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Ridgefield CT Receives 1st State Cultural District Designation, Chamber Honors Local Heroes

Ridgefield Chamber of Commerce

The State Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) and the Connecticut Office of the Arts (COA) recently approved an application establishing a Cultural District in the Town of Ridgefield, making it the first municipality in the state to receive the prestigious designation. Former state representative John Frey proposed the initial law to allow designation of cultural districts in October 2019. In a release by the DECD/COA, DECD Director of Arts, Preservation and Museums Liz Shapiro said, “This program recognizes the essential role that local arts and cultural resources play in the building healthy communities over the long-term. I applaud Ridgefield for taking the initiative to establish the district and ensuring that arts and culture are at the heart of their planning efforts moving forward.” "The people of Ridgefield have long appreciated the abundance of arts and culture in our town. We are thrilled that the state also recognizes all that Ridgefield has to offer, by giving us the first Cultural District designation," noted long-serving Ridgefield First Selectman Rudy Marconi. Cultural Districts are walkable areas of a city or town that feature numerous cultural facilities, activities and/or assets. These vibrant areas draw visitors from other towns and states and serve as a hub for residents to congregate and interact. “Ridgefield’s diverse arts and cultural offerings are fitting and ideal for a Cultural District designation,” said Lisa Scails, Executive Director of the Cultural Alliance of Western Connecticut. “We’re proud of their leadership and for being a model for other municipalities.” The Cultural District area holds numerous cultural assets including ACT (A Connecticut Theater), the Ridgefield Theater Barn, the Ridgefield Guild of Artists, the Ridgefield Playhouse, the Ridgefield Historical Society, the Ridgefield Library, the Prospector Theater, Ballard Park with its CHIRP summer concert performances, the Ridgefield Conservatory of Dance, RPAC art gallery, Thrown Stone theater group, Lounsbury House, the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Keeler Tavern Museum and History Center. News of receiving the Cultural District designation was especially uplifting to the town after weathering the social and economic effects from the 2020/2021 pandemic. The Ridgef ield Chamber of Commerce is hosting "Ridgefield Moves Forward" on June 10th featuring First Selectman Rudy’ M arconi’s State-of-the-Town Address and recognize businesses and individuals for their contributions to the community during the past year. The event will take place on the grounds of the beautiful Lounsbury House, beginning at 4pm. In addition to music provided by the Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra, there will be a variety of local eateries showcasing their cuisine including Tequila Escape, Stacey's Totally Baked, 850 Degrees, The Cake Box, Tablao Wine Bar & Restaurant, Barn Door Restaurant and more. “We want this event to be a true community celebration” said Director Grossman. "The Chamber appreciates the support of our co-sponsors Addessi Jewelers, Wooster Hollow Café, Fairfield County Bank and Oak Ridge Waste & Recycling." The Chamber will recognize the following: Ridgefield Police Department Officers Ridgefield Fire Department and EMS Personnel Dick Aarons - Citizen Emergency Response Team (CERT) Ridgefield Arts Council Ridgefield Meals on Wheels RVNA Pamby Motors “I’ve said it before and will say it again- there are simply too many amazing organizations and people in town to award in one afternoon,” Executive Director Sarah Grossman said. “Our initial list went on for several pages! In the end we selected those who best represented their fields.” While everyone is invited by the Chamber, tickets are required and limited. Those interested in joining the event can purchase them at DestinationRidgefield.org. The Ridgefield Chamber of Commerce is a 501(c)6 organization established in 1966. The Chamber is an advocate and resource for business and nonprofits by advancing and promoting the economic vitality and quality of life in Ridgefield. Contact Details Sarah Grossman +1 917-613-3244 SGrossman@ridgefieldchamber.org Company Website https://www.destinationridgefield.com/

June 02, 2021 08:02 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Together Again: Grandparents and Grandchildren Reunite on Road Scholar Learning Adventures

Road Scholar

Beginning this summer, after more than a year of COVID-induced isolation from their grandkids, grandparents across the country are making up for lost family time by reconnecting with their grandchildren on a Road Scholar learning adventure. More than a thousand grandparents and grandchildren (and sometimes parents) are excited to reunite on one of Road Scholar’s specially designed Grandparent and Family programs in the U.S. and overseas. “Grandparents are thrilled to reunite with their grandkids, creating memories that will last a lifetime on Road Scholar learning adventures they experience together,” said James Moses, Road Scholar’s president. “The world’s reopening is a chance to reopen our lives to make the most of our time together with cherished family and friends.” This summer, Road Scholar will operate 43 unique Grandparent and Family learning adventures. Costa Rica is the most popular choice this summer, while the Ozarks, Poconos, Key Largo, and Vermont make up the top five listing, as follows: Top Five Grandparent/Family Programs in 2021 From Monkeys to Macaws: Colorful Costa Rica: 10 days from $2449/grandparent; $1999/grandchild Horses & Canoes: Summer Camp in the Ozarks: 6 days from $699/grandparent; $449/grandchild Animal Adventures in the Poconos: 6 days from $799/grandparent; $499/grandchild Snorkeling the Coral Reef in Key Largo: $1879/grandparent; $1199/grandchild Culinary Curiosities; Vermont’s Farmlands: 6 days from $1749/grandparent; $1149/grandchild While Road Scholar educational adventures begin to operate again this July, plans are underway for even more Grandparent and Family programs in 2022. “Next year, we will offer 57 Grandparent and Family programs and 234 departure dates,” said Mr. Moses. “And people are planning ahead. Interest is well beyond what we saw in 2019. We’ve already surpassed 1,500 enrollees for 2022.” For the safety of all, adults must be fully vaccinated and non-vaccinated grandchildren will need to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test in order to attend a Road Scholar program. For more information about Road Scholar’s Grandparent and Family Programs, please visit www.roadscholar.org /grandparent or call (800) 454-5768. About Road Scholar Road Scholar is the nation’s largest not-for-profit educational travel organization for adults – a true university of the world. It offers thousands of programs in more than 100 countries and 50 states. Road Scholar educational adventures are created by Elderhostel, the world leader in educational travel since 1975. Learn more at press.roadscholar.org. Contact Details Road Scholar Chris Heppner +1 617-457-5422 Chris.heppner@roadscholar.org Company Website https://www.roadscholar.org

June 02, 2021 07:17 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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LambdaTest rallies global investors raising US$16m Series B funding as it rapidly scales

Stockwood Strategy

Cloud-based browser testing platform LambdaTest today announced it has secured US$16 million in Series B funding led by Sequoia Capital India. Telstra Ventures, MENA region investor Wamda Capital and a leading sovereign wealth fund also joined the series B round. Founded in 2017 by Asad Khan and Jay Singh, San Francisco-based LambdaTest is a cloud-based testing infrastructure company that allows users to seamlessly test their websites’ and apps’ look, feel and performance on over 2,000 different browsers and by operating systems and device combinations. The proliferation of devices and browsers has made it increasingly complex for developers to test their websites and apps. LambdaTest solves this problem by enabling developers to run a variety of tests through their cloud-based platform, spotlight concerns, share immediately with teams and remedy issues quickly. LambdaTest exists to support the developer community to identify defects in code much earlier in the release cycle. These defects present one of the biggest challenges and costs facing businesses. Indeed, the cost of fixing these defects once in production and release is 30x higher than addressing earlier in the development cycle. Since its launch, LambdaTest has attracted over 500,000 developers in 132 countries who have performed more than 20 million tests. Customers include SMEs and Fortune 500 companies such as Xerox, Cisco, Microsoft, Deloitte, Media.net, Coca Cola, Trepp, SurveyMonkey, Capgemini, HBR, 23andme and Dashlane. Asad Khan, CEO of LambdaTest commented: “Companies are increasingly competing on customer experience 1 and as such are releasing software updates faster, more frequently to remain relevant. In doing so, there is a greater demand for continuous testing to ensure quality releases in the production environment. In just six short months since the series A round in 2020, LambdaTest has doubled revenues and increased customer numbers by 20%. In that time headcount has doubled in size from 70 people pre-Series A to 150 today across the engineering, sales, and customer success teams. Harshjit Sethi, Principal at Sequoia India commented: “As every company is becoming a software company and deployment cycles are shrinking, testing is becoming an increasingly important part of the software development cycle. Additionally testing is now happening earlier and earlier in the development cycle as part of the ‘Shift Left’ movement that companies like LambdaTest are enabling. Operating in a USD 35 billion market for testing software and services, LambdaTest has emerged as the go-to platform for its users in browser testing, evident from its best-in-class ratings across review sites. Sequoia Capital India is excited to continue partnering with the LambdaTest team as they execute on their vision of building an end-to-end testing system for developers to enable companies to release more reliable software faster.” The number of software tests run by developers has almost doubled from 12m to over 20m in six months at LambdaTest. As developers shift to cloud-based testing, this number will grow exponentially. This trend has been accelerated by the adoption of the Shift Left approach, as more developers are testing code early before they ship to the testing cycles. “LambdaTest’s vision is to empower 23 million developers and testers worldwide with a powerful, comprehensive and secure continuous quality test platform. Our upcoming product lines will enable tech teams to ship high quality code seamlessly boosting their release velocity” added Asad Khan. Steve Schmidt, General Partner at Telstra Ventures commented: “We have an opportunity to build a very large scale and independent testing company with a modern approach to software development and that’s very exciting. Lambdatest has already signed several customers in Australia without having any local presence and we look forward to helping them build out a local APAC team to meet this demand”. The funding advances LambdaTest’s commitment to scaling the testing ecosystem and building next-generation cloud infrastructure for users. To this end, LambdaTest is broadening its reach with the tester community by engaging with developers as it launches a suite of products in 2021 designed for them to perform tests on scale. “We’ve had an exciting period of growth and there is more to come as we expand our platform capabilities and go deeper in global markets. This funding round validates our efforts in building a robust cloud testing platform that is truly resonating with the testing and developer community globally. We pride ourselves in delivering a highly reliable, stable and secure infrastructure for them to achieve success. This success is born out in the numbers as our customers have been able to increase release velocity by over 60% and half the time to market” concluded Asad Khan. About LambdaTest LambdaTest is a cloud testing infrastructure company that allows users to run both manual and automated tests on their websites and webapps across 2000+ different browsers, browser versions and operating system environments. The platform has been used to perform over 20 million tests in just three years, and is now being used by over 500,000 users across 132 different countries. Contact Details LambdaTest Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://www.theeditldn.com/

June 02, 2021 05:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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News Release

Say No to the Wardrobe Police: Don’t Criminalise Millions of Fur Wearers

British Fur Trade Association

The body that represents the fur sector in the UK has warned that the Government risks introducing measures in potentially outlawing the sale and wearing of fur that would see it effectively policing people’s wardrobes and criminalising millions of Brits who wear natural fur. The warning comes following the launch of a call for evidence launched by the Environment Department, Defra, that seeks to understand the nature of the UK fur sector. The move could be seen as the first step to introducing measures that could restrict the import, sale or wearing of natural furs in the UK. A Spokesman for the British Fur Trade Association said: “If the Government decided to introduce restrictions on the sale or wearing on fur it would effectively be telling us what we could and could not wear and what we should have in our wardrobes. We would have the unpalatable prospect of the police checking whether the coat or hat that someone was wearing was real or fake. This is a step too far and is a draconian gross invasion of consumer choice. There is no support for ban on ethically produced fur in the UK and individuals should be free to make up their own minds. “It is also clear that restrictions on fur would be the thin end of the wedge and would simply open the door for restrictions and bans on other animal products including wool, leather and silk as well as modern farming methods. Animal rights activists want to see an end to all use of all products or materials from animal entirely. Their views do not represent the majority of the people of this country. "There are exacting standards and rules in place governing the fur sector, banning natural fur would therefore do nothing to improve standards in animal welfare and is a purely symbolic move pushed by animal rights activists. It would lead to thousands of job losses and closed businesses. It would also damage London as a global fashion hub with many designers and brands using fur and would be the start of a slippery slope to other restrictions on animal products including leather, wool and silk. Fur remains popular with sales increasing over the last decade, it is also a natural, sustainable material, far better for the environment than oil based non-synthetic fast fashions." Contact Details Giles Roca +44 7747 486479 groca@iftf.com Company Website https://britishfur.co.uk/

June 02, 2021 03:32 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Jennifer Lang Financial Services Launches Nationwide Retirement Planning Campaign.

Jennifer Lang Financial Services, LLC

Contact Details Jennifer Lang Financial Services, LLC. Jennifer Lang +1 877-487-8926 mail@jenniferlangfinancialservices.com Company Website https://www.jenniferlangfinancialservices.com

June 01, 2021 10:05 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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American Kidney Fund Receives Support from Bayer to Expand Kidney Disease Education Among U.S. Veterans

American Kidney Fund

The American Kidney Fund (AKF) today announced support from Bayer for AKF’s effort to educate military veterans about the central role their kidneys play in their overall health and the importance of early detection to prevent or slow the progression of kidney disease. Bayer’s collaboration supports AKF’s existing partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration to increase awareness of kidney disease among U.S. veterans and to support veterans who have been diagnosed with kidney disease. “About 500,000 U.S. veterans have kidney disease, and that number continues to trend upward by 6% each year, as it has for the past five years,” said LaVarne A. Burton, AKF president and CEO. “We are grateful for Bayer’s support of our work to reach out to veterans—a population that faces higher rates of kidney disease compared to the general public.” "A major risk factor for chronic kidney disease is type 2 diabetes and many veterans living with type 2 diabetes do not realize they are at risk," said Amit Sharma, M.D., FACP, FASN, FNKF, Vice President of Medical Affairs, Cardiovascular & Renal Division, Bayer. “Bayer is proud to support AKF’s work to educate America’s veterans on kidney disease risk factors, early detection and disease management, to help all veterans living with kidney disease live healthier lives.” Kidney disease is the fastest growing noncommunicable disease in the U.S., yet 90% of Americans, including veterans, with the early stages of kidney disease are unaware they have it because there are typically no symptoms until the later stages. Diabetes and hypertension cause 75% of all new cases of kidney disease. About the American Kidney Fund The American Kidney Fund (AKF) fights kidney disease on all fronts as the nation’s leading kidney nonprofit. AKF works on behalf of the 37 million Americans living with kidney disease, and the millions more at risk, with an unmatched scope of programs that support people wherever they are in their fight against kidney disease—from prevention through transplant. With programs that address early detection, disease management, financial assistance, clinical research, innovation and advocacy, no kidney organization impacts more lives than AKF. AKF is one of the nation’s top-rated nonprofits, investing 97 cents of every donated dollar in programs, and holds the highest 4-Star rating from Charity Navigator and the Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar. For more information, please visit KidneyFund.org, or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. 11921 Rockville Pike, Suite 300, Rockville, MD 20852 Contact Details Ben Shannon Work: +1 202-559-2813 Mobile: +19193603039 AKF@jpa.com Company Website https://www.kidneyfund.org

May 27, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

British online store The Edit LDN transforms prized sneaker industry as sales soar

Stockwood Strategy

The UK’s leading online store for limited edition sneakers and high end streetwear The Edit Man London has become The Edit LDN. The name change reflects the rapidly growing female appeal for new and pre-loved sneakers and streetwear as sales grow 60% month-on-month in the last 12 months. The Edit LDN is an online consignment store that sells new and pre-loved goods from a variety of brands including Yeezy, Jordan, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Off-White, Supreme, Fear of God among others to a wide community of fashionistas, collectors and investors. Just as premium sites like Farfetch address the fashion world, The Edit LDN is the leading destination for limited edition sneakers and high end streetwear. They connect premium resellers with a highly engaged, price agnostic and eager audience. Through partnerships with styling services such as Thread.com and various concierge companies, THE EDIT LDN has expanded its community of buyers from TV and film celebrities to professional footballers and royal families around the world. Moses Rashid, founder and CEO of The Edit LDN commented: “As a brand we want to remain current and relevant to our community, our new name now fairly represents and embraces our diverse community but is true to its origins. We dropped the ‘Man’ from the name simply because the number of women buying had been steadily increasing since launch in January 2020 and passed 50% in March this year. It was the right thing to do.” The Edit LDN has established itself as a trusted source of authenticated and high quality new and pre-loved streetwear and sneakers. Their unabating focus on speed (to deliver purchased goods), customer service engagement and ensuring all goods are authenticated has been testament to the growth of the platform and community. “We set out to create a destination that opens up and levels up the opportunity for anyone wishing to own extremely limited edition goods. Essentially we make Inaccessible, accessible. Previous means to buy these goods have been riddled with issues such as sending payments to random resellers found on social media, authenticity issues when buying online and long delivery times on purchases from global marketplaces. The Edit LDN addresses all these concerns and is transforming the customer experience and industry simultaneously, added Moses ”. In 2021 (to April), The Edit LDN attracted more traffic, transactions and revenue than in their first year of trading (2020). With 60% month-on-month growth and mounting interest, the business is set to take-off. “We’re regularly selling sneakers and streetwear worth £1,500 each. Recently, we sold a Gucci TNF jacket for £9,200. It’s not only the variety of goods we offer but the speed at which we send purchases. Just last year we managed to source and sell 44 Playstation 5 games consoles to the England U21 football team within 24 hours, literally dispatching them in Ubers to their homes” said Moses. Looking ahead, Moses added: “This is a marketplace worth $6b a year globally and will grow 5x by 2030. By the end of this year, The Edit LDN will be worth £10m and given the hyper growth rate of our sales and revenues, we will 3x our valuation by the end of 2022 for sure. In meeting the needs of this rapid scaling, we will seek to raise funds this year to propel us as we launch in new markets”. The Edit LDN has its community and social conscious front of mind. They have raised funds and awareness against gun crime, mental health and sustainability issues. In 2020, the company collaborated with the artist McCrow as part of the One Less Gun campaign to create a sneaker with bullet shells from an AK-47 rifle. Working with Gary James McQueen in aid of MIND mental health charity, they raised funds with an exclusive T-shirt drop featuring the famous McQueen Vanitas skull. In owning their sustainability agenda, they turned their focus to the circular economy by selling pre-owned (or pre-loved) goods through the platform. In addition to this, they are a paperless company and only ship products using recycled packaging. “At the heart of The Edit LDN proposition is a focus on social and economic issues. These are matters that are important to us and our community, so we recognise that we’re in a super hot market right now so we want to use our platform to make a long lasting impact where possible” concluded Moses. About The Edit LDN Founded in 2020, The Edit LDN has quickly become the UK’s leading online consignment store for limited edition sneakers and high end streetwear, both new and pre-loved items. Their innovative platform connects premium resellers to a global audience offering a deluxe experience from discovery, packaging and delivery. Brands include Jordan, Yeezy, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Off-White, Supreme, Fear of God among others. The platform is fast becoming synonymous with speed of service, authenticity, diverse selection of secure payment methods, and first class customer service. The Edit LDN is the leading destination for resellers and their premium sneakers and streetwear. Through partnerships with styling services such as Thread.com and various concierge companies, The Edit LDN has a community of buyers celebrities to professional footballers and royal families around the world. Contact Details The Edit LDN Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://www.theeditldn.com/

May 27, 2021 05:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Is it Possible to Kill Corona Virus from Luggage Surfaces in Just 5 Seconds? University Study Says "Yes"

WarpUV

Following extensive testing, the Microbial Pathogenesis Laboratory at Tel Aviv University has concluded the WarpUV ® AirFort® luggage disinfection system can eradicate coronaviruses in just five seconds. For airports, baggage handlers and air passengers, the study findings show air travel can be safer again because luggage surface areas that typically pass through many hands on their way to, from and at the airport, and susceptible to airborne transmissible droplets, can be safely and quickly sanitized. Prof. Anat Herskovits, a world-renowned microbiologist, Vice Chair of the Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, and President of the Israel Society of Microbiology, tested the ability of the WarpUV AirFort® technology to kill high concentrations of coronaviruses. “Our results concluded that after five seconds of UV irradiation, more than 99 percent of the viruses were eradicated,” Prof. Herskovits said. “I feel confident that WarpUV has developed an effective solution for luggage disinfection.” Resources: Hear audio quote from Prof. Herskovits (.wav,.mp3) Post-COVID-19 Air Travel/Bio-Security survey, May 2021 Breakthrough Rapid-Action Coronavirus and Bacteria Disinfection Technology for Passenger Luggage at Airports Stops Local Outbreaks from Becoming Global Pandemics AirFort® is designed to rapidly kill viruses, bacteria, and spores from surface contamination of carry-on and checked bags, personal items and oversized bags and parcels, protecting baggage handlers, aviation staff, and the general public. It utilizes a proprietary array of ultraviolet lights designed to achieve all-angle “360° x 360°” disinfection of all baggage surfaces. While floor UV cleaners and other disinfection agents such as sprays are being implemented globally, AirFort focuses on luggage – one of the means that the International Air Transport Association (IATA), European Union Aviation Air Safety Agency (EASA), and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security identified as a possible critical path for viruses and bacteria to infect and spread. By eradicating these harmful elements before and after flights, WarpUV has an important role in stopping the spread and future spread of pandemics which are imminent threats as described by the EU, WHO, and the World Economic Forum. About WarpUV Warp Technologies and its AirFort® devices are the frontline of prevention of the spread of pandemic by luggage and baggage in airports worldwide and serve as a “disinfection firewall” for continents, countries, and regions. The company was formed in 2020 by veteran Israeli entrepreneurs Amir Fischer, Eitan Haimovich, and Gil Luxenbourg. For more information, visit www.warpUV.com. Contact Details Rainier Communications Alan Ryan +1 508-577-6635 alanryan@rainierco.com Rainier Communications Joanne Stanway +19782731473 jstanway@rainierco.com Company Website https://www.warpuv.com/

May 26, 2021 02:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Dogs Don’t Know, Heat Can Hurt: How to Recognize the Warning Signs of Exercise-Induced, Heat Related Illness

YourUpdateTV

A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/Q9_KZTWQXCU It’s summer, and everyone wants to be outside with their dogs. But it’s hot, and when our best friends are chasing frisbees, balls, and running they don’t always know they’re overheating. If their core body temperatures rise faster than they can cool off, dogs may suffer from Heat Related Illness (HRI). National Heat Awareness Day is May 28, 2021, and EUKANUBA™ wants you to learn how to keep your dog safe while exercising this summer. EUKANUBA™, a premium dog food brand specializing in high-performance nutrition for sporting and working dogs, is drawing attention to canine exercise-induced heat related illness (HRI) by conducting a nationwide media tour in conjunction with D S Simon Media and Your Update TV featuring Dr. Joe Spoo, Veterinarian, Eukanuba™. During the nationwide media tour and Public Service Announcement (PSA) Dr. Spoo discussed: What is a Heat Related Illness The Three Stages: Heat Stress, Heat Exhaustion, and Heat Stroke. How to recognize the HRI warning signs in your dog. How dogs naturally cool down. What type of dogs are at risk. Ways to keep them cool while exercising and having fun. The importance of hydration For more information please visit: EUKANUBA.com About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their content. It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, Money and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

May 26, 2021 12:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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