NA Proactive news snapshot: Naturally Splendid, CleanSpark, Surge Holdings, The Green Organic Dutchman UPDATE …

  Naturally Splendid Enterprises Ltd (CVE:NSP) (OTCMKTS:NSPDF), the hemp food and ingredients company, said that it has engaged AMZing Marketing Consulting to help expand its e-commerce strategy and to launch products on the Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN) website. The Pitt Meadows, Canada-headquartered company, which develops natural superfood product lines, said its “expanded e-commerce strategy” was in response to the “rapidly changing purchasing habits” of a wide segment of consumers during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Naturally Splendid CEO J Craig Goodwin said that with the coronavirus outbreak the company is suspending all cannabinoid extraction and edible based projects indefinitely, while providing safe nutritious food. CleanSpark Inc (NASDAQ:CLSK) has secured a $577,000 order for its intelligent automatic transfer switch (ATS) switchgear, technology used to ensure uninterrupted power by automatically transferring power to a backup source when it senses a failure or outage. The units in this purchase order will provide power to grocery stores and are expected to be shipped over the next two fiscal quarters, the company said. The new order comes from an existing customer, the company said. Surge Holdings Inc (OTCQB:SURG) announced Wednesday the launch of its proprietary new brand Loco Rabbit, offering value and convenience in a “grab-n-go” phone service. The Loco Rabbit preactivated phones include 30 days of service and come ready for “off the rack” sales in high volume convenience stores at a starting retail price point of $39.99, the company said in a statement. The Grab-n-Go phones consist of a basic phone, starter Android and upgraded Android. All 3 packages will be distributed through SurgePays and the ECS Prepaid network of 10,000 stores in April 2020. The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd (TSX:TGOD) (OTCQX:TGODF) announced Wednesday that it has entered into a $30 million secured revolving credit facility with a private lender.  The company said the facility, secured on accounts receivable and inventory with a second lien over the company's other assets, has an initial term of one year and is subject to renewal for up to an additional year. Upon closing, TGOD will be able to draw $10 million. Loop Insights Inc (CVE:MTRX) made a new executive hire to support its bid to become a key player in the multibillion-dollar consumer electronics space. The Vancouver-based company announced Wednesday that it has hired industry veteran Terry Burns as its new director of sales to help build the firm’s portfolio of clients and obtain new partnerships. Burns is the former owner of western Canada’s McKays Home Theatre retail chain, which was acquired in 2018. Cardiol Therapeutics Inc (TSE:CRDL) (OTCQX:CRTPF) announced positive results from a new study that highlighted its cannabidiol formulation’s ability to combat heart failure.The study found that Cardiol's cannabidiol formulation significantly reduced hypertrophy, an abnormal enlargement of the heart. Additional results showed a dose-dependent reduction of key inflammation markers, decreases in fibrosis, and lower B-type Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) expression, which is widely used to indicate the severity of heart failure. PyroGenesis Canada Inc (CVE:PYR) (OTCQB:PYRNF) said Wednesday it has received a US$400,000 payment as part of an agreement with a US-based tunneling company. The new agreement, executed during the coronavirus pandemic, has the “makings of a long-term relationship,” according to the firm’s CEO Peter Pascali. “We are proud to be able to announce this relationship, particularly given the current environment where investors are more focused on multiple secure revenue streams,” Pascali said. Ideanomics Inc (NASDAQ:IDEX) announced Wednesday that its electric vehicle division Mobile Energy Global (MEG) in China is fully operational. After going back to work on March 30, the company said it has successfully concluded three new vehicle orders from three different manufacturers in the first 48 hours. "These are the types of orders that will quickly become commonplace, as part of our MEG sales activities,” said Ideanomics CEO Alf Poor in a statement.  Blackrock Gold Corp (CVE:BRC) (OTCMKTS:BKRRF) shared promising new results from its drill program at the Silver Cloud that identified a major new structure and multiple alteration zones.The junior explorer said it completed the deepest drill hole at the Northwest Canyon target on Silver Cloud, a highly prospective gold project in the Northern Nevada Rift. The 678-metre-deep drill hole, SBC20-006, intersected multiple significant alteration zones between 1.5 and 3 metres in thickness, with four zones below 335 metres greater than 3.5 metres thick. Acasti Pharma Inc (NASDAQ:ACST) (CVE:ACST) saw shares tick up Wednesday as it told investors it had filed a meeting request with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and expects this to take place in the second half of June. The company is developing a krill-oil derived prescription drug called CaPre to treat hypertriglyceridemia (high levels of triglycerides in the blood), which is known to contribute to heart disease. Nemaura Medical Inc (NASDAQ:NMRD), the company behind the SugarBEAT non-invasive continuous glucose monitor, announced a plan on Wednesday to repurpose its device as a continuous temperature monitor (CTM) to track the fever caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19). SugarBEAT includes a patch worn on the skin to monitor glucose levels, but it also contains a built-in thermistor capable of continuously tracking body temperature through the skin. From there, that data can be transmitted via Bluetooth to a cell phone. The company is currently exploring ways to expedite the launch of a CTM, including possible partnerships and direct-to-consumer sales. BioLargo Inc ((OTCQB:BLGO) CEO Dennis P Calvert said Tuesday that the company would “strive to maintain revenue” despite the coronavirus pandemic, after it clocked a 37% jump in full-year 2019 revenue driven by new channel partnerships and commercial milestones. In a letter to shareholders accompanying the Westminster, California-based company’s annual report, Calvert said: “This is a time in our shaken world when we believe that our commitment and unique tools to deliver solutions to some of the pressing issues of our time will allow our company to shine at its brightest.” Empower Clinics Inc (CSE:CBDT) (OTCMKTS:EPWCF) told shareholders that the number of patient visits to its clinics is ballooning in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic that has gripped the US. The Vancouver-based wellness firm said it saw a 593% increase in patient visits in March 2020 compared to the same period a year earlier. Total patient visits came in at 2,160 for the month of March, it added in a statement. CytoDyn Inc (OTCQB:CYDY) said it has filed a second clinical trial protocol with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), this time to treat severely ill coronavirus (COVID-19) patients with its drug leronlimab.  The trial will be conducted under the same FDA-approved Investigational New Drug application that the company used to recently launch a Phase 2 trial of patients with mild-to-moderate symptoms.  The plan is to enroll patients in both protocols as quickly as possible. Severely ill patients will receive leronlimab for two weeks, with the primary endpoint of the study being the 14-day mortality rate. Lingo Media Corporation (CVE:LM) (OTCMKTS:LMDCF) said Wednesday that its subsidiary ELL Technologies Ltd, has partnered with Berlitz Colombia to sell its interactive English language learning solution in Colombia. In a statement, the Toronto-based company said that Berlitz Colombia is licensing ELL Technologies' campus program to market to universities and other academic institutions in the country. BioPorto Diagnostics A/S (CHP:BIOPOR) and the University of Southern Denmark are fast-tracking development of a test to detect coronavirus (COVID-19) in less than 10 minutes. Current COVID-19 testing analysis is based on the standard method of screening after sending samples to laboratories for analysis, which can take up to 6-8 hours before the results are ready. Also, the number of tests is limited to the scarce capacity of instruments used for analysis. Imagination Park Technologies Inc (CSE:IP) (OTCMKTS:IPNFF) said it has partnered with minor league baseball team the Louisville Bats to help support local restaurant partners whose operations have been affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The initiative, called "Buddy's Curbside Pick Up", offers the chance to win a variety of great Louisville Bats prizes by simply ordering curbside pickup from a participating restaurant and sharing a picture of your trip on social media with a special hashtag, the company said in a statement Wednesday. LexaGene Holdings Inc (CVE:LXG) (OTCMKTS:LXXGF) has appointed seasoned executive Dr Eleanor Kolossovski as director of product marketing as the firm gears up for the commercial manufacturing and launch of its LX Analyzer. Last month, the firm revealed it was accelerating the submission of its LX Analyzer to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak worsens. Namaste Technologies Inc (CVE:N) (OTCMKTS:NXTTF) announced Wednesday that along with its subsidiary CannMart Inc it has teamed up with Adastra Labs Holdings Ltd (CSE:XTRX) to serve the needs of medical marijuana patients during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In a company update, Namaste revealed its subsidiary, CannMart Labs has signed an agreement with Adastra Labs to bring cannabis extract and concentrate products to its e-commerce site. Adastra Labs is a provider of same-site Health Canada licensed cannabis extraction and analytical testing services. 1933 Industries Inc (CSE:TGIF) (OTCQX:TGIFF), the cannabis goods company, said its expectations for strong revenue growth and profitability for fiscal 2021 remain on track as it posted its second-quarter numbers for 2020. In the three months to January 31, the firm revealed it reached a number of key milestones including achieving the first harvest from its new facility in Nevada and expanding cultivation and manufacturing at the California operation under a deal with Green Spectrum Trading. It also debuted its subsidiary AMA brand of THC concentrates and those of licensing partner Blonde into the California market. Cabral Gold Inc (CVE:CBR) has unveiled further encouraging exploration results from the promising Alonso target at its Cuiú Cuiú gold project in Brazil, which it said underscores the property's district potential. In a statement, the firm also updated on measures it was taking in the light of the coronavirus pandemic. Media Central Corporation Inc (CSE:FLYY), the alternative media group, said it has hired investment group Lightheart Management Partners Inc (LMP) to help drive its acquisition strategy. In a statement, Media Central said it is consolidating and digitally monetizing over a million premium consumers of around 100 alternative urban publications across North America. Lightheart will identify and carry out financial modeling of alternative urban weeklies throughout North America for acquisition by MediaCentral. Arcadia Biosciences Inc (NASDAQ:RKDA) has found its new chief technology officer in house, promoting Head of Research and Development Randy Shultz. Shultz joined Arcadia in 2019, and he’s played a vital role in the development of its breeding technologies while working closely with the hemp grower community.  Nextleaf Solutions Ltd (CSE:OILS) (OTCMKTS:OILFF) on Wednesday unveiled a voluntary employee equity participation plan amid the coronavirus pandemic. If taken up by non-executive workers, it will allow the firm to reduce the cash component of employee compensation and "further align incentives across the team", the cannabis tech group said in a statement. It means staff would receive company shares in lieu of a portion of their cash compensation. The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd (TSX:TGOD) (OTCQX:TGODF) announced Wednesday that it has entered into a $30 million secured revolving credit facility with a private lender.  The company said the facility, secured on accounts receivable and inventory with a second lien over the company's other assets, has an initial term of one year and is subject to renewal for up to an additional year. Upon closing, TGOD will be able to draw $10 million. Mota Ventures Corp (CSE:MOTA) (OTCMKTS:PEMTF), the CBD-focused product company, told investors it has completed a placing, raising C$1.72 million gross. "The company anticipates utilizing the proceeds of the offering to further develop and market products under the First Class CBD brand, and provide support for ongoing operations of Sativida, and for general working capital purposes," it said in a statement. CanaFarma Hemp Products Corp (CSE:CNFA), formerly known as KYC Technology Inc, announced that Frank Barone Jr. and Kirill Chumenko have resigned from the company’s board of directors. Both Barone and Chumenko will remain in their executive roles — Barone as sales & marketing senior vice president and Chumenko as senior vice president. "Frank and Kirill have done a great job of helping the corporation through its formation and public listing process and we look forward to their future contributions in their operating roles," CEO David Lonsdale said in a statement. Harvest One Cannabis Inc. (CVE:HVT) (OTCQX:HRVOF) said that, further to its news release dated February 26, it completed the sale of the 398-acre site in Lillooet, British Columbia for a cash consideration of $770,000 on Mach 31. It added that the sale of the Lillooet Property is part of an ongoing review of non-core assets in accordance with the company's Strategic Review announced on February 12, 2020. Medexus Pharmaceuticals Inc (CVE:MDP) said the TSX Venture Exchange has accepted for filing the company's proposal to issue 533,137 common shares at a deemed price of $2.3634 per share to satisfy the interest obligation owed to 16 debenture holders in the amount of $1.26 million due on March 31, 2020.