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41% of adults in the U.S. have medical debt. Here are some ways to try to avoid it KUOW News and Information
The City of Sonoma is pleased to announce the 2022 Citywide Slurry Seal Project (Project) started today. The Project began with preparations on June 30th and will be followed by the application of the slurry seal on July 7th and 8th. After the application of the slurry seal, new markings on the street surface will be installed. View/Download the Slurry Schedule and Map. The Slurry Seal program is part of the City’s commitment to keeping the City’s streets in a safe and functional condition for all modes of transportation.
Streets will be closed to traffic during the slurry application process until it has been determined by personnel that the streets are safe to drive on. Any unexpected traffic during the application can be dangerous and it is vital for everyone’s safety that you do not drive, walk (including your pets) or bicycle on the wet slurry. The street marking application will be the final portion of the project and will require some traffic control, but the streets will remain open to traffic.
Each affected residence and business will receive a door hanger with information about temporary restrictions to on-street parking and driving on the newly sealed roadway, plus a map and schedule of the affected roads prior to the slurry seal application.
Learn more about slurry seal and find a location map and schedule on the Slurry Seal Project Page.
How to avoid medical necessity denials and ensure timely payment.
Medical necessity denials are a source of frustration for many practices nationwide. “It feels like the game of whack-a-mole,” says Holly Ridge, B.S.N., RN, CPC, CPMA, manager of medical necessity and authorization denials at Duke University Health System in North Carolina. “We have an increase in denials in one service, determine the root cause, improve our processes and [then] appeal — and then something else comes up.”
Ridge, who oversees hospital and professional denials for medical necessity, says payer policies have become more detailed and restrictive. “Payers have also improved their edits to automate denials,” she adds.
Toni Elhoms, CCS, CPC, CPMA, CRC, the CEO of Florida-based Alpha Coding Experts, LLC, agrees. The worst part? “These denials can add up very quickly,” she says. For example, Medicare pays approximately $40 for a test for vitamin D (CPT code 82306). If a practice fails to support medical necessity and receives denials for this test 30 times a month, that’s $1,200 a month or $14,400 a year.
1.Sick visit on the same day as an annual wellness visit (AWV)
Reason for denial:Lack of clear clinical documentation regarding why the physician had to go above and beyond what is normally addressed during an AWV.
How to avoid it:“I often tell doctors to write the note as if it were two separate visits — one for the problem and one for the well visit — to make it clear,” says Elhoms. “The provider needs to spell out what makes the sick visit significant and separately identifiable from the well visit.”
Providers also need to report the correct ICD-10-CM code for the visit, says Elhoms. When there are abnormal findings (ie, when the physician addresses a separate problem), report Z00.01 as well as any additional diagnosis codes to represent those findings. Only use ICD-10-CM code Z00.00 to indicate the absence of abnormal findings. Payers may question and deny Z00.00 when billed with an AWV and separate evaluation and management (E/M) service on the same day, she adds. Finally, be sure to append modifier -25 to the E/M code so it passes through clearinghouse edits, she adds. Modifer -25 is for “Significant, Separately Identifiable E&M Service by the Same Physician on the Same Day of the Procedure or Other Service.”
2.In-house labs and diagnostic testing
Reason for denial:Testing too frequently. For example, a payer might deny a prostate screening when the patient had it done six months ago through a different physician. Or a payer might deny a hemoglobin A1C every four months because its policy states it only covers the test every six months.
How to avoid it: For annual tests (eg, prostate screenings), patient communication and care coordination are critical, says Elhoms. “Good communication with the patient can help you avoid some of these issues on the back end,” she adds.
For other frequency-related denials, clinical documentation is paramount, says Ridge. “If a patient is diabetic and doesn’t appear to be responding to the original treatment plan even though they’re [adherent], you could appeal this very easily,” she adds. “The clinical circumstances of ongoing hyperglycemia would warrant frequent A1C monitoring.”
Reason for denial:Incorrect ICD-10-CM diagnosis code. For example, a patient on long-term anticoagulant medication requires checks of their prothrombin time every few days. The payer might deny this test if the physician simply pulls the patient’s entire problem list (e.g., atrial fibrillation, heart disease and presence of coronary stent) onto the lab order.
Another common reason for denial is that physicians do not report the correct ICD-10-CM code to justify testing a patient’s vitamin D — especially when ordered for an AWV. “This is one of the biggest denials, volumewise,” says Ridge. “Medical policies cover it for a variety of diagnoses, but the annual exam is generally not one of them. If the annual exam code is linked to the vitamin D test, it won’t be covered.”
How to avoid it: First, link the correct diagnosis code with each lab or test. In other words, the principal diagnosis on the lab order should be the condition that is being screened or monitored. For example, for frequent testing of prothrombin time, list ICD-10-CM diagnosis code Z79.0 indicating long-term (current) use of anticoagulants as the principal diagnosis, says Elhoms.
Likewise, for vitamin D testing, list the most relevant ICD-10-CM diagnosis code as the principal diagnosis on the lab order, says Ridge. For example, this might include cancer, obesity, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome or fatigue. A vitamin D deficiency based on a previous test might also suffice, she adds. It is important to know payer policies before ordering the vitamin D test, she adds.
3.High-cost medications
Reason for denial: Patient does not meet the payer’s medical policy criteria for coverage.
How to avoid it: Know each payer’s coverage criteria and appeal denials when possible, says Ridge. “Most Medicare Administrative Contractors will consider other indications at their own discretion,” she adds.
Another tip is to work with pharmaceutical representatives to understand indications and coverage criteria. “Not all, but many, pharmaceutical companies offer patient assistance programs if the physician determines the patient really needs the medication and they have failed multiple other treatments,” says Ridge. One caveat: For patients to qualify for some of these programs, physicians may need to bill the patient’s insurance, receive a denial, appeal that denial and fail to overturn the appeal, she adds.
If you want to address medical necessity denials but are uncertain where or how to begin, experts provide these seven tips.
Appoint someone to stay on top of each payer’s medical policies. For example, this could be a certified coder, biller or outside consultant. “The return on investment is absolutely worth it,” says Ridge.
Trend and monitor your denials. What are your most frequent denials in terms of volume? What are your high-dollar denials? Knowing this information can help you take a targeted approach, says Elhoms.
It can also help you quickly spot denials that may be due to the payer’s own error, says Ridge. For example, Ridge says Medicare started denying Botox injections due to lack of medical necessity; however, it was referencing a policy that was not applicable. Bringing this to the Medicare Administrative Contractor’s attention can quickly resolve the issue and improve cashflow, she adds.
Appeal denials. Start with your high-volume, high-dollar denials, says Elhoms. To save time, create standard letter templates for certain types of appeals. Also, remember that the quality of your appeal will make or break your case. In the absence of internal expertise, consider working with an external consultant who knows what payers are looking for in terms of appeal language, she adds. Remember to include research studies, CPT Assistant references, the payer’s own medical policy and any other information that can help support your argument, she adds.
Submit corrected claims. In cases where diagnosis codes are omitted or not specific, consider adding the correct codes and resubmitting the claim, says Elhoms. Be sure to check with your payer regarding how to handle resubmitted claims. Also highlight the part of the note that supports the new or revised codes, she adds.
Build edits in your practice management system. The goal is to catch potentially problematic claims before they go out the door. “Coders can review these cases to make sure the right diagnosis codes are linked to the lab or test,” says Ridge.
Involve the patient. Consider asking the patient to sign a form (i.e., the Designation of Authorized Representative form) allowing you to appeal the denial on the patient’s behalf under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. “It gives you additional appeal opportunities and it’s another chance for a new set of eyes to review it,” says Ridge. Member appeals also have the opportunity for an independent review organization to review the denial, which may increase your chances of overturning it.
Leverage contract negotiations. “If you’re having trouble with a payer, the time to bring up the issues is during contract negotiations,” says Elhoms. “Don’t walk away from the discussion without having some type of resolution.” For example, will the payer build a custom edit in its system or provide a direct contact who can easily address these denials without adding administrative burden on your practice?
If the payer is not willing to work with you, consider walking away, says Elhoms. “Is the payer even worth your time? If you’re spending this much time with medical necessity denials, it may not be worth it,” she adds.
As we spend more time outside this summer, you may be wondering how best to protect yourself from the sun’s damaging UV rays and reduce your risk of developing skin cancer.
Certain cancer treatments can also make you more sensitive to the sun, so you want to make sure you’re getting the right protection. Seeking shade is the most effective way to prevent sun exposure, but when you can’t avoid it, there are ways to protect yourself.
When choosing a sunscreen, you’ll see lots of terms, like physical, mineral and chemical. But what do these terms mean? And how do these sunscreens work to protect you from the sun’s damaging rays?
Dermatologist Anisha Patel, M.D., explains.
Mineral sunscreen reflects UV rays
The main difference between mineral (or physical) sunscreens and chemical sunscreens is how they handle the sun’s rays. Mineral sunscreens create a barrier on your skin that reflects UV light. They don’t absorb into the skin.
If you take a flash photo of someone wearing mineral sunscreen, you may even see the flash reflected off the product on the skin, Patel says.
“Mineral sunscreens offer the most protection because they’re literally creating a physical separation between you and the sun,” she notes.
You’ll recognize mineral sunscreens by their chalky, white look and feel. That look also helps serve as a reminder for when you should reapply.
“With physical blockers, if you can still see it, it’s still working,” Patel says. These products should be reapplied around every two hours, especially if you’ve been swimming or sweating.
If you don’t like the look of traditional mineral sunscreen, you may choose a tinted option. These offer the same mineral protection with a bit of color, so they blend more naturally, no matter your skin tone.
Chemical sunscreen absorbs UV rays
Most people don’t love the thick texture of mineral sunscreens, so they opt for chemical versions, even though they’re not as effective.
Chemical sunscreens absorb UV rays by changing their chemical structure to reduce sun damage. They come in both cream and spray form.
Chemical sunscreens wear off more quickly and need to be reapplied every couple of hours. And though the spray sunscreens may be more convenient, it’s easier to miss spots on your skin with sprays than with cream sunscreens.
“If you’re swimming or in a humid climate like Houston, you’ll need to reapply even more often, since sweat and water wash away chemical sunscreens more quickly,” Patel says.
Hybrid sunscreens offer mineral protection with thinner formula
Hybrid sunscreens have a combination of active ingredients including mineral and chemical compounds, allowing for a thinner formulation that rubs in better.
With these types of sunscreens, you’ll still want to read the label to make sure you’re applying them correctly to get the most protection.
UPF clothing creates physical defense
Certain types of clothing and hats can offer more protection from the sun. These have an “ultraviolet protection factor” or UPF on the label.
Sun-protective clothes can either be chemically treated or created with more tightly woven materials to block the sun. “You’ll want to look for darker colors or a tighter weave on the clothing to get the most protection,” Patel says. Shirts with long sleeves, pants, and hats with a wide brim are a good idea to keep the sun off your skin.
Over time, chemically treated UPF clothing may lose its protection factor, so you should read the labels and replace these items as recommended to avoid getting burned.
Whether you choose mineral, chemical or physical sun protection, Patel says the important thing is to be sun safe. Choose a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. “Even if it's not the perfect sunscreen,” she says, “it’s better to wear something rather than nothing.”
Request an appointment at MD Anderson online or by calling 1-877-632-6789.
WEST SAYVILLE, N.Y. -- A long-awaited museum opened its doors Tuesday on Long Island dedicated to educating the public about our nation's Navy SEALs.
As CBS2's Carolyn Gusoff reported, it's named for a native son from Patchogue, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for extraordinary bravery fighting terror.
"Today, good comes out a bad thing and you know what? I know he is with me," Maureen Murphy said.
It was an emotional day for the mother of hero Lt. Michael Murphy and the extended family of military and grateful citizens, continuing the legacy of Suffolk County's most honored son.
FLASHBACK: Navy SEALs Museum To Honor Native Son Lt. Michael Murphy
Navy Leap Frogs were above a crowd of 1,000 below to open the Lt. Michael Murphy Navy SEAL Museum in West Sayville, 17 years to the day after he made the ultimate sacrifice.
Former President George W. Bush delivered a video message.
"I'm pleased that his values, his sacrifice, and his story will live here forever," Bush said.
It's a dream come true after a national nightmare. On this day in 2005, Michael Murphy and fellow SEALs were ambushed behind enemy lines in Afghanistan. In all, 19 Americans died. His heroics sacrificing his own life trying to save his team is documented in the film "Lone Survivor."
The lone survivor, Marcus Luttrell, said "Murph" would have been humbled by the museum.
"I think it has come full circle. I think out of that tragedy came new life," Luttrell said.
He said he hopes the museum will inspire young people to a greater purpose.
"Kids have to find their guidance somewhere. What are you going to put in front of them? Hopefully, it's something like this," Luttrell said.
The nation's second Navy SEAL museum is the result of $2 million in donations, delayed years by COVID, designed to teach the history and mission of this elite branch of the Navy.
Among the living heroes in attendance Tuesday was Robert O'Neill, who was on the team that killed Osama bin Laden.
"It doesn't matter if you're a four-star Navy SEAL admiral or the guy that goes into Osama bin Laden's bedroom. We all had our first day at work and we were all scared. As long as we succeeded, it doesn't matter who gets the credit," O'Neill said.
Murphy's father said it doesn't matter his son's name is on the building.
"They call it Mike's house, but it's really a tribute to our Navy SEALs, our special operators who are out there every day, even now, protecting us," Daniel Murphy said.
"We live in freedom because of them," Maureen Murphy added.
The museum will educate generations about the price of freedom and what the the SEAL motto, "Service Above Self," means.
An adjacent building will house a training program for Navy SEAL cadets, the next generation of sea, air, and land warriors.
ROGERSVILLE - Mary Sharalyn Sherry Seal, age 57, of Rogersville, passed away on June 25, 2022 in Rogersville.
Sherry was born to Melvyn and Sharon Long on December 14, 1964. Sherry was a graduate of Cherokee High School. Sherry was married to Craig Seal for thirty-one years. She graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She worked as an educator for thirty-one and a half years. Sherry dedicated a majority of her career to the students of Surgoinsville Middle School.
She is survived by her loving husband, Craig Seal; children, Stephanie (Ryan) Waye and Christopher Seal; parents, Melvyn and Sharon Long; siblings, Kim (Steve) West, Chris Long; grandchildren, Aubriana Seal, Abram Lima, Ethan Seal, and Keegan Waye; nephew, Leland Blair.
The family of Sherry wishes to extend their sincere thanks to Hawkins County EMS and the ER staff at Hawkins County Memorial Hospital.
The family will receive friends from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm Tuesday, June 28, 2022 at Hope Community Church. Funeral services will be held directly after at 6:00 pm with Chris Bishop officiating. Graveside service will be held at 11:00 am Wednesday, June 29, 2022 in Hawkins County Memorial Gardens. The family of Sherry does ask that if you wish to attend the graveside service or if you are a pallbearer to please meet at the cemetery by 10:45 am. Pallbearers will be Ryan Waye, Tommy Smith, Kent Seal, Austin Dillard, Joseph Bear, Marty Scism, Mark Morley, and Josh Stephy.
Online condolences may be sent at www.christiansells.com.
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The SEAL Future Foundation (SFF), the premiere military transition partner for U.S. Navy SEALs, has announced that it is strengthening its existing partnership with global educational services provider Kaplan to offer the SEALs it supports Kaplan Credegree programs, which can earn them industry-recognized credentials that are highly valued by employers. Kaplan Credegree is designed to enhance the job readiness and marketability of aspiring professionals by partnering the traditional four-year degree program with Kaplan’s educational programs, but can also be utilized by many organizations and businesses that are vested in the long term success of their members.
Among the dozens of credentialing programs being offered, with no out of pockets costs, are: Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), Wealth Management Specialist (WMSSM), and Certified Digital Marketing Professional (DMI Pro). And as part of Kaplan’s previously signed partnerships, SEALs who are transitioning out of the service or are already out of the military who are looking to attend college or a graduate-level program can prepare with Kaplan for free for a myriad of admissions exams including the SAT®, ACT®, GRE®, GMAT®, LSAT® and MCAT®.
“SEALs transitioning to civilian life are looking to take the unique experiences they gained while serving and protecting and translate them into skills that will make them successful in their next careers. What the SEAL Future Foundation does with the support of Kaplan Credegree is give our guys the ideas, roadmap, and tools they need to tackle this next phase of their lives more seamlessly and confidently,” said Anthony Page, the SEAL Future Foundation’s senior director of strategic partnerships and a former SEAL. “This is an exciting new time for them and with Kaplan Credegree, we look forward to helping them reach their professional goals.”
While veterans are a highly sought after group of employees by many top companies and their unemployment rate is actually lower than that of non-veterans, a Pew Research Center survey finds experiences and opinions somewhat mixed about whether or not their military service was useful in giving them the skills and training they needed for a civilian job.
“We’re incredibly honored and excited to expand our partnership with the SEAL Future Foundation. It’s been a privilege over these past few years to help many former SEALs get into college and graduate school and now by helping these heroes secure their professional credentials, we can make even more of them prepared for challenging and rewarding careers in civilian life,” said Mark Reimonenq, Kaplan’s director of university partner solutions. “Over the next few weeks and months, we’ll continue to announce additional partnerships in this area, as more organizations and institutions of higher learning recognize the value and promise of Kaplan Credegree.”
For college, university, or corporate leaders who want to explore partnering with Kaplan, click here. And for reporters interested in covering this partnership and growing sector of Kaplan’s portfolio, contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 917.822.8190.
Test names are the property of the respective trademark holders.
About SEAL Future Foundation
Founded in 2012, the SEAL Future Foundation (SFF) is the premiere military transition partner for U.S. Navy SEALs. Its mission is to provide Navy SEALs with a foundation that supports their well-being, education and career to continue a life of service within their communities. The SFF is a 501(c)(3) public nonprofit organization that provides a comprehensive suite of free lifetime resources to prepare active duty and veteran SEALs for success in the civilian world. For more information, visit www.sealff.org.
About Kaplan
Kaplan is a global educational services company that provides individuals, universities, and businesses with a diverse array of services, including higher and professional education, test preparation, language training, corporate and leadership training, and student recruitment, online enablement and other university support services. With operations in 28 countries, Kaplan serves more than 1 million students each year and has partnerships with 1,000-plus universities, colleges, and schools/school districts, and more than 4,000 businesses globally. Kaplan is a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC). For more information, please visit https://kaplan.com.
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HANCOCK COUNTY, Miss. (WLOX) - A year after his tragic death, the family of Cayce Seal keeps the memory of the fallen electric utility worker alive through tributes, events and #LLC, or Live Like Cayce.
“It’s been incredible the outpouring of love and support people have given us,” said Doug Seal, Cayce’s father.
The Seal family has been treading the waters of emotion, finances and legal matters since the Bay St. Louis resident died from electric shock while on the job last year.
“We didn’t realize how the systems work. After Cayce’s death, we didn’t realize what was going on.”
If you remember back in April, the Occupational Safety and Health Organization, or OSHA, fined Entergy $40, 959 for three serious safety violations as a result of Seal’s death.
Doug Seal adds they haven’t sought legal action against Entergy due to Mississippi’s Workman’s Compensation rules and a specific clause called Intentional Tort.
“Companies cannot be held liable for workers injuries or deaths if they have worker’s compensation insurance,” Seal added. “Basically, you have a one percent chance of filing suit against a company or corporation. The company has to be willfully negligent in telling you to do something that would end your life in order to be held accountable. I think that is something that was brought to light.”
Doug Seal says he’d like to see that changed, not for his family, but for others on the job that could endure a similar incident, like the one Cayce Seal suffered a year ago.
“I would like to go to our State legislature and say ‘hey, companies need to be held accountable.’ To me, that’s what needs to come out of Cayce’s legacy.”
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Copyright 2022 WLOX. All rights reserved.
The way our money is circulated is very often built on trust. We trust that the people investing money on our behalf are actually doing what they say they're doing. Businesses trust that the people overseeing business operations are working in the business's best interest. There is literally a type of financial agreement called a "trust."
The fiduciary duties that these people hold shouldn't be taken for granted. When it is, that creates a window of opportunity for those people to embezzle that money.
Embezzlement is the misappropriation of funds for personal gain. While embezzlement is a form of theft, the key difference between embezzlement and larceny is that the money taken through embezzlement was initially entrusted to the embezzler through legal channels. Only after the money is obtained, does the perpetrator take the money for themselves.
These schemes can take on several forms. One way that embezzlement takes form is the Ponzi scheme. These schemes involve a central operator, often someone with a fiduciary duty like a hedge fund manager or a broker, who collects money from investors with the promise of high returns and dividends.
Instead of investing that money, they use it for their personal expenses. Since no investing is actually taking place, the operator relies on a steady stream of income from new investors to pay older investors, often called "robbing Peter to pay Paul." When the operator can't find new investors, the Ponzi scheme collapses as the operator runs out of money to pay dividends.
While Ponzi schemes attract a lot of attention, most embezzlement schemes aren't as well-orchestrated or as thought out. "It's not generally, in my opinion, some mastermind that planned it all together and knew they were gonna steal X amount over a period of time," says Sarah Santos, a banking and commercial litigation lawyer and co-founder of Davis & Santos PLLC. "Generally, it starts small, right? You do it out of some kind of necessity first."
Usually, an embezzlement scheme takes the form of an employee of a company skimming off the top in small increments, usually for some specific reason like an upcoming payment that they don't immediately have the funds for. So they take some money out and promise themselves they'll pay it back later. When those embezzled funds go undetected, Santos says "they see how easy it is, and then it always snowballs into what it eventually becomes."
Over a long period of time, these embezzling schemes can amount to large sums of money. Santos recalls one case where the chief financial officer of a big car dealership would add a random, unspecified line item onto their bills. That money would get siphoned off into an account for him. "Over 30 years, it ended up being $20 million dollars," Santos says.
Embezzlers can go undetected for years by taking control of checks and balances within the company, so there's nobody who would be able to find any discrepancies. Santos provides another example of a chief financial officer who fired the accounting firm that did the company's taxes so they couldn't identify the funds he was embezzling. Instead, he did all of the company's taxes himself because he had a CPA license.
At one point or another, an embezzlement scheme gets discovered. A 2022 study from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) found that the median occupational fraud scheme lasts 12 months before being detected, causing $117,000 in losses. Of these schemes, 86% of them involve asset misappropriation, causing $100,000 in losses per case, though the longer the scheme, the more a company stands to lose.
Santos says that these cases often come to light when the company reaches a point where its policies and procedures get switched up, such as a merger or a change of management. The channels that the embezzler went through are now blocked, which prevents further embezzlement. This may trigger a sudden pattern shift when the money that was regularly being siphoned suddenly appears on the books out of nowhere.
Embezzlers often don't take any time off because obscuring these schemes from prying eyes is a full-time job. If an embezzler is out of the office when someone begins wondering where a certain amount of money went, there's nobody there to cover it up. "Every company should force employees to go on vacation and disconnect. Because that's when all of a sudden, if you're not there to cover up something, then it comes to light," Santos says.
Once an embezzlement scheme is out in the open, a case can be taken to both criminal and civil court. Embezzlement can have several legal causes of action, which are the grounds on which legal action is pursued for a specific action. For civil cases, this comes in the form of breach of fiduciary duty or breach of contract. These cases are often launched by victims who are trying to recover money from an embezzler.
The steps to prove embezzlement depend on the legal cause of action that the lawsuit was based on. In a criminal embezzlement case, the government must prove four things:
The specific steps that you should follow as a victim of embezzlement will depend on who you are as a victim. If you're an individual investor, your priorities are going to be different than if you are a business owner. Regardless of who you are, the priority in these embezzlement cases is recovering as much money as possible. Here are some starting points in embezzlement cases:
Lawyer up: You should evaluate your situation and determine if a lawyer is necessary. For something small like $100, an attorney might not be necessary. For $100,000, you should probably find yourself some representation.
Notify insurance company: If your business is a victim of embezzlement, hopefully you have some kind of theft insurance. You should contact your insurance company immediately since many of these policies have a clause that requires you to report these incidents to your provider within a certain period of time. Aside from recovering money directly from the embezzler, this is your best bet for recuperating lost money.
Archive information: You should physically save all correspondence you've had with the embezzler, which means printing out all emails and texts. If you operate a business, freeze all emails and lock down your server. Many cases revolve around a smoking gun in the form of an incriminating email or text, which can prove an embezzler's intent.
Freeze the embezzler's assets: Recovering as much money as you can from an embezzler is your surest bet for recovering stolen money. Even if you successfully sue an embezzler for the entire sum they stole from you, if they don't have the money to pay you back, there's not much you can do.
On Monday, June 20, a member of the harbor seal family at the Louisville Zoo died. Seven-week-old seal pup, Emmy was born on April 29 of this year and passed away Monday. She was the baby of seals Tonie, her mother, and Oscar, her father. She was born underweight and had not gained weight as quickly as the veterinarians at the zoo had hoped. She had good maternal care from her mother but sadly, Emmy didn’t thrive. Early on the pup failed to show a drive to nurse and had to be fed via tube.
“Losing an animal — especially this young — is always hard,” said Dr. Zoli Gyimesi, Zoo Senior Veterinarian in a release. “I’m so proud of the staff for all their efforts; we gave Emmy every chance we could. We are grateful for the many consultations provided by experts around the country.
It is not uncommon for young animals in the wild to die young. In fact, up to one-third of harbor seal pups don’t survive on the coasts due to issues like starvation, malnutrition, infection and, of course, predation from other animals.
The zoo will perform a necropsy and results will be shared with the community at a later date.
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The military drama "SEAL Team" has maintained its popularity even through a move from its broadcast home at the CBS network to its new life as a streaming-only show at Paramount+.
David Boreanaz stars as team leader Jason Hayes, and his social media accounts have become a magnet for fans seeking behind-the-scenes intel about the show. He recently revealed that season six has started production with a post to his Instagram account.
At the conclusion of season five, the team came under attack on a secret mission to Mali, and it's unclear whether everyone survived. We do know that SEAL Clay Spenser (Max Thieriot) took some shrapnel to the eye and then came news that Thieriot would be starring in a new show about California firefighters on CBS this fall.
Related: 'SEAL Team' Star Max Thieriot Set for Double Duty with New CBS Show 'Fire Country'
The "SEAL Team" crew quickly put out news that Thieriot was set to appear on both shows, but it didn't reveal anything about just how much Spenser we'd get when "SEAL Team" returns. If he didn't survive the Mali battle, he could still appear in flashbacks shot for the new season.
Boreanaz rallies the fans with a caption that reads, "Bravo1 check. All stations check in … Back in." He's looking reflective in that middle-aged television and movie warrior way. Hey, if we can support a 59-year-old guy playing Maverick in the latest "Top Gun," why not a 53-year-old guy leading a SEAL team into combat?
There's no word from Paramount+ about when the next season of "SEAL Team" will stream. CBS has announced that "Fire Country" is set to air on Fridays this fall, so it's hard to figure that Thieriot will be available to put in a lot of time on "SEAL Team."
Clay Spenser did tell Jason Hayes that he planned to leave the team to spend more time with his wife, Stella (Alona Tal) and their baby, Brian. Maybe an injured Clay survives and appears as a recurring character while SEALs Ray Perry (Neil Brown Jr.), Sonny Quinn (A.J. Buckley), Brock Reynolds (Justin Melnick) and Trent Sawyer (Tyler Grey) play a bigger role in the story going forward. Don't be surprised if there's a new SEAL character to replace Clay if Spenser doesn't make it home from Mali.
There's good news for "SEAL Team" fans. Producer and showrunner Spencer Hudnut just signed an overall deal with CBS Studios, the company that makes "SEAL Team." That's a vote of confidence from the studio suits and an indication that they're planning to stay in the SEAL business for some time to come.
Related: 'SEAL Team' Gets a Movie, but There's a Catch
There's been no updates about plans for the "SEAL Team" movie that is slated to run on Paramount+, so it looks like the next season of the show will air before we find out more about that project.
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Real estate never sleeps. Meaning if you’re competitive in your market, you may feel like you must constantly be available and constantly be working. Unfortunately, this ambitious attitude does not always fair well.
Symptoms of real estate burnout
By recognizing the symptoms of burnout and taking the necessary steps to eliminate it, you can revive your excitement for your job and perhaps gain a new perspective on the real estate profession. So, what are the best ways to prevent real estate burnout?
Identify your problem areas
What aspects of your job are causing you to burn out? Do you feel as though you’re losing control of your workload? Are your colleagues difficult to get along with? Once you identify the underlying reasons for your burnout, you can start to make the necessary changes, which will leave you time to relax, re-energize and rediscover your motivation for the real estate profession.
Appreciate the little things
Oftentimes, you can become so wrapped up in your work that you forget to stop and appreciate yourself and all that you do for others. One of the best ways to do this is to take some time to reflect on small, but important, triumphs as a real estate professional.
One suggestion is to look at ‘thank you’ letters from especially appreciative clients. Small tokens like this are not only a testament to your skills, but they are a reminder of how devoted you are to your clients and why you chose to be a part of the real estate profession.
Set boundaries
Though technically it is you who is working for your client and not vice versa, allowing them to have complete control of your life and your free time will put you on the fast track to real estate burnout. It is important for you to be as honest and direct as possible with clients about how you conduct your business. For example, you should keep your clients up-to-date on your hours of availability, your preferred method of contact and when they should expect their calls or emails to be returned. You will likely be surprised at how uncomplicated an agent-client relationship can be.
Control your time
In a business where quick responses and ‘availability’ mean everything, it can often be difficult to develop effective time management skills. The issue with promoting constant availability is that effective, personal service may fall by the wayside if you attempt to accomplish too many tasks in too short a timeframe. The subsequent time crunch can potentially result in real estate burnout. Though creating a timetable for your daily tasks may seem as though it will slow you down, it will, in actuality, increase your productivity and allow you to focus your energy on important tasks.
Take a break from technology
Checking emails, MLS listings, news sites, blogs and social media takes up a big portion of our day. Set aside some time each day when you can put away your laptop, turn off your phone and stop checking email.
Nourish your creative side
Creativity is a powerful antidote to burnout. Try something new in your personal life or take a new real estate course. You’ll be surprised at how re-energizing a little creative outlet can be.
Take a breather
Sometimes, burnout can be impossible to avoid, no matter what strategy you try. If you reach a point where you feel as though work has become unbearable, take a break. Take some time off here and there or schedule a fun vacation—just make sure you leave your cellphone at home.
McKissock Learning is the nation’s premier online real estate school, providing continuing education courses and professional development to hundreds of thousands of real estate agents across the country. As part of the Colibri Real Estate family of premier education brands, McKissock Learning, along with its sister schools Real Estate Express, Superior School of Real Estate, Allied Schools, The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing, Gold Coast Schools, The Rockwell Institute and Hondros Education Group, helps real estate professionals achieve sustainable success throughout each stage of their real estate career. Learn more at mckissock.com/real-estate.
Seal Beach police have closed their investigation into a suspicious 2016 fire that left a man dead, they said on Monday, June 20, and named a suspect who died in 2020 while behind bars for an unrelated arrest.
John Donnelly was 67 when he became trapped in the second-floor of a duplex on the 200 block of 17th Street six years ago on April 30. He and his dog, a Jack Russell terrier, were killed.
In the weeks following the fire, investigators found accelerant outside of the unit’s stairwell, which led them to believe the fire was intentionally set. Seal Beach police, in a press release, identified William Pratt as the suspect in a “cold case arson homicide.” He was 60 when he died.
Officials declined to go into detail on Monday regarding how Pratt was linked to the fire, any relationship he may have had with Donnelly or what his motives might have been.
“I wouldn’t say they were friends,” Seal Beach police Lt. Nick Nicholas said.
The two had met at least once before the fire took place, Nicholas said. Something occurred during that prior exchange that may have caused Pratt to want to harm Donnelly, the lieutenant said.
Police described Pratt as homeless and known to frequent Seal Beach. He was in custody following an unrelated arrest when he was killed by another inmate on Aug. 7, 2020.
The recently named suspect died at a hospital about two months after he was attacked at Deuel Vocational Institution in San Joaquin County, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. He was serving a nine-year sentence following a conviction for assault with a deadly weapon in Los Angeles County.
Neighbors described Donnelly as a friendly man who would ride around town on his bike with his dog, Eddie, seated in a milk crate strapped to the handlebars. He loved animals, and often volunteered for Seal Beach Animal Care.
Last week, the organizers of Band on the Sand announced the cancelation of the long-standing local summer celebration.
The Beach House issued the press release on social media, and via the Chamber of Commerce.
The release was dated June 9. The first paragraph said: “Wednesday, June 8th. The Beach House, host of this year’s Band on the Sand Annual Community Event, announced today that it would cancel the highly anticipated event originally scheduled for July 3, 2022.”
“This decision was not arrived lightly. In conversations with local authorities and our City representative, there were concerns expressed regarding recent national events. ‘In a precautionary effort and after much heart-breaking consideration and deliberation, the only responsible option for our attendees, and many dedicated volunteers was to cancel the event,’ said Rosie Ritchie, event founder and partner of The Beach House.”
In reply to a request for a comment, Ritchie provided a copy of the announcement.
“The Band on the Sand event team was looking forward to bringing back this beloved community event after the two-year hiatus due to COVID health guidelines,” according to the announcement.
“The Band on the Sand annual event is a celebration of community, music and family fun that culminated in fireworks every third of July,” according to the announcement.
Seal Beach residents will still be able to enjoy the fireworks from the annual July 3 Big Bang on the Bay fireworks show, hosted by the Boathouse on the Bay on the Long Beach side of the San Gabriel river.
“Preparations such as sponsorships, pre-paid table reservations, deposits and advertising throughout the community were already in the works for this year’s event. ‘Despite our disappointment, we feel strongly, that our community needs to be prioritized above all else,’ said the announcement, apparently quoting Ritchie.
“Band on the Sand would like to thank our neighborhood sponsor, Chevron/G&M Oil as well as the thousands of faithful attendees who have unfailingly supported our event from year to year. The families and volunteers are the essence of what makes this event so special. We are proud that Band on the Sand has grown exponentially over the last couple of years and had attracted thousands of people to Seal Beach. Although incredibly saddened, we remain committed to investing our time and efforts into making next year’s event more memorable than ever,” according to the announcement.
In a June 13 email, Seal Beach Recreation Manager Tim Kelsey wrote: “The city was informed by the applicant that they have decided to pull their application for a special event.”
The Sun requested filed a California Public Records Act request for city documents related to the event. (An email was in an illegible format and the Sun has advised the city of this detail.)
Several documents were released Tuesday, June 14, including the application for the event, the proposed layout, and the city government’s invoice for proposed services. The invoice totaled $ 23,839.86. The bulk of that cost was related to police services at the proposed event, including: $15,283.08 for 12 full-time officers from 3 p.m. to 12 p.m.; $1,415.10 for one full time officer at the mobile command post from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.; and $2,808.40 for four senior community service officers.
According to a June 14 email from Kelsey, the applicant will not be charged for the services because they will not be rendered.
The application, dated Dec. 6, 2021, described the event as a “family event with live music, food from the Beach House, Beer Garden, Games.” The organization was identified as The Beach at the River, LLC. The application requested city services that included assistance from city personnel, an event banner, and storage of trash or materials. The event would have been the beach lot at the jetty in Seal Beach, according to the application. The application described security measures as “Security staff will be provided for the enclosed area.”
The application was signed by Ritchie. Her physical signature was redacted as private information.
Paramount+’s SEAL Team wrapped up its fifth season some time ago, and fans have surely been awaiting updates on what's to come. We'll you'll be happy to know that your favorite heroes are finally back in action, as the military drama is currently filming its sixth season. And series lead David Boreanaz shared a fun behind-the-scenes photo that's enough to get one pumped!
SEAL Team's Season 5 finale ended on a cliffhanger that saw the Bravo team get ambushed while on a mission. Since then, many have likely wondered who will survive and who won't. David Boreanaz’s Instagram post doesn't confirm anything one way or the other, but the fresh snapshot, which shows him looking on as he stands on the set, is cool nonetheless. Take a look:
By the looks of the shot, it seems like Jason Hayes is fine, but it’s also possible that this is a misdirect. I mean, for all we know, the actor could be filming aa flashback that takes place before the events of the tense finale. Regardless of that, though, it’s just so nice to see the star back on set for Season 6.
And as far as we know, David Boreanaz will once again be joined on set by his co-stars, including Max Theriot, whose future on SEAL Team was in question for a little while. Thieriot, who plays Clay Spenser, has a new series headed to CBS this fall called Fire Country. And with him starring on that show, many wondered if he might pull double duty on both shows. Thankfully, though, it was reported last month that he will indeed return to play Clay once more.
As Season 6 gets underway, fans also have another project from the franchise to look forward to. Earlier this year, it was announced that a SEAL Team movie was also in the works at Paramount+. Details on the production are slim right now, but I'm excited thinking about what the producers have in store on that front.
Going back to Season 6, it'll mark the first full season that the military drama will have been on Paramount+ after moving to the streamer towards the beginning of the fifth. The move proved successful, as evidenced by it getting renewed not long after the finale dropped.
As of this writing, the streamer has yet to announce a premiere date for SEAL Team Season 6, and it's also unclear how many episodes it'll have. What does seem apparent right now, though, is that David Boreanaz and his colleagues are already in the thick of things. Here's hoping that he and his co-stars share even more BTS pics to keep us occupied as the season draws closer -- and of course, you can also stream past seasons of the show using a Paramount+ subscription. And while you're at it, do yourself a favor and check out CinemaBlend's 2022 TV schedule for info on shows that are headed your way before the year is out.
Crews were dispatched at 2 a.m. to the 1000 block of Crestview Avenue, which is near Gum Grove Park, the Orange County Fire Authority reported.
The garage was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived, according to the OCFA, but—with help from the Long Beach and Huntington Beach fire departments—crews were able to quickly douse the blaze and keep it from spreading to the home.
“No injuries reported and the cause of the fire is under investigation,” the OCFA said.
Seal Beach-Firefighters arrived on scene and found a fully engulfed garage fire in a two-story home in the 1000 block of Crestview Ave. Crews quickly attacked the fire that came in at 2:00 a.m. and prevented it from spreading into the home. >>> pic.twitter.com/Gh6UBOGS5t
— OCFA PIO (@OCFireAuthority) June 19, 2022
Last Updated: 19/06/22 10:54pm
Max Verstappen held off Carlos Sainz in a thrilling battle to claim the first Canadian GP victory of his career in an action-packed race in Montreal.
A late Safety Car, which followed two earlier virtual interruptions, at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve set up a gripping finale, but Verstappen superbly defended the Ferrari of Sainz - despite having older tyres on his Red Bull - to extend his world championship lead to 46 points.
Lewis Hamilton managed to find some pace - in a Mercedes he described as "undriveable" on Friday - to claim a first podium since the opening race of the season, while his team-mate George Russell followed in fourth to maintain his status as the only driver to finish in the points in every round in 2022.
Having been forced to start from the back row of the grid after taking a new power unit for the race, Charles Leclerc recovered to finish fifth in the other Ferrari, while Sergio Perez's hopes of challenging his Red Bull team-mate for the world championship suffered a major blow as an early gearbox failure ended a terrible weekend for the Mexican after he crashed out of qualifying on Saturday.
While Verstappen was always likely to extend his championship lead with his nearest challengers starting so far down the grid, his maturity and composure in denying Sainz a maiden F1 victory was an ominous showing in terms of his rapidly strengthening title defence.
"It was really exciting at the end," Verstappen said. "I was giving it everything I had and, of course, Carlos was doing the same. I could see he was pushing and charging, but when you're on the DRS it's a lot easier to charge. The last few laps were a lot of fun."
The 24-year-old Dutchman, who was driving in his 150th Grand Prix, has now won six of nine races this season, with two early-season retirements caused by reliability issues now seeming a distant memory.
Ferrari, aided by Sainz scoring an extra point for the fastest lap of the race, were at least able to narrowly reduce Red Bull's advantage in the constructors' championship to 76 points.
Fernando Alonso, who started second after a throwback performance in Saturday's wet qualifying provisionally finished the race in seventh, a place behind team-mate Esteban Ocon, after Alpine made a strange strategy call in opting to delay pitting the Spaniard.
His disappointment was compounded when he was later handed a five-second time penalty by the stewards for weaving on the straight in front of Valtteri Bottas, demoting him to ninth.
That decision saw Bottas promoted to seventh for Alfa Romeo, while his rookie team-mate Zhou Guanyu was boosted to eighth, the highest finish of his debut F1 campaign.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll rounded out the top 10 at his home race.
Canadian GP: Race Result
1) Max Verstappen, Red Bull
2) Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
3) Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
4) George Russell, Mercedes
5) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
6) Esteban Ocon, Alpine
7) Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo
8) Zhou Guanyu, Alfa Romeo
9) Fernando Alonso, Alpine*
10) Lance Stroll, Aston Martin
* Demoted from seventh after being given five-second time penalty.
With Saturday's wet qualifying and Leclerc's engine issues having set up a topsy-turvy grid, there was guaranteed to be constant intrigue as F1 returned to Canada for the first time since 2019.
Despite having promised he would overtake Verstappen into the first corner, it was Alonso who came under early pressure as Sainz passed him on lap three, setting up what would become a race-long duel between the Red Bull and Ferrari.
How far Perez, who started 13th, could advance was one of the major questions going into the race, but his hopes were dashed on lap nine as he was forced to stop with a gearbox issue, triggering a Virtual Safety Car.
Verstappen opted to pit for hard tyres from the lead, as did Hamilton from fourth, but it quickly became clear that completing the 60 remaining laps on those sets would be highly unlikely.
The next twist came on lap 19 as Mick Schumacher, who had started sixth for Haas after a career-best qualifying performance, suffered an engine failure that caused him to stop in the exact same spot as Perez had, causing another virtual safety car period.
This time Sainz pitted from the lead, while Russell, who had impressively jumped from eighth to fifth in the opening laps, also made his first stop.
Alonso and Leclerc notably both stayed out as they attempted to hold track position, and were both ultimately left to make their only stops of the race outside of the safety car periods. Leclerc paid a particularly high price as a slow stop saw him come out behind a DRS train of midfield cars, all but ending his hopes of catching the Mercedes cars.
Verstappen, who emerged with a 10-second lead over Sainz, soon began to complain of a loss of grip and gave up on a one-stop strategy as he pitted once more on lap 43, handing the lead back to the Spaniard.
With Verstappen closing, Sainz was desperate for another opportunity to change his tyres, and it came as Yuki Tsunoda crashed at Turn 2, this time bringing out a full Safety Car as he struck the barrier. Sainz pitted but was able to close right up to Verstappen as the field bunched up for a thrilling 15-lap finale.
The long DRS zone on the home straight repeatedly enabled Sainz to close on Verstappen, but the Ferrari could not get close enough to make a genuine attempt at a pass.
His team-mate Leclerc was able to take advantage of the final interruption, as he closed on both Alpines and passed them to seal a solid recovery effort, which leaves him 49 points behind Verstappen in the world championship, and three back from Perez in second.
However, Ferrari remain winless since Leclerc triumphed at two of the opening three races of the season, with Red Bull having now won six successive races.
"I was pushing flat out," Sainz said. "I wasn't leaving any inches to the walls, the braking and I was pushing everything with the battery. I tried to pass Max.
"The positive thing is that we were quicker, faster all race and it just (needed) that little bit more to overtake around here."
Hamilton's third-place finish capped a remarkable turnaround after he was left despondent on Friday evening after a disappointing practice showing.
With Mercedes having already suffered what could prove to be a major blow on Thursday as the FIA issued a technical directive to address excessive bouncing, which is more likely to help than hinder their performance, Friday's lack of pace appeared to push the team to new lows.
Hamilton described the car as a "disaster", while team principal Toto Wolff and chief technical officer James Allison also offered little positivity about their prospects for the remainder of a season that has seen them unable to compete with Red Bull and Ferrari under the sports' new design regulations.
However, the absence of Perez and Leclerc from the front of the grid enabled Hamilton to qualify fourth in the rain on Saturday, and given Friday's comments, his race pace was remarkably strong as he remained in touch with Verstappen and Sainz throughout the race, albeit aided by the safety cars.
Hamilton said: "It's quite overwhelming to get this third place - it's been such a battle this year with the car, but we continue to stay vigilant, focused and never giving up, and that's something I'm proud of.
"We're getting closer, so we've got to keep pushing and keep pushing, and hopefully we'll eventually be in the fight with these guys."
With many expecting the nature of the track in the next round of the season at Silverstone to suit Mercedes' troublesome W13, the display will offer Hamilton's loyal legion of fans renewed hope for the British GP.
After a two-week break, the 2022 season returns for a summer run of European races, starting with the British Grand Prix at Silverstone from July 1-3. All the action will be live on Sky Sports, with the race - which delivered one of the most dramatic moments of last season between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen - starting at 3pm on Sunday.
ragamnyakabar.blogspot.com Glen Rose’s downtown — lined with boutiques, antique shops, bookstores and cafes in early 20th century building...
