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‘In The Name Of Jamie Wakefield’ Proposed Limited TV Series Pilot Launches On YouTube

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3 years ago

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Set in 1943 ‘In The Name Of Jamie Wakefield’ centers on the two year correspondence between 19-year-old gender confused Tedd Burr and famous Kings Row author Henry Bellamann. The currently released YouTube pilot for the proposed six-part limited TV series stars actor / screenwriter Lenny Pinna who plays 25+ characters. Using a blend of dramatic reading and a unique performance style, playing multiple characters within many of the scenes costumed as only one of the characters. Each of the scenes are shot in mostly one-take with no internal editing. Pinna’s process and performance is truly a one-of-a-kind tour de force! The series pilot is set in several locations, primarily in Bellevue, OH, and the Ansonia Hotel in New York City—interspersed with imagined reality scenes and period flashbacks—all of which were creatively staged and filmed in Pinna’s childhood home in Johnstown, PA. ‘In The Name Of Jamie Wakefield’ is an expertly woven series of overlapping dramatic narratives that follow the personal struggles of Tedd Burr and Henry Bellamann while exploring their complex relational tensions. Tedd struggles with wanting to be a woman as Henry faces his past (and present) with conflicting feelings about his own sexuality as he is spurred on by his wife to write the sequel to his best-selling novel, Kings Row—which Warner Brothers is anxiously anticipating.

JOHNSTOWN, Pa., Oct. 26, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — ‘In The Name Of Jamie Wakefield’, is based on the book ‘A Face From Uranus; Correspondence Between Tedd Burr and Henry Bellamann 1943-1945‘ published by Ecclesia Arts and edited by screenwriter Lenny Pinna in December 2022.

The pilot for the TV Series ‘In The Name Of Jamie Wakefield,’ based on the book, A Face From Uranus: Correspondence Between Tedd Burr and Jamie Wakefield 1943 -1945 is to be released on YouTube at Ecclesia Arts on October 27, 2023.

At the height of World War II, 19-year-old Tedd Burr is struggling with his own private battle—a desire to be a woman. In desperation he reaches out to famous author Henry Bellamann for guidance and support after reading his best-selling novel Kings Row. Tedd strongly identifies with the character Jamie Wakefield who was described as “too pretty for a boy.” In New York City, Henry Bellamann has his own internal crisis—writer’s block caused by his unwillingness to reckon with the past which exposes his underlying bi-sexuality that had threatened to derail his early years of marriage. Ironically, his wife Katherine’s ambitious nature and unrelenting work ethic keeps prodding Henry to go toward exactly what he is trying to avoid—facing his past to write the sequel to Kings Row.

When Tedd reaches out to Henry in desperation, identifying with Kings Row character Jamie Wakefield, described in the novel as “too pretty for a boy” Henry immediately jumps at the opportunity to help. The serendipity that Jamie Wakefield was modeled on his childhood friend and one-time lover reopens his contradictory feelings about his past. Tedd and Henry’s unlikely connection develops in surprising ways, transforming their lives.

This long-range project began twenty-three years ago with Lenny Pinna’s friendship with the 75 year old Tedd Burr in Cleveland Hts., Ohio. One auspicious evening their usual conversation opened up into a discussion about Tedd’s younger gender confusion. This discussion resulted in an extraordinary cinema veritI style film Letters to Uranus: The hidden life of Tedd Burr.

What was revealed that evening was Tedd’s two year correspondence with Henry Bellamann, comprised of over 100 long letters which had been lying in a box for fifty-five years, and his iconic 19 year old photograph which Henry had derisively described as “a face that could have come from the planet Uranus.” This quote evokes the highly psycho-sexual complexity of their relationship.

Although Pinna has been involved with this story since the year 2000 and actually possessed the original letters since 2003 (bequeathed to him by the elder Tedd Burr) he knew Tedd and Henry’s story could not be told at that time. He has been quoted as saying “America was not yet ready for this story 23 years ago. Tedd and Henry were talking openly about things in 1943 that we’ve only begun to talk about publicly during the last five to ten years. And for some it will still be too soon.” Both with the progress made by the LGBTQIA+ community and other parts of society which have responded with backlash, Tedd’s story has only gained importance and an immediacy that meets the moment.

For the past several years, Lenny Pinna has been developing the Limited TV Series ‘In The Name Of Jamie Wakefield’ based on and inspired by Tedd and Henry’s letters; In 2023, he started collaborating with media artist, Bonnie Diczhazy to find a way to bring life to Tedd and Henry’s poignant World War II story. Bonnie and Lenny’s collaborative synergy dates back to the mid-nineties when they founded Ecclesia Theater at Lake Erie College in Painesville, Ohio.

Deciding to present the series pilot on YouTube without a full production company, Pinna and Diczhazy ended a late-night brain-storming session with one central idea that blossomed into a full-blown set within a 4′ x 6′ area of the living room of Pinna’s childhood home. That idea led to the design of a quilt top for the primary backdrop. Immediately, Pinna was motivated to construct the backdrop for the pilot over the long Labor Day weekend.

The backdrop was inspired by Pinna’s award winning original quilt design that he had made for his 25 year old son, Matthew called Jazz City Rhapsody; he had asked his son to choose the primary fabrics to initiate the design. The quilt won the 2013 S.F. Quilt show’s top honor—the Viewers Choice Award.

Pinna proceeded to shoot the pilot over a one month period, utilizing additional set dressing, props and costumes drawn from his family background–including several heirloom pieces. The bringing together of disparate elements epitomizes Pinna’s life-long career as an eclectic artist. In addition to his quilting skills Pinna also relied on his training as an actor, puppeteer, costume designer and set designer to craft an expansive world in the smallest of spaces.

Artistically, Pinna chose to play each character himself rather than cast actors for the 25+ characters in the series. This is meant to present his particular take on the story, yet encourage the further imagination of a fully realized TV production. His performance/reading style is a unique approach to conveying dramatic narrative. Throughout the pilot he plays multiple characters in many scenes, demonstrating a rare ability to transition fluidly between old and young or male and female and everything in between.

‘In The Name Of Jamie Wakefield’ is a powerful testament to the dedication of one man’s persistence in presenting a unique story of friendship, courage, strength and acceptance. His past docu-drama, Letters to Uranus and the current series pilot for In The Name of Jamie Wakefield can now be viewed on YouTube at Ecclesia Arts. Tedd Burr, who died in 2012 wanted his story told, and Lenny through research, dedication and perseverance has finally been able to share Tedd’s story.

Lenny Pinna is an accomplished eclectic artist who has lived in New York, Cleveland, Houston, and the San Francisco Bay area before returning home to Johnstown, PA during the COVID-19 epidemic–via a perfect storm of events including close family deaths. Once there in his childhood home he managed to find the silver lining–the time and space to bring forth the book and the series pilot.

Lenny Pinna and Bonnie Diczhazy hope to connect with a larger production team to bring all six episodes of ‘In The Name Of Jamie Wakefield’ to mainstream television in the form of a Netflix, Amazon or Paramount+ series.

‘In The Name Of Jamie Wakefield’ episode 1 “Tedd and Henry, Albert and Jamie” launches October, 27th, 2023 on YouTube at Ecclesia Arts.

Media Contact
Lenny Pinna, Ecclesia Arts, 1 707-480-6103, lennypinna@outlook.com, https://www.youtube.com/@EcclesiaArts
Bonnie Diczhazy, Ecclesia Arts, 1 440-488-8293, ecclesia.arts11@gmail.com, https://www.youtube.com/@EcclesiaArts

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Gusto Unveils New Tools to Help Small Businesses Start, Run, and Grow From Day One

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19 minutes ago

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October 22, 2026

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Fall Showcase 2026 introduces LLC formation and a business bank account,1 AI connectors, expanded compliance and payroll tools, new benefits and HR support, and the company’s biggest-ever updates for accountants

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Gusto, the small business platform for payroll, benefits, and HR, today announced new products and features at its Fall Showcase, designed to help small business owners start, run, and grow.

Every day, Gusto helps more than half a million small businesses pay their teams, stay compliant, and offer benefits. The announcements take aim at what owners face: serving customers, managing finances, keeping up with compliance, competing for talent, and making sense of AI, often all at once.

“Small business owners wear every hat, and they shouldn’t have to carry every burden too,” said Chris Cosgrove, Chief Product Officer at Gusto. “Our goal is to make the hard things easier, starting on day one.”

Start: Help before the first hire

Owners can now form an LLC, open a business bank account,1 and see where their money stands in Gusto, before they hire anyone. Because it all lives in the same place they’ll later hire, pay, and grow, there’s no need to start over down the road.

“Starting a business has typically meant figuring it out alone, and every one of those steps is a place where a good idea can stall,” said Cosgrove. “Our bet is simple: if it’s easier to get started, more people will, and more of them will succeed.”

Run: Less risk, less busywork

Growth for a small business means more complexity and behind-the-scenes work. Gusto’s new features help owners stay compliant, automate payroll and contractor payments, and put AI to work on time-consuming tasks.

Gusto Business Compliance handles obligations that trip up owners, especially when they hire in a new state, including state tax registration, annual report filing, and government mail monitoring.Multi-location payroll runs one payroll for hourly employees who work across state or city lines, calculating and filing taxes for each work location.Intelligent payroll automations gather hours, flag anomalies, anything unusual, and turn payroll into a quick review and sign-off.More control over pay, with same-day pay for off-cycle bonuses and corrections for eligible businesses, custom semi-monthly schedules, and printed, mailed paychecks with delivery tracking.Contractor tools that let owners hire and pay U.S. and international contractors on one platform. With invoice ingestion, Gusto reads an uploaded invoice and prefills the paysheet for review and approval.Project tracking lets owners tag hours to projects, clients, and tasks and see the true labor cost of every job.

Owners can now connect Gusto to Claude, ChatGPT, and other AI tools to ask questions about payroll and teams, prep payroll, and generate reports. Owners have full transparency and control over the output, with the ability to approve every change before it’s final. Developers and power users can also connect through Gusto’s MCP server or install the Gusto CLI in one command, so an agent can prepare what it can before each payroll and send a prioritized list of decisions that need the owner’s approval.

“Owners shouldn’t have to learn a new tool to put AI to work. Gusto works where they already do,” said Cosgrove. “AI does the prep, and the owner stays in control of every decision.”

Grow: Benefits, guidance, and HR support

Great benefits help business owners hire and keep great people, but most don’t have an HR department to lean on. Gusto is putting that expertise inside its platform, so owners can invest in their teams for the long term.

Gus, the AI Benefits Assistant gives personalized, real-time guidance on benefits and builds a ready-to-submit package covering medical, dental, vision, and more. A licensed advisor reviews it before anything is finalized.Gusto 401(k), built into Gusto helps business owners manage retirement plans directly on Gusto, without switching platforms.Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) give employees the flexibility to choose health coverage that works for them, while employers maintain complete control over costs by setting a monthly allowance. Employers can seamlessly manage reimbursements alongside payroll in Gusto.Voluntary Life & Disability benefits provide employee-paid coverage added through automatic payroll deductions, at no additional direct cost to the business.Guided benefits renewal provides cost-optimized options, side-by-side comparisons, and direct access to a licensed benefits advisor.New HR resources let owners build an employee handbook and generate documents like performance improvement plans and termination letters. Owners also get proactive alerts when employment laws change, written answers from a human HR expert, and instant answers from Gus.Gusto HR Partners gives you access to an experienced, fractional HR professional without the cost of a full-time hire.Gusto Professional Employer Organization (PEO) helps take on much of the day-to-day HR, payroll, benefits, and compliance work for small business owners.

Gusto, built for accountants that support small businesses

Today, more than two-thirds of small businesses on Gusto have the support of a Gusto accounting partner. These firms play a vital role in advising and supporting small businesses. That’s why Gusto has announced its biggest-ever updates for accountants, including:

A redesigned Gusto Pro dashboard with AI-assisted workflows.A Multi-Client MCP that lets firms work across selected clients in a single AI conversation.An expanded Partner Program with Marketing and Partner Development Funds.Solo Advisory Tools, helping firms advise solopreneur clients with calculators for S-corp election and reasonable compensation estimates.

To learn more, visit Gusto’s Fall Showcase.

1 Gusto is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Increase Bank, Member FDIC.

About Gusto

Gusto takes the guesswork out of running a small business. From forming a company to paying a team to staying on top of compliance, Gusto simplifies payroll, benefits, HR, and money management so business owners can get back to the work that matters most. Founded in 2011, Gusto supports more than 500,000 small businesses from offices in San Francisco, New York, and Denver. Learn more about Gusto’s mission to grow the small business economy with technology and heart at gusto.com.

Media Contact:
Candice So
press@gusto.com

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SOURCE Gusto, Inc.

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Fortera and MLC Select Ste. Genevieve, Mo. for First Commercial CO₂-to-Cement Plant

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October 22, 2026

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Fortera to launch patented sustainable cement technology, producing 300,000 tons of ReAct® cement annually using carbon captured from MLC’s lime production

STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo., Oct. 22, 2026 /CNW/ — Fortera and MLC plan to build Fortera’s first commercial low-carbon cement plant at MLC’s Ste. Genevieve site. The plant would capture CO₂ emitted by MLC’s lime production and transform it into a reactive cement that is nearly 50% captured CO₂ by weight.

Fortera’s patented sustainable cement technology will produce 300,000 tons of ReAct® cement annually

The Ste. Genevieve operation was selected due to its scale and strategic location. Situated in the Central Midwest on the Mississippi River, the site enables economical delivery across most of the U.S. and internationally. Adding domestic cement supply also reduces U.S. reliance on foreign imports, which account for 21% of consumption, according to the 2025 U.S. Geological Survey.

ReAct cement is one of the most consequential cement innovations in generations, introducing a fundamentally new way to manufacture an essential building material that meets or exceeds traditional cement’s performance.

By transforming captured CO₂ from lime production into value-added cement, this project offers an approach to reduce the carbon footprint of two critical, hard-to-abate industries. Cement accounts for 8% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions (according to the U.S. Department of Energy), so innovations have the potential to meaningfully impact global climate change.

“The Ste. Genevieve plant marks a new era for American cement production, one where technology turns emissions into a high-quality product the market needs while creating lasting local jobs,” said Ryan Gilliam, CEO and co-founder of Fortera. “Building alongside the largest lime operation in the Americas lets us turn an existing emissions stream into hundreds of thousands of tons of cement to meet demand that already exists.”

This project is also significant for the lime industry because it provides a scalable solution to capture and re-use CO2 released by limestone during calcination, which generates roughly 60% of scope-1 emissions. The National Lime Association (NLA) aims to decarbonize the U.S. lime industry by 2050; meeting that goal requires innovation in low carbon technologies.

“While MLC has reduced our carbon footprint by 8% since 2022, and I am proud of that progress, current technologies will only take us so far. Lime producers need practical solutions to capture calcination emissions,” said Paul Hogan, CEO of MLC and current serving president of the NLA. “Fortera has developed an innovative approach that not only reduces the amount of carbon we release — it also turns it into a valuable product.”

The cement manufactured at the Ste. Genevieve plant is planned to be used across the Midwest, including by Ozinga, a fifth-generation, family-owned concrete and building materials company.

“Scaling the next generation of cement requires more than innovative technology; it requires strong partnerships across our industry,” said Marty Ozinga, CEO of Ozinga. “Fortera’s ongoing work with Ozinga represents the kind of collaboration needed to bring lower-carbon cement solutions to commercial scale while strengthening domestic manufacturing and ensuring we can continue to deliver the performance and reliability our customers expect.”

About Fortera
Fortera is revolutionizing the global construction industry. The company’s proprietary ReCarb technology integrates seamlessly with existing cement and lime facilities, allowing partners to keep their kilns, make full use of their limestone, and leverage their established distribution networks. Fortera’s breakthrough approach transforms waste CO₂ into productive feedstock, enabling plants to produce more from existing resources. The company has proven it can produce cement at cost parity with portland cement while cutting CO₂ emissions by 70%. Fortera operates a 15,000 ton per year facility in Redding, California, regularly placing product in real-world commercial projects, and is executing on a global commercial pipeline that includes the 300,000 ton per year Fortera Cement Plant in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. For more information on how Fortera delivers proven, cost-competitive, and deployable low-carbon cement technology worldwide, visit forteraglobal.com.

About MLC
For over a century, critical industries have relied on Mississippi Lime Company, LLC (“MLC”) to provide the highest purity lime and calcium products, backed by the most advanced technical services and patented equipment. Lime solutions from MLC play an essential role in drinking water treatment, pollution control, agriculture, and the production of steel, glass, paper, polymers, raw materials, foods, and beverages. MLC has built its reputation on an unwavering commitment to safety, service and performance. The company’s expanding global footprint includes a diversified, reliable network of production and distribution facilities in the U.S. and U.K. MLC is an HBM Holdings company headquartered in St. Louis, Mo.

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SOURCE MLC

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DigiKey Expands its DigiKey Standard Product Portfolio

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20 minutes ago

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October 22, 2026

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New products include ESD protection gear, precision tools and more

THIEF RIVER FALLS, Minn., Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — DigiKey, the global distribution leader of electronic components and automation products, announced it is expanding its DigiKey Standard portfolio with essential tools and ESD-safe products designed to meet the everyday needs of engineers, technicians and makers, delivering quality, reliability and value from a name they trust.

DigiKey created the DigiKey Standard product portfolio to simplify purchasing decisions for engineers by offering a line of dependable products carefully selected and vetted by DigiKey. Selected for reliability and everyday use at an approachable price point, the trusted product line provides tools for design, prototyping, testing and production environments.

“The expansion of the DigiKey Standard product portfolio reinforces DigiKey’s commitment to providing quality, cost-effective and readily available solutions for everyday electronics work,” said Jose Gonzalez, director, new market development for DigiKey. “These new additions, ranging from ESD protection gear to precision tools, address essential needs in prototyping, assembly and repair environments.”

What new products are available in the DigiKey Standard portfolio?

Helping Hands Solder Station: Designed for electronic assembly, repair and precision applications, this soldering station has four flexible arms and alligator clip ends to hold the workpiece at optimal height.ESD Molded Mat: With molded features to organize small parts, components and tools via 20 storage areas, this large ESD silicone mat supports electronic projects, repairs and manufacturing environments.DigiKey Standard Boxes: Available in 15 sizes, DigiKey Standard boxes include a custom-fit breadboard and are ready for prototyping projects.Electrical Testers: Test equipment includes an RMS AC/DC clamp meter for troubleshooting and maintaining electrical systems and a non-contact AC voltage detector.Environmental Testers: These portable environmental testers can check air temperature and relative humidity as well as AC, DC and permanent magnetic fields.Multimeters: The product line includes an industrial digital multimeter, 2000 and 4000AR true RMS autoranging digital multimeters, and a waterproof true RMS digital multimeter with LoZ. 

For more information about the DigiKey Standard portfolio, visit DigiKey.com.

More information about DigiKey Standard

The DigiKey Standard portfolio includes 117 products, from essential tools to ESD-safe products.A total of 14 new DigiKey Standard products released this year include an ESD molded mat, the Helping Hands solder station, a variety of 15 box sizes, environmental testers and electrical testers.

About DigiKey
DigiKey, headquartered in Thief River Falls, Minn., USA, is the global leader in electronic components and automation products distribution. DigiKey offers the broadest and deepest selection of products for fast shipment worldwide, with more than 17.4 million components from over 3,000 trusted manufacturers. More than one million customers each year, including engineers, designers, builders and procurement professionals, makers and students, rely on DigiKey for innovative digital solutions, design tools and frictionless purchasing experiences that simplify every stage of their projects. Discover more about DigiKey’s electronics distribution, automation solutions and design resources at digikey.com and on Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn. 

Editorial Contact
Laura Stengrim 
DigiKey 
(218) 681-8000 ext. 14489 
laura.stengrim@digikey.com

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