HYATTSVILLE, Md., Nov. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Home Genius Exteriors, a premier home remodeling company, continues its rapid growth and regional expansion announcing the opening of three new offices in Charlotte NC, Raleigh NC, and Cincinnati OH. These new locations will be modeled off the success of the existing 10 Home Genius Exteriors locations servicing homeowners in Maryland, Washington DC, Delaware, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Ohio.

"We take great pride in being able to announce our latest new office openings," says Home Genius Exteriors CEO, Jeff Gunhus. "The commitment of the entire Home Genius Exteriors team to deliver a truly different experience to our customers has fueled our rapid growth and expansion. Led by co-founders Max Alesi, Austin Killian, and Brent Miller we have built a culture around developing passionate leaders eager to revolutionize the home improvement industry through unmistakable quality and world-class communication, while also giving back to the community through our Home Genius Cares program. This culture has created an environment that is attracting the best of the best people. They say you are only as good as your people and ours are GENIUSES!"

Home Genius Exteriors is one of the fastest growing and most respected home improvement companies in America. With a commitment to exceptional customer service, unrivaled quality, and a culture of innovation, the company aims to revolutionize the home improvement experience for homeowners across the nation. Home Genius Exteriors offers a wide range of services, including roofing, siding, windows, doors, gutter, and more, all backed by a team of industry experts dedicated to delivering outstanding results. For more information, visit www.homegeniusexteriors.com or if you want to join the team and become a Genius, visit www.join-genius.com

CONTACTTim DunphyHome Genius Exteriors(203) 820-9401, [email protected], www.homegeniusexteriors.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f89ddeb0-c2bd-4a12-a5d9-ab1c9196f66e

Earlier this year, we used geopsychology — a study that says where you live might impact your personality — to determine how the typical Raleighite acts. Nearly 200 of you took our Raleigh personality test, and 67% of respondents identified as more introverted. Here are just a few ways to get out and about as an introvert, sans small talk.

We have to begin with Raleigh’s vibrant museum scene. They’re typically quiet or filled with exhibit noises and expose you to new artists, science, and history. Plus, cafes like the one at the NC Museum of Art give you a chance to unwind among the art. If you’re feeling up to a little bit of small talk, learn about the Dueling Dinosaurs exhibit from the on-staff paleontologists at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences.

Spots like Boxcar and Side Quest allow for gaming while you lightly socialize — Boxcar and its wide array of arcade games and pinball machines is great for a night out that isn’t just standing around at a bar, and Side Quest is home to over 400 board games + Dungeons and Dragons nights, if that’s your vibe.

Introverts come in many varieties. If your brand is a reader who enjoys parallel play, check out Raleigh’s Silent Book Club chapters — local libraries and book stores like Blackbird Books & Coffee often host monthly meet ups. Bring whatever book you’re reading and read with the group. No one will interrupt you to ask what you’re reading or try to make small talk. Just like it should be.

However, if you do want to venture into the world of small talk, we’re here to give you that extra push. Raleigh’s social groups are a low-pressure way to meet new people.

N.C. State football gets a second opportunity this season to play a game on a nationally-televised, prime-time broadcast and hopes to provide a stronger showing in Round 2.

The Wolfpack played Tennessee in Week 2, losing to the Volunteers, 51-10, after collapsing in the second half. It hasn’t met expectations this season and wants to show college football fans that it can compete with toughness.

NC State faces Georgia Tech (6-4, 4-3 ACC) in the final road trip of the season on Thursday night, the lone college football game of the evening.

The Pack (5-5, 2-4 ACC) comes into the game after its second bye week and a 29-19 senior day loss to Duke. It remains one win away from bowl eligibility and would like to spoil someone else’s senior day.

The Yellow Jackets, however, are also entering the game after a bye and a 28-23 upset over Miami.

“When you look at their football team, as you would expect, (they’re a) physical group of guys offensively; played two quarterbacks in the last game,” N.C. State head coach Dave Doeren said on Monday. “Preparation wise, we have to get ready for both quarterbacks. … On defense, we’ve played against this defensive coordinator. I think he’s really good. They’re sound and physical.”

Tyler Santucci joined the Yellow Jackets’ staff this season after spending 2023 in the same position at Duke under then-head coach Mike Elko. Santucci led the Blue Devils to the ACC’s best scoring defense — 19 opponent points per game — and the 16th-best in the nation. He also guided the program to national top 50 rankings in rushing defense, pass defense, total defense, tackles for loss, third-down defense, fourth-down defense and red-zone defense.

Duke held the Wolfpack to three points in the 24-3 blowout at Wallace Wade Stadium last October.

This season, Georgia Tech ranks No. 40 in the nation for scoring defense (21.9 points per game) and No. 70 in scoring offense (27.7).

Doeren said the team can’t change the previous results, but he really wants the team to finish well.

“I think every week there’s urgency in these football programs, you know, particularly ours. You definitely feel the sand running out of the hourglass with some of your players as seniors,” Doeren said. “We had senior week last week, but you get into these series of lasts with some guys that you’ve put a lot of time in with … so there’s definitely that want to continue.

“You can see there’s a resolve. There’s that NC State grit that you see in this program that we’ve always had. How we finish matters. Now, we gotta go do it against a team that’s peaking a little bit.”

N.C. State heads to Atlanta to face Georgia Tech at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

Fans can stream the game on ESPN, which is available on fubo TV, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, DIRECTV Stream, Sling TV.

N.C. State opened as a 9.5-point underdog. As of Wednesday morning, the Yellow Jackets remained a 9.5-point favorite. The over-under was set at 52.5 points, with a moneyline of -320 for the Yellow Jackets and +255 for N.C. State.

Teams: N.C. State Wolfpack (5-5, 2-4 ACC) vs Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (6-4, 4-3 ACC)

Where: Bobby Dodd Stadium, Atlanta

Date: Thursday, Nov. 21

Time: 7:30 p.m.

TV: ESPN

Stream: fubo TV, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, DIRECTV Stream, Sling TV

Series history: Georgia Tech leads the all-time series 20-11. The Wolfpack is just 4-11 when facing the Yellow Jackets on the road. The two teams have not played since Dec. 5, 2020, when N.C. State won, 23-13, in Raleigh.

The founder and CEO of a now-bankrupt education tech startup was arrested Tuesday for lying to investors and embezzling company money for personal purchases.

U.S. prosecutors indicted Joanna Smith-Griffin of Raleigh for securities fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft, alleging she bilked investors out of millions of dollars through her startup AllHere Education, which promised to improve K-12 student engagement through an artificial intelligence platform.

Smith-Griffin, 33, formed AllHere in 2016 while studying at Harvard University. In 2021, she was named to Forbes’ 30 under 30 list for education, and more recently, her company entered a contract with the Los Angeles Unified School District to provide an AI chatbot to students in the nation’s second-largest school district.

The United States Attorney’s Office says Smith-Griffin misrepresented AllHere’s financials as early as November 2020 during its Series A funding round. According to the indictment, she told investors her Boston-based company had generated $3.7 million in 2020 and carried $2.5 million in cash reserves. In reality, AllHere made only $11,000 that year and had around $500,000 on hand.

Furthermore, Smith-Griffin informed early investors her startup had contracts with the New York City Department of Education and Atlanta Public Schools. It did not.

Over the next four years, prosecutors say Smith-Griffin continued to misrepresent the company’s revenue, cash reserves, and customer base — up until AllHere filed for bankruptcy this past June and laid off its entire staff. By then, she had obtained $10 million from investors.

Smith-Griffin is accused of using these corporate and fraudulently obtained funds on herself, including the down payment on her North Carolina house and her wedding.

“Her alleged actions impacted the potential for improved learning environments across major school districts by selfishly prioritizing personal expenses,” FBI assistant director in charge James Dennehy said in a statement. “The FBI will ensure that any individual exploiting the promise of educational opportunities for our city’s children will be taught a lesson.”

When investors uncovered discrepancies between AllHere’s actual financial records and what its CEO falsely claimed, prosecutors say Smith-Griffin acted to obscure her crimes. One step involved her creating a bogus email account through which she sent fraudulent documents to the company’s biggest investor.

Smith-Griffin was arrested and appeared in the Eastern District of North Carolina. Her case is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force in the Southern District of New York.

Securities fraud and wire fraud each have a maximum prison sentence of 20 years while aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory sentence of two years in prison.

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Brian Gordon is the Technology & Innovation reporter for The News & Observer and The Herald-Sun. He writes about jobs, start-ups and all the big tech things transforming the Triangle. Brian previously worked as a senior statewide reporter for the USA Today Network and covered education for the Asheville Citizen-Times.

A group of leaders who want to save Saint Augustine's University held a news conference Wednesday.

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A group of leaders are worried about a $7 million loan given to Saint Augustine's University.

The group includes religious leaders, social justice advocates and SAU alumni. Together, they spent Wednesday raising awareness about the loan and pushing for a solution to the school's financial challenges.

"Frustrated about all of these things that are going on the seem out of our control. But there are things we should have control," alum Harold Mallette said explaining his feelings about the situation.

The Raleigh university remains millions of dollars in debt. Earlier this year, they took out the loan with Gothic Ventures LLP to help keep the university afloat. The $7 million loan has an interest rate of 24% plus a 2% loan management fee. The university was also charged a $75,000 due diligence and documentation fee.

To get the loan, Saint Augustine's University put up much of the university's main campus and off-campus properties as collateral.

"Saint Augustine University is already financially stressed, struggling with rising operating calls, declining enrollment and reduced government funding," Jaylon Herbin with the Center for Responsible Lending said. "This loan exacerbates its physical strength. The signs are not only difficult to meet in the short term, but also threatening the university's long term viability. If these terms are not modified or eliminated, the likely outcome is grim."

"We are concerned about the partnership between Gothic Ventures and Saint Augustine University because if for any reasons Saint Augustine is unable to repay Gothic ventures, the land will be lost and the university as we know it will cease to be," alum Bishop Clarence Laney said.

Gothic Ventures tells ABC11 that the interest rate given was based on the financial challenges facing the university, including a recent audit, historical revenue losses and outstanding debt.

"Our intention from the beginning has been to aid this historic HBCU in its time of great need when no other lender would do so," Gothic Ventures said in a statement. "If St. Augustine's University wants to discuss changing the loan terms in connection with an earlier loan payoff or the sale of our loan to another lender, we would absolutely be willing to sit down and discuss those terms with the University and its Board of Trustees," the lender said in a statement.

Saint Augustine's University has had a tumultuous semester -- including a delayed opening, missed payroll checks, accreditation snags, merger talks, lawsuits, suspensions, homecoming cancellation and more.

Full statement from Gothic Ventures:

Gothic has provided debt capital to numerous organizations over the last 10 years and I have a long-standing personal interest in the opportunities that education can provide. We saw numerous press reports and stories about Saint Augustine's University and its financial challenges. While we hoped that the government or a foundation or a bank would provide the funds necessary to keep the University open, that did not happen. When the University announced that it needed a significant cash infusion to be able to operate for the fall semester, I reached out to the University to see if the University would be interested in discussing a potential loan transaction. When the University indicated that it did want to discuss a potential loan transaction, we held a series of meetings with representatives of the University, its Board and its external legal counsel to discuss the terms of the loan. During these discussions, we made a number of concessions to address specific concerns of the University. The interest rate was based on the financial challenges facing the University which included its most recent audit report indicating concerns about the University's ability to continue operating as a going concern, the lack of audited financial statements for the last several years, historical losses because revenues exceeded expenses, significant outstanding debt, IRS liens on the University's property, and the suspension of the University's accreditation. Our default terms are standard for loans of this size and type.

We understand that an event occurred today where various parties made statements concerning our loan to the University. A lender does not discuss the terms of a loan agreement with anyone other than the borrower. If St. Augustine's University wants to discuss changing the loan terms in connection with an earlier loan payoff or the sale of our loan to another lender, we would absolutely be willing to sit down and discuss those terms with the University and its Board of Trustees. Our intention from the beginning has been to aid this historic HBCU in its time of great need when no other lender would do so.

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