
In a “People’s Town Hall” that attracted more than 300 attendees from 25 cities and towns across the region, state Sen. Jo Comerford reminded her “bosses” — the people — that they are the force behind democracy and to make their voices heard as the country heads into another term under President-elect Donald Trump. “In our view about government, you are the most powerful, and we’re going to need that power as we go into this next two years; it is going to be a hard two years,” Comerford said. During the virtual event last Thursday, the senator — who will wrap up her third term representing the Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester District at the end of the year — gave an overview of her biggest achievements for the western half of the state, specifically in disaster relief, climate mitigation and health care. She then outlined a direction for her fourth term, which involves defending and protecting the rights established in the state, continuing to build momentum from past work and finding innovative solutions to existing challenges. “This session, going forward, I’m inviting you to be organizers with me,” Comerford told those who attended the town hall. “This is going to be really important for the things that we want to accomplish.” While Comerford touched on nine priorities for the state, three rose to the top of the list: housing, increasing education funding to rural communities, and protecting natural and working lands. Many residents asked Comerford about the security of reproductive rights and immigrants under Trump’s incoming administration, and while Comerford acknowledged that neither she, nor anyone on Beacon Hill, can be certain of what will happen, the state is committed to protecting and upholding these rights. “I got into state service in the second two years of the Trump administration,” said Comerford, referring to her first term that started in January 2019. “Why I wanted to run was I believe states can do great things. I’ll show you what we’ve done in these last years to make our commonwealth more equitable, safer, more secure for the greatest possible diversity of people.” Article continues after... Cross|Word Flipart Typeshift SpellTower Really Bad Chess Comerford began the town hall with a progress report. Over the past term, she has filed 71 bills, 19 of which were signed into law and implemented by Gov. Maura Healey’s administration. Some of these bills include establishing a permanent disaster relief resiliency fund in the wake of devastating floods to many farms in the communities she represents; creating a gender “X” option on all state documents; and requiring solar siting to look at the built environment or disturbed land before installing solar on forested and agricultural lands. “I’m proud of these, right?” Comerford said. “I’m proud of, for example, in 2022 we passed legislation to protect providers offering and individuals seeking reproductive health care and gender-affirming care.” In addition, two bond bills were passed during the term, including a housing bond bill and the recent $4 billion economic development bond bill, the latter of which was signed into law late last week. In terms of state funding, Comerford helped secure more than $2.36 million in budget earmarks and more than $44 million in bonding earmarks, but she admits that there is no way to track how much of that funding goes to western Massachusetts. She filed a bill to require the state government to publish how much state funding is distributed to each town and region, so legislators can ensure equitable funding. “I want to see it every which way, because I want to make sure that we’re getting a fair shake of public tax dollars,” Comerford said. Piggybacking on equitable funding, Comerford said public education money is among her top priorities, especially for districts with very small or declining enrollments. Along with state Rep. Natalie Blais, D-Deerfield, Comerford filed “An Act to Provide a Sustainable Future for Rural Schools” to help drive funding to smaller districts. However, the real problem, Comerford said, won’t be solved with legislation because the issue lies in education funding formulas. Neither the state education formula or the municipal local aid formula have been reviewed in at least 10 years, which is why she promises to push hard for such a review. “We must open these formulas. They are not working for us. We can make them work, and it will be game-changers for our communities,” she said. An additional legislative priority, Comerford said, is the formation of an independent state municipal and public safety building authority, which would provide financial support for cities and towns to update aging infrastructure. Attendees at the virtual hearing pointed to Northfield as an example, as the rural town still needs a new fire station after voters rejected plans for a $13.5 million public safety complex last year . Comerford said that municipalities not only need space to operate, but buildings to establish public safety and community. “We’ve met with the Legislature on this, we’ve met with the lieutenant governor on this and we are going to push it. It’s a priority bill of the Massachusetts Municipal Association,” Comerford said. Many attendees tuned into the town hall to learn more about the state’s position on federal policies that Trump has endorsed, including the mass deportation of immigrants and the dissolution of the U.S. Department of Education. “The Department of Education was an act of Congress, so as much as Mr. Trump may think that he can abolish it very quickly, there are many people who would tell him differently,” Comerford said. Currently, the state has codified the right of both providers and residents to supply and seek gender-affirming and reproductive health care, Comerford said. The Safer Communities Act, which would prohibit local police cooperation with the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, is coming back to the Legislature this session, and she encourages residents to write to their representatives to support the bill. Yet even with the state taking a stand to protect these rights, Comerford said she’s proactively organizing and listening to grassroots organizations that lead advocacy for these social services, such as Reproductive Equity Now, ACLU, the MIRA Coalition and the Truth School. She’s planning a “know-your-rights” event for education constituents outlining their state civil rights. “We have demonstrated a willingness, both a financial and a policy willingness, to protect and defend and care for our people,” she said. Taking care of Massachusetts residents also applies to the land that Comerford’s constituents live on. “I think we want the green revolution here,” she said. “I just don’t think we want to be steamrolled by multinational corporations, and I don’t think we want to cut trees or take natural or working lands when we don’t have to.” Both the Massachusetts Municipal Association and Comerford previously raised concerns about municipalities losing control over solar siting under the provisions of the climate bill Healey signed into law on Nov. 21. However, Comerford pointed out some aspects of the law that empower municipalities, such as funding for local governments to intervene on state solar siting and permitting processes. Rural towns with populations under 7,500 receive this funding automatically. Solar siting has been streamlined into one application, but feedback from every municipal government department is included on the single permit. “Our communities are stewarding this land, and it’s beautiful and we’re proud of it, but it means they can’t develop this land,” she said. “Some are worried about how they’re going to pay a firefighter or a teacher, so we have to really transition and change the PILOT formula, and we need to codify this, the value of this land.” In addition to funneling millions of dollars into climate mitigation and public transit, the state continued to fund housing development with the housing bond bill. Comerford said she met with Housing Secretary Edward Augustus about the upcoming five-year housing plan and the available funds for building housing in western Massachusetts. While Comerford said she would not overstep municipal jurisdiction on housing, she is working to provide local governments with the tools and resources to build a mixture of market-rate and affordable units. At the end of every question, Comerford rattled off local and statewide organizations that are advocating for these causes. She finished the virtual event by asking attendees to attend hearings on Beacon Hill, in person or virtually, and get western Massachusetts voices heard. Comerford has observed how testimony from her constituents creates change, and how Boston is beginning to listen. “I love this job, I love doing it, I love the people I represent, I am in awe of you every day,” Comerford said. “Our democracy is really fragile right now, and we need you to believe in our government and make us work.”RIMOUSKI, Québec, Dec. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Puma Exploration Inc. (TSXV: PUMA, OTCQB: PUMXF) (the “Company” or “Puma”) is pleased to announce the execution of definitive agreements with NB Gold Inc. (“NB Gold”), a private company, and Comet Lithium Corporation (TSXV: CLIC) (“Comet”) on December 23, 2024 to acquire the McKenzie Gold Project as described previously on November 18, 2024 . On the heels of its Williams Brook Project (“Williams Brook”) Option agreement with Kinross Gold ( see Oct. 24, 2024 News Release ), Puma aimed to secure and gain control over a second large and highly prospective mining exploration project. The Mackenzie Gold Project, located only 7 km west of Williams Brook, shares many of its characteristics and hosts many high-grade gold occurrences (up to 1,315 g/t Au) on the extensive property package. The project is easily accessible from the Company’s field operations and core shack, only 10 km away in St-Quentin and is ideally located to benefit from Puma’s proven low-cost exploration method. TRANSACTION DETAILS To secure an initial 70% interest in the McKenzie Gold Project, Puma will: Comet Lithium retains a 2% net smelter return royalty (“NSR”) on production from each of the Northwest Property (7298-7734) and the Grog Property (7211-8167-7683-9131-9132-9133). Puma reserves the right to purchase one-half (1%) of each NSR at any time with a cash payment to Comet of $500,000. NB Gold’s 30% interest will be free-carried until Puma incurs $2,000,000 in exploration expenditures. Once such an amount is reached, Puma and NB Gold will have to finance expenses according to their respective pro-rata interest in the joint venture. If one party’s interest drops below 10%, the ownership will be transferred to a 10% net profit on mining production. Puma will be responsible for the underlying agreements in particular, but not limited to the NSR granted to previous owners. The completion of this transaction is conditional upon several conditions, including, but not limited to, approval from the TSX Venture Exchange. Puma is dealing at arm's length with Comet and NB Gold. No finders fees are payable in connection with the transaction. Figure 1. Claims blocks of the McKenzie Gold Project A preliminary exploration program for the MacKenzie Gold Project, with a budget of $500,000, is scheduled for 2025. This program is fully funded by the closing of an unbrokered private placement announced today (details below). Preliminary fieldwork began in October 2024 and includes mapping, prospecting, and trenching. Assay results are pending and will be announced upon receipt. Qualified Person The content of this press release was prepared by Marcel Robillard, President and Dominique Gagné, P.Geo., qualified persons as defined by NI 43-101, who supervised the preparation of the technical information that forms part of this news release. About Puma’s Assets in New Brunswick Puma has accumulated an impressive portfolio of prospective gold landholdings strategically located close to roads and infrastructure in Northern New Brunswick - the Williams Brook Project and the new Mckenzie Gold Project. Both are located near the Rocky Brook Millstream Fault (“RBMF”), a major regional structure formed during the Appalachian Orogeny and a significant control for gold deposition in the region. Puma’s work to date has focused on the Williams Brook property, but prospecting and surface exploration work on its other properties have confirmed their potential for significant gold mineralization. About Puma Exploration Puma Exploration is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on finding and growing a pipeline of precious metals projects in New Brunswick, near Canada's Famous Bathurst Mining Camp. Puma has a long history in Northern New Brunswick, having worked on regional projects for over 15 years. Puma’s successful exploration methodology, which combines old prospecting methods with detailed trenching and up-to-date technology such as Artificial Intelligence, has been instrumental in facilitating an understanding of the region's geology and associated mineralized systems. Armed with geophysical surveys, geochemical data and consultants’ expertise, Puma has developed a perfect low-cost exploration tool to discover gold at shallow depths and maximize drilling results. The Company is committed to its DEAR business model of D iscovery, E xploration, A cquisition and R oyalties to generate maximum value for shareholders with low share dilution. Connect with us on Facebook / X / LinkedIn . Visit www.explorationpuma.com for more information or contact: Marcel Robillard , President and CEO. (418) 750-8510; president@explorationpuma.com Mia Boiridy , Head of Investor Relations and Corporate Development. (250) 575-3305; mboiridy@explorationpuma.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements: This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve several known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of Puma to be materially different from actual future results and achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date the statements were made, except as required by law. Puma undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. The quarterly and annual reports and the documents submitted to the securities administration describe these risks and uncertainties. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1c42ff7e-9362-4486-99af-7cfc0dd36b0b
Money Research Collective’s editorial team solely created this content. Opinions are their own, but compensation and in-depth research determine where and how companies may appear. Many featured companies advertise with us. . Gold has been a highly prized commodity for thousands of years, and yet much of it still remains within the Earth’s surface. A considerable amount of the precious metal can be found as deposits in gold mines around the world, most of which are owned and operated by gold mining companies. Operating a single gold...Meta Announces Quarterly Cash DividendAmericans support increasing government efficiency
COLUMBIA, South Carolina (AP) — Victims' families and others affected by crimes that resulted in federal death row convictions shared a range of emotions on Monday, from relief to anger, after President Joe Biden commuted dozens of the sentences . Biden converted the sentences of 37 federal death row inmates to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. The inmates include people who were convicted in the slayings of police, military officers and federal prisoners and guards. Others were involved in deadly robberies and drug deals. Three inmates will remain on federal death row: Dylann Roof , convicted of the 2015 racist slayings of nine Black members of Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina; the 2013 Boston Marathon Bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev , and Robert Bowers, who fatally shot 11 congregants at Pittsburgh’s Tree of life Synagogue in 2018 , the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S history. Opponents of the death penalty lauded Biden for a decision they'd long sought. Supporters of Donald Trump , a vocal advocate of expanding capital punishment, criticized the move as an assault to common decency just weeks before the president-elect takes office. Donnie Oliverio, a retired Ohio police officer whose partner was killed by an inmate whose death sentence was commuted, said the execution of “the person who killed my police partner and best friend would have brought me no peace.” “The president has done what is right here,” Oliverio said in a statement also issued by the White House, “and what is consistent with the faith he and I share.” Heather Turner, whose mother, Donna Major, was killed in a bank robbery in South Carolina in 2017, called Biden's commutation of the killer's sentence a “clear gross abuse of power” in a Facebook post, adding that the weeks she spent in court with the hope of justice were now “just a waste of time.” “At no point did the president consider the victims,” Turner wrote. “He, and his supporters, have blood on their hands.” There has always been a broad range of opinions on what punishment Roof should face from the families of the nine people killed and the survivors of the massacre at the Mother Emanuel AME Church. Many forgave him, but some say they can’t forget and their forgiveness doesn’t mean they don’t want to see him put to death for what he did. Felicia Sanders survived the shooting shielding her granddaughter while watching Roof kill her son, Tywanza, and her aunt, Susie Jackson. Sanders brought her bullet-torn bloodstained Bible to his sentencing and said then she can’t even close her eyes to pray because Roof started firing during the closing prayer of Bible study that night. In a text message to her lawyer, Andy Savage, Sanders called Biden’s decision to not spare Roof’s life a wonderful Christmas gift. Michael Graham, whose sister, Cynthia Hurd, was killed, told The Associated Press that Roof’s lack of remorse and simmering white nationalism in the country means he is the kind of dangerous and evil person the death penalty is intended for. “This was a crime against a race of people," Graham said. “It didn’t matter who was there, only that they were Black.” But the Rev. Sharon Richer, who was Tywanza Sanders’ cousin and whose mother, Ethel Lance, was killed, criticized Biden for not sparing Roof and clearing out all of death row. She said every time Roof’s case comes up through numerous appeals it is like reliving the massacre all over again. “I need the President to understand that when you put a killer on death row, you also put their victims' families in limbo with the false promise that we must wait until there is an execution before we can begin to heal,” Richer said in a statement. Richer, a board member of Death Penalty Action, which seeks to abolish capital punishment, was driven to tears by conflicting emotions during a Zoom news conference Monday. “The families are left to be hostages for the years and years of appeals that are to come,” Richer said. “I’ve got to stay away from the news today. I’ve got to turn the TV off — because whose face am I going to see?” Biden is giving more attention to the three inmates he chose not to spare, something they all wanted as a part of what drove them to kill, said Abraham Bonowitz, Death Penalty Action’s executive director. “These three racists and terrorists who have been left on death row came to their crimes from political motivations. When Donald Trump gets to execute them what will really be happening is they will be given a global platform for their agenda of hatred,” Bonowitz said. Biden had faced pressure from advocacy organizations to commute federal death sentences, and several praised him for taking action in his final month in office. Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the ACLU, said in a statement that Biden “has shown our country — and the rest of the world — that the brutal and inhumane policies of our past do not belong in our future.” Republicans, including Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, on the other hand, criticized the move — and argued its moral ground was shaky given the three exceptions. “Once again, Democrats side with depraved criminals over their victims, public order, and common decency,” Cotton wrote on X. “Democrats can’t even defend Biden’s outrageous decision as some kind of principled, across-the-board opposition to the death penalty since he didn’t commute the three most politically toxic cases.” Liz Murrill, Louisiana's Republican attorney general, criticized the commuted sentence of Len Davis, a former New Orleans policeman convicted of orchestrating the killing of a woman who had filed a complaint against him. “We can’t trust the Feds to get justice for victims of heinous crimes, so it’s long past time for the state to get it done,” the tough-on-crime Republican said in a written statement to the AP. Two men whose sentences were commuted were Norris Holder and Billie Jerome Allen, on death row for opening fire with assault rifles during a 1997 bank robbery in St. Louis, killing a guard, 46-year-old Richard Heflin. Holder’s attorney, Madeline Cohen, said in an email that Holder, who is Black, was sentenced to death by an all-white jury. She said his case “reflects many of the system’s flaws,” and thanked Biden for commuting his sentence. “Norris’ case exemplifies the racial bias and arbitrariness that led the President to commute federal death sentences,” Cohen said. “Norris has always been deeply remorseful for the pain his actions caused, and we hope this decision brings some measure of closure to Richard Heflin’s family.” Swenson reported from Seattle. Associated Press writers Jim Salter in O'Fallon, Missouri, and Sara Cline in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, contributed to this report.Mariah Carey using artificial intelligence to address her most devoted Spotify fans? The pop diva says that’s just simply fantasy. The “All I Want for Christmas Is You” and “Fantasy” hit maker on Thursday debunked the speculation surrounding her fan message, which made the internet rounds amid Spotify’s annual Wrapped campaign earlier this week. In brief videos shared via Spotify, Carey and other artists including Kali Uchis and Taylor Swift thanked their top fans on the streaming platform for their support. In Carey’s fan message, which some users reposted to X (formerly Twitter), the singer tells her fan base — a.k.a. lambs — “your support throughout the years is the greatest gift I can ask for.” In the video, Carey sits still on a dimly lighted set in front of Christmas trees and wearing her signature Santa Claus-inspired dress. The video quickly sparked AI speculation on social media. “THIS HAS TO BE AI,” one user tweeted on Wednesday. While other fans echoed suspicions of AI use and joked about the singer’s stiff demeanor (“blink twice if ur ok, ” a user wrote), others seemingly took a closer look at the pop star’s face — particularly her eyes. One user on Thursday wrote that the singer was “definitely reading off a teleprompter” in her video. The Grammy winner finally took matters into her own hands Thursday evening and revealed the culprits behind her bizarre video. “Bad lighting and a red lip have you all thinking this is AI??” Carey tweeted . “There’s a reason I’m not a fan of either of those things,” she said before touting the next stop on her annual Christmas tour. The self-appointed Queen of Christmas, who stopped by the Hollywood Bowl in November, celebrates the 30th anniversary of her album “Merry Christmas” this year. The LP included her infectious holiday hit “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” which has consistently climbed the charts since 2019. In October, Carey told Times critic Mikael Wood that “it’s happened so many times that I’m thrilled.” “And should it happen again, I would be even more thrilled,” she added. Though Carey might be most known for her Christmas classic, she encouraged her top Spotify fans — suspicious of AI use or not — to keep an eye out this week for more. “I can’t wait to share new music with you soon,” she said.Flag football scours nation with talent camps to uncover next wave of stars
Giants QB Tommy DeVito has a sore throwing arm after loss to BucsFlag football scours nation with talent camps to uncover next wave of stars
MILAN (Reuters) – An own goal by RB Leipzig defender Castello Lukeba gave Inter Milan a 1-0 home win in the Champions League on Tuesday as the Italian champions provisionally moved top of the standings. Inter took the lead in the 27th minute after Lukeba turned the ball into Leipzig’s own net following Federico Dimarco’s free kick. Unbeaten Inter top the table with 13 points from five games, one point above second-placed Barcelona – who beat Brest 3-0 in a simultaneous kickoff – and then Liverpool, who host defending champions Real Madrid on Wednesday. Leipzig are still in search of their first points of the league phase after five consecutive losses in the competition. (Reporting by Anita Kobylinska in Gdansk; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne) Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibilty for its content. var ytflag = 0;var myListener = function() {document.removeEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);lazyloadmyframes();};document.addEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);window.addEventListener('scroll', function() {if (ytflag == 0) {lazyloadmyframes();ytflag = 1;}});function lazyloadmyframes() {var ytv = document.getElementsByClassName("klazyiframe");for (var i = 0; i < ytv.length; i++) {ytv[i].src = ytv[i].getAttribute('data-src');}} Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );