Networking, and more.

SOURCE GUDEA

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Third annual initiative exceeds collection goal, with nearly 40,000 food items donated since 2024

CHICAGO, Oct. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Beltone, a global leader in hearing technology, is celebrating a record-breaking year for its third annual Hear2End Hunger Food Drive, collecting 20,640 non-perishable food items to support local food banks and hunger-relief organizations across the country. The month-long initiative, held throughout September in recognition of Hunger Action Month, exceeded its goal of 20,000 items and increased collections by more than 41% over 2025.

Since its launch in 2024, Hear2End Hunger has continued to grow, with food collections increasing each year as Beltone Hearing Centers and their communities come together to support local hunger-relief efforts. That growth reflects the generosity and commitment of the hearing care professionals, patients and neighbors who make it possible.

"What started three years ago as an opportunity for our Hearing Centers to give back has grown into something truly special," said David Molella, President of Beltone Hearing. "To see our communities come together to collect more than 20,000 food items this year alone is incredible. We're grateful to the hearing care professionals, patients and neighbors who continue to embrace Hear2End Hunger and help make a difference in the communities we call home."

Recognizing Outstanding Community Contributions

As part of this year's food drive, the Beltone Foundation is recognizing the three hearing centers that collected the most food items by providing an additional $4,500 in donations to organizations serving their local communities.

- Uniontown, Pennsylvania: Led the nationwide effort with 6,927 food items collected and will present a $3,000 Beltone Foundation donation to Fayette County Community Action Food Bank.

- Visalia, California: Collected 1,353 food items and will present a $1,000 Beltone Foundation donation to Bethlehem Center.

- Warsaw, Indiana: Collected 865 food items and will present a $500 Beltone Foundation donation to Combined Community Services.

Representatives from each recognized Beltone Hearing Center will present the Foundation's donation to their respective community organizations, extending the impact of the food drive beyond the food collected throughout September.

Behind every donation is a person, family, or business choosing to make a difference in their community. That generosity has helped Hear2End Hunger grow into a nationwide tradition built on local connections and neighbors helping neighbors. Beltone looks forward to continuing that tradition in 2027, bringing hearing centers and communities together for a fourth year of giving back.

To learn more about the Beltone Hearing Care Foundation and its commitment to helping people and communities, visit https://www.beltone.com/en-us/why-beltone/beltone-foundation.

About Beltone

Beltone has been helping people hear better and live fuller lives for more than 85 years. As a trusted provider of personalized hearing care, Beltone combines innovative hearing technology with professional support and individualized solutions to help people stay connected to the people and experiences that matter most. With hearing centers across the country, Beltone is committed to making quality hearing care accessible to communities nationwide.

Recognized by Newsweek and USA TODAY as one of America's best hearing retailers and named as one of Forbes best employers, Beltone has been a trusted leader in the hearing care industry for over 85 years, providing reliable, affordable, and advanced hearing aids. With approximately 1,200 locations nationwide, its local offices offer personized service, and its hearing care professionals receive extensive training to provide the best care. As part of the GN Group, Beltone focuses on the needs of its patients through innovative hearing technologies and its "Independent Together" promise to its network. Visit Beltone.com and connect on LinkedIn.

SOURCE Beltone

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Embassy Suites by Hilton Dulles Airport Announces New Ownership

All-suite hotel near Washington Dulles International Airport to undergo property renovations while serving business and leisure travelers visiting Northern Virginia.

BETHESDA, Md., Oct. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Embassy Suites by Hilton Dulles Airport, a premier all-suite hotel near Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), today announced new ownership and management with plans for a comprehensive renovation designed to enhance the guest experience and further strengthen its position as a leading hotel in Northern Virginia.

Located in Herndon, Virginia, along the thriving Dulles Corridor, the hotel provides convenient access to Dulles International Airport, Tysons, Reston Town Center, major technology companies, government agencies, and many of the Washington, D.C. region's most popular business and leisure destinations.

The hotel will continue operating under the Embassy Suites by Hilton brand and remain part of the Hilton Honors loyalty program, providing guests with the spacious accommodation, amenities, and service standards they expect from one of the hospitality industry's most recognized brands.

"We are excited about the future of Embassy Suites by Hilton Dulles Airport and the opportunities ahead for our guests, team members, and community," said Nick Shrestha, General Manager. "The planned improvements will build upon the hotel's longstanding reputation for hospitality while creating enhanced experience for travelers visiting the Dulles Airport area and Northern Virginia."

The planned renovation, scheduled to begin in 2027, will include upgrades to guest suites, public spaces, meeting facilities, and hotel amenities. These enhancements are intended to create a more modern and elevated environment for travelers while maintaining the comfort and convenience that have made the property a preferred choice for visitors to the Washington metropolitan region.

With its convenient location near Washington Dulles International Airport, complimentary made-to-order breakfast, evening reception, flexible meeting space, and spacious two-room suites, Embassy Suites by Hilton Dulles Airport continues to serve the needs of business travelers, government travelers, meeting attendees, and families exploring Northern Virginia and the nation's capital.

The hotel's experienced leadership team will ensure seamless operations and an exceptional guest experience throughout the renovation planning process.

For reservations or additional information, visit www.hilton.com.

About Embassy Suites by Hilton Dulles Airport

Embassy Suites by Hilton Dulles Airport is an all-suite hotel located in Herndon, Virginia, just minutes from Washington Dulles International Airport. The hotel features spacious two-room suites, complimentary made-to-order breakfast, an evening reception, meeting and event space, and convenient access to Reston, Tysons, Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia's leading corporate, government, and technology centers. The property serves business travelers, meeting planners, government travelers, and leisure guests seeking comfortable accommodation near Dulles Airport.

For more information about the Embassy Suites by Hilton Dulles Airport or to book a reservation, visit hilton.com.

SOURCE B. F. Saul Company Hospitality Group

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Of the 11 models I ran on both easy and hard questions, the cheapest on easy work costs 3.6 cents per thousand right answers on my Strix Halo. Give that same model hard questions and a right answer costs 37 times more. Two other models in the set only get twice as expensive over the same jump.

I am a big fan of local LLMs. I control the models and the harnesses, and I pay no subscription fee. That doesn't make local free. I live in California, the land of expensive electricity, and I had never worked out what an answer costs from my Strix Halo system. That question made me wonder how different models stack up, so I measured twenty-seven of them with a power meter running.

Picking the right model is worth more than anything else I tested, and "the right model" depends on how hard your questions are. The cheapest model for easy questions can cost 37 times more per right answer once the questions get hard. Match the model to the job. The numbers behind that are below.

Count correct answers instead of tokens

A "correct answer" here means one of 190 small tasks with checkable answers, split roughly evenly across seven kinds. One kind gives the model a running total starting at zero and an empty stack of numbers, explains five operations, and asks it to apply twenty of them in order:

POP, POP, RESET, DOUBLE, ADD 3, PUSH 8, ADD 7, PUSH 1, RESET, ADD 6, POP, DOUBLE, PUSH 2, ADD 9, DOUBLE, RESET, PUSH 7, PUSH 9, DOUBLE, RESET

PUSH puts a number on the stack, POP takes the top one off and into the running total, and ADD, DOUBLE, and RESET do what they say. The answer is the final total and how many numbers are left on the stack. No single step is hard. You have to hold two values straight for twenty of them without losing your place.

The other six kinds share that shape: follow a chain of arithmetic, transform a list, pull facts from a paragraph padded with distractors, satisfy constraints, write a function that passes tests, and produce output in an exact format. A script decides right or wrong, and prompts run a few hundred tokens.

Those tasks turned out to be too easy, so I also ran 11 of the models against GPQA Diamond: four-way multiple-choice physics, chemistry, and biology written by domain experts and deliberately Google-proof. I ran the first 100 of its 198 questions against each model. That is the "hard questions" column throughout.

Everything is Q4_K_M, with four concurrent requests unless I say otherwise. Energy is integrated from 1Hz wall-power telemetry. I'm in Southern California, so prices use my actual summer consumer rates, not a friendly national average: 34 cents per kilowatt-hour off-peak and 58 cents on-peak. Every dollar figure below is on-peak unless the column says otherwise.

Expect a right answer to cost more as questions get harder

Here is the reason you're reading. The last column is the ratio between the two: how much more a right answer costs once the questions stop being easy. I call it the difficulty tax.

All figures are dollars per thousand correct answers.

"Reasoning off" on three of those rows means what it says. Gemma 4 ships with a reasoning mode enabled, and I measured it both ways. Leaving it on costs up to 48 accuracy points and 6x to 8x the money on easy work. The second post in this series covers that flag.

Two rows need a caveat. qwen3-coder-next (46GB) ran at half the concurrency of the others and nemotron-3-super-120b (77GB) at a quarter, because that much weight plus a large KV allocation hangs this machine. Fewer slots mean longer wall time, and I derive hard-task energy from wall time, so both costs are inflated relative to the rest. Read them as upper bounds. For coder-next that matters a lot, because it scored 79% on the hard questions, joint best in the set.

Read only the first column and qwen3-30b-a3b-instruct is the obvious choice at 3.6 cents per thousand, cheaper than everything else here. Read the second column and it drops to third from last, costing 37x more per right answer than it did a column earlier. Across these 11 models, the difficulty tax runs from 2x to 64x.

Stop sending a 125B model to add 20 numbers

Seven of the 27 clear 97% on my easy suite. For that work, they are interchangeable: you get a right answer either way.

devstral-2-123b is an excellent model, and here it is keeping a running total straight for 20 steps. It does that correctly, for 36x what the cheapest model charges to also do it correctly.

Sending a 125B dense model to add up 20 numbers costs 36x what the cheapest correct model charges for the same result. That is the half of "pick the right model for the job" that people already suspect. The other half needs the hard questions. The fact that seven models tie on my easy suite was my first clue that the suite was too easy, and the fourth post in this series covers what happened when I swapped in GPQA.

Match the model to your workload

There isn't one answer, and the difficulty tax is the reason.

For short, checkable work, which is most of what an agent loop does, use qwen3-30b-a3b-instruct, prompted to think. It costs 3.6 cents per thousand correct answers and takes eight seconds each, and nothing I measured is both cheaper and no worse. It is the best deal on this box by a distance, right up until the questions stop being easy.

For hard work, it is the wrong pick, and it isn't close. It scores 63% on GPQA, and a right answer costs $1.35 per thousand instead of 3.6 cents. Three models sit at the top of the hard questions within a point of each other: qwen3.6-35b-a3b and qwen3-coder-next at 79%, and ornith-35b at 78%.

On these numbers, qwen3-coder-next is the standout of the three. It matches the best hard-task score in the set and costs 4.8 cents per thousand on easy work, second-cheapest overall. A coding-tuned model taking the top score on graduate science questions is not a result I expected, and I re-read the samples twice because of it.

If you don't know which you have, gemma-4-26b-a4b with reasoning off is the hedge. It is the cheapest hard-task model I measured at 36 cents per thousand; it scores 100% on easy work, and its difficulty tax is 3x. It gives up the top of the accuracy range to be predictable, which for a machine serving mixed traffic is usually the right trade. It also costs 30% less per right answer than its dense sibling gemma-4-12b and scores no worse, on a third of the active parameters.

For simple work at volume where 72% accuracy is fine, gemma-3-4b costs 2.5 cents per thousand, still the cheapest thing here.

My own daily driver is none of those four. It is qwen3.6-35b-a3b, which sits in the expensive third of the easy-work cost table and looks dominated there. On hard questions it ties for first, using about an eighth of the tokens that qwen3-30b-a3b-instruct spends getting fewer of them right. A model can be cheap on easy work and expensive on hard work, and neither number settles the choice alone.

Before you pick, check two things that have nothing to do with the model name. Check whether reasoning is on by default and whether you want it, which was worth 48 points and 8x on Gemma 4. And check whether your model stops talking when told to, because twelve of mine wouldn't.

All of this comes from two tasks: a suite I wrote and a set of multiple-choice science questions. That is enough to show that a 125B dense model is a poor way to add up 20 numbers, and enough to show that the difficulty tax is real. It is nowhere near enough to pick your model for you. Take the tables as a shortlist and as a list of things worth measuring, then run your own work against the top few.

National Grid Provides Winter Bill Forecast, Customer Assistance and Energy-Saving Resources for New York City and Long Island Customers

Thousands of National Grid employees work 24 hours a day, seven days a week to keep natural gas flowing through thousands of miles of pipes and homes warm across Downstate New York.

As winter approaches, National Grid is working to help customers manage energy costs and prepare for colder weather. Energy supply prices are set by the market, but National Grid helps limit volatility by storing natural gas and securing some supply at fixed prices ahead of time. The company does not increase energy supply costs. Customers pay the same price National Grid pays, with no additional markup.

Through National Grid's current Downstate New York rate plan, more than $290 million in bill discounts are available to help income-eligible and vulnerable customers manage energy costs. In 2025, more than 3,100 customers received $1.4 million in support through National Grid’s Care & Share and Hope & Warmth programs.

HEAP opens in November in New York. EAP Project Warmth on Long Island supports customers and Hope & Warmth supports NYC customers.

"Every day, our 11,000 employees work to deliver safe, reliable, and affordable energy to our 4.6 million customers. We know energy affordability is a primary concern for so many families and business we serve," said Interim National Grid New York President Matt Barnett. "National Grid is committed to providing our customers with bill assistance programs, payment options, and energy efficiency solutions, especially in the winter months when market-based gas supply prices can be most volatile. We want any customer who needs assistance to contact us to find a solution that works for them.”

WINTER OUTLOOK

National Grid is providing customers with an early look at expected winter heating supply costs so they can plan ahead and take advantage of available assistance and energy-saving programs.

Long Island

Based on current market conditions, National Grid’s residential natural gas customers in Long Island and the Rockaways who use an average of 720 therms during the November to March winter heating season are forecasted to pay about $1461, or $5 more than they paid last year for the same amount of energy.

Residential customers are projected to pay about $120 less for natural gas supply this winter as compared to last winter, and an increase of $125 for delivery of gas as a result of a rate proposal approved by the public service commission in 2024.

New York City

Based on forecasts available at the end of September and assuming typical winter weather conditions, a typical New York City residential natural gas customer using 720 therms is expected to pay about $1765 or $87 more than they paid last year for the same amount during the winter heating season from Nov. 1, 2026 through March 31, 2027 compared to last winter.

Residential customers are projected to pay about $124 less for Natural Gas supply this winter as compared to last winter, and an increase of $211 for delivery of gas as a result of the rate proposal approved by the Public Service Commission in 2024.

Several factors influence winter energy bills, including weather, customer energy use and energy supply prices.

Importantly, a customer's bill contains two primary components:

- Supply charges reflect the cost of natural gas purchased in wholesale energy markets. These charges on customer bills are exactly what National Grid pays, without markup.

- Delivery charges cover the cost of maintaining and operating the energy network that safely delivers natural gas to homes and businesses. This includes a dedicated 24/7 workforce, maintenance and repairs, storm response, and system upgrades.

Expected changes in winter bills are driven largely by projected natural gas supply costs and market conditions. Winter bill forecasts are estimates based on market information available at the end of September and assume normal winter weather. Individual bills will vary depending on temperatures, household energy use, and changing market conditions throughout the heating season.

According to a 2023 American Gas Association report, the annual residential energy bill for a typical single-family home using natural gas is approximately 53% lower than a comparable home using heating oil and 46% lower than a comparable home using propane.

In addition, according to a September 2026 American Gas Association Energy Affordability White Paper, households that use natural gas for heating, cooking and clothes drying save an average of $1,030 per year compared to homes relying on electricity for those same energy needs, underscoring natural gas's role as an affordable heating option for customers.

National Grid does not produce natural gas, does not set wholesale natural gas prices and does not profit from supply charges. The company passes supply costs directly to customers without markup. Supply prices are determined by energy market conditions and the cost charged by suppliers.

CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE

Customers can take steps before winter arrives to better manage energy costs:

- Enroll in the Budget Plan to spread costs more evenly throughout the year.

- Explore available payment assistance and bill discount programs.

- Schedule a home energy assessment and complete recommended efficiency improvements.

- Review energy-saving tips and lower household energy use.

Customers who are having difficulty with affording their energy bills are encouraged to contact National Grid as soon as possible. There are several assistance programs for income-eligible customers, including:

- Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP): Opens in November in New York and provides grants to help eligible customers pay heating bills. Grants do not need to be repaid. Customers can contact their local department of social services to learn more and apply.

- Enhanced Energy Affordability Program: Provides a monthly bill credit to customers who do not qualify for HEAP and have a household income at or below the state median income.

- National Grid’s Energy Affordability Program: Provides monthly gas and electric bill credits for eligible customers, including many customers who qualify for HEAP.

- NYSERDA's EmPower+ New York Income-Eligible Free Weatherization Program: Offers eligible customers free home energy assessments and energy-saving improvements such as insulation, efficient lighting and appliance upgrades.

- National Grid Care & Share Energy Fund (to open in February 2027 provides grants to help income-eligible National Grid customers pay heating bills. To qualify for a grant, you must be a National Grid customer whose household meets the income guidelines of the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP).

Additionally, the utility’s Help Paying Your Bill page lists information about Consumer Advocates, payment plans, grants, monthly bill credits, extra time to pay and protections for customers with serious medical needs. Customers can also call National Grid at 1-800-642-4272.

ADDITIONAL CUSTOMER SOLUTIONS

- The Budget Plan: open to all residential customers, spreads payments out more evenly across the year to help better manage energy costs.

- NYSERDA Home Energy Assessment: Available through NYSERDA, this provides a top-to-bottom look at where a home is wasting energy. Customers can complete a virtual Home Energy Assessment and receive a free Home Energy Plan, the first step in the energy efficiency journey. The company also encourages customers to take advantage of additional payment and billing options, including flexible payment agreements and special protections.

ENERGY SAVING TIPS

Heating a home is a significant energy cost and energy efficiency can lower bills while enhancing comfort. Simply put, when customers reduce energy usage, they save money. National Grid offers the following tips:

- For every 1 degree a thermostat is set back, customers may be able to save 1% to 3% on their annual heating costs.

- Turn down the thermostat every time you leave the house for two hours or more, and each night before you go to bed. It takes less energy to warm up a cool house than to maintain a warm temperature all day and night.

- Consider a smart thermostat as an inexpensive, easy way to maintain comfort and cut heating costs. When used properly, a smart thermostat can save 10% on heating and cooling costs annually by automating energy-saving adjustments you would otherwise make manually.

- Insulate the attic, walls, ceilings, and floors to prevent heat from escaping.

- Take advantage of the sun: Open drapes during the day to capture warmth and close them at night to prevent heat loss through windows.

- Seal holes and cracks where cold air can get in, especially in the attic and basement. Reducing drafts in a home may save 15% in heating and cooling costs annually.

- Remove window air conditioning units during the cold months to reduce drafts. If this is not possible, use foam insulation or weatherstripping to fill any gaps between the unit and the window frame. Cover the exterior of the window unit with waterproof, breathable AC cover designed to withstand winter conditions without trapping moisture.

- If you’re looking to replace an appliance, choose an energy efficient model and save anywhere from 10% to 50% in energy costs. For example, replacing a refrigerator that is older than 15 years with a more efficient refrigerator may save hundreds of dollars over the lifetime of the unit.

- Unplug electronic devices when they are not in use. While it may appear as if electronics are powered off, they may actually be in standby mode and still consuming electricity. Eliminating phantom electricity by unplugging home electronics can save up to 10% per year.

- Repairing or replacing leaky faucets can save $20 per month in lost water. A 100-watt incandescent bulb and 16.6-watt LED bulb each provide approximately 1,500 lumens of brightness.

The article explains what homeowners can consider when comparing agents, pricing strategies, marketing plans, communication, and approaches to handling offers.

GREECE, N.Y., Oct. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- What should you look for when choosing a listing agent? A HelloNation article featuring insights from Real Estate Expert Rick Visca of Visca Realty with Keller Williams GR in Greece, New York, provides the answer by explaining what homeowners can consider before selecting an agent to sell their home.

The article explains that local real estate experience can be an important starting point. An agent familiar with the area can discuss recent sales, current listings, and what buyers may expect locally. Sellers can also ask whether the agent has experience with similar properties, since different types of homes may attract different buyers.

According to the article, a home pricing strategy should rely on current market information. Recent sales, competing listings, location, and the home's condition can all help inform a suggested listing price. The article cautions sellers against choosing an agent only because that person recommends the highest price.

The article also encourages homeowners to examine an agent's real estate marketing plan. Since buyers often first see homes online, photos, accurate property information, and clear descriptions can be important. Some properties may also benefit from cleaning, simple repairs, or changes in furniture placement before photographs are taken.

Seller communication is another factor addressed in the article. Homeowners can ask how often an agent will provide updates and how information will be shared. Those updates may include showing activity, buyer comments, competing listings, and changes in local market conditions.

The article explains that offer negotiation involves more than comparing prices. Closing dates, inspection terms, financing needs, and other conditions may influence how sellers evaluate an offer. The final decision to accept, reject, or change an offer remains with the homeowner.

The home selling process may also bring unexpected developments, including inspection concerns, appraisal questions, financing issues, or changes to closing dates. The article notes that an agent should explain available choices clearly and keep homeowners informed as a transaction progresses.

Real Estate Expert Rick Visca advises homeowners to understand the listing agreement. Sellers can review the agreement's length, included services, fees, and terms for ending the agreement before making a commitment.

When choosing a listing agent, the article suggests that homeowners may benefit from speaking with more than one professional. Comparing approaches can provide a clearer picture of different ideas about preparation, marketing, pricing, and communication. Sellers can pay attention to whether each recommendation is supported by a clear explanation.

The HelloNation article also notes that an agent cannot guarantee exactly how quickly a home will sell or the final price a buyer will pay. Housing market conditions, buyer interest, and competing properties can influence the result. Instead, sellers can focus on an agent's knowledge, communication, and plan for managing the sale.

Choosing a listing agent ultimately involves understanding how that person approaches the entire transaction. The article explains that reviewing local experience, pricing, marketing, seller communication, and offer negotiation can help homeowners make decisions with better information throughout the home selling process.

How to Choose the Right Listing Agent to Sell Your Home features insights from Rick Visca, Real Estate Expert of Greece, New York, in HelloNation.

About HelloNation

HelloNation is America's Good News Network, a premier media platform built on the idea that good news travels faster when real people tell real stories. Through its community-focused publications and innovative "edvertising" approach, HelloNation delivers content that informs, inspires, and spotlights the leaders making a meaningful impact in their communities.

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Stock Preachers News Commentary

VANCOUVER, BC, Oct. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Stocks skidded midweek as the Nasdaq Composite dropped 449 points, or 1.65%, to 26,755.24, pulling its weekly loss to 2.23%. The S&P 500 fell 1.10% on the day and 1.18% for the week, while the Russell 2000 tumbled 1.70% and now carries an RSI of just 28.3, signaling deeply oversold small caps. The Dow held up relatively better, down 0.29%. Gold slid 1.93%, silver dropped 5.81%, and WTI crude bucked the trend, rising 1.36% to $95.42 a barrel. Active Companies from around the markets with current developments this week include: RTX (NYSE: RTX), Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY), Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. (TSX: ATD), and IBM (NYSE: IBM).

The broad equity retreat left every major index in the red for the week, with the Nasdaq's 2.23% weekly slide the steepest among the four. The S&P 500 sits just above its 50-day simple moving average support of 7,707.03, while the Dow trades right around its 20-day SMA support near 51,489.97, leaving both indices on the edge of short-term technical floors.

Volatility ticked higher but remained contained, with the VIX up 0.95 points to 16.22 and the VXN rising to 21.14. Both gauges stayed within their recent weekly ranges, suggesting the selloff has not yet triggered panic-level hedging even as the Russell 2000's RSI of 28.3 points to small-cap stress running well ahead of the broader market's unease.

Commodities sent a mixed signal. WTI crude's 1.36% daily gain and 66.18% year-to-date advance stood in sharp contrast to gold's 1.93% drop and silver's 5.81% slide, the latter now down 20.54% year to date. The 10-year Treasury yield edged up 3 basis points to 5.25%, while the euro slipped 0.33% against the dollar.

The full report lays out the index-by-index support and resistance ladder, sector standouts, and what traders are watching into the back half of the week.

The markets are certainly in a see-saw this week, you can read more news on these companies and other sectors at: https://stockpreachers.com/articles/energy-and-pharma-hold-the-fort-as-tech-takes-it-on-the-chin/

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

RTX (NYSE: RTX) Raytheon, an RTX business, has secured a five-year contract with two additional option years, valued up to $6.3 billion, for the production and sustainment of Standard Missile-3 Block IB interceptors. The award is part of recent agreements between Raytheon and the Department of War supporting replenishment of missile defense inventory used in combat.

Production will be primarily completed at Raytheon facilities in Tucson, Arizona and Huntsville, Alabama. "This award underscores Raytheon's commitment to increasing production of critical munitions, ensuring our customers have the defensive capabilities they need, when they need them," said Raytheon President Phil Jasper. Read the release.

Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) Lockheed Martin debuted its new PAC-3 Edge interceptor, designed to counter hypersonic and advanced missile threats as part of the U.S. Army's Future Interceptor program. The company will advance development and begin testing in 2027 to prepare for rapid deployment by 2031.

PAC-3 Edge features a Lockheed Martin-built seeker from its Strigo Product Center, which received a $250 million investment, along with a multi-pulse solid rocket motor designed by Northrop Grumman. "Lockheed Martin's PAC-3 Edge interceptor leverages the combat-proven PAC-3 MSE, delivering even greater maneuverability, power and velocity to ensure the Army's layered defensive architecture remains the most advanced in the world," said Tim Cahill, Lockheed Martin, Missiles and Fire Control president. Read the release.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) Eli Lilly announced new exploratory data from the TOGETHER-PsO Phase 3b trial evaluating Taltz and Zepbound used together versus Taltz alone in adults with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis and obesity. By Week 36, the combination showed changes in 482 differentially expressed proteins versus 140 for Taltz alone, and 467 differentially expressed genes versus 16.

Approximately 61% of people with psoriasis also have obesity or overweight with at least one weight-related comorbidity, according to the release. "The broader biomarker changes observed with Taltz and Zepbound, including those associated with skin clearance, may point to a meaningful relationship between immune and metabolic biology," said Mark Genovese, M.D., senior vice president of Lilly Immunology development. Read the release.

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. (TSX: ATD) Alimentation Couche-Tard entered a definitive agreement with Irving Oil to acquire retail assets in Quebec and Ontario, including 50 retail sites already operated under the Quebec Alliance, two sites in Pembroke and Cornwall, Ontario, and fuel supply to 71 Couche-Tard owned and operated sites in Quebec.

The deal also covers 18 cardlock sites, 16 in Quebec and two in Ontario, with existing Irving Oil fleet customers continuing to be served under a long-term agreement. "This agreement builds on our longstanding relationship with Irving Oil and our experience operating these locations," said Stephane Trudel, Senior Vice President of Operations at Alimentation Couche-Tard. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals, including under the Competition Act. Read the release.

IBM (NYSE: IBM) IBM announced it has been selected for Stage C, the third phase of DARPA's Quantum Benchmarking Initiative, advancing it through an independent verification process testing quantum hardware, systems engineering and architectures toward building a fault-tolerant quantum computer.

DARPA launched the initiative in 2024 to determine whether an industrially useful fault-tolerant quantum computer can be built by 2033. "IBM expects to deliver the first fault-tolerant system in 2029, and we plan to scale the value of quantum computing well beyond that timeline," said Jay Gambetta, Director of IBM Research and IBM Fellow. Read the release.

DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this article should be considered as personalized financial advice. We are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular financial situation. No communication by our employees to you should be deemed as personalized financial advice. Please consult a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decision. This is a market commentary and is not a paid advertisement. This article is being distributed by Stock Preachers, which is wholly owned and operated by Market Equities Limited ("MEL"), a company incorporated under the laws of Ireland. This is an independent market commentary published on a non-paid basis. MEL has not been paid any fee by any company mentioned in this article for its production or distribution, and MEL has no advertising or digital media agreement with any company mentioned in this article. The companies mentioned have not reviewed or approved this article. Market Equities and its owners, operators, directors, and affiliates may, from time to time, hold positions in securities mentioned in this article or in the broad-market index funds that track them, and reserve the right to buy, sell, or hold such securities at any time without further notice. Information in this article was obtained from sources believed to be reliable, including company news releases and public market data, but its accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Market data is as of the time stated and may be delayed. Portions of this commentary were produced with the assistance of automated tools from that data and reviewed against it. Investing in securities involves risk, including the possible loss of some or all of your investment. Technical analysis describes past price and volume behavior and does not predict future results; support and resistance levels can fail at any time. References to the companies named in this article are provided solely as market and sector context and as summaries of each company's own public news releases. No partnership, affiliation, or endorsement is implied, and nothing in this article is a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security. Quotations attributed to company executives are reproduced from those companies' own news releases. Forward-Looking Statements: This article may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including statements made by the companies mentioned in their own news releases. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially. Readers should review each company's filings with the SEC and applicable Canadian securities regulators. Eagle Eye is an investor signal-intelligence platform affiliated with the publisher of this article. Eagle Eye is not a broker-dealer, and nothing it provides is investment advice. Data may be delayed. Always do your own research.

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