"Is there a period of time now where NOT is not likely to release news due to granting options, as this may appear to be similar to insider trading?"

If they receive their goodies before they know what's under the hood then it's all good. It's knowing about news before you are offered the goodies and before anyone else knows that is a no no. But I'd say that we won't hear anything for a little bit just to make it all look kosher. Like fashionably late.