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New Year, New Sponsor: Presenting Alaska Airlines New Year’s at the Needle

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The West Coast’s beloved New Year’s Eve drone, fireworks, and light show returns with a new
sponsor and even bigger broadcast.

SEATTLE, Dec. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The Space Needle is proud to present Alaska Airlines New Year’s at the Needle, Seattle’s beloved pyrotechnic and light spectacular, to usher in 2025. Viewers up and down the West Coast will be dazzled as hundreds of drones take to the sky leading up to the largest structurally-launched firework show in North America. This year, San Diego will join the televised event in addition to Portland, Spokane, and Seattle.

“We are so excited to partner with Alaska Airlines to bring New Year’s at the Needle to even greater heights,” said Ron Sevart, Space Needle President & CEO. “Travel has the incredible power to inspire, and Alaska Airlines has been connecting the West Coast to the world for 92 years. As we ring in 2025, I can’t think of a better sponsor to help the entire Pacific Time Zone dream even bigger for the year ahead.”

The 18-minute show will begin seven minutes before midnight, when 500 drones take to the sky next to the Space Needle. The formations will take viewers around the wonders of the West Coast, from San Diego to the Pacific Northwest. A drone countdown leads into a thrilling pyrotechnic display as fireworks launch from the tower at midnight. Plus, partygoers at Seattle Center will watch the Space Needle become a canvas for the impressive 10-minute light shows happening at 10:00 PM PT, 10:30 PM PT, 11:00 PM PT, and 11:30 PM PT.

“As the only West Coast-based airline, we look forward to ringing in the New Year with our loyal guests, from Seattle to San Diego,” said Ben Minicucci, CEO of Alaska Airlines. “New Year’s at the Needle is one of Seattle’s most iconic celebrations and as the hometown airline, we’re honored to be a part of it.” Those in Seattle are invited to watch the skies light up in brilliant color at Seattle Center. The best viewing is at the International Fountain Lawn and the Fisher Pavilion. Attendees can also check out giveaways at Alaska Airlines’ pop-up booths at the Armory and surrounding outdoor areas, including a special giveaway for Alaska Airlines credit card holders.

Viewers at home can tune-in to the live broadcast starting at 11:30PM PT on KING 5 in Seattle, KGW 8 in Portland, KREM 2 in Spokane, and CW 8.2 in San Diego. Bonus coverage will begin at 11:00PM PT on streaming (KING5+, KGW8+, KREM2+, and over the air in San Diego on CW 8.2). Those watching the show in the surrounding area can tune in to a live simulcast of the soundtrack on HITS 106.1 in Seattle. The broadcast will include behind-the-scenes coverage of the New Year’s spectacular, and musical performances by Seattle-based band Sugar Bones live from the top of the Space Needle.

Please note, there are no New Year’s Eve events atop the Space Needle; however, the tower does have extended hours on December 31 and will be open from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

For event updates, visit spaceneedle.com/newyears.

Schedule of Events (all Pacific Time):

10:00 PM – Light-only pre-show (10 minute performance)10:30 PM – Light-only pre-show (10 minute performance)11:00 PM – Light-only pre-show (10 minute performance)11:30 PM – Light-only pre-show (10 minute performance)11:53 PM – Show begins12:00 AM – Happy New Year!12:09 AM – Show ends

About Space Needle
Built as the centerpiece and inspiration for the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair, the Space Needle has since become a part of the Seattle experience and the globally-recognized icon for the city. The Space Needle’s recent $100 million renovation added more than 176 tons of glass to the structure offering unparalleled views of Seattle and features The Loupe—the world’s first revolving glass floor. Open year round, the Space Needle hosts more than a million visitors per year. For more information visit: spaceneedle.com/press

About Alaska Air Group
Alaska Air Group, Inc. is based in Seattle and comprised of subsidiaries Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Holdings, Inc., Horizon Air and McGee Air Services. With our recent acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines, we now serve more than 140 destinations throughout North America, Central America, Asia and the Pacific. We are committed to safety, remarkable customer care, operational excellence, financial performance and sustainability. Alaska Airlines is a member of the oneworld Alliance. With oneworld and our additional global partners, our guests have more choices than ever to purchase, earn or redeem on alaskaair.com across 30 airlines and more than 1,000 worldwide destinations. Book travel throughout the Pacific on Hawaiian Airlines at hawaiianairlines.com. Learn more about Alaska Airlines at news.alaskaair.com and Hawaiian Airlines at newsroom.hawaiianairlines.com/blog. Alaska Air Group is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) as “ALK.”

About Sky Elements
Sky Elements delivers captivating drone light shows that immerse audiences and skyrocket brand awareness, putting accuracy, execution, and compliance first. For more information visit: skyelementsdrones.com.

About Pyro Spectaculars by Souza 
The Pyro Spectaculars Group of Companies is a third-generation family-owned and operated full-service pyrotechnic company. Pyro is one of the largest and oldest pyrotechnic companies in the western United States. Pyro helped initiate the tradition of New Year’s fireworks on the Space Needle in the mid1990s and has been the Space Needle’s partner for New Year’s at the Needle ever since. For more information visit: pyrospec.com.

About Illuminate Production Services Inc. 
With a mission to design, connect and enhance experience, Illuminate Production Services works to provide production quality audio, video lighting, staging and more to clients nationwide. For more information visit: lightingips.com.

For more information, contact:
Amy Cunningham, Public Relations Director
amyc@spaceneedle.com, (206) 295-6111 (mobile)

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SOURCE Space Needle

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HKAGE Showcases Gifted Students’ Learning Journeys at InnoCarnival 2026

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Promoting “Technology for Good” Through Innovation and Creativity 

HONG KONG, Oct. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education (HKAGE) has been invited to participate in InnoCarnival 2026, organised by the Innovation and Technology Commission. Under the theme “Technology for Good, Innovation for All”, HKAGE will showcase the learning journeys of gifted students who have completed programmes on AI robotic arms, underwater archaeology, etc., demonstrating how technology can be harnessed to address societal needs.

Having proactively aligned its work with the education development strategies of the Education Bureau (EDB), HKAGE fully supports the EDB’s Blueprint for Digital Education in Primary and Secondary Schools, which seeks to advance the digital transformation of school education in Hong Kong. Building on its Talent Development Model, HKAGE systematically develops programmes, provides diversified learning experiences and engages in cross-sector collaborations to nurture gifted talents equipped with innovative capabilities, technological literacy, and a strong sense of social responsibility. At the exhibition this year, HKAGE will present how students applied knowledge gained through gifted education programmes and learning experiences in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, environmental science, underwater archaeology and sustainable development to design socially conscious solutions. These experiences reflect the students’ ability to serve society with knowledge and respond creatively to diverse challenges.

Among the highlights is the learning journey of students in the “Artificial Intelligence Course: Creative AI Robotic Arm for Inclusion”. After acquiring foundational knowledge in artificial intelligence, robotics and sensor applications, students designed, tested and refined intelligent robotic arm prototypes through real-time data analysis and algorithms. With the aim of improving the quality of life for the elderly and caregivers, students explored various application scenarios for intelligent robotic arms. Another showcase features the “Environmental Science Course: Bat Echoes – Voices of the Night”. Through acoustic monitoring, the exhibition demonstrates how students recorded bat voices and analysed related activity data and characteristics. The programme enabled students to gain a deeper understanding of local biodiversity and explore practical approaches to ecological conservation.

The HKAGE exhibition booth also features an interactive photo-taking device, allowing visitors to take photos with different gifted programme themes and share the joy of learning.

On the first day of the exhibition, a “Build Your Own Glider Parent-Child Workshop” is specially organised by HKAGE for the visitors. Under the guidance of instructors and assisted by HKAGE students, participants will learn the basic principles of aerodynamics, including lift, gravity, thrust and drag. They will also learn to design, assemble and decorate their own gliders by using lightweight and durable materials, experiencing the joy of science and engineering.

Mr WONG Chung Po, Acting Executive Director of HKAGE, said: “The Academy is committed to providing gifted students with diversified learning platforms and encouraging them to transform knowledge into innovative practices that generate positive social impact. Participation in this exhibition not only provides students with a valuable learning experience that helps consolidate the knowledge acquired in gifted programmes, but also enables the public to better understand how gifted education nurtures a new generation of creative and socially responsible talents to jointly advance the philosophy of ‘Technology for Good’.”

InnoCarnival 2026 – The Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education

Date:

24 Oct – 1 Nov

Venue:

The Hong Kong Science Park

Booth:

C08-09

Time:

10:00 – 17:00 (Mon to Fri)

10:00 – 18:00 (Sat & Sun)

 

About the HKAGE

Established in 2008 and subvented by the Education Bureau, the HKAGE offers gifted education services actively to local primary and secondary school students to unleash their potential. It also provides gifted education-related information and support for teachers, parents, and other relevant stakeholders.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/hkage-showcases-gifted-students-learning-journeys-at-innocarnival-2026-302918606.html

SOURCE Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education

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LEAP Group Relaunches HumanView, a Growth Intelligence System Built to Explain Why Customers Behave the Way They Do

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Reimagined from the ground up, HumanView pairs statistical modeling with expert analysts to turn millions of real-world customer signals into business decisions

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — LEAP Group today announced the relaunch of HumanView, its growth intelligence service. The new version has been rebuilt from the ground up and now has a dedicated home at leapgroupnetwork.com/humanview.

HumanView analyzes what customers say and do across social platforms, e-commerce sites, review platforms, search behavior and user-generated content, including signals from Reddit, TikTok, YouTube, Meta, Amazon and Walmart+ that general AI tools cannot always access. Because the data reflects unprompted, real-world behavior, it avoids the response bias built into surveys and focus groups.

The service works in three layers. HumanView captures signals at scale, decodes millions of records through validated statistical models such as regression, correlation and clustering, and then relies on experienced analysts to interpret the patterns. Clients receive clear, human-validated insights instead of another dashboard.

“Machines find the patterns. Humans find the point,” said Alan Gilleo, CEO at LEAP Group. “The first version of HumanView showed us how much customers reveal when nobody is asking them questions. This version is built to explain why they act the way they do, and to put those answers in front of everyone making decisions, from product to service to marketing.”

HumanView focuses on three areas:

Growth Intelligence: customer motivations and how people perceive a brand and its competitors

Market and Category Intelligence: product pain points, service friction, unmet needs and competitive gaps

Audience Intelligence: new segments, positioning opportunities and gaps in the market

Every model is designed and validated by data scientists and benchmarked before it informs a recommendation.

To learn more about HumanView, visit leapgroupnetwork.com/humanview.

About LEAP Group
LEAP Group is a boutique marketing agency holding company with offices in Louisville, Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Chicago. Guided by the belief that brands should “Market Less. Matter More.,” LEAP gives clients access to specialized experts across its entire network. Learn more at leapgroupnetwork.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/leap-group-relaunches-humanview-a-growth-intelligence-system-built-to-explain-why-customers-behave-the-way-they-do-302918557.html

SOURCE LEAP Group

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STEPHEN A. SMITH ADDRESSES WHITE HOUSE DINNER ATTENDANCE, REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO HBCUs AND PROTECTING CORPORATE INVESTMENT IN BLACK EDUCATION

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NEW YORK, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Stephen A. Smith, media mogul, New York Times bestselling author, and proud 1991 graduate of Winston-Salem State University, is addressing the public discussion surrounding his decision to attend a White House dinner with President Donald Trump, emphasizing his commitment to the long-term financial stability of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

For Smith, the decision was rooted in a commitment to institutions that have educated generations of Black leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs, and public servants.

“I will always advocate for HBCUs and the students whose futures depend on them,” Smith said. “My reason for attending the White House dinner was to discuss the challenges these institutions face in securing long-term funding and to make the case that corporate America must continue to invest in them.”

Smith acknowledged federal support through the FUTURE Act while expressing concern that political tensions surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) could discourage private companies from supporting HBCUs. He maintains that these institutions deserve sustained corporate partnerships, philanthropic contributions, and public investment.

“If we truly believe in free-market capitalism, businesses should be able to support educational institutions and charitable causes without fear of criticism or repercussions,” Smith said. “HBCUs have made extraordinary contributions to this country. They deserve sustained public and private investment.”

Ashley Christopher, Esq., Founder and CEO of the HBCU Week Foundation, recognized Smith’s advocacy and decision to engage with the administration.

“Stephen A. Smith has been a powerful advocate for HBCUs, using his platform and influence to shine a national spotlight on our institutions,” expressed Christopher, “His continued support of HBCU Week helps advance our mission of connecting students with life-changing educational opportunities, and we are proud to have him as our ambassador.”

Since Smith became an HBCU Week Ambassador in 2019, the initiative has facilitated more than 15,000 on-the-spot college acceptances and raised and awarded more than $150 million in scholarships, according to the HBCU Week Foundation.

As public discussion continues, Smith is emphasizing the importance of ensuring HBCUs have the resources and partnerships needed to educate future generations and expand opportunities for students.

CLICK HERE to watch Smith’s full response to his White House visit.

MEDIA CONTACT:

media@mrsasinc.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/stephen-a-smith-addresses-white-house-dinner-attendance-reaffirms-commitment-to-hbcus-and-protecting-corporate-investment-in-black-education-302918547.html

SOURCE Straight Shooter Media

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