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FORMER CONGRESSMEN FRANK R. WOLF (R-VA) AND TONY P. HALL (D-OH) JOIN ATHENAI TO ANNOUNCE FRANK WOLF-TONY HALL FELLOWS PROGRAM

Athenai Institute

The Athenai Institute, a non-partisan, student-founded 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to removing the influence of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from colleges and universities throughout the country, unveiled the Frank Wolf-Tony Hall Fellows Program. Athenai will select 8 politically engaged undergraduate leaders from around the country to serve as the vanguard of its campaign for university divestment from entities tied to the Chinese government and its human rights abuses. The program will combine education with advocacy, equipping students with the skills and expertise they will need to become lifelong leaders. The Fellows Program is named for former members of Congress Frank R. Wolf, a Republican who represented Virginia’s 10th Congressional District between 1981 and 2015, and Tony P. Hall, a Democrat who represented Ohio’s 3rd Congressional District between 1979 and 2002. While in office, Congressmen Wolf and Hall were staunch and politically courageous advocates for human rights whose commitment to doing what was right transcended party lines. Now, Athenai is proud to have their support as it seeks to bring these same values to campuses around the country. As part of the program, fellows will work directly with Athenai’s national leadership to advocate for universities to eliminate their entanglements with the Chinese government and its proxies, including investments held through their endowments, contracts with businesses, and research partnerships. Fellows will also participate in biweekly virtual seminars hosted by experts in key aspects of Athenai’s mission as part of the organization’s Agora Program. After completing the program, fellows will become part of Athenai’s alumni network, providing regular opportunities for young leaders who share a commitment to human rights, free inquiry, and the independence of our academic institutions to network through Athenai and partner organizations as they begin their professional careers. “On campuses across the country, momentum is building for our student-driven divestment movement,” said John Metz, Athenai’s President. “This new program is a major step forward in holding institutions of higher education accountable and ensuring that universities feel the growing pressure to live up to their stated ideals. The Fellows Program represents Athenai’s biggest investment yet in the next generation of leaders who will speak truth to power and demand that our leading educational institutions disentangle themselves from the CCP.” “The Athenai Institute is carrying the torch of human rights and democracy into the next generation,” said Former Congressman Frank R. Wolf. "Their work to empower college students to create change on a bipartisan basis could not be more important." “While serving in Congress and as an Ambassador, I sought to show America's commitment to building hope in the world,” said Former Congressman Tony P. Hall, who served as United States Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture from 2002 to 2006. "Today, the students of the Athenai Institute are part of that same mission. I am proud to stand with these students as they seek to effect change on their campuses and around the world." Details about the program can be found on Athenai’s website. ### Athenai is a non-partisan, student-founded 501(c)(3) formed in May 2020 to remove the influence of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from American college campuses. Athenai advocates for student governments and university administrations to close Confucius Institutes, divest of investments and other financial entanglements with the Chinese government, and establish policies and mechanisms to prevent the CCP from encroaching on academic discourse and the independence of academic institutions. To support Athenai's work, please visit https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/athenaiinstitute. For more information or to schedule an interview with an Athenai spokesperson, please contact Dan Rene at 202-329-8357. Contact Details Athenai Institute John Metz +1 804-615-5838 john.metz@athenai.org Company Website https://athenai.org/

July 28, 2022 12:28 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Cloudrise announces $10M in total funding

Cloudrise

Cloudrise, a tech-enabled services firm focused on securing data wherever it resides, is pleased to announce it has completed financing to raise the company’s total to-date funding to $10 million. Since launching the company in October of 2019, Cloudrise has worked with 100s of global customers, including numerous Fortune 500 enterprises, on their data protection and cloud security projects. During this time, Cloudrise has continued to exceed all stated financial targets and is investing significantly to expand service delivery and research and development teams, while raising the bar for data protection. To help further growth and innovation, Cloudrise secured additional funding in July from Three Kings Capital, with add-on capital from existing investors Stormbreaker Ventures and the Greater Colorado Venture Fund. With success comes the need to add more talent to Cloudrise’s Board of Directors, and Bill Ryckman, Managing Principal at Three Kings Capital, will join the Cloudrise board. "We are very pleased to be partnering with Cloudrise and its proven management team led by Rob Eggebrecht," Ryckman said. "Cloudrise is a well-known leader in the data protection market, with particular expertise in the cloud, and a reputation for delivering exceptional service. As more and more businesses embrace the cloud, Cloudrise has become an integral partner to a diverse set of clients across the country and around the world, helping to keep their data safe from cyber criminals. With its high-quality team and technology-enabled platform, Cloudrise is well-positioned to serve our collective mission on a much wider scale.” Cloudrise co-founder and CEO Rob Eggebrecht is excited about the future ahead for the company. “Our latest funding venture is a major milestone, allowing Cloudrise to fast-track industry-changing initiatives for how professional services are delivered in the cyber industry via our tech-enablement approach,” Eggebrecht said. “The current status quo for delivering professional services in the cyber industry is outdated, inefficient, and does not scale to the world of cloud computing in global enterprises today. While organizations are contending with the exponential growth of data and an excessive amount of cyber security application/platforms, traditional service providers are stuck in a mindset of a help-desk, ticket-driven world, attempting to throw more people at the problem.” Instead of throwing more time and resources at complex data security challenges, Cloudrise leverages a proprietary service delivery platform to increase efficiencies, enable better collaboration, and reduce time needed to deliver high-value outcomes. By bundling software and humans, Cloudrise delivers tech-enabled services that allow customers to realize an immediate impact for their business. Cloudrise continues to build on what has been a groundbreaking 2022, in which the company announced: The acquisition of CyberOrchard, an information security managed service organization located in the United Kingdom Jason Bird, CyberOrchard’s founder and CEO, as CTO at Cloudrise Cloudrise named as Netskope’s Global Services Partner of the Year Placement on the Managed Security 100 on CRN’s Managed Service Provider 500 list for 2022 ‘Best Solution in Data Security’ at Global InfoSec Awards by Cyber Defense Magazine Hiring Rob Zillioux as CFO The opening of a new global headquarters facility in Grand Junction, Colorado About Three Kings Capital Three Kings Capital is a mission-driven, family office-backed private equity platform that invests exclusively in cyber security companies. Its mission is to protect the world's assets, critical infrastructure, and personally identifiable information from cyber threats. Aided by an Advisory Board of government and private sector cyber security experts, Three Kings seeks to enable and partner with mission-driven companies at any stage of development. Its permanent, flexible capital base allows Three Kings to invest in any type of security within the capital structure. Three Kings is headquartered in New York City but seeks investment opportunities from around the country and certain other parts of the world. For more information, please visit www.ThreeKingsCapital.com. About Cloudrise Cloudrise is a technology-enabled services firm, specializing in delivering data security services customized to meet organizations’ business needs. Drawing from 20+ years of experience in the field, we have tailored our services to be laser-focused on securing organizations’ data wherever it resides. Cloudrise helps organizations elevate their data protection and privacy programs through assessments, technology enablement, and managed services. Cloudrise can be found at www.cloudrise.com or on LinkedIn. Contact Details Cloudrise Robert McLean +1 800-917-7619 sales@cloudrise.com Company Website https://cloudrise.com/

July 28, 2022 05:00 AM Mountain Daylight Time

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Kitchen Magic Recognized by the National Association of Remodeling Industry Awarded Best Kitchen for the 8th time

Kitchen Magic

Kitchen Magic was the recipient of a 2022 Contractor of the Year (CotY) award for Best Kitchen Remodel Under $50,000. The National Association of Remodeling (NARI) recognizes members who have demonstrated their outstanding ability to deliver exceptional renovation results through a multitude of criteria. Each project is reviewed and judged based on customer objective, the scope of the project, sustainability, unusual constraints, and creative solutions. These stringent measures ensure only high-quality projects are awarded. This is the eighth time Kitchen Magic has been honored with the CoTY distinction. The judging panel is comprised of a committee of remodeling experts and industry professionals from within each chapter’s region. The panel included New Jersey NARI President, David Caputo, CR, CKBR and Store Manager and BRANJ (Builders and remodelers Association of New Jersey), Victoria Reczkowski of Ferguson. Kitchen Magic took home the CoTY accolades for Best Kitchen Remodel Under $50,000 for the Central New Jersey region. Commenting on the awards, Renate Sprung, Kitchen Magic Vice President stated, "This recognition from NARI continues to inspire great work by the Kitchen Magic team. Kudos to our talented designers, manufacturing professionals skilled craftsmen for making this kitchen dream come true.” Kitchen Magic is recognized for their contribution to the community as well as the industry. Each company must earn enough points for overcoming difficulties on the project, use of innovative construction methods or materials, and meet the needs and/or desires of the homeowners. Judging is on an anonymous basis — and the judging is performed by remodeling contractors who understand the methods used to create the projects. NARI is a not-for-profit trade association committed to promoting the interests of its members within the remodeling industry, and to protecting the rights of its customers, the nation's homeowners. The only national association dedicated solely to the remodeling industry, NARI acts as an industry spokes group. The NARI sponsored CoTY awards, remain a key part of the organization portfolio of services, for their members to continue to build the best for their clients. Their services maintain member standards through accreditations, education and business tools that are vital in this ever-evolving space. According to Abbe Will, associate project director of the Remodeling Futures Program, the level of annual expenditures for home improvements and repairs is set to expand to nearly $450 billion by the first quarter of 2023 in an article on QualifiedRemodeler.com. ### ABOUT KITCHEN MAGIC Kitchen Magic is a kitchen remodeling company with headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Nazareth, PA. Kitchen Magic has been family-owned and operated since 1979. Kitchen Magic has transformed nearly 60,000 kitchens using an exclusive cabinet refacing process. Today, Kitchen Magic serves CT, MA, NJ, NY, PA, RI, and DE. Kitchen Magic is recognized by Qualified Remodeler as #1 in kitchen remodeling nationwide eight times, an 11-time Angie's List Super Service Award winner, a 10-time Best of Houzz winner for service & design, and an 8-time winner of The Morning Call's Top Workplace Award. Contact Details Kitchen Magic LInda Fennessy +1 800-237-0799 linda.fennessy@kitchenmagic.com Company Website https://www.kitchenmagic.com

July 26, 2022 09:35 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Volatus Aerospace Corp. Announces Prospectus Offering and Provides Q2 2022 Revenue Guidance of $6.5M

Volatus Aerospace Corp.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE U.S. NEWSWIRE OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES Volatus Aerospace Corp. (TSXV: VOL) (OTCQB: VLTTF) (“ Volatus ” or the “ Company ”) is pleased to announce that it has filed a preliminary short form prospectus (the “ Prospectus ”) in connection with a proposed marketed public offering (the “ Offering ”) of 11,111,200 units of the Company (the “ Units ”) at a price of $0.36 per Unit (the “ Offering Price ”) for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of up to $4,000,032, subject to an over-allotment option as described below. Additionally, the Company wishes to provide preliminary unaudited revenue results for the quarter ending June 30, 2022 (“ Q2 2022 ”). The Offering is being led by Echelon Wealth Partners Inc., as lead agent and sole bookrunner, and a syndicate of agents, including Integral Wealth Securities Limited collectively, the “ Agents ”) to sell, by way of a marketed short form prospectus offering on a commercially reasonable best efforts agency basis, 11,111,200 Units. Financing Details The Company has filed and obtained a receipt for the Prospectus in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario (together, the “ Offering Jurisdictions ”). Each Unit of will consist of one common share (a “ Common Share ”) and one common share purchase warrant (each, a “ Warrant ”). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to acquire one additional Common Share at an exercise price of $0.50 per Common Share for a period of 24 months from the closing of the Offering. The Agents will have an option (the " Over-Allotment Option ") to offer for sale up to an additional 15% of the Units sold pursuant to the Offering on the same terms as the Offering for market stabilization purposes and to cover over-allotments. The Over-Allotment Option is exercisable in whole or in part within 30 days of the date of closing of the Offering. The Over-Allotment Option may be in the form of Units only, Common Shares only, Warrants only, or any combination thereof. The Offering is being conducted on a commercially reasonable best efforts agency basis and is subject to customary closing conditions, including, but not limited to, the entering into of an agency agreement with the Agents and the approval of the securities regulatory authorities and the TSX Venture Exchange (the “ TSXV ”). In addition, the Company is undertaking, concurrent with the Offering, a non-brokered private placement of up to 1,388,900 Units at the Offering Price for gross proceeds of up to $500,004 (the “ Concurrent Private Placement ”). The securities issuable under the Concurrent Private Placement will be subject to resale restrictions, including a Canadian four-month hold period. The closing of the Offering is not conditional upon the closing of the Concurrent Private Placement. The Company intends to use the proceeds of the Offering for inventory, factory operations, warehouse improvements, equipment for services and training, technology development, acquisitions, working capital and general corporate purposes, as more particularly set out in the Prospectus. The Agent shall receive compensation comprised of cash equal to 8% of the gross proceeds and compensation warrants of the Company to purchase such number of common shares as is equal to 8% of the Units sold in the Offering (subject to a reduction, in each case, to 3% for Units sold to purchasers on a President’s List up to $500,000) upon closing of the Offering. The Offering is expected to close on or about August 16, 2022, or such other date as the Company and the Agent may agree. The Prospectus containing important information relating to the Offering has been filed with the securities commissions or similar authorities in the Offering Jurisdictions and is available under the Company’s profile at www.sedar.com. There will not be any sale or any acceptance of an offer to buy Units until a receipt for a final prospectus has been issued. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ U.S. Securities Act ”) or any applicable state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold to, or for the account or benefit of, persons in the United States or to U.S. persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. “United States” and “U.S. persons” shall have the meanings assigned to them in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act. Corporate Update on Q2 Revenue Guidance The Company wishes to provide guidance that it expects to report revenues of approximately $6.5M for Q2 2022, representing an increase of approximately 92% compared to the Company’s reported revenue of $3.4M for the three months ended June 30, 2021 (" Q2 2021 ") and an increase of approximately 36% compared to the Company’s revenue of $4.8M for the three months ended March 31, 2022 (“ Q1 2022 ”). The Company also expects to report annual revenues of approximately $38M for the financial year ended December 31, 2022, representing an increase of approximately 138% compared to the Company’s reported revenue for the year ended December 31, 2021. The expected revenue increase is based on management's assumptions of the Company’s organic growth with new customer additions, geographic expansion in the United Kingdom and USA, and higher services and training revenue. The expected total operating costs for 2022 are in line with management’s expectations of $11.70M. Factors contributing to the expected increase in revenue include revenue from the Company’s integrated solutions segment, product diversification providing higher margins, and revenue from services and training. The Company’s drone services and training segment has experienced seasonality in the first two quarters of the 2022 fiscal year, and the Company expects the third quarter to be stronger in these segments. There can be no assurance that the Company will achieve similar revenue or margins in any subsequent quarter or annual period. Actual revenue for Q2 2022 and fiscal year 2022 may be materially different than as indicated. See the section entitled “ Risk Factors ” in the Prospectus. About Volatus Aerospace: Volatus Aerospace Corp. is a leading provider of integrated drone solutions throughout Canada, the United States, Latin America and most recently in Europe. Operating a vast pilot network, Volatus serves commercial and defense markets with imaging and inspection, security and surveillance, equipment sales and support, training, and design, manufacturing, and R&D. Through its subsidiary Volatus Aviation, Volatus carries on the business of aircraft management, charter sales, and cargo services using piloted, remotely piloted, and autonomous aircraft. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Notes This news release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs, and current expectations of the Company with respect to future business activities and operating performance. Often, but not always, forward-looking information and forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates”, or “believes” or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or statements formed in the future tense or indicating that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” (or other variations of the foregoing) be taken, occur, be achieved, or come to pass. Forward-looking information includes information regarding: (i) the business plans and expectations of the Company; and (ii) expectations for other economic, business, and/or competitive factors. Forward-looking information is based on currently available competitive, financial, and economic data and operating plans, strategies, or beliefs as of the date of this news release, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors may be based on information currently available to the Company, including information obtained from third-party industry analysts and other third-party sources, and are based on management’s current expectations or beliefs. Any and all forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking information is not based on historical facts but instead reflects expectations, estimates or projections concerning future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Forward-looking information and forward-looking statements reflect the Company’s current beliefs and is based on information currently available to it and on assumptions it believes to be not unreasonable in light of all of the circumstances. In some instances, material factors or assumptions are discussed in this news release in connection with statements containing forward-looking information. Such material factors and assumptions include, but are not limited to: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company; the completion of the Offering; meeting the continued listing requirements of the TSXV; and anticipated and unanticipated costs and other factors referenced in this news release and the Prospectus, including, but not limited to, those set forth in the Prospectus under the section “Risk Factors”. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. The forward-looking information contained herein is made as of the date of this news release and, other than as required by law, the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. This news release contains future-oriented financial information and financial outlook information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively, “ FOFI ”) about the Company’s expected revenue and margins, all of which are subject to the same assumptions, risk factors, limitations, and qualifications as set out in the above paragraphs and set forth in the Prospectus under the section entitled “Risk Factors”. The actual financial results of the Company may vary from the amounts set out therein and such variation may be material. The Company and its management believe that the FOFI has been prepared on a reasonable basis, reflecting management’s best estimates and judgments. However, because this information is subjective and subject to numerous risks, it should not be relied on as necessarily indicative of future results. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update such FOFI. FOFI contained in this news release were made as of the date hereof and were provided for the purpose of providing further information about the Company’s anticipated future business operations. Readers are cautioned that the FOFI contained in this news release should not be used for purposes other than for which it was originally disclosed herein or therein. FOFI has been prepared by the Company’s management. MS Partners LLP, the Company’s independent auditor, has not performed any audit, review or compilation procedures with respect to the prospective information and accordingly does not provide any form of assurance with respect thereto for the purpose of the Offering. Source: Volatus Aerospace Corp. TSXV: VOL Contact Details Volatus Aerospace Corp. Kate McKenna +1 604-396-9282 kate.mckenna@volatusaerospace.com Company Website https://volatusaerospace.com

July 25, 2022 12:41 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Minuteman Press Million-Dollar Circle Member Michael Levy Grows Sales for Levittown and Farmingdale Franchises

Minuteman Press International Inc

Michael Levy owns Minuteman Press in Levittown, NY located at 3000 Hempstead Turnpike. In June 2021, he also purchased the original Minuteman Press franchise in Farmingdale, NY located at 324 Main St. Already a member of the Minuteman Press International President’s Million-Dollar Circle, Michael has continued his strong sales growth in the first two quarters of 2022, including record monthly gross sales in March 2022. Key Drivers of Growth When asked about the key drivers of his growth in 2022, Michael shares, “Some would say luck, I would say persistence, perseverance and simply being known to be someone who gets things done. While there have been many challenges due to supply chain issues for the past year or so, I was able to use that to my advantage.” Michael further explains how he has been able to manage and overcome supply chain issues, saying, “For example, I had a customer contact me for a job I had never done before but I had done other jobs for this customer. It was a huge job, for 150,000 each of two envelopes. Someone else, who normally does this job for them, was not able to get the stock. So, the customer called me and told me what happened and asked if I can help.” He continues, “I spent two days researching and I was able to get both items for them and deliver them when they needed. One of the suppliers was through one of the field reps at Minuteman Press International, so it was great I could leverage that connection with my franchisor. I ended up producing $25,000 worth of envelopes I had never done before, and they just recently asked me to quote their next order of 200,000 of each one.” Michael sees the wide variety of products offered by his two Minuteman Press franchises as another competitive advantage. He says, “It’s examples like that envelope order plus the other items we offer that most other printers do not, such as in-house screen printing, embroidery, dye sublimation, and stamp production, that allows us to stay busy and grow. Another key is to have enough customers ordering products that when one is slow, others are not. This is a key ingredient, especially with my larger clients.” Promoting the Return of Live Events on Long Island As more live events, concerts, ball games, and trade shows return to Long Island, Minuteman Press is well-positioned to pitch in and help promote them. Michael shares, “It is very nice to be getting orders for tickets, programs, journals, and most importantly, items for trade shows and community events. Promotional items and apparel have really picked up over the past 6 months and that is because these events are happening again. That certainly gets me excited to be able to offer such a wide range of products that cater to all of my customers.” As for what advice he would give to other Long Island business owners right now, Michael shares, “Of course, every business is different, but one thing all businesses must do is to market themselves. Marketing is a very wide-ranging word and can be done in many different forms. Simply wearing a logo polo shirt is marketing. In addition, advertising, mailings, flyers, business cards, promotional items, apparel, and anything you can put your company logo on are all forms of marketing.” He adds, “That is exactly where I, as the owner of two Minuteman Press franchises, come in and help. We can put your logo on just about anything that allows you to market your business. I always tell my customers when they ask, ‘What type of marketing should my business do?’, to try a little bit of everything and see what works best for your specific business.” To find your local Minuteman Press on Long Island, visit their brand new consumer website, https://minuteman.com. For Minuteman Press franchise opportunities on Long Island, visit https://minutemanpressfranchise.com. Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

July 25, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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U.S. Chamber of Commerce says Retail Theft a ‘National Crisis'

YourUpdateTV

A video accompanying this announcement is available at: Organized retail theft rates have spiked significantly in the past year, affecting communities across the nation. This theft is perpetrated by organized criminal rings that steal large amounts of goods from businesses of all types and sizes with the intent to resell them, particularly online. The problem is so severe that 54% of small business owners experienced an increase in shoplifting in 2021. These crimes are not victimless. In addition to the growing number of thefts that turn violent, innocent consumers, employees, local communities, and business owners and shareholders bear the costs of rising retail theft. What can be done, how big of an issue is retail theft in your local area, and what role can Congress play? The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is demanding that Congress take action to address the rise of organized retail theft – arguing the issue has become a nationwide emergency. Retailers that were already struggling to rebuild their businesses and attract customers due to the COVID-19 pandemic are “now faced with large-scale theft and looting, much of it stemming from organized crime,” Neil Bradley, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s chief policy officer, said. “Retail theft is becoming a national crisis, hurting businesses in every state and the communities they serve,” Bradley added. “We call on policymakers to tackle this problem head-on before it gets further out of control. No store should have to close because of theft.” The average large retailer lost $700,000 per $1 billion in sales as of 2020 — an increase of more than 50% over a five-year period, according to the National Retail Federation. The Chamber of Commerce called on federal and state lawmakers to take concrete steps to address the problem. Those recommendations include urging Congress to pass legislation to stop the sale of stolen goods online; pressing states to update the definition of organized retail crime and increase penalties; and encouraging law enforcement and prosecutors to hold those who engage in organized and significant retail theft accountable. For more information, visit www.uschamber.com/retailtheft. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

July 25, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Leading protagonists held by police in fight to protect cannabis patients.

Who Are We Hurting?

Article written by Rip Nicholson When kissing a loved one amounts to having your business and your earnings taken from you, two founding members of a pro-cannabis collective have taken their fight to the powers that be and have since been fined by NSW Police for protesting cannabis laws in urgent need of review. Two members of a group of activists asking the question ‘WHO ARE WE HURTING?’ artist Alec “Craze” Zammitt and pro athlete turned entrepreneur and podcaster, William “Willy Biggs” Stolk - jointly known as the Australian ‘Kings of Cannabis’ - have fought on many battlefields for the advocacy of drug reform policy in Australia. Along with Sydney Opera House and harbour bridge projections, the group of activists have worked alongside the Legalise Cannabis Australia Party (formerly the HEMP party) through a series of well-orchestrated and very daring public awareness and guerrilla campaigns and protests which have each proved to be successful. Who Are We Hurting? Australian 420 Protests. The latest ‘Who Are We Hurting?’ installation ‘Opera House laser beam stunt’ as coined by The Daily Telegraph saw the pair projecting pro-cannabis slogans across the famous white sails of the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the wee hours of 20 April, this year (also known as 420 - the international day to celebrate the cannabis plant). Using industrial projectors to illuminate the question, ‘420’ and dancing cannabis leaf animations across the iconic landmarks, the event was posted and shared throughout social media. How a kiss can get you prosecuted under broken driving legislation. In 2020, Zammitt, a former owner of a private security firm, had his licence to operate his business revoked due to a positive roadside test finding traces of cannabis in his system, thus stripping him of his ability to operate the enterprise. Zammitt along with representation from Mark Davis of Sydney City Crime disputed these results from NSW’s Government’s controversial mobile drug testing program insisting the positive test was most likely caused by cross-contamination by way of intimacy with his partner, a fellow medicinal cannabis patient. After being reviewed by an expert doctor in the field, it was found to be entirely possible that the cannabis detected in Zammitt’s system was picked up from a kiss exchanged with his partner prior to driving the car in which he was tested. Zammitt received two no-convictions for driving with cannabis in his system and was allowed to maintain his driving licence. Despite this, the NSW Police revoked Zammitt’s licence to operate his business. Without further evidence to suggest Zammitt was indeed under the influence of cannabis or any requirement for Zammitt to be removed from the roads, Zammitt believes his vehicle was targeted due to prior protests and his case shines a light on the many flaws present within the mobile roadside drug test systems throughout most Australian states. “This has become a de facto means of drug testing all citizens, and they’re doing it through licensing,” said Mark Davis. “There’s no onus on the police to prove these people were affected by drugs in any way, but you still have hundreds of people ending up with criminal convictions – even for trace elements in their system,” said Davis. 58-year-old Magistrate David Heilpern has retired after 21 years in service after stating he could not in good conscience continue to apply the law as stated and take away licences for drug driving out of his Lismore court — sometimes as many as 30 in a day. David Heilpern has since annonced his involvement as campaign lead for Drive Change, an initiative dedicated to fixing this legislation in Australia. "An enormous number, the vast majority of people who are brought before the courts on this charge, are not affected [by the drug]," says Heilpern. Mr Heilpern says there's not enough evidence to suggest a clear link between a positive test for cannabis and adverse driving, given the minute levels of the drug detected in roadside tests. "When they introduced random breath testing, the road toll decreased massively. When they introduced seatbelt laws, there was a reduction in the road toll,” said Heilpern. “I have seen nothing to show that there is any reduction in the road toll as a result of the thousands and thousands of people who are appearing before courts for historic use of cannabis." Cannabis has been legal in Australia for years now. Doctors at MediCann Clinics, the clinic prescribing Zammitt must advise patients that they cannot legally drive if there is any THC in their system. Clinic founder, Matthew Shales gets first-hand reports of the very real frustrations that come from drug driving laws as they stand. Shales is a committed advocate for his patients’ right to not be discriminated against with the current driving laws in Australia prohibiting cannabis from being present in the system. “Unfortunately, as the rules currently stand, we have to advise our patients that they cannot legally drive if there is any THC in their system, even if they are not impaired,” said Shales. “This has negative impacts for patients by either forcing isolation through not being able to drive or through a heightened level of anxiety for the patients that choose to drive, which is the opposite outcome we are hoping to achieve by prescribing patients medicinal cannabis. NSW Government’s controversial mobile drug testing program has come under scrutiny following a recent study released by the Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics at the University of Sydney, comparing the length of time in which someone is likely to be impaired by cannabis to the duration of the time it can be detected in their system. The study found that a user’s impairment is likely to last three to 10 hours but can be detected in the body for weeks after consumption. Currently, a medicinal driving defence amendment - The Road Transport Amendment Bill (Medicinal Cannabis – Exemptions from Offences) Bill, 2021 is before parliament in deliberation with NSW Greens MP, Cate Faehrmann heading up the passing of the Bill in the near future. The strength of which is geared around gathering traction of enough support through the committee report. However, questions remain on what experts are to be heard from and ultimately, who is responsible for the final decision. Here, the fight continues as to whether those who require medical cannabis can be free to drive without fear of a positive roadside drug test. “Current driving laws in Australia are forcing patients to choose between their medicine or their independence. We are trying to improve the quality of life for our patients, yet the ancient driving laws currently in place make it exceedingly hard to do so.” said Shales. Zammitt and Stolk’s current case is not without precedent. Theirs is not dissimilar to that of the 2018 actions of comedy group and tv show The Chasers who projected radio broadcaster Alan Jones phone number alongside "Advertise Here, Call Alan'' on the same very sails of the Opera House on which Zammitt and Stolk would later be charged for ‘advertising’. Despite the widespread media coverage, The Chasers were not investigated by police. Zammitt and Stolk have been issued infringement notices relating to offences that uniquely apply only to the Opera House under obscure legislation known as the Sydney Opera House Trust By-law 2021. Similar legislation titled 2015 applied at the time of The Chasers projection. The maximum fine for the infringements against Zammitt and Stolk is $1,100 for each offence and is set for a hearing on 20 December. Contact Details News Direct Newsroom newsroom@newsdirect.com

July 25, 2022 08:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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New Research Shows Positive Sentiment for Ron DeSantis Steady, No Fluke

Ready for Ron

Today, Ready for Ron, a draft committee encouraging Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to run for President, released research it commissioned from Impact Social showing positive sentiment amongst critical “floating voters” towards Governor DeSantis remains steady. Previous reports showed positive sentiment for Governor Ron DeSantis growing by more than 8 points from earlier analysis reports, indicating the gain is no fluke, but part of steady momentum. “It’s great to see positive sentiment towards Governor DeSantis staying high in these reports – despite an increasing drumbeat of attacks from the left,” stated Lilian Rodriguez-Baz, Chief Legal Counsel for Ready for Ron. “The response from our work to build grassroots support is impressive, and this research confirms the tremendous support we see on the ground. The positive feedback and engagement are significant and continue growing exponentially.” Ready for Ron launched an advertising and grassroots mobilization effort in late May to help convince Ron DeSantis he has the support to win the Presidency in 2024. The PAC also filed an official Advisory Opinion Request with the Federal Election Commission to ask if it may share its supporter list with Governor DeSantis to convince him to run and when – not if - he becomes a candidate. To generate the report released today, Impact Social researchers analyzed the publicly available social media discussion in relation to Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump among swing voters from June 29, 2022 to July 13, 2022. Additional reports are expected to continue every two weeks. Previous reports are available here. “We carried out detailed language analysis of US social media discussions back to May 2016 to capture social media users into a database of 40,000 swing voters,” explained Phil Snape, Director at Impact Social. “With 40,000 participants, we are operating what is likely the world’s largest focus group – as big as a Football stadium.” The summary of Impact Social’s second report states: This has been a difficult period for Donald Trump with net sentiment falling 11pts (-30 to -41) over the last two weeks. This should set off alarm bells in Mar-a-Largo. It has long been believed that Jan 6 divides people into two camps. Those who love Trump think his involvement in events that day are a nonsense, a witch hunt cooked up by his enemies desperate to bring him down and ensure he never runs again. Whereas those on the left are convinced of his guilt regardless of any evidence to the contrary. However this analysis shows that floating voters, particularly those on the right, are increasingly siding against him as new revelations of what happened on Jan 6 take their toll. This has resulted in an increase in the amount of posts stating that they are against Trump (+15pt- 31 to 46). Worryingly for team Trump are the low number of people on the right who are prepared to defend his actions. When discussing Jan 6 right leaning voters tend to pivot away from events and try to draw attention to other Trump ‘successes’ such as low unemployment or relative global peace. It is therefore fair to conclude that many on the right seem uncomfortable talking about the events of that day. It is also interesting to note how few floating voters speak about the ‘stolen election’. This conversation has been almost non-existent within this 40K panel since this analysis began six weeks ago, which begs the question of how many floating voters side with Trump and believe the Democrats stole the presidency? For his part Ron DeSantis seems to be coasting along. Despite being in the middle of a re-election campaign - which by design means that the candidate is duty bound to upset some voters in order to attract others - his net sentiment among floating voters remains consistent at -6. In fact, in contrast to Trump, the conversation over the period has remained largely the same with those in favor of his politics and style seeing him as a good governor, with a solid track record in office and their preferred candidate ahead of Trump for 2024. “We are excited to see our efforts paying off. Support for Ron DeSantis continues to grow, despite increasing attacks from the Left, and his base is solid,” Rodríguez-Baz continued. “We are building the biggest grassroots movements ever, and with support growing like this, it will happen even quicker than anticipated.” Ready for Ron continues its TV and online advertising efforts to engage Americans to sign the petition at www.ReadyForRon.com to Draft Ron DeSantis to run in 2024. “Despite reports to the contrary, the only war on former President Donald Trump, is coming from the radical left. All of us at Ready for Ron appreciate his leadership and effective policies that led to a booming economy, lower crime, and affordable gas prices. We are #ReadyforRon to carry these policies and the America First agenda forward,” Rodríguez-Baz said. Impact Social is a specialist social media, online monitoring, and analysis company. Its unique methodology ensures unrivalled accuracy to show what has been said and its impact. Impact Social is the only company in the world providing this high level of analysis. ### For more information or to schedule an interview with ‘Ready for Ron’ legal counsel, Lilian Rodríguez-Baz, or an Impact Social spokesperson, please contact Dan Rene at 202-329-8357 or dan@readyforron.com Contact Details Dan Rene +1 202-329-8357 dan@readyforron.com Company Website https://www.readyforron.com/

July 22, 2022 09:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Advocates Applaud House Concurrent Resolution Calling for an Article V Inflation-Fighting Fiscal Responsibility Amendment Proposing Convention

Let Us Vote for a BBA

The Let US Vote for a Balanced Budget Amendment Citizen’s Campaign, Inc., a coalition of nonpartisan advocates concerned about the impacts of inflation and out-of-control national debt applauded the introduction of House Concurrent Resolution 101 calling for an Article V Convention of States to propose Amendments to the United States Constitution and stipulating ratification by state conventions, effectively a vote of the people. The companion Archivist Article V Application Counting & Calling Act, HR 8419, is designed to ensure Congress complies with its ministerial mandate to call an Article V Convention “upon the application of two-thirds of the states.” It parallels the Archivist’s current responsibility to count state ratification resolutions and certify when an Amendment is added to the US Constitution. Lead sponsor Representative Jodey Arrington from Texas introduced the legislation with original co-sponsors Representative Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Representative Yvette Herrell of New Mexico to enforce Article V of the United States Constitution that states: ‘The Congress,...on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments…to the United States Constitution… “ The Concurrent Resolution introduced today states in part. “…beginning in 1979, when Congress appears to have failed in its constitutional duty to count applications and call a ‘Convention for proposing Amendments’, the Nation’s debt has increased to more than $30,000,000,000,000 (Trillion) from $830,000,000,000, (Billion) while the value of the dollar has declined by over 70 percent…” “On behalf of my granddaughters, I want to thank U.S. Representative Jodey Arrington for correcting Congress’ constitutional failure in 1979 to call the Amendment Proposing Convention of States. Ironically, 39 states, five more than needed, had filed Applications to Call the Convention to address high inflation amid rising debt. Most importantly, the Resolution would prohibit any proposed Amendments from being added to our Constitution without a majority vote by the people for yes-pledged delegates in three-quarters of the state conventions,” stated David Biddulph, Co-Founder of the Let Us Vote for a Balanced Budget Amendment Citizen’s Campaign, Inc. The resolution calls for Congress to set the time and place for an Article V convention for proposing fiscal constraints on the federal government unless the Archivist finds that Congressional Records do not support a finding that the thirty-four Applications required to call a Convention of States for Proposing Amendments was ever achieved. Dr. Barry Poulson, Emeritus Professor of Economics at the University of Colorado, stated, “Other countries have taken the lead in imposing fiscal constraints on their governments, and this resolution will allow U.S. citizens for the first time to incorporate fiscal constraints in our Constitution. The federal government is too big, too expensive, and too intrusive in our lives. It is time for citizens to decide how much government we want and are willing to pay for.” Hon. David M. Walker the Former Comptroller General of the United States, stated, “I commend Rep. Jodey Arrington, the lead sponsor, and all the cosponsors for their leadership in introducing legislative proposals designed to restore federal fiscal sanity and recognize the rights of the states under Article V of the Constitution. The time has come to end the dereliction of duty by Congress and defuse our ticking debt bomb.” Admiral William Owens, United States Navy (ret), former vice chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff stated, “Our country seriously needs a strong reminder of both states rights and the seriousness of acting fiscally in the best interests of our country and our national security. This convention for proposing amendments will not only be historic, but it will also be a monument to our founders and to our present-day legislators taking the right action on behalf of our people.” The Concurrent Resolution is a significant victory in the fiscal responsibility coalition’s “StopInflating.US” campaign to encouraging citizens concerned about higher prices, slow growth, and its impact on future generations to support a state-drafted, voter approved, inflation-fighting, fiscal responsibility amendment to the Constitution. ### Please visit: https://letusvoteforbba.org/. To learn more about the calls for an Article V Convention of States or to schedule an interview with a Let US Vote for a Balanced Budget Amendment Citizen’s Campaign, Inc. spokesperson, contact Mae James at 386-423-4744 or info@letusvoteforbba.org. T Contact Details Mae James +1 386-432-4744 info@LetUsVoteforBBA.org Company Website http://letusvoteforbba.org/

July 20, 2022 05:44 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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