Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09)
Toledo, OH — Today,Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) announced two major research awards totaling $650,000 for the University of Toledo from the National Science Foundation (NSF). These investments are a testament to Northwest Ohio’s scientific leadership and a clear reminder of the critical role federal research funding plays in the future of American innovation, education, and security.
“The University of Toledo continues to shine as a center of scientific excellence and innovation,” said Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09). “These awards are a powerful example of how federal research funding drives discovery, creates jobs, and gives students real opportunities here in Northwest Ohio. But we must be clear: if the Trump Administration fails to protect funding for science and innovation, we not only stall progress — we risk losing the talent, technology, and competitiveness that keep the innovative engine of our nation alive.”
The two NSF awards include:
$149,999 for research into fatigue-resistant aerospace-grade aluminum nanocomposites, led by Dr. Meysam Haghshenas. This work aims to improve safety and durability in critical sectors like aviation, space, and transportation.
$500,000 for the development of adaptive metal origami structures, spearheaded by Dr. Ala Qattawi, which has applications in robotics, defense systems, and biomedical devices.
“This National Science Foundation project is an exciting convergence of two foundational research missions, where an equipment award from the U.S. Department of Defense provided the critical infrastructure that now empowers our fundamental investigations supported by the National Science Foundation,” said Dr. Meysam Haghshenas, an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering and the director of UToledo’s Failure, Fracture and Fatigue Laboratory. “It is a perfect example of how strategic investment in cutting-edge instrumentation can bridge agencies and catalyze fundamental scientific discovery at the core of national interest.”
“I’m honored and excited to receive the National Science Foundation’s CAREER Award,” said Dr. Ala Qattawi, an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering. “This award will help propel our research into foldable metal structures inspired by origami by using advanced 3D printing and smart materials that respond to heat and other triggers. These adaptable geometries hold great promise for applications in aerospace, robotics and biomedical devices. Federal support through the NSF, along with growing interest from industry partners, is helping us build critical momentum in this area along with the ability to train and prepare future workforce in advanced materials manufacturing. I’m grateful for the opportunity to push the boundaries of what’s possible and to provide UToledo students with more exposure and experience in basic research and additive manufacturing.”
Combined, these projects are projected to support dozens of undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and lab technicians over the next several years. The research also bolsters workforce development by integrating student-led research into university coursework, and by providing outreach opportunities in local K–12 classrooms — exposing young learners to high-tech, hands-on science before they reach college.
ADVISORY – LYCOMING COUNTY – Governor Shapiro to Announce Opening of Verne Inc.’s First Manufacturing Facility in Pennsylvania, Creating Jobs and Growing Pennsylvania’s Clean Energy Economy
Governor Josh Shapiro will join Verne Inc. Co-Founder David Jaramillo and local leaders to announce the opening of Verne Inc.’s first manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania, creating 61 new jobs and advancing Pennsylvania’s clean energy economy.
Since taking office, the Shapiro Administration has secured over $25.2 billion in private sector investments, creating nearly 11,000 jobs. From day one, Governor Shapiro has worked to spur economic development in Pennsylvania, creating the Economic Development Strategy, securing historic funding for site development, and speeding up the Commonwealth’s permitting, licensing, and certification processes.
WHO: Governor Josh Shapiro David Jaramillo, Co-Founder and CTO, Verne Inc. Jason Fink, President and CEO, Lycoming County Chamber of Commerce Perry Babb, President and CEO, KeyState Energy
WHEN: Thursday, July 10, 2025, at 11:00 AM
WHERE: Verne, Inc. 285 Marcellus Dr. Muncy, PA 17756
LIVE STREAM: pacast.com/live/gov governor.pa.gov/live/
RSVP: Press who are interested in attending must RSVP with the names and phone numbers for each member of their team to ra-gvgovpress@pa.gov.
Source: US International Brotherhood of Boilermakers
The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers is secure, it is prosperous and it is growing.
It is no secret that our union has been through some trying times. I don’t need to go further on what has transpired in our industries, our world and even within our own union over the past few years; we all lived through these things together.
The Boilermakers union is no stranger to challenges and change. Time and again in our history, when industry innovations have threatened to make our crafts obsolete, we too have innovated and risen to greet new opportunities and evolve.
Time and again in our history, when external or internal issues have shaken us, we have rolled up our sleeves, set differences aside, rallied, regrouped and refocused on what’s right and good for our union and the men and women we call brothers and sisters.
Time and again, we have come through these trials stronger; we have made difficult and necessary changes; and we have pressed forward, set forth on a better path.
That is where we find ourselves today.
The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers is secure, it is prosperous and it is growing. For the first time in many years, we have had successful organizing campaigns, with multiple campaigns currently in progress throughout the country. We are hiring recruiters nationwide to build our Boilermaker workforce. We are aggressively going after work we may have lost in the past—and in new industries where our craft belongs but has not yet been.
We have restructured our organization, and as a result, we are leaner, we are meaner and we are more financially sound than we have been in five years. We are working together and implementing better programs and better processes. We are innovating the way we promote our union and more nimbly seizing improvements and new problem-solving approaches. We are data driven.
And we have changed. We are focused on the people we are obligated to serve: the members. You. The Boilermakers who work 1,000 feet up on the top of a stack. The Boilermakers who, right now, are crawling through an economizer. The Boilermakers who got up before the sun this morning to mill talc or make cement. The Boilermakers who drive forklifts third shift in manufacturing warehouses, who get greasy repairing locomotives, who contort themselves into the tightest corners of the sweltering inner-bottoms to weld the keel of a U.S. Navy vessel. The Boilermakers who keep the U.S. and Canada going.
It bears repeating: We are working together, all of us—because the better we, as a union, work together, the better our union can serve the members we represent.
That is the state of our union today.
We have come a long way and we’re in good shape. I’m proud of where we are today and where we are going next. We cannot stagnate; we cannot—and we will not—stop. We must press forward.
Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3
For Immediate Release: July 10, 2025 Statement From:
As I mark my hundredth day on the job at the FDA, I’m proud to celebrate the agency’s accomplishments in the bipartisan effort to Make America Healthy Again. I came here with big questions: Why does it take ten years for a drug to reach patients? How can we fix America’s food supply so it is not filled with harmful chemicals and additives? Why are childhood chronic diseases so prevalent? We are taking bold action to address these big, obvious problems, and more, which have been staring at us for years. The FDA regulates products that account for 20% of all U.S. consumer spending, and our work impacts the lives of every American. Over the past 100 days, we’ve launched dozens of key initiatives across the full range of the FDA’s purview to help make food healthier for children and families, accelerate meaningful cures and treatments, and modernize the agency with transparency, gold-standard science and common sense. Highlights include: Food – Healthier Food for Children
Fixing America’s Food Supply
Petroleum-based food dye removal – Took action to phase out petroleum-based synthetic food dyes from the U.S. food supply, which are linked to numerous health risks. Improving infant formula – Continued the work of Operation Stork Speed by hosting an expert roundtable on infant formula and exploring new ways to bring additional and healthier options without ingredients like seed oils, added sugars and heavy metals to market. Food chemical review – Initiated a robust, transparent review of chemicals currently in the food supply, such as BHT, BHA and ADA; and expedited the review of chemicals currently under review, such as phthalates, propylparaben and titanium dioxide. GRAS reform – Exploring rulemaking to require “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) submissions to FDA to stop industry’s long-standing practice of introducing ingredients into the food supply without FDA knowledge or oversight. Natural food dyes – Approved uses of three food colors derived from natural sources: Galdieria extract blue, butterfly pea flower extract and calcium phosphate, and initiated an accelerated the review of other natural alternatives. Began revising broken dietary guidelines – Launched the Nutrition Regulatory Science Program in partnership with NIH to better address highly relevant questions for Americans’ health, such as the impact of ultra-processed foods and the effect of certain food additives. Defining ultra-processed foods – Will launch FDA/USDA request for data and information to help develop a uniform definition of ultra-processed foods, and industry roundtable, paving the way for additional study and action.
More Meaningful Cures, Treatments and Diagnostics
Accelerating Cures
Reducing animal testing – Published a roadmap to transition away from animal testing for investigational new drug applications wherever possible and use more effective, human-relevant methods, such as organ-on-a-chip systems, advanced computer simulations, and pre-existing international data. Announced the intent to launch a pilot program in which select monoclonal antibody developers may pursue a primarily non-animal-based testing strategy, under close FDA consultation. Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher program – Announced a pilot program to expedite drug review processes from 10-12 months to 1-2 months following submission of a final application addressing U.S. national priorities, such as tackling a major health crisis or unmet public health need, increasing domestic drug manufacturing, and delivering more innovative cures for the American people. Revised Covid-19 vaccine regulatory framework – Adopted a new evidence-based approach to Covid-19 booster approvals, replacing a one-size-fits-all regulatory framework and broad marketing authorizations with a risk-stratified approach that is already embraced by most doctors and parents. Updated labeling of mRNA shots to include new safety information about myocarditis and pericarditis. Addressed industry influence – Limited the circumstances where individuals employed at FDA-regulated companies, such as pharmaceutical companies, may serve as members of FDA advisory committees, where statutorily possible, to mitigate perceived conflicts of interest and strengthen integrity to the review process. CEO Listening Tour – Launched a six-city listening tour to meet directly with pharmaceutical and biotech executives, gathering honest feedback and big ideas to help the agency better accelerate cures and innovation. Cell and Gene therapy innovation – Engaged dozens of industry experts in a roundtable to shape actions that will ensure America leads at the forefront of innovation in this space. Removed restrictions on certain gene therapies – Removed REMS requirement for currently approved BCMA- and CD19-directed autologous chimeric antigen receptor CAR T cell immunotherapies, the first of many steps towards a more common-sense regulatory approach in this space. Diagnostics to empower healthy decisions – Cleared the first in vitro diagnostic device that tests blood to aid in diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease. Initiated process to remove regulations on Laboratory Developed Tests (LDTs). Extended-release drug labeling change – Revised labeling on extended-release stimulants for ADHD treatment, cautioning parents and providers about the risks of adverse reactions, including weight loss, when used by children under six.
Administration – Gold-Standard Science & Common Sense
Protecting American Consumers
Combatting illegal vapes – In collaboration with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, seized nearly $34 million worth of illegal, youth-appealing e-cigarette products originating in China. Protecting the microbiome from fluoride tablets – Initiated action to remove concentrated ingestible fluoride prescription drug products for children from the market, which were not FDA-approved and have been shown to alter the gut microbiome. Examining talc – Hosted an expert panel to review the latest evidence and discuss potential health risks associated with talc used in food, drugs and cosmetics. Unannounced foreign inspections – Expanded the use of unannounced foreign inspections where appropriate, holding domestic and international drug manufacturers to the same high standard. Holistic inspection policy review – Began comprehensive review of the agency’s policies and practices for foreign inspections (including policies related to travel accommodations), ensuring the FDA remains the gold standard for regulatory oversight. Protecting American’s biological samples – Initiated action to review and, where necessary, halt clinical trials which involve exporting Americans’ living cells and DNA to labs in hostile countries, such as China, for genetic engineering and subsequent infusion back into U.S. patients. Enhancing drug importation – Fought high prescription drug prices by working to streamline the process by which states can pursue importation of safe, effective and affordable drugs from Canada, without imposing additional risk to public health and safety. Cracking down on falsified data – Discovered that third-party testing companies in China were producing falsified or otherwise invalid data; acted swiftly to protect the integrity of the premarket application process and the medical device supply chain. Fighting “gas station heroin” –Issued warning letters against companies distributing and selling unlawful tianeptine products, warned health care professionals and the general public about the extensive adverse events associated with tianeptine use. FDA import alerts – Updated several import alerts – for certain dietary supplements, cheeses, seafood, fish products and more – to help prevent illegal and unauthorized products flooding the U.S. market and risking American’s safety and health.
Unleashing AI and Big Data
AI-assisted review – Completed a successful first AI-assisted scientific review pilot, demonstrating that internal AI tools can greatly reduce the time reviewers spend on mundane tasks or non-productive busywork. Equipping reviewers with internal AI tools – Launched Elsa, a generative AI tool designed to help all FDA employees – from scientific reviewers to investigators – work more efficiently. Elsa is just an initial step in the FDA’s larger plans to integrate AI into agency processes. Building a better adverse event reporting database – Launched a comprehensive effort to consolidate disparate adverse event reporting databases, which will enable far more effective post-market monitoring of drug products.
Modernization and Radical Transparency
Transparent communications – Created FDA Direct, a regular channel for communicating directly with the public through frequent, unscripted conversations with the FDA Commissioner about strategic updates and the thinking behind key agency decisions. Transparent agenda – In the Journal of the American Medical Association, provided a clear outline of FDA leadership’s priorities for modernizing and improving the agency in the months ahead. Transparent decision making – Began publishing, to the greatest extent possible, decision letters issued in response to applications for new drugs and biological products.
I’m excited by what the talented FDA team have been able to achieve in 100 days by embracing gold-standard science, radical transparency and common sense. This is just the beginning. We’ll continue to introduce initiatives to modernize the agency, protect consumers, bring more meaningful cures, treatments and diagnostics to patients, and make healthier food available for children, using the best science and data to Make America Healthy Again. Related Information
Related Information
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Boilerplate
The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, radiation-emitting electronic products, and for regulating tobacco products.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Wesley Hunt (Texas 38th District)
Contact: James Kyrkanides, Chief of Staff
Houston, TX – Congressman Wesley Hunt issued a statement today about his active involvement with federal, state, and local leaders regarding the flash flooding in Hill Country, Texas.
Many members of the Houston community had children enrolled at Camp La Junta and Camp Mystic while the flash flooding hit Hill Country.
“I am closely monitoring the flooding situation in Kerville, Texas,”said Rep. Hunt. “I have been in contact with Secretary Kristi Noem, the Texas Division of Emergency Management, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to ensure that those in danger are rescued immediately.
“Emily and I are praying for all those affected by this tragedy, including those in our Houston Community. May God watch over the victims, the first responders, and all the families impacted. May God bless Texas.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Wesley Hunt (Texas 38th District)
July 7th, 2025
Contact: James Kyrkanides, Chief of Staff
Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Wesley Hunt released a statement commending the Department of the Interior for implementing his top policy priority in the One Big Beautiful Bill, which President Trump signed into law on Friday, July 4th.
“Since the day I entered Congress, unleashing American energy and championing our vital oil and gas sector has been a top priority. I’m proud that, under President Trump’s leadership, our commingling policy is now law through the One Big Beautiful Bill,”said Congressman Hunt.
“This is about common sense and catching up with today’s technology,”said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. “The current rules were written for a different era. These updates will help us manage public resources more efficiently, support responsible energy production, and make sure taxpayers and tribes get every dollar they’re owed.”
Production Commingling Background Information:
Congressman Hunt’scommingling languagewas included in Title V, Section 50101, Subsection (q) in the One Big Beautiful Bill. This language will allow all exploration and production companies operating on federal lands to combine their facilities (e.g., storage containers, oil/gas sales pipelines) from different leases into one set of facilities.
The implementation of this language by the DOI will:
Significantly decrease the cost to drill a well, thereby reducing energy prices for Americans.
Substantially minimize the surface impact of drilling a well, benefiting the environment.
Drastically improve emissions controls in the oil patch.
Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders
WASHINGTON, July 10 — Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Rep. Becca Balint (Vt.-AL) today sent a letter to Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer urging her to release more than $300 million in congressionally-appropriated funding for the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) currently held up by the Trump administration.
“Since 1965, SCSEP has provided low-income, older adults with job-training and essential skills so they can continue contributing to their communities. As a result, seniors not only engage in community service, but also strengthen their own financial stability and improve their quality of life,” wrote Sanders, Welch and Balint.
Congress appropriated $405 million in SCSEP funding for 75 state and national grantees, including for Associates for Training and Development based in Vermont. Together, these organizations help tens of thousands of low-income seniors put food on the table, heat and cool their homes and pay for their medications. However, the Labor Department has yet to release the vast majority of this year’s funding as required by law, threatening the ability of many of these organizations to keep seniors employed and already leading to job cuts.
“In our state of Vermont, over 50 seniors have been furloughed as a result of your decision to withhold funds. Not only are these seniors losing wages needed to pay their bills, but losing valuable training time that is impeding their ability to re-enter the workforce,” concluded the Vermont delegation. “Your department has a legal and moral obligation to release this funding and ensure no further harm is done to SCSEP grantees and the seniors they serve. We urge you to immediately release SCSEP funds to the national grantees across the country.”
Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
Welch’s Disaster AID Act filed on the anniversaries of Vermont’s July 2023 and July 2024 floods
Legislation would cut red tape and improve processes for FEMA’s Public Assistance and long-term recovery efforts
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today introduced the Disaster Assistance Improvement and Decentralization (AID) Act, new legislation to improve the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Senator Welch filed the Disaster AID Act on the anniversary of the July 2023 and July 2024 floods in Vermont. The bill was inspired and shaped by the disaster recovery experiences of communities around the you saw a lot of agonized republicans they all voted for it but a lot of across Vermont.
Senator Welch’s bill will cut red tape at FEMA and empower state and local governments to access recovery assistance when it is needed. The bill will support hazard mitigation efforts, make the delivery of disaster aid more efficient and effective, provide technical assistance to small towns and expedite funding for disaster response.
“FEMA does lifesaving and important work after a disaster, but we need to find a way to fix the agency so it works better to help communities recover in the weeks, months, and years after a disaster. Vermont saw it firsthand: there’s too much red tape, and the long-term recovery process is inefficient,” said Senator Welch when he unveiled the bill. “My commonsense bill is inspired by the experiences of flood-impacted Vermont communities that had to wait too long—and jump through far too many hoops—to get the federal support needed to build back after a disaster.”
Last week, Senator Welch visited with Vermonters and community leaders impacted by the July 2023 and July 2024 floods across Vermont—including in Killington, Ludlow, Weston, Barre and Montpelier.
Over the course of consecutive summers in July 2023 and July 2024, Vermont experienced severe storms which caused catastrophic flooding, washouts, and mudslides. Homes, farms, businesses, and public infrastructure were destroyed, and communities were left reeling. In the immediate aftermath of the destruction, FEMA provided lifesaving on-the-ground assistance, working with local organizations and the state. In the long-term, however, FEMA’s response has not met the needs of communities.
Many of Vermont’s towns operate with limited resources and lack the administrative capacity needed to navigate the complex web of federal disaster assistance—especially in the aftermath of a brutal flood. FEMA has failed to provide necessary support and burdensome FEMA policies have slowed or blocked communities from accessing federal funds. Towns were not empowered to capitalize on their understanding of conditions on the ground. To make matters worse, under the Trump Administration, communities must now contend with uncertain federal funding streams, including for reimbursement of projects already approved and under way.
Senator Welch’s Disaster AID Act will cut red tape and ease cumbersome requirements that restrict state and local governments from tailoring solutions to local circumstances. The bill will also provide technical and financial resources for small towns and communities that lack administrative capacity, and restrain future administrations from arbitrarily turning off the funding spigot for communities in the midst of disaster recovery.
The Disaster AID Act is supported by leaders across Vermont, including Vermont Governor Phil Scott; Kristin Atwood, Barton Town Clerk; Ted Brady, Executive Director of the Vermont League of Cities and Towns; Michele Braun, Executive Director of the Friends of the Winooski River; Chris Campany, Executive Director of the Windham Regional Commission, and Chair of the VAPDA Emergency Management Committee; Jon Copans, Executive Director, Montpelier Commission for Recovery and Resilience; Ben Doyle, Executive Director of the Preservation Trust of Vermont; Peter Gregory, Executive Director of the Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission (TRORC); Thom Lauzon, Mayor of Barre City; Kristen Leahy, Zoning and Floodplain Administrator and Resilience & Adaption Coordinator for Hardwick; Jim Linville, Selectboard Vice Chair and Recovery Director of Weston; Julie Moore, Secretary of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources; Stephanie Smith, Vermont Hazard Mitigation Officer; Justin Smith, Municipal Administrator for the Town of Lyndon; and Beverley Wemple, Director of the University of Vermont’s Water Resources Institute.
“After facing devastating floods over the last two summers, Vermonters have seen firsthand, the value of federal support and assistance from FEMA workers. However, we’ve also experienced gaps between response and recovery, and we need to make changes that better support responders on the ground and those trying to rebuild. I appreciate Senator Welch taking on the challenge to create an expedited, more efficient, and flexible emergency management system,” said Governor Phil Scott.
“The Town of Barton, Vermont, has been hit two years in a row on the same date by disastrous flooding. The unknowns of funding around that have us delaying needed normal maintenance until FEMA funds are received to cover flooding repairs, and slowing down the repairs to make sure those funds flow in before the next project is underway. This unknown funding element has the Town worrying as we look to the future instead of confident FEMA will have our backs. Our ability to prepare for and mitigate the next storm is significantly impacted by our unwillingness to overextend ourselves in case FEMA funding does not come through. This puts us at greater risk of damage if another storm were to come before we have completed recovery from the prior two,” said Kristin Atwood, Barton Town Clerk.
“Vermont municipalities can’t prepare for or recover from a disaster without the federal government’s help. Nearly every municipal leader impacted by recent flooding in Vermont has told me that FEMA has been difficult to work with. I’m pleased to see Senator Welch proposing reforms to address these concerns. The ballooning federal bureaucracy, rotating FEMA staff, inconsistent funding, and requirement to take on debt have combined to make recovering from the flooding here in Vermont another disaster. The Disaster AID Act addresses these challenges by providing technical assistance to municipalities before a disaster hits, providing disaster aid immediately to reduce the debt towns need to take on, and cutting down on the red tape communities need to navigate to access federal assistance,” said Ted Brady, Executive Director of the Vermont League of Cities and Towns.
“Having helped dozens of towns to recover from devastating floods, we know firsthand that FEMA’s procedures are a barrier to accessing critical funds. Friends of the Winooski River appreciates Senator Welch’s efforts to improve access to the resources our communities desperately need for flood recovery and future health and safety,” said Michele Braun, Executive Director of the Friends of the Winooski River.
“FEMA provides critical resources and structure for disaster preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery, but it needs reform to make it work better for people and their communities. I don’t think there’s disagreement there, including among FEMA rank and file personnel. Congress needs to act. What is needed, and what this bill would do, is build state and local capacity to prepare, mitigate, respond, and recover while making more efficient and effective use of federal resources,” said Chris Campany, Executive Director of the Windham Regional Commission, and Chair of the Vermont Association of Planning and Development Agencies (VAPDA) Emergency Management Committee.
“While it is far from perfect, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has repeatedly proven to be a critical part of disaster response here in Central Vermont. I commend Senator Peter Welch for his efforts to improve FEMA’s process and provide support to small municipalities as we struggle to navigate the bureaucracy to help our communities recover. The Disaster Assistance and Decentralization Act takes important steps to reform and strengthen federal disaster response so that cities and towns across the country can recover more quickly and make critical investments in future resilience,” said Jon Copans, Executive Director, Montpelier Commission for Recovery and Resilience.
“One thing that became clear very quickly after the 2023 flood is that if you’ve seen one small town dealing with a disaster, you’ve seen one small town dealing with a disaster. The impacts on homes, businesses, and infrastructure, were all significant, but they were different depending on the community—and the capacity of municipalities to respond and support residents varied widely. While FEMA representatives were on the ground and well-intentioned, the truth is they were often more prepared to tell people what they couldn’t do because of regulations than to help them rebuild their lives. We need the federal government to meet people where they are—regardless of the size of the community or the scale of the disaster—and provide tailored technical assistance, financial support, and, most importantly, hope.” said Ben Doyle, Executive Director of the Preservation Trust of Vermont.
“We are very appreciative of Senator Welch’s proposal to reform FEMA and how it interacts with Vermonters. His proposal explicitly enables regional planning commissions to work as agents of municipalities when interacting with FEMA. We were pleased to offer this idea and even more pleased to help our communities,” said Peter Gregory, Executive Director of the Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission (TRORC).
“The City of Barre was hit hard by the 2023 and 2024 floods, and we are grateful to the many people who have and continue to help us rebuild better and stronger. While we’ve made significant progress, there’s much more work to be done. We are grateful to Senator Welch for proposing a commonsense solution that would provide technical assistance, simplified procedures and support for long-term resiliency to municipalities that are in need. We need to fix FEMA, not kill it,” said Thom Lauzon, Mayor of Barre City.
“Hardwick has faced devastating impacts from back-to-back floods in 2023 and 2024, with repeated damage to homes, businesses, and public infrastructure along the Lamoille River. One example is 41 Brush Street, a residential property now hanging precariously over the riverbank due to severe erosion. The home is slated for a FEMA-funded buyout, and additional stabilization is needed to protect surrounding properties. FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program is essential for communities like ours, not only for rebuilding but for implementing long-term solutions that reduce future risk. Without sustained and accessible funding, rural towns will be left in a cycle of damage and short-term fixes. Senator Welch’s Disaster AID Act provides a path toward more timely and effective recovery, especially for Vermont’s hardest-hit towns,” said Kristen Leahy, Zoning and Floodplain Administrator and Resilience & Adaption Coordinator for Hardwick.
“The support for small towns in Senator Welch’s Disaster AID Act is crucial in enabling towns in Vermont and nationwide to obtain the expert assistance they require in responding to disasters, as well as identifying, designing and funding mitigation projects. Five months after the July 2023 flood in Weston, we applied for and received an MTAP grant that allowed us to retain professional help to guide us through the grant maze and get a head start on modeling the flooding and designing mitigation projects. Our hope is that with passage of the Disaster AID Act, this sort of assistance will be available soon after the next (inevitable) disaster event so our town fathers and mothers aren’t wringing their hands trying to figure out what to do, how to do it and how to pay for it,” said Jim Linville, Selectboard Vice Chair and Recovery Director of Weston.
“Vermont has experienced multiple federally-declared disasters since 2023 which laid bare Vermont municipalities’ need for additional technical assistance,” said ANR Secretary Julie Moore. “The Disaster Assistance Improvement and Decentralization Act would help fill this critical need. In particular, we are grateful to Sen. Welch for his continued efforts to simplify procedures for complex relocation projects for critical facilities, such as the wastewater treatment facilities in Johnson, Hardwick and Ludlow – all of which have experienced repeated flood damage.”
“The BRIC program greatly improved Vermont’s ability to do the planning and scoping work necessary in order to develop important flood reduction projects in our communities,” said Stephanie Smith, Vermont Hazard Mitigation Section Chief. “This legislation represents a fundamental shift in the way we administer hazard mitigation funding that would allow us to successfully and efficiently utilize federal resources to reduce future flood risk in Vermont.”
“Like many rural towns in Vermont, Lyndon is not blessed with a large staff to handle the volume of paperwork required to receive funding from FEMA when a disaster occurs. Many towns in rural Vermont are not even fortunate enough to have a Municipal Administrator or Manager in place to handle the paper trail and are forced to rely solely on volunteers in their community. We understand and support the necessity of ensuring that funds are being properly spent and accounted for. However, there is a strong need to create a system where communities have one point of contact throughout the entirety of a declared disaster. Small Vermont communities such as ours, do not have the resources or the personnel work hours to start and re-start the process of disaster re-imbursement from scratch because a FEMA PDMG has reached their 50-week time limit and must move on,” said Justin Smith, Municipal Administrator for the Town of Lyndon. “Taking away a single employee from their normal day to day responsibilities to devote to disaster recovery severely understaffs any rural community, and extending this length of time attempting to get a new PDMG or multiple PDMGs up to speed is time and money that rural communities don’t have the luxury of wasting.”
“The Disaster Assistance Improvement and Decentralization (AID) Act will provide critical assistance to communities impacted by flooding and other disasters. The bill’s provisions will get assistance into the hands of those who need it more rapidly following disasters. In Vermont and communities across the country, investments in hazard mitigation projects enabled by the Act, like reconnecting rivers to floodplains that store and dissipate the energy of floodwaters, will make communities safer and ensure we are prepared for the future in a way that also supports healthy ecosystems,” said Beverley Wemple, Director of the University of Vermont’s Water Resources Institute. “Thank you, Senator Welch, for introducing this important piece of legislation that will support all Americans in meeting the challenges of future natural disasters.”
• • •
Senator Welch has been outspoken in opposing any attempt by the Trump Administration to dismantle FEMA. Earlier this year, Senator Welch published a guest essay in The New York Times entitled: “Don’t Kill FEMA. Fix It.” In his piece, Senator Welch outlined why President Trump’s actions to undermine and potentially dissolve FEMA are misguided—but also committed to working on good faith efforts to reform the agency’s long-term recovery process.
In December 2024, Senator Welch helped shape and pass a comprehensive disaster aid package, which delivered more than $100.4 billion of relief for states like Vermont recovering from climate disasters. The disaster aid package contained many of Senator Welch’s top priorities for the State: dedicated help for Vermont’s flood-impacted farmers, flexible spending through the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Relief fund, money for FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund, and support for businesses, among many other important provisions.
Learn more about the Disaster AID Act.
Read a section-by-section summary of the Disaster AID Act.
Read the bill text of the Disaster AID Act.
Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)
July 9, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) issued the following statement after Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrested an MS-13 kingpin in Omaha, NE:
“Incredible work by ICE arresting an MS-13 gang member in Omaha today. Biden’s Border Crisis continues to leave Americans vulnerable to crime and criminals. That is a fact. Our ICE and CBP heroes should be heralded for their work to make America safer.”
On August 29, 2024, at approximately 6:04 a.m. the Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) received a notification from Saskatchewan RCMP regarding a serious incident involving police. SIRT’s Civilian Executive Director accepted the notification as within SIRT’s mandate and directed SIRT to investigate.
SIRT has completed its investigation into this matter and the Civilian Executive Director’s public report can now be accessed online: https://publications.saskatchewan.ca:443/api/v1/products/126579/formats/148601/download.
SIRT’s mandate is to independently investigate incidents where an individual has died or suffered serious injury arising from the actions of on and off-duty police officers, or while in the custody of police, as well as allegations of sexual assault or interpersonal violence involving police.
For additional information: SIRT Investigating Fatal Collision Involving RCMP | News and Media | Government of Saskatchewan.
June saw widespread warmer-than-normal temperatures across most of the globe.
Northern Hemisphere snow cover extent was below average in June.
Sea ice extent was near-record low for the Arctic and third lowest for the Antarctic.
Global tropical cyclone activity was above average with nine named storms.
Map of global selected significant climate anomalies and events in June 2025.
Temperature
June 2025 had the third-warmest June global surface temperature in NOAA’s 176-year record, with a temperature 1.76°F (0.98°C) higher than the 20th-century baseline. This June was cooler than June 2023 (second warmest) and June 2024 (warmest). According to NCEI’s Global Annual Temperature Outlook, there is a very high likelihood that 2025 will rank among the five warmest years on record. However, it is unlikely that 2025 will rank as the warmest year on record.
Land and Ocean Temperature Percentiles for June 2025 (°C). Red indicates warmer than average and blue indicates colder than average.
June saw widespread above-average temperatures across much of the globe’s surface. Warm temperature departures were most notable in parts of North America, Europe, central Asia, western and eastern Antarctica and the northern Pacific Ocean. Pockets of below-average temperatures were present across parts of the higher latitudes of the Arctic, Greenland and the North Atlantic, as well as parts of northwestern and northern Asia, India, north and eastern Australia, southern South America, central Antarctica and the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.
Regionally, Europe and Asia both had their fifth-warmest June on record. North America had its eighth-warmest and Africa its ninth-warmest. South America, Oceania, the Arctic, the Antarctic and the Caribbean and Hawaiian regions also recorded above-average temperatures for June; however, their anomalies did not place among their respective top 10 warmest Junes on record.
Precipitation
As is typical, precipitation patterns varied globally. Regions that experienced drier-than-average conditions included parts of northern Canada and the western contiguous U.S., as well as the southern half of Europe, the central and western parts of Asia and southwestern and eastern Australia. Southern and western Alaska, the eastern half of the U.S., northern South America, northern Europe and much of Asia had wetter-than-average conditions.
Snow Cover
The Northern Hemisphere snow cover extent was the 12th-smallest June extent on record, with 610,000 square miles below average. Snow cover over North America and Greenland was below average by 280,000 square miles and was the 11th-smallest snow cover extent in the 59-year record. Eurasia was also below average by 330,000 square miles—tying with 2009 as the 13th-smallest June extent.
Sea Ice
Global sea ice extent was the second-smallest June extent on record at 850,000 square miles below the 1991–2020 average. Arctic sea ice extent was also the second-smallest extent at 320,000 square miles below average. The Antarctic sea ice extent was the third-smallest for June at 540,000 square miles below average.
Map of the Antarctic (left) and Arctic (right) sea ice extent in June 2025.
Tropical Cyclones
Globally, tropical cyclone activity was above average during June, with a total of nine named storms. The Atlantic basin had two named storms: Tropical Storm (TS) Andrea and TS Barry. Notably, Barry brought heavy rain and strong winds to parts of eastern Mexico. Its remnants also contributed to extreme flooding over parts of central Texas in early July.
The East Pacific basin was more active, with five named storms: Hurricane Barbara, TS Cosme, TS Dahlia, Hurricane Erick and TS Flossie. Among these, Hurricane Erick stands out as the earliest major hurricane on record to make landfall in Mexico.
The West Pacific saw two named storms: Typhoon Wutip and TS Sepat. Wutip, an equivalent Category 1 typhoon, brought heavy rain and strong winds to southern China.
No tropical cyclones formed in the North Indian Ocean and the Southern Hemisphere basins.
For a more complete summary of climate conditions and events, see our June 2025 Global Climate Report or explore our Climate at a Glance Global Time Series.
IAM Union District 171 in Oklahoma City recently hosted IAM Veterans Department staff for a productive visit during ongoing negotiations ahead of the District Delegates meeting. Given the high number of military contracts in the area, discussions focused on establishing a dedicated Veterans Claims Day.
The team met with SAIC Remote Pilot Operators (RPOs) and successfully secured a first-of-its-kind achievement for the IAM Veterans Department, strong contract language, not just a memorandum of agreement (MOA), granting annual facility access to assist veterans with claims.
The effort received strong support from the program manager, a retired U.S. Air Force General, who not only agreed to the language enthusiastically but also committed to including similar provisions in the upcoming negotiations for Air Traffic Controller (ATC) instructors, which had been tentatively agreed upon by the company and the IAM.
“Congratulations go to IAM District 171 Directing Business Representative Ben Moody and the negotiating committee for being the first to secure this language as a formal article and section of a collective bargaining agreement,” said IAM Southern Territory General Vice President Craig Martin. “This contract will set the path for other locals and districts to follow.”
The post Breaking New Ground for IAM Military Veterans, Oklahoma District 171 Secures Historic Contract Language appeared first on IAM Union.
KIRKLAND, Wash., July 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Alliance Memory today announced the appointment of Penelope Van-Uxen as France country manager. Stepping in for former managing director EMEA Sue Macedo — who recently retired — she is responsible for supporting Alliance Memory’s European customers.
Ms. Van-Uxen holds a master’s degree in management and business administration — with a focus on entrepreneurship — from the Strasbourg Business School in France, where she recently graduated with honors. Previously, she earned a bachelor’s degree in applied modern languages and marketing from the University of Strasbourg, with one year spent as an international exchange student at the University of Southampton in the UK. Located in Saint Quentin, France, she reports to David Bagby, president and CEO of Alliance Memory.
“Alliance Memory is known for delivering exceptional support, and I’m excited to continue that tradition for our customers in France and across Europe,” said Ms. Van-Uxen. “I’m honored to take on this role and build on the solid foundation established by Sue in the region.”
“We’re thrilled to welcome Penelope to the Alliance Memory team,” said Bagby. “She brings outstanding academic credentials and a fresh perspective to this role. Combined with her commitment to strong customer relationships, she’s a great fit to lead our efforts in France and support our growing European customer base.”
About Alliance Memory Inc. Alliance Memory is a worldwide provider of critical and hard-to-find memory ICs for the communications, computing, consumer electronics, medical, automotive, and industrial markets. The company’s product range includes flash, DRAM, and SRAM memory ICs with commercial, industrial, and automotive operating temperature ranges and densities from 64Kb to 128GB. Privately held, Alliance Memory maintains headquarters in Kirkland, Washington, and regional offices in Europe, Asia, Canada, and South America. More information about Alliance Memory is available online at www.alliancememory.com.
Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) opened applications for natural disaster recovery assistance for farmers. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced that agricultural producers who suffered eligible crop losses due to natural disasters in 2023 and 2024 can now apply for $16 billion in assistance through the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP).
“Our farmers are the lifeblood of our nation, sustaining our communities and our economy. When severe weather events, like Hurricane Helene, and drought struck North Carolina last year, it devastated our crops and shattered countless livelihoods. Unfortunately, this tragic pattern repeats itself whenever major natural disasters strike. Without swift disaster relief, agricultural producers face the stark reality of downsizing or closing their operations altogether. This is why I am deeply grateful to the Trump administration for ensuring that critical aid reaches our farmers, in North Carolina and across the country, helping them recover and continue feeding America,” said Senator Budd.
BACKGROUND
In March, Senator Budd led a bipartisan, bicameral letter to the USDA urging the department to expedite the rulemaking process on administering disaster relief aid for farmers, which was provided by Congress in December 2024. A lack of clarity in the federal government’s rulemaking process for natural disaster programs threatened the ability of farmers to fully utilize the allocated aid. In the letter, Senator Budd called on the Trump administration to ensure a fair and efficient disbursement of federal dollars for rural Americans to access emergency funding.
In May, Senator Budd received news that his effort was successful when the USDA released a plan to get critical aid to agricultural producers impacted by natural disasters.
***
Applications for Supplemental Disaster Assistance for agricultural producers open today, July 10, 2025.
The SDRP will aid eligible producers for necessary expenses due to losses of revenue, quality, or production of crops due to weather-related events in 2023 and 2024. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is delivering SDRP assistance in two stages. Producers can receive payments in both stages, if applicable, and for one or both years, depending on losses.
For more information, please visit:https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/supplemental-disaster-relief-program-sdrp
The Indian men’s football team has slipped to its lowest FIFA ranking in nine years, falling six spots to 133rd in the latest update released on Thursday. The drop comes after back-to-back defeats in June — a 0-2 loss to Thailand in a friendly on June 4, followed by a 0-1 defeat to lower-ranked Hong Kong in an Asian Cup qualifier.
These results also led to head coach Manolo Marquez parting ways with the All India Football Federation (AIFF). India last ranked lower in December 2016, when it stood at 135. The team’s all-time best ranking remains 94, achieved in February 1996.
India now has 1,113.22 rating points, down from 1,132.03, and stands 24th among 46 Asian nations, with Japan leading the continent at 17th in the global rankings. It has been a rough stretch for the Indian men’s team, with the recent loss to Hong Kong severely denting its hopes of qualifying for the 2027 Asian Cup.
Among Asian Football Confederation (AFC) members, India is ranked 24th out of 47 member associations.
Under head coach Manolo Marquez, the team managed just one win in its last eight outings — a victory over the Maldives in March. In 2025 so far, India has played four matches, recording one win, one draw, and two defeats.
The string of poor results led to the return of legendary striker and former captain Sunil Chhetri to the squad, but his comeback has done little to change the team’s fortunes.
India’s next international fixture is an away match against Singapore in October, as part of the third round of the Asian Cup qualifiers.
Meanwhile, reigning World Champion Argentina tops the FIFA rankings among 210 nations, followed by Spain, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Croatia, in that order to complete the top 10.
Costa Rica is the biggest climber in the rankings with a 14-place jump, while Honduras gained the most points.
The IAM Union is calling out Republican leadership in the U.S. Senate for abandoning the working men and women who keep our transportation system moving. In the recently passed reconciliation bill, a key overtime tax deduction provision left out millions of transportation workers — including railroaders, aviation professionals, seafarers, truckers, and other critical workers.
The IAM Union, as well as the Transportation Communications Union (TCU/IAM), urged every senator to support U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell’s (D-Wash.) Amendment #2613, which would have corrected this injustice by extending the overtime tax deduction to aviation and railroad workers. Republican leaders blocked the amendment from moving forward, ignoring the needs of working families in one of the most demanding sectors of our economy.
“Airline and railroad workers often log irregular schedules, overnight shifts, and weeks away from home,” said IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. “Their dedication has kept our economy afloat in the face of supply chain disruptions and global pandemics. To single them out for exclusion is not just unfair — it’s disgraceful.”
The overtime tax deduction included in the law provides for a temporary deduction (2025–2028) of up to $12,500 ($25,000 for joint filers) on qualified overtime compensation. The deduction phases out when a taxpayer’s Modified Adjusted Gross Income exceeds $150,000 ($300,000 for joint returns).
The provision was included in a larger piece of legislation that includes tax breaks for billionaires, the slashing of health insurance for millions, and massive cuts to infrastructure funding that will lead to significant job loss.
The post IAM Union Blasts GOP for Excluding Airline, Railroad Workers from Overtime Tax Deduction appeared first on IAM Union.
Source: United States Small Business Administration
ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in New Jersey of the Aug. 11 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by drought occurring June 8, 2024.
The disaster declaration covers the New Jersey counties of Atlantic, Camden, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem; Kent and New Castle counties in Delaware as well as Delaware and Philadelphia counties in Pennsylvania.
Under this declaration SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.
EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the small business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.
“Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”
The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.
To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
The deadline to return economic injury applications is Aug. 11, 2025.
###
About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
TORONTO, July 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — 1514341 Ontario Inc. (the “Company”) announces that the Company has entered into an agreement with Pasinex Resources Limited (the “Issuer”) to convert an aggregate principal amount of $805,875.15 of debt (the “Settlement Amount”) owing by the Issuer to the Company into common shares of the Issuer (the “Common Shares”) on a non-brokered private placement basis pursuant to the accredited investor exemption in section 2.3 of National Instrument 45-106 – Prospectus and Registration Exemptions (the “Debt Settlement Transaction”). The Company will acquire ownership and control of 10,745,002 Common Shares (the “Settlement Shares”) in exchange for the settlement of the Settlement Amount at a price of $0.075 per Settlement Share.
Prior to acquiring the Settlement Shares, the Acquiror owned and controlled 23,265,815 Common Shares, representing approximately 16.1% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares as of June 30, 2025, on a non-diluted basis. Following the Debt Settlement Transaction, the Company will own 34,010,817 Common Shares representing approximately 19.6% of the outstanding common shares of the Issuer on a non-diluted basis, assuming the simultaneous issuance of Common Shares by the Issuer to other acquirors under similar debt settlement agreements.
The Company is incorporated under the laws of the Province of Ontario, and its principal business is to act as a holding company. Larry Seeley, Chairman of the Issuer, owns all of the common shares of the Company. Mr. Seeley also holds, directly and indirectly, a total of 1,000,000 options to acquire additional Common Shares of the Issuer.
Mr. Seeley also converted $36,000 owed to him into Common Shares at $0.075 per Settlement Share, resulting in Mr. Seeley owning directly and indirectly 34,490,817 Common Shares representing approximately 19.9% of the outstanding common shares of the Issuer on a non-diluted basis assuming the simultaneous issuance of Common Shares by the Issuer to other acquirors under similar debt settlement agreements
The Settlement Shares were acquired by the Company and Mr. Seeley for investment purposes and the Company and Larry Seeley intend to evaluate their investment and to increase or decrease holdings in the future as circumstances warrant. The Settlement Shares were not acquired on a market.
This news release is issued pursuant to National Instrument 62-103 – The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bids and Insider Reporting Issues, which also requires a report to be filed with regulatory authorities in each of the jurisdictions in which the Issuer is a reporting issuer containing information with respect to the foregoing matters (“Early Warning Report“). The Early Warning Report will be filed and made available under the SEDAR+ profile of the Issuer at www.sedarplus.ca. To obtain a copy of the Early Warning Report directly, please contact Larry Seeley at (705) 313-2553.
The head office of the Issuer is 550 Burrard Street, Suite 2900, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6C 0A3.
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Ashwill Ramon Phillips, Lecturer and Postgraduate Supervisor, Department of Criminology, University of the Free State
Gang-related crime in South Africa is widespread, but is under-reported outside hotspots such as the Cape Flats in Cape Town or Westbury in Johannesburg. In these areas gangs are deeply rooted and contribute to ongoing violence, drug trafficking and territorial conflict.
But gangs have continued to evolve and gang violence has consistently increased throughout South Africa, particularly in the Gauteng and Free State provinces. In the Free State in the east-central part of the country, devil-worshipping and witchcraft-related gang practices have been reported.
Gang-related violence is fuelled by poverty, social exclusion, unemployment and the need for protection from rival gangs.
In my doctoral study in criminology, I explored the phenomenon of occult-inspired gangs in the Free State. I interviewed 23 active gang members, 16 offenders who weren’t affiliated to gangs, and 18 service providers like social workers and correctional officials working with these groups.
In a more recent study I developed a typology of occult gangs: a framework that captures their structure, symbolism, hierarchy and spiritual practices.
This matters because in order to prevent gang-related crime it is essential to understand how they operate.
The rise of Free State occult gangs
In 1997, a South African Police Service investigation uncovered a so-called devil worshipping group or “evil church” that had migrated from parts of northern Africa and established itself in Maseru, Lesotho (South Africa’s neighbour). This group reportedly blended occult practices with traditional African witchcraft. This led local communities to label it as a devil-worshipping gang.
Since 2011, groups like this have expanded across the Free State. There are now about 40 such gangs active in the province, as reported by the police and confirmed in my research. Some of the better known gangs are the Triple 6 (666), Born-To-Kill (BTK), Natural Born Killers (NBK), International Junior Portuguese (IJP), and Maroma (Romans/Romas).
More typical street gangs are mostly known for expanding their territory through profit from the drug trade and extortion. But these Free State gangs incorporate spirituality and esoterism (special hidden knowledge) to assert dominance, foster cohesion and generate fear within communities.
They engage in serious crimes including murder, organ trafficking and rape. They are particularly known for acts such as ritual stabbings, cannibalism, and alleged communication with demonic forces.
The communities in which these groups operate, and gang members themselves, refer to them as “devil worshipping gangs”. This is because of the explicit link between certain gang-related practices and satanism, or the worship of the devil as depicted in the Christian bible.
Some groups merge beliefs and rituals related to Satan and anti-Christianity with witchcraft. Or they use symbols commonly associated with satanism such as “666” and inverted crosses. But labelling all such groups as “devil worshipping gangs” is misleading. The term “occult gangs” better captures the range of practices involved.
While both devil worshipping and witchcraft-related practices can play a role in criminal gang activity, they differ in origin and form. Devil worshipping draws from western occult traditions, using symbols and rituals to strengthen gang identity. Witchcraft-based practices typically involve the malicious use of muti (traditional African medicine) and muti murders (murders for body parts to use in muti). As one participant told me:
Yes, there are gangs that believe in muti. There are also gangs that believe in the devil. IJP and Roma believe in muti, while BTK and Triple 6 believe in getting power from the devil. They say they speak to Lucifer to give them powers.
So, infamous gangs in the Free State are not only dreaded for their brutality but also for their reported links to ritual murder, blood oaths, the use of muti and the consumption of human organs and blood. According to my research these activities have progressed from being viewed as urban legends and community myths to becoming lived realities.
Inside the gangs
My gang typology study sample consisted of 39 male offenders, aged 14 to 38. Participants were either serving sentences or awaiting trial for serious offences such as murder, rape and armed robbery.
The gang members spoke openly about seeking power through supernatural means. Some believed that consuming blood and participating in occult rituals could make them invisible to police and invincible against their enemies. As one told me:
The minute you drink blood you are invoking spirits to become part of you, demons to become part of you, and give you the powers that you need to do what you have to do…
Ritual stabbings, inverted crosses, and the “mark of the beast” (“666”) were part of their gang symbolism – seen in gang graffiti and tattoos and furthered by involvement in spiritual gatherings and the use of muti.
These elements form part of a shared gang ideology that offers meaning, identity and purpose to marginalised young people. I found that the gang members in my studies often lacked family support, social support or significant formal education.
To prevent young people from joining gangs, it is crucial to understand what pulls them in. Several participants described joining gangs not only for wealth, protection or status, but for a sense of spiritual power. Especially in communities where traditional religion, ancestral beliefs and Christian teachings coexist and sometimes collide.
My typology of occult gangs has the potential to inform targeted prevention programmes, rehabilitation efforts and policing strategies that take the spiritual realities of gang members seriously.
A new approach to fighting crime is needed
The rise of occult gangs has now progressed beyond the Free State. Similar trends are observed in the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Gauteng and Western Cape provinces.
The intersection of faith, fear and violence in these gangs challenges mainstream approaches to crime prevention. Traditional anti-gang strategies assume that gangs are driven mainly by socioeconomic factors or rational incentives. They fail to account for spiritual motivations and metaphysical beliefs.
The presence of ritual elements complicates investigations and amplifies fear. It makes gangs seem more powerful than they are.
At the same time, public institutions such as the police and social workers often lack the frameworks and cultural sensitivity to address the spiritual dimensions of the offences perpetrated by these groups.
The struggle with the occult gangs in South Africa mirrors similar challenges in other countries, like Nigeria, the DRC and Haiti, where spiritual symbolism and ritualised violence are central to gang identity.
Effective interventions must include culturally grounded strategies to help members disengage from gangs, involving traditional leaders, healers, faith-based actors and mental health professionals.
By addressing the spiritual, social, and psychological dimensions of gang involvement, more sustainable pathways out of these groups can be created.
Gang violence in South Africa is evolving, and so must the response. It shouldn’t just punish young offenders, but offer them a genuine alternative.
Ashwill Ramon Phillips does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Ashwill Ramon Phillips, Lecturer and Postgraduate Supervisor, Department of Criminology, University of the Free State
Gang-related crime in South Africa is widespread, but is under-reported outside hotspots such as the Cape Flats in Cape Town or Westbury in Johannesburg. In these areas gangs are deeply rooted and contribute to ongoing violence, drug trafficking and territorial conflict.
But gangs have continued to evolve and gang violence has consistently increased throughout South Africa, particularly in the Gauteng and Free State provinces. In the Free State in the east-central part of the country, devil-worshipping and witchcraft-related gang practices have been reported.
Gang-related violence is fuelled by poverty, social exclusion, unemployment and the need for protection from rival gangs.
In my doctoral study in criminology, I explored the phenomenon of occult-inspired gangs in the Free State. I interviewed 23 active gang members, 16 offenders who weren’t affiliated to gangs, and 18 service providers like social workers and correctional officials working with these groups.
In a more recent study I developed a typology of occult gangs: a framework that captures their structure, symbolism, hierarchy and spiritual practices.
This matters because in order to prevent gang-related crime it is essential to understand how they operate.
The rise of Free State occult gangs
In 1997, a South African Police Service investigation uncovered a so-called devil worshipping group or “evil church” that had migrated from parts of northern Africa and established itself in Maseru, Lesotho (South Africa’s neighbour). This group reportedly blended occult practices with traditional African witchcraft. This led local communities to label it as a devil-worshipping gang.
A BTK gang tattoo.Ashwill Ramon Phillips
Since 2011, groups like this have expanded across the Free State. There are now about 40 such gangs active in the province, as reported by the police and confirmed in my research. Some of the better known gangs are the Triple 6 (666), Born-To-Kill (BTK), Natural Born Killers (NBK), International Junior Portuguese (IJP), and Maroma (Romans/Romas).
More typical street gangs are mostly known for expanding their territory through profit from the drug trade and extortion. But these Free State gangs incorporate spirituality and esoterism (special hidden knowledge) to assert dominance, foster cohesion and generate fear within communities.
They engage in serious crimes including murder, organ trafficking and rape. They are particularly known for acts such as ritual stabbings, cannibalism, and alleged communication with demonic forces.
NBK gang tattoo.Ashwill Ramon Phillips
The communities in which these groups operate, and gang members themselves, refer to them as “devil worshipping gangs”. This is because of the explicit link between certain gang-related practices and satanism, or the worship of the devil as depicted in the Christian bible.
Some groups merge beliefs and rituals related to Satan and anti-Christianity with witchcraft. Or they use symbols commonly associated with satanism such as “666” and inverted crosses. But labelling all such groups as “devil worshipping gangs” is misleading. The term “occult gangs” better captures the range of practices involved.
While both devil worshipping and witchcraft-related practices can play a role in criminal gang activity, they differ in origin and form. Devil worshipping draws from western occult traditions, using symbols and rituals to strengthen gang identity. Witchcraft-based practices typically involve the malicious use of muti (traditional African medicine) and muti murders (murders for body parts to use in muti). As one participant told me:
Yes, there are gangs that believe in muti. There are also gangs that believe in the devil. IJP and Roma believe in muti, while BTK and Triple 6 believe in getting power from the devil. They say they speak to Lucifer to give them powers.
So, infamous gangs in the Free State are not only dreaded for their brutality but also for their reported links to ritual murder, blood oaths, the use of muti and the consumption of human organs and blood. According to my research these activities have progressed from being viewed as urban legends and community myths to becoming lived realities.
Inside the gangs
My gang typology study sample consisted of 39 male offenders, aged 14 to 38. Participants were either serving sentences or awaiting trial for serious offences such as murder, rape and armed robbery.
The gang members spoke openly about seeking power through supernatural means. Some believed that consuming blood and participating in occult rituals could make them invisible to police and invincible against their enemies. As one told me:
The minute you drink blood you are invoking spirits to become part of you, demons to become part of you, and give you the powers that you need to do what you have to do…
A drawing by a Triple 6 gang member.Ashwill Ramon Phillips
Ritual stabbings, inverted crosses, and the “mark of the beast” (“666”) were part of their gang symbolism – seen in gang graffiti and tattoos and furthered by involvement in spiritual gatherings and the use of muti.
These elements form part of a shared gang ideology that offers meaning, identity and purpose to marginalised young people. I found that the gang members in my studies often lacked family support, social support or significant formal education.
To prevent young people from joining gangs, it is crucial to understand what pulls them in. Several participants described joining gangs not only for wealth, protection or status, but for a sense of spiritual power. Especially in communities where traditional religion, ancestral beliefs and Christian teachings coexist and sometimes collide.
My typology of occult gangs has the potential to inform targeted prevention programmes, rehabilitation efforts and policing strategies that take the spiritual realities of gang members seriously.
A new approach to fighting crime is needed
The rise of occult gangs has now progressed beyond the Free State. Similar trends are observed in the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Gauteng and Western Cape provinces.
The intersection of faith, fear and violence in these gangs challenges mainstream approaches to crime prevention. Traditional anti-gang strategies assume that gangs are driven mainly by socioeconomic factors or rational incentives. They fail to account for spiritual motivations and metaphysical beliefs.
The presence of ritual elements complicates investigations and amplifies fear. It makes gangs seem more powerful than they are.
At the same time, public institutions such as the police and social workers often lack the frameworks and cultural sensitivity to address the spiritual dimensions of the offences perpetrated by these groups.
A drawing by a BTK gang member.Ashwill Ramon Phillips
The struggle with the occult gangs in South Africa mirrors similar challenges in other countries, like Nigeria, the DRC and Haiti, where spiritual symbolism and ritualised violence are central to gang identity.
Effective interventions must include culturally grounded strategies to help members disengage from gangs, involving traditional leaders, healers, faith-based actors and mental health professionals.
By addressing the spiritual, social, and psychological dimensions of gang involvement, more sustainable pathways out of these groups can be created.
Gang violence in South Africa is evolving, and so must the response. It shouldn’t just punish young offenders, but offer them a genuine alternative.
– Devil worship, muti and murder: what’s behind the growth of occult gangs in South Africa? – https://theconversation.com/devil-worship-muti-and-murder-whats-behind-the-growth-of-occult-gangs-in-south-africa-260141
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
July 09, 2025
Bedford’s refusal to commit to protecting 1,500-hour pilot training standards that help keep the flying public safe raises serious, and unanswered, questions
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation—voted against Bryan Bedford’s nomination to serve as FAA Administrator. Senate Republicans confirmed Bedford by a vote of 53-43.
“At this critical moment for aviation safety, it is deeply disturbing that Senate Republicans just confirmed someone who refused to commit to upholding the 1,500-hour pilot training requirement. With a surge in near-misses, an air traffic controller shortage, aging air traffic control equipment and facilities—and in the wake of the first major deadly commercial crash in more than a decade, now is clearly not the time to weaken flight hour requirements for our nation’s aspiring airline pilots.
“Incident after incident, it has been pilots who have made last second decisions to avert disaster. Well-trained pilots are our last line of defense, and I could not vote for a nominee who as a corporate executive prioritized—and gained notoriety for—his failed effort to convince the FAA to exempt him from the 1,500-hour rule and let him hire less experienced pilots.
“Americans do not want less-trained, less-prepared pilots in the cockpit flying their planes. As he assumes this important role, Mr. Bedford must abandon any plan to weaken our gold standard in pilot training and put the safety of the flying public first.”
In light of Bedford’s previous comments and actions against the 1,500-hour rule, Duckworth underscored at his nomination hearing that he would unilaterally attempt to weaken this standard and produce less-prepared pilots despite the serious challenges our nation is facing with regard to aviation safety. When Duckworth asked Mr. Bedford for his commitment to not reduce the 1,500-hour rule if confirmed, Mr. Bedford refused to commit.
In 2022, while Bedford was CEO of Republic Airways, the airline asked the FAA for an exemption to the 1,500-hour requirement for graduates from the airline’s training academy. The airline argued its graduates needed only 750 hours of flight time to become first officers, but FAA rejected the application, finding it did not provide an equivalent level of safety.
The families of the Colgan Air Flight 3407 crash also announced their opposition to Bedford’s nomination.
For years before the deadly DCA crash, Duckworth has been sounding the alarm that we must make critical aviation safety investments to prevent all-too-often near-misses from becoming catastrophic tragedies. Last Congress, Duckworth chaired two CST Aviation Subcommittee hearings—one last December and the other a year prior—to address our aviation industry’s chilling surge in near-deadly close calls and underscore the urgent need to improve air traffic control systems to protect the flying public.
Duckworth helped author the landmark bipartisan FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 that was signed into law last year and included several of her provisions to safeguard the 1,500-hour rule, improve safety, expand the aviation workforce and enhance protections for travelers with disabilities.
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
July 10, 2025
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of both the U.S. Senate Committees on Armed Services (SASC) and Veterans’ Affairs (SVAC)—along with U.S. Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) and U.S. Representative Terri Sewell (D-AL-07) reintroduced legislation that would improve access to prenatal care for military families. Specifically, the Improving Access to Prenatal Care for Military Families Act would create a Department of Defense (DoD) pilot program to designate pregnancy as a Qualifying Life Event under the TRICARE program, empowering servicemembers and their spouses to choose a health care plan that meets their needs during pregnancy.
“After all the sacrifices they make for our nation each and every day, our military families should never have to face arbitrary, needless barriers to access prenatal care,” said Senator Duckworth. “Our commonsense legislation would help make it easier for our brave servicemembers and military spouses to access the high-quality care they need and deserve as they build their families. It’s the right thing to do, and I urge my Republican colleagues to help us get it done.”
“Military moms deserve peace of mind that they’ll have the right healthcare for them when they need it most,” said Senator Kim. “This bill breaks down barriers to high-quality maternal care and eases an all-too common and unfair burden on our servicemembers and their growing families.”
“Our military families make extraordinary sacrifices for our nation,” said Congresswoman Sewell. “The last thing they should have to worry about is accessing basic maternal health care services during a pregnancy. This legislation would empower expectant military families to choose the health care plan that best meets their needs. It is about ensuring that moms and babies can get the care they need whenever and wherever they need it. I am proud to partner with Senators Duckworth and Kim again in the 119th Congress as we work to get this bill passed and signed into law.”
Currently, TRICARE beneficiaries may opt to change their TRICARE plan during the annual Open Season or if they experience a Qualifying Life Event (QLE). QLEs include marriage, divorce, a job change, a move and the birth or adoption of a child, but not pregnancy. The Improving Access to Prenatal Care for Military Families Act would provide greater flexibility to expectant military families by establishing a five-year DoD pilot program to designate pregnancy as a QLE. Such a designation would allow beneficiaries to switch from TRICARE’s Prime and Select plans if doing so would provide that individual with better coverage for prenatal care.
Along with Duckworth and Kim, the legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jackie Rosen (D-NV), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI).
The Improving Access to Prenatal Care for Military Families Act is endorsed by the National Military Family Association and Military Officers Association of America.
“Expectant moms and their babies need quality care, but many military-connected mothers struggle to access that care,” said Besa Pinchotti, CEO of the National Military Family Association. “The Improving Access to Prenatal Care for Military Families Act will make pregnancy a qualifying life event, ensuring that pregnant moms and their babies get access to what they need. We’re grateful to Senators Duckworth and Kim as well as Representative Sewell for championing this critical issue for military families.”
“Health care access is a key quality of life issue impacting military family readiness, particularly when expecting a baby,” said Lt. Gen. Brian Kelly USAF (Ret.), President & CEO of the Military Officers Association of America. “With capacity constraints in both the military and civilian health systems, it is more important than ever to address barriers to accessing vital prenatal care essential to positive outcomes. The Improving Access to Prenatal Care for Military Families Act would provide the flexibility to switch TRICARE plans during pregnancy so beneficiaries can seek prenatal care that meets their needs. We appreciate the continued leadership of Sen. Tammy Duckworth and Sen. Andy Kim and Rep. Terri Sewell on improving access to care within the military health system and their support of military families.”
A copy of the bill text is available on Senator Duckworth’s website.
Duckworth has long been a leader in pushing for better benefits and support for members of the Armed Services and their family members. Last month, Duckworth introduced legislation that would modernize the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) in order to help ensure that military caregiver benefits are available to more people who selflessly care for their servicemember or Veteran family member in medical need. Last month, she renewed her push to ensure IVF treatment costs are covered on servicemembers’ and military families’ health care plans. Last December, Duckworth helped pass the bipartisan Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that gave servicemembers a pay raise and included a Duckworth-led provision to improve access to high-quality medical care for servicemembers and their families in the Indo-Pacific region, among other wins for military families.
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
July 09, 2025
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) grilled Donald Trump’s nominee to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Singapore, Dr. Anjani Sinha, at his confirmation hearing today, exposing how deeply unqualified he is for this critically important role. During the Senator’s line of questioning, Dr. Sinha failed to answer several basic, important questions, proving he doesn’t know the first thing about maintaining not only the U.S.-Singapore partnership, but any of our relationships with ASEAN nations. Duckworth’s remarks can be found on the Senator’s YouTube.
“Dr. Sinha is deeply unprepared to effectively lead our nation’s mission in Singapore,” said Duckworth. “This is not a role you can pick up on a whim or because you might think it will be glamorous. Singapore is too important to the United States, ASEAN and the entire Indo-Pacific region for someone as unqualified as Dr. Sinha. His lack of understanding and preparedness for this job could cause friction in our critical relationships and is disqualifying for such an important role. He will not have my vote.”
In May, Duckworth led a bipartisan Congressional Delegation to Singapore alongside U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) to this year’s International Institute for Strategic Studies’ Shangri-La Dialogue, which is Asia’s premier global international security and defense summit, to reaffirm the United States’ strong bipartisan commitment to our partners and allies in the Indo-Pacific region. This trip came after Duckworth led a bipartisan delegation to the Shangri-La Dialogue alongside U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) last year.
Duckworth is a proven leader when it comes to strengthening our relations with Indo-Pacific nations and improving security in the region—which she has done while successfully securing significant international investments in Illinois. In the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that wassigned into law, Duckworth successfully secured a modified version of her Access to Care for Overseas Military Act to improve medical readiness in the Indo-Pacific. This provision established a program to accredit foreign medical facilities to help ensure our nation’s servicemembers as well as their families have access to quality patient care throughout the Indo-Pacific region—where they often must travel long distances to receive care—both during peacetime and in the event of a conflict abroad.
Peterborough, Ontario, July 10, 2025 —Peterborough’s public transit capacity is growing with the construction of a new 10,500-square metre transit garage and maintenance facility, following a combined investment of almost $42.9 million from the federal and provincial governments.
Announced today by MP Emma Harrison, MPP Dave Smith, and Mayor Jeff Leal, the garage and maintenance facility will house up to 110 buses, offer a range of transit maintenance services, and have amenities and offices for transit employees. Once completed, the facility will support Peterborough Transit into the future, and help ensure the community has access to an efficient and affordable transit service that supports economic growth and connects residents to jobs and housing.
This investment helps build a stronger Canadian economy. Expanding public transit infrastructure to meet growing demand supports the development of more affordable, sustainable, and inclusive communities.
mid the economic turmoil created by President Trump’s chaotic tariffs, Governor Kathy Hochul today announced a new tariff resource guide to keep New Yorkers up-to-date on programs available for business owners who have been impacted by tariffs. Additionally, the Governor announced a survey to allow business owners the opportunity to share how their businesses have been impacted by the federal government’s recently announced tariffs.
“New Yorkers and business owners all across the state have felt a sense of uncertainty when it comes to the impacts of President Trump’s callous tariffs on our imported goods,” Governor Hochul said. “No business should have to close shop due to these unfair and unwanted taxes that were imposed on states by the Trump administration. This resource guide will help provide individuals with the guidance they need to lower potential risk to their businesses and give New Yorkers a better understanding of how tariffs can impact them.”
Tariffs Impacts on the Economy and Tourism Governor Hochul has heard from small and mid-sized businesses across the state who are worried about rising costs and their future. A recent survey from the National Small Business Association found that the majority of small businesses are concerned about tariffs and one in three are very concerned. Examples include North Country manufacturer Alcoa, which took an estimated $20 million hit on imports from Canada, and North Country Golf Club which is facing declines in businesses due to the decline in tourism from Canada.
Due to the tariff trade war with Canada, New York’s number one trade partner, and the rhetoric that Canada could be the “51st state,” impacts are widespread. Visitors from Canada are avoiding the U.S. and New York State. Overall, cross-border traffic from Canada has plummeted since Trump implemented his tariff policies. The most recent data shows that there were 400,000 fewer Canadian visitors in May compared to the same period in 2024. Bridge crossings over the Ogdensburg Bridge and the Champlain crossing in May were down 30 percent during that same time period from last year. In a recent North Country Chamber of Commerce survey, 66 percent of tourism businesses report a drop in Canadian customers and one in four businesses in the region may cut staff as a result. Reservations are down at hotels, campgrounds, local marinas, golf courses and other businesses that rely on visitors from Canada.
mid the economic turmoil created by President Trump’s chaotic tariffs, Governor Kathy Hochul today announced a new tariff resource guide to keep New Yorkers up-to-date on programs available for business owners who have been impacted by tariffs. Additionally, the Governor announced a survey to allow business owners the opportunity to share how their businesses have been impacted by the federal government’s recently announced tariffs.
“New Yorkers and business owners all across the state have felt a sense of uncertainty when it comes to the impacts of President Trump’s callous tariffs on our imported goods,” Governor Hochul said. “No business should have to close shop due to these unfair and unwanted taxes that were imposed on states by the Trump administration. This resource guide will help provide individuals with the guidance they need to lower potential risk to their businesses and give New Yorkers a better understanding of how tariffs can impact them.”
Tariffs Impacts on the Economy and Tourism Governor Hochul has heard from small and mid-sized businesses across the state who are worried about rising costs and their future. A recent survey from the National Small Business Association found that the majority of small businesses are concerned about tariffs and one in three are very concerned. Examples include North Country manufacturer Alcoa, which took an estimated $20 million hit on imports from Canada, and North Country Golf Club which is facing declines in businesses due to the decline in tourism from Canada.
Due to the tariff trade war with Canada, New York’s number one trade partner, and the rhetoric that Canada could be the “51st state,” impacts are widespread. Visitors from Canada are avoiding the U.S. and New York State. Overall, cross-border traffic from Canada has plummeted since Trump implemented his tariff policies. The most recent data shows that there were 400,000 fewer Canadian visitors in May compared to the same period in 2024. Bridge crossings over the Ogdensburg Bridge and the Champlain crossing in May were down 30 percent during that same time period from last year. In a recent North Country Chamber of Commerce survey, 66 percent of tourism businesses report a drop in Canadian customers and one in four businesses in the region may cut staff as a result. Reservations are down at hotels, campgrounds, local marinas, golf courses and other businesses that rely on visitors from Canada.
For some UConn alumni with bachelor’s degrees in journalism, their experiences served as a launching pad to a different, but related, career path: law.
“I became a lawyer to help people — to give people advice,” says Sara Bigman ’17 (CLAS), a current litigation associate at Cohen and Wolf P.C. in Bridgeport, Connecticut. “As a journalist going into law, learning to digest information, working under pressure, and learning new topics definitely helped.”
The study and practice of journalism at UConn exposes students to civics, local government, and the justice system. Through those lessons, some journalism majors find themselves drawn to legal work.
Every semester, the Department of Journalism offers JOUR 3020: Media Law, one of the few undergraduate courses focused specifically on the law.
Students learn foundational concepts, such as the rule of law and the free speech protections of the First Amendment. They study laws regulating digital media, such as recording audio and taking photos, and exercise their rights as members of the public to access government records through Freedom of Information Act requests. They also gain exposure to tort law, including libel and privacy, and take part in a mock trial.
“In my junior year, I took Media Law with associate professor Amanda Crawford, which was my first exposure to any sort of legal education,” says Wyatt Cote ’23 (CLAS), now a third year UConn law student. “At the time, I wasn’t sure exactly why, but that class was the one that I found myself most excited by…I found myself wondering how I could capitalize on that feeling. That is when the prospect of going to law school first occurred to me.”
Crawford says that a key aspect of the course is its focus on modern challenges, such as those posed by widespread social media use and an executive branch that is openly hostile to protestors and journalists.
“I really don’t think there has been any time in my life that the issues we teach in Media Law have been more relevant to college students,” says Crawford.
Cote says in his senior year, he took professor Michael Stanton’s Investigative Reporting class, which worked on a project about Connecticut’s housing and eviction crises. The course required students to attend eviction court in New London.
“There, we were firsthand witnesses to the inequality that pervades the Connecticut housing market,” says Cote. “There, I realized that I wanted to be a housing lawyer.”
Both Cote and Bigman agree that UConn’s rigorous nationally accredited curriculum played a vital role in equipping them with career competencies for effective legal practice.
“What is less obvious is how wonderful journalism is for the students who are like me, who can’t say that they know what they want out of their careers,” explains Cote. “A journalist’s training prepares them well for legal work. The ability to connect to a stranger and tell their story in a compelling, persuasive way is an invaluable skill to lawyering,”
Cote also recommended the Department of Journalism’s news writing courses, quoting a book by Supreme Court Justices Scalia and Garner, which says lawyers “possess only one tool to convey their thoughts: language. They must acquire and hone the finest, most effective version of that tool available. They must love words and use them exactly. Cultivating an appealing prose style and broad vocabulary is a ‘lifelong project, and you may as well begin [it] at once’.”
“Students who go on to join a journal in law school will assuredly encounter pages upon pages of dull, uninspired academic writing,” Cote noted. “Taking writing classes as an undergraduate will give them a leg up on their peers and help make the pieces published by their journals actually readable.”
Transitioning to law can be a natural progression for J-majors seeking a different avenue for public service.
“I knew I wanted to do something that helped people,” says Sydney Mazur ’19 (CLAS), an attorney-at-law at Litchfield Cavo in Simsbury, Connecticut. “It definitely helps not being afraid to ask questions and to have that kind of passion or fuel within you to want to know … getting into the nitty-gritty of what’s going on, and you have to be fast enough in your mind to think of a follow-up question. So, I think journalism at UConn prepared me.”
For some UConn alumni with bachelor’s degrees in journalism, their experiences served as a launching pad to a different, but related, career path: law.
“I became a lawyer to help people — to give people advice,” says Sara Bigman ’17 (CLAS), a current litigation associate at Cohen and Wolf P.C. in Bridgeport, Connecticut. “As a journalist going into law, learning to digest information, working under pressure, and learning new topics definitely helped.”
The study and practice of journalism at UConn exposes students to civics, local government, and the justice system. Through those lessons, some journalism majors find themselves drawn to legal work.
Every semester, the Department of Journalism offers JOUR 3020: Media Law, one of the few undergraduate courses focused specifically on the law.
Students learn foundational concepts, such as the rule of law and the free speech protections of the First Amendment. They study laws regulating digital media, such as recording audio and taking photos, and exercise their rights as members of the public to access government records through Freedom of Information Act requests. They also gain exposure to tort law, including libel and privacy, and take part in a mock trial.
“In my junior year, I took Media Law with associate professor Amanda Crawford, which was my first exposure to any sort of legal education,” says Wyatt Cote ’23 (CLAS), now a third year UConn law student. “At the time, I wasn’t sure exactly why, but that class was the one that I found myself most excited by…I found myself wondering how I could capitalize on that feeling. That is when the prospect of going to law school first occurred to me.”
Crawford says that a key aspect of the course is its focus on modern challenges, such as those posed by widespread social media use and an executive branch that is openly hostile to protestors and journalists.
“I really don’t think there has been any time in my life that the issues we teach in Media Law have been more relevant to college students,” says Crawford.
Cote says in his senior year, he took professor Michael Stanton’s Investigative Reporting class, which worked on a project about Connecticut’s housing and eviction crises. The course required students to attend eviction court in New London.
“There, we were firsthand witnesses to the inequality that pervades the Connecticut housing market,” says Cote. “There, I realized that I wanted to be a housing lawyer.”
Both Cote and Bigman agree that UConn’s rigorous nationally accredited curriculum played a vital role in equipping them with career competencies for effective legal practice.
“What is less obvious is how wonderful journalism is for the students who are like me, who can’t say that they know what they want out of their careers,” explains Cote. “A journalist’s training prepares them well for legal work. The ability to connect to a stranger and tell their story in a compelling, persuasive way is an invaluable skill to lawyering,”
Cote also recommended the Department of Journalism’s news writing courses, quoting a book by Supreme Court Justices Scalia and Garner, which says lawyers “possess only one tool to convey their thoughts: language. They must acquire and hone the finest, most effective version of that tool available. They must love words and use them exactly. Cultivating an appealing prose style and broad vocabulary is a ‘lifelong project, and you may as well begin [it] at once’.”
“Students who go on to join a journal in law school will assuredly encounter pages upon pages of dull, uninspired academic writing,” Cote noted. “Taking writing classes as an undergraduate will give them a leg up on their peers and help make the pieces published by their journals actually readable.”
Transitioning to law can be a natural progression for J-majors seeking a different avenue for public service.
“I knew I wanted to do something that helped people,” says Sydney Mazur ’19 (CLAS), an attorney-at-law at Litchfield Cavo in Simsbury, Connecticut. “It definitely helps not being afraid to ask questions and to have that kind of passion or fuel within you to want to know … getting into the nitty-gritty of what’s going on, and you have to be fast enough in your mind to think of a follow-up question. So, I think journalism at UConn prepared me.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Rutherford (4th District of Florida)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Thursday, U.S. Congressmen John H. Rutherford (FL-05), Buddy Carter (GA-01), Russel Fry (SC-07), and David Rouzer (NC-12) launched the House South Atlantic Red Snapper Task Force the day before the South Atlantic red snapper recreational fishing season begins.
Reps. Rutherford, Carter, Fry, and Rouzer will serve as co-chairs of the task force dedicated to improving management of the South Atlantic red snapper stock. The task force will seek to support enhanced data collection efforts to ensure longer, more predictable fishing seasons.
“Every local angler I talk to says there are more red snapper in the South Atlantic than they’ve ever seen before,” said Rutherford. “Yet, in the South Atlantic, thanks to regulations put in place by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) under the Biden Administration, we are only getting a measly two-day recreational fishing season this summer. In the Gulf of America, thanks to state management, Florida announced a record 126 day season. It’s time to hand over the South Atlantic fishery management to Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. That’s why I am proud to co-chair the House South Atlantic Red Snapper Task Force to help support enhanced data collection, advance state-led management of South Atlantic fisheries, and improve access for Northeast Florida anglers.”
“As someone who has lived and fished in Georgia my whole life, I’ve seen firsthand how our recreational fishing industry has struggled under one-size-fits-all federal regulations,” said Carter. “Georgia’s fishermen on the water know that we have thriving red snapper populations, and we do not need Washington bureaucrats telling us how to manage them.”
“I’m thrilled to join the South Atlantic Red Snapper Task Force and help lead the charge for smarter, state-led management of this vital fishery,” said Fry. “The Red Snapper industry is crucial to coastal economies like those in my district and supports the livelihoods of countless fishing communities. This task force will focus on enhancing data collection, expanding state authority, and ensuring more predictable and longer seasons that benefit anglers and local businesses alike. It’s time we bring common sense and local expertise back to the forefront of fisheries management.”
“Across North Carolina’s coastal communities, sportfishing is an integral part of our economy, heritage, and way of life,” said Rouzer. “The Red Snapper Task Force will help protect this industry through finding solutions towards predictable fishing seasons and management which supports both sustainable fisheries and the hardworking fishermen who depend on them.”
Headline: CNBC Names North Carolina the #1 State for Business
CNBC Names North Carolina the #1 State for Business lsaito
Raleigh, NC
North Carolina has been recognized as the Top State for Business by CNBC. This announcement marks the third time in the last four years that the state has earned the ranking.
“This confirms what we have known for a long time – that North Carolina is the best state in the country for business,” said Governor Josh Stein. “Our people, state’s business climate, top research universities and excellent community college system, infrastructure, and high quality of life help both companies and workers thrive. I want to thank leaders like former Governor Roy Cooper and state legislators of both parties who have helped North Carolina create a welcoming climate. I am proud of the progress our state has made, and we are just getting started.”
“This recognition reflects our relentless commitment to building a competitive, welcoming, and dynamic economy that creates opportunity for everyone,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “From our world-class workforce to our strategic investments in infrastructure, education, and innovation, North Carolina continues to lead the way as a place where businesses thrive, and communities prosper. We share this success with all of our partners across the public and private sectors and look forward to building on this momentum.”
“North Carolina’s recognition as the best state for business for the third year in the last four is a testament to an economic development strategy that relies on the power of partnerships,” said Christopher Chung, CEO of the EDPNC. “Our strength lies in our ability to connect companies with the workforce, infrastructure, sites, industry ecosystems, and innovation resources needed to support their growth, as well as a business-friendly environment that’s especially valuable in times of economic uncertainty. From one of the nation’s top community college systems and the nation’s oldest public university to our modern transportation networks and robust utility capacity, North Carolina is built for growth.”
The CNBC study measures states across 10 categories of competitiveness. Weights are assigned to each category based on how frequently states cite it as a selling point. States can earn a maximum of 2,500 points, and North Carolina scored 1,614 to take the top spot. North Carolina has been the top state for business for three out of the last four years, and the state’s biggest strengths this year are Economy, Workforce, and Business Friendliness.
Since taking office in January, Governor Stein has announced business expansions or new projects that will yield nearly $17 billion of new capital investment in North Carolina and create more than 20,000 new, good-paying jobs. North Carolina is a leader in the clean energy economy, with more than 100,000 people employed in the sector.
Governor Stein believes that North Carolinians should not have to get a traditional four-year degree to get a good job that can support a family. In March, he signed an executive order creating the Council on Workforce and Apprenticeships, a bipartisan group directed to find strategies to strengthen North Carolina’s workforce development and expand access to good jobs with good wages. The council recently released its first report, which outlines 11 goals to ensure more people have the skills to build strong careers and bright futures in a changing economy. Governor Stein recently signed into law Senate Bill 124, which reduces the number of state government jobs that require a four-year college degree.
To combat North Carolina’s child care crisis, the Governor launched his Task Force on Child Care and Early Education, which seeks to make high-quality child care more accessible, affordable, and sustainable. Governor Stein also established the Advisory Council on Student Safety and Well-Being to ensure that the state’s public schools support students’ learning growth and foster an engaging environment.
Nine months after Hurricane Helene, Governor Stein remains committed to the economic recovery efforts in western North Carolina. He recently announced the “Rediscover the Unforgettable” tourism initiative in collaboration with Visit NC to encourage travelers to plan their next trips to western North Carolina. In partnership with the Dogwood Health Trust and the Duke Endowment, Governor Stein and the State of North Carolina invested in the Western North Carolina Small Business Initiative. The $55 million program provided grants to more than 2,000 businesses across the region. This week, Governor Stein visited the Town of Clyde to award one of the first grants from the Small Business Infrastructure Grant Program, which is helping local governments rebuild public infrastructure such as sidewalks and downtown parking. Governor Stein continues to urge people to visit western North Carolina and support its small businesses.
