National News

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Pompano Beach Arts proudly announces the return of Jazz Fest Pompano Beach for its milestone 5th year, taking place Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19, 2026. Set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean, this free, two-day festival brings together world-class headliners and an exceptional showcase of South Florida's own homegrown talent, alongside outstanding cuisine and vibrant community spirit along the shoreline.

DELRAY BEACH, Fla. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- As healthcare costs continue to rise and many individuals reconsider their insurance options, Spodak Dental Group is offering a simple, transparent solution for maintaining dental health without the burden of traditional insurance. This is particularly helpful for those affected by increasing Affordable Care Act (ACA) premiums.

HOUSTON, Texas /New York Netwire - National News/ -- The Galveston-Houston Immigrant Representation Project (GHIRP) will host its 5-Year Anniversary Spring Festival Fundraiser on Saturday, April 25, 2026, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Dan Electro's in Houston. The event will bring together community members and advocates to celebrate five years of impact while raising urgently needed funds to defend immigrants across the Galveston-Houston area.

BOULDER CITY, Nev. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Joshua Fagerness of Rochester, Washington crossed the finish line first at Let It Ride 5, held March 27-29 at Boulder City, Nevada. USA EUC - the national sanctioning body for competitive electric unicycle racing - announced the results of the event, the third stop on the 2026 USA EUC National Championship Circuit, following King of the Motos and King of the Hammers.

BALTIMORE, Md. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Hearing loss affects one in three adults over age 65 and is a leading cause of years lived with disability worldwide. In its latest Brain Bytes micro-cast, AgingIN, a national leader advancing innovation in eldercare, features neuroscientist Kelly Tremblay, PhD, who highlights growing evidence that reframes hearing loss as a critical, and often overlooked, brain health issue.

AUSTIN, Texas /New York Netwire - National News/ -- FirstClose™, a leading fintech provider of data and workflow solutions for mortgage and home equity lenders nationwide, announced today that Kitsap Credit Union has selected FirstClose to support its home equity lending operations with a bundled, end-to-end digital tool.

PALM BEACH, Fla. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Artificial intelligence is transforming industries at a pace few people feel prepared for. For many entrepreneurs, small business owners and professionals, the rise of AI has created a growing sense of urgency... and overwhelm, says Dean Graziosi, multiple New York Times bestselling author and entrepreneur.

NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Argyle, the leading provider of direct-source income, employment and asset verifications, today announced that its Director of Sales Thomas Rasmuson has been named a 2026 Rising Star by HousingWire. The annual HousingWire Rising Stars award recognizes standout professionals under 40 who are making a significant impact on the housing industry through leadership, innovation and measurable business results.

TROY, Mich. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Class Valuation, a leading real estate appraisal management company (AMC), today announced that Amanda Standley, vice president of business development for Bluebird Valuation, a Class Valuation company, has been named a 2026 HousingWire Rising Star. The HousingWire Rising Stars award recognizes emerging leaders under 40 in mortgage and real estate who are leading change and making a meaningful impact on their organizations. This year, 75 young professionals were named to the list.

BOULDER, Colo. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Floify, the mortgage industry's leading point-of-sale (POS) solution, today announced that Sydney Barber, 33, head of product, has been named a 2026 HousingWire Rising Star. Barber joins 74 other young professionals on this year's list.

GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Protective apparel manufacturer Kappler®, Inc. marks its 50th anniversary on April 1, with a twist of corporate irony around the company's April Fools' founding date in 1976. As millions of emergency responders and safety professionals can attest, Kappler's innovative chemical suits are no joking matter.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Dark Matter Technologies (Dark Matter®), an innovative leader in mortgage technology, today announced Ask Aiva®, a conversational AI assistant natively embedded within the Empower® loan origination system (LOS) that allows lenders to query their origination environment in plain language, receive instant answers to see how those answers were derived.

SEATTLE, Wash. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Friday Harbor today announced a new integration with the Calyx Path Platform that brings AI-powered pre-underwriting directly into the flow of the loan. Instead of waiting until underwriting to uncover issues, lenders can now review borrower documents, surface potential problems and resolve them earlier while maintaining consistent, reliable loan data throughout the lifecycle.

ATLANTA, Ga. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- This Financial Literacy Awareness Month, kids and families are invited to meet the Money Buddies, a lovable and irreverent cast of puppet characters on a mission to make learning about money fun, memorable, and easy to understand. Created and powered by Alliance Group, Money Buddies officially debuts the first two episodes of its seven-episode educational series on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.

NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Argyle, a leading provider of direct-source, consumer-permissioned income, employment and asset verifications, today announced a new integration with Vesta, an AI-native loan origination system (LOS) and agent platform built to automate and accelerate mortgage operations.

TAMPA, Fla. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- What if the smallest act of kindness could change the world? That's the question at the heart of "My Ripple Effect," a bold new faith and family film from JC Films and Joshuacord - hitting screens this week and starring fan favorites Dean Cain, Kevin Sorbo, Eddie McClintock and Michael Sigler.

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- The Mortgage Collaborative (TMC), the nation's largest independent cooperative network for mortgage lenders, will send its Advocacy Committee to Washington, D.C. on April 16 to meet with federal policymakers and housing agencies to discuss mortgage lending, regulatory reform and housing affordability.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- GeekyAnts, a ​​global technology consulting and product development company, today announced the formal launch of GeekyAnts AI and AI Pods, a two-tier delivery program built to take enterprise AI systems from proof of concept to production, addressing the infrastructure and accountability failures that have stalled most AI pilot programs in 2026.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. /New York Netwire - National News/ -- As marketers navigate fluctuating digital costs and crowded online environments, new industry research shows direct mail standing out for its consistency, engagement, and ability to drive measurable action. Commissioned by Franklin Madison Direct and conducted by research firm Circlebox, the 2026 Direct Mail Marketing Benchmark Report analyzes national survey data from U.S. marketers and consumers to assess direct mail performance and its role within today's omnichannel strategies.

EDINBURGH, UK /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Today, we at FAXVIN are proud to mark 16 years in business. Since our founding on March 26, 2010, we have focused on one core mission: helping buyers, sellers, and automotive businesses make more informed decisions by giving them easier access to vehicle history information.