Latest news with #Porch
Irish Independent
11-07-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
Around the Districts: Ballyhea, Killavullen and Meelin
Church Notes Mass Times – Thursday, July 10, 10 a.m.; Friday July 11, 10 a.m.; Saturday, July 12, 10 a.m. and 7.30 p.m.; Sunday, July 13, 8.30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Adoration and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament will take place on Thursday after 10 a.m. Mass Holy Communion – Only those receiving Holy Communion should approach the Altar and only on a seat-by-seat basis. Booked Anniversary Masses – Booked Anniversary Masses are accepted on the understanding that Funeral Masses and month's mind Masses take precedence. Month of July – The month of July dedicated to the Most Precious Blood Feastdays for the coming week – Thursday, July 10, St Alexander. Friday, July 11, St Benedict, Abbot, patron of Europe. Saturday, July 12, Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Sunday July 13, 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Alms for Nigeria – Alms may still be left into the sacristy. These will be applied to a charitable purpose designated by Archbishop Crotty, Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria. New Crucifix – The parish has acquired a large out-door Crucifix from the Redemptorist Monastery in Esker, Co. Galway. To defray the purchase and transport costs a subscription list is now open for anyone who would like to support this initiative. Subscriptions may be left into the sacristy at any time. Collectors for July – 7.30 p.m. Vigil Mass: Helen O'Doherty. 8.30 a.m. Mass: PJ O'Driscoll. 11 a.m. Mass: Michael O'Mahony. Readers – Saturday, July 12: Elizabeth Ryan. Sunday, July 13: Mary Byrne. Sataturday July 19: Ger. O'Shea. Sunday, July 20: Sheila Fennessy. ADVERTISEMENT Church Altar Flower Arrangers – Saturday, July 12: Breda Crowley. Saturday, July 19, and Saturday, July 26: Angela Ryan. Irish Catholic Newspaper/Sacred Heart Messenger – The Irish Catholic newspaper and the Sacred Heart Messenger are available in the Porch for purchase. Irish Catholic €3, Sacred Heart Messenger €2. Pilgrimage to Medjugorje – Leaving Cork on August 20 to September 4. Early booking offers available. Money can be paid in instalments to spread out the cost. For more information, please contact Mary Cott, Group Leader 086 1220850. Church gate collections – No church gate collection taken up at St Mary's Church, Ballyhea is endorsed by the parish. Any group or organisation intending to collect outside the church gates are asked to present copies of their permits in the sacristy, together with copies of letters of authorisation of those collecting on their behalf. This should be done before the collection commences. GAA club news Lotto – The numbers drawn on June 28 were 18, 19, 40. There was no winner of the jackpot of €1,200. Lucky dips winners were: €30 Dinny Ring c/o Mike O'Kelly, €30 Ríona Garvey c/o David Garvey, €30 Oliver Herbert c/o the idle Hour. Get your tickets before 5 p.m. on Saturday from Costcutters Ballyhea, Corbett Court, The Idle Hour or from any of the ticket sellers or they can be purchased online at Thank you for your continued support. The first three numbers of the National Lottery Main Draw will be the jackpot numbers. If a number higher than 42 is drawn in the first three, the draw will continue with the next number drawn under 42. Groundskeeper Position – A part-time position is available as Groundskeeper for 19.5 hours per week at Ballyhea GAA Must qualify for Community Employment. Please contact Kathleen at 086 836 97 64 for further details. Ballyhea in Black and White – 'Ballyhea in Black and White' is a collection of memories from local photographer Michael McGrath and photos that have been collected. It features some great GAA and camogie memories from down through the years. Books can be purchased at Costcutters shop in Ballyhea for €20. Online Shop – The club's online shop is proving to be very popular. All the latest club gear can be purchased from the O'Neill's website. Check it out at Instagram – The club can now be followed on Instagram. To see the latest club pictures go to ballyheagaaclub. Ballyhea Community Alert Ballyhea Community Alert has successfully set up a Text Alert Network to immediately alert our community when an incident occurs. Prompt information to and from Gardaí deters criminal activity. If you are interested in becoming a member of our Text Alert Network please phone any of the following people for information and sign up details – Phil Ryan 087 2937465, Pat Daly 086 1220114, James Horgan 087 2572271, Willie Meaney 087 1936842, Con Walsh 086 8570355. The fee for this service is €10. annually. Killavullen Farmer's Market Killavullen Farmer's Market takes place this coming Saturday in the Birthplace of Nano Nagle from 10.30am until 1pm. All are welcome to come along for the local produce and the company. Community Café Community Café will reopen on Tuesday July 29th from 10.30-12.30 in Killavullen Community Centre. Men's Shed Killavullen Men's Shed meets at the Nano Nagle Birthplace, and there will be more activities planned. All are invited to come along. Contact the Nano Nagle Birthplace for further details. Date for your Diary The annual parish pilgrimage this year will be to Cobh by bus from Killavullen Church on August 15th. Mass for the Feast of the Assumption will be celebrated at St Benedict's Priory followed by a visit to the adjoining Bible Garden. A guided tour of St Colman's Cathedral will be followed by lunch at the Harbour Suite of the Commodore Hotel. In the afternoon, a guided visit to the recently opened Barryscourt Castle (Carrigtwohill) will conclude the day. Cost: €50 (under 21: €30); Reservations: Kathleen Hanley: 086-1556360 Chiropody dates Appointments with our friendly and dedicated chiropodist Patricia are now available for August 9th and September 6th. Please contact her at 086 3225052 to arrange an appointment. Lotto Killavullen Community Council Lotto takes place twice a week. The bonus ball of the National Lottery draw is the winning number each Wednesday and Saturday evening. Last week's winners were Lottie, Anna & Harry and J&C Browne both having the lucky bonus numbers. Congratulations and thank you to one and all for your support. GAA club news Lotto Jackpot shared - There were two winner's winners of the GAA lotto, on Tuesday night last, 1st July in the draw, which took place in the Community Centre. The numbers drawn were 4, 9 and 22. The jackpot on the night was at €1,500. Jake Barrett from Castletownroche, who won the Lotto before, about 2 years ago, was one recipient of the win, and the other was Norma Roche. Both long standing supporters which is always good to see. The winning tickets were sold by John Angland and Nora Roche respectively. The winners of the lucky dips were as follows: €50 - Bessie Rea (seller – Michael Rea); €30 – Brendan Luddy (seller – Lar Luddy); €20 – Jack Neenan (seller – John Beechinor) The next jackpot on Tuesday night 8th July is €1,000 again. In the Killavullen GAA club Lotto, you must pick three numbers from thirty-six which means that the lotto can easily be won, just you have to play, to have a chance. Purchase your ticket from any committee member or from our website- Thank you for your anticipated and ongoing support. Scramble for All Ireland tickets - The final whistle had not sounded in Croke Park, when the requests from staunch Cork and Killavullen supporters could be heard, seeking any kind of a ticket for the All-Ireland Final, on 20th July. With the huge following that Cork hurling has at the moment, a vibrant, youthful and colourful following, invariably there will be disappointments as people who may have followed the progression of the Cork team to every game thus far, are left disappointed. Meelin Vintage car and tractor run The Joe Withers memorial vintage car and tractor run will take place in Meelin on Sunday 13th July.
Forbes
09-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
After 26 Years, Front Porch Café Moves Beyond N.C.'s Outer Banks
After 26 years of only expanding in the Nags Head area of N.C., Front Porch Café is franchising and ... More heading toward Raleigh, N.C. this summer, with more to come. Pictured is its original café in Kill Devil Hills, N.C. Debuting in Kill Devil Hills in 1999 on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, known for its beautiful beaches and seaside areas, Front Porch Café grew to four coffeehouses all in proximity including Nags Head (2005), Manteo (2010) and Kitty Hawk (May 2025). But now owners Laura and Phil Wayland, who acquired it in 2021 from its original owners Paul Manning and Susanna Sakal who retired, are going beyond the Outer Banks when it starts franchising in Raleigh this summer. The Wayland's owned a wine and beer store next door to Front Porch's Kill Devil Hills location so they were well-versed with the business. They secured a commercial loan from a local bank to capitalize the purchase. After acquiring it, the couple didn't make any changes immediately, preferring to get to know the business from the inside. Once they did, they changed how its suppliers operated, preferring that they deliver directly to each location. It's a Feeling About the Front Porch Even its name Front Porch Café conveys something about its ethos and why it stayed rooted in the Outer Banks for over 25 years. Laura Wayland (all future quotes are from her) says its name Front Porch Café suggests 'where people gather, unwind and connect. That's the energy we bring into every cup of coffee we serve.' It's All About Proximity Its four coffeehouses are all a short drive away from each other, only separated by 5 to 10 miles apart. 'Staying local allows us to maintain quality, share resources and staff, and keep logistics lean,' Wayland notes. Moreover, she adds that coffee is a 'daily ritual and people won't drive far for it.' Now that it's expanding, Wayland notes that it's 'building our systems for scale which will allow us to grow into new areas while still utilizing our supply chain.' A Streamlined Menu Front Porch Café has always tried to keep its menu simple. It offers 'bagels, muffins and scones so the coffee can shine,' Wayland notes. 'It also allows us to stay efficient and focused on quality.' Adjust to Tech Changes Even though it kept its menu streamlined, it has continually updated its technology to keep pace. Wayland says, 'We modernized everything, from replacing an outdated Access-based POS (Point of Sale) system, redoing the website, to launching a custom-branded app and automating our roasting profiles for consistency and quality.' It offers 10 to 15 signature coffee blends and rotates 15 to 20 single origin coffees, which are produced at its Kill Devil Hills location. It also has several revenue streams including selling its coffee beans in its stores, online, in local Outer Banks grocery chains, and at restaurants. It also has a long day since all 4 locations are open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. 7 days a week. Wayland says that 90% of its revenue stems from the retail locations, and 5% from selling wholesale to restaurants, and 5% from shipping beans online. It started on a small scale. In fact, its original location in Kill Devil Hills occupied only 800 square feet, without any seating, and the coffee was roasted adjacent to the cash register. After a series of renovations, that location has expanded to 2,400 square feet and still serves as its roasting headquarters. After its first franchise opens, the two owners will be scouting for new locations in Virginia and along the N.C. coast. Besides Front Porch Café, the Wayland's also own four olive oil stores including Outer Banks Olive Oil. Wayland said she once merged the brands when she added a Front Porch coffee branch at one of its olive oil stores before they bought it. The couple owns Front Porch out right, without any partners or investors, a rarity these days. In running the business, Laura Wayland focuses on employees, brand growth, leadership and culture, and Ken Wayland serves as head of roasting and handles all technological issues. Timing Was Ripe to Franchise Wayland says the timing was right to franchise because it had 'strong systems in place, a loyal following and years of consistent growth.' Many customers who were tourists kept asking when were they going to expand to their area. Moreover, Raleigh is close enough, about 3.5 hours away, that it can still tap the same suppliers. The Wayland's also participated in The Blox, which is airing on Facebook through its app, which taught them some things about franchising and branding and got the word out about their franchising efforts. About franchising, they started with a franchising company, but now are doing it on their own. Wayland says 'franchising can be hard and expensive.' She points to a series costs including hiring a trademark attorney and franchise attorney, investing in legal documents, and hiring new staff to get franchise leads. A year from now, Wayland expects that it will have opened another Front Porch location, or maybe even two. 'We don't want to grow too quickly but not too slowly either,' she states. Asked the 3 keys to its continued success, Wayland replies: 1) Creating a community in each café, 2) Streamlining finances to ensure profitability, 3) Creating a positive culture where employees want to work. ___-
Business Wire
02-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Porch Group Releases Three New Home Factors Geared Towards Improving Property Risk Segmentation in Home Insurance
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Porch Group ('Porch') announced today the launch of three new interior Home Factors related to signs of water intrusion in the home. These enhancements aim to improve risk segmentation and underwriting precision. The company plans to have over 100 such attributes available by the end of 2025. These insights enable insurers to gain a comprehensive understanding of 90% of properties across the United States. Home Factors is Porch's next-generation property intelligence platform of unique data on both interior and exterior home conditions. Leveraging advanced AI-driven models, the platform transforms this data into actionable insights, empowering insurers to make more informed decisions, refine risk segmentation, and improve underwriting precision. The new home factors focus on one of the most critical areas of property damage. By identifying the presence of water damage in specific areas of the home, insurers can make more informed decisions about pricing, underwriting, and loss prevention. An analysis with third party carriers revealed that properties with water intrusion damage have more than 40% higher claims frequency. 'These new Home Factors allow insurers to access more property characteristics and see what's really happening inside a home,' said Michelle Taves, VP and Group GM, Data and Marketing. 'They provide powerful signals for identifying risk that standard property data simply can't detect. Through both Homeowners of America and now other third-party carriers, we have proven definitively that Home Factors data has a significant impact on being able to better assess and price risk for a given property.' 'Unique data is a key pillar in Porch's strategy, and we are just getting started in our journey,' added Matt Ehrlichman, Founder and CEO of Porch Group. 'The expansion of Home Factors from both an internal underwriting and external monetization standpoint remains a key priority for the company, and we are in a good position to deliver on our goal of releasing 100 Home Factors by year-end.' For more information about Porch's Home Factors data products, visit: About Porch Group Porch Group, Inc. ('Porch') is a new kind of homeowners insurance company. Porch's strategy to win in homeowners insurance is to deploy leading vertical software solutions in select home-related industries, provide the best services for homebuyers including important moving services, leverage unique data for advantaged underwriting, and provide more protection for policyholders. To learn more about Porch, visit
Business Wire
18-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Porch Group Announces a Renewed Partnership with Goosehead Insurance
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Porch Group, Inc. ('Porch' or 'the Company') (NASDAQ: PRCH), a new kind of homeowners insurance company, announced today a renewed partnership with Goosehead Insurance ("Goosehead") (NASDAQ: GSHD). Scaling Porch Reciprocal Exchange insurance premiums in a profitable manner is a key strategic priority for Porch. The renewed partnership with Goosehead represents a tangible step forward in the Company's efforts to re-activate agency partnerships and further extend its distribution channels. 'After a couple of years of managing premiums to roughly flat, the launch of the Porch Reciprocal Exchange at the start of 2025 marks the time where we have moved back to offense. Now as a high margin, commission and fee-based operator, we are thrilled to be growing premiums and leveraging our unique data to ensure better risk selection at the Reciprocal,' said Matt Ehrlichman, Founder and CEO of Porch Group. 'We have long considered Goosehead as both an important partner and an innovator in the industry, and we are excited to have the opportunity to deepen the relationship on a go-forward basis." 'We're renewing our partnership with Homeowners of America and expanding it to include the new Porch Insurance product,' said Mark Miller, President and CEO of Goosehead Insurance. 'This collaboration allows us to enhance product offerings for our clients, starting with the Porch Insurance product launch in Texas. By aligning our efforts, we're creating a path forward that should deliver unique home protection and innovative pricing solutions.' About Porch Group Porch Group, Inc. ('Porch') is a new kind of homeowners insurance company. Porch's strategy to win in homeowners insurance is to deploy leading vertical software solutions in select home-related industries, provide the best services for homebuyers including important moving services, leverage unique data for advantaged underwriting, and provide more protection for policyholders. To learn more about Porch, visit About Goosehead Goosehead (NASDAQ: GSHD) is a rapidly growing and innovative independent personal lines insurance agency that distributes its products and services through corporate and franchise locations throughout the United States. Goosehead was founded on the premise that the consumer should be at the center of our universe and that everything we do should be directed at providing extraordinary value by offering broad product choice and a world-class service experience. Goosehead represents over 200 insurance companies that underwrite personal and commercial lines. For more information, please visit or
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Porch Group Announces a Renewed Partnership with Goosehead Insurance
SEATTLE, June 18, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Porch Group, Inc. ("Porch" or "the Company") (NASDAQ: PRCH), a new kind of homeowners insurance company, announced today a renewed partnership with Goosehead Insurance ("Goosehead") (NASDAQ: GSHD). Scaling Porch Reciprocal Exchange insurance premiums in a profitable manner is a key strategic priority for Porch. The renewed partnership with Goosehead represents a tangible step forward in the Company's efforts to re-activate agency partnerships and further extend its distribution channels. "After a couple of years of managing premiums to roughly flat, the launch of the Porch Reciprocal Exchange at the start of 2025 marks the time where we have moved back to offense. Now as a high margin, commission and fee-based operator, we are thrilled to be growing premiums and leveraging our unique data to ensure better risk selection at the Reciprocal," said Matt Ehrlichman, Founder and CEO of Porch Group. "We have long considered Goosehead as both an important partner and an innovator in the industry, and we are excited to have the opportunity to deepen the relationship on a go-forward basis." "We're renewing our partnership with Homeowners of America and expanding it to include the new Porch Insurance product," said Mark Miller, President and CEO of Goosehead Insurance. "This collaboration allows us to enhance product offerings for our clients, starting with the Porch Insurance product launch in Texas. By aligning our efforts, we're creating a path forward that should deliver unique home protection and innovative pricing solutions." About Porch Group Porch Group, Inc. ("Porch") is a new kind of homeowners insurance company. Porch's strategy to win in homeowners insurance is to deploy leading vertical software solutions in select home-related industries, provide the best services for homebuyers including important moving services, leverage unique data for advantaged underwriting, and provide more protection for policyholders. To learn more about Porch, visit About Goosehead Goosehead (NASDAQ: GSHD) is a rapidly growing and innovative independent personal lines insurance agency that distributes its products and services through corporate and franchise locations throughout the United States. Goosehead was founded on the premise that the consumer should be at the center of our universe and that everything we do should be directed at providing extraordinary value by offering broad product choice and a world-class service experience. Goosehead represents over 200 insurance companies that underwrite personal and commercial lines. For more information, please visit or View source version on Contacts Investor Relations Contact: IR@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
