COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 19, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hecla Mining Company (NYSE:HL) (Hecla) and Klondex Mines Ltd. (NYSE American:KLDX) (TSX:KDX) (Klondex) today announced Hecla will acquire all the outstanding shares of Klondex, a high-grade Nevada underground gold producer with its Fire Creek, Midas and Hollister mines, through a plan of arrangement (the Transaction). Klondex's Canadian assets will be spun out to its existing shareholders.Under the Transaction, Hecla will acquire Klondex for consideration of US$462 million with a mix of cash and shares of Hecla common stock and the newly formed company (Klondex Canada). Klondex’s shareholders will receive US$2.47 per share in cash or shares of Hecla, which represents a 59% premium to Klondex’s 30-day volume-weighted average price, as at March 16, 2018 on the NYSE American.

*“*Opportunities to acquire significant land packages along Nevada’s prolific gold trends are very rare. Rarer still are for these land packages to have the highest grade mines in the U.S. and this transaction is consistent with Hecla’s strategy of owning large prospective land packages with mines where we can improve costs, grow reserves and expand production,” said Phillips S. Baker, Jr., Hecla’s President and CEO.  “We structured the deal to use our excess cash balance so our shareholders can benefit from the approximately 162,000 gold equivalent ounces a year of production while minimizing dilution.”

Mr. Baker continued, “One of our core strengths is operating high-grade, narrow-vein underground mines, and Klondex’s three operating mines – Fire Creek, Midas and Hollister – are some of the highest-grade gold mines in the world.  After extensive due diligence, we see significant opportunity to improve costs, throughput and recoveries over time with our expertise.  The combined approximately 110 square mile land position offers the opportunity to make discoveries and grow the reserve base as we improve our knowledge of the geology, something we have done at our other operations.  We expect this transaction to be accretive on many important financial and credit metrics, with potentially significant synergies.  We are pleased that two significant Klondex shareholders have committed to support this transaction, and look forward to welcoming other Klondex shareholders to our company.”

“This transaction is an excellent outcome for Klondex and our shareholders, delivering premium value and a clear pathway to develop and optimize the Nevada mining assets and create further value in the future,” said Paul Huet, Klondex’s President and CEO.  “Hecla has a proven track record of developing and optimizing mining assets such as ours, and has a strong balance sheet that should help Fire Creek and our other properties reach their full potential.  Hecla operates a diverse portfolio of some of the highest-grade mines in the world, and the addition of our assets strengthens the portfolio further.  We are delighted to enter into this agreement and the Klondex board unanimously recommends that Klondex shareholders vote in favour of this transaction.”

*A Further Transformation of Hecla *

· *Seven large land positions located in Alaska, Quebec, Nevada, Mexico and Idaho – *Some of the safest and most prolific mining jurisdictions in the world.
· *Proven operational excellence to be leveraged across expanded portfolio of high-grade mines – *Hecla has an extensive track record of optimizing acquired assets as demonstrated at Casa Berardi and Greens Creek.  Hecla’s expertise in narrow-vein mining and mill optimization will be applied to the acquisitions to improve the operational consistency and enhance the value of the expanded portfolio.
· *Well capitalized pro-forma company with strong cash flow and solid balance sheet – *Hecla expects to improve financial metrics with the Nevada mines’ cash flow.
· *Significant production base with highly prospective growth opportunities and cost reductions *– Adds about 162,000 oz of annual gold equivalent production.  Hecla will launch a significant exploration program at Fire Creek and at the prospective Hatter Graben discovery at Hollister.
· *Increased precious metals production – *Peer group leading pro-forma production profile amongst intermediate precious metal producers of 762koz AuEq (2017A) or 54.1moz AgEq and commodity distribution of 30% Ag, 50% Au, 15% Zn and 5% Pb (by revenue).

*Benefits to Hecla Shareholders *

· Adds significant land position with extensive exploration and development potential, and production in Nevada, one of the most prolific gold mining jurisdictions in the world.
· Increases pro-forma 2017 annual production by 27%, equating to 162koz on a gold equivalent basis or 11.5 million ounces on a silver equivalent basis.
· Fire Creek is a cornerstone producing asset with robust cash flows and significant opportunities for exploration, mine life expansion, and increased throughput.
· The Transaction is structured to minimize dilution and is expected to be accretive on most important financial and operating metrics.
· Allows Hecla the opportunity to capture meaningful synergies.
· Further increases the grade of one of the highest-grade asset portfolios in the industry.
· Klondex’s assets leverage Hecla’s core competency in narrow-vein underground mining.

*Benefits to Klondex Shareholders *

· Immediate and significant premium of approximately 59% based on the 30-day volume weighted average price and approximately 72% based on closing prices on March 16, 2018, with ongoing participation in upside through Hecla shares and through Klondex Canada shares.
· Superior financial strength and flexibility to support critical development and exploration programs for Klondex’s assets.
· Hecla is well capitalized, with a lower cost of capital, making possible critical development and exploration programs for Klondex’s assets.
· Proven track record of successfully acquiring and optimizing underground assets.
· Superior investment with enhanced liquidity and a far more diversified production and financial base.
· Hecla has extensive experience operating efficient underground mines for over 125 years.
· Ownership in Klondex Canada, a gold company created to leverage Klondex’s exploration expertise and significant mining infrastructure assets in Canada.

*Klondex Canada*

Klondex is pleased to be forming Klondex Canada. Certain members of Klondex’s board and management team will continue on at Klondex Canada.  Hecla will subscribe for US$7.0 million of common shares of New Klondex in exchange for a 13.46% equity interest, based on a pre-investment Klondex Canada valuation of US$45 million*.* Klondex Canada intends to make an application to list its shares on the TSX-V.

*Terms of the Transaction*

Klondex shareholders may elect to receive either US$2.47 in cash (Cash Alternative) or 0.6272 of a Hecla share (Share Alternative), each full Hecla share being currently valued at US$3.94, subject in each case to pro-ration based on a maximum cash consideration of US$157.4 million and a maximum number of Hecla shares issued of 77.4 million.  If all Klondex shareholders elect either the Cash Alternative or the Share Alternative, each Klondex shareholder would be entitled to receive US$0.8411 in cash and 0.4136 Hecla shares. Klondex shareholders may also elect to receive US$0.8411 in cash and 0.4136 of a Hecla share and Klondex shareholders who fail to make an election will automatically receive US$0.8411 in cash and 0.4136 of a Hecla share. Klondex shareholders will also receive shares of a newly formed company (Klondex Canada) which will hold Klondex’s Canadian assets, including the True North and Bison Gold Resources properties.

At closing existing Hecla and Klondex shareholders will own approximately 83.8% and 16.2% of Hecla’s outstanding common stock, respectively.

*Major Shareholder Support*

CI Investments Inc. and Sentry Investments Inc., which together hold approximately 42.5 million shares of Klondex, representing approximately 23.7% of Klondex’s issued and outstanding shares, have entered into support agreements with Hecla, agreeing to vote their Klondex shares in favour of the Transaction.  Each of Klondex’s directors and officers have also entered into an agreement to support the Transaction and the Board of Directors of Klondex has unanimously recommended that Klondex’s affected securityholders vote in favour of the transaction.

*Board of Directors’ Recommendations *

The Transaction has been unanimously approved by the Board of Directors of each of Klondex and Hecla. The Board of Directors of Klondex unanimously recommends that Klondex’s affected securityholders vote in favour of the Transaction.

GMP Securities L.P. and INFOR Financial Inc. have each acted as financial advisors to Klondex with GMP Securities L.P. and Maxit Capital LP having provided fairness opinions to the Board of Directors of Klondex and the Independent Committee of the Board of Directors of Klondex, respectively. CIBC World Markets Inc. and J.P. Morgan have each acted as advisors to the Board of Directors of Hecla and have provided fairness opinions to Hecla’s Board of Directors.  

Each of the directors and senior officers of Klondex, who as of the date hereof, collectively hold approximately 1.7% of Klondex’s issued and outstanding common shares have entered into agreements to support the Transaction.  

*Transaction Conditions and Timing *

The Transaction will be implemented by way of a Court-approved plan of arrangement under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) and will require the approval of: (i) 66 ^2/[3]% of the votes cast by the holders of Klondex’s common shares, (ii) 66 ^2/[3]% of the votes cast by the affected securityholders of Klondex voting as a single class, and (iii) if applicable, a majority of the votes cast by the holders of Klondex’s common shares after excluding any votes of Hecla and other persons required to be excluded under Canadian Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions, all at a special meeting to consider the Transaction.

The completion of the Transaction will also be subject to applicable regulatory approvals and closing conditions customary in transactions of this nature.  The Arrangement Agreement provides for customary deal-protection provisions, including a non-solicitation covenant on the part of Klondex and a right for Hecla to match any superior proposal.  The Arrangement Agreement includes a termination fee of US$21 million, payable by Klondex or Hecla, under certain circumstances.

It is anticipated that the special meeting of Klondex shareholders to consider the Transaction will be held in June 2018. The Transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2018.

*No Financing Contingency *

Hecla has sufficient cash on hand and available under existing credit arrangements to finance the cash portion of the consideration for the Transaction.

Section 3(a)(10) of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), exempts from the registration requirements of the Securities Act the issuance and exchange of securities which have been approved, after a hearing upon the fairness of the terms and conditions on which all persons to whom it is proposed the securities will be issued shall have the right to appear, by any Court expressly authorized by law to grant such approval.  The parties expect this exemption to apply to Hecla’s issuance of shares in the Transaction and the issuance of shares of Klondex Canada as a result of the expected Court approval described below.

*Advisors and Counsel*

CIBC World Markets Inc. and J.P. Morgan are acting as financial advisors to Hecla in connection with the Transaction. Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP is serving as Canadian counsel and K&L Gates LLP is acting as U.S. counsel to Hecla.

GMP Securities L.P. and INFOR Financial Inc. are acting as financial advisors to Klondex. Bennett Jones LLP is serving as Canadian counsel to the Independent Committee of the Board of Directors of Klondex and Dorsey & Whitney LLP is acting as U.S. counsel to Klondex.

*Conference Call Details*

Hecla and Klondex will host a conference call on Monday, March 19, 2018 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss the acquisition.  You may join the conference call by dialing toll-free *1* *855 760 8158** or 1 720 634 2922. *The participant code is *HECLA*. Hecla’s live and archived webcast can be accessed at www.hecla-mining.com under Investors or via Thomson StreetEvents Network.

*ABOUT HECLA*

Founded in 1891, Hecla Mining Company (NYSE:HL) is a leading low-cost U.S. silver producer with operating mines in Alaska, Idaho and Mexico, and is a growing gold producer with an operating mine in Quebec, Canada.  Hecla also has exploration and pre-development properties in seven world-class silver and gold mining districts in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and an exploration office and investments in early-stage silver exploration projects in Canada.

*ABOUT KLONDEX*

Klondex is a junior-tier gold and silver mining company focused on exploration, development, and production in a safe, environmentally responsible, and cost-effective manner.  Klondex has 100% interests in three producing mineral properties: the Fire Creek Mine, the Midas Mine and ore milling facility, and the Hollister Mine, all of which are located in the state of Nevada, USA.  Klondex also has a 100% interest in the True North Mine and mill in Manitoba, Canada and the Aurora Mine and ore milling facility, located in Nevada, USA.  

*Important Additional Information About the Transaction and Where to Find It *

This material relates to Hecla’s proposed acquisition (the “Transaction”) of Klondex. Shares of Hecla’s common stock (the “Hecla Shares”) issued in connection with the proposed Transaction may be registered pursuant to a registration statement to be filed with the SEC or issued pursuant to an available exemption. This information is not a substitute for any registration statement or any other document that Hecla may file with the SEC or that it or Klondex may send to their respective shareholders in connection with the offer and/or issuance of Hecla Shares. Investors are urged to read any registration statement, if and when filed, and all other relevant documents that may be filed with the SEC or with Canadian regulatory authorities as and if they become available because they will contain important information about the issuance of Hecla Shares. Documents, if and when filed with the SEC, will be available free of charge at the SEC’s website (www.sec.gov) and under Hecla’s profile on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. You may also obtain these documents by contacting Hecla’s Investor Relations department at Hecla Mining Company; Investor Relations; 1-800-HECLA91 (1-800-432-5291); hmc-info@hecla-mining.com. *This release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities. *

In connection with the proposed transaction, Klondex will file proxy soliciting materials with the SEC and/or Canadian regulatory authorities. The information contained in any such filing may not be complete and may be updated, amended or changed. SHAREHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ SUCH MATERIALS WHEN AVAILABLE AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT MATERIALS FILED WITH THE SEC AND/OR CANADIAN REGULATORY AUTHORITIES CAREFULLY IN THEIR ENTIRETY BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING OR INVESTMENT DECISION WITH RESPECT TO THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION AND THE PARTIES THERETO.

Proxy solicitation materials will be mailed to Klondex’s shareholders seeking their approval of the proposed transaction. Anyone may also obtain a copy of such materials free of charge once available by directing a request to: Klondex Mines Ltd., 6110 Plumas Street, Reno, NV 89506, Attention: Investor Relations or, Hecla Mining Company, 6500 N. Mineral Drive, Suite 200, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815-9408; Investor Relations; 1-800-HECLA91 (1-800-432-5291). In addition, any relevant materials filed with the SEC will be available free of charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and under Klondex’s profile on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. Interested persons may also access copies of such documentation filed with the SEC by visiting the Klondex’s website at www.klondexmines.com.

*Participants in Solicitation *

Hecla, Klondex, their respective directors and certain of their respective executive officers may be considered participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the proposed transaction. Information about the directors and executive officers of Hecla is set forth in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, which was filed with the SEC on February 15, 2018, its proxy statement for its 2017 annual meeting of shareholders, which was filed with the SEC on April 10, 2017, and its Current Report on Form 8-K, which was filed with the SEC on June 1, 2017. These documents may be obtained free of charge from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and Hecla’s website at www.hecla-mining.com.  Information about the directors and executive officers of Klondex is set forth in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, which was filed with the SEC on March 15, 2018, its proxy statement for its 2017 annual and special meeting of shareholders, which was filed with the SEC on April 11, 2017 and its Current Report on Form 8-K, which was filed with the SEC on May 8, 2017. Other information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitations and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be contained in the Klondex proxy statement and other relevant materials to be filed with the SEC when they become available. These documents may be obtained free of charge from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and Klondex’s website at www.klondexmines.com.

*Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward Looking Statements *

Statements made or information provided in this news release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities laws.  Words such as “may”, “will”, “should”, “expects”, “intends”, “projects”, “believes”, “estimates”, “targets”, “anticipates” and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements.  Such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information include statements or information regarding the completion of the Transaction; additions to Hecla’s gold production and cash flow; the accretive nature of the Transaction; the realization of potential synergies, the impact of the Transaction on Hecla’s financial flexibility, cash flow, balance sheet and liquidity; and the exploration potential of Klondex’s land position.  The material factors or assumptions used to develop such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information include that the Hecla’s plans for development and production will proceed as expected and will not require revision as a result of risks or uncertainties, whether known, unknown or unanticipated, to which the Hecla’s operations are subject.

Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, anticipated, expected or implied.  These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, metals price volatility, volatility of metals production and costs, litigation, regulatory and environmental risks, operating risks, project development risks, political risks, labor issues, ability to raise financing and exploration risks and results.  Refer to Hecla’s Form 10K and 10-Q reports for a more detailed discussion of factors that may impact expected future results Neither  Hecla nor Klondex undertakes any obligation to update forward-looking statements in this news release other than as may be required by law.

Similarly, please refer to the securities filings of Klondex for further information concerning risks applicable to it and its forward-looking information.

*Information About Each Company*

*Information in this news release about Hecla has been provided by, and is the responsibility of, Hecla. For further information about Hecla, please refer to Hecla**’**s SEC filings, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on February 15, 2018 and its filings with Canadian securities regulatory authorities under its issuer profile on SEDAR. Information in this news release about Klondex has been provided by, and is the responsibility of, Klondex. For further information about Klondex, please refer to Klondex**’**s SEC filings, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on March 15, 2018 and its filings with Canadian securities regulatory authorities under its issuer profile on SEDAR.*

*Qualified Person (QP)*

Pursuant to Canadian National Instrument 43-101, Dean McDonald, PhD, P.Geo., Senior Vice President – Exploration of Hecla Mining Company, who serves as a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101, supervised the preparation of the scientific and technical information in this news release as it relates to Hecla.

Pursuant to NI 43-101, Brian Morris, CPG, Senior Vice President – Exploration of Klondex, who serves as a Qualified Person under NI 43-101, supervised the preparation of the scientific and technical information in this news release as it relates to Klondex.

 CONTACT: For further information, please contact:

Hecla:

Mike Westerlund
Vice President, Investor Relations
800-HECLA91 (800-432-5291)
Investor Relations
Email:  hmc-info@hecla-mining.com
Website:  www.hecla-mining.com

Klondex:

Mike Beckstead
Director, Investor Relations
O: 775-284-5757 | M: 406-290-4165
Email:  mbeckstead@klondexmines.com
Website:  www.klondexmines.com Reported by GlobeNewswire 2 hours ago.

Health care and preventative medicine firm PreveCeutical Medical Inc (CSE:PREV, OTCQB:PRVCF) has seen a big leap forward with one of its programs  in recent days - the Sol-Gel nasal delivery work. The group has received key permits to allow cannabis - flowers and oils -  to be imported into Australia from major pot group Aurora Cannabis Inc  (TSE:ACB) and used for the group's research led by Preveceutical's chief research officer Dr Harendra Parekh. The aim is to apply the Sol-gel technology to cannabinoids (CBDs) to develop therapies for a range of symptoms, including pain, inflammation, seizures and neurological disorders Recently, Parekh and chief executive  Stephen Van Deventer told Proactive they had received interest from leading hospitals about trialling the formulations, when ready. WATCH - PreveCeutical seeing significant hospital interest for breakthrough Cannabidiol treatment Three permits were granted by the Australian government, Department of Health. They were granted to the Pharmacy Australia Centre of Excellence (PACE) at the University of Queensland (UQ), where the research will be carried out. The firm has also now announced that it has opened a subsidiary in Australia to allow PreveCeutical to better access expertise and partnerships for its drug development programs, Parekh said the hope is that in around 18-14 months, clinical trials will be able to start - focusing on using the treatment for palliative care. "We see an important market for cannabis-based products that are more narrowly targeted at specific therapeutic areas but that are higher value add and being involved with initiatives such as PreveCeutical's is part of our strategy to gain access to these types of products," Aurora, which will supply the cannabis, said. It comes as the legal cannabis market continues to grow, notably in Canada. But the Preveceutical team sees this as a global opportunity. "The cannabis market is growing fast as more states and countries legalize its use for both medical and recreational purposes," said a recent article on NetworkNewsWire. "This is allowing companies to invest heavily in cannabis research to develop drugs and other products for this growing market. Research and design is becoming increasingly important." The news service has also said: "Driven by a growing need for pain mitigation and increased awareness of potential health benefits, the global market for CBD is growing at a 39% compound annual growth rate." Plenty of other irons in fire.. Apart from the Sol-gel platform for nose-to-brain delivery,  PreveCeutical also has other R&D (research and development) programs. These are: a dual gene therapy for curative and prevention therapies for diabetes and obesity. It is also working on developing non-addictive analgesic peptides as a replacement to highly addictive analgesics such as morphine and fentanyl, and has a therapeutic product for treating athletes who suffer from concussions. PreveCeutical Medical shifting the dial in pain management solutions, suggests article Last month, PreveCeutical entered into a research and option agreement with the University of Queensland (UQ) and UniQuest, the university’s main commercialisation company - the fourth agreement the pair has signed over the past 12 months, to develop the non-addictive pain killers. The global market for pain management drugs exceeded $62 billion in 2016 and is estimated to surpass $88 billion by 2025, according to one report. PreveCeutical will own all intellectual property (IP) and UniQuest, the IP and research commercialization company of the University of Queensland, will receive payments for development milestones and sales-based royalties. Scorpion venom.. Interestingly, the company is also working on a program related to Caribbean Blue Scorpion venom, which has been shown to impact aggressive cancers, such as breast and brain. In January this year, the firm said its peptide research and development program was progressing on schedule through the first of three phases. The team is working to sequence the extracted peptides and proteins to determine their amino acid fingerprint. So there looks to be plenty of newsflow coming for investors in 2018 and beyond from this emerging company. Reported by Proactive Investors 16 hours ago.

Local campus to participate in national event from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

AURORA, Colo. (PRWEB) March 19, 2018

The first college focused entirely on renewable energy education, Ecotech Institute invites current and prospective students, as well as all interested community members, to attend a special career fair on Thursday, April 5, 2018 from 4:00-6:00 P.M. MST. A not-to-be-missed opportunity for anyone who is interested in a career in energy, this free event will feature presentations by major industry employers, special prizes, complimentary food and refreshments. Also, event attendees 18 and older can enter to win prizes such as a Chromebook or one of four $25 gift cards. Members of the community planning to attend must register with the campus prior to the event by calling (720) 213.2601 ext. 4601.

The event is part of Ecotech Institute parent company Education Corporation of America's national Career Fair events being held at 69 other Brightwood College, Brightwood Career Institute, Golf Academy of America, and Virginia College locations throughout 19 states.

WHAT:    A career fair event hosted by Ecotech Institute, where alumni, current, and prospective students will get an exclusive chance to explore employment opportunities at major energy companies including Lockheed Martin and NextEra Energy Resources. The event will feature breakout presentation sessions by the attending companies, special prizes and complimentary refreshments.

WHO:     Ecotech Institute will be joined by representatives from major employers in the energy industry.

WHEN:     Thursday, April 5, 2018 from 4:00-6:00 P.M. MST.

WHERE:    Ecotech Institute, 1400 South Abilene Street, Aurora, Colo. 80012

RSVP:     The event is free and open to the public. Register online or contact Laura Leitner at 720.213.2601 ext. 4601 and via email at laura.leightner@ecotechinstitute.com

"Hosting a Career Fair at the Ecotech Institute campus presents a wonderful opportunity for our students, employers and community members," says Campus President Chris Gorrie. "In today's job market, networking is becoming increasingly valuable, and the staff at Ecotech Institute is eager to help facilitate these professional connections. We are grateful for the opportunity to invest in our community and in the clean energy job market through this event."

Community partners and clean energy employers including Lockheed Martin and NextEra Energy Resources will be present at the Career Fair.

The event will also allow attendees to explore programs offered through Ecotech Institute including: Electronics Technology (ET): ET Power Utilities Specialization, ET Solar Systems Specialization, Power Utility Technician, Solar Energy Technology, Wind Energy Technology (WET): WET Advanced Technician Specialization and WET Wind Farm Manager Specialization.

For more information about Ecotech Institute, visit ecotechinstitute.com or call (877) 326-5576.

About Ecotech Institute and Education Corporation of America

Entirely focused on training for careers in the energy industry, Ecotech Institute is in Aurora, Colorado. Ecotech Institute offers an array of practical diploma programs that prepare students for careers in renewable energy. Through flexible programs designed to meet diverse career goals, students get the hands-on training they need to be successful in these high-tech industries. Education Corporation of America (ECA) is a leader in the postsecondary career school market with 70 locations and a current enrollment of over 30,000 students. ECA holdings include Virginia College, Golf Academy of America, Ecotech Institute, Brightwood Career Institute and Brightwood College. Holdings also include the fully online New England College of Business which is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). Reported by PRWeb 20 hours ago.

Christ the King Seminary is getting a $2 million upgrade to its education center this spring. The seminary, which sits on a 132-acre campus in East Aurora, is a graduate school of theology and ministry owned by the Diocese of Buffalo. Its education center was built in 1961 and contains several classrooms, two lecture halls and student lounges. The $1.9 million project will include a new studio to simulate ministry settings and serve as a learning lab for students. The project supports new classroom… Reported by bizjournals 19 hours ago.

Sky watchers discovered a glowing purple, aurora-like phenomenon. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center confirmed the discovery, caused by fast-moving ions, and officially named it STEVE. Really. Read more...

More about Space, Nasa, Science, Mashable Video, and Aurora Reported by Mashable 15 hours ago.

First Centennial Mortgage continues its Pacific Coast expansion by establishing presence in Portland, Oregon and Camas, Washington.

CAMAS, Wash. (PRWEB) March 20, 2018

First Centennial Mortgage continues its Pacific Coast expansion. Already operating in California, the company has completed its coverage of the country’s west coast by establishing presence in Portland, Oregon and Camas, Washington.

“We are thrilled to bring our exceptional products to the Pacific Coast home buyer,” said Steven McCormick, President of First Centennial Mortgage. “Our growth has helped us become a respected lender in this region, but at the heart of it, we are still a family owned business. That gives us the flexibility to tailor unique mortgage solutions to every unique borrower in California, Oregon and Washington.”

First Centennial Mortgage will service the region with its diverse portfolio of consumer mortgage products, all offering competitive rates, remarkable underwriting turn times and a highly-efficient loan processing team. The new territory will be led by Niki Cantrell, who brings almost 15 years of experience to the First Centennial Mortgage team.

###

About First Centennial Mortgage
First Centennial Mortgage is a residential mortgage lender headquartered in Aurora, Illinois, founded by brothers Steven and David McCormick in 1995. Family owned, the company strives to deliver an extraordinary experience to the communities it serves through an extensive portfolio of mortgage products and services.

The company has been named one of the Top 100 Mortgage Companies by Mortgage Executive Magazine, one of the Top 10 Most Dependable Lenders in the country by Goldline Research in Forbes Magazine, and a Top 100 Mortgage Employer by National Mortgage Professional Magazine. For more information, visit http://www.GoFCM.com. Reported by PRWeb 5 hours ago.

CHICAGO (AP) — Changes in train safety systems will mean a major schedule change for one of the Chicago area’s busiest commuter rail lines. Metra officials say Monday that the BNSF Line between Aurora and Chicago Union Station will be the first line to implement the Positive Train Control system, a federally mandated rail safety […] Reported by Seattle Times 2 hours ago.

When Mike Coffman was growing up in Aurora, it was a small white military town on the outskirts of Denver. In the half a century since then, wave after wave of immigrants and refugees have transformed it into a vibrant, racially mixed suburb.

Coffman, a pro-gun and antiabortion Republican congressman,... Reported by L.A. Times 1 hour ago.

With the deal closed, here's a look at the new Aurora Cannabis. Reported by Motley Fool 9 seconds ago.

*Aurora Stock Forecast 2018 *
One of the most exciting companies in the marijuana market, *Aurora Cannabis Inc *(OTCMKTS:ACBFF, TSE:ACB), has left a number of investors unsure how to proceed in 2018. Why? Because the company that is known for its ability to make strong, headline-grabbing deals and create buzz via ACBFF stock news has so far had a rather muted 2018. The Aurora stock forecast, therefore, has similarly been tempered by a number of analysts following what was a massive run to round out 2017.

Even with a weak 2018, Aurora is still up nearly 267% over the past six months. Just take a look at the Aurora stock chart below to see how.

The post Aurora Stock Forecast: New Listing Could Send ACBFF Stock Soaring Over 50% appeared first on Profit Confidential. Reported by Profit Confidential 23 hours ago.

Aurora Police officers are responding to reports of a shooting near S. Sable Boulevard and E. Mississippi Avenue, authorities said around 8:30 a.m. Tuesday. Reported by Denver Post 21 hours ago.

Democrat David Aarestad, an Aurora attorney, has dropped out of the primary race to challenge Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman in November, endorsing fellow Democrat Jason Crow as he exits the contest. Reported by Denver Post 19 hours ago.

AURORA, Ill. (AP) — An Aurora man who originally was sentenced to 97 years in prison for the 2009 Oswego shooting death of a high school soccer player has been resentenced to 66 years. The (Aurora) Beacon News reports that Kendall County Judge Timothy McCann on Friday resentenced 24-year-old Zachary Reyes, who was 16 when […] Reported by Seattle Times 15 hours ago.

Isomerizer IPA is now available on draft and in cans

SAN DIEGO (PRWEB) March 20, 2018

In a market that just can’t get enough new experimental IPAs to quench their thirst for flavor variety, Karl Strauss delivers another home run hit with their new single hop IPA. Isomerizer IPA, the company’s latest small batch success story, has just been released as a year-round brew and added to their core lineup.

KARL brewers were inspired by their love of the Mosaic hop and the success of their Mosaic Session IPA, which exploded in popularity during its commercial release in 2015, and decided to further their experimentation with the versatile hop. R&D Brewmaster Paul Segura took on the project as a challenge, aiming for an IPA with a more pronounced hop profile and just enough body to supplement the vibrant aromas and flavors of the hop. The result is an outrageously flavorful, well-balanced IPA bursting with notes of grapefruit and tropical fruit with a subtle malt backbone and a dry, hoppy finish.

“Mosaic is such a beautiful hop—the best one I’ve seen come along in a while,” says Segura, “so we wanted to make an IPA that really showcased its full spectrum of flavors. We kept the malt profile subtle which allowed Mosaic to shine through the beer with its flavors of grapefruit, passion fruit, mango, blueberry, and all of that tropical goodness.”

Isomerizer IPA is named after the chemical process that occurs when the alpha acids in hops are converted to iso-alpha acids, which provide the bitter flavor to the beer. It was one of the standout favorites at the company’s 29th Anniversary Changing of the Barrels event amongst a stacked lineup of special releases, small batch, and unique barrel-aged brews.

“While fleeting trends in craft beer come and go, IPAs remain a sought-after staple of the industry, along with the constant desire for variety and exploration. As craft beer enthusiasts themselves, our brewers share these passions and use our small batch program as a platform to get creative and innovate, and in this case, demonstrate their expertise in the art of hop experimentation.” –Matt Rattner, President, Karl Strauss Brewing Company

Isomerizer is now available on draft and in cans at all Karl Strauss brewpubs, the company’s Tasting Room in Pacific Beach, and select stores and craft beer bars throughout California.

To learn more about KARL’s Isomerizer IPA, visit http://www.karlstrauss.com.

About Karl Strauss Brewing Company
Karl Strauss Brewing Company has been proudly independent since 1989, pioneering the craft beer scene with innovative beer releases like Aurora Hoppyalis IPA, Queen of Tarts Dark Sour, and Wreck Alley Imperial Stout. The brewery has won 105 medals since 2009 and was recently honored with “Mid-Size Brewing Company of the Year” award at the Great American Beer Festival in 2016. For more information, visit http://www.karlstrauss.com or call the brewery at (858) 273-2739. Share it. Cheers. Reported by PRWeb 14 hours ago.

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American Quilter’s Society, the largest quilting membership organization in the world, is pleased to announce the winners of the AQS Quilt Contest. Over $50,000 in prizes will be awarded to the winners at AQS QuiltWeek® – Lancaster, PA. The Lancaster AQS QuiltWeek® event will run from March 21 to March 24 at the Lancaster County Convention Center.

LANCASTER, PA. (PRWEB) March 21, 2018

American Quilter’s Society, the largest quilting membership organization in the world, is pleased to announce the winners of the AQS Quilt Contest. Over $50,000 in prizes will be awarded to the winners at AQS QuiltWeek® – Lancaster, PA. The Lancaster AQS QuiltWeek® event will run from March 21 to March 24 at the Lancaster County Convention Center, 25 South Queen Street, Lancaster, PA 17603.

As part of the American Quilter’s Society’s celebration of quilting excellence, the contest recognizes the skill and creativity of today’s quiltmakers, as artists compete in the AQS Quilt Contest for more than $50,000 in cash awards. Entries come from around the world to compete in the contest. This year’s winners come from twenty two different states and six countries.
These winning quilts will astound the 15,000 quilters expected to visit AQS QuiltWeek in Lancaster this week:

Best of Show Award
#115    TURKISH TREASURES, Pat Holly, Ann Arbor, MI

Best Wall Quilt Award
#611    ROOTS AND BRANCHES, Christina McCann, Depoe Bay, OR

Best Use of Color Award
#108    CELEBRATION #2, Caryl Bryer Fallert-Gentry, Port Townsend, WA

Best Original Design Award
#425    THREE THIEVING CROWS, Gayle Pulley, Eatonville, WA

Best Hand Workmanship Award
#306    FANTASTIC!, Junko Fujiwara, Narashino, Chiba, Japan

Best Stationary Machine Workmanship Award
#131    GARDEN VARIETY SAMPLER, Janet Stone, Overland Park, KS

Best Movable Machine Workmanship Award
#208    TAKING THE UNMAPPED ROAD, Margaret Solomon Gunn, Gorham, ME

Large Quilts – Stationary Machine Quilted
First        #123    GOD GRANT ME, Susan Paceley, Corvallis, MT
Second        #119    PALEO PUZZLE, Kimberly Lacy, Colorado Springs, CO
Third        #118    PEAR DROPS, Cheryl Kerestes, Wyoming, PA
Hon. Mention     #127    WHEN CRAYONS EXPLODE, Jennifer Rose, Lino Lakes, MN

Large Quilts – Movable Machine Quilted
First        #239    STAR OF INDIA, Kris Vierra, Lincoln, NE
Second        #209    WONDERLAND, Renae Haddadin and Karen Kay Buckley, Sandy, UT
Third        #202    CHAMPAGNE SUPERNOVA, Marilyn Badger, St. George, UT
Hon. Mention    #232    THE FRAME QUILT, Linda Simons, Roswell, GA

Hand Quilted Quilts
First        #305    ESFAHAN, Megan Farkas, Sanbornton, NH
Second        #317    CONTENTMENT—A 20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION, Teresa Yielding Rawson, Tuscumbia, AL
Third        #308    BALTIMORE ALBUM, Peggy Green, Sparta, TN
Hon. Mention    #320    HAWAIIAN IMPROV, Cheryl L. See, Winchester, VA

Wall Quilts – Stationary Machine Quilted
First        #405    MY RHODIE, Andrea Brokenshire, Round Rock, TX
Second        #403    COLOURFUL DREAM, Lise Belanger, Trois-Pistoles, Quebec, Canada
Third        #418    SUWON HWASUNG, Mikyung Jang, Seoul, South Korea
Hon. Mention    #434    NEARLY A 9 PATCH, Laura Welklin, Noblesville, IN

Wall Quilts – Movable Machine Quilted
First        #517    FIRELIGHT PEONY, Barbara Persing, Frederick, PA
Second        #504    BLACK PEARL, Aline Bugarin and Natasha Bugarin, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
Third        #503    JUST RUFFLING SOME FEATHERS, Gina Boone, Yadkinville, NC
Hon. Mention    #514    AURORA BOREALIS, Peggy Marquardt, Rhinelander, WI

Wall Quilts – Landscape
First        #602    THE END OF A SEASON, Jan Berg-Rezmer, Gladwin, MI
Second        #605    DAVID CUTTING STUMPS, Mary Haukom, Colorado Springs, CO
Third        #609    CATARACT FALLS, Betty W. Kaliszak, Sevierville, TN
Hon. Mention    #601    I SPY A MOUSE, Cristina Arcenegui Bono, Alcalá de Guadaíra, Spain

Wall Quilts – 1st Entry in an AQS Lancaster Quilt Contest
First        #723    PLAYING WELL TOGETHER, A MODERN SAMPLER, Jackie Nixon-Fulton, Paradise, TX
Second        #724    THE ELEPHANT IN THE QUILT ROOM, Elizabeth Owens, Defuniak Springs, FL
Third        #726    WALL OF SOUND, Maria Shell, Anchorage, AK
Hon. Mention    #728    SAW WHET OWL, Yvette Sullivan, Lasalle, Ontario, Canada

All of the winning quilts, as well as those of the semifinalists, will be on display at the Lancaster County Convention Center from Wednesday through Saturday. In addition, AQS QuiltWeek will be hosting a number of other special exhibits, workshops with some of the top talent in the quilt industry, and an extensive merchant mall comprised of both local and national vendors.

Admission to AQS QuiltWeek is $14 per day and tickets can be purchased at the door. Multi-day tickets are available. Hours are Wednesday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Ticket and additional information can be found at quiltweek.com or by calling 1-270-898-7903.

About the American Quilter’s Society

The American Quilter’s Society is the largest quilting membership organization in the world. For close to 35 years, AQS has been the leading voice in quilting inspiration and advice. At AQS, we believe that with the proper resources, the creative individual can take their quilting projects beyond what they can imagine. For more information on the American Quilter’s Society, please visit http://www.americanquilter.com or call 1-270-898-7903. Reported by PRWeb 2 hours ago.

One of my bucket-list wishes is to see an aurora—Earth’s most beautiful natural phenomena, a light show in the sky. But while I plan a trip to the Nordics, the European Space Agency […]

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