Detectives investigating the murder of a man in Ilford have made a fourth arrest.
Police were called at 01.06hrs on Friday, 4 October to reports of a stabbing in Chapel Road, Ilford.
Officers and the London Ambulance Service attended and found a 50-year-old man, identified as Billy Keegan, suffering from a stab injury in the corridor of a block of flats.
Despite the best efforts of the emergency services, Billy was pronounced dead at 01:30hrs.
His next-of-kin have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers.
The investigation is being led by detectives from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command.
Officers carried out fast-paced enquiries and three men, aged 40, 36 and 28, were arrested shortly after on suspicion of murder. They were taken to an east London police station where they remain in custody.
A fourth man, aged 30, was arrested on Saturday, 5 October on suspicion of murder. He has been taken into custody.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the police on 101 quoting CAD 298/04OCT. Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.
Detectives are appealing for the public’s help to identify a number of people in relation to potential protest offences.
Officers made 17 arrests at yesterday’s demonstration in central London.
A number of further potential offences have come to light on social media and we’re now releasing images and appealing for the public’s help to identify those involved.
The crowds at Saturday’s event were significant in size and density. In those circumstances, what is easy to spot when walking among the crowd with a mobile phone is not always easy for officers to see from their positions along the route.
While we will always investigate event after an event, we would urge those who see these incidents and take photos of them to also alert officers – if they are nearby – so we can intervene immediately.
Anyone who can identify those pictured is asked to call 101, message @MetCC on X or call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
They should give the reference 3919/06OCT and the specific reference on the image.
For that reason, media are requested to publish the image without cropping the reference.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chuck Edwards (NC-11)
Dear Friend,
Happy Sunday. If you’ll give me a point of privilege, I’d like to skip the business talk today and share a bit of positivity. Regardless of your beliefs, Sundays are an opportunity to reflect and be grateful for the blessings in our lives.
Today, I’m grateful that I get to represent such strong, resilient, salt-of-the-earth people who continue to show up for each other. I’m grateful for the thousands of people from across the country who have come to serve and help our mountains, and I’m grateful for the local leaders who are working day and night to help us recover and achieve a new normal.
I’m curious, what are you grateful for today?
Today’s update includes the longest list of food and water distribution sites yet. It also includes more information on county trash pickup/debris removal, plans to rebuild and reopen I-40 into Tennessee, and where to find free internet.
Today is update number nine, with more information to follow in the coming days. Please make sure to read everything and share it with your friends and family.
Supplying drinkable water remains a top priority for emergency crews.
93 water systems are on a boil advisory.
37 treatment plants have reported having no power and 41 systems are out of water.
Water restoration trends continue to move in a positive direction.
Today, October 6, 12 combined teams from the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be conducting infrastructure assessments on public water supplies in the following counties:
Buncombe
Henderson
McDowell
Polk
Rutherford
Yancey
The results of these assessments are expected on October 7 and will provide insight into the necessary steps to restore water services in each county.
The state of North Carolina is continuing to provide a minimum of 40 trailer loads of water and 20 trailer loads of food daily through at least October 6, per their promise to the people of Western North Carolina.
I’m in conversation with NC Emergency Management to negotiate a new commitment for the people of Western North Carolina since the state’s initial promise of 40 trailers of water and 20 trailers of food expires today.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has promised 120 truckloads a day of food and water with no specified end date.
To date, FEMA has shipped 13 million meals and 13 million liters of water utilizing the $20 billion in funds that I helped to draft and pass for disaster relief just two days before Hurricane Helene hit.
Walmart is hosting activities at the following locations:
Serving hot meals at 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. daily
Arden, NC Store 1179
60 Airport Rd., Arden, NC 28704
Portable restrooms
Laundry
Showers
Wi-fi hotspot and charging stations
Resource pick-up locations are listed below by county. As I learn more, I will keep you posted:
Buncombe County
Buncombe County has begun water distribution at multiple sites. Each will be available daily from 1:00 -7:00 p.m.:
Pack Square Park – you MUST bring your own container for this site
80 Court Plz., Asheville, NC 28801
William W. Estes Elementary School
275 Overlook Rd., Asheville, NC 28803
Sand Hill-Venable Elementary
154 Sand Hill School Rd., Asheville, NC 28806
North Windy Ridge Intermediate School
20 Doan Rd., Weaverville, NC 28787
Fairview Elementary
1355 Charlotte Hwy., Fairview, NC 28730
The following major feeding site is available in Buncombe County, where citizens can access food, water and other basic necessities:
Biltmore Baptist Church
35 Clayton Rd., Arden, NC 28704
Distribution and bulk pickup for volunteers looking to take bulk loads of supplies to in-need community members
Saturday hours: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Community drive-thru for anyone in the community needing supplies
Saturday hours: 3:00-6:00 p.m.
First Baptist Church – Weaverville
63 N. Main St., Weaverville, NC 28787
Hot showers available from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Unlimited clean drinking water is available, bring your own container.
Supplies and bottled water.
Hot lunch served at 1:30 p.m.
Food and drinking water are available from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily at the following locations:
Asheville Middle School
211 S. French Broad Ave., Asheville, NC 28801
Ingles
550 NC-9, Black Mountain, NC 28711
This location also has handwashing stations and portable restrooms
Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center
121 Shiloh Rd., Asheville, NC 28803
Lucy Herring Elementary
98 Sulphur Springs Rd., Asheville, NC 28806
Oakley Elementary School
753 Fairvew Rd., Asheville, NC 28803
Haywood County
The following locations are providing community members with essential resources such as but not limited to, food, water, cleaning products, baby formula, and pet food, Monday through Fridays:
Pigeon Community Center
450 Pigeon St., Waynesville, NC 28786
Also offering hot meals every day at 2:00 p.m.
Daily Hours: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Cruso Community Center
13186 Cruso Rd., Canton, NC 28716
Daily Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
First United Methodist Church
566 S. Haywood St., Waynesville, NC 28786
Includes shower access.
Daily Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Maggie Valley Pavilion
3935 Soco Rd., Maggie Valley, NC 28751
Daily Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Woodland Baptist Church
545 Crabtree Rd., Waynesville, NC 28786
Daily Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Bethel Elementary School
4700 Old River Rd., Canton, NC 28716
Daily Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Jonathan Valley Elementary School
410 Hall Dr., Waynesville, NC 28786
Daily Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Monday through Friday
The following location offers hot meals daily:
Maggie Valley Fire Department
2901 Soco Rd., Maggie Valley, NC 28751
The following location offers showers daily from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.:
Calvary Baptist Church
2701 Soco Rd., Maggie Valley, NC 28751
Henderson County
Henderson County has stood up Resource Hub locations for water distribution and other supplies as they become available.
Distribution will be taking place daily from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 6 at the following locations:
Etowah Elementary: 320 Etowah School Rd., Etowah, NC 28729
East Henderson High School: 150 Eagle Pride Dr., East Flat Rock, NC 28726
North Henderson High School: 35 Fruitland Rd., Hendersonville, NC 28792
Mills River Town Hall: 124 Town Center Dr., Mills River, NC 28759
Fletcher Town Hall: 300 Old Cane Creek Rd., Fletcher, NC 28732
Each family unit will be provided supplies for one day’s meal and water as available.
Individuals are asked to enter the drive-through and remain in your car unless otherwise instructed by volunteers to ensure an efficient process.
Jackson County
In partnership with the Red Cross, the following is available for citizens of Jackson County:
The Boys & Girls Club of the Plateau are providing shelf-stable meals at the following location:
558 Frank Allen Rd., Cashiers, NC 28717
Hours of operation to come.
The Canada Fire Department is distributing emergency supplies at the following location:
149 Charleys Creek Rd., Tuckasegee, NC 28783
Hours of operation to come.
Madison County
The following locations are offering food, water, and some supply distribution in Madison County:
Beech Glen Community Center
2936 Beech Glen Rd., Mars Hill, 28754
Daily hours: Unable to locate daily hours at this time.
Center Community Center
1300 Grapevine Rd., Marshall, NC 28753
Daily hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Ebbs Chapel Community Center
281 Laurel Valley Rd., Mars Hill, NC 28754
Daily hours: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Enon Baptist Church
174 Ammons Branch Rd., Marshall, NC 28753
Open Sunday 12:00-4:00 p.m.
Freedom Christian Church
7350 US 25/70 Bypass, Marshall, NC 28753
Daily hours: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
This location offers additional resources such as hygiene products, blankets, clothes, cleaning supplies, diapers, pet food, etc.
Laurel Community Center – also has supplies
4100 NC 212 Hwy., Marshall, NC 28753
Daily Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Revere-Rice Community Center
3980 Revere Rd., Marshall, NC 28753
Daily hours: 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (Mon-Sat)
Spring Creek Community Center
13075 NC 209 Hwy., Hot Springs, NC 28743
Daily hours: 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
This location also has additional resources such as pet food, livestock feed and hay.
Walnut Community Center – also has supplies
46 School Rd., Marshall, NC 28753
Daily hours: Unable to locate daily hours at this time.
N.C. Cooperative Extension – Madison County Center
258 Carolina Ln., Marshall, NC 28753
Daily hours: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
This location is offering drive-thru food distribution only.
McDowell County
McDowell County has established multiple points of distribution that are open daily from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 4:00-6:00 p.m., depending on supply levels.
Distribution takes place daily at the following locations:
Former TJ’s Discounts – North Cove
8153 US 221 N., Marion, NC 28752
Old Fort Town Hall
38 Catawba Ave., Old Fort, NC 28762
New Manna Baptist Church
225 E. Court St., Marion, NC 28752
Solid Rock Free Will Baptist Church – Dysartsville
7860 NC 226 S., Nebo, NC 28761
Zion Hill Baptist Church
1036 Zion Hill Rd., Marion, NC 28752
Hot meals are also being provided at the following location:
Grace Community Church
5182 US 70 W., Marion, NC 28752
Lunch is served every day from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Dinner is available from 4:00-5:30 p.m.
First Baptist Church of Marion is offering hot showers, air conditioning, and areas to charge devices.
Current hours: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 2:00-5:00 p.m., Monday-Saturday.
Polk County
The following locations are offering food and water distribution for residents in need from 1:00-5:00 p.m.:
Mill Spring/Green Creek Community
25 International Blvd., Mill Spring, NC 28756
Columbus Community
95 Walker St., Columbus, NC 28722
Saluda Community Bus Parking Lot
214 E. Main St., Saluda, NC 28773
Tryon Community
301 N. Trade St., Tryon, NC 28782
Sunny View
86 Sunny View School Rd., Mill Spring, NC 28756
Rutherford County
The following locations are open from 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. for citizens to get food and emergency supplies:
Thomas Jefferson High School
2527 US-221A Hwy., Mooresboro, NC 28114
Florence Baptist Church
201 S. Broadway St., Forest City, NC 28043
Rutherford County Health Department
221 Callahan Koon Rd., Spindale, NC 28160
Gilkey Church of God
255 Oak Springs Rd., Rutherfordton, NC 28139
Parks, Recreation, & Lake Office
658 Memorial Hwy., Lake Lure, NC 28746
Lake Lure Baptist Church
6837 US-74 ALT, Lake Lure, NC 28746
Ingles at Lake Lure – meals only
276 NC-9, Lake Lure, NC 28746
Offers hot meals at 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. and 4:30-6:30 p.m.
Also offers showers, restrooms, a mobile health van, a tool trailer, a charging station (please bring your own charging cord), and wi-fi.
Father’s Vineyard – also has shower and charging stations
724 Oakland Rd., Spindale, NC 28160
Spencer Baptist Church – water distribution only
187 N Oak St., Spindale, NC 28160
United Way of Rutherford County – water distribution and charging stations only
668 Withrow Rd., Forest City, NC 28043
The Church at Sapphire – through October 10
620 Whitewater Rd., Sapphire, NC 28774
Daily hours: 12:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Little River Baptist Church – through October 11
51 Little River Church Rd., Penrose, NC 28766
Breakfast hours: 8:00-10:00 a.m.
Lunch hours: 12:30-2:00 p.m.
Dinner hours: 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Cedar Mountain Community CenterTransylvania County
10635 Greenville Hwy., Cedar Mountain, NC 28718
Breakfast hours: 9:00-11:00 a.m.
Lunch hours: 12:00-2:00 p.m.
Dinner hours: 4:00-6:00 p.m.The following locations are providing hot meals to county residents:
Balsam Grove Community Center – daily until power is fully restored
8732 Parkway Rd., Balsam Grove, NC 28708
Daily hours: 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Bottled water is available daily at local fire departments and 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at Anchor Baptist Church located at:
3232 Hendersonville Hwy., Pisgah Forest, NC 28768
Water filling stations can be found at the following locations:
City Sports Complex
824 Ecusta Rd., Brevard, NC 28712
Daily hours: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Cedar Mountain Outpost
8431 Greenville Hwy., Brevard, NC 28712
No posted daily hours.
Territory Brevard
43 S. Broad St, Brevard, NC 28712
No posted daily hours.
DD Bullwinkles
60 E. Main St., Brevard, NC 28712
No posted daily hours.
First United Methodist Church
325 N. Broad St., Brevard, NC 28712
Daily hours: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Pisgah Forest Baptist Church
494 Hendersonville Hwy., Pisgah Forest, NC 28768
Daily hours: 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Newfound Artisan
22 W. Jordan St., Brevard, NC 28712
Through today, October 6.
Hours: 12:00-5:00 p.m.
Food, water, and other supplies such as hygiene products are being distributed at the following locations:
Anchor Baptist Church
3232 Hendersonville Hwy., Pisgah Forest, NC 28768
Daily hours: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
The Church at Sapphire
620 Whitewater Rd., Sapphire, NC 28774
Through October 10.
Daily hours: 12:00-4:00 p.m.
Yancey County
Yancey County has transitioned to one centralized distribution site for water, food and ice located at the following address:
Altec
150 Altec Rd., Burnsville, NC 28714
Mobile laundry facilities are available in the GO Grocery parking lot located at the following address:
631 W Hwy. 19E Bypass, Burnsville, NC 28714
Additionally, the following counties have resources for where to take debris waste.
Buncombe
Curbside collection will begin Monday for City of Asheville sanitation customers.
There will be no recycling pick up until the recycling plant is operational.
Residents can use both recycling and trash carts for household waste.
The following materials cannot be collected at this time: Mud, construction debris, concrete and other bulky or hazardous items.
Debris collection is estimated to start in mid-October.
The Town of Black Mountain Public Works Department has secured four 15-yard dumpsters located in two sites for Black Mountain residents to throw away household trash ONLY:
Tractor Supply: 125 Old US Hwy. 70 E., Black Mountain, NC 28711
Ingles: 550 NC-9, Black Mountain, NC 28711
Please Note: Yard waste, bulk item, separate recycling and debris collection are not available at this time.
Haywood
Household waste will be accepted at the Materials Recovery Facility at 247 Recycle Rd., Clyde and at Convenience Centers at Jonathan Creek, Beaverdam, Bethel, Hazelwood, Mauney Cove, Jones Cove and Highway 110.
White Oak Landfill has reopened.
Henderson
Henderson County Transfer Station is open and accepting storm debris with normal fees.
Henderson County has begun curbside storm debris removal to county residents as a free service.
The county will pick up storm debris for free if it is pushed to the right of way of a property.
Storm debris includes tree branches, leaves, logs, building materials, furniture, paint etc.
Please be patient.
The county will pick up storm debris for free as quickly as possible.
Madison
The Hot Springs collection center is operating on normal hours for household trash ONLY:
Monday: 7:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday: 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Friday: 7:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Saturday: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Hot Springs trash pickup is returning to Mondays like usual.
Please only use this pickup service if you cannot bring it to the collection center yourself.
The pickup service is being led by volunteers at this time.
Polk
The Polk County landfill is open Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. and Saturday 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
322 Landfill Rd., Mill Spring, NC 28756
The service fee is waived through October 8.
Beginning on October 9, drop off of residential trash will be $10.
GFL trash services will continue on the regular schedule. However, certain areas may be inaccessible due to ongoing power outages from Hurricane Helene.
Two dumpsters are located on Gibson Street for immediate trash disposal due to road inaccessibility.
Transylvania
The City of Brevard has resumed regular trash pickup.
Yancey
The Riverside and East Yancey Recycling Centers were expected to resume operations by yesterday, October 5.
No update has been published, but I will keep you posted once I have received confirmation that the facilities have been reopened.
The North Carolina State Board of Elections has provided pertinent information and recommendations for voters in the Helene disaster area during the 2024 general election.
To review information on voting in the 2024 general election after Hurricane Helene, you can follow this link.
The site provides information on absentee voting, how to change your polling location, county board of elections, office closures and more.
For any additional questions on voting post-hurricane, please contact your county Board of Elections.
Please note: Your county Board of Elections is the best place to get any questions answered.
I have been permitted to share the above, nonpartisan information but am prohibited from answering any questions related to the 2024 general election.
USPS anticipates continued improvement of mail delivery operations with local recovery efforts, to include power, connectivity, and roads.
There are some facilities unable to provide full retail and mail delivery due to road closures and current conditions.
No drop shipments will be accepted at any of the locations listed below.
The following sites are closed:
Barnardsville – 28709
Cedar Mountain – 28718
Hot Springs – 28743
Rosman – 28772
Swannanoa – 28778
The following sites are closed with alternative facilities listed:
Alexander – 28701
Alternative location: 270 N. Main St., Weaverville, NC 28787
Daily hours M-F: 8:45 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Open Saturdays: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Bat Cave – 28710
Alternative location: 1800 Four Season Blvd., Ste. 11, Hendersonville, NC 28739
Daily hours M-F: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Open Saturdays: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Chimney Rock – 28720
Alternative location: 2432 Memorial Hwy., Lake Lure, NC 28746
Alternative location: 1800 Four Seasons Blvd., Ste. 11, Hendersonville, NC 28739
Daily hours M-F: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Open Saturdays: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Gerton – 28735
Alternative location: 1352 Charlotte Hwy., Fairview, NC 28730
Daily Hours M-F: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Open Saturdays: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Green Mountain – 28740
Alternative location: 670 W. Main St., Burnsville, NC 28714
Daily hours M-F: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Open Saturdays: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Marshall – 28753
Alternative Location: 270 N. Main St., Weaverville, NC 28787
Daily hours M-F: 8:45 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Open Saturdays: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Micaville – 28755
Alternative location: 670 W. Main St., Burnsville, NC 28714
Daily hours M-F: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Open Saturdays: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Montreat – 28757
Alternative location: 2 Tucker Rd., Ridgecrest, NC 28770
Daily hours M-F: 12:30-4:30 p.m.
Penland – 28765
Alternative location: 899 Oak Ave., Spruce Pine, NC 28777
Daily hours M-F: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Open Saturdays: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
The following sites are attempting delivery where safe to do so:
Arden – 28704
Asheville London Rd. – 28803
Asheville S&DC – 28810
Black Mountain – 28711
Brevard – 28712
Burnsville – 28714
Candler – 28715
Clyde – 28721
Columbus – 28722
East Flat Rock – 28726
Etowah – 28729
Fairview – 2873
Fletcher – 28732
Hendersonville Annex – 28792
Horse Shoe – 28742
Lake Toxaway (cash only/PO box) – 28747
Marion – 28752
Mars Hill – 28754
Old Fort – 28762
Rutherfordton – 28139
Saluda – 28773
Sapphire – 28774
Spruce Pine – 28777
Tryon – 28782
Weaverville – 28787
Due to internet outages and connectivity issues, the following sites are providing retail services with cash only, PO Box only:
Dana – 28724
Enka – 28728
Flat Rock – 28731
Hendersonville MPO – 28739
Lake Lure (OIC) – 28746
Little Switzerland – 28749
Mountain Home – 28758
Naples – 28760
Pisgah Forest – 28768
Ridgecrest – 28770
Skyland – 28776
Zirconia – 28790
Bostic – 28018
Multiple United Parcel Service (UPS) sites continue to be affected by power, flooding, and downed trees/power and lines/storm related obstacles.
The Hendersonville and Asheville UPS buildings in North Carolina are currently operational and are being powered by portable generators.
Delivery of packages in these areas is increasing as road conditions improve daily.
The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response under the Department of Health and Human Services has activated the Emergency Prescription Assistance Program (EPAP) for North Carolinians as of Friday, October 4.
The EPAP program helps uninsured residents replace prescription medication or certain medical equipment lost or damaged during Hurricane Helene.
Through the program, uninsured residents can:
Request a free 30-day supply of certain prescription medications at any EPAP-participating pharmacy which can be renewed every 30 days while the EPAP is active.
Replace certain medical equipment and supplies such as canes, crutches, walkers, wheelchairs, blood sugar meters and blood sugar test strips for diabetics.
Uninsured North Carolina residents affected by the recent hurricane can call the EPAP hotline, 855-793-7470, or visit the EPAP website to check their eligibility, determine if their medications or medical equipment are covered, or locate a participating pharmacy.
Prescription Pad is open from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and filling prescriptions for Yancey County residents at the following location:
730 E. Main St., Burnsville, NC 28714
For individuals able to safely travel to fill a prescription, CVS at the following locations are actively open as of October 2:
324 Long Shoals Rd., Arden, NC 28704
505 Smokey Park Hwy., Asheville, NC 28806
371 Asheville Hwy., Brevard, NC 28712
3450 Hendersonville Rd., Fletcher, NC 28732
1605 Four Seasons Blvd., Hendersonville, NC 28792
2001 Spartanburg Hwy., Hendersonville, NC 28792
111 S Main St., Rutherfordton, NC 28139
773 Russ Ave., Waynesville, NC 28786
You can also use this link to locate non-CVS pharmacy locations open to the public by county.
How to Acquire a Prescription:
If a store is closed, you can still call the number and the pharmacy’s phone lines have been rerouted to a nearby CVS Pharmacy that is open to help patients access their prescriptions.
Patients can visit any CVS Pharmacy for assistance with immediate prescription needs.
There is a field hospital with physicians, nurses and paramedics who can treat patients at the Burnsville Fire Department. The address is as follows:
305 Pineola St., Burnsville, NC 28714
The following urgent cares are open and accessible for community members with non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries:
Locations open between 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.:
Mercy Urgent Care Weaverville
61 Weaver Blvd., Weaverville, NC 28787
Mercy Urgent Care West Asheville
1201 Patton Ave., Asheville, NC 28806
Mercy Urgent Care Waynesville
120 Frazier St., Ste. 6, Waynesville, NC 28786
Locations open between 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.:
Mercy Urgent Care Brevard
22 Trust Ln., Brevard, NC 28712
Locations open between 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.:
Mercy Urgent Care Columbus
140 West Mills St., Columbus, NC 28722
Locations open between 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.:
Mobile Urgent Care Clinic
12 Florida Ave., Black Mountain, NC 28711
Mental Health & Basic Medical Support Center
130 Montreat Rd., Black Mountain, NC 28711
Pardee Urgent Care
45 Hendersonville Hwy., Ste. A, Pisgah Forest, NC 28768
Locations open from 12:00-5:00 p.m.
Hot Springs Elementary School – Art Room (mental health services only)
63 N. Serpentine Ave., Hot Springs, NC 28743
Legionnaires, Sons of the American Legion members and Legion Posts that have been displaced from their primary residence due to damage sustained during Hurricane Helene may be eligible for financial assistance through the American Legion.
Legionnaires and Sons of the American Legion members may be eligible for up to $3,000.
Legion Posts may be eligible for up to $10,000.
To learn more or to request assistance, please use this link.
Applications must be submitted within 90 days of the disaster: Dec. 26, 2024.
The Charles George VA Medical Center in Asheville and Master Sergeant Jerry K. Crump VA Clinic in Forest City are open for essential and emergency services.
Veterans can:
Visit the Asheville VA Hospital pharmacy for medication refills or:
Call the Regional Clinical Contact Center at (855) 679-0074 and press 1 for pharmacy representatives.
Local pharmacies in the VA’s community care network will also fill written prescriptions, or prescriptions as they appear on an active VA prescription bottle that is not older than six months and has available refills, to provide a 30-day supply.
Hickory and Franklin outpatient VA clinics are now operating regularly.
Due to the damage and personal losses caused by Hurricane Helene to the staff of the VA, it will take some time to bring staffing to full capacity.
Please be patient as the VA works to rebuild their workforce.
The United States Department of Agriculture is beginning to put together a list of resources for farmers and other agricultural industry members.
If your agricultural operation has been impacted by Hurricane Helene, you can review this link, farmers.gov, for emergency and disaster assistance programs.
On Monday, October 7, at 11:00 a.m., USDA is hosting a virtual briefing to share information on disaster assistance programs.
You can join the event on Microsoft Teams using this link.
Add the event to your calendar: Google, iCal, or Outlook.
141,000 customers remain without power in Western North Carolina.
As work on substations conclude, Duke Energy is moving personnel to work on the power grid’s thousands of miles of lines and poles that serve individual homes and businesses.
This work can feel slower because the same amount of work restores fewer customers.
For more information on Duke Energy’s power restoration efforts, you can review the following links:
A “DO NOT DRIVE” message remains in place from the North Carolina Department of Transportation for most of Western North Carolina.
Unless it is an emergency, please do not travel to the hardest hit communities.
Cherokee, Graham, Clay and Swain counties ARE FULLY OPEN to people who can access them through safe routes.
Please DO NOT try to visit or travel through the areas hardest hit by the storm such as Henderson and Buncombe counties.
USDOT approved an initial $100 million in Emergency Repair funds to NCDOT.
Damage to our mountain roads exceeds $100 million but USDOT’s investment is a significant and most welcome start.
Since Friday, NCDOT has deployed an additional 450 employees to help respond to storm damage.
A total of 2,050 DOT employees are working to restore and repair road access in WNC.
NCDOT also has more than 50 personnel from neighboring states on the ground providing assistance.
There are currently about 650 road closures, 109 of which are to primary routes.
About 300 bridges have been identified for further investigation and at least one-third will need to be replaced.
NCDOT and Tennessee DOT are collaborating on a long-term plan for reconstruction of I-40 in the Pigeon River Gorge.
NCDOT is in the process of contracting a project to stabilize the westbound lanes of I-40 where the eastbound lanes no longer exist to mitigate the risk of further damage.
NCDOT is working to expedite these repairs to restore mobility to the area as soon as possible.
Air traffic has sustained at 300 percent above pre-hurricane levels in Western NC.
NCDOT’s aviation division continue to work to make sure flight operations are safe coming into and out of airports, including by:
Scheduling landing/unloading times and aircraft parking so aircraft are spaced out and to reduce the risk of incidents.
Establishing a first of its kind “corridors in the sky” to separate civilian and military aircraft in the air.
Having search and rescue partners use short, time and location specific restrictions on air operations to enhance safety when multiple helicopters are engaged in search and rescue efforts.
The state of North Carolina is NOT turning away civil aviation support so long as it has been coordinated through the proper channels with NC Emergency Management.
If you or someone you know is interested in providing civil aviation support and don’t know where to coordinate your efforts, please call my office and we will help you get in touch with the right folks.
NCDOT has launched a detour map to show motorists how to get around closures on I-26 and I-40 at the Tennessee border.
You can access the map here.
Internet providers are working with local energy and cell providers to restore service for customers across Western North Carolina.
To mitigate the lack of service, Optimum, formerly Altice USA, has set up an Optimum Wi-Fi Trailer that is open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the following locations:
717 S. Grove St., Hendersonville, NC 28792
1800 Four Seasons Blvd., Hendersonville, NC 28792
The following locations are offering free public wi-fi:
First Baptist Church – Weaverville
63 N. Main St, Weaverville, NC 28787
Downtown Franklin
The Town of Franklin has free wi-fi on the town hill area in downtown.
Transylvania County Library – 24/7
212 S. Gaston St., Brevard, NC 28712
Newfound Artison through today, October 6
High-speed internet and charging outlets
Available 12:00-5:00 p.m.
The Yard Brevard
284 Railroad Ave., Brevard, NC 28712
Brevard Visitor Center
175 E. Main St., Brevard, NC 28712
Available daily from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Verizon was able to restore service in the Waynesville area.
They will be moving the portable cell sites and satellite connections that were in Waynesville to Lake Junaluska, Iron Duff, and other areas north of Waynesville to provide service for the residents and first responders there.
Engineers have finally been able to clear access for equipment in Rutherford County near Chimney Rock and Lake Lure.
Providers are currently assessing the extent of the damage and starting repairs.
Even though you may have service again, you may notice it is different from your pre-storm service.
The temporary connection links put in place as a temporary fix while the fiber is being repaired can accommodate smaller amounts of traffic.
Network capacity on temporary connection links may be maxed out more frequently, so service providers are encouraging customers to use the network sparingly to maintain room for first responders and community members who still need to reach help or critical resources.
Support and recovery personnel are also encouraged to minimize cell usage.
Service providers are working to add additional capacity to cell sites and move mobile assets where needed to accommodate data increases, so I am requesting a little more patience on their behalf as providers work to fully restore our community’s network.
Cell service providers have implemented disaster roaming for any phone located in Western North Carolina to maximize phone service for all users.
Disaster roaming allows users to connect to any mobile network during a disaster when other networks are down.
This allows users to access emergency services, such as 911, even when their own network is out.
If you have service one moment, but experience a reduction in service the next, try restarting your phone to jumpstart disaster roaming again.
UpCycle Tech in Transylvania County is offering free computers and phones for use at the following location:
470 Asheville Hwy., Brevard, NC 28712
AT&T has deployed its Mobile Connectivity Center to the following location:
Sam’s Club: 645 Patton Ave., Asheville, NC 28806
The Mobile Connectivity Center is an air-conditioned mobile unit open to the public, equipped with laptops, charging stations and wi-fi.
The public can use the center for various needs including contacting your insurance company, filling out paperwork or connecting with loved ones.
Verizon has deployed Wireless Emergency Communication Centers to help hurricane survivors stay connected to their friends, family and other important contacts.
Wireless Emergency Communication Centers are generator-powered mobile units that have device charging and computer workstations, along with wireless phones, tablets, and other devices available for use.
Verizon’s Wireless Emergency Communication Centers have been set up at the following locations:
A-B Technical Community College
340 Victoria Rd., Asheville, NC 28801
Asheville YMCA
30 Woodfin St., Asheville, NC 28801
Family Justice Center
35 Woodfin St., Asheville, NC 28801
Groce United Methodist Church
954 Tunnel Rd., Asheville, NC 28805
Verizon also has charging stations at the following locations:
YMCA of Western North Carolina
348 Grace Corpening Dr., Marion, NC 28752
Two charging stations at this location
WNC Agricultural Center
761 Boylston Hwy., Fletcher, NC 28732
Three charging stations at this location
A-B Technical Community College
340 Victoria Rd., Asheville, NC 28801
One charging station at this location
T-Mobile has set up satellite cellular on light trucks (SatCOLTs), providing cellular voice and data along with wi-fi and charging stations at the following locations:
Asheville Middle School
211 S. French Broad Ave., Asheville, NC 28801
Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center
285 Livingston St., Asheville, NC 28801
First Baptist Church
130 Montreat Rd., Black Mountain, NC 28711
Additional T-Mobile satellite cell on trucks are located in Hendersonville and at a Tractor Supply Co. in Asheville, with others planned for Mission Hospital in Asheville, Cherokee County Emergency Operations Center in Murphy, and in Cherokee.
More than 1,500 North Carolina National Guard soldiers and airmen have been deployed to provide support to Western North Carolina so far.
The total number of deployed guardsmen will continue to increase over the coming days.
The National Guard has deployed a military liaison officer to each of the affected counties to aid in communication and coordination with each county EMS.
Although airspace is limited due to ongoing missions by the National Guard and Department of Defense, a process has been established for private pilots seeking to fly in humanitarian relief to coordinate with local authorities.
If you are looking to fly in resources and don’t know where to turn, call my office and we will get you in contact with the right coordinators.
On October 2, the Secretary of Defense authorized the movement of up to 1,000 active-duty soldiers, including soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division from Ft. Liberty (formerly Ft. Bragg).
Many of these soldiers have arrived in Western North Carolina and are supporting the delivery of food, water and other critical aid to communities impacted by Hurricane Helene.
400 soldiers have already been stationed in Western North Carolina.
Hundreds of others are positioned nearby, prepared to assume tasks and missions as they are requested by counties and assigned by NC Emergency Management.
The Department of Defense has also committed 22 helicopters to assist with search and rescue operations.
Here are a few key phone numbers from the NCNG:
HOTLINE: 888-892-1162
Emergency management watch: 919-733-3300
Donated goods: 919-825-2474
These lines have very high call volumes. If you do not get through the first try, keep calling.
Asheville Regional Airport closed mid-day on Friday, September 27, due to risk of flooding.
Commercial flights at Asheville Regional Airport have resumed.
If you parked your car in an Asheville Regional Airport lot and could not retrieve the vehicle due to the storm, great news – none of the airport’s lots flooded and all cars are fine.
Stay safe and pick up your car when you are able.
PLEASE NOTE:
No general aviation pilots are allowed to land at Asheville Regional Airport without prior clearance from FEMA to ensure the safety of aircraft and personnel.
Supply deliveries by civilian pilots ARE permitted to land at Asheville Regional Airport so long as they have prior clearance from FEMA.
FEMA is not turning away any pilot that has gone through the proper channels to coordinate delivery and ensure the safety of his fellow aircraft and personnel.
Federal Nutrition Programs
SNAP
North Carolina was granted a waiver for the 10-day reporting requirement for the replacement of food purchased with SNAP benefits lost because of the hurricane.
This waiver provides additional time beyond the standard 10-day time frame for households to report food losses and receive replacement benefits for food that was destroyed and previously purchased with SNAP benefits.
Child Nutrition
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction was approved for a waiver pertaining to the child nutrition programs.
Under the waiver approval, NCDPI’s local program operators may:
Serve meals in a non-congregate setting
Adjust the time of meal service
Allow parent pick-up
Allow service of meals at school sites
Food and Nutrition Services Program
People and families in North Carolina who are enrolled in the Food and Nutrition Services program can now use their EBT card to purchase hot food.
This flexibility will remain in effect until November 3.
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, & Children (WIC)
Families participating in WIC who may have relocated to a new area can go to any NC WIC agency to:
Have a new eWIC card issued
Request replacement breastfeeding supplies or breast pumps
Request replacement food that was purchased with current WIC benefits and lost due to Hurricane Helene
If you own a medical practice in NC-11 and are experiencing financial hardship due to Hurricane Helene, the North Carolina Medical Society will be reactivating its Financial Recovery Program (FRP) to help you recover and open your doors again.
The FRP will be back online to provide much needed assistance soon.
More information to follow.
The Department of Health and Human Services through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has made available:
Accelerated payments to Medicare Part A providers affected by Hurricane Helene
Advance payments to Medicare Part B suppliers affected by Hurricane Helene
For county leaders: This is a reminder to make sure your Emergency Operation Center has submitted the request for gasoline, food, water, cell service deployables, etc. with North Carolina Emergency Management to have your request processed and resources delivered.
My office stands ready to assist with checking the status of your request if the county or municipality has not heard back from NC Emergency Management within 24 hours.
North Carolina received a Major Disaster Declaration for the following counties: Buncombe, Clay, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania and Yancey counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
People with damage to their homes or personal property who live in one of the above-listed counties should apply for Individual Assistance through FEMA, which may include upfront funds to help with essential items like food, water, baby formula and other emergency supplies.
Funds may also be available to repair storm-related damage to homes and personal property, as well as assistance to find a temporary place to stay.
Individual Assistance provides financial aid and services to eligible individuals and households that have been affected by a disaster to assist with the recovery process. Individuals can officially begin applying for Individual Assistance online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or by calling the application phone number at 1-800-621-3362 (TTY: 800-462-7585) between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. EST.
To date, FEMA has paid out more than $26 million in housing and other types of assistance to more than 19,000 North Carolina households.
Residents trying to connect with family members may call NC 211 (or 1-888-892-1162 if calling from out-of-state) to report missing loved ones or request a welfare check.
People in the impacted areas can indicate that they are safe by reporting themselves safe through Red Cross Reunification by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
Please only use 911 for life-threatening emergencies so the lines remain open for critical situations.
If you are still trying to locate a friend or family member, please complete this form to notify local officials of their missing status.
The form was created by Buncombe County but information is being shared amongst all counties.
Regardless of which county your loved one was last known to be in, you can still submit the form.
Buncombe County will share the information with the appropriate officials to initiate search and rescue efforts.
United Way is also fielding missing person/welfare check requests.
Text PERSON to 40403 to add a loved one to search and rescue efforts or fill out this form.
For information on the status of utilities, debris sites, etc., we want to share the following resources. As communications are restored and more information becomes available, these sites will continue to be updated.
Filing FEMA claims and appeals (a process which can be overwhelmingly bureaucratic and burdensome)
Replacement of lost or destroyed legal and government documents, including driver’s licenses and identification cards
Medical and insurance claims
Home repair contracts
Utility disputes related to restoration of services
Consumer protection issues like construction fraud, price-gouging on repairs and identity theft
Housing issues such as unlawful eviction and foreclosures
Bankruptcy
Probate and clearing title for survivors living in generational homes without a clear title
Family law cases and children in need of services (unfortunately, domestic violence tends to rise following a natural disaster)
If you need civil legal assistance, please contact Legal Aid of North Carolina via the following toll-free hotline:
(866) 219-LANC or (866) 219-5262
The hotline is available from:
8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Monday through Friday; and 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Monday and Thursdays.
Constituents can also apply online at legalaidnc.org/get-help/ between 1:00-4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday.
IRS has extended various filing deadlines for taxpayers in impacted areas, including 2024 individual/business returns, certain quarterly estimated income tax payments, and certain payroll/excise taxes.
Tax relief for qualified payments, disaster-related losses:
IRS released provided guidance to taxpayers on how to address disaster-related losses in their 2024 tax return, as well as providing guidance on how qualified disaster relief payments – like government assistance payments – are generally excluded from gross income.
For those unable to evacuate to a safe location or in need of a place to go, the following shelters are currently open and available as of October 5:
Buncombe
A-B Technical Community College
340 Victoria Rd., Asheville, NC 28801
Gold’s Gym
801 Fairview Rd, Asheville, NC 28803
WNC Agricultural Center
1301 Fanning Bridge Rd., Fletcher, NC 28732
Haywood
Haywood County Government Armory
285 Armory Dr., Clyde, NC 28781
Henderson
Edneyville Elementary School
2875 Pace Rd., Hendersonville, NC 28792
Henderson County Recreation Center
708 S. Grove St., Hendersonville, NC 28792
Madison
Madison Early College High School
5374 US Hwy 25-70, Marshall, NC 28755
McDowell
Glenwood Baptist Church
1550 Glenwood Baptist Church Rd., Marion, NC 29640
While there’s little relief in sight for Australia’s housing crisis, with new projects years away from completion, there appear to be as many as 13 million unused spare bedrooms across the country.
In a new briefing paper for the QUT Centre for Justice I suggest that, at least in the interim, these spare rooms ought to be part of the solution.
Here’s where you find them. The census says about 3.2 million Australian homes have one spare bedroom, another 3 million have two spare rooms and 1.2 million have three spare bedrooms or more.
They are more common in the homes of older than younger Australians.
A survey by the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute found that more than three-quarters of homeowners aged 74 and older had spare rooms compared to less than two-thirds of homeowners aged 55 and younger.
These older owners are often “asset rich and income poor”. Most rely at least in part on the age pension and could do with the income that would come from renting out a room, so long as it didn’t cut into their pension or present them with a capital gains tax bill when their home is eventually sold.
My work suggests these fears are largely unfounded, even though it’s hard to convince many older Australians of that.
Rent needn’t mean income tax
The Tax Office has long provided for “domestic arrangements” and other arrangements where board and lodging provided at non-commercial rates is not considered assessable income for taxation purposes.
The downside is that expenses are not tax deductible.
These arrangements are said to occur when all residents including the owner bear an appropriate proportion of the costs actually incurred on food, electricity, heating and other costs of running the home.
“Homestay” for international students is an example. Homestay hosts can receive about $350 per week for providing a fully furnished room, main meals and utilities in an arrangement the Tax Office has ruled need not be taxable.
Rent needn’t cut off the pension
All pensioners are currently eligible for the work bonus scheme that allows additional earnings of up to $504 a fortnight for singles and $660 per fortnight for couples without loss of any pension.
It ought to be easy enough to apply the scheme to rent as well as income from work, as it arguably already does given that renting out spare bedrooms is a form of self-employment and hence “work”.
As important would be making pensioners aware of any changes or clarifications to the rules in a way that normalised “taking in boarders”.
Rent needn’t mean capital gains tax
Anecdotal evidence suggests homeowners fear that renting out a spare bedroom will make their home liable for the capital gains tax that applies to rented properties when they are eventually sold.
While this may be true in some situations, it is somewhat of an urban myth, and the amounts of tax involved can be small.
capital gains tax only applies to properties bought after September 20 1985
any gain is taxed only at the marginal rate in the year the property is sold
only half of each gain is taxed
gains can be offset against capital losses
only the net gain is taxed after costs.
And capital gains tax only applies for the portion of the home that is rented out, and for the portion of time it is rented out.
In my paper I explain how an apparent capital gain of $100,000 is taxed less where a room is only let for one year in five and is one of three bedrooms in the home, cutting the taxable capital gain to just $3,333.
If the very concept of the calculation remains a barrier, it might be possible to offer homeowners who let out rooms a short-term “capital gains tax holiday” for the next three to five years while new housing stock is being built.
Rules for safety and boarder matching essential
Another barrier is concern about safety, both personal and financial for older homeowners. Surprisingly, there are few rules governing boarding, with tenancy legislation saying little, forcing homeowners and tenants to rely on common law.
Australians letting out rooms need legislated protections from elder abuse and spurious claims of cohabitation and other rights.
Tenant matching and management systems could make the process simpler.
Imagine being able to walk into your local real estate agency and list your spare room to rent. If the agency offered boarder management services you could outline your preferences and ask it to put forward a list of candidates to interview.
Good matches would provide benefits for both older Australians and younger companions. Boarder management could become a new business model for real estate agents as well as non-profits.
Please note: This article does not provide tax or financial advice. It is general in nature and should not be relied on for taxation or financial purposes.
Lyndall Bryant 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.
This week, Australia hosts the inaugural Global Nature Positive Summit in Sydney. It comes at a crucial time: biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse is one of the biggest risks the world faces in the next decade.
The event, which begins tomorrow, brings together leaders from government, business, academia, environment groups and Indigenous Peoples. Together, they will seek ways to drive investment in nature and improve its protection and repair.
More than half the world’s economy directly depends on nature. Biodiversity loss threatens global financial stability, putting at least US$44 trillion (A$64 trillion) of economic value at risk.
Industries such as agriculture, fishing, forestry, tourism, water and resources rely heavily on nature. But ultimately, all of humanity depends on the natural world – for clean air, water, food, and a liveable climate.
In Australia significant investment is needed to reverse the decline in our natural environment. It will require action from governments, landholders and the private sector.
That’s why this week’s summit is so important. Nature conservation and restoration is expensive and often difficult. The task is beyond the capacity of governments alone.
What’s going on at the summit?
According to the World Economic Forum, “nature positive” is an economic worldview that goes beyond limiting environmental damage and aims to actually improve ecosystems.
Under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, to which almost 200 countries have signed up, at least 30% of land and waters must be protected or restored by 2030. The summit is exploring ways to realise this global commitment, which is also known as the 30×30 target.
The federal and New South Wales governments are co-hosting the event.
Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek will address the summit on day one, outlining her government’s Nature Positive Plan. It commits to the 30×30 target as well as “zero new extinctions”. Achieving these commitments involves environmental law reform, setting up a Nature Repair Market and establishing a national Environment Protection Agency.
Delegates are expected to demonstrate their commitment and progress towards the 30×30 goal. They will then turn to the main point of the summit: building consensus on the economic settings needed to increase private investment in nature.
Finance models and corporate partnerships are on the agenda, along with how to make this work, including how to measure, monitor and report on progress and manage risk.
Sessions will focus on specific sectors of the environment such as agriculture and farming, cities, oceans and forests. On Thursday, delegates will visit nature sites around Sydney.
Creating a market to incentivise biodiversity investment | 7.30.
Investing in a market for nature repair
Substantial co-investment from the private sector, including landholders, will be required to repair and protect nature at the scale required.
Market-based approaches can drive private investment in natural resources. But most existing environmental markets focus on water and carbon. A more holistic approach, including nature repair, is needed.
Australia’s Nature Positive Plan includes building a nature repair market. This world-first measure is a legislated, national, voluntary biodiversity market in which individuals and organisations undertake nature repair projects to generate a tradeable certificate. The certificate can be sold to generate income. Demand for certificates is expected to grow over time.
But the role the government will take remains unclear. For example, will the government both regulate market prices and decide what, in a scientific sense, amounts to repairing nature?
On day two, the summit explores how nature markets can unlock new sources of finance. We can expect this discussion to include ways carbon and biodiversity markets can work together: so-called “carbon-plus” outcomes.
For example, when landholders conserve vegetation, the plants can both draw carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and provide habitat for animals, preventing biodiversity loss. Markets could be designed so landholders are rewarded for achieving these dual results.
Significant economic returns
Under optimistic estimates, the global nature-positive transition will unlock business opportunities worth an estimated US$10 trillion (almost A$15 trillion) a year and create 395 million jobs by 2030.
The potential benefits for Australia are also substantial. They include benefits to nature such as restoring habitat for wildlife, while storing carbon. It can also provide returns for agriculture, by improving land value, yield and quality.
So the potential benefits have to be weighed against the risks of not doing anything. The summit is a chance to get a wide range of people on board, working towards a shared vision of a more positive future.
It’s time for a nature-positive mindset
The Albanese Labor government came to power promising to overhaul Australia’s national environment laws, following a scathing independent review.
When the summit was conceived, the government may have envisaged having cause for celebration by now. But some proposed reforms stalled in the Senate.
Nonetheless, the Nature Repair Market, a significant government win, is taking shape.
This week’s summit offers Australia an opportunity to show the world we have embraced the nature-positive mindset. There really is no time to waste.
Australia, the sixth most biodiverse country in the world, has listed 2,224 species and ecological communities as threatened with extinction. These losses are predicted to escalate if we continue business as usual and allow continued decline of ecosystems.
We desperately need to reverse the decline in nature, once and for all.
Andrew Lowe receives funding from a range of national and international funding sources including the Australian Research Council, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, The International Tropical Timber Organization.
This article was crafted following conversations with the Advisory Committee of the Nature Positive Economy CRC bid, including Daisy Mallett – Lawyer / International Abitrator; Ian Overton – Principal, Natural Economy Consulting; Professor Hugh Possingham – University of Queensland; Nicki Hutley – Climate Council; Cheryl Hayman – Beston Global Food Company; Robert Waterworth – FLINTPro; Kate Andrews – NRM Regions Australia; Tim King – Melior Investment Management; Peter Boyd – Rozetta Institute; David Shelmerdine – ClimateWorks; Wendy Mackay – Pollination Group; Tim Jarvis – Fauna & Flora International; Jody Gunn – Australian Land Conservation Alliance; Joshua Bishop – University of Sydney; Phil Duncan – University of Canberra; Dr Paul Dalby – Rozetta Project Director.
A 46-year-old man has been arrested and charged by Police, after allegedly attempting to meet a young teenage girl for sex.
The man was arrested on Friday 4 October following an investigation by Hawke’s Bay Police and the OCEANZ (Online Child Exploitation Across NZ) unit.
He is facing three charges of indecent communication with a young person under 16, and one charge of travelling to meet a young person-sex grooming.
Detective Sergeant Alex MacDonald says OCEANZ had received information that the man was allegedly attempting to contact young girls for the purposes of sexual abuse.
“This kind of offending in our communities is incredibly alarming and serves as an excellent reminder of the need to be vigilant around online safety for children and young people,” says Detective Sergeant MacDonald.
“The school holidays would be a great time to sit down with your kids and have a conversation about how to stay safe online. You can find information on the Police website to help with those conversations.”
The man charged with this offending is scheduled to appear in Hastings District Court today (Monday 7 October).
Detective Senior Sergeant John McCarthy from Hawke’s Bay Police’s Child Protection Team says the investigation into this matter is ongoing and is not ruling out identifying further victims.
“We will continue to work with OCEANZ to ensure that offenders targeting young people in our community in this way are held to account for their actions,” says Detective Senior Sergeant McCarthy.
“We urge anyone with concerns about potential criminal behaviour targeting children or young people to get in touch with Police so that we can investigate.”
Fresh questions have been raised about the conduct of the Firearms Minister after revelations she misled New Zealanders about her role in stopping gun reforms prior to the mosque shootings.
Despite previously claiming on TVNZ Q+A that she urged the Government to close the loopholes around high capacity magazines – it’s now been revealed that did not happen.
In fact, it was her suggestion to the then Minister Paula Bennett that she reject select committee recommendations around semi-automatic firearms, which would’ve closed the loopholes later exploited by the March 15 terrorist.
“It’s the latest in a list of concerns about conflicts of interest for the Minister, who is still closely linked to the gun lobby while trying to roll back legal safeguards put in place after the terror attacks,” Labour’s Police spokesperson Ginny Andersen said.
“This reporting is even more concerning as the next phase in the coronial inquiry into the terror attack gets underway this coming week. It will explicitly address the history of firearms reforms and make recommendations to stop such an attack happening again.
“The Firearms Minister also has authority over Coronial matters in her role as Courts Minister. The conflicts and questions are now too great for the public to have any confidence that she is the right person to be in charge of gun laws.
“The Prime Minister must strip her of the firearms portfolio. The Coalition Agreement never required her to hold that position and it would be a display of leadership if he took action,” Ginny Andersen said.
ADVISORY – YORK – Commission on Crime and Delinquency Joins Victim Service Agencies to Highlight Support for Survivors of Domestic Violence and 2024-25 Shapiro-Davis Budget Investment for Victims Compensation
In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) will visit the York County Victim/Witness Unit to highlight the support and services offered to survivors of domestic violence and importance of the $5 million investment in the Victims Compensation Assistance Program (VCAP) in the Shapiro-Davis 2024-25 state budget.
WHO: Kathy Buckley, Director of Victims’ Services, PCCD Faith I. Uhler-Myers, Deputy Administrator, York County DA’s Office Victim/Witness Unit Paula Copeland, Chief Services Officer, YWCA York Sarah Harvey, Director, YWCA Hanover Safe Home
WHEN: October 7, 2024 at 1:30 PM.
WHERE: York County Administrative Center 28 E Market Street Commissioners’ Meeting Room, 2nd floor York, PA 17401
RSVP: Please email algantz@pa.gov to share the reporter’s name and media outlet who wishes to attend.
A group of alleged burglars who climbed onto the roof of Māngere Town Centre in an attempt to evade Police, will now face court.
At about 11pm, Police were alerted by security of three males breaking into the Māngere Town Centre.
Counties Manukau West Acting Area Prevention Manager, Acting Inspector Clint McCarthy, says the trio allegedly broke into five businesses, taking a number of items including clothing and cash registers.
“Upon Police arrival, we witnessed a group of people climbing onto the roof inside the centre.
“Units cordoned off the area and voice appealed for the offenders to come down, however one has jumped from the roof and attempted to flee on foot,” Acting Inspector McCarthy says.
“The Police Dog Unit, Delta has tracked the alleged offender where he was swiftly taken into custody.”
He says the other two suspects quickly surrendered to Police
“Police will continue to deploy a range of resources to respond to this sort of offending so that we can hold these people to account.
“This is a great outcome, and we acknowledge the centre’s security team for reporting offending as it was occurring, which allowed us to respond in a timely manner.”
He says the stolen property was left on the roof and recovered by staff shortly after.
Three males, aged 23, 19 and 18, will appear in Manukau District Court today charged with five counts of burglary.
Drivers may experience delays until queued traffic clears and should take extra care while driving through the crash site.
6:55 pm: State Highway 6 remains closed to traffic near Havelock this evening following a serious crash this afternoon.
A crash scene investigation is continuing, and the vehicle involved is still to be recovered and removed.
The highway is not expected to reopen until later tonight.
Drivers travelling between Nelson and Blenheim should continue to detour via State Highway 63 Wairau Valley and Kawatiri Junction.
Updates on the highway’s status can be found in the NZTA/Waka Kotahi website:
4:20 pm:
People driving between Blenheim and Nelson can expect delays this afternoon as emergency services attend a serious crash on State Highway 6 east of Canvastown.
The crash was reported around 3.20 pm. Emergency services are at the scene, and road contractors are also attending.
State Highway 6 is closed in both directions and there are no suitable local road detours available.
Drivers are asked to avoid the area or delay their travel.
The only suitable detour route for people travelling between Nelson and Blenheim is via State Highway 63 Wairau Valley and Kawatiri Junction. This will add 30 minutes or more to travel times between Blenheim and Nelson.
The highway is expected to remain closed until the Police Serious Crash Unit complete an investigation. This is likely to take several hours.
Further updates will be provided when the highway’s status changes. Details can also be checked on the NZTA/Waka Kotahi website:
State Highway 1 is now open in both directions under a 30 km/h temporary speed limit at the crash site. Drivers may experience delays while travelling through the area
NZTA/Waka Kotahi thanks drivers for their patience and cooperation today while emergency services and contractors attended this incident.
1:50 pm:
State Highway 1 is currently under stop/stop traffic controls while the crashed vehicle is recovered. This affects both north and southbound traffic
Traffic delays can be expected for approximately an hour between Picton and Springfield while this work is completed.
Drivers should delay their travel and avoid the area.
Updates on the highway’s status can be found on the NZTA/Waka Kotahi website:
12:02 pm:
State Highway 1 is now open in both directions following a serious crash at the intersection of Bush Road earlier today
A car crashed off the road into the Tuamarina River shortly before two am this morning.
The highway was restricted to one lane under stop/go traffic controls while the Police Serious Crash Unit carried out a scene investigation
While the highway is now open to traffic, it is expected to be closed briefly later today for recovery operations.
Updates on the highway’s status can be found on the NZTA/Waka Kotahi website. NZ Police are also issuing media releases:
6:55 am:
State Highway 1 is under stop/go traffic management near Tuamarina following a serious crash early this morning.
The crash, which occurred on Bush Road at the intersection with State Highway 1, was reported around two am this morning.
State Highway 1 is currently closed to northbound traffic near the intersection of Bush Road and under stop/go traffic control while Police and emergency services attend the incident.
Drivers can expect delays when travelling through the area. Please take extra care when travelling past the crash site and follow all instructions from emergency services.
A full closure of State Highway 1 is possible later this morning to support ongoing crash scene investigations.
People travelling between Picton and Blenheim, particularly those with ferry connections, should allow extra time for their journeys.
Updates on the highway’s status can be found on the NZTA/Waka Kotahi website:
Met improves interview process for victims of crime with new technology
The Metropolitan Police Service is rolling out its new ‘Digital Interview Recording (DIR) kits’, in its commitment to put victims at the heart of investigations, as part of its New Met for London plan. The equipment eliminates the need to use DVDs and CDs and enables recordings to be made in police stations as well as in locations more convenient to victims of crime.
It’s a significant advance in the Met’s drive to equip officers with innovative technology to improve the efficiency of evidence obtained during interviews with victims, particularly women and girls affected by violence.
By facilitating swift access to professional-quality video and audio recordings, the portable DIR kits aim to enhance investigative outcomes, provide better support to victims, and deliver justice for Londoners.
The lightweight kits, easily carried underarm, can be employed to record interviews with suspects, victims or witnesses.
The footage is quickly and confidentially uploaded to a cloud-based system, ensuring immediate accessibility for stakeholders, including the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and senior Met leaders.
This streamlined process eliminates previous delays in accessing vital evidence, enabling faster investigations and helping the Met get offenders off the streets.
The kits, which have recently been distributed to specialist teams in the Met, including the Rape and Serious Sexual Offences and the Child Abuse Investigation Teams, reduce the need for victim-survivors to travel to a Met building to recount what happened.
Victims can provide their account in a more comfortable environment giving police the best chance of capturing better quality evidence to progress an investigation to catch a perpetrator.
Additionally, the DIR portable kits facilitate remote identification parades, allowing victims and witnesses unable to attend in-person to identify suspects.
Commander Stephen Clayman, lead for the roll-out of the Digital Interview Recording kits, said:
“The wider rollout of the fixed Digital Interview Recording equipment has so far proved very successful, eliminating the use of DVDs, providing additional functionality and ultimately saving officers and staff valuable time, with their interviews being available instantly.
“This represents one of the largest rollouts of this equipment nationally given the scale of the MPS. It has also provided additional opportunities, especially with the provision of portable Digital Interview Recording kits.
“It has helped us to listen and respond to victims’ experiences and use of the equipment has allowed us to capture evidence in an environment which puts the victims first, giving us the relevant and vital evidence we need to catch a perpetrator.
“This hopefully alleviates some pressure during what is already an incredibly hard process for them.”
The kits were launched by the Met’s Digital Data and Technology team in July last year and has been successfully piloted, paving the way for the Met to safeguard victims in way they’ve not been able to before.
Digital Interview Recording is used in the UK and further afield in Belgium, Poland, Luxembourg and America, and there are now approximately 160 deployments of portable kits across the world.
The kit was tested last summer, with several successful outcomes, including a female victim-survivor who had returned home to Poland following an aggravated burglary and sexual assault. The woman conducted an ID parade with Met officers at the British Embassy in Poland, which resulted in the suspect being located back in the UK, charged and remanded.
Detective Inspector Richard Lewsley, from the Met’s Rape and Serious Sexual unit in north west London, said:
“Our team were fortunate enough to be involved in the piloting of this crucial piece of kit which allows front line officers to offer a service which puts victims first.
“The device demonstrates we are committed to supporting victims’ needs and enabling them to provide evidence whilst giving our officers the right tools to do their jobs effectively.
“DIR gives officers the ability to operate efficiently, receive a high-quality product and relay it back to an investigation team within minutes of an interview finishing.
“It’s shown it can alleviate stress on my officers by giving them the capability to conduct interviews and better manage their time in ways they wouldn’t have been able to do before.
“The time saved in capturing evidence, as well as the choice offered to victims to decide where and when they provide evidence, makes this device invaluable.
“DIR is not limited to one crime type and I’m sure, in time, many will benefit.”
James Higgins, Project Manager with the Met’s Digital Data and Technology team, said:
“We have collaborated with front-line officers and the supplier to develop an advanced, secure and comprehensive Portable Interview Kit which represents a transformative approach to interviewing, offering substantial benefits to the Metropolitan Police and enhancing the conduct of victim and witness interviews.
“The kits empower Met interviewing officers to confidently gather high-quality evidence and allows secure transmission from anywhere in the world back to the investigative team for prompt analysis and fast-time action.
“DIR utilises the same interview software and input screens as the Met’s new Fixed Interview Room system, which is being implemented across the Met, adding to significant changes in business processes and saving the Met money.”
The equipment has also been used in a variety of locations including prisons, mental health secure units, hospitals, hotels, schools, care homes and overseas in government or law enforcement buildings.
As part of our A New Met for London plan, the Met is determined to fix its foundations to ensure officers and staff can succeed to better serve Londoners, equipped with the best tools to cut crime. These kits offer the best technology available so officers can use their powers precisely while maintaining trust and upholding high standards.
Notes to Editors
The Met is determined in its mission to ensure women and girls feel safe wherever they are. We committed as part of our Violence Against Women and Girls action plan to improve how we communicate with the public about what we are doing, which included sharing progress on our plans and being clear on what success means. Improved trust, safer places and taking a victim-centred approach to crime is at the heart of that plan: Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) action plan | Metropolitan Police
If you’ve been a victim of rape or sexual assault, charities and support agencies can offer help and guidance:
Rape Crisis: 08085002222
National Rape and Sexual Abuse Helpline: 0808 802 9999
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Today, Governor Ron DeSantis was joined by Florida Division of Emergency Management Executive Director Kevin Guthrie at the State Emergency Operations Center to provide updates on preparedness efforts for Tropical Storm Milton.
As of 8 a.m., Tropical Storm Milton is located about 860 miles west-southwest of Tampa, Florida, with maximum sustained wind gusts near 60 mph. Milton is forecast to move across the Gulf of Mexico and approach the west coast of Florida by midweek.
Governor DeSantis issued Executive Order 24-215, amending EO 24-214 and declaring a state of emergency for 51 counties.
To learn more about navigating hurricane season, residents can visit FloridaDisaster.org/Guide. For updates on county resources available visit FloridaDisaster.org/Counties for a list of all 67 county emergency management contacts.
State Preparedness Efforts
The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) has activated the State Emergency Operations Center to Level 1 since Tuesday, September 24, for Hurricane Helene, and is at a Level 1 for Tropical Storm Milton as of today, October 6, leading coordination efforts for the State Emergency Response Team.
The Florida Department of Veteran’s Affairs (FDVA) storm preparations are underway at all State Veterans’ Nursing Homes in anticipation of Tropical Storm Milton’s landfall.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) is performing maintenance on all equipment deployed during Hurricane Helene to ensure it is ready for use in Tropical Storm Milton.
FDLE Regional Operations Centers in Tampa and Fort Myers are establishing their Regional Law Enforcement Coordination Teams (RLECT).
FDLE agents working Operation Blue Ridge are demobilizing to respond to Tropical Storm Milton. Maintenance is being conducted on equipment returning from North Carolina.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has readied high-water vehicles and all other storm response resources statewide so they may be rapidly deployed to assist Floridians in need in the event of damage or flooding. Contingency plans based on forecasted landfall locations have been developed and remain flexible based on the storm’s projected path.
FWC officers are ready to deploy and respond with a variety of specialized equipment as necessary, such as:
Airboats
Shallow draft boats
ATVs/Side-by-sides
Larger platform vessels
Four-wheel vehicles
FWC Special Operations Group (SOG) teams will serve as reconnaissance units for the state and report on damage after the storm has made landfall.
FWC Aviation Section has been placed on standby and has readied all appropriate aircraft for potential deployment for aerial assistance, reconnaissance, and post-storm damage assessments when needed.
Health and Human Services
The Florida Department of Health’s (DOH) deployed over 200 emergency response vehicles on the I4 Corridor in preparation for the storm.
The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) has initiated an event in the Health Facility Reporting System (HFRS). Health care providers in the have been requested to provide information on census, available beds, evacuation status, accepting evacuees and generator needs from counties declared under EO-24-114. This information allows AHCA to assist healthcare providers in transferring patients if needed and ensure that health care providers in impacted areas have the necessary resources and adequate power.
The Department of Elder Affairs (DOEA) is contacting all our Area Agencies on Aging partners to receive updates on their ongoing preparation efforts and gather the status of any unmet needs.
The Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) will continue to host calls with APD leadership, regional and facilities to brief them on Tropical Storm Milton and provide updates on protective actions, the status of clients and residents, and anticipated unmet needs in potentially affected areas.
Infrastructure, Roads and State Closures
The Florida Department of Transportation’s (FDOT) Tropical Storm Milton statewide preparedness efforts include clearing shoulders in preparation for potential Emergency Should Use (ESU):
Currently analyzing flooding vulnerabilities for major roadways and bridges.
Inspecting and clearing drainage systems, monitoring flood-prone and currently saturated areas, and pre-positioning pumps as appropriate.
Securing high mast lighting, maintenance yards, active construction projects, rest areas/welcome centers, service plazas, and weigh stations that had returned to normal since Hurricane Helene.
Replenishing fuel reserves, checking generator readiness, and pre-positioning assets as appropriate.
Completing repairs on malfunctioning vehicles and equipment in preparation for deployment.
Initiated communication with modal partners – seaports, airports, railroads, transit, and spaceports. All partners are currently in monitoring posture.
Staging ITS trailers, as well as drone teams and equipment are being prepped and ready to deploy as needed.
FDOT has removed over 53,339 cubic yards of debris to date.
FDOT encourages drivers to download the FL511 app or visit FL511.com for road/bridge closures and potential detours that may be activated. Remember to always follow the direction of local law enforcement and emergency personnel.
FDOT is supporting our local communities with supplemental sand and debris removal from local roads on the barrier islands in Pinellas and Manatee counties.
At the direction of Gov. DeSantis, FDOT is coordinating debris removal assignments for the Florida National Guard, Florida State Guard, Florida Highway Patrol, amongst others, who have activated available state personnel and resources to clear and haul remaining debris.
In preparation for Tropical Storm Milton, FDOT’s out-of-state deployed resources have begun to transition back to Florida operations.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is coordinating with EPA’s Landfill Strike Teams to provide technical support and assistance for these sites. For counties and local governments in need of additional debris disposal locations, especially ahead of this new storm, DEP has approved all DDMS site requests.
Currently, 186 Disaster Debris Management Sites (DDMS) have been authorized to operate for Hurricane Helene.
Hurricane Helene kicked up significant amounts of sediment and sand along the coastlines in and along its path. DEP is working with local governments to manage the excess sand and continue removal efforts.
For sand that has accumulated on private properties, residents should return it to the beach if it appears clean, smells fresh and is free of debris. If the sand contains debris, residents should contact their local government to find the nearest disposal site. DEP has worked with counties to establish temporary staging areas to properly screen the sand before it is returned to the beach.
DEP is working with Florida’s Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network (FlaWARN), the Florida Rural Water Association and other response agencies to ensure preparations are underway to support drinking and wastewater facilities ahead of the anticipated heavy rains.
Florida’s water management districts are engaging local governments and drainage operators throughout the state and are available to provide technical and other support, including deploying temporary pumps to alleviate localized flooding. As part of standard operations, DEP and Florida’s water management districts continue to monitor water systems and river levels as the storm develops.
Currently, no Florida State Parks are closed because of this anticipated storm. For updates on state parks affected by Hurricane Helene or Tropical Storm Milton, please visit: FloridaStateParks.org/StormUpdates.
The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) is staging high-water rescue vehicles in preparation for landfall.
FHP is prepared to deploy up to 120 Quick Response Force (QRF) Troopers to affected areas.
FHP is assisting with traffic control in St. Petersburg.
FHP air support and drone assets are staged and prepared to deploy when needed.
The Florida Department of Education (DOE) is actively monitoring Tropical Storm Milton and is working with school districts as they begin preparation efforts. The Department is also in close contact with districts that have been impacted by Hurricane Helene and will assist them with addressing critical needs ahead of the storm. Updates on school closures can be found at FLDOE.org/storminfo.
Resources for Employees, Businesses and Consumers
The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) is staging assets and personnel across 13 offices statewide and is prepared to surge resources to areas impacted by Hurricane Helene that receive a second impact from Tropical Storm Milton.
Updates on business closures and business resources are consistently being updated at FloridaDisaster.biz.
FloridaCommerce activated the private sector hotline at (850) 815-4925, open daily 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Inquiries may also be emailed to ESF18@em.myflorida.com.
FloridaCommerce is hosting daily private sector coordination calls. Briefings will be provided by Emergency Support Functions and private sector partners. For call information email ESF18@em.myflorida.com.
VISIT FLORIDA Emergency Accommodation Modules on Expedia, Priceline and Booking.com will remain available to provide real-time hotel availability and lodging resources for impacted Floridians and visitors.
The Florida Small Business Development Center Network (SBDC) has pulled their Helene Mobile Assistance Centers from the field and will redeploy once storm conditions have passed.Follow FDEM on X, Instagram, and Facebook for updates and visit FloridaDisaster.org/Updates for information relating to Tropical Storm Milton.
Deputy Attorney General (Deputy AG) Lisa Monaco traveled to Mirabella Eclano, Italy, on Oct. 3-4 for the G7 Interior Ministers Meeting, where she highlighted the importance of international partnerships in supporting the rule of law and protecting against persistent global threats.
The Deputy AG described the current threat environment to her G7 colleagues as a time where the threats have never been more diverse — from more aggressive actors — and all fueled by international conflicts and emerging, disruptive technologies — especially cyber and AI. She urged the ministers to stay united against threats posed by autocratic nations like Russia, Iran, and China looking to project power at home and abroad through transnational repression, malicious cyber activity, the abuse of emerging technologies, such as AI and cryptocurrencies, and malign foreign influence — especially in a global election year.
The Deputy AG joined her colleagues in committing to deepening international collaboration against these threats, as well as against terrorism, malign cyber actors, and synthetic drugs such as fentanyl. She shared how the Justice Department is targeting the broader ecosystem that allows cyber criminals and malign nation state actors to flourish — by prioritizing disruptions and placing victims first — and also highlighted how the Department is tackling all aspects of the deadly fentanyl supply chain, in every part of the globe, to protect innocent lives.
Ahead of the one-year anniversary of Hamas’s brutal October 7 terrorist attacks in Israel, the Deputy AG and Ministers unequivocally condemned terrorism and violent extremism in all forms, both online and offline. They pledged to continue the information sharing and law enforcement partnerships that are integral to thwarting acts of terror around the world.
The Deputy AG and ministers also met virtually with Ukrainian Interior Minister, Ihor Klymenko, and reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine and their resolve to hold Russia accountable for the war crimes and atrocities it is perpetrating in its war of aggression. She reiterated the need for sustained coordination in these efforts and underscored the Justice Department’s continued efforts to deprive the Russian war machine of funding and supplies. She joined the other ministers in announcing new efforts to help Ukraine build the rule of law and fight corruption, including through a new G7 Anti-Corruption Task Force.
As part of their efforts to build cooperation and coordination among the G7 to promote the rule of law around the world, the Deputy AG and Ministers discussed common frameworks to harness the promise of AI while also protecting against the perils of its abuse. The Deputy AG cautioned that AI is changing how crimes are committed, from intensifying cyberattacks, to making fraud scams more believable, to creating child exploitative material, to supercharging malign foreign influence in elections.
On the margins of the G7 Ministerial, the Deputy AG held several bilateral meetings, including with United Kingdom Home Secretary Yvette Cooper; Canadian Minister of Public Safety Dominic Leblanc; German Minister of Interior Nancy Faeser; and European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson. The Deputy AG also met with the G7 host, Italian Minister of the Interior Matteo Piantedosi, to thank him for his leadership of the G7 and his hospitality. In all these discussions, the Deputy AG reinforced the steadfast commitment of the Justice Department to partnerships that uphold the rule of law and strengthen democracies around the world.
Italian Minister of the Interior Matteo Piantedosi welcoming Deputy AG Monaco to the G7 Ministerial. Photo credit: Italian Ministry of the Interior. Deputy AG Monaco with UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper. Photo credit: UK Home Office. Deputy AG Monaco with G7 leaders. Photo credit: Italian Ministry of the Interior.Deputy AG Monaco meeting with Italian Minister of the Interior Matteo Piantedosi. Photo credit: Italian Ministry of the Interior.
A woman has been charged with murder in relation to a man who was found deceased in Tauranga on Sunday morning.
Police were called to an area in Gate Pa near St George Street at around 8.45am yesterday (6 October), where a 63-year-old man was found deceased.
A 50-year-old woman has been charged with murder and appeared in Tauranga District Court today. She has been remanded in custody to reappear in Tauranga High Court on 30 October.
Both the victim and the woman charged have been granted name suppression at this stage.
Police would still like to hear from anyone who was in the area where the man was found between the evening of Thursday 3 October and Sunday morning, who may have witnessed something of note.
You can update us online now or call 105. Please use the reference number 241006/6224.
Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers(link is external) on 0800 555 111.
A Police dog was quickly on the scent following an aggravated burglary in Māngere during the early hours of this morning.
At about 2.55am, Police received a report of four people inside a Ford Courier Ute, which has driven into the roller door of a supermarket on Westney Road.
Counties Manukau West Area Commander, Inspector Ross Ellwood, says the group has entered the store and taken a number of products, including cash, before unsuccessfully trying to access the cigarette cabinet.
“The group has then fled in a stolen Toyota Mark X, which was quickly located by officers parked on Naylors Drive.
“Delta has tracked to a house of the street, where four youths were taken into custody without incident.”
Inspector Ellwood says Police will continue to respond to reports of businesses being targeted.
“We know this sort of offending can be incredibly invasive for our community.
“We take this type of offending very seriously, and I hope our quick response reassures the community that we have absolutely no tolerance for incidents like these.”
Four teenagers, and 14 and 15, will appear in Manukau Youth Court today charged with unlawfully taking a motor vehicle and burglary.
A downed tree is blocking Manukau Road in Royal Oak, between the intersections with Symonds Street and Lombardy Green.
The incident was reported to Police at around 11.26am, and no injuries have been reported.
The section of Manukau Road is expected to be blocked for some time, and motorists are advised to avoid the area if possible and to take another route.
Provisional Driver caught driving 80km/hr over the speed limit
Monday, 7 October 2024 – 11:03 am.
A 17-year-old male p-plater from Cygnet has been charged with reckless driving and aggravated evade after he was observed travelling south on the Southern Outlet, Kingston, about 9.30pm on 18 September at high speed. Police attempted to intercept the vehicle; however, it continued at speed and weaved between other motorists to avoid police. The youth was observed travelling at approximately 160km/hr in an 80km/hr zone. He was later intercepted and arrested. Police are continuing to investigate the incident and are calling for motorists who witnessed a Black Ford Fiesta or who have dashcam footage of the dangerous driving at the time to come forward. Anyone with information is asked to contact Tasmania Police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers Tasmania on 1800 333 000 or crimestopperstas.com.au. Information can be provided anonymously. Please quote OR754261.
Please attribute to Detective Inspector Andrew Saunders:
Waikato Police are continuing to make enquiries after a sighting of Tom Phillips and his children was reported on Thursday evening.
Investigators received information about 7pm on Thursday that Tom had been seen in bush area west of Coutts Road in Marokopa with Jayda, Maverick and Ember.
Our enquiries have established that this was a credible sighting, and Police believe it was indeed Tom and his children.
Police dispatched staff to the Marokopa area on Thursday night and a three-day search was commenced.
Part of the search phase included air support from the Police Eagle helicopter and a Royal New Zealand Air Force NH90 helicopter.
While nothing further of significance was located, investigators will now assess information gathered to determine any next steps.
This is the first time all three of the children have been sighted, which is positive information, and we know it will be reassuring for the children’s wider family.
Police continue to urge those in the Marokopa community to remain alert and report any suspicious activity, no matter how minor, to us.
If you have any information that could help our enquiries, please update us online now or call 105.
Please use reference number 211218/5611.
Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
A man has been charged in relation to an assault on Courtenay Place in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Emergency services were called to Courtenay Place outside the old Reading Cinema about 3.20am after a 21-year-old man was injured.
He was transported to hospital, where he remains in critical condition.
A 29-year-old man has now been arrested in relation to this incident. He has been charged with wounding with reckless disregard, and is due to appear in Wellington District Court today.
Police would like to hear from anyone who witnessed this assault, or who has any knowledge of it or of those involved. In particular, we want to speak to two women who were sitting close by when the incident occurred, and who would have witnessed what happened.
If you have any information that could help our enquiries, please update us online now or call 105 and use the reference number 241006/5414.
Police have also opened an online portal where anyone who has any relevant video footage or images can upload their material.
Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
Three people were arrested this morning following a traffic stop in the Dinsdale area.
At around 3.45am, a Police unit sighted a vehicle of interest relating to a burglary in Te Kowhai on Sunday.
Senior Sergeant Leo Belay says a traffic stop was carried out and the vehicle was stopped without issue.
“A search of the vehicle located a number of items relating to multiple burglaries across the Waikato District, along with the seizure of drug utensils.
“Police followed positive lines of enquiry after reviewing CCTV footage of the Te Kowhai burglary, these arrests highlight the value that CCTV provides Police when investigating such offenses.”
Some items recovered include car keys, passports, power tools, watches, and jewellery.
All three occupants of the vehicle were arrested at the scene without incident.
“This is another good example of our staff remaining vigilant in the community, and a great example of proactive Police work by frontline officers,” says Senior Sergeant Belay.
“Waikato Police are committed to ensuring our community is safe and we hope these arrests provide reassurance to the community.
“Due to the amount of evidence located in the vehicle, investigators will be continuing to make enquiries, to ensure the stolen property safely returns to their rightful owners over the coming days. Identification of further victims through these enquiries will likely result in further charges being laid.”
A 43-year-old man is due to appear in Hamilton District Court today facing six charges of burglary, while a 47-year-old man is due to appear facing one charge of burglary.
A 33-year-old man was charged for possessing a drug utensil and was remanded on bail to reappear at a later date.
Hargreaves Mall and part of Williamson Street will be bursting with free activities and live entertainment as part of the City of Greater Bendigo’s 2024 FunLoong Fun Day from 11am to 2pm on Saturday October 19.
City of Greater Bendigo Healthy Communities and Environments Director Stacy Williams said FunLoong Fun Day is an inclusive event that celebrates National Children’s Week with a great range of free activities and live entertainment for children and families to enjoy.
“It is one of the most well attended and anticipated annual events for local children and their families,” Ms Williams said.
“We expect to see big numbers again this year and encourage everyone to come along and enjoy this free family event and all the fun that it offers.”
Highlights of the 2024 FunLoong Fun Day program include face painting, animal petting zoo, bubble fun, safe archery, Lego play, airbrush tattoos, henna painting, toy library, slot cars, craft activities, waste sorting and garbage truck, free fruit, giveaways and more.
There will be a Welcome to Country and didgeridoo performance on the live stage. As well as other live performances by Central Victorian Lion Team and Academy of Creative Arts. Don’t miss the Alice in Wonderland Show and the roving characters.
The Open Street in Williamson Street will feature The Zone big baller, laser tag, meltdown challenge, gymnastics and bike riding, and try-out skateboarding activities as well as displays by Ambulance Victoria, CFA and Victoria Police.
The Kangaroo Flat Rotary Club will be selling sausages and vegie burgers for only $2 each and the Coliban Water refill station will also be available for people to refill their water bottles.
This is a not to be missed annual event with plenty of free fun on offer for local families.
This aerial photo taken on Nov. 24, 2022 shows a freight train to enter the China-Laos Railway’s Friendship Tunnel connecting Mohan in southwest China’s Yunnan Province and Boten in northern Laos. (Xinhua/Hu Chao) Mohan, a small town in the southernmost part of southwest China’s Yunnan Province, reached a trade milestone last month, with over 10 million tonnes of freight, including fresh fruits, coffee, air conditioners and new-energy vehicles, transported on the China-Laos Railway over the previous three years. Since the launch of the 1,035 km rail line in December 2021, Mohan has become an important transport hub with significant highway and railway ports. Also, it’s the only national-level land port linking China and Laos, with new development opportunities mushrooming. The story of Mohan is a telling example of China’s unwavering high-level opening-up. Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China 75 years ago, China has achieved leapfrog development in opening wider to the world. Confident that opening-up is the right path, China has been implementing proactive strategies, including spurring trade growth, attracting foreign investment and expanding institutional opening-up, to accelerate cultivating new international competitive advantages and achieving mutual benefits with other countries. BOLSTERING FOREIGN TRADE, INVESTMENT In 1950, China’s foreign trade in goods was only 1.1 billion U.S. dollars, accounting for 0.9 percent of the world’s total. By 2023, China’s total goods trade had reached 5.9 trillion U.S. dollars, accounting for 12.4 percent of the global share, and has consistently ranked first in the world for seven consecutive years. Service trade has also undergone tremendous expansion. When the People’s Republic of China was founded, the country’s service trade was almost zero. While in 2023, China’s total service trade import and export volume reached 933.1 billion U.S. dollars, ranking fourth in the world. The country is actively expanding imports to share market opportunities with the rest of the world. In 2023, China’s import sources have covered over 200 countries and regions. The China International Import Expo (CIIE), the world’s first national-level import-themed expo, has been held for six consecutive years. “China should continue to offer new opportunities nurtured from its vast market to other countries by holding international fairs such as the CIIE, the China International Consumer Products Expo and the Global Digital Trade Expo,” said Ma Xiangdong, a professor at the Party School of the Communist Party of China of Beijing Municipal Committee. Continuous efforts have been made on lowering tariffs. China’s overall tariff level has been reduced to 7.3 percent, approaching the average level of developed countries. The country recently announced a move to give all the least developed countries that have diplomatic relations with China zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines starting from Dec. 1 of this year. China has built 22 pilot free-trade zones, covering coastal, inland and border areas, contributing about 20 percent of the total foreign investment and import-export volume of the country. The country also keeps expanding its “friend circle” globally. By the end of 2023, China had signed 22 free-trade agreements with 29 countries and regions, and it had signed over 200 Belt and Road cooperation documents with over 150 countries and over 30 international organizations. At the same time, foreign investment has been encouraged. The country’s negative list for foreign investment had been shortened for five consecutive years from 2017 to 2021, and laws and regulations, including the Foreign Investment Law, were put into force to step up protection for foreign investors. In 2023, China’s foreign direct investment, in actual use, reached 163.3 billion U.S. dollars, an increase of 176 times compared to 920 million U.S. dollars in 1983, maintaining its world-leading position in terms of scale for multiple consecutive years. China’s investment is playing an increasingly prominent role in promoting economic development worldwide. In 2023, China’s non-financial outbound direct investment reached 130.1 billion U.S. dollars, an increase of 61 times on that of 2003, and ranking third worldwide for 11 consecutive years. PROPELLING INSTITUTIONAL OPENING-UP China has been unswervingly expanding institutional opening-up in recent decades to realize high-quality development and offer the world new growth momentum and opportunities, rolling out various policies. In the latest move of this kind, China announced in September that it would allow the establishment of wholly foreign-owned hospitals in certain cities and regions, including Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Nanjing, Suzhou, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and throughout the island of Hainan. In the same month, the country issued the 2024 version of the negative list for foreign investment access, reducing the number of restrictions from 31 to 29 and achieving zero restrictions on the manufacturing sector. This fully demonstrates China’s active willingness to expand mutual benefits and a clear attitude to supporting economic globalization, said Jin Xiandong, an official with the National Development and Reform Commission, adding that further efforts will be made to improve the level of foreign investment liberalization and facilitation, and to optimize service for foreign-invested enterprises. At its third plenum, the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China renewed the country’s commitment to the basic state policy of opening to the outside world and continuing to promote reform through opening up. “Leveraging the strengths of China’s enormous market, we will enhance our capacity for opening up while expanding international cooperation and develop new institutions for a higher-standard open economy,” reads a resolution adopted at the plenum. Opening up to the outside world is not just a matter of “opening the door”, but more importantly, is actively aligning with international economic and trade regulations as well as other high-standard rules, said Zhang Bin, deputy director of the Institute of World Economics and Politics at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Zhang underlined the need to enhance synergy between the domestic and international markets as well as resources to constantly cultivate and consolidate new advantages in international economic cooperation and competition.
This study discusses and analyses on a targeted basis and in a systematic way the evolution and key aspects of the case-law of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in relation to the two key pillars of the Banking Union in force, namely, the Single Supervisory and the Single Resolution Mechanisms, from their full operationalisation in November 2014 and in January 2016, respectively, up to the beginning of September 2024. This document was provided by the Economic Governance and EMU Scrutiny Unit at the request of the ECON Committee.
European Commission Press release Brussels, 03 Oct 2024 Today, the European Commission decided to refer Denmark and Spain to the Court of Justice of the European Union for not transposing Directive (EU) 2017/2397 on the recognition of professional qualifications in inland navigation
European Commission Press release Brussels, 03 Oct 2024 Today, the European Commission decided to refer Italy to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to end the abusive use of fixed-term contracts and discriminatory employment conditions (Council Directive 1999/70/EC).
European Commission Press release Brussels, 03 Oct 2024 Today, the European Commission decided to refer Portugal (INFR(2022)2085) to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to bring its national legislation fully in line with the Industrial Emissions Directive (Directive 2010/75/EU)