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FLORIDA SOUTHERN COLLEGE REOPENS RESTORED FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT PLANETARIUM

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LAKELAND, Fla., Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Florida Southern College (FSC) will reopen its newly restored Frank Lloyd Wright designed Planetarium to the public this month, returning the historic space to active educational and public use for the first time in more than two decades. The Planetarium will offer regularly scheduled public shows and opportunities for schools, community organizations and other groups to experience the historic space.

Located within the Polk Science Building, the Planetarium is the only planetarium constructed from a design by Frank Lloyd Wright and is part of Florida Southern’s collection of 13 Wright designed structures, the largest single site collection of Wright architecture in the world.

“Florida Southern has long been entrusted with preserving Frank Lloyd Wright’s extraordinary vision for this campus, and reopening the Planetarium allows us to bring an important piece of that vision back to life,” said Dr. Jeremy P. Martin, president of Florida Southern College. “This restoration honors the history of this remarkable space while creating new opportunities for our students, visitors and the broader community to experience it in a meaningful way.”

Public shows will be offered Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 3:30 p.m., beginning Saturday, Sept. 26. Six programs will rotate monthly through the schedule: Cosmic Adventure; Destination Mars: The New Frontier; From Earth to the Universe; God, Science, and Our Search for Meaning; Oasis in Space; and Undiscovered Worlds: The Search Beyond Our Sun. 

Programs range from approximately 20 to 32 minutes and explore topics including the solar system, Mars exploration, exoplanets and humanity’s understanding of the universe. The full Planetarium experience will last approximately 60 to 90 minutes and include an introduction to the history and significance of the Frank Lloyd Wright designed space before the featured show.

Tickets are $20 per person and $15 per person for families and groups of four or more. Planetarium admission is separate from Florida Southern’s Frank Lloyd Wright architectural tours.

In addition to regularly scheduled public shows, the Planetarium will support Florida Southern students and faculty and provide opportunities for school field trips, community organizations and other groups to visit and experience its programming.

“Reopening the Planetarium allows us to bring an important part of Florida Southern’s history back to life while creating new opportunities for our students and the community,” said Tory King, director of Tourism Operations & Visitor Experience at FSC. “The architectural restoration brought the space back, and the new technology now allows us to return it to active educational and public use.”

The reopening represents the culmination of a multiphase restoration. Exterior restoration was supported by State of Florida and private funding, while interior restoration was supported by federal Save America’s Treasures funding and private donors. The most recent phase, also supported by State of Florida funding, included the installation of a new COSM projection system and Bowen sound system, allowing the restored space to function as a modern planetarium once again.

Designed as part of Wright’s plans for the Polk Science Building, the Planetarium was constructed between 1954 and 1958, with its first show held April 7, 1960. The space supported Florida Southern’s astronomy program while also welcoming school field trips and the public. Astronomy professors used shows to introduce students to core concepts, and four public shows were traditionally offered each year. After the projection system stopped functioning in 2004, the Planetarium saw only limited use until restoration efforts began.

Wright had pursued the idea of designing a planetarium for decades before incorporating one into his plans for Florida Southern. His original vision for the Science Building included several public educational spaces, reflecting his belief that colleges should extend opportunities for learning beyond their students and into the surrounding community.

With its restoration complete and new technology in place, the Planetarium once again brings together Wright’s architectural vision, science and education while opening a distinctive part of Florida Southern’s campus to a new generation of students and visitors.

Tickets, current show schedules and additional information are available through https://fsc.universitytickets.com/w/default.aspx?cid=177 

About Florida Southern College
Founded in 1883, Florida Southern College is the oldest private college in the state. The College maintains its commitment to academic excellence through 70+ undergraduate programs and distinctive graduate programs in business administration, education, nursing, and physical therapy. Florida Southern has a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio, is an award-winning national leader in engaged learning, and boasts 32 NCAA Division II National Championships. In the U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 “Best Colleges” guide, Florida Southern ranks #11 among “Best Regional Universities in the South,” #12 in “Most Innovative Schools,” and #24 in “Best Value Schools.” The College is also highlighted in The Princeton Review’s 2026 Best 391 Colleges guide and the “Fiske Guide to Colleges 2025.” The 2025-2026 Colleges of Distinction guidebook praises Florida Southern’s AACSB-accredited Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise alongside the College’s School of Education and its Ann Blanton Edwards School of Nursing and Health Sciences. Home to the world’s largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, Florida Southern houses 13 Wright-designed structures.

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HeyGen Earns Committed Badge from EcoVadis

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September 23, 2026

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The recognition reflects HeyGen’s performance across environment, labor and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — HeyGen, the world’s leading AI avatar company, has earned a Committed Badge from EcoVadis, the global provider of independent business sustainability ratings. The recognition reflects HeyGen’s performance across four areas: environment, labor and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement

“Enterprise demand for AI video continues to grow, and HeyGen is proud to already serve 85% of the Fortune 100. As these companies adopt AI at scale, they’re prioritizing partners who take governance and responsibility seriously, not just capability,” said Will Ji, Head of Customer Success at HeyGen. “This recognition reflects that commitment, and we’re excited to keep building on it as we grow our enterprise partnerships.”

EcoVadis is one of the world’s most widely used sustainability assessment platforms, evaluating more than 150,000 companies globally. Its ratings are based on international standards including the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact, International Labour Organization conventions, the Global Reporting Initiative standards, and ISO 26000, and provide an independent benchmark of a company’s sustainability performance and management practices for customers, partners, and investors.

To view HeyGen’s full scorecard and Recognition Page, please visit https://recognition.ecovadis.com/GOL_3scAx0qTCUiONQLFsg.

ABOUT HEYGEN
HeyGen is the world’s leading AI avatar company. We create the world’s most realistic avatars — digital versions of real people that look, sound, and move just like them. Rated #1 most realistic on G2 and powered by our proprietary Avatar V model, HeyGen is used by over 30 million people, from solo and small-business operators to 85% of the Fortune 100, to scale their presence in minutes, without a camera or crew. HeyGen brings avatars to life across video, real-time interactive experiences, and voice.

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LeoSight and Axis Communications Unite Video and Sensor Intelligence for More Coordinated Public Safety Response

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September 23, 2026

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Native integrations bring Axis video, body-worn solutions, metadata, and sensor intelligence into LeoCommand and connect teams through LeoLink.

DALLAS, Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — LeoSight, a leader in unified incident command software for public safety, today announced a new partnership with Axis Communications, a global leader in network video and physical security technology. The partnership brings native integrations for Axis video management and body-worn solutions into LeoCommand, LeoSight’s situational awareness platform, helping agencies strengthen officer safety, operational efficiency, and real-time coordination.

Through the integrations, agencies can bring live video, metadata, and sensor intelligence from Axis devices and systems into LeoCommand. AXIS Camera Station Pro, Axis IP cameras, and Axis body-worn solutions can contribute trusted visual intelligence to the same operational map as officer locations, vehicle data, drone feeds, and other connected public safety systems.

This unified view helps command staff and dispatchers assess incidents as they develop, while LeoSight’s secure communications platform, LeoLink, enables relevant information to be shared with field personnel and partner agencies. Teams can coordinate around the same real-time intelligence without relying on separate systems or fragmented communication channels.

Designed for daily operations, critical incident response, and multi-agency coordination, the integrations help agencies turn video and sensor data into shared operational awareness. LeoSight’s scalable architecture also supports deployments across agencies and jurisdictions, allowing authorized teams to collaborate while maintaining secure access to the information they need.

“By integrating AXIS Camera Station Pro, Axis IP cameras, and body-worn solutions with LeoSight, agencies can bring trusted video and real-time insights into LeoSight’s shared operational map alongside other critical response data,” said Dean Cunningham, Axis Segment Development Manager for Public Safety. “Together, Axis and LeoSight give responders the same real-time picture, helping them coordinate faster and act with greater clarity.”

For public safety agencies, video is most valuable when it becomes part of a broader operational picture. Connecting trusted visual intelligence with communications and other real-time data helps teams understand what is happening, align their response, and act with greater confidence.

“Public safety teams should not have to piece together an incident across separate screens, systems, and conversations,” said Mark Wood, CEO of LeoSight. “By bringing Axis video and sensor intelligence into LeoCommand and making it shareable through LeoLink, we are helping command staff, dispatchers, and field personnel operate from the same real-time picture. That shared understanding supports faster coordination, safer response, and better decisions when every second matters.”

The partnership expands LeoSight’s ecosystem of public safety technology providers across drones, cameras, body-worn video, sensors, and other real-time public safety technologies.

About LeoSight

LeoSight helps public safety agencies communicate, coordinate, and respond as one team. Our platform connects law enforcement, fire, EMS, and emergency management across jurisdictions, bringing together secure communications, live operational visibility, and collaborative workflows in a single operational environment. By helping agencies overcome fragmented systems and disconnected teams, LeoSight enables faster coordination, clearer decision-making, and more unified response during both daily operations and critical incidents. To learn more, visit LeoSight.com.

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For LeoSight

Ally Ward
Marketing Manager
award@leosight.com

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Efectis Group Strengthens Its Presence in India with the Launch of Efectis India

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September 23, 2026

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New subsidiary combines global fire safety expertise with local capabilities to support India’s infrastructure, industrial and energy ambitions

CHENNAI, India, Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Efectis, a global leader in fire safety and explosion risk management, has officially launched Efectis India following the acquisition of a majority stake in AADIT, developed by entrepreneurs Mr. Anil Agarwal and Mr. Jothi Ramalingam. This strategic milestone marks a significant step in the Group’s long-term commitment to the Indian market.

With more than 70 years of experience as a testing institute, Efectis group has inaugurated a new fire testing facility in Chennai, dedicated to performing fire tests based on Indian, European and international standards. This is the first international fire testing laboratory in India, operated by a strong local team and supported by more than 300 fire experts from Efectis. The Group aims to support India’s development ambitions by providing internationally recognised fire safety expertise tailored to local needs.

The official launch was celebrated at a high-profile event in Chennai, organised with the support of Business France, reflecting Efectis’ ambition to become a trusted partner for India’s rapidly evolving construction, infrastructure, industrial and energy sectors.

The event, held at the Taj Club House Hotel, brought together the Consul General of France in Puducherry and Chennai, Mr. Etienne Roland-Piègue, along with representatives from industry, government institutions, technical organisations, academia and the wider French Indian business ecosystem. Throughout the event, speakers and industry professionals highlighted the need to further strengthen fire safety in India.

Efectis Supporting India’s Next Phase of Growth

India’s rapid urbanisation, large-scale infrastructure projects and industrial expansion are generating increasing demand for advanced safety, resilience and regulatory compliance solutions. In this context, Efectis India will offer a comprehensive range of services, including fire safety engineering, testing, certification, inspection, risk assessment, technical audits, training and compliance support.

Combining local presence with international experience, Efectis India will support safety improvement, developers, manufacturers, infrastructure operators, industrial facilities, energy transition projects, battery technologies and critical infrastructure. Efectis will be available to assist national and regional public authorities or their representatives in addressing evolving fire and explosion safety challenges linked to modern and scientific assessment methods. The new facility will make fire testing more accessible and cost-effective for manufacturers and project owners in India, while ensuring a direct link with recognized international and local practices.

The launch comes at a time when India is accelerating investments in smart cities, industrial corridors, logistics hubs, transportation networks and clean energy infrastructure. As these projects grow in scale and complexity, this investment in India aims to strongly contribute to the improvement of Indian safety in construction, transportation and energy development, ensuring life safety, and make safer international industrial investment.

A Long-Term Commitment to India

“The launch of Efectis India through a partnership with AADIT reflects our strong confidence in India’s long-term growth trajectory and our commitment to supporting the country’s ambitions with internationally recognised technical and scientific expertise in fire safety and risk management,” said Daniel Joyeux, President of the Efectis Group

“Our objective goes beyond delivering technical services. We want to build lasting partnerships with Indian stakeholders, contribute to skills development and support the creation of safer, more resilient infrastructure and industrial projects across the country. India is a strategic market for Efectis, and we look forward to working alongside our customers and partners in the years ahead.”

Through engineering expertise, testing and certification capabilities, technical training and regulatory support, Efectis India is positioning itself as a trusted long-term partner for safer buildings, more resilient infrastructure and sustainable industrial growth.

About Efectis

Efectis is an international third-party fire safety company, covering fire and explosion testing, inspection, certification, audits, investigation and engineering. With more than 70 years of experience, more than 350 professionals operating from 28 offices, 8 fire testing laboratories, and recognition as a certification body in 35 countries, Efectis supports clients throughout the entire project lifecycle. In 2025, the Group carried out more than 20,000 tests worldwide, serving sectors including construction, infrastructure, transport, energy, logistics, industry, batteries, and nuclear facilities. Based on a very strong technical and scientific background, Efectis Group actively participates in developing European and international standards and supports the improvement of national fire safety regulations.

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india@efectis.com  

Efectis headquarter                                                                                                         
Route de l’Orme des Merisiers 
91190 Saint-Aubin, France                                                                             

Fire And Explosion Safety Experts

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