Pediatric emergency departments and clinics have been overcrowded with the dramatic increase in child respiratory viruses, leaving many families anxious about caring for sick kids.

Making decisions about what to do or not do can be exhausting, especially coming out of nearly three years of pandemic fears, social isolation and burnout. Parents need practical strategies to balance the health risks and stressors of kids getting sick as we trudge through the virulent flu, RSV and COVID-19 winter season.

As researchers of family well-being interventions, we provide four evidence-based stress-management strategies grounded in dialectical behaviour therapy skills (DBT).

In tough situations, DBT encourages a mindset that balances accepting reality as it currently is (even if this is very much a reality we never wanted!) while identifying actionable steps to change our ability to cope, like bringing in social support and understanding our emotional reactions in compassionate ways.

To bring you the most relevant information, we collaborated with pediatric emergency physicians to integrate their frontline expertise.

Try these tips to build confidence that you're doing exactly what is needed for your kids this year.

1) What are my most important values? For many families, kids' activities are on the schedule again: fun with friends, time with relatives, celebrations. But having a cavalier attitude about including sick children at events like in pre-pandemic times might have costs down the road.

Consider your own values and identify the activities that are the most important, and consider what precautions you're willing to take to keep your family and community healthy. Maybe it makes sense to attend a small house party with daycare friends, but not a larger gathering at the local arcade? If limiting sick days matters to you, catching up on COVID-19 boosters or flu shots could save you weeks of sick kids at home. Now is also a great time to teach kids of any age about the basics of hand-washing, tissue use and the "batman cough." Articles on the new etiquette of coughs highlight the value of masks for residual symptoms, and rebuilding trust with our communities.

Finally, keeping kids home when sick really matters. It will also help you avoid the side-eye in public.

2) How will I manage if they get sick? If you have young kids at home, odds are they've already been sick and they'll get sick again. Coping ahead anticipating and rehearsing responses to difficult situations can reduce anxiety now and help you respond effectively in the future.

With the waves of child sickness, it's common to find yourself with depleted resources, physically and emotionally. In anticipation of the next onset of illness, a little preparation can go a long way to reduce family stress and promote recovery. Consider replenishing essentials, reviewing the plan for seeking health care, planning for childcare difficulties and managing tough emotions.

3) My child is sick. How worried should I be? Managing a sick child is tough when there is little to be done but wait and watch. DBT helps you ask "what is the problem to be solved?" This might be as "simple" as tolerating family physical and emotional discomfort with compassion and care.

Staying present and focusing on improving the moment can help reduce distress when nothing else can be done.

Alternatively, more change-based action is needed. When faced with an ill child, consider looking from every angle of the situation. Remember there is no absolute truth and we can't predict the future. Be open to alternative options, check your assumptions and avoid using extreme language ("always" and "never").

It's key to critically assess the validity of information sources and prioritize those that are evidence-based, including governmental or health board websites. Diving down the rabbit hole of googling symptoms will typically increase stress without offering meaningful benefits.

Fortunately, the odds of serious illness or death are small in Canada for most children. Ask a health-care provider if you're concerned your child may be at greater risk of serious illness (for example, if they were premature, have underlying heart or lung conditions, neuromuscular disorders, immune problems or take medication that suppresses the immune system).

4) Back to basics You may already be well versed in the importance of "basics" when it comes to serving your emotions. There is a reason why "hangry" is such a common concept! Small steps can go a long way to helping the household stay healthy, recover quickly and keep family moods up.

As a family, try to prioritize plenty of sleep, nutritious foods and getting outside once a day. And while this is true for the whole family, parents should also keep in mind the airplane rule: we must put our own masks on before we help those around us.

Lastly, social connection offers a buffer to stress. Find ways to be creative with scheduling quality social connections consistent with your comfort level such as connecting with friends over FaceTime or only meeting outdoors.

During really tough moments, acknowledge the difficulty of the situation and remind yourself that you're doing your best in a really challenging time.

It's normal to be on edge and exhausted managing so much, particularly after three years of pandemic disruptions to family life. We hope these tips may provide even a small amount of relief this winter.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Read the original post:
Fears about RSV, flu and winter viruses can cause parental stress. Try these 4 expert tips to balance mental wellness and health risks - Devdiscourse

To close Thursday's practice for the University of Akron mens basketball team at Rhodes Arena, coach John Groce talked about setting a tone on the road for the Zips' game at 8:30 p.m. Friday at Ball State.

Groce may as well have been talking about setting a tone for the next two weeks as the Zips play four of the next five on the road, beginning with Fridays games against the Cardinals, which will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network.

Coaches always talk about playing with the right attitude. However, so far with an 0-2 record on the road (1-5, if neutral sites are included), the Zips have shown vulnerability when away from the confines of Rhodes Arena.

We've been soft on the road, guard Greg Tribble, coming off a 16-point effort in the Mid-American Conference opener, said.

Groce acknowledged theres been a problem.

I thought our start in those two games is awful, he said. I know I'm talking about just the vibe, the physicality, being ready to play at a level that we need to, where we're being aggressive and proactive rather than reactive. And so that's something I think is important tomorrow night.

Groce gave credit to the teams that beat the the Zips, but also said theres also something else at play a team thats still developing.

I think part of it is you got four [younger guys] right now and an eight- or nine-man rotation that haven't played a league game until the other night, and they're learning their way, he said.

Right now, injuries to starting guard Xavier Castaneda and back-up guard Garvin Clarke are forcing some of UAs younger players to learn, and quickly. Guard Tavari Johnson had earned significant minutes, but Groce turned to Kobe Mitchell, Armani Lyles to fill holes in the rotation against Northern Illinois.

Those holes are not unsubstantial with Groce having to juggle the lineup without those two players, but others filled the void.

Tribble produced a season high with 16 points, knowing that he had to play more aggressively on offense, which involved him having to play freer. He said he needed to be more decisive in that regard.

I feel like sometimes I think too much, he said. Just being decisive again to my spots to where I know I can get my shots at.

As for the younger players asked to step up, guard Nate Johnson added eight points in 30 minutes against the Huskies, doubling his season average. He said he needs to continue performing that way for the Zips to have success in the coming days.

Just more me being more consistent, he said of his role, and my teammates trusting and everybody's stepping up and just playing our role, playing hard.

Tavari Johnson, who also scored eight points against Northern Illinois, said he has to be more aggressive.

Our main scorer is out, so I feel like I'm behind him, so I have to pick it up, because [forward Enrique Freeman] is not going to be able to score our points by himself, he said. "Someone has to help him, so I feel like I had to be more aggressive to try to help him out.

And those younger players will get leeway to develop, Groce said. He understands that with the inexperience comes mistakes. The difference is mistakes made out of effort and those made from mental errors.

If it's errors out of aggression or what I call forced errors rather than unforced errors, he said, then I'm fine with that. That's going to happen some with young guys.

But that right attitude has to be there, also. Tribble said the Zips need a hit-first mindset, challenging opponents from the outset beginning Friday.

We just been getting off to slow, flat starts. It starts with me and some of the older guys on our team, he said. We just got to come out in, set the rules and get that intensity. The younger guys feed off us.

Whether Castaneda plays will be a game-time decision, Groce said.

The Zips guard could be seen working with team personnel off to the side during Thursdays practice, using only his left hand.

If he can go, we'll play him, Groce said. If he can't go, then obviously we're looking at waiting to see what happens between now and next Tuesday against Bowling Green.

Clarke, meanwhile, did some light work with team personnel with his left leg secured in a brace. Though not a starter, his experience is invaluable and his absence most assuredly hurts UAs depth.

Reach George M. Thomas at gthomas@thebeaconjurnal.com

Excerpt from:
University of Akron men's basketball team fills holes with youth - Akron Beacon Journal

Somewhere near the crossroads of the start of the pandemic and its related burnout, we added a few work-related buzzwords to the lexicon: The Great Resignation, quiet quitting, career cushioning, and now, act your wage. Employees are now rethinking their relationship with workrather than doing more than theyre supposed to in desperate moves to advance their careers, they are acting their wage.

The pandemic has given many people the opportunity to reflect on the quality of their lives, explains Dr. Carla Marie Manly, a clinical psychologist. As people moved into hermit mode, many discovered that the slower pace was extremely beneficial for their personal lives. The experience of working from home or from a beach far away from the office left people wondering, Why am I in the rat race? Why am I working so hard to make money for others? For many people, the pandemic provided a stark juxtaposition to the fast-paced life that created burnout and stress.

Many peopleemployees and managers alikewonder if you can be just as productive with a four-day workweek. And if a four-day workweek is successful, how about a three-day workweek? The pandemic gave us work-from-home flexibility and opened the door for more shifts in how, where and when we work. Technology allows for flexibility, but theres a downside to always being connected.

With the rise of remote and hybrid work, LinkedIn found that 40% of working Americans feel more burned out since the start of the pandemic, and 37% are working less traditional hours, explains Blair Heitmann, LinkedIn career expert. We saw that people worked longer days, with many working off-hours and experiencing burnout as their work-life lines blurred.

Acting your wage means you arent on call or on the hook for company problems 24/7 the way a CEO or Executive Director might be, explains career coach Gracie Miller. Its recognizing that you were hired for 40 hours of work and not doing overtime you arent being paid for. You can still take initiative, be a team player and have a positive attitude during those 40 hours. But you dont answer messages on Slack at 11 p.m. or email someone on a Sunday.

But its hard to act your wage if your workplace encourages you to work above your pay grade and/or if youre afraid to speak up about increased workload. If youre not sure, check out these signs of a toxic workplace.

You could say it started because people are fed up at work, but really it started because Reddit and TikTok gave employees a platform to speak up about their dissatisfaction at work. Wed be remiss if we didnt acknowledge the influence of social media and the internet at large for enabling this trend, explains Aaron Rubens, CEO and co-founder of Kudoboard, a workplace appreciation platform.

Employees (and millennials in particular) began sharing their dissatisfaction at workand realized theyre not alone, Rubens says. What emerged was a picture of employers who dont appreciate their employees and essentially see them as expendable resources.

TikToker @saraisthreads posted about employers setting expectations they cant meet, and got almost two million views. @jennahushka gets about 14K views when she posts about dating, but when she posted about burnout or lack of training, her views skyrocket to hundreds of thousands. @loewhaley got two million views when she posted about a micromanaging coworker who doesnt respect boundaries and closer to three million views when she posted about etiquette around out-of-office email.

On Reddits r/antiwork subreddit, the vibe is more about life/work balance than quitting work altogether and provides an outlet for act your wage conversations. People talk about living wages, paid sick time, the housing crisis and more.

Dr. Manly sees both sides of it. There is merit to acting your wage,' Dr. Manly says, Yet for those who find satisfaction in working hard, theres much to be said for the mental health boost that can come from enjoying a strong work ethic.

In many circumstances, its about having reasonable expectations for whats expected of you and how far you might be willing to push those expectations. If youre in a position where you feel youre being pushed to work beyond your wage, you can use it to spark a conversation with your managers.

If your relationship with the manager isnt conducive to this, its time to think beyond your role and responsibilities, says Jenn Lim, a global workplace expert and author of the bestselling book Beyond Happiness: How Authentic Leaders Prioritize Purpose and People for Growth and Impact. When we choose work that is aligned with our values and purpose, and that is intrinsically motivated, were working for more than a paycheck, Lim says, Were working towards something more meaningful and greater than ourselves; were acting our purpose, not just our wage.

Sources:

More:
Everything You Need to Know About "Act Your Wage" - Reader's Digest

Annapolis boys basketball has become unfortunately used to 18-point deficits like the one they faced against Southern on Friday. The Panthers are a young team, first-year coach Tim Bonnett said, and figured out early on that those kinds of margins were too much pressure.

But, they kept building their confidence and abilities in practice anyway. And on Friday, rather than letting those kinds of scores seep into their self-confidence and become their identity, the young Panthers chose to fight.

Sophomore Darrian Carter embodied that fighting spirit. From just two points scored in the first quarter to 23 by games end, the 6-foot-5 forwards initial fiery comeback lit the torch for the rest of the Panthers en route to a 60-59 finish over the Bulldogs.

I told them, teams are gonna go on runs. We can make runs, too, if we stick with it, Bonnett said. Its all mental for us because were so young and inexperienced. But they fought through it.

The Panthers displayed just how determined it was to right its wrongs in the final moments. Annapolis trailed by one when junior Reggie Dean curved around the court on his teams final possession. This was his chance, and he didnt waste it. The guard slowed his pace before charging into the paint and popping his go-ahead, game-winning layup over a horde of Bulldogs.

And even then, Annapolis didnt rest on small victories. Southern inbounded the ball, dishing to Joell Simmons to move towards his own potential winner. Carter wasnt having it. The skyward sophomore moved to guard Simmons, forcing the senior to misfire as the clock hit zero.

Its our grit and attitude, Carter said. We decided that, even though we had a bad first half to the season, we figured we can come change it in the second half. Thats what we plan on doing.

When Southern surpassed Annapolis to lead 15-12 at first quarters end, it did not look back. The Bulldogs scored 15 straight to start the second while all the heat Annapolis presented in the former frame dissipated like hot air.

Southern guard Brian Griffin popped in two points at the buzzer to toss the Bulldogs to an 18-point advantage, 36-18, at halftime.

But as much as Southern punished their hosts in the second quarter, Annapolis spirit wasnt beat. And the Bulldogs did little to change that.

The Panthers didnt speak of woe at halftime. They spoke of work, Carter said.

First quarter, we played OK. Second quarter was downhill, the sophomore said. Halftime, we came back out, showed up, played our game.

Led by Carter, the Panthers steadily cut chunks from Southerns lead, getting within 51-35 going to the fourth.

Darrians still learning how to score, Bonnett said, and Im working on building confidence with him, too. Hes just learning he can be dominant when he has the ball in his hands,

Carter got to work. When he didnt get baskets, teammates rushed in to back him up. Freshman guard Nysean Harris with a 3-pointer, for instance. Even as its once-healthy lead crumbled away, Southern played erratic, taking inaccurate shots or turn over the ball.

Bonnett and his staff stress being active. His Panthers let their hands go limp in the first half, the coach said, allowing the Bulldogs to collect plenty of skip passes and plenty of 3-pointers. Once Annapolis focused on its hands, it couldnt be stopped.

We [also] figured out how to stop their top guys. They were doing everything credit to them, they played a great game, Carter said. But we decided we wanted to play defense. Close out on shooters and stop them from driving up.

With 2:08 left, Annapolis got within three points. But they werent interesting in tying. Harris shuffled up to the arc and fired. For a split second, the court went quiet as Southern watched their lead die.

Then, the gym split open with sound. And Annapolis led for the first time since the first quarter at 58-57.

It felt great, like the energy the crowd gave us, Carter said, we were just able to get back in the game.

Go here to see the original:
Annapolis boys basketball shows grit and promise in rally over ... - Capital Gazette

From compliance mandates and campus culture to cyber security and access control, practitioners and solutions providers give their predictions on where the industry is headed.

Whether you believe in fortune-telling or not, nearly all who work in the campus safety and security industry would agree that knowing what the future holds would save our community and the entire country a whole lot of headaches and heartaches.

While we can often learn a lot from history and its tendency to be repetitive, advances such as those in technology are catapulting us away from the ability to look into the past to predict the future. Thankfully, those same advances have better equipped the industry to protect students, staff, patients, and the surrounding communities.

Since we dont know for sure what will happen in the future, practitioners and solutions providers who live through and study safety and security day in and day out are our closest bet to accurately predicting what lies ahead. Heres what some of them have to say on various related topics.

Mike Lahiff, CEO of ZeroEyes:

The education sectors Great Resignation crisis will continue, with safety concerns playing a significant role. In a 2022 survey of school leaders and teachers, 40% said they felt less safe than five years ago. Nearly half of American Federation of Teachers (AFT) members say they worry about a mass shooting in their workplace, and a full 63% feel that their schools are not ready for a mass shooter event. Its no wonder that 55% of educators report that they are ready to leave their profession earlier than planned. Many school decision-makers seem to have the attitude that an active shooter situation couldnt happen to them, but we predict that more proactive security measures will become commonplace as school threats continue to increase.

More states will follow Michigans lead and release funds specifically devoted to school safety. Theyll have to because voters will demand it. According to a Pew Research Center survey, 76% of Americans consider gun violence one of the biggest problems facing the country. In another survey of 998 registered U.S. voters, three in five adults stated they belief that leaders in Washington are not doing enough to prevent gun-related violence. The threat of gun-related violence is not going to go away, and especially in the wake of Uvalde parents are demanding that their children be better protected while on school grounds.

Marisa Randazzo, Ph.D., Executive Director of Threat Management, Ontic:

I have a number of colleagues who are health providers and I talk with them from time to time about what theyre seeing. And then a number of hospitals and healthcare facilities, I actively support through training and program guidance through behavioral threat assessments. What Im seeing in those different purviews is while healthcare providers are in the thick of it now in terms of workplace violence, Im starting to see impact from the Joint Commission requirements. As hospitals are fully implementing those requirements and other guidances, like from the American Hospital Association, it takes a while but they are starting to see the beneficial impact of having these programs in place and having these trained teams to respond to incidents as they occur.

While the number of threats may continue to remain high, what Im seeing improvement in is the ability of hospitals and healthcare facilities to respond appropriately and figure out, Where do we need to actually intervene to mitigate risk?

I feel like there is absolutely hope on the horizon in large part because of these requirements. Theyve now been in place for a year and were actually seeing that beneficial impact of reduction in incidents because theyre able to get left of bang, theyre able to look at something before harm has occurred, and take steps to mitigate it.

Marisa Randazzo, Ph.D., Executive Director of Threat Management, Ontic:

My prediction for violence in schools is that were actually going to see a decrease because were getting back to much more normal conditions. Healthcare is still under siege, in part because they are facing this ongoing tripledemic an ongoing influx of patients. Again, were finally seeing the benefits of a couple of years of work. Because of federal funding, so many states now are really trying to implement behavioral threat assessments and violence prevention at a state level, whether it is for looking at concerns coming from students about employee behavior, whatever the case may be. We are finally seeing the benefits of all this infrastructure thats been built at a state level and for schools around the country in a way we have never seen before, historically.

It is my truly optimistic view that were going to see targeted school violence incidents start to decrease and were going to hear much more about the wins schools are having the averted attacks. So much that we do to prevent violence centers around how to support someone who is struggling. Whether it is a patient, a patient family member, a student, or an employee, when we find someone who is considering resorting to violence or feels like they are at the end of their rope and have no other options left, the more we can do to actually support that person and help them solve those underlying problems.

Kati Garner, M.Ed., Regional Training Consultant, Colorado School Safety Resource Center:

2023 will be a year that sees continued conversation around mental health, its impact on staff and students, and how much it affects the overall safety of our campuses. There will be ongoing struggles to hire needed mental health professionals but I truly believe states, districts, and communities will band together to help each other find creative solutions to provide these critical resources.

Anthony Pluretti, Executive Director of Campus Safety, Widener University, 2022CSHigher Education Director of the Year winner:

As the higher education industry continues to experience enrollment challenges, campus safety offices are being called upon to do more than just provide safe environments. Students need to feel welcome at their institutions, and campus safety offices will be called upon to contribute to recruitment and retention efforts in that regard.

Widener University has made building a culture of belonging on our campuses an institution-wide priority, and I see this becoming a more widespread practice in 2023. Campus safety and police agencies are in an excellent position to reformat their outreach programs and find better ways to establish meaningful and lasting connections with the community. Agencies have always had some kind of education that they deliver to the community, however, creating a sense of belonging is about connecting with your students on a much deeper level than was customary in previous years.

Social media pages, comfort K9s, collaborative events with student organizations and just having fun with students are the kinds of things I believe will be asked of everyone this year and going forward. It will be important to develop a culture of hospitality in our departments while still providing a safe campus and enforcing the law.

At Widener, we see every interaction with the community as an opportunity to help recruit or retain students, and to contribute to a culture of belonging. Our campus safety office has found that building and strengthening relationships with this as a priority has been a really rewarding experience.

Michael Garcia, National End User Manager, K-12 Safe Schools, HID Global:

In 2007, myself, a school psychologist, and a group of school safety and security advocates and practitioners from across the country predicted that mental and behavioral health, behavioral threat analyses, and a focus on improving school culture to create a social and emotional climate would combine with physical security people, policy and technology to compliment emergency security operations management in schools. This comprehensive framework would empower school districts to assess and manage risks district-wide. I am sad to say that we were kicked out of school administrative offices and educational service centers across the country.

Well, after 16+ years, we finally have buy-in at the school district level. With this in place, my prediction, now that state and federal government funds for safety and security are starting to flow into schools is.GET READY FOR COMPLIANCE MANDATES. Some will be funded, some un-funded, but all will be enforced by holding back funds if schools are audited and not in compliance. These mandates will be driven by politicians, those appointed by politicians, and non-security professionals, for the most part.

Many past, current, and future issues will not be addressed. Lobbyist groups will begin to push the emerging, non-proven products of their clients as the best investment for the safety of our school-aged children, teachers, administrators, and staff. The compliance measures will be audited by non-security professionals as well, which will deliver a double whammy to those districts that do not have seasoned school security leadership and a decision-making round table in place (with the school board as the final decision approval authority).

To kick these mandates off, school audits will be mandated and performed in 2023, which will deliver surface tension and known vulnerabilities at best. Many of these audits will be grade your own test type, do-it-yourself audits, not the required third-party individual verification and validation (IV&V) true risk assessments (that include cyber and environmental risks, etc), which can then be audited by the state or federal compliance agencies.

We will see more gross negligence lawsuits in school districts because of the school boards and superintendents not mitigating the critical risks found in the submitted risk assessments. They will either not see the value of mitigation for the threats and vulnerabilities that a true risk assessment will bring to light or they will not want to invest the financial resources needed to properly secure our most precious and priceless assets. Compliance mandates will place the responsibility of diligence, vigilance, and management of the safety and security process squarely on the shoulders of the elected board members (governance trustees) and the CEO of the district (superintendent).

This is where board and administrator safety and security training by the National School Boards Association (NSBA) and the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) will be imperative because it has never been required before at the executive level.

Gary Sigrist, CEO and President, Safeguard Risk Solutions:

Legislation and funding for school safety will continue to make a difference, but schools will need help in finding the right solutions for their school community.

We are starting to see states providing legislation and funding that can make a real difference in school safety. The Ohio Attorney Generals Office provided funding for Law Enforcement Officers to receive training in conducting Security and Vulnerability Assessments for their local schools. Ohios 133rd General Assembly enacted House Bill 123, the Safety and Violence Education Students (SAVE Students) Act, regarding school security and youth suicide awareness education and training. HB 123 requires each school building in grades six through 12 to have a Threat Assessment Team (TAT).

House Bill 110 of the 134th General Assembly provides grant funding for eligible security improvements that assist organizations in preventing and preparing for responding to acts of terrorism. For schools to qualify for the grants, they not only have to show a need based on a current Security and Vulnerability Assessment, but they must have a trained Threat Assessment Team. The Ohio School Safety Center provided qualified schools with a list of approved trainers for a district TAT, many of them free to the schools and districts. Schools can meet the requirements of the grant without the need to pay a vendor for an SVA or threat assessment training.

Sadly, with grant funding comes vendors selling snake oil to schools with solutions that are unnecessary, unproven, and often put students and schools at risk with a false sense of security. Although states should not be in the business of promoting products or vendors, a state or national clearinghouse on the types of products proven to make a difference and a method for vetting vendors would go a long way in making the most of safety grant dollars. For example, you cannot work as a school security consultant in Texas unless you have been vetted and approved by the state. Schools and districts must understand grants are limited and there must be a method of funding safety initiatives after state and federal grants cease. If we want this trend of positive legislation and funding to continue, we must help schools spend money wisely.

Michael DePasquale, CEO at BIO-key:

The number of threats to higher education institutions will, unfortunately, continue to rise in 2023, and institutions will need to strengthen their cybersecurity efforts accordingly. IT departments in this sector are often understaffed and underfunded, treated as an afterthought. However, several proactive security measures taken by higher education organizations, like installing biometric authentication methods, can help defend against increased attempts of phishing, fraud, and identity cyberattacks.

Security oversight in healthcare systems can cost lives, as the industry has a direct impact on the well-being of individuals. As we continue to see a rise in cyber threats in healthcare, preventative security measures, like the implementation of identity-bound biometrics, will prove critical to ensuring users are who they say they are when accessing healthcare networks.

As remote and hybrid work methods continue to remain prominent, companies in 2023 will be forced to deploy stronger identity solutions to maintain security efforts. While device-based authentication can ensure only trusted phones and laptops can access the network, this method fails to properly authenticate the individual behind that device. This year, well see a definitive shift toward authenticating the user to strengthen security procedures within the enterprise.

According to a report from Eagle Eye Networks, the top five video surveillance trends for 2023 are:

1. Businesses are budgeting for video surveillance platforms that are AI-ready and future-proof2. Businesses want solutions that reduce operating costs3. Parking is being universally automated4. Schools are experimenting with security technologies to enhance safety5. Convenient and continuous customer support saves time and manpower

While the after-effects of the pandemic, regional conflicts and an uncertain economy present many challenges, business owners will find encouraging information in the 2023 Trends in Video Surveillance report, said CEO Dean Drako. Many of the 2023 trends are driven by recent introductions of cloud + AI technology that are being rapidly adopted by businesses, schools, and organizations across APAC, EMEA, and North America. A common denominator in 2023 will be affordable, easy-to-use technology that gives an insight into operations.

Genetec Press Release:

The [2022 State of Physical Security Report] also showed that 67% of organizations are planning to invest in access control system (ACS) modernization in 2023, putting it at the top of the physical security tech investment list. Modern ACS include built-in cyber defenses and health monitoring tools, and higher levels of automation. Upgrading to a modern, open ACS will help organizations eliminate the weak points of legacy systems and better defend against cybersecurity threats, as well as enable new capabilities like mobile credentials, biometrics, and cloud-connected controllers and services, to implement over time.

Guy Bliesner, School Safety & Security Analyst, Idaho School Safety and Security Program:

Following recent school shooting incidents, there is intense emotional inertia and strong public pressure to do something to make our schools safe. Significant monies are being allocated for school safety and security improvements at the federal, state, and local levels. This will provide an unprecedented opportunity this coming year to create safer and more secure schools.

Unfortunately, there are no easy answers. No one size fits all solution. No buy this one thing school safety remedy. No just do this and your school will be safe process. The radical differences in exposure, security posture, school community demographic, location, building design, and condition, plus a dozen other factors, preclude a universal best answer to any school security improvement.

School security is an ongoing posture that a school community must adopt and not simply a set of processes, and infinitely more than just a product. We need to be cognizant of this unique opportunity and use it effectively.

Agree or disagree with the predictions made here? Share your thoughts, respectfully, in the comments!

Continue reading here:
11 Predictions for Campus Safety and Security in 2023 - Campus Safety Magazine

Western Sydney coach Marko Rudan has questioned the mental strength of his players after watching their shock 1-0 loss to last-placed Perth Glory at a windswept Macedonia Park.

The Wanderers entered Friday night's match full of confidence on the back of last week's 4-0 thrashing of Macarthur, and they were expected to sweep aside a struggling Glory outfit missing key players Ryan Williams, Mark Beevers and Aaron McEneff.

But Glory flipped the script on its head, dominating the first half before scoring the winner in the 59th minute in what was one of Western Sydney's worst performance of the A-League Men season.

The result put a major dent in Western Sydney's hopes of catching ladder leaders Melbourne City, and has also left them vulnerable to being leapfrogged by the likes of Central Coast, Adelaide, and Brisbane.

Rudan said the performance against Glory wasn't good enough.

"We are not going to keep building if our mentality isn't right," Rudan said.

"And it's games like this where we've struggled.

"We come to Perth, poor lighting, strong winds - so what. So what.

"These external factors, if we're going to be a good side, need to be forgotten about.

"We need to be mentally better, and we're not. We're not there."

Rudan wants to see his players show their mental strength during the tough moments.

"That's a process. It's not a magic wand," he said.

"You put them in certain positions or moments to try to challenge them.

"But ultimately the most important day of the week is game day, that's where you get judged, not at training

"A lot of people can do it at training. But can you come to Perth on a windy night and do it? We're not there. Maybe a handful are."

Rudan said captain Marcelo Guedes had some "strong words" to his teammates after the game.

"He understands what winning means and what it takes. It's easy to win at home or when things are going well," Rudan said.

"That's easy, anyone can play the game. But the challenge for this group of players is switching on the mentality (when it's tough), and the attitude needs to be right as well."

The Wanderers are sweating on the fitness of attacker Kusini Yengi after he limped off with a quad injury in the first half.

Yengi only returned a week ago from a similar injury, and it's unlikely he will be able to face Melbourne City at CommBank Stadium on Sunday.

Continue reading here:
Rudan critical of brittle Wanderers - The West Australian

Using active management to identify idiosyncratic stock ideas is key to pursuing alpha, according to David Eiswert, a portfolio manager in the U.S. Equity Division of T. Rowe Price. In an interview with Eiswert released by T. Rowe Price, the portfolio manager for the Global Focused Growth Equity Strategy said that being active and going against market sentiment when it is appropriate is what the money manager does best and the best way to find strong investment opportunities.

Finding those idiosyncratic ideas is what we do best, in my opinion. That means being active but also testing and perhaps going against market sentiment when it is appropriate, Eiswert said. That is the way to find the best ideas to include in the portfolio.

Eiswert added, Having that laser focus on fundamentals and finding insights about improving economic returns is what can differentiate you from the pack and add value for clients.

Amid a period of a pandemic, the war in Ukraine, record-high inflation, and aggressive monetary tightening from the Federal Reserve, T. Rowe has sought sources of opportunity, including discounted entry points for compelling and rare businesses, which Eiswert said, requires an active and forwardlooking approach.

Staying engaged with stocks during periods of distressed sentiment has been important to fully benefit from the transition in sentiment from despair to hope, he explained. While it is always tempting to wait for patterns of recovery to be established, history teaches us that the early identification of fundamentals stabilizing, or the stop getting worse point, has been central to return generation.

While in a bear market and possibly facing a recession, volatility has historically proven to present opportunities. And the opportunity set is among the broadest Eiswert has seen for some time.

Innovative, highgrowth companies are trading at much more reasonable valuations, while idiosyncratic stock ideas not tied to broader market direction are also a focus, he said. Geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainty will remain part of the nearterm environment, but long term, stock prices are ultimately driven by changes in earnings power and cash flow generation.

As part of itslineup of active exchange traded funds, T. Rowe Price offers a suite of actively managed equity ETFs, including theT. Rowe Price Blue Chip Growth ETF (TCHP), theT. Rowe Price Dividend Growth ETF (TDVG), theT. Rowe Price Equity Income ETF (TEQI), theT. Rowe Price Growth Stock ETF (TGRW), and theT. Rowe Price U.S. Equity Research ETF (TSPA).

T. Rowe Price has been in the investing business for over 80 years through conducting field research firsthand with companies, utilizing risk management, and employing a bevy of experienced portfolio managers carrying an average of 22 years of experience.

For more news, information, and analysis, visit theActive ETF Channel.

Read the original post:
Active Management Key to Finding Idiosyncratic Investment Opportunities - ETF Trends

In recent months, the critical minerals sector has been at the top of government legislative and regulatory agendas and has been subject to substantial media attention. "Critical minerals" is a generic term that refers to a list of minerals and metals considered essential to the transition to a low-carbon energy economy, renewable energy development and infrastructure, and national security. Although there is no definitive, global list of "critical minerals," minerals such as aluminum, lithium, nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements are generally considered "critical minerals" as they are indispensable for electric vehicles (EVs), wind turbines, electricity network, consumer electronics and defense and security technologies.

Over the past few years, Chinese companies have attempted to increase their access to lithium mines worldwide to meet the growing global demand for batteries. Demand for lithium, a vital element in battery production, is expected to leap in the coming years as the auto industry phases out internal-combustion engines and rolls out EVs.1

As the United States and allied governments move to prioritize their own domestic critical minerals supply chains, foreign companies operating or investing in the critical minerals and mining sectors should expect enhanced scrutiny. Chinese and other foreign investors have already faced heightened scrutiny in the U.S. and Australia, and based on the recent divestitures and new guidance issued by the Canadian government, similar treatment is expected in Canada as well.

Since President Joe Biden's inauguration in January 2021, the Biden Administration has taken steps to strengthen domestic industrial supply chains measures that continue to have strategic implications for U.S. national security. These efforts include several initiatives aimed at expanding and protecting the U.S. critical minerals supply chain. In February 2021, Biden issued an Executive Order on America's Supply Chain, which called for a comprehensive, government-wide approach to addressing vulnerabilities in U.S. supply chains resulting from threats to critical mineral supplies and other key sectors, including semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, and information and communications technologies. In June 2022, the United States and key partner countries established the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) which has been dubbed "a metallic NATO" to further bolster critical mineral supply chains.2

In September 2022, Biden signed an executive order (E.O.) detailing key factors as well as key industries and business sectors for the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to consider when reviewing transactions for national security risks.3 (See previous Holland & Knight alert, "New Executive Order Creates Roadmap of Heightened CFIUS Scrutiny for Cross-Border M&A," Sept. 20, 2022.) The E.O. directs CFIUS to consider how a proposed transaction will affect the resilience of critical U.S. supply chains. The E.O. notes that foreign investment that shifts ownership, rights or control to a foreign person in critical mineral resources can pose a threat to U.S. national security. These considerations include the degree of diversification through alternative suppliers across the supply chain, including suppliers located in allied or partner countries, supply relationships with the U.S. government and the concentration of ownership or control by the foreign person in a given supply chain.

CFIUS will also consider how a transaction will affect the U.S. technological leadership in areas affecting U.S. national security, including microelectronics, artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology and biomanufacturing, quantum computing, advanced clean energy and climate adaptation technologies.

In addition, the E.O. directs CFIUS to examine investment trends and the totality of an investment pattern to identify transactions that will harm national security, even if such transactions may appear to constitute limited threats when viewed in isolation.

Australia is the world's top producer of lithium and rutile and the world's second-largest producer of zircon and rare earth elements. As such, like the United States, Australia has also pursued enhanced regulation of foreign investment and transactions involving the critical minerals sector. The Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB), which examines certain proposed foreign investments and makes recommendations to the Australian government, identifies the extraction, processing or sale of critical minerals as a key area of national security concern. Accordingly, in its guidance note, FIRB encourages foreign persons looking to invest in Australian businesses or entities involved in the extraction, processing or sale of rare earth elements, lithium, graphite, cobalt, vanadium, copper, nickel, silicon and high-purity alumina to seek government's approval first.4 Absent a voluntary notification, FIRB may unilaterally initiate a national security review and impose unfavorable conditions and, in extreme cases, order divestiture up to 10 years after the transaction has been completed.

Notably, in 2020, FIRB blocked a $20 million investment backed by Baogang Group Co. Ltd., a Chinese state-owned enterprise (SOE) and a major steel producer, in Northern Minerals Limited, a holder of significant deposits of rare earth minerals. In April 2020, FIRB approved the investment by another Chinese investor, Yibin Tianyi Lithium Industry Co. Ltd., in AVZ Minerals Limited (AVZ Minerals) only after the Chinese investor agreed to lower its proposed investment from AU$14.1 million to AU$10.7 million. The new amount represented a less than 10 percent stake in AVZ Minerals.

On Nov. 2, 2022, the Canadian government ordered the divestiture of three Chinese investors in Canadian companies engaged in the critical minerals sector in Canada and abroad after concluding these transactions threaten national security.5

Under guidance issued by the Canadian government on Oct. 28, 2022, Canada has the broad authority to review critical minerals investments in Canadian entities and Canadian assets (including domestic and overseas assets) across all stages of the minerals processing chain (e.g., exploration, development and production, resource processing and refining, etc.) by foreign SOEs and private investors tied to foreign governments. For such investors, applications for acquisitions of control of a Canadian business involving critical minerals will only be approved on an exceptional basis. Other investments, including greenfield and minority investments, regardless of the value, whether direct or indirect, are subject to a national security review. The participation of foreign SOEs or entities linked to or subject to influence by hostile or non-likeminded regimes or states will support a finding that there are reasonable grounds to believe the investment poses a threat to national security.7

Likewise, on Dec. 7, 2022, the Canadian Minister of Innovation, Science, and Industry introduced the National Security Review of Investments Modernization Act8 to amend the foreign investment screening regime under the Investment Canada Act and more closely align Canada's review process with that of CFIUS and the National Security and Investment Act in the U.K. The bill proposes several substantial amendments that, if passed, would affect foreign investments in businesses that operate directly or indirectly in certain "prescribed business activities," including a pre-closing notification requirement. The list of these prescribed business activities has not been published but will likely include sensitive sectors such as the critical minerals, critical infrastructure, advanced technologies and defense sectors.

These efforts come as the Canadian government has moved to prioritize critical minerals as crucial building blocks for the green energy transition and other key sectors, including AI, agriculture and microelectronics. On Dec. 9, 2022, Canada unveiled its new Critical Minerals Strategy.9 The Critical Minerals Strategy, backed by nearly CA$4 billion in funding, sets out a vision for Canada to become a global supplier of choice for critical minerals and the clean digital technologies they enable. Under the strategy, the Canadian government hopes to increase investment, boost extraction, enhance regulatory oversight and harmonize policies with allies, all while being mindful of growing national security considerations tied to critical mineral supply chains.

Canada's tough stance on Chinese investments in the critical minerals sector is one example of the broader geopolitical risks associated with minerals dependency and a convergence in treatment of foreign investments in the critical minerals sectors by the U.S. and its closest allies. China is the dominant global player in refining strategic minerals, and it holds 78 percent of the world's cell manufacturing capacity for EV batteries.10 Moving forward, further efforts are expected by the U.S., Australia, Canada and allies to counter Chinese dominance in this space, including through foreign investment screening. Holland & Knight is closely monitoring relevant regulatory changes and the latest developments related to the critical minerals supply chain.

Notes

1 Joe Wallace and Hardika Singh, Electric-Car Demand Pushes Lithium Prices to Records, The Wall Street Journal (Sept. 21, 2022).

2 MSP Partners include Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Commission.

3 See E.O. 14083, Ensuring Robust Consideration of Evolving National Security Risks by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, 87 Fed. Reg. 57369 (Sept. 15, 2022).

4 See Foreign Investment Review Board, Guidance 8 - National Security (April 12, 2022).

5 See Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, Government of Canada Orders the Divestiture of Investments by Foreign Companies in Canadian Critical Minerals Companies (Nov. 2, 2022).

6 See Power Metals, Power Metals Completes Off-Take Agreement with Sinomine (March 17, 2022).

7 See Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, Updated Policy Regarding Foreign Investments from State-Owned Enterprises in Critical Minerals under the Investment Canada Act (Oct. 28, 2022).

8 See Bill C-34, An Act to Amend the Investment Canada Act, 1st Session, 44th Parliament, 2022.

9 See The Government of Canada, The Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy, From Exploration to Recycling: Powering the Green and Digital Economy for Canada and the World (Dec. 9, 2022).

10 Rodrigo Castillo and Caitlin Purdy, China's Role in Supplying Critical Minerals for the Global Energy Transition: What Could the Future Hold?, Results for Development (Aug. 1, 2022).

Continued here:
Foreign Investment in the Critical Minerals Sector to Face Enhanced ... - JD Supra

While the federal government drags its feet on cannabis reform, the real action in cannabis continues to proceed at the state level. Most recently, this is being seen in efforts toward recreational weed legalization in Florida.

Since 2014, the Sunshine State has been one of the most successful medical cannabis programs in the U.S. However, major opportunities available for legal cannabis are still brewing as those within the industry weigh up the potential for adult-use legalization in 2024.

The proposed "Adult Personal Use of Marijuana," which supports recreational weed legalization in Florida for adults over 21, is building momentum. Already, the initiative has collected about 150,000 signatures since late last year.

Be a smarter, better informed investor.

Save up to 74%

Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplingers expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.

Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplingers expert advice - straight to your e-mail.

We are bullish about the prospects of adult-use cannabis passing in the state and see many benefits of weed legalization in Florida from a societal and economic standpoint, not to mention the political gains for the industry with another red state going adult-use. There's plenty more work ahead, but real money and attention are focused on making sure adult recreational cannabis use passes in Florida.

Vermont's adult-use market is showing strong growth, with additional access opening across several jurisdictions. Weed legalization was signed into law in Vermont in 2018, but recreational sales in the state did not begin until October 2022. According to Vermont's state marijuana regulatory authority, 25 stores have already opened, with four more to open within a month.

During its first month of sales, Vermont generated $2.6 million in adult-use sales and projects to make up to $65 million in 2023. Vermont does not get much media attention, given the limited ability of capital to participate there. However, this is yet another positive for the citizens and the tax revenues they will generate with their ability to purchase cannabis legally. Vermont has a long history with cannabis, and it is great to see this newer program thriving.

The cannabis industry has another legal adult-use state, with New York's first legal cannabis retailer officially opening its doors as the ball prepared to drop on 2022. Housing Works Cannabis Company, located in Greenwich Village, became New York's first state-sanctioned dispensary. A series of dispensary openings are expected in the coming months following 2021's cannabis legalization in the Empire State.

Housing Works (opens in new tab) is the first of 36 recently licensed dispensaries to open. In keeping with the state's social-equity efforts, its first-selected retailer, Housing Works, is a minority-controlled social-service agency serving individuals with HIV and AIDS, as well as the homeless and formerly incarcerated.

"We're absolutely thrilled to be the first and hopefully setting a model that other folks will have to follow," said Charles King, CEO of Housing Works. "This location is a perfect location. We're between the West Village, the East Village. Tourists can come by here easily. So we think we're going to ring up a lot of sales here."

Team Poseidon has been on site for the launch of many adult-use states over the years. It's always exciting to see people celebrate cannabis legalization for the first time, and it's a great reminder of what this industry has accomplished since Colorado's first sales in January 2014. New York is off to a rocky start, but with the legal cannabis program underway, we will continue to watch its progress from here.

After a year of growing momentum for cannabis in Washington, the Senate ultimately failed to pass, or even hold a floor vote, on the SAFE Banking Act in the final days of 2022. Passing SAFE Banking would have provided cannabis businesses across the industry with much-needed access to financial institutions and given a potential pathway to placement on the major equities exchanges like other marijuana stocks. With the painful memories of SAFE's failure to pass in the rearview, the cannabis industry must learn, unite and move forward.

The next possible step for seeing substantial improvement and growth across the cannabis industry would be to address federal tax reform in cannabis. The incredible tax burden levied on cannabis operators in the U.S. affects businesses of all sizes. Because of federal 280E (opens in new tab) taxes, legal cannabis businesses possess more significant tax burdens than most other companies, which remains a problem for the industry. The most powerful step forward in helping small cannabis businesses is to repeal 280E and replace it with a more modest federal tax rate.

House Representative Nancy Mace, R-South Carolina, made a symbolic statement by filing H.R. 9702 (opens in new tab), a bill to address this very issue, on the last day of 2022. We appreciate this show of support, but the bill will have to be reintroduced in 2023 with an even less-appealing composition of House and Senate members. More work is needed from our industry to be united on this tax reform and to put real pressure on our elected officials to get things done. The industry's future is in its own hands, and we look forward to seeing what unfolds in 2023.

Read more:
Weed Legalization in Florida? This Week in Cannabis Investing - Kiplinger's Personal Finance

MT. STERLING, Ky. Neogen Corp., an animal and food safety product manufacturer, opened its new facility in Montgomery County, a $9.8 million investment creating 79 full-time jobs and furthering the Governors initiative to grow Kentuckys agritech sector.

Neogen has operated in Kentucky since located in Lexington in 1992 with the acquisition of ELISA Technologies. ELISA was formed in 1990 through a license agreement with the University of Kentucky to develop diagnostic test kits to detect abused and therapeutic drugs in racehorses and greyhounds. Lexington serves as Neogens Animal Safety headquarters, which has grown to employ 170 residents across two Lexington facilities.

In 2021, an affiliate of Phoenix Investors purchased a 267,000-square-foot facility on Owingsville Road, formerly home to Regal Beloit. Shortly after acquiring the property, Phoenix entered into a long-term lease with Neogen for the facility. The companys investment includes building improvements and new equipment. Work on the project was completed in recent weeks.

In 2020, Neogens Lexington operations stepped up in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Neogen increased manufacturing and distribution of critically needed biosecurity products, including disinfectants, cleaners and hand sanitizers, while working closely with government agencies worldwide to approve products for use quickly.

As Neogen continues to grow domestically and internationally, it is extremely important that we have facilities that can quickly ship products to our customers worldwide, said Doug Jones, Neogens chief operating officer. This expansion of our Kentucky distribution centers will significantly support our domestic and global growth plans. Neogen is excited to work with the Mt. Sterling community to continue improving the lives of people and animals around the world, providing solutions promptly.

Neogens commitment to the facility represents a tremendous outcome for Phoenix and the Mt. Sterling community, said Phoenix Managing Director Anthony Crivello. We are thrilled to be part of bringing such a high-quality company to Mt. Sterling.

Neogen, founded in 1982, is headquartered in Lansing, Michigan. Its animal safety division manufactures and markets various animal health products, including diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, supplements, biologics, wound care, veterinary instruments, rodenticides, disinfectants and insecticides. The company employs approximately 1,700 people worldwide, with nine locations in the U.S. and 15 international facilities.

Phoenix Investors is a leading expert in the acquisition, renovation and release of former manufacturing facilities in the United States. The revitalization of facilities throughout the continental United States leads to positively transforming communities and restarting the economic engine in those communities. Phoenixs affiliate companies hold equity interests in a portfolio of industrial properties totaling approximately 61 million square feet spanning 29 states. Phoenix owns approximately 2 million square feet of industrial real estate in Kentucky.

To encourage investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) in June 2021preliminarily approvedan incentive agreement with the company under the Kentucky Business Investment program. The performance-based agreement can provide tax incentives based on the companys investment and annual job and wage targets.

KEDFA approved Neogen tax incentives through the Kentucky Enterprise Initiative Act (KEIA). KEIA allows approved companies to recoup Kentucky sales and use tax on construction costs, building fixtures, equipment used in research and development and electronic processing.

By meeting its annual targets over the agreement term, the company can be eligible to keep a portion of the new tax revenue it generates. The company may claim eligible incentives against its income tax liability and wage assessments.

In addition, Neogen can receive resources from Kentuckys workforce service providers. Those include no-cost recruitment and job placement services, reduced-cost customized training and job-training incentives.

Click herefor more Kentucky business news.

See the original post here:
Neogen opens Mt. Sterling location with nearly $10 million investment - The Lane Report