Posts tagged with "kentucky"

Tornadoes Devastate Central and Southern United States

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A devastating stream of tornadoes unleased late Friday December 10 and early Saturday December 11 across sections of the central and southern United States. In accordance with information from the Storm Prediction Center, there were at least 50 tornado reports. The states affected include Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio and Tennessee.

Click HERE to see how you can assist and support the victims of these destructive tornadoes.

The most substantial damage arose as Tornadoes and strong winds broke down a nursing home in Arkansas, an Amazon warehouse in western Illinois and an inhabited candle factory in Kentucky. People were killed in all separate incidents and responders have been struggling to rescue survivors.

At least one death out of an anticipated two in Arkansas has been credited to the collapsing of a nursing home. Several were trapped in the nursing home before being saved. Around 20 people were injured at the nursing home, and eventually all were taken out of the home and accounted for. Another individual in Arkansas was reported dead after being trapped in a Dollar General when the storm hit, as reported by Mississippi County Sheriff Dale Cook.

One of the tornadoes fell upon an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, Illinois on the night of Friday December 10. Authorities were unable to recount the exact number of workers in the Amazon warehouse because “the warehouse does not employ a ‘set staff.’” It has been verified, however, that at least two individuals died when the warehouse collapsed. Edwardsville police chief Michael Fillback validated this report on Saturday December 11 and stated that an additional person was hospitalized.

Fillback also communicated that rescue operations were not at ease due to misplaced power lines, concrete and extra water everywhere from the fire suppression system. An OSHA investigation was opened on Monday December 13 to dig deeper into the collapse of the Amazon warehouse.

On the night of December 10, another tornado hit the Mayfield Consumer Products candle factory in the Mayfield, Kentucky. Inside, around 110 people were working, and dozens were anticipated to be dead there. At least 40 people were rescued from the candle factory, but piles of metal and corrosive chemicals that toppled the factory limit the number of anticipated survivors that could be found alive.

Kyanna Parsons-Perez, survivor of the catastrophe that struck the candle factory, recounted the events of that night. She explained that workers had been hurried into a safety area before the storm officially hit. Parsons-Perez recounts seeing “a little dust of wind. My ears start popping. And it was like the building, we all just rocked back and forth, and then boom — everything fell on us,” Parasons-Perez told CNN’s Boris Sanchez.

During the devasting storm, Parsons-Perez broadcasted the tragedy on Facebook Live and made phone calls to 911 and other family members. She recounts realizing that rescuers were there when she felt pressure from people walking on the debris above her. “I was screaming like, ‘Sir, can you please just get this so I can move my leg?’ He said, ‘Ma’am, there’s about 5 feet worth of debris on top of you,'” Parsons-Perez recounts.

As of Monday December 13, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) said that there is a confirmed number of 64 deaths across Kentucky, and that it could take some time to account for the full number of fatalities and damage that fully hit the state. Beshear noted that at least 105 individuals were unaccounted for as of that Monday morning. At least 13 people in the other varying states have been confirmed dead.

Emergency workers consisting of 300 members of the National Guard have been searching for survivors, searching through wreckage and remains and delivering water and generators to residents of Western Kentucky. Beshear talked of the damage during a press conference, stating “I’m not doing so well today and I’m not sure how many of us are. The people of Western Kentucky have gone through an unspeakable trauma. The devastation is unlike anything I have seen in my life,” Beshear stated.

President Biden is scheduled to travel to Kentucky on Wednesday, December 14 to assess damages and aid in the recovery processes. “We’re going to get this done. We’re going to be there as long as it takes to help,” Biden stated during a briefing on Monday December 13 regarding federal reaction to the destructive tornadoes. Biden ensures that he does not want to get in the way of rescue efforts, but to just provide aid to the community that truly needs it in these trying times.

By: McKinley Franklin

LSU × Alabama Record Ratings

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ESPN networks had one of their strongest overall weekends of the 2021 college football season, as ESPN and ESPN2 both aired their most-watched games in years during Week 10. Fueling the year-over-year growth were two compelling Southeastern Conference showdowns – LSU and Alabama on ESPN, and Tennessee at Kentucky on ESPN2. Overall, ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 were all up significantly from Week 10 in both 2019 and 2020.

The most-watched game of the weekend on ESPN networks was LSU at Alabama (7 p.m. ET, ESPN), averaging 5 million viewers – the most-viewed college football game on cable this year. The primetime presentation was the top game in Week 10 among key male and adult demos (18-34, 18-49, 25-54). The audience was up 18 percent from the same matchup in 2020 and peaked with 6 million viewers from 10-10:15 p.m. in the final minutes of the game.

Tennessee at Kentucky (7 p.m., ESPN2) averaged 1.5 million viewers, ESPN2’s most-viewed game in more than three years (Auburn at Mississippi State, Oct. 6, 2018). ESPN2 also registered a strong showing with Friday night’s Virginia Tech at Boston College matchup (7:30 p.m., ESPN2), notching 1.2 million viewers. Season-to-date, ESPN and ESPN2 are well ahead of the pack as the top two most-viewed college football cable networks, with ESPN2 up 20 percent from 2019 and up 97 percent from 2020.

ABC’s top game on Saturday was Purdue’s upset of Big Ten rival Michigan State (3:30 p.m.), which scored 4.4 million viewers and was the top game of the late afternoon window.

ESPN Networks Own Saturday Primetime
In the average minute, 9 million viewers and 2.8 million P18-49 viewers were watching college football on ESPN networks. The audience peaked with nearly 10 million viewers from 8:15-8:30 p.m. ESPN networks had the top two college football games in primetime, and ESPN and ABC ranked as the top 2 networks from 8-11 p.m. among all viewers. Among P18-49 viewers, ESPN, ABC and ESPN2 ranked as three of the top four networks in primetime Saturday.

CFB Viewership Sees Exponential Year-Over-Year Growth
Viewership across ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 is up at least double digits from Week 10 in 2020 and 2019. ABC aired its most-viewed Week 10 since 2016 and was up 59 percent from the same week in 2020 and 13 percent from 2019. ESPN was up triple digits from both 2020 (136 percent) and 2019 (103 percent), while ESPN2 had above-average audiences in nearly every window and was up 135 percent from the same week in 2020 and up 27 percent from 2019.

ESPN × College Football

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Week 5 of college football across ESPN networks boasts a baker’s dozen of ranked squads in action, including three of the top four featured in this week’s AP Top 25. Highlighting the schedule this week is an all-SEC tripleheader on ESPN, featuring No. 2 Georgia, No. 8 Arkansas, No. 10 Florida and No. 22 Auburn.

At noon ET, the eighth-ranked Razorbacks head between the hedges to battle the second-ranked Bulldogs featuring Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Holly Rowe on the call, with the AT&T SkyCast available on ESPN3 and the ESPN App. ESPN’s College GameDay Built by The Home Depot pregame show arrives in Athens on Saturday morning (9 a.m. – noon).

At 6 p.m., the No. 10 Gators look to Lexington and a matchup with undefeated Kentucky as Bob Wischusen, Dan Orlovsky and Kris Budden announce the action. At 9 p.m., No. 22 Auburn is set for a showdown with SEC West foe, LSU. The Tigers vs. Tigers tussle is set for both ESPN and ESPN Radio, with Joe Tessitore, Greg McElroy and Katie George live on ESPN and Sean Kelley, Barrett Jones and Ian Fitzsimmons on the radio call in Baton Rouge. Auburn-LSU features a SkyCast viewing option on ESPN3 and the ESPN App.

It’s an action-packed Saturday on ABC with a trio of games set for the spotlight. ABC’s Saturday Night Football Presented by Capital One features a Big Ten battle between Indiana at No. 4 Penn State at 7:30 p.m. ET, with SkyCast and the Great Clips Command Center available on ESPN3 and the ESPN App. Sean McDonough, Todd Blackledge and Molly McGrath are on the TV call, with Marc Kestecher and Ben Hartsock live on ESPN Radio.

Pac-12 action is set for mid-afternoon on ABC, as Dave Flemming, Rod Gilmore and Stormy Buonantony call No. 3 Oregon at Stanford at 3:30 p.m. Gilmore returns to his alma mater where he was a two-sport athlete in football and baseball for the Cardinal. At noon, a Lone Star State showdown looms between Texas and TCU, as Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek and Tom Luginbill kick off the day’s action on ABC.

On ESPN2, 2011 Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III calls his first game featuring his alma mater, as the No. 21 Baylor Bears take on Big 12 rival Oklahoma State. The 7 p.m. matchup between Baylor and the 19th-ranked Cowboys is this week’s 4K Game of the Week.

Also in primetime, No. 15 Texas A&M hosts Mississippi State at 7 p.m. on SEC Network, with the SEC Saturday Night trio of Tom Hart, Jordan Rodgers and Cole Cubelic on the call. At 7:30 p.m., Boston College looks to keep their unbeaten streak going against No. 25 Clemson on ACC Primetime Football, as Dave O’Brien, Tim Hasselbeck – a former Eagles quarterback – and Kelsey Riggs announce the action.

Finally, Saturday’s slate concludes with a matchup of undefeated teams in the Big Sky as Montana (3-0) travels to Eastern Washington (4-0). Clay Matvick, Rocky Boiman and Tiffany Blackmon have the call at 10:30 p.m. on ESPN2.

MILLS RELEASES NEW SONG × VIDEO – THE STORE

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Mills, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and troubadour, releases his new song and video “The Store.” Check it out here. Alongside this, Mills also releases his cover of John Mayer’s “Waiting On The World To Change” which can be found here.

“The Store” is the first new music from Mills since the release of his EP “Train of Thoughts” via Keep Cool/RCA Records earlier this year. Listen here.

Born and raised in Bowling Green, KY, and having spent time in both Nashville and Los Angeles, Mills’ southern influences have been brightened by the Los Angeles sun, resulting in buoyant melodies tinged with nostalgia. With his poetic storytelling and distinctive harmonies that evoke the 1970s era of Laurel Canyon, 21-year-old Mills emerges as a troubadour for the modern age, vividly spinning tales of young love, happiness and heartbreak.

Check out what the press says about Mills:

““Hollow” is sun-kissed singer-songwriter music, with a beautifully loping hook that gains texture as the harmonies fully arrive.” – Billboard

“His songs are personable, relatable, and carry captivating melodies that get stuck in your head even after the first listen.” – Earmilk

“Mills simplifies even the most complex emotions into a coherent stream of consciousness.” – Ones To Watch

“”Hollow” is an exciting glimpse into the music Mills has ready to release.” – Ones To Watch

“…straight-up, no fuss tunes that instantly stick.” – The Interns

“Hollow finds a sweet spot between John Mayer and Harry Style.” – The Interns

To Buy/Stream/Watch “The Store” and “Waiting On The World To Change”:

Multi

Official Video

Follow Mills:

Twitter | Instagram

NEEDTOBREATHE – SUNSHINE – INTO THE MYSTERY

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GRAMMY® Award-nominated rock band NEEDTOBREATHE have released “Sunshine” the fourth track off their forthcoming studio album Into The Mystery. The song is available to stream and download starting today here. Into The Mystery is due for release on July 30 via Elektra Records and is available for pre-order now here. Limited edition merch offerings are available exclusively through NEEDTOBREATHE’s online store here.

Last week NEEDTOBREATHE delivered the television debut performance of Into The Mystery’s current single “I Wanna Remember” alongside seven-time GRAMMY® Award winner Carrie Underwood at the 2021 “CMT Music Awards.” Watch their unforgettable performance here. Crowned as one of the most show-stopping moments of the evening by both US Weekly and Entertainment Tonight, Billboard shared “Bear Rinehart and Underwood’s vocals intertwining like leather and lace,” and praised, “the love song about wanting to remember an especially romantic moment felt particularly poignant as we head into a summer where new memories will be made after putting dreams on hold for more than a year.”

Into The Mystery was announced last month alongside the release of the album’s lead single and title track. Earlier this month, the band unveiled the album’s opening track “What I’m Here For” Into The Mystery’s early songs have received praise from Rolling Stone, Billboard, People, American Songwriter, and more. The album will also feature collaborations with Jon Foreman of Switchfoot and Natalie Hemby of The Highwomen.

This Fall, NEEDTOBREATHE will embark on their massive Into The Mystery Tour with support from Switchfoot and The New Respects. The 38-city trek will visit iconic venues such as Denver, CO’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre (fifth consecutive sold out appearance) and Los Angeles, CA’s Greek Theatre, and see the band perform their first-ever headline show at Nashville, TN’s Bridgestone Arena. The Into The Mystery Tour will kick off on September 7 in St. Louis, MO, and wrap on October 30 in Atlanta, GA. Tickets for all dates are available now here.

Just as their critically acclaimed 2020 album Out of Body impacted audiences, NEEDTOBREATHE capitalized on a rush of inspiration and rode the wave of creativity. Without telling a soul, the band decamped to a historic house-turned-recording studio in Columbia, TN to begin working on new music. Over the course of three weeks, they resided under one roof, laughed during meals, explored their surroundings, and recorded together with co-producer and engineer Konrad Snyder and special guests. Out of this de facto creative hub and “extended summer camp,” they handcrafted an album reflective of the moment, yet independent of all expectations, even their own. For as intimate as the story may seem, they filmed every minute of it for an upcoming documentary entitled, Into The Mystery. Watch a teaser for the film here.

The past 12 months represent one of the most prolific periods in the band’s career thus far. They recently unveiled Live from the Woods Vol. 2, a live album recorded during three sold out, socially distanced outdoor concerts at Pelham, TN’s famed The Caverns. The band previewed the album with a performance of “Alive” on CBS’s The Late Late Show with James Corden. Meanwhile, Out of Body debuted in the top 5 across three Billboard charts, and received critical acclaim from Billboard, Spin, Southern Living, American Songwriter, Taste of Country, and more.

Into The Mystery Tour Dates

September 07, 2021 – St. Louis, MO – Saint Louis Music Park

September 08, 2021 – Kansas City, MO – Midland Theatre

September 10, 2021 – Denver, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre – SOLD OUT

September 11, 2021 – Salt Lake City, UT – Sandy City Amphitheater

September 13, 2021 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Federal Theatre

September 14, 2021 – San Diego, CA – Cal Coast Credit Union OAT

September 16, 2021 – Los Angeles, CA – Greek Theatre

September 17, 2021 – Saratoga, CA – The Mountain Winery

September 18, 2021 – Bend, OR – Les Schwab Amphitheater

September 19, 2021 – Seattle, WA – Marymoor Amphitheater

September 21, 2021 – Missoula, MT – KettleHouse Amphitheater

September 23, 2021 – Fargo, ND – Bluestem Center for the Arts – Bluestem Amphitheater

September 24, 2021 – Minneapolis, MN – Armory

September 25, 2021 – Madison, WI – The Sylvee

September 26, 2021 – Indianapolis, IN – Amphitheater at White River State Park

September 28, 2021 – Cincinnati, OH – Andrew J Brady ICON Music Center

September 30, 2021 – Chicago, IL – Radius

October 01, 2021 – Detroit, MI – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill

October 02, 2021 – Cleveland, OH – Nautica Pavilion

October 03, 2021 – Pittsburgh, PA – Robert Morris University – UPMC Events Center

October 07, 2021 – Philadelphia, PA – The Met Philadelphia

October 08, 2021 – Boston, MA – Leader Bank Pavilion

October 09, 2021 – New York, NY – The Rooftop at Pier 17

October 10, 2021 – Washington, DC – The Anthem

October 12, 2021 – Louisville, KY – The Louisville Palace Theater

October 14, 2021 – Charlotte, NC – Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre

October 15, 2021 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater

October 16, 2021 – Greenville, SC – Bon Secours Wellness Arena

October 17, 2021 – Charleston, SC – North Charleston Coliseum

October 19, 2021 – Rogers, AR – Walmart AMP

October 21, 2021 – Austin, TX – Moody Amphitheater

October 22, 2021 – Houston, TX – Smart Financial Centre

October 23, 2021 – Dallas, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory

October 24, 2021 – Oklahoma City, OK – Zoo Amphitheatre

October 27, 2021 – Memphis, TN – Memphis Botanic Garden

October 28, 2021 – Birmingham, AL – Oak Mountain Amphitheatre

October 29, 2021 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena

October 30, 2021 – Atlanta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre

About NEEDTOBREATHE:

Since 1998, NEEDTOBREATHE have quietly emerged as a dynamic force in rock music, topping the charts, selling out historic venues, and generating hundreds of millions of streams to date. The band has gathered one platinum single, four gold singles, and a gold album. Along the way, “Multiplied” notched their first GRAMMY® nomination. Simultaneously, they performed to sold out crowds at arenas and amphitheaters coast to coast. In addition to garnering two nods at the Billboard Music Awards, they’ve attracted acclaim from People, Rolling Stone, Forbes, and many more. In 2020, they sowed the seeds for rebirth with Out of Body. It bowed in the Top 5 of three Billboard charts and reeled in acclaim. Within weeks of its release, the quintet, Bear Rinehart [vocals, guitar], Seth Bolt [bass, vocals], Josh Lovelace [keys, vocals], Randall Harris [drums], and Tyler Burkum [guitar], stole away to an old historic house in Columbia, TN where they lived together, ate together, laughed together, and recorded together for three weeks in the fall of 2020. They returned home with their eighth album and documentary Into The Mystery [Elektra Records]. It’s the kind of record that could only be made by a band who has been through it all and still has enough faith to keep encouraging one another. It’s NEEDTOBREATHE.

Stay Connected with NEEDTOBREATHE

NEEDTOBREATHE Website

SAINT MOTEL ANNOUNCES U.S. AND EUROPEAN TOURS

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Elektra recording group Saint Motel have announced U.S. and European tours in support of their forthcoming album The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. The band’s U.S. tour will kick off this September with three special hometown shows at Los Angeles, CA’s The Roxy Theatre, and wrap on Halloween at Madison, WI’s Majestic Theater. In March of 2022, the band will return to the road for a European tour. The upcoming dates mark Saint Motel’s first live shows since their sold-out U.S. tour wrapped in March of 2020. Pre-sale tickets for all dates will be available beginning tomorrow, and general on sale begins this Friday, June 11 at 10:00am local time here.

Saint Motel’s highly anticipated new album The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack will be released on June 25, 2021. The album is available for pre-order now here. The band recently unveiled an official music video for the album’s current single “It’s All Happening”, co-directed by Saint Motel front man A/J Jackson and Mario Contini. Watch it on the band’s official YouTube channel here.

On The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack the Los Angeles-based band dreams up their own cinematic experience in album form, as its songs cycle through stories of love, danger, and impossible triumph. The album also embodies an opulent sound true to its ambitious scope. Co-produced by front man A/J Jackson and Grammy Award-winner Mark Needham (The Killers, Dolly Parton, Chris Isaak), The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack continues the Saint Motel custom of joyfully blurring genres, bringing in elements of everything from symphonic pop to big band.

Audiences began experiencing the album with the release of a pair of EPs: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: Pt.1 and The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Pt. 2. Among many highlights, “Van Horn” has amassed nearly 20 million streams, while the band performed it on ABC’s JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE! Receiving critical acclaim, Dujour described “Preach” as “a bop,” while American Songwriter poured over the album’s concept in an in-depth interview with A/J. Further looks came from Ladygunn, Hollywood Life, and more. Now, fans get the full picture of Saint Motel’s vision with the complete The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack studio album.

In the lead up to the album, Saint Motel made history as “the first band to open their own virtual metaverse” powered by Mozilla Hubs. The virtual world is designed as a motel with each room dedicated to a song on The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. The quartet’s launch of “New World” welcomed fans to the virtual space where Jackson performed a live acoustic set. In this 3D VR chatroom enabled for all headsets and browsers, audiences can enter an exclusive, immersive environment to engage directly with the band through virtual meet-and-greets and intimate, live performances, consume exclusive video content, and much more. Additionally, it doubles as a space for fans to congregate and get to know each other. Saint Motel’s “New World” upholds what has become a tradition of engaging with groundbreaking technology for the guys. Visit Saint Motel’s website to explore the “New World.” In 2016, they dropped their Elektra full length debut saintmotelevision as the first-ever Virtual Reality album and first-ever Augmented Reality album and accompanied the record with the free saintmotel AR/VR app.

Saint Motel U.S. Tour Dates

September 30, 2021 – Los Angeles, CA – The Roxy Theatre

October 01, 2021 – Los Angeles, CA – The Roxy Theatre

October 02, 2021 – Los Angeles, CA – The Roxy Theatre

October 04, 2021 – San Luis Obispo, CA – Fremont Theater

October 05, 2021 – Santa Ana, CA – Observatory

October 07, 2021 – Salt Lake City, UT – Depot

October 08, 2021 – Boulder, CO – Boulder Theater

October 09, 2021 – Fort Collins, CO – The Aggie

October 11, 2021 – Omaha, NE – Slowdown

October 12, 2021 – Columbia, MO – The Blue Note

October 13, 2021 – Urbana, IL – The Canopy Club

October 15, 2021 – Nashville, TN – Brooklyn Bowl

October 16, 2021 – Athens, GA – Georgia Theater

October 17, 2021 – Knoxville, TN – The Mill & Mine

October 18, 2021 – Asheville, NC – Orange Peel

October 20, 2021 – Louisville, KY – Mercury Ballroom

October 21, 2021 – Charlottesville, VA – Jefferson Theater

October 22, 2021 – Harrisburg, PA – Harrisburg University

October 23, 2021 – Baltimore, MD – Baltimore Sound Stage

October 26, 2021 – New Haven, CT – College Street Music Hall

October 27, 2021 – Burlington, VT – Higher Ground

October 29, 2021 – Buffalo, NY – Town Ballroom

October 30, 2021 – Grand Rapids, MI – The Intersection

October 31, 2021 – Madison, WI – Majestic Theater

Saint Motel European Tour Dates

March 31, 2022 – Berlin, Germany – Franz Club

April 02, 2022 – Hamburg, Germany – Stage Club

April 03, 2022 – Cologne, Germany – Luxor

April 05, 2022 – Munich, Germany – Hansa 39

April 06, 2022 – Milan, Italy – Circolo Magnolia

April 08, 2022 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Paradiso Noord

April 09, 2022 – Brussels, Belgium – Botanique The Rotonde

April 10, 2022 – Paris, France – La Maroquinerie

April 12, 2022 – London, UK – Islington Assembly Hall

April 13, 2022 – Manchester, UK – Academy 2

Projecting pop hooks through an alternative lens with a flair for dramatic presentation, Saint Motel make music worthy of the big screen. Streamed and viewed over half-a-billion times, the platinum-selling Los Angeles quartet magnify this vision with immersive live experiences and one unpredictable move after another. The group initially came together at film school before introducing themselves on 2012’s Voyeur. Signing to Elektra Records, their 2014 My Type EP boasted both the gold-certified title track “My Type” and fan favorite “Cold Cold Man.” In 2016, saintmotelevision yielded the smash “Move.” Flipping the script once again, the musicians reimagined the record with a series of history-making first-of-their-kind innovations: an award-winning Virtual Reality version and an Augmented Reality version. In 2019, Saint Motel launched their most ambitious undertaking yet, unveiling their third full-length album in three parts. First up, they uncovered The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Pt. 1 powered by the shimmy and shake of Alternative Top 15 lead single “Van Horn.” Between packing houses coast to coast on headline jaunts and earning acclaim from People, Billboard, and more, the four-piece rolled out Pt. 2 throughout 2020. In addition to unforgettable sets everywhere from Coachella and Lollapalooza to Bonnaroo, the boys lit up shows such as NBC’s TODAY, ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and CBS’ The Late Late Show with James Corden, among others.

Saint Motel is: A/J Jackson (vocals), Aaron Sharp (guitar), Dak Lerdamornpong (bass), and Greg Erwin (drums).

Connect With Saint Motel

Saint Motel Website

Saint Motel – New World

Billy Ray Cyrus Signed by UTA

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Leading global talent, entertainment and sports company UTA has signed entertainment icon Billy Ray Cyrus for worldwide representation in all areas. Throughout his nearly three-decade career of Billboard chart success that put him in the same company as Carlos Santana and Louis Armstrong, Cyrus has achieved global success as a singer, songwriter, actor, producer and philanthropist.

Most recently, he celebrated the highest RIAA® 14x Diamond-certified song in recorded music history with Lil Nas X on the worldwide smash, “Old Town Road.”

When asked about his genre-bending approach to music, Cyrus recently shared, “My philosophy to making music is no limitations. No rules, no limits, no preconceived notions. Don’t try to think inside the box or outside the box, just think like there is no box.”

The critically and commercially acclaimed superstar has established himself as a household name across multiple areas of the entertainment landscape, including music, television, theater and more.

When one scopes out Cyrus’ trophy case, the awards are represented across all genres: GRAMMY® Awards, Billboard Music Awards, BET Hip Hop Awards, MTV VMA Moonmen, Country Music Association Awards, American Music Awards and Canadian Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences Juno Awards, among many other accolades.

The Flatwoods, KY native exploded onto the music scene when his first album, Some Gave All, debuted on the all-genre Billboard album chart at No. 1 and stayed there for a record-breaking 17 weeks in 1992. The lead single, “Achy Breaky Heart,” became a phenomenon and went multi-platinum. After “Achy Breaky Heart,” Cyrus followed up with back-to-back hits “It Could’ve Been Me,” “She’s Not Crying Anymore,” “Wher’m I Gonna Live When I Get Home?” and “Some Gave All.” Cyrus knocked himself out of the top Billboard position with his second No. 1 album, It Won’t Be The Last, featuring smash hits “In the Heart of a Woman,” “Words By Heart” and “Somebody New.” His success continued with dozens more singles that redefined country music.

Corporate Leaders × Anti-Lgbtq Bills

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Corporate leaders: Companies should work against anti-LGBTQ bills in Texas, other states

Chris Adamo, vice president of Federal and Industry Affairs at Danone North America; Brad Figel, vice president of Public Affairs North America at Mars, Inc.; Molly Fogarty senior vice president of Corporate & Government Affairs at Nestlé USA; and Tom Langan, North America director of Sustainable Business & External Affairs for Unilever:

“As four of the largest food companies and major employers in the United States, we view the growing number of anti-LGBTQ+ bills under consideration in state legislatures, including those that target transgender people and particularly children, with increasing alarm.”
“These bills are bad for families, for communities, for businesses and for the U.S. economy, all still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic…This motivates us to continue using our influence to advocate for policies that establish full equality at the federal and state levels, including swift Senate passage of the Equality Act.”
“Discriminatory legislation — in threat and in practice — directly and negatively impacts the ability of our businesses to compete. It undermines our ability to recruit our future workforces and retain existing talent in states like Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, Texas and others enacting and considering draconian legislation.”
“Such policies are out of step with the views of most Americans. The overwhelming majority of Americans support full equality for LGBTQ+ people, according to recent data released by the Human Rights Campaign.”
“Companies have a responsibility to actively work with federal and state legislators to advocate against bills that harm our employees and our customers, and to advance fairness and equality for all Americans”

We condemn dangerous, discriminatory legislation that serves as an attack on LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly transgender and non-binary people.

As four of the largest food companies and major employers in the United States, we view the growing number of anti-LGBTQ+ bills under consideration in state legislatures, including those that target transgender people and particularly children, with increasing alarm.

These bills are bad for families, for communities, for businesses and for the U.S. economy, all still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic.

We condemn dangerous, discriminatory legislation that serves as an attack on LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly transgender and nonbinary people. Such laws not only threaten hard-won progress to bring greater awareness, support and equality to transgender Americans, they also threaten the livelihoods and safety of their communities and their families.

This motivates us to continue using our influence to advocate for policies that establish full equality at the federal and state levels, including swift Senate passage of the Equality Act.

Member companies of the Sustainable Food Policy Alliance, including Danone North America, Mars, Inc., Nestlé USA and Unilever United States, urge the entire U.S. business community to do the same.

This issue is not political. Providing the same basic protections to LGBTQ+ people as are provided to protected groups under federal law is the right thing to do for businesses and for society.

We employ tens of thousands of people in communities across the country. We embrace diversity in our workforces. Inclusive principles already guide the way we work, run our successful businesses, and engage with our employees and communities.

Discriminatory legislation — in threat and in practice — directly and negatively impacts the ability of our businesses to compete. It undermines our ability to recruit our future workforces and retain existing talent in states like Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, Texas and others enacting and considering draconian legislation.

In Kentucky, for example, proposed legislation would allow health care providers to turn away LGBTQ+ and other patients, and bar trans youth from K-12 public school and university sports. Similarly, in Texas, legislators have proposed bills that would ban transgender girls from youth sports.

When states legislate this way, not only do they create an environment where not everyone feels safe and welcomed, they endorse it. Such environments deny transgender and nonbinary people the opportunity to fully contribute to the economies in places where they work and live. This harms them and their families and hinders businesses and local communities.

We applaud Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s decision this week to veto legislation that would have banned gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth. Unfortunately, the Arkansas legislature overrode the governor’s veto Tuesday.

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves signs a bill in March 2021 to ban transgender athletes from competing on girls or women’s sports teams.

Such policies are out of step with the views of most Americans. The overwhelming majority of Americans support full equality for LGBTQ+ people, according to recent data released by the Human Rights Campaign.

Legislation hurts states’ economies

The ramifications of these discriminatory bills on states’ economic and financial health are also well-documented. A UCLA study found that the social, economic and health effects of stigma and discrimination against LGBTQ+ people negatively impact Texas’ economy by tens of millions of dollars each year. Another study by the Texas Association of Business estimated that discriminatory legislation could result in an estimated economic loss to Texas’ gross domestic product ranging from $964 million to $8.5 billion.

The impacts of such bills are not limited to the states where they are passed. Researchers that studied 39 countries found a clear link between LGBTQ+ discriminatory practices and legislation and the corresponding loss of potential economic output. For LGBTQ+ youth, the study found that discrimination harms their learning, resulting in increased dropout rates and, consequently, reduced participation in the workforce.

We acknowledge that words are powerful. But for companies to engage new generations of workers and consumers, while fostering an environment good for people and for business, we must move beyond only public statements of support for LGBTQ+ issues.

Companies should protect employees

Companies have a responsibility to actively work with federal and state legislators to advocate against bills that harm our employees and our customers, and to advance fairness and equality for all Americans.

We four SFPA companies are committed to stepping up and taking action, including through our advocacy on this important issue. Doing so will support an environment in which all people can grow, thrive, compete and succeed as their true, authentic selves.

Chris Adamo is vice president of Federal and Industry Affairs at Danone North America. Brad Figel is vice president of Public Affairs North America at Mars, Inc. Molly Fogarty is senior vice president of Corporate & Government Affairs at Nestlé USA. Tom Langan is North America director of Sustainable Business & External Affairs for Unilever.

Corporate leaders: Companies should work against anti-LGBTQ bills in Texas, other states

NCAA LGBTQ OneTeam

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NCAA LGBTQ OneTeam facilitators publish open letter condemning anti-transgender legislation

The NCAA LGBTQ OneTeam, a group of NCAA- trained facilitators at colleges across the country published an open letter condemning the actions taken by 28 states across the country to introduce, pass, and sign anti-transgender legislation. 2021 has been a record year for anti-transgender legislation, with 93 anti-transgender bills introduced across the country, the vast majority of which attempt to ban transgender women and girls’ participation in girls’ sports or ban transgender youth from accessing medically necessary, gender-affirming health care.

Laws have been signed banning transgender women and girls’ participation in girls’ sports in Mississippi, Tennessee, and Arkansas, with Executive Orders being signed to the same effect in South Dakota. Legislators across the country have failed to provide examples of issues in their states to attempt to justify these attacks, laying bare the reality that these are attacks on transgender youth that are fueled by discrimination and not supported by fact. Collegiate and professional sports organizations have had trans-inclusive policies for years without incident, and there is no reason any state would need a ban on transgender participation in sports.

The NCAA LGBTQ OneTeam open letter reads as follows:

An Open Letter in Support of Transgender Student-Athletes

We, the undersigned, are facilitators of the National Collegiate Athletics Association’s (NCAA)Division III LGBTQ OneTeam Program, which is a national training program that fosters LGBTQ+ inclusion in NCAA Division III athletics, and members of the NCAA’s Division III LGBTQ Working Group. Given the recent rise in legislation that is focused on excluding transgender people from athletics across the country, we have decided to use our collective voice to condemn such actions. We call on elected officials across the country to immediately halt legislation that is aimed at excluding transgender youth and young adults from equal and equitable participation in sport.

In our role with the NCAA’s LGBTQ OneTeam Program, we train coaches, athletics administrators, and student-athletes across the whole of Division III athletics. This program is aimed at helping to understand the importance of LGBTQ inclusion in college athletics, while also identifying strategies and best practices for institutions and conferences to better ensure that all student-athletes–regardless of their sexuality, gender identity, and/or gender expression–can participate in an inclusive and safe athletic climate. We cannot, in good conscience, fail to speak out at this critical moment.

In the past several weeks, actions–which are aimed at excluding transgender youth and young adults from equal and equitable participation in sport–have been taken by elected officials inseveral states, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia. At the time of this writing, the Governors ofArkansas,Idaho,Mississippi, andTennessee have already signed such dangerous legislation into law.

Legislation aimed at categorically banning transgender people–and particularly transgender girls and women–from sport is inherently discriminatory. Such legislation is often “informed” by hate and misinformation rather than science, and it is most certainly “informed” byfear instead of fact. Conversely, trans-inclusive policies, such as those established by theNCAA and theInternational Olympic Committee (IOC), are better informed by the current scientific evidence, and this evidence shows that transgender women do not have an inherent competitive advantage over cisgender women.

Furthermore, discriminatory legislation that is aimed at excluding transgender people from sport has a number ofserious consequences for transgender students. Such legislation dehumanizes transgender students, refuses them the opportunity to participate equally and equitably in athletics, undermines their support in educational settings, damages their mental health, and ultimately harms these students, while also contributing to an exclusionary athletic environment and a more hostile school climate for all students.

We immediately call for 1) an end to such legislation in all states and 2) a repeal of such laws in Arkansas, Idaho, Mississippi, and Tennessee. And finally, we also encourage our legislators to better consider theNCAA best practices and importance of an inclusive athletic environment for all student-athletes.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

Timothy R. Bussey, Ph.D.

Pronouns: they/them

Associate Director, Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | Kenyon College

Kayla Hayes, M.Ed.

Pronouns: she/her

Associate Head Women’s Basketball Coach Dept. of Athletics | Denison University

Kyrstin Krist, Ph.D.

Pronouns: she/her

Associate Professor of Kinesiology and Faculty Athletic Representative | Methodist University

Melynda Link, M.B.A.

Pronouns: she/her

Director of Athletic Facilities & Game Day Operations, Dept. of Athletics | Haverford College

Kathleen M. Murray

Pronouns: she/her

President, Office of the President | Whitman College

Jess Duff

Pronouns: she/her

Assistant Athletic Director for Student Athlete Services & Internal Operations Dept. of Athletics | Bates College

Jessica Weiss

Pronouns: she/her

Head Field Hockey Coach, Dept. of Athletics | Randolph-Macon College

Jennifer Dubow

Pronouns: she/her

Executive Director | Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC)

Maura Johnston

Pronouns: she/her

Head Field Hockey Coach, Dept. of Athletics | Fairleigh Dickinson University

Scott McGuiness

Pronouns: no pronouns

Director of Athletics, Dept. of Athletics | Washington & Jefferson College

Danielle Lynch, M.S.Ed.

Pronouns: she/her

Senior Woman Administrator and Head Track and Field/Cross Country Coach Athletic Department | Penn State University – Harrisburg

Melissa Walton

Pronouns: she/her

Senior Associate Athletic Director Athletic Department | Albion College

Amy Reed

Pronouns: she/her

Senior Woman Administrator and Head Women’s Basketball Coach Dept. of Athletics | Rochester Institute of Technology

Donna M. Ledwin

Pronouns: she/her

Commissioner | Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC)

Donnesha Blake, Ph.D.

Pronouns: she/her

Director of Diversity and Inclusion Dept. of Student Affairs | Alma College

Tim Wilson

Pronouns: he/him

Assistant Track and Field Coach, Dept. of Athletics | Stevens Institute of Technology

Anne Kietzman

Pronouns: she/her

Head Field Hockey Coach, Dept. of Athletics | Washington College

Ashley Crossway, D.A.T., A.T.C.

Pronouns: she/her

Assistant Professor and Coordinator of Clinical Education Dept. of Kinesiology | SUNY Cortland

Melissa Brooks

Pronouns: she/her

Head Women’s Basketball Coach Athletic Department | Fairleigh Dickinson University – Florham

Tiffany Thompson

Pronouns: she/her

Associate Director of Gender and Sexuality Initiatives, Intercultural Center | Swarthmore College

Kirsten Clark

Pronouns: she/her

Associate Athletic Director, Dept. of Athletics and Recreation | Clark University

Kate Levin

Pronouns: she/her

Assistant Sports Information Director Dept. of Athletics | Ramapo College

Cori Collinsworth

Pronouns: she/her

Head Softball Coach, Athletic Department | Hanover College

Bethany Dannelly

Pronouns: she/her

Associate Director of Athletics, Dept. of Physical Education and Athletics | Washington and Lee University

Jennifer Childress-White, M.Ed.

Pronouns: she/her

Assistant Athletic Director and University Title IX Coordinator Dept. of Athletics | Pacific Lutheran University

Elise Fitzsimmons, M.S., A.T.C.

Pronouns: she/her

Assistant Athletic Trainer, Dept. of Athletics| SUNY Oswego

Amanda Walker

Pronouns: she/her

Athletic Program Coordinator Athletics Department | Lake Forest College

Danielle O’Leary

Pronouns: she/her

Senior Woman Administrator and Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach Athletics Department | Mount Aloysius College

Crystal Lanning

Pronouns: she/her

Director of Athletics, Dept. of Athletics | University of Wisconsin – River Falls

Neil Virtue

Pronouns: he/him

Assistant Director of Athletics and Head Swimming Coach | Dept. of Athletics, P.E., and Recreation Mills College

Jose’ Rodriguez, M.Ed.

Pronouns: he/him

Chief Diversity Officer, Office of University Diversity Initiatives | Cabrini University

Karen Moberg, M.Ed., L.A.T., A.T.C.

Pronouns: she/her

Associate Athletic Trainer, Athletic Department | Macalester College

Yishka Chin

Pronouns: she/her

Coordinator for Tutoring Services and Trailblazer Program Director, Dept. of Student Success | Notre Dame of Maryland University

Renee Bostic

Pronouns: she/her

Director of Athletics & Wellness Dept. of Athletics & Wellness | Notre Dame of Maryland University

Megan Cullinane

Pronouns: she/her

Assistant Athletic Director and Deputy Title IX Coordinator for Athletics Dept. of Athletics and Recreation | University of Massachusetts – Boston

Maureen Harty

Pronouns: she/her

Executive Director | College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW)

Stephanie Dutton

Pronouns: she/her

Commissioner | North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC)

Sharia Marcus-Carter

Pronouns: she/her

Senior Woman Administrator and Director of Compliance, Athletics Department | Brooklyn College

Texas Winter Storm Coverage

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By: Emily Bunn

As Texas faces its worst winter storm, and largest insurance claim, in the state’s history, many Texans are banning together to stay warm and conserve resources. The frigid winter storm that has been ravaging the state has led to burst pipes, power failures, and flooded homes. Many residents have been left without any clean drinking water, heat, or power. Some have taken to sleeping in blanket covered tents, while others are attempting to heat their homes by boiling their limited water supply.

In towns such as Lubbock, Texas, frozen water pipes have lead to leaks, water damage, a lack of heat, and ice accumulations, especially in school campuses. Across the state, k-12 schools and universities–such as Texas Tech University, located in Lubbock–have been affected. Chief Operations Officer Rick Rodriguez said to KCBD: “We’re never going to put our kids in a school where their safety is compromised. That’s our highest priority. We would never bring kids back to school if we did not think it was safe.”

Tragically, more than 50 Texans have died from hypothermia, house fires and carbon monoxide poisoning. One of the grimmest situations arriving from this storm include the death of Loan Le, a grandmother, and her three young grandchildren in a house fire after attempting to stay warm during the night. While power had been restored to most people across the region after last Saturday, approximately 69,000 in Texas, 61,000 in Mississippi, and thousands more in the surrounding states of Louisiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia still remain without any power.

While the spirit of community aid rippled across Texas–through programs like The Houston Food Bank, the Austin Disaster Relief Network, the San Antonio Food Bank, Feeding Texas, Front Steps, and several community efforts, such as at the local H-E-B grocery stores–the state’s Senator, Ted Cruz, selfishly took a flight to Cancun, abandoning many freezing Texans and his pet poodle.

As Cruz lounged at the Ritz-Carlton, Texans faced depleted water supplies, empty grocery store shelves, and freezing temperatures. Stepping in to take some responsibility, President Joe Biden declared an emergency declaration in Texas. This emergency notice will allow for Texas residents and business owners to apply for temporary housing grants, home repair loans, and other emergency aid. While the declaration doesn’t cover the entire state, individual assistance is being provided to 77 of 254 counties, including those surrounding Texas’ most populous areas, including Houston, Dallas, and Austin. Texas Governor Greg Abbot discussed Biden’s declaration in a statement:

“I thank President Biden for his assistance as we respond to impacts of winter weather across our state, while this partial approval is an important first step, Texas will continue to work with our federal partners to ensure all eligible Texans have access to the relief they need.”

As the Texas National Guard has been deployed across the state to deliver water and conduct welfare checks and relief efforts, such as the $3.2 million dollars help raised by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Rep. Sylvia Garcia, and Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas continues to battle the hazardous consequences of this unforeseen winter weather.