747 jili games NoneThe Chandigarh Municipal Corporation (MC) on Tuesday approved two major projects to enhance the solid and liquid waste management of the city, including a new horticulture waste processing plant at Industrial Area and a sewerage treatment plant in Faidan village. Around 12 tonnes per day (TPD) of pruned horticulture waste is received and processed at the existing horticulture waste processing plant daily. Chandigarh MC has composed bits at 104 sites inside parks, holding a total capacity of 32 TPD, where this horticulture waste is processed to make it into compost. But to process the leftover horticulture waste, which includes garden waste and small dry leaves, a plan has been made to set up a processing plant of 60 TPD capacity, based on biofuel briquetting technology, at a cost of ₹ 4 crore at the Industrial Area Phase-2. The collected horticulture waste will be fed to the plant, segregated from impurities, if any, screened from dust, ground, dried and compacted to make bricks. Also, as per the guidelines of National Green Tribunal (NGT), MC also approved a project to build a new sewerage treatment plant (STP) to process wastewater from Faidan village, situated on Chandigarh-Punjab border, at a cost of ₹ 7 crore. At present, there is no proper sewage network available in the village and the wastewater is being generated on private land that falls outside the jurisdiction of MC. The wastewater is presently being discharged in N-choe which is then discharged finally into Ghaggar river. Though Chandigarh has more than 100% treatment capacity, there is a wastewater gap generated from a densely populated village that remains untreated. Since the land belongs to the Chandigarh administration, the MC has requested its transfer without any cost to construct the STP. Sidelights Mayor Kuldeep Kumar Dhalor on Tuesday thanked city councillors and MC officers for supporting him during his tenure as mayor. “As we go into New Year, this may be my last house meeting (maybe of tenure of for 2024. I thank everyone for supporting me throughout the year,” he said. Dhalor was appointed mayor by the Supreme Court and he took charge on February 20, 2024. Though mayor elections are conducted every year in January, AAP may demand one-complete year of mayor tenure and demand elections to be postponed till February. If done, the mayor may hold another house meeting in January but if not, this would be Dhalor’s last house as mayor. Mayor elections are yet to be notified by DC. AAP and Congress councillors protested against power privatisation in Chandigarh. While raising slogans, councillors demanded roll back of the decision. “Electricity rates will be increased manifold in the city with UT’s decision”, they said, but interestingly, no BJP councillor supported the protest. Notably, AAP-Congress councillors had promised free electricity in Chandigarh in their manifestos.Toronto Sceptres open PWHL season with 3-1 comeback win over Boston Fleet

ALPINE, Texas (AP) — Three U.S. Army soldiers at Fort Cavazos, Texas, have been arrested on human smuggling charges, U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas said Thursday. Soldiers Emilio Mendoza Lopez, Angel Palma, 20, and Enrique Jauregui, 25, were arrested after a vehicle allegedly driven by Palma and carrying Mendoza Lopez, a Mexican national and two Guatemalan nationals was stopped Nov. 27 by law enforcement in Presidio along the border with Mexico, about 500 miles (805 kilometers) southwest of Dallas. Mike Lahrman, a spokesman for Esparza, said he did not know the soldier’s ranks or whether action had been taken against them by the military. A spokesman for Fort Cavazos did not immediately respond to a request for comment. “Mendoza Lopez and Palma allegedly traveled from Fort Cavazos to Presidio for the purpose of picking up and transporting undocumented noncitizens,” Esparza said in a statement. “Jauregui is alleged to be the recruiter and facilitator of the human smuggling conspiracy,” according to Esparza. “Data extracted from Palma’s phone through a search warrant revealed messages between the three soldiers indicating collaboration in the smuggling operation.” Related Articles National News | Two children wounded and gunman dead after shooting at Northern California school National News | Abandoned mines in the US pose dangers to people and property when land gives way National News | Dog food recalled in 7 states for salmonella risk after puppy litter gets sick, FDA says National News | White House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaign National News | Powell: Fed’s independence from politics is vital to its interest rate decisions Mendoza Lopez was arrested at the scene of the Nov. 27 traffic stop while Palma, who prosecutors said fled the scene of the traffic stop, and Jauregui were arrested Tuesday at Fort Cavazos, about 125 miles (201 kilometers) south of Dallas, Lahrman said. Mendoza Lopez’s attorney, Shane Chriesman, said he is awaiting more information, known as discovery, from prosecutors on the charge. “Once I get discovery and have a chance to assess the case we’ll develop a plan of attack” and will try to get a bond set for Mendoza Lopez, who is currently jailed without bail, Chriesman said. No attorneys are listed in jail records who could speak for for Palma and Jauregui, who are awaiting their first court appearance on Friday, according to Esparza.Braunschweig, Germany, Dec. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vaping360, a leading authority in the global vaping industry, has announced its prestigious 2024 Annual Awards . Among all other competitors, Geek Bar stood out with remarkable achievements, underscoring its strong market presence and global influence in the ever-competitive vaping industry. Double Victory: Excellence in Disposable and Beginner Vapes Geek Bar showcased its market leadership by earning nominations in two essential categories and winning both: Best Disposable Vapes - Geek Bar Pulse X (Winner) Best Beginner Vapes - Geek Bar Pulse X (2nd Place) The Geek Bar Pulse X ' s triumph in the 'Best Disposable Vapes' category reflects its outstanding appearance, exceptional performance, and consumer appeal. Its second-place win in the 'Best Beginner Vapes' category further highlights its accessibility and ease of use for new vapers. Global Impact and Market Competitiveness These award wins highlight the global recognition of Geek Bar ' s commitment to delivering superior vaping experiences through cutting-edge technology, innovative designs, and consumer-focused products. With a strong emphasis on research and development, Geek Bar will continue to set industry benchmarks. As the vaping industry evolves, Geek Bar remains at the forefront, driving innovation, enhancing brand loyalty, and strengthening its global presence. Its success at the Vaping360 2024 Annual Awards serves as a testament to its industry leadership and unwavering dedication to quality and customer satisfaction. CONTACT: Hillary Jiang Geekbar hillary.jiang (at) geekvape.com

The chief technology officer at Foot Locker, Butler brings more than 25 years of leadership experience across all areas of technology to the Board NORFOLK, Va. , Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- PRA Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: PRAA), a global leader in acquiring and collecting nonperforming loans, announced today that Adrian Butler has been elected as an independent director of the company, effective January 1, 2025 . Butler is the chief technology officer (CTO) of Foot Locker, Inc., a leading global footwear and apparel retailer with approximately 2,450 retail stores in 26 countries across North America , Europe , Asia , Australia and New Zealand , and a licensed store presence in the Middle East and Asia . As Foot Locker's CTO, Butler is responsible for driving technology strategy, innovation and delivery across their digital, data and analytics, supply chain/merchandising and omni-channel experiences. Prior to this role, he was chief information officer at Casey's General Stores, Inc., and senior vice president of information technology and chief information officer at Dine Brands Global, Inc., the parent company of Applebee's and IHOP restaurants. He also served as vice president in the technology services division at Target Corporation. In addition to serving on boards such as Potbelly Corporation and Grambling University Foundation, his alma mater, Butler is the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions, including Los Angeles Business Journal's CIO of the Year, CIO Magazine's CIO 100, Computerworld's Premier 100 IT Leaders, Board Prospects' 50 Military Veteran Board Members Making a Difference and the 500 Most Powerful Business Leaders in Dallas-Fort Worth . "We are thrilled to welcome Adrian to the Board," said Steve Fredrickson, PRA Group Board chairman. "Adrian is an experienced public company board member and business leader with demonstrated success driving technology innovations to transform large global organizations across multiple industries after serving as captain in the United States Air Force. His business and technology insights and expertise will be invaluable to the Board and management as we continue to advance our IT strategy and preparedness in support of initiatives that drive profitable growth." "I am honored to join the talented Board at PRA Group as a strategic business partner and contribute my experience to support its continued growth and success around the globe," said Butler. About PRA Group As a global leader in acquiring and collecting nonperforming loans, PRA Group, Inc. returns capital to banks and other creditors to help expand financial services for consumers in the Americas, Europe and Australia . With thousands of employees worldwide, PRA Group companies collaborate with customers to help them resolve their debt. For more information, please visit www.pragroup.com . News Media Contact: Elizabeth Kersey Senior Vice President, Communications and Public Policy (757) 641-0558 Elizabeth.Kersey@PRAGroup.com Investor Contact: Najim Mostamand , CFA Vice President, Investor Relations (757) 431-7913 IR@PRAGroup.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/adrian-butler-elected-to-pra-group-board-of-directors-302334284.html SOURCE PRA Group, Inc.Alaska Airlines selected to connect San Diego and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport with nonstop serviceHeavy travel day starts with brief grounding of all American Airlines flights

NORTHWEST VERMONT — Republican Vermont Reps. Chris Mattos of Milton and Pat Brennan of Colchester were voted into State Senate seats last month, among six other Republicans new to the chamber, rendering the Democratic supermajority a thing of the past. Republicans unseated four incumbents and scored another two open seats vacated by long-serving Democrats. The GOP nearly doubled its representation in the upper chamber, from seven seats last session to 13 in the next. Democrats and Progressives, who held 23 seats before and just 17 now, will no longer have the two-thirds majority necessary to override gubernatorial vetoes. The Democratic party also lost its supermajority this election cycle in the Vermont House. Brennan and Mattos are excited about their wins, as well as hope about the renewed potential to accomplish some of their legislative goals, with the shift in their party’s favor that’s taken place in Montpelier in the wake of this election cycle. “I think the tone is going to set itself,” Brennan said. “I don't think I'll have to set it. I think the voters set the tone when they chose their senators and representatives at the polls this year. I think it's going to be a tone of collaboration... We'll hopefully get along, and I don't see why we wouldn't.” Brennan, represented Colchester in the House for 21 years before winning the Grand Isle District senate seat previously held by the late former Senator Dick Mazza (D). In a contentious race, Brennan beat Democrat Andy Julow by 725 votes . “When there was a supermajority, there was no need for collaboration,” he said. “The other team there just did what they wanted and we weren't involved a whole lot, other than saying ‘No, we kind of don't like that bill, it's not good for my people at home.’ That’s where you get ‘the party of no.’” Brennan believes it’s not that the Republicans are actually the party of no, but that their suggestions and ideas weren’t listened to in the past. He hopes all parties will be able to come together now, not to push their “own agendas” but to do “what’s good for Vermont.” Brennan thinks he was voted into office as a state senator because the people wanted a change, largely to do with the growing tax burden, but also because of the reputation he’s built up among constituents in his district as a state representative for decades already. “I think everybody agrees, or 90% of the population might agree, the supermajority was not a good thing for anyone, especially the taxpayer,” Brennan said. “The supermajority had their chance to make some changes and didn't do that. So the pressure’s on now. People are looking at the new legislature, the new make-up, to make things right.” Mattos said he’d be lying if he said he wasn't surprised at the upset that happened in Vermont this election. On Nov. 5, Mattos beat incumbent Senator Irene Wrenner (D), to represent Chittenden-North, a district that includes parts of Milton, Essex Town, Westford and Fairfax. “I knew we were going to pick up some seats, but not to the number that we did, so I was very happy,” he said. Mattos credits the swing to voters’ frustrations about rising property taxes, and the potential expenses of the Clean Heat Standard — a Vermont law passed last year committing the state to reducing its greenhouse gas output, which has sparked debate around its potential costliness once put into practice, despite advocates’ assurance it can be done affordably — as well as an increase in Department of Motor Vehicles’ fees that was not even requested by that department. “I think Vermonters were just tapped out with all the different fees and taxes that have increased over the past couple of years,” Mattos said. “So they definitely voted with their pocketbooks this election. It showed across the state.” When asked what parts of the budget they would look to pare down in order to see that taxpayer burden reduced, both Mattos and Brennan named the public education fund first and foremost. Mattos in particular worked on the education committee his first three years in the Vermont House, and has been on the ways and means committee for the past four. Now that he’ll be in the Senate, figuring out education finance remains his biggest priority — particularly now that the number of members of each party in the chamber are “more balanced.” “We're really going to have a seat at the table to get our ideas out there,” Mattos said. “Over the past years, the majority definitely said, ‘We can do whatever we want, we don't need your support.’ And they definitely, definitely showed it.” Mattos said while on ways and means, legislators had a draft of a bill brought up and had a meeting with leadership advocates the next day, and the day after that the bill had become a study on education finance — which, he said, in the next 24 hours, was halted by the opposing party. “So, I’m hoping that doesn't happen anymore,” Mattos said. “There are backstops in both bodies. I’m hopeful that the majority will listen to our ideas that we have, because I think we do have some good ideas out there.” Mattos believes it’s a huge issue that the current education funding system allows no way for individual school boards to know how their budget will affect their town’s tax rate, because of how dependent local property taxes are on what all other school districts choose to do. He said it’s problematic that historically low-spending districts are expected to “subsidize” higher-spending districts, or for higher-spending districts to get tax rate “discounts.” “We need to have a system that's more predictable for the school boards when they're crafting their budgets and determining where they want to spend their money and how much they want to spend,” he said, referencing the three budget votes in his own town of Milton this past year. “When it gets down to it, when we do a budget re-vote, and voters want to see substantial decreases in the tax rate, it really takes a lot of money to cut to get to something that can pass,” he said. “It's really an all-state model, and it's all these towns voting on their local budgets.” Mattos’ proposition is having a standard spending rate to cover the essentials mandated by the state of every district. This way, individual school districts wouldn’t be to blame for their baseline needed expenditures, and anything beyond that can be voted on by the taxpayer, with local taxation being more closely tied to what the local district is spending than it currently is. When asked about funding deferred maintenance — a problem that has gone on for decades in many districts due to the costly nature of making essential facility repairs — Mattos pointed to the number of added hires that have been made in many districts, and the growing size of school staffs despite declining student enrollments as a place to look to cut down on expenditures, freeing up funds to address deferred maintenance in that way. Mattos also acknowledged that private health insurance rates have risen drastically. “It's going to take a lot of money to do all those things, and we need to work within the budget of the state to be able to get there — and not raise new taxes, not raise new fees,” he said. Brennan agreed education funding is number one on his list of things to look at in an effort to render Vermont a more affordable state, as he said he heard out of almost every door he knocked on whilst campaigning that property taxes are too high. “I don't know how people survive, and actually a lot of them don't,” Brennan said. “A lot of people are packing their bags and moving out of state. So that's where we start: We need a total restructuring of how we fund education.” Brennan said he looks forward to considering the recommendations of studies on education funding, and to considering Gov. Phil Scott’s ideas on the matter moving forward, to provide some taxpayer relief via trims to aspects of education that currently may be out of balance. “I expect there to be probably two or three bills to address that, maybe more,” Brennan said. Otherwise, Brennan is concerned with revisiting a true reform of Act 250 in an effort to keep housing more affordable, as well as digging into what can be done for Vermonters’ healthcare. In addition, he expects to see and support a number of bills to strengthen public safety and address the drug epidemic, by getting “a little tougher on crime.” Mattos agreed about the need for further reform Act 250, specifically to make the laws more predictable and less risky for developers to engage with, and hopefully speeding up the development of housing statewide, whilst still protecting the natural beauty of the state. “Gov. Scott's adage, is we need more taxpayers, not more taxes,” Mattos said. “The housing thing is another initiative of mine, because that's what I do in my professional life. I'm a licensed realtor and have a property management and excavation business, so I see it every day.” Mattos favors a mix of housing types, for short- and long-term rental apartment complexes, various sizes and styles available to home-owners on different incomes, and senior living facilities for those who can’t keep up with their large homes but want to stay in the community. He said there’s lots of education out there for first-time home buyers as well as great incentives with down payment assistance from local credit unions, but that he would also favor governmental assistance for first-time home buyers to incentivize completing a homeownership course — say, a $1,000 credit at closing for young Vermonters who don’t want to rent forever. “With the rents being what they are, it's really cumbersome for people to be able to save up money while being able to afford rent,” Mattos said. “So if we increase our housing stock and take pressure off the vacancy rate that's so low that it's very hard to find an apartment, we could make some strides there by being able to get more affordable housing out there.” Mattos’ other concerns are the expenses that could come with the Clean Heat Standard. Instead, he wants to focus more on funding infrastructure-based climate resiliency in the wake of recent flooding events. Though only just elected to their first terms, Brennan and Mattos said they hope to continue serving in their respective senatorial seats well beyond this initial term, and to make Vermont better and more affordable while in office. “I’m not sure we've earned their trust yet,” Brennan said. “That's something that we have to do when we start the session. They're frustrated and they wanted change, and they voted for change. The trust comes now when we get to Montpelier and we actually have to produce.” “I am going to earn their trust and make every effort I can and vote for responsible bills to make Vermont better and to reduce the property tax burden on Vermonters,” he added. VTDigger has reported that a third of the monetary support funding GOP campaigns in some of Vermont’s most contentious races this year came from just 10 wealthy families , with major donors’ impact on the election dwarfing the contributions of those made by others — this year, this held true to a much more significant degree among Republicans than it did for Democrats. The Digger story referenced Mattos’ and Brennans’ races specifically, and quoted the Vermont Democratic Party’s executive director, Jim Dandeneau, as saying Democrats have worked for years to build a Vermont that works for everyone and not just the “wealthy few,” yet these wealthy few this year made a concerted effort to disproportionately fuel and promote said Republican races. “I think that's a misnomer,” Brennan told us in response. “I did receive a lot of money from wealthier people. I received a lot of money from middle class people, and I received $20 checks from people who really couldn't afford $20.” “The wealthier people gave what they could afford,” he added. “It wasn't that it was ‘big money.’ It was that people were concerned about the direction Vermont was headed. Some of that money wasn't all Republican, rich folk. It was Democrat, Republican, Independent.” Mattos said he is beholden to all the constituents in his district, and said he’s done that for the past seven years as a state representative and will continue to do that as a state senator. “I appreciate all the support that I received,” he said. “We have business owners largely in Chittenden County that were a little fed up and tired of the way Vermont was moving, so they wanted to donate, and they happened to donate to my campaign, and I appreciate that.” “I'm happy that I had the level of support that I did,” he added. “But at the end of the day, I represent the people who are in my district.” Brennan talks about himself as a steward of “common sense” governance, which as he sees it, means not passing legislation for the sake of passing legislation, but actually thinking about it and how it will impact the average citizen’s life and pocketbook. “And I consider myself an average citizen,” he said. “So it works out well.” “I'm not sure what Webster says ,” he added. “But to me, common sense is taking a look at an issue, putting the book aside, just just looking at an issue, thinking about the repercussions of a bill, both ways, who it affects, how it affects them, and saying: ‘Does this make sense?’” Brennan said he is a true Republican and votes with the party 90% of the time, but that simultaneously, he’s not married to the party, and hopes to carry on the late Dick Mazza’s legacy by honoring Mazza’s centrism and ability to collaborate across the aisle. “I would just like to urge constituents of all parties, even the ones who didn't vote for me, to contact me with concerns,” he said. “I take every call and concern very seriously, and we'll try to address them in the quickest and most responsible way I can.” Brennan can be reached at pbrennan@leg.state.vt.us or at 802-578-2763. “My door is always open,” Mattos said, as well. “My office is on Main Street in Milton, so I always have people stop by... And I'm just going to continue doing that and putting out my legislative updates and always fielding any phone calls, text messages and emails.” Mattos can be reached at cmattos@leg.state.vt.us or at 802-828-2228.

Washington — Rep.-elect Sarah McBride , a Delaware Democrat who is set to become the first transgender member of Congress, characterized a GOP effort to restrict bathroom use as an attempt "to get headlines." "Everything was fine until some members of the small Republican conference majority decided to get headlines and to manufacture a crisis," McBride told CBS News' Scott MacFarlane. The Delaware Democrat told CBS News that she anticipated an effort to "politicize my use of a restroom," and she indicated she had not intended to use multi-stall women's restrooms in the Capitol. But she also said "that is my choice here." "If anyone had thought to ask me about what I was planning on doing, I would've been happy to tell them," McBride said. "But again, this is not an issue. And this has never been an issue in this complex." Weeks after McBride became the first transgender person elected to Congress , a Republican-led effort to restrict restroom use in the Capitol got underway this week. Rep. Nancy Mace, a South Carolina Republican, introduced legislation Monday to change House rules to limit use of single-sex bathrooms in the Capitol complex to those corresponding to users' "biological sex." McBride, who also made history as the first trans person ever elected to a state senate seat, has tended to stay above the fray, stressing that her priority is to work for Delawareans in the House. She told CBS News that she wants people to see her "competence in governing contrast with their chaos." "I would like my grace to contrast with the grandstanding that we're seeing right now." McBride said. "I would like my approach of respecting everyone to contrast with the disrespect that we are seeing right now." Mace's two-page resolution alleges that "allowing biological males" into the facilities "jeopardizes the safety and dignity of Members, officers, and employees of the House who are female" and would task the sergeant-at-arms with enforcing the measure. House Speaker Mike Johnson said Wednesday that he supports restricting the "single-sex facilities" in the Capitol, saying in a statement that the facilities "are reserved for individuals of that biological sex." McBride pledged to follow the rules outlined by Johnson, "even if I disagree with them," while asserting that she didn't run for Congress to "fight about bathrooms." Anti-transgender sentiments have become a rallying cry for some Republicans in recent months, often evoked by President-elect Donald Trump and his allies on the campaign trail and over the airwaves. U.S. House of Representatives Kaia Hubbard is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital, based in Washington, D.C.

Mohave County Historical Society | Plans in motion to preserve Mohave County’s historic jail

After a week of rumours and misinformation, Kelowna RCMP have set the record straight about a video that's recently gone viral. A video has been circulating various social media sites showing a woman yelling in a local convenience store and along with her dog, who aggressively barked at the store attendants. Someone in the store who was "trying to buy a sandwich" filmed the whole incident. According to RCMP, the incident took place over a year ago, on Sept. 19, 2023 at the Canco gas station in the 1100-block of Ethel Street. "Officers attended where it was determined an unknown female attacked two store employees and attempted to coerce her dog into biting them," said Kelowna RCMP in a press release. The incident was captured on cell phone video which was provided to police at the time. The next day, the woman was found and arrested for assault. She was released with an undertaking scheduled for court at a later date. Just over a month later, RCMP concluded their investigation at the request of the victims affected because the woman had never returned to the store and one of the victims no longer lives in the province. “For reasons unknown, this video only recently surfaced on social media over a year after the incident was reported and investigated by police,” RCMP media relations officer Cpl. Michael Gauthier. “In this particular case, when the victims of the offence(s) are no longer interested in pursuing charges, we are obligated to cancel the Undertaking and conclude the matter as is.”Dates Set for PG&E Quarterly Stock Dividends