ORLANDO, Florida, Jan. 10 -- The African American Alliance of CDFI CEOs issued the following news release: The African American Alliance of CDFI CEOs (The Alliance) proudly announces the appointment of Amber Bond as its new President. In assuming the role, Bond makes history as the first woman to lead the organization. Lenwood V. Long, Sr., who has been serving as President and CEO, will continue his role as CEO. With over 17 years of dedicated service in economic development, Bond has proven   more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 13 -- Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Virginia, issued the following statement on Jan. 12, 2024: * * * The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) has awarded $500,000 to Dickenson County for the Red Onion Industrial Park Project. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement. "This award of $500,000 by ARC is great news as it will be used to help further develop the Red Onion Industrial Site. Once completed, the site will be a boon for a broad range of industries,   more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 13 -- Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Virginia, issued the following statement on Jan. 12, 2024: * * * The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) has awarded $80,000 to Henry County for the continued rehabilitation of the Historic Fieldale Recreation Center. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement. "Renovating the Fieldale Recreation Center is a key project for Henry County. This award of $80,000 will build off of ARC's previous investment in September 2021 t  more

JOHNSON CITY, Tennessee, Jan. 9 -- Ballad Health, a community health improvement organization, issued the following news release: Ballad Health Medical Associates has named Meridith OKeefe, a seasoned healthcare executive, as its new chief operating officer. OKeefe, who joined Ballad Health in September, brings more than 20 years of experience to her new role. As chief operating officer for Ballad Health Medical Associates, she will continue growing the medical group while optimizing its perfo  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 8 -- Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, issued the following news release: WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), as well as the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), to support public health, economic development, infra  more

HARTFORD, Connecticut, Jan. 12 -- Gov. Ned Lamont, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release on Jan. 11, 2024: Governor Ned Lamont today announced the establishment of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection's (DEEP) Office of Outdoor Industry and Experiences, which seeks to grow Connecticut's outdoor recreation economy by creating partnerships with the private sector. Coinciding with establishing this new office, DEEP is launching a request for information (RFI  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Jan. 11 - The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics issued the following news: During the 2024 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Convention, the AFCA presented its top coaching award - AFCA National Coach of the Year to Doug Socha of Keiser (Fla.). The winners are selected by a vote of the active AFCA members at four-year schools in the association's five divisions. The AFCA has named a Coach of the Year since 1935. The AFCA Coach of the Year awa  more

RINDGE, New Hampshire, Jan. 10 -- Franklin Pierce University issued the following news: Franklin Pierce University is proud to announce the introduction of its newest academic program, the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC). The hybrid program, which will welcome its first cohort this fall, aims to equip and empower students as leaders and caregivers in the field of mental health treatment. The demand for licensed mental health counselors has grown exponentially in rece  more

HOBOKEN, New Jersey, Jan. 11 -- Insect Conservation and Diversity journal, a peer-reviewed journal that says it emphasizes on wild arthropods and the relations between arthropod conservation and diversity, published research articles on the following topics in its Vol. 17, Issue 1 edition: REVIEW: * Hot topics in butterfly research: Current knowledge and gaps in understanding of the impacts of temperature on butterflies ORIGINAL ARTICLES: * Shedding light on dark taxa in sky-island Appalachi  more

BOONE, North Carolina, Jan. 11 -- Appalachian Voices issued the following news release on Jan. 10, 2024: Conservation groups sued the U.S. Forest Service today for failing to protect streams in the Cherry River watershed from the harmful effects of coal hauling in the Monongahela National Forest. Coal hauling imperils the critically endangered candy darter as well as nearby habitat for other endangered species. Filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, today's lawsuit faul  more

IRVING, Texas, Jan. 9 -- The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame issued the following news release on Jan. 8, 2024: The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced today the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Class during ESPN's "Championship Drive Presented by Allstate." 2024 COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS PLAYERS: * Justin Blackmon - WR, Oklahoma State (2009-11) * Paul Cameron - TB, UCLA (1951-53) * Tim Couch - QB, Kentucky (1996-98) * Warr  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 12 -- Outdoor Recreation Roundtable issued the following news on Jan. 11, 2024: Outdoor Recreation Roundtable applauded the announcement of Connecticut's new Office of Outdoor Industry and Experiences, created today through executive order by Governor Ned Lamont at an event at Mohawk Mountain. This announcement marks the 21st State Office of Outdoor Recreation created across the United States. Outdoor recreation generates $4.6 billion for the Nutmeg State's economy, is 1.4 perc  more

ARLINGTON, Virginia, Jan. 12 -- The Nature Conservancy issued the following statement on Jan. 11, 2024: * * * Yesterday, the Ohio House of Representatives passed House Bill 101, which provides $1.6 million in FY24 and $1.25 million in FY25 to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) to create the Buckeye State Tree Nursery. The nursery will initially supply up to 500,000 tree seedlings annually for three years, increasing capacity thereafter, for use on public and private lands. * * *   more

IRVING, Texas, Jan. 11 -- The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame issued the following news release: The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame salutes the College Football Playoff (CFP) and its staff, led by CFP Executive Director Bill Hancock, for their exceptional efforts in staging the 10th CFP National Championship. The organization also congratulates the Houston College Football Playoff National Championship Host Committee for their hospitality in orga  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 9 -- The National Communication Association issued the following news release: Tina M. Harris, Ph.D., is the Douglas L. Manship and Dori Maynard Endowed Chair of Race, Media, and Cultural Literacy at Louisiana State University, is NCA's new Second Vice President. Her four-year term began January 1, 2024. Dr. Harris is an internationally renowned interracial communication scholar with particular interests in race, media representations, and racial social justice. Her pedagogy,   more

ASHEVILLE, North Carolina, Jan. 12 -- The University of North Carolina-Asheville issued the following news: The SkillSet program at UNC Asheville's STEAM Studio received its largest grant to date from Dogwood Health Trust, amounting to $499,860 over five years, in order to expand the reach and impact of the program's out of school-time programming. "It really speaks to the need for the program and the desire for the program to thrive," said Sara Sanders, director of STEAM studio. "It's still a  more

BLACKSBURG, Virginia, Jan. 13 -- Virginia Tech issued the following news: Four projects highlighting the region's diversity have received more than $300,000 in funding from Monuments Across Appalachian Virginia - an initiative focused on sharing the untold stories of historically marginalized, oppressed, and excluded communities in the region. The funding will be used for the construction of six to 10 new monuments in Appalachian Virginia. Each community-designed project chosen for funding to  more