Podcasts about councilors

CCE-850ALast week I asked listeners of the podcast to let me know if they were tuning in, and sure enough, several of you did reach out! So, perhaps this Friday edition of the newsletter going out as a podcast will continue. Today's edition doesn't have any new information but instead is an audio summary of some of what has been going on with voices from some of the decision-makers.I'm Sean Tubbs, and this one's a bit of a puzzle to put together. In the print edition below you'll see new versions of a couple of the stories as I had to develop a new script. I have not included the images, but these podcasts will now have normal shout-outs. No more house ads!Two stories in this edition, both about Charlottesville's budget for FY2026:* City Council makes last minute decisions at final work session before tonight's vote on $265M budget* Council adopts $265.2 million budget after another conversation about transit fundingFirst shout-out: Plant Virginia NativesSpring is here and there's still time to plan for upgrades to your outdoors. You can take some time to get ready for spring! Check out Plant Virginia Natives!Plant Virginia Natives is part of a partnership with ten regional campaigns for ten different ecosystems across Virginia, from the Northern Piedmont to the Eastern Shore. Take a look at the full map below for the campaign for native species where you are in the Commonwealth. For the Charlottesville area, download a free copy of the handbook: Piedmont Native Plants: A Guide for Landscapes and Gardens.Plant Northern Piedmont Natives is for anyone who works with native plants, whether you are a property owner, private consultant, landscape designer, nursery operator, conservation group, or local government.(image)A summary of the April 10, 2025 Charlottesville City Council budget work sessionOne of the challenges of doing a podcast version at the end of a week is that I may have to rearrange two previous stories in order for the audio edition to make sense. That's the case this week with Charlottesville City Council's adoption of a $265.2 million budget for fiscal year 2026. That happened on April 14 at a special meeting.But before we get to that, we have to go back to the work session held on April 10.In Charlottesville, the budget process never really stops. In fact, it keeps on going up to the last minute of adoption. New items were added at the work session that had not previously come up.At the beginning of the April 10 work session, they learned about additional spending that can happen because new funding has been found since the beginning of the budget process in March.“We do have supplemental revenue over and above the proposed budget of $774,263,” said Krisy Hammill, the city's budget director.The driver of that change was an additional $700,000 increase in Business and Professional Licenses that had not been factored in.There were many numbers thrown around during the final work session. Before Council signed off on how to spend that money, City Manager Sam Sanders went through how $915,620 in “Council Discretionary Funds” would be spent to leave a balance of $440,406 to spend.“Kind of thinking that with all the volatility that we have in DC, there could very easily be a series of moments that come up and that this would give you the flexibility to make some decisions and how we could support gaps in what could happen based on decisions and how it actually lands in the community,” Sanders said.Staff codified a list of what Council had already decided to spend over the course of four budget work sessions.* $250,000 to the Blue Ridge Coalition for the Homeless to cover the costs of a federal grant not obtained because there was an error related to a recent leadership transition.* $162,000 to the Piedmont Housing Alliance to pay for the cost of staff who work on eviction prevention.* $50,000 in cash to the Piedmont Housing Alliance related to eviction prevention.* An additional $43,150 to the Boys and Girls Club for a total of $116,000 in the FY26 budget.* An additional $28,800 to Lighthouse Studios to fund two programs for a total funding of $40,000 in the FY26 budget.* An additional $6,000 to Loaves and Fishes to bring their total funding to $50,000 for FY26.* An additional $1,200 to Piedmont CASA for a total of $10,000.* An additional $6,600 to Live Arts for a total of $16,000.* An additional $7,100 to Legal Aid Justice Center for a total of $40,000* An additional $1,500 to SARA for a total of $25,000.* A total of $104,261 in capital improvement program funds will be redirected to the Dogwood Vietnam Memorial. Read this story for more information.At the meeting, Hammill handed out a spreadsheet that provided more details about other programs that were added to the list such as an annual payment to the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center. This was initially left out of the budget because the organization did not fill out an application through a portal called Zoom Grants.The payment to the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center was $228,993 in FY2024 and $246,993 in FY2025. The organization is considered fundamental which means it no longer has to compete for funding through the Vibrant Community Fund process . The payment for FY2026 will be $228,200.“By not submitting through Zoom Grants, they didn't appear on the list, but they didn't know that they had to still submit through Zoom Grants,” Sanders said. “So we have some course corrections that we need to do there and making sure that everyone understands what they have to do still, even though they're in a non competitive round.”Sanders said there was a similar error with the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority. That government body is considered “fundamental” but also sought additional funding.“We have to have a conversation with them about their pursuits of funding going forward to your point they could be here and in the competitive rounds,” Sanders said. “I don't particularly care for that. I think that makes it double dipping.”Sanders said Deputy City Manager James Freas and the Office of Community Solutions are currently performing an audit of CRHA as a way of building a better working relationship.City Councilor Michael Payne, a member of the CRHA Board, called for a joint work session to plan for the likelihood of reduced federal funding for public housing units.At one point in the conversation, Council initially signaled a willingness to add an additional $16,000 to the United Way for their Prosper program. Deputy City Manager Ashley Marshall made a pitch for the program at the April 10 meeting. The program had previously been called the Financial Resiliency Task Force.Another last minute item is $30,000 for the Tonsler League headed by former City Councilor and current CRHA Chair Wes Bellamy. The organization had expected that the City of Charlottesville would have received an additional $250,000 from the state government for operations, but Governor Glenn Youngkin recently vetoed that from the budget.“He received a $250,000 grant for this current year that ends in June,” Sanders said. “I am planning to check with him to see if. If he will expend all of that and avoid the risk of having to send anything back.”Council supported giving the Tonsler League $30,000.At half an hour into the final budget work session held three days after the final public hearing, Sanders asked Council if there was any other item they might want to fund and gave them the current balance.“The question that we are really posing at this point is, is there anything else that you all have been pondering?” Sanders asked. “Because we try to remind you that this is the end of the road and we are truly down to $394,000 that today, right now at this moment, is your Council Strategic Initiatives Fund.”That prompted Councilor Lloyd Snook to express a concern.“So we haven't even gotten to the fiscal year and we've already cut it down?” Snook asked.“That's correct,” Sanders said.Snook said he felt the process was not appropriate.“I find myself trying to figure out what possible process we're advancing here,” Snook said. “And the answer is it's still back to whatever anybody throws up against the wall at Council at the last minute. I just think that's a terrible way to do business.”Sanders said he understood Snook's concern.“I understand and appreciate the last minute nature of it and I'm not a fan of always doing that and I think in these, this, these two moments specifically, we can identify a way to bring you critical information so that you can have that presented to you and then you can make that determination on if you believe the item is ready to go forward,” Sanders said, adding that both Marshall and Bellamy could appear before Council to formally make a pitch.There were at least three Councilors who supported funding for Tonsler, but not yet for the Prosper Program.There was also a long discussion about increasing the number of transit drivers to 82 in order to restore service to pre-pandemic levels. This comment from Sanders finishes off that discussion and sets up a conversation for the future.“I think what I heard was that you are not going to attempt to unpack the budget at this late stage and find a way to make 82 drivers a reality,” Sanders said. “But what you are indicating is that you support the desire for added drivers and that you're looking to have us revisit that with you at some point in the future later in 2025 for the possible consideration of the use of one time funds for the bridge that would be required to get us to the next budget where we will realize the true cost.”Sanders also said he still wants to hold on to the $22.4 million surplus from FY2024 in case federal programs are cut.“The conversations that are being had in regards to SNAP and Medicaid are real in that they're big,” Sanders said. “And if those cuts were to occur, we will see a number of our constituency impacted directly by that.”Sanders said that while the city is blessed to have a large surplus, it will go very quickly if the local government picks up what had been a federal program.Tonight's meeting to adopt is not the end of the process. Because of a second advertising error, Council still has to hold a public hearing on the tax rates and that will take place at the next regular meeting on April 21. By law, Council cannot adopt those tax rates at that meeting and must wait at least three days. A second special meeting will be held on April 24.I had hoped to tell you more about the next three items by going back to the audio, but I've got to get to the next set of stories:* Sanders had an update on a potential low-barrier shelter. The General Assembly's version of the budget had $1.5 million going to the City of Charlottesville for this purpose, and Youngkin cut this in half. The budget has not yet been finalized and Sanders said Senator Creigh Deeds is still trying to make the case to restore the funding.* Sanders said he believes the city would need to provide operating funds to any grocery that sets up at 501 Cherry Avenue.* There is still a possibility that the city might provide funding for UVA's affordable housing project at 10th and Wertland. They will be asked to submit a request as part of the next funding cycle this fall.Second shout-out: Piedmont Master Gardeners seek items for Green Elephant SaleIf you are cleaning out your garage or basement this winter and have garden implements or yard ornaments you no longer need, the Piedmont Master Gardeners will take them off your handsThe Piedmont Master Gardeners are seeking donations of new and used garden tools, hoses, decorative items, outdoor furniture, and virtually anything else that can be used to maintain or enjoy a home landscape. From February 1 through April 30, these "Green Elephant" donations may be dropped off at 402 Albemarle Square between 10 a.m. and noon on Wednesdays or Saturdays. The Master Gardeners are not able to accept plastic pots or opened chemicals.The Green Elephants will be offered for sale to the public during PMG's Spring Plant Sale, scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 3, at Albemarle Square Shopping Center. Proceeds will support the many free and low-cost horticulture education programs the Piedmont Master Gardeners offer to the community.To arrange a pickup of large items or for more information, contact the Piedmont Master Gardeners at greenelephant@piedmontmastergardeners.org.(image)Council adopts $265.2 million budget after another conversation about transit fundingCharlottesville City Council adopted a $265.2 million budget for the fiscal year that begins on July 1 at a special meeting on April 14 but not before another review and summary from City Manager Sam Sanders. He had introduced a $264,474,183 budget on March 4.“Things have changed a little bit, as it always does, from the proposed date to your adoption date,” Sander saidThere have been five budget work sessions and two public hearings on the document itself, but yet to come is a public hearing on the tax rates for 2025.“What I'll point out to you just in basic highlights, is that the revenue expenditure at this time has now risen to $265,248,446,” Sanders said.The tax rates have not changed for 2025, but another year of growth in assessments has resulted in more revenue. The assessor's office reported an average of a 7.74 percent increase in late January.One spending change in the budget is an additional $600,000 for Charlottesville Area Transit which partially came out of a push for local advocates.“We added a transit mechanic to help with operations,” Sanders said. “We are also maintaining fare free service across the system and absorbing the absence of the flexible federal funds because those funds are now not available to us as they have been.”Other highlights:* There's $5.4 million over the next five years for sidewalk repair and construction* There's $12.7 million in spending on affordable housing initiatives in FY26* The FY26 budget is the first to apply to a fourth collective bargaining unitCity Councilor Michael Payne asked about the status of a $22.4 million surplus from FY2024. Sanders made the decision to keep the amount in reserve and Council has so far agreed. The idea is to keep the money available while a new era for the federal government continues to settle in. He also said he has been meeting with nonprofit groups who have been making presentations on funding they have lost from the federal government.“So they are first trying to recoup what they've spent and hope that they might actually get some continuation,” Sanders said. “So that is beginning to build. We're beginning to see that finally the city organization itself has not incurred a loss. But we still continue to monitor just believing that it's just a matter of time. It's not a matter of if, it is actually a matter of when.”A generally-held practice in municipal budgeting is to not use one-time money such as surpluses to hire staffing.“Something like staffing is not ideal because we can't guarantee that funding to occur year to year,” said City Councilor Natalie Oschrin.The conversation went back to transit. The City of Charlottesville owns Charlottesville Area Transit and has full control of its operations. Albemarle County and Charlottesville have entered into an entity called the Charlottesville Albemarle Regional Transit Authority but so far that is entirely about planning for transit operations.Albemarle Supervisors vote to join Regional Transit Authority, December 15, 2024Charlottesville joins regional transit authority; Council holds first reading on federal transit allocations, December 28, 2024Charlottesville Area Transit has no independent board of directors which makes Council the sole authority over its operations. There had once been an advisory body made up of citizens but that was eliminated sometime during the pandemic.An advocacy group called IMPACT made up of various churches has been pressuring Albemarle and Charlottesville to increase the amount they spent on transit to hire additional drivers. Their specific number has been 82, a number believed to enable Charlottesville Area Transit to increase service.“The solution to long wait times is very straightforward: we need more bus drivers,” reads their website. “Right now, Charlottesville Area Transit (CAT) has budgeted 67 drivers. Getting to wait times of half an hour will require at least 80.”In Virginia, cities and counties are completely independent of each other. There are regional services such as that provided by the Rivanna Water and Service Authority, but localities have to adopt budgets independently.IMPACT's public event was held on April 8, over a month into the budget process for Charlottesville and about six weeks after Albemarle County Executive Jeffrey Richardson introduced that locality's budget.At their work session on April 10, City Council indicated they wanted to support IMPACT's request but the timing is not right for the existing budget. They agreed to hold conversations about how to get there shortly after the budget is adopted.Vice Mayor Brian Pinkston and Charlottesville City Council were the two members of Council who went to hear from IMPACT at what they call the Nehemiah Action.“The commitment that the two of us made was to try to get something for this coming the fiscal year that we're working on now, which means some sort of amendment or whatever,” said City Councilor Brian Pinkston.Several members of the group were in attendance at the meeting and Pinkston addressed them directly from the dais and encouraged them to get involved earlier in the budget process.“I want people to know that this is not the end,” Pinkston said. “We heard you last week, we're working on it. And what you're hearing now is the sort of public outworking of the conversations that need to happen.”For over four years of reporting on transit issues, take a look at this tab on Information Charlottesville.Council adopted the budget after a final explanation of last minute changes such as $30,000 for the Tonsler League to help keep it going after Governor Youngkin vetoed an anticipated $250,000 from Virginia's budget.Council will hold a public hearing on the tax rate for 2025 on April 21 and then will hold a special meeting on April 24.Postscript for #850AToday's edition was intended to have additional audio but I ran out of time. Also the podcast edition can be less than half an hour long. The version that airs on WTJU has to be at least 29 minutes long. There was no radio version last week so I'm going to put another story or two in that version from #846-A. Behind the scenes I have quite a bit of organization that allows me to seemingly produce more content than entities with budgets that are much larger than mine. One day there will be more of everything. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

The first Ishara open  House Challenge .Book 3 in 18 parts, By FinalStand. Listen to the ► Podcast at Explicit Novels.Odd Happenings{8:58 am, Wednesday, Sept. 3rd ~ 5 Days to go; the Final Salvo ~ at this time}I had deposited my Mother in the place I felt was safest for her   with OT (Oyuun T m rbaatar) at the Kazakhstan's UN mission. Her being my family was what mattered to them most. I picked her up on my way to work, which made my entrance into the lobby all that much more cataclysmic.I was traveling light with only Wiesława Živa providing me with security. Chaz, Pamela and Juanita were catching up with their sleep, with a promise of taking me out for a late lunch. That was really them telling me to not leave JIKIT until they came for me around 2:00 pm.So anyway, me, Mom and Wiesława walked into the ground floor of the Mil Ma Towers to find eleven people waiting on us. We were in downtown Manhattan in a part of town the NYPD paid particular attention to. What could go wrong, right? Two of the people were Amazons from Havenstone. With them were two fine young men from the US 'don't make me kill you' Department. By this time in my life I was sure they had one   which no one talked about.Five of my expectant visitors were of the same mold as those who protected Hana for me. Not the Ghost Tigers   that would have put me at ease. Sure, they were a gang of assassin and in this circumstance; I would have preferred them. As it was, ten sets of highly-trained Illuminati operative eyes kept me, my party and the four guardians of JIKIT in their overlapping fields of vision.The last two, were doing an impromptu family reunion. They were Aunts 'X' and 'Y', and neither of them smelled like fish, or crab."Aunt Deidre," I tossed out there. "What brings you here today?"It looked like clobbering time! No. Wait. Neither Mom, nor my aunts, were saying anything and they were normally so verbose."Sibeal.""Imogen.""Sibeal, you are looking surprisingly well for a dead woman," the other one said."Deidre, you are looking surprisingly alive for someone who deserves to be dead," Mom bantered back."How long have you known about this?" Imogen's eyes flickered my way."Not long, a while, more than a day, ah, take your pick," I mumbled. I decided to turn that frown aka 'my gut wrenching terror that my Mother was about to die' upside down aka ramped up my sexy, 'glad to see you in a totally incestuous way'."So, what brings you here today and why aren't you waiting upstairs with the rest of my band of cutthroats, malcontents and ne'er do-wells? Oh, and I'm happy to see both of you." Karma was about to bitch-slap the shit out of me and it was so well deserved."I'm pregnant," Imogen studied my reaction. Yeah, I had banged her after Deidre, but before Baibre because I am a fucking reprehensible human being and sometimes, I feel I am utterly irredeemable."Great news," I exhaled. I so wanted to ask 'so, who is the father?' except that was too cruel, even for an O'Shea.No one stopped me from stepping up and hugging her. Everyone in the lobby had heard her loud and clear. Anyone who knew me, or even about me, knew she wasn't passing on the information because Imogen liked sharing good news. I kept my hands on her hips while I leaned my torso back until we could make eye contact."Does Granddad know?" It occurred to me in that second that Pamela was going to kick herself for missing this and the opportunity to kick me as well."I told him over the phone. His reaction was neutral," she responded."Whoa, girl? Boy? How are you doing? When are we going to sit down and figure out a name? Is there anything I can do for you?""Come home with me," she suggested."No," Mom snapped. "Next time he steps into your custody, we all know you won't let him get away." She meant the plane trip to Ireland."No, Mom," I countered. "I'm a grown man now and I make my own decisions. That being said   no, I'm not going home with you.""Not only am I still in love with the concept of my personal freedom, I have important work to do. People are counting on me.""We are counting on you too," Deidre stated. "In fact, that is the other reason we came here. We need you.""Why do I feel that has to do with something besides sex?""Can we talk to you in private?" Imogen requested. There were a thousand and one reasons to say 'no'. Things like 'common sense', bad behavior   they had murdered my homicidal uncle   and the fact they were as morally twisted as their creator. Oh   and they were hot and I hadn't been laid in forever."Sure. Let's go upstairs. You can have your people sweep the room to ensure our privacy then the four of us can sit down and have a family chat," I offered."We don't want her in the room," Deidre indicated Mom."We are a package deal," I denied her. "Like her, or not, she is as much family to me as you both are."They consented far too fast. Either I was falling into their masterful trap, or something horrible had happened. Neither options was palatable to me. The bodyguards departed, Wiesława last of all."What's gone wrong?" Mom preempted me. Her sisters glared."Father's body is not his own," Imogen told us. I was trying to figure out the relevance of that when Mom gasped."Oh fuck," she said in a small voice. "No serum?" Oh yeah, the refinement of those addictive pheromones Grandpa Cáel had gifted me with. Whatever flesh-form he currently inhabited wasn't one containing his genetic make-up meaning,"Oh shit," I mumbled. "What can I do?""Yes," Deidre replied to Mom."Let them die," Mom insisted (to me). Less I forget, she was raised by Grandpa Cáel too. Her being a loving mother to me didn't translate over to her being a humanitarian of any kind."The Hell you say," I jumped up and stared down at Mom. "You hate them. I don't. Letting them die makes me worse than him." Grandpa."So you will help us?" Deidre moved to the edge of her seat."Okay. This is the point where I threaten you into making some concessions, we argue then you eventually cave in because no matter how terrible your futures look, you aren't willing to give up on living. None of that is going to happen. What do you need from me?""Come back with us to Ireland so we can finish our experiments," Imogen joined me in standing. Unwilling to give her sister any physical advantage, Mom stood as well."No. That isn't even a believable lie," I scolded her. "You don't need to blackmail me into helping you. I'll do it gladly. That doesn't mean I'll let you trick me into doing something stupid. I do 'stupid' all the time. I'm accustomed to it and I know it when its ugly head rises up before me. Try again.""We could pick a neutral location," Deidre suggested."How about Havenstone?" They didn't look like that plan was even worthy of their consideration. "Imogen, inside you is growing a possible heir to House Ishara. An attack on you would be an attack on Ishara. Barring you betraying the Amazons, you would be perfectly safe.""Wonderful," Mom's sarcasm dripped off every word. "I'm going to be a grandmother to my nephew while my son is bringing a child into the world that can double as his cousin.""That sound pretty horrible, Mom. It is the truth, but it still sounds pretty terrible."While those words tumbled out of my mouth, I did a little soul back-searching. How in the fuck was   outside of the actual fucking   was Imogen pregnant? My existence was a freaking fluke of nature. A few words were bandied about the room while I was lost in deductive reasoning and turning hunches into assumptions and turning those into reasonable mystic hypotheses.I created the Mojo-Little Engine that thought it could. Specifically, the legacy of Vranus. Legions of little Vranusian sperm had been jumping hurdle after hurdle to keep the faith alive   that Vranus would meet his Ancestors with his mission accomplished. I was already half way there.Still, the legacy of Vranus and the hopes of Dot Ishara hadn't stopped in their struggle just because I had been born. They were still trying to restore the mortal descendants of a Dead House. They were also still spiritually pushing me on to fulfill his last command   to save the Arinniti sons.I was halfway there by returning the offspring of Bolu, Vranus' fellow guardian, back to the fold. It remained for me to round up the purpose of the whole mission in the first place. My semen weren't taking a chance that I could get gakked before that was accomplished. Having knocked up an augur despite the toxic soup she called blood should have been a dire warning to me, I'm an idiot.When the curse of Sarrat Irkalli clashed with the actions of Dot Ishara, Ishara had won. Sarrat Irkalli sought to deny Alal any children of his own. Dot was insisting the male line of Vranus Ishara continue on. The end result was Alal received his long-denied grandson, who just happened to also want him dead because of a feud that stretched back over two millennia.As an added insult, his grandson then knocked up one of Alal's genetically manipulated daughters, again giving him something he couldn't accomplish on his own   heirs   grand-sons and  daughters, most who would also want to kill him, being Amazons and members of the 9 Clans after all. Why? Cause Goddesses are bitches, that's why.That got me to wondering when would be the next time I was going to meet Ishara. I hadn't suffered severe head trauma in while and she was overdue for some snuggle time, witty banter and a fortune cookie. I'd try to be careful. It wouldn't do any good, but I had to try."Why are you crying?" Mom touched my arm."No reason," I lied."Why don't we make plans for tonight?" Deidre insinuated herself next to me. "We'd like to meet Hana. From what I understand, Father likes her.""No can-do," I sniffled. "I've got an orgy with 159 women at 8 o'clock, except there won't be any sex, or fun of any kind. Basically, I have to convince a roomful of women to not beat me up and take my stuff.""You don't have to go," Imogen had finished boxing me in   I had a chair behind me and Momma-clones all around."For the same reason I'm going to take care of our child, Imogen, I have to go to this meeting. People are counting on me to do the right thing without telling me what the right thing to do is.""That's unfair," Deidre empathized by stroking my chest."Not so. This is just another day in the life of a new hire at Havenstone Commercial Investments. Every day is like this and in five more days, the real fun beings." That wasn't entirely accurate. I had one good, stress-free week. It was when Carrig put me in a coma. That week I had done pretty well for myself.{9:28 am, Wednesday, Sept. 3rd ~ 5 Days to go}I trundled my latest 'Assistant-in-Charge of keeping the hopes of future Isharans alive' (I didn't want to call Aunt Imogen, or any other woman, my 'Baby-Mamma'), along with Mom and Deidre, for a meet-and-greet with Buffy. I had spelled out in no uncertain terms that Buffy was the power behind the Ishara Throne and thus making 'her' believe they were playing on the up-and-up was their best hope for easing relations between the O'Shea and the Amazon Host.After they left me (with the assurance we'd be getting back together for lunch, with Hana), I made three calls. I needed to make a formal request to Katrina (any Illuminati member(s) entering any Amazon facility was her purview) and another to Elsa (as a sign of respect) that Aunt Imogen and two unarmed bodyguards, max, needed to see our medicos about a delicate issue.The third call was to Buffy to enlighten her as to both the arrival of another one of my aunts (so we needed to get along peacefully with her) and that Aunt Imogen was carrying yet another potential heir to House Ishara. I suggested it would be a symbolic gesture if a member of House Ishara could hang around for the visit, as it might impress upon Imogen our House had a vested interest in keeping her alive."Another one?" Buffy sizzled. "And this one is your aunt?""It is a date then," I stumped her."You are going to take your pregnant aunt out on a date?" Buffy's sizzle meter was rapidly climbing to Krakatoa proportions."Nope. I'm setting up a date for us. You, me and a quiet location at 12:01 am Tuesday morning, my First. Later in the morning, I'll be heading out to wherever they have stored Felix so we can work on some cooperative strategy.""And if I say 'no'?" She was terribly grumpy."Ugh, I guess I'll go bar-crawling with Odette and Timothy, Gay and Lesbian bars only. That way I know I'll behave.""And if they say 'no'?" she was slightly less hostile."I'll know you threatened their lives, and then you and I will finally find out who is better on the mats. Trust me, it will not be an experience you will enjoy.""I don't know. I think I'd like that.""No. You start threatening the other people I love and you will not be happy; I guarantee that, Buffy."She realized I was both serious and angry. She had stepped out of bounds, the 'bounds' I had set up two hours earlier during our elevator ride."Is the meeting still on for the night?" she evaded my disappointment."Yes. Will you be there?""Of course," she grumped."Buffy, don't bother showing up if you can't separate 'us' as friends, 'us' as Wakko Ishara and my First, and you as my apprentice."Making me miserable in the first relationship doesn't help the latter two one bit. I try not to be an irresponsible asshole as House Head. More than anyone else, you know what I will sacrifice to be Ishara and one with my Isharans. I'll also step out and be plain ole 'Cáel Nyilas' when events permit.""But I am sick and tired of people not taking my desire to be foolish and care-free seriously. Being a dogmatic ass-hat isn't in me, but if you can't work with that, from here on out we are Wakko Ishara and Buffy Ishara and nothing more. I will still trust you as an Isharan, but not as a friend. Your choice.""Don't be such an asshole!" she snapped."Screw you!" I fired back. "I made a fucking effort to plan out some personal time with you, disguised as a joke; you knew it and you still decided to be a ball-buster. Like I need another fucking ball-buster right now, with all the other shit on my plate. You know better!" I was screaming. The people in JIKIT were working overtime at not staring at me."I'm under a ton of stress here too," she snarled. "I have to deal with the Council, keep our House growing and fulfill my obligations with Executive Services.""Do you want to quit? No longer by my 'apprentice'? Go back to working for Katrina full time?""Really?" she whispered."Of course the fuck not!" I shouted. "I didn't pick you for the job because of your sterling personality, or your bedroom excellence. I picked you because I had, and still have, utter faith in your ability to do whatever is necessary to overcome the landfill-sized colossal ill-fortune the Ancestors have dumped in our lap.""I'm just asking you to stop being a whiny, over-sensitive cunt and remember: it was the psychotic bitch who I chose for the top spot," I rumbled."I'm going to kick your ass," she seethed."Nice to know. We on for Monday night?"Pause."Yes," and she hung up. Two seconds later my phone rang again. "Buffy?" I answered. "And don't be late!" she menaced, then hung up again."So," Addison turned my way, "are you praying for World Peace to break out, or Nuclear War?""Hardy-har-har," I griped."Now that your personal drama is temporarily derailed, we have something for you to look at," Mehmet motioned for my attention. "Ever heard of Kōfuku no Kagaku?" I shook my head. "It translates over as 'Happy Science' and it is a cult-like organization in Japan.""Cool beans. Why do I have a sinking impression it is not a front for the Ninja?""That is what we want you to find out," Addison took over. "Of critical importance is the news conference their leader, Ryuho Okawa, gave earlier this afternoon/morning (~ 3:17 pm Tokyo time = 2:17 am East Coast time ~), especially a very relevant part of his interesting public announcement."He claims to be the Earthly manifestation of the Supreme Being. That is old news. Today he claimed that Temujin of the Khanate was the reincarnation of the original Genghis Khan and, with him, Ryuho, as the unifier of theological forces and therefore serving as spiritual advisor to Temujin, they would usher in a new period of Peace throughout Asia.""I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop," I exhaled."He also claims that Japan is in the midst of an epic struggle, both spiritually and in the physical sense. The 'ancient guardians' of Japanese purity, the 6 Ninja Families, are at war with the depth of all Evil, the Chinese Seven Pillars of Heaven by name, who are determined to drag all of Asia away from the Light and into the Darkness of pain, degradation and slavery."In fact I quote: 'Alone among the nations of the Earth, only the Japanese cultural identity can stand firm against this global menace. Only the Japanese can keep the torch of true Enlightenment aloft. Only the Japanese can guide the development of the Khanate into the Supreme Empire it is meant to be'.""I'm going to go out on a limb here and say this guy is pseudo-religious, a Japanese ultra-nationalist as well as anti 'all things Sino'," came out of my mouth."Correct.""None of the Secret Societies would do something so public. Temujin's background is a mystery, but no one in the Khanate is calling him a reincarnated spirit, and they know the truth," I continued."This guy is pretty nutty," Mehmet confirmed. "He also claims to channel Buddha, Mohammed, Christ and Confucius. His followers worship him as the Earthly manifestation of the 'Supreme Being' named El Cantare, which is yet another name for any number of ancient supreme deities. And he claims to consult with the 'spirit guardians' of national leaders and aids in their mystic defense, with the aid of the Five Sacred Sisters' Spirits."Clearly this man was insane. Unfortunately, insane didn't make someone wrong,"Ah Hell," I muttered.Mehmet and Addison perked up; after all, figuring out the bizarre was my position on the team."He probably is insane, and I can't blame him," I sighed. "He isn't El Cantare; he is in touch with the Weave.""I have a feeling this is 'not good'," Addison murmured. "How bad is it?""The Five Sacred Spirit Sisters are most likely the five augurs who died in order to save Temujin, which, in turn, allies the 9 Clans with the E&S and Amazons to 'save' Japan, though it is not 'saved' yet.""Technically, the Weave IS the Supreme Being. It's largely indifferent, yet capable of doing both good and ill in response to outside (aka mortal) stimuli. If you can observe the Weave, you might be able to see the most likely path destiny is taking as well as the key players screwing with that destiny."That would include the Gong Tau sorcerers and the ninjas use of their own brand of magic; and God only knows what other mystic tricks the others have been attempting.""How do we get them to stop?" Captain Delilah Faircloth muttered."Not that easy Delilah. Everyone in this room has intersected because of a magic experiment that happened before any of us were born (Mom).""The fight at Summer Camp was flipped on its head because I saw the ghost the 7 Pillars sent to scout the area. My freeing of one of those trapped and tortured souls led to the calamity at the Barbeque Pit. I didn't use magic. I countered it. Still, my actions were interfering with the Weave."All four people the augurs, those Five Sisters, told me about had been dead at some point in time, some for thousands of years. Ajax didn't kill anyone using magic. Neither has Saku, yet both of them are products of disruptions in the Weave. 'Me' being alive and breathing is yet another disruption, since I shouldn't exist because of another mystic curse from five thousand years ago."Being alive and killing people means I've killed people who shouldn't be dead. Do we need to go into all the millions that have died in the Khanate war? Which was a combination of a resurrected Temujin and the 7 Pillars hunger for World Domination, if we do nothing, the rippled of those other disruption will still carry on."Except for me, no one on this taskforce has used an iota of magic, yet we are all dedicated to combatting mystical forces," I related to the group. I wondered where Rikki (Martin) and Beatrice (Ya Konan) had gotten off to. Lady Yum-Yum being absent only made my 'Scooby' senses tingle more."You use magic?" Agent-86 tilted his head in curiosity."I talk to a Goddess on a semi-regular business. I see ghosts. I've been the conveyer of messages from dead people and I've killed an un-killable man. Do we need to go back over my kidnapping by the 7 Pillars? The memories of my undead Grandfather floating around in my head?""I'm not calling thunderbolts out of the sky and shooting fireballs out my ass, but what I am doing is magical, nonetheless.""So, what do we recommend to our allies and benefactors (i.e., our sovereign governments)?" Mehmet inquired."Hmm, we tell our governments this crackpot is a Prophet of Doom who could be turned into an asset," I rubbed my brow with all four fingers and a thumb. Rikki, Beatrice and Lady Worthington-Burke quietly entered the room. They were all highly pleased in a 'I just won the lottery' kind of way. I was curious, but had to carry on with my train of thought."Quietly start seeking out other mystic societies, preferably low-key, quiet types who avoid the limelight, and start looking into other forms of magical insight and, quite frankly, protection. If the Weave has let this happen, we can expect worse. Lastly, I'll ask my 'Brother' to meet with this guy and get a feel for his personality.""That will only increase the believability of his ramblings," Addison protested."The boat called 'Denial' has already sailed. The World is in crisis. People are going to look for non-conventional answers. It is better to get ahead of this and bring Ryuho Okawa on board as a 'consultant'. Don't give him the whole picture by any means. The guy is definitely a loose cannon. Even worse, he is also a loose cannon the Weave has touched.""Besides, the Seven Pillars are going to figure this out pretty quick, their Weave sensitivity, ya know, and either kidnap him to be their own spiritual seismic sensor, or kill him for being both a loose cannon and yet another person screwing with their 'best laid plans'. Keeping him alive has the added benefit of making the Seven Pillars expend resources trying to get at him. Japan needs every bit diversion they can get."Let's not forget to tell our Secret Society allies of our plans, lest they kill him too. His babblings aren't going to make the 9 Clans or the E&S happy with him. They both have an established habit of making perceived enemies dead. Let's keep him alive and utilize this opportunity.""I like this plan," Addison nodded. Mehmet was clearly on board as well. Agent-86 clearly was playing the best on-line mystic MMORPG ever! (And with the added bonus that his team's action had real-world consequences.) The three 'ladies' new to the room received an abbreviated version of our discussion and my 'suggestions'. They weren't really suggestions. Barring a few insanely criminal endeavors, JIKIT treated me like a true asset."Something else big?" Addison looked to her British counterpart (Yum-Yum)."The Japanese Diet has voted for a public referendum on a Constitutional Amendment to repeal/revise Article 96 of the Japanese Constitution.""Oh fuck," was echoed, either verbally or subliminally, by everyone in the room except for me, Delilah and Agent-86.'Cáel' knew Jack and Shit about the Japanese Constitution. Hell, I barely knew about the US one and I was a native. However, Alal did know it, and knew both what Article 96 was and what its amendment really meant. Good-old 96 was the rolling dark cloud across the political Great Plains that heralded a swarm of tornados. Clouds were clouds and their arrival could mean anything.Article 96 dictated how the Japanese Constitution could be amended. The current process was a 2/3rd vote in both the House of Councilors (the 'Upper House', roughly equivalent to our Senate) and the House of Representatives (the 'Lower' House) followed by a public referendum. The proposed amendment to Article 96 would transform the process to a mere majority vote in both Houses.Imagine the shit-storm which would be unleashed if the US Congress tried to pull that shit. The biggest political issue was that the Japanese Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) held 294 of the 475 seats in the lower house (a clear majority) and 115 of the 242 in the Upper House (7 seats short of a majority). If the amendment passed next month (October 14th to be precise), the LDP could pretty much do as they pleased.And what was the first thing they were going to do? They were going to put to rest another part of the Constitution, namely the far more globally important Article 9. And what was that?Real World Stuff: WarningsArticle 9:(1)Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes.(2)To accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized.If Article 9 was repealed, the Japanese nation could exercise diplomacy by military means, aka declaring an offensive war against a foreign power. Currently Japan had a modest budget military budget of $48 Billion a year (Earth's 10th largest). It was modest when you considered it was a mere 1% of the Japanese GDP. Great Britain, France and South Korea's smaller economies all functioned nicely with double that percentage for their military budget.Regionally, every other nation was increasing their military expenditures, except Japan's protector, the US and (perhaps) North Korea, who's spending on anything was a closely guarded state secret. Right now, China and the Khanate's military expenditures were running roughly even at $180 billion each, but this was an arm's race the PRC would eventually win, they had too great an advantage in the size of their workforce and a far larger industrial base.The truth was, if the PRC couldn't win this race fast, she was facing a long, grinding war reminiscent of the Communists' Long Rise to Power that wrecked their country a century ago. The monetary dynamic was shifting badly against them because the Khanate wasn't alone.India, Taiwan and Vietnam were also ramping up their war spending to a combined tune of $34 billion and now allied with the Khanate, equating to an additional $90 billion the PRC had to overcome. South Korea was already adding $8 billion to their military and Russia was taxing the fuck out of Manchuria to both pay for their 'Peaceful Intervention' and to increase the 'Readiness' of their other forces.All of this military spending was bad for both the regional and global economies (unless you were Israel who was turning out hardware 24/7/365 for the Khanate and Indian war machines). So at this point, Japan doing 'nothing' was possibly more disastrous than doing 'something' else.They were already spending $50 fucking billion on glorified policemen while the future of East Asia was being decided without them. Doubling the military budget would place a huge burden on the largely pacifistic population. It would also put Japan in the position of deciding the Fate of Nations.With the repeal of Article 9, Japan could utilize 'proactive means' to keep the naval supply routes to China open, not even the Indian's had the naval presence to confront the Japanese. Such a policy was a nice, friendly gesture to the Asian Colossus, who wasn't likely to show a shred of appreciation for their efforts.No, China had spent the last 60 years stoking the hatred of the Land of the Rising Sun among their people. (Many Japanese forgot current Chinese hatred was based on the Japanese butchering their way across China for nearly a decade between 1937 to 1945).(The Cornerstone) There was a truism which had guided American, Chinese, Japanese and Russian political thought for 150 years: 'There could only be one supreme power in East Asia and the Eastern Pacific'. Japan had followed the logical expression of that paradigm by invading Taiwan (1895), Korea (1910), beating up on Imperial Russia (1904), taking Manchuria (1931) and going to war with China (1937) while that country was trapped in a bloody civil war.To stop the Empire of Japan's rise, the US had attempted to cripple the Japanese economy before the Empire could harvest their just-acquired Asian natural resources. In response, Japan had thrown its soldiers and sailors into a futile effort against the British Empire, the United States and China and lost.With Imperial Japan crushed and the Soviet Union preoccupied in Europe, China had risen. The irresistible force of China's rapidly increasing population, natural resources exploitation and extensive land mass took hold. Japan couldn't compete in a 'fair' fight. Since 1945, the Japanese government had lived with the fear of aggression from Russia and/or China aimed their way.The US felt the same way, or they had. The fear produced by the broad acceptance of 'Only-One-Shall-Rule-Asia' had led to the Korean War, the half-century cease-fire along the Demilitarized Zone in Korea and the Vietnamese Civil War. The Communists in China and Russia had feuded until the Soviet Union collapsed under its own economic inadequacies.A reborn Russia, even with the ultra-nationalist Putin at the helm, couldn't stop China's growing domination. Asia was China's for the taking, until the Khanate rose up like some desert mirage in the Western Steppe, one that turned into the Mother of All Storms. So now, miraculously, the dominion of Asia was up for grabs once more.Japan could not overcome China; that was a given. The Dragon had more people, more resources and an almost three-fold larger economy. Given a decade, the PRC would grind the Khanate down. Once more it was the tyranny of numbers. Even India, Taiwan and Vietnam could only slow down the inevitable.India's subpar economic output marginalized the power of their citizenry. Taiwan had the proportional economy, but not nearly enough people. Vietnam had neither and had always had a rough time defending themselves, much less been successful confronting powers beyond her homeland. Putin's Mother Russia had a host of other problems, internal and external, so she had already contributed as much as Putin dared.Until Thursday morning, Tokyo Time, the undeniable Destiny of Asia remained in the hands of those men in Beijing. The dominoes were falling in a way those rulers had not foreseen and now fumed over. But on Wednesday night, there was no industrial power (with the population to back it up) which could threaten the People's Republic of China.Europe and the US wouldn't intervene. Much like the leadership in Japan, the Communist Chinese Politburo believed Putin had wagered as much as dared. No other nation on Earth mattered. Japan? That was laughable. Their Constitution bound the hands off their military behind their backs with a pledge of eternal pacifism.The Chinese weren't blind to the 250,000 men and women of the Japanese Self Defense Force. Without the political will, those troops might have well have been in Brazil. A hostile Brazil was actually a greater worry because Brazil was the powerhouse of South America, a G-8 economy and hungered for a Permanent Seat on the UN Security Council. The PRC was dedicated to denying their desire as it would have diluted the PRC's burgeoning diplomatic power.Japan? Ha.Thursday morning, in what was essentially an undetected (by anyone except the Ninja and JIKIT) coup d' tat, pacifism was sacrificed on the Altar of Nationalism. Article 96's demise was pre-ordained. A poll taken on July 1st, 42% of Japanese felt positively about the repeal of Article 96 while 46% opposed it.The same agency took a new poll on August 28th. The economic-political situation of Japan was going through a titanic tidal shift. If Buddhism moved you toward devout pacifist, the Khanate had liberated Tibet and was clearly withdrawing as the UN troops' boots hit the ground.If you were a Nationalist of any kind, you were seeing a whole lot more people at your rallies, accessing your websites and signing up to join your formerly fringe parties. If you were a Socialist, you were scared. Why? The PRC was in the process of nationalizing all of Japan's (and South Korea's and Taiwan's) business interests in China, for the 'Duration of the Emergency', or so they said.That meant plenty of Japanese workers were losing their jobs and looking to blame someone. You couldn't blame the centrist LDP. The LDP had been working alongside the Japanese Communist Party for months. They had done nothing wrong and had worked tirelessly for a peaceful diplomatic solution. It was their 'comrades' in China, their Marxist confederates, who were costing the hard-working Japanese workers their jobs.If you were in the Establishment, all of the above worried the crap out of you. Japan's economy had been limping along at barely-positive growth for a decade. Your aging population needed more and more from their public services and, worst of all, you had nothing in your political and economic tool box to escape the obvious oncoming national catastrophe.The possibility of a Global Recession loomed on the horizon, if they were lucky. Highly respected economists in Japan and elsewhere were examining all the key indicators over the past three months and were suggesting hording as a viable policy for middle class households to consider. If you were in the Developing World, worse was heading your way.The word being bandied about on those esteemed academic internet websites wasn't 'recession', it was depression. Global prosperity thrived on nations investing in both their own economy and the economies of other nations. The governments representing a third of the World's population were not investing in their economies.Unless you were a war profiteer, you could expect fewer consumer goods on the shelves; and what was there would cost more. Your income wasn't going up; your expenses were. If you were an Atheistic homeowner in the Western World with a secured 3.25% fixed rate home loan, you took up religion. The prime interest rate would be racing for the 20% mark and that was only if your economy was stable.If you lived in a country in the Developing World, your trade goods didn't compete with those created in the G-20. Your competition was with other Developing World businesses and the prize was the pocketbooks of those consumers in the G-20, which was a shrinking purse.It wasn't like you were being paid all that much to begin with; and now those once poor-paying, but at least plentiful, jobs were drying up. You needed your government to help you out. It wasn't like those governments could raise money by taxing the unemployed and under-employed. They didn't have money. And the rich in most of those same nations had a long and successful legacy of avoiding paying.Those growing economies had a few tried and tested 'solutions' for getting their countries through these rough stretches.The IMF? 'We are out to make 'positive' capital investments and your economic outlook doesn't look promising. We suggest 'austerity'.'The BRICS? Since India and China were basically in an undeclared state of war: 'we won't be loaning anyone anything for a while.'The BIS? 'As soon as the People' Bank of China, the Reserve Bank of India, the Central Bank of Ireland, the Bank of Israel and the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey get back to us about their sudden, serious lack of transparency, we'll call you back.'World Bank? Holy Shit! 'The world's going down the toilet, we will do what we can.'F Y I, I (as in Cáel) had been wrong. The 6 Elders of the Ninja families didn't talk to Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzō Awbee. They talked with another, far more immediately important man. So sue me (Cáel) for not knowing the inner workings of various world governments, and creatively interpreting events surrounding all those people I (Cáel) didn't. I'm a freaking Liberal Arts major with a fertile imagination, not a superspy, or even a competent Intelligence Analyst!}The Japanese government had appealed to the U.S., U.N., P.R.C., A.S.E.A.N., India; and (through back channels aka JIKIT) the Khanate for an end to this madness; all with typical results:The U.S.A: We are working on it (without letting them know what precisely they were working on)Japan: Well, do something fast. Our Government Bonds are about to be more useful as wallpaper.The U.N.: We are working on it (with their long-established tradition of not doing anything until the crisis had passed)Japan: You are preparing to pass a Resolution to move this matter from the First Committee to the Fourth Committee, gee, thanks guys. Will they be meeting sometime before Christmas?The PRC: We are too busy right now, so shut up, keep the trade lanes open, and was that your submarine we detected sneaking into our territorial waters?Japan: What? What do you mean you are 'too busy?' You are one of our biggest trading partners, your economy is going down the toilet, and, No! That was not our submarine in your territorial waters. That accusation is absurd.(Note from Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzō Awbee, to Admiral Katsutoshi Kawano, head of the JMSDF {the de facto Japanese Navy}), The PRC has made this outrageous claim that one of our submarines has been sneaking around their territorial waters. There is no truth to that rumor, right?Kawano: Which time?Prime Minister: Oh My God! What have you people been doing and why is this the first time I'm hearing about it?Kawano: Sir, if you are just now getting around to asking us, you don't want to know.Prime Minister: What do you mean 'I don't want to know?' I'm the head of the damn government and, you are right. Fine. There is no way I'm going back to the Chinese Ambassador and apologizing for any this. Is there any way this can come back to screw us over?Kawano: With all these US and British submarines helping us out, not very likely, Prime Minister.Prime Minister: Oh, very good. You are correct, I don't want to know what you 'haven't' been doing. I am ordering you to destroy all transcripts and recordings of this conversation.Kawano: It has been my distinct honor not having this conversation with you, Prime Minister. Sayōnara.ASEAN, What do you expect us to do about this? Have you seen the unimpressive combined sizes of our members' air forces and navies? Did you see the smack-down the Khanate has inflicted on the PLAN's South China Sea Fleet?Besides, the PRC is claiming that the Khanate launched covert attacks against the Parcels and Spratly islands which originated from Indonesian and Filipino waters. We are investigating the issue. If you are asking us for help, you are truly screwed. Don't call us. We will call you.Japan, {muttering} Investigating the attacks that came from your territory, bullshit! You are covering your own asses, damn it!(Note from Prime Minister, Shinzō Awbee, to Shotaro Yachi, Japanese National Security Advisor), I've heard an ugly rumor that the Khanate has forces secreted in the Philippines and Indonesia. Do you happen to know anything about it?Yachi: Yes Sir. We had advance notice of the organization, composition and destination of those forces.Awbee (while muttering 'no one tells me anything anymore'): What the! Would you please tell me what is going on.Yachi: We have made critical steps toward future alliances which will guarantee Japanese security for decades to come.Awbee What does that mean, and since when have you been creating and implementing foreign policy? We have a Minister for that, in case you somehow over-looked him at the last cabinet meeting. Wait! Does he know about this too?Yachi: No Sir, Foreign Minister Kishida is currently unaware of the Kinkyū tokushu sakusen tasukufōsu (Emergency Special Operations Task Force). Admiral Katsutoshi knows the basics of our operational policy, since we need to borrow some of his assets from time to time. Director-General Kitada (of the Public Security Intelligence Agency) and key personnel from the Foreign Ministry's Intelligence & Analysis Service and Security Bureau make up the majority of the task force's operatives.Awbee: What have you been doing?Yachi: You don't want to know, Mr. Prime Minister. It would make things, awkward.Awbee: 'You don't want to know', of course, I don't. I'm only the elected head of this government. Why would I possibly want to know what acts of espionage and war my deputies are executing?Yachi: I am glad we are on the same page, Sir. Will there be anything else?Awbee: No, wait. Do you have any intelligence on what the Khanate is up to?Yachi: Yes Sir. Is there anything in particular you want to know?Analysis Services: Can you contact someone in their leadership willing to discuss regional affairs?Yachi: I can put you in touch with the Great Khan himself if necessary.AS: What!Yachi: Sir, I would hardly be acting in our nation's best interests if I couldn't divine the intentions of the key players on the stage. Shall I initiate the necessary communications to facilitate that level of clandestine diplomatic contact?AS: No. Yes. No, I need to think about this. Hmm, have you been conducting any domestic espionage missions?Yachi: You don't want me to answer that, Sir.Awbee: of course I don't, I'm only the damn Prime Minister. Shotaro, I'm still Prime Minister, aren't I?Yachi: Yes Sir. We have been working overtime to ensure that. We've foiled two enemy assassination attempts and one attempted kidnapping so far. We remain vigilant.AS: How come this is the first I'm hearing about it? Is the head of my security in on this conspiracy of yours too?Yachi: No Sir. These particular guardians wish to avoid notoriety at all costs.Awbee: Okay. Good to know. Ah, keep up the good work and destroy any trace of this conversation.Yachi: Way ahead of you, Sir. Have a good night.India, Yes, we are more than willing to work with you toward regional stability. Care to acknowledge the Khanate's legitimacy first? We'd really appreciate it. Sure, get back to us when you've done that. Until then, the South China Sea Awaits! Yes, we plan to keep what we've earned. Later now. We think there is going to be further instability in Southeast Asia.Japan, Ya think? It is your damn warships sailing around the freaking South China Sea enforcing your utterly un-secret alliance with the Khanate. Why are you doing this to us? What have we ever done to you?The Khanate, We are not out to damage your national interests. We apologize, but there is now way we will call off this war with the Communist Chinese. It is them, or us, to the death. We have already received and agreed to your request to allow all Japanese flagged ships safe transit through the South China Sea. We really wish to be your friends this time, to make up for those two invasion attempts seven hundred years ago.(Note from  Prime Minister to Self) Great. The only reasonable people who aren't out to kick me in the nuts are also the ones I can't acknowledge talking to. I've got to do something a

Jim Richards joins the show for Party for Two. Then, Chris Lewis discusses stolen cars ending up at dealerships and the use of AI technology in policing. Carmi Levy weighs in on the use of AI in policing, misinformation, and how AI is creating new crime opportunities. Plus - it's Friday which means Touchdowns and Fumbles with Bob Reid!

Albuquerque Fire Rescue Chief Emily Jaramillo is the first woman to serve as Fire Chief in the department's 123-year history. As a former teacher, Jaramillo was compelled to switch careers when she had a recruiter come talk to her class. She joins Chris and Gabby this week to discuss the challenges and fulfilling parts of the job. She also discusses a contentious City Council meeting that had her in the hot seat defending a controversial staffing change she believes will improve response times in the city and ultimately help save lives in an emergency. Why did city councilors quash her staffing plan? Is Chief Jaramillo going against the so-called 'gold standard?' Those topics and more are explained in the full interview.  March 3rd Albuquerque City Council Meeting We appreciate our listeners. Send your feedback or story ideas to hosts chris.mckee@krqe.com or gabrielle.burkhart@krqe.com. We're also on X (Twitter), Facebook, & Instagram at @ChrisMcKeeTV and @gburkNM. For more on this episode and all of our prior episodes, visit our podcast website: KRQE.com/podcasts. Also, check out the video version of the podcast on our YouTube channel. Our show also airs on television! Tune into Fox New Mexico on Wednesdays at 10:35 p.m. MST. 

Gee, we've gone stadium mad here in Auckland. We already have seven pretty substantial stadiums ranging from 4000-person capacity to 50,000, spread across the city from the North Shore to Mt Eden, Penrose to Manukau, not including other sporting and event spaces. But we can't stop suggesting we build more. While we wait for Auckland's Councilors to ponder feasibility studies done by Eden Park and the proposed new waterfront stadium in Quay Park and announce who will go on to win the title of Auckland's main stadium – another stadium is being pitched, this time for Western Springs. So, Western Springs Speedway has its final event on Saturday night —although we've heard that before— and now Auckland Council is interested in what to do with this valuable inner-city site. This is a really exciting opportunity, especially after years of kafuffle around the speedway. Auckland might not need another entertainment or sporting venue, but they are really nice to have, especially when someone else is coughing up the money for them. So, Auckland has to ask itself: what facilities do we need? What would the inner city benefit from, and can these new facilities be used by as many teams, and individuals as possible. Real estate this valuable needs to be well utilised, year-round. That's why I like the proposal from the team behind Auckland FC. The proposal for their new facility features a 12,500 seated stadium, covered basketball courts and padel courts. It's championed and backed by NBA star Steven Adams, All Blacks rugby legend Ali Williams, Anna Mowbray of ZURU fame, and Billionaire football club owners Bill Foley and Bennett Rosenthal. The group have targeted football, basketball and padel because they are the fastest-growing sports in the world but lack infrastructure in Auckland. They aren't just meeting a community need, it would also be the home of Auckland FC, signalling this team is a long-term commitment. These are all good things. I would observe things have gone pretty well at Go Media Stadium for Auckland FC this season, but maybe not everyone likes traveling to Penrose. Maybe it's felt an inner-city location near hospo hubs will help sustain interest in the team. According to those who have seen the proposal, this sporting facility would be built “at zero cost to the ratepayer”. The only downside is existing occupants Ponsonby Rugby Club would need to move – and they would need to be supported to do this. There are two more proposals. The Ponsonby Rugby Club wants to turn it into a bigger venue, and an entertainment group wants to turn it into a multi-purpose entertainment and community sports venue, but we're yet to hear details for these proposals. In fact, there is a lot of information we're yet see, but fingers crossed this process will move faster than the decision around the Speedway. Whatever plans are presented, remember the locals are a vocal and determined lot. Win them over, and you might just have a chance. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Councilors in rural districts say that the capital budget does not include enough money for paving rural roads.

The river of time is not always predictable and neither is the frequency of podcast versions of Charlottesville Community Engagement. The last one was on a Friday. Before that they were on Saturdays. For a brief time, Mondays. This is Thursday, a day of lament for Arthur Dent, but one in which Sean Tubbs feels it is important to get this out while some of the information is still fresh. Who is that? Well, I suppose it's me.In this edition:* Local federal transportation funding may be under review but has not been paused (learn more)* New technology to improve safety to be piloted at four Albemarle County intersections (learn more)* Councilors push back on proposal to replace trash stickers with monthly trash fee charge more for trash collection (learn more)* Congressman McGuire explains support for Trump and Elon Musk in telephone town hall (learn more)Charlottesville Community Engagement is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.First shout-out: Celebrating the community's other information organizations!There are a lot of stories each week that go out through this newsletter, but no one information outlet can put together the entire picture. That's why each regular edition ends with a section called Reading Material.Charlottesville is fortunate to have a media landscape that includes the Charlottesville Daily Progress, C-Ville Weekly, Charlottesville Tomorrow, and Cville Right Now, I curate links from these sources because I believe a truly informed community needs multiple perspectives.There's also the Cavalier Daily, Vinegar Hill Magazine, the Fluvanna Review, the Crozet Gazette, NBC29, CBS19, and other sources. But if you look every day, you'll find links to articles in national publications, all linked to give you more perspectives on some of the issues of our times.Now more than ever, journalism is needed. To be a citizen of a democracy, you must seek information from multiple sources. Consume only one and you are at risk of becoming a zombie!Second shout-out: Advertise on Information CharlottesvilleLong-time readers may know that most of the stories posted through this newsletter are also posted to Information Charlottesville. Sometimes the stories go there first! Both this newsletter and that website are part of the same information gathering operation, an operation I hope to continue to grow!There are multiple ways to contribute to Town Crier Productions.One new one is to place an advertisement on Information Charlottesville. I'm in the early days of experimenting with visual ways for organizations to get their message across to a growing audience. I've not yet put together a media kit, but I'm ready to offer a special for March. What's the special? More details in the audio version of the podcasts.Advertising on Information Charlottesville could be a great way to keep my business going while also growing yours. I think there are new ways to do advertising, but I don't know what they are until I'm allowed to continue testing. The below is one of the banners! You could have one of these for a low, low price. What's the price? Listen to this segment of the podcast! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Greg Brady spoke to April Engelberg, Toronto lawyer, former city council candidate about MPP pay freeze removal, the city readiness for flooding potential and her experience with running in the snap/cold election. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Greg Brady spoke to April Engelberg, Toronto lawyer, former city council candidate about MPP pay freeze removal, the city readiness for flooding potential and her experience with running in the snap/cold election. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hillel Korin is the President of Korin Development Associates. His work has focused on serving the Jewish Community most recently through coaching, and consulting to mid-sized organizations. His career has spanned over five decades. Korin's fundraising expertise has benefited Jewish federations, synagogues, universities, independent schools and cultural arts and a variety of community organizations in the United States and Israel. During his career, he has worked on board development projects and coaching senior volunteer and professional leadership.Mr. Korin received his undergraduate degree from Brandeis University he and his graduate education at the Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles, Zelikow School of Jewish Communal Service. He was awarded an honorary degree by HUC in recognition of his outstanding service to the field in 2001. Korin is a certified Quadrant 3 Leadership Coach with a particular interest in strengthening the development practices of directors of development and the organizations they lead.A resident of Phoenix, Arizona he has served on several nonprofit boards, including Jewish Major Leaguers Inc., The American Jewish Committee, The New England Aquarium, Hillel Foundation at Brandeis University, Friends of Brandeis Athletics. After serving on their alumni board, he was appointed a President Councilors of Brandeis.

Disclaimer: This podcast does not provide medical advice. The content of this podcast is provided for informational or educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health issue without consulting your doctor. Always seek medical advice before making any lifestyle changes. Dr. Dawn Mussallem is a distinguished consultant in the Division of Hematology Oncology at Mayo Clinic and an Assistant Professor of Medicine. As a board-certified lifestyle medicine breast specialist at The Robert and Monica Jacoby Center for Breast Health, she plays a vital role in advancing evidence-based, holistic breast cancer care. She also serves as Chair of Mayo Clinic Florida's Employee Well-being Committee, Medical Director for the Humanities in Medicine program & Councilor at Large for the Officers & Councilors of the Mayo Clinic staff. In 2015, Dr. Mussallem founded the Integrative Medicine & Breast Health Program at Mayo Clinic Florida, a patient-centered initiative that supports breast cancer patients during & after their diagnosis. The program emphasizes optimizing lifestyle practices alongside conventional cancer treatments. Her mission is to reframe cancer as a “teacher of life,” helping patients discover renewed vitality through healthier living. Currently, she leads Mayo Clinic's regenerative farm project which aims to provide nutrient-rich plant-based foods to patients, employees, learners, & food-insecure individuals in the community, demonstrating the interconnected benefits for human & planetary health. With more than 25 years of patient-centered clinical wellness experience, Dr. Mussallem is internationally recognized in cancer prevention, lifestyle medicine, integrative oncology, & cancer survivorship. Her personal journey—including a stage IV cancer diagnosis just three months into medical school and her experience as a heart transplant recipient in 2021 profoundly shapes her commitment to helping patients thrive during and after adversity. A sought-after international keynote and motivational speaker, Dr. Mussallem frequently appears on podcasts, webinars, radio, and television programs. She has authored numerous book chapters, journal articles, and abstracts, and serves as an editor for the Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, Wiley, and Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Her research focuses on exploring lifestyle's critical role in cancer prevention and management, particularly the impact of whole food, plant-based nutrition on the tumor microenvironment and cancer progression. She also investigates strategies to enhance quality of life for cancer survivors, examining the links between lifestyle modifications, longevity, and restorative well-being.

Was the announcement of a Satanic Temple invocation at a County Council meeting an intentional response to public pushback on removing prayer? Camas resident Anna Miller questions the move in her letter to the editor. Read more at https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/letter-did-councilors-issue-an-in-your-face-to-the-citizens-that-backed-them-off-on-getting-rid-of-the-invocation/ #Camas #ClarkCountyWa #WashingtonState #LocalNews #SatanicTemple #CountyCouncil #InvocationControversy #PrayerInGovernment #FreedomOfReligion #CitizenEngagement #PoliticalDebate #CouncilPolicy

Send us a textBill Bartholomew welcomes Providence City Councilors Miguel Sanchez and Justin Roias for a conversation about their efforts to open a pop-up shelter for unhoused folks at Providence City Hall.Support the show

Critics are pushing back against Vancouver mayor Ken Sim's supportive housing freeze. What do City Councilors actually DO for the salary they receive? Is there any point in boycotting products from the US? This being asked in light of President Trump's tariff threats. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is the last part of a four-part series with my lifelong friend Jimmy Childre, Jr. Jimmy's dad also joins us. Jimmy, who is on the Board of Councilors of the Carter Center, talks about Jimmy Carter, whose funeral was being held while we recorded this conversation. We end this series with some more profound questions for Jimmy.

WELCOME TO THE MWSA PODCAST FOR FRIDAY, JAN 17TH  We begin with our weekly conversation with Mayor Jyoti Gondek. This time out, we look at Council's decision to vote down a bid to freeze wages for both the Mayor and Councilors earlier this week – and discuss the large increases Calgarians have seen in their 2025 Property Assessments. A common additive in food and drink products has been banned by the FDA in the United States – So why haven't we followed suit here in Canada? We hear all about the health concerns surrounding “Red Dye No. 3” – and discuss whether or not the additive could soon be banned here as well with Dr. Emma Allen-Vercoe, Canada Research Chair – and Professor at the University of Guelph. And finally - remember the days of getting coupons in the mail for your groceries and watching the sticker prices of items “tick down” at the cash register?…Well, you better hold on to that memory because its soon to be gone with electronic price labels popping up in Canada – which can ‘adjust' prices on Grocery Store shelves in real time. We learn about the ‘price changing' technology from Vass Bednar, contributing columnist for The Globe and Mail.

By Logan Wells, News Director | Logan@kymnradio.net That was Northfield Mayor Erica Zwiefel being sworn in Tuesday evening at the first City Council meeting of the year. The ceremony was led by City Clerk Lynette Peterson and included the Mayor and Council members affirming their support for the city and constitution, alongside the Mayor were […]

Listen every weekday for a local newscast featuring town, county, state and regional headlines. It's the daily dose of news you need on Wyoming, Idaho and the Mountain West — all in four minutes or less. 

Somerville City Councilors are having the city solicitor draft a home rule petition to regulate broker fees, making it so landlords pay the fee instead of tenants. WBZ NewsRadio's James Rojas reports:

WELCOME TO THE MWSA PODCAST FOR WEDNESDAY, DEC. 11TH ‘Communities First' is its name…and it's a new group made up of a handful of Calgary city Councilors who want to, as they describe, “restore confidence in Calgary City Hall”. We learn more about the group from one of its founding members, Ward 1 Councilor – Sonya Sharp. Next – the final ‘Bank of Canada' rate announcement of the year came down on Wednesday morning – and the Bank announced a half-point drop in its key lending rate. So, what's this move mean for Canadian homeowners – and those looking at getting into the housing market? We discuss with Penelope Graham, Mortgage Expert with RateHub dot ca. And finally - Canada Sports Hall of Famer, Father David Bauer is being recognized by a local Professor. We speak with Dr. Matt Hoven – who penned the book “Hockey Priest” – which shines the spotlight on the influence Bauer had on our nation's favourite Sport – including the impact the Father had on the National Hockey League.

This session shares the Franklin (MA) Town Council Meeting of Wednesday, Nov 20, 2024. 9 members were present in Council Chambers. Quick recap:The Elks Riders presented a check for $2000 to the Town and were recognized for their generosityThe tax rate public hearing was held and after a brief presentation, followed by clarification questions from Councilors and community members, the Council vote to accept the rate at 11.62, down from 11.79 (due to the increased assessed valuation of the residential, commercial. and industrial properties in Town)Several zoning bylaw modifications were referred to the Planning Board. Once they review and respond, the measure will come back to the Council for public hearing and two readings before official vote to implement as proposed or modifiedTown Administrator Jamie Hellen outlined the alignment of stars to enable the start of the purchase of the unused rail bed from CSX to extend the SNETT rail trail to the Crossing and access to downtown Franklin. The process still requires multiple approvals including at the Federal level but this could be very beneficial for economic developmentResolution 24-72: Local Acceptance of G.L. Chapter 59, Section 5, Clause 22I; moved, second, discussion. The Hero Act added a new provision effective July 1, 2025. This is a Local acceptance statue enabling annual cost of living adjustments. The measure passed 9-0Resolution 24-73: Local Acceptance of G.L. Chapter 59, Section 5, Clause 41C As Amended By Chapter 184, Section 51 Of The Acts of 2002; Moved, second, discussion; reduces required age from 70 to 65, increases ceiling on income levels, broadens ownership status, effectively beneficial for seniors that met these requirements. Thanks to recommendation from Max Morrongiello made earlier this yearLet's listen to the meeting recording which runs a little over 3 hours. Audio link -> --------------Franklin TV video -> https://www.youtube.com/live/LbYhD3Ak3-4?t=137 The Town Council full agenda doc -> https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/agendas/tc_agenda_nov_20_2024.pdf My set of notes in one PDF -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FEABusbIglE2ocUlB9eKZfgBa2U2q00h/view?usp=drive_link -------------We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial. This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.How can you help?If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighborsIf you don't like something here, please let me knowAnd if you have interest in reporting on meetings or events, please reach. We'll share and show you what and how we do what we doThrough this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news If you have questions or comments...

This session of the radio show shares our “Town Council Quarterbacking” with Town Council Chair Tom Mercer. We had our conversation via the Zoom Conference Bridge on Thursday, November 21, 2023. • ok, what just happened? • What does it mean for Franklin residents and taxpayers?Topics for this sessionThe Elks Riders presented a check for $2000 to the Town and were recognized for their generosityThe tax rate public hearing was held and after a brief presentation, followed by clarification questions from Councilors and community members, the Council vote to accept the rate at 11.62, down from 11.79 (due to the increased assessed valuation of the residential, commercial. and industrial properties in Town)Several zoning bylaw modifications were referred to the Planning Board. Once they review and respond, the measure will come back to the Council for public hearing and two readings before official vote to implement as proposed or modifiedTown Administrator Jamie Hellen outlined the alignment of stars to enable the start of the purchase of the unused rail bed from CSX to extend the SNETT rail trail to the Crossing and access to downtown Franklin. The process still requires multiple approvals including at the Federal level but this could be very beneficial for economic developmentResolution 24-72: Local Acceptance of G.L. Chapter 59, Section 5, Clause 22I; moved, second, discussion. The Hero Act added a new provision effective July 1, 2025. This is a Local acceptance statue enabling annual cost of living adjustments. The measure passed 9-0Resolution 24-73: Local Acceptance of G.L. Chapter 59, Section 5, Clause 41C As Amended By Chapter 184, Section 51 Of The Acts of 2002; Moved, second, discussion; reduces required age from 70 to 65, increases ceiling on income levels, broadens ownership status, effectively beneficial for seniors that met these requirements. Thanks to recommendation from Max Morrongiello made earlier this yearThe recording runs about 31 minutes. Let's listen to my conversation with Tom as we recap the Council meeting of Wednesday, November 20, 2024--------------Franklin TV video -> https://www.youtube.com/live/LbYhD3Ak3-4?t=137 The Town Council full agenda doc -> https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/agendas/tc_agenda_nov_20_2024.pdf My set of notes in one PDF -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FEABusbIglE2ocUlB9eKZfgBa2U2q00h/view?usp=drive_link --------------We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial. This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.How can you help?If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighborsIf you don't like something here, please let me knowAnd if you have interest in reporting on meetings or events, please reach. We'll share and show you what and how we do what we doThrough this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.For additional information, please visit

Republican Christine Drazan is returning to a leadership role in Salem and she’s not the only change in the legislative power structure. Democrats switched things around as well. In Portland,  the new City Council is already putting in work, and part of that is cajoling colleagues to support their run for a new powerful position. Find the show anywhere you get your podcasts.

Davin Sokup, Jessica Peterson White and Kathleen Holmes of Northfield City Council discuss the future direction of the City Council following the local election.

 Davin Sokup, Jessica Peterson White and Kathleen Holmes of Northfield City Council discuss the future direction of the City Council following the local election. 

Leland McCluskey MD, FAAOS (Lee) Lee McCluskey is an Orthopaedic Surgeon in Columbus, GA where he practices at the St Francis Orthopaedic Institute.  He is a Clinical Professor of Surgery at Mercer University.  Lee went to Vanderbilt University, Medical College of Georgia and Tulane University for Orthopaedic Surgery Residency.  After completing an Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Surgery Fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin, Lee returned home to practice over 30 years in his hometown.   Lee has served for the past twenty years in many developing countries educating and working with Samaritans Purse and Steps2Walk.  He is currently the Board Chair for Steps2Walk and is on the Board of Councilors for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.  He has served as President of the Georgia Orthopaedic Society. Lee is married to Suzanne McCluskey and has four adult sons.

Listen every weekday for a local newscast featuring town, county, state and regional headlines. It's the daily dose of news you need on Wyoming, Idaho and the Mountain West — all in four minutes or less.

Oroville city councilors Tuesday heard a presentation from Pioneer Community Energy, the nonprofit says it could help reduce residents' energy costs. Also, the Plumas County District Attorney's Office notified Dixie Fire survivors of an Oct. 26 deadline for a program that provides compensation, and the town of Quincy is gearing up for the grand opening of a new bike park.

The inmate who escaped from the Plumas County Jail last week is still missing. A national search is now underway. Also, the city of Chico is asking the U.S. District Court to allow it to exit the Warren v. Settlement agreement. Councilors met in closed session about the issue last night, and Catalyst Domestic Violence Services is holding a commemorative event this afternoon to remember those who have lost their lives in the region this year to domestic violence.

Some Boston city councilors say they want to get to the bottom of major mail delays around the city. WBZ's Nichole Davis has the story.For more, ask Alexa to play WBZ NewsRadio on #iHeartRadio.

Boston leaders are ringing the tardy bells over late school buses. WBZ's Madison Rogers reports.For more, ask Alexa to play WBZ NewsRadio on #iHeartRadio.

We're continuing to cover the city of Chico's announcement this week that it hopes to change the terms of Warren v. Chico — a settlement agreement that outlines its homelessness policy for clearing encampments. In a letter responding to the city, the law firm representing the unhoused plaintiffs in the 2021 case pushes back. Also, Councilmember Tom van Overbeek says he supports the city's move to challenge the settlement and says Councilmember Addison Winslow is incorrect about the details. And members of Tehama County's largest employee union have declared no confidence in the Chief Administrative Officer and Personnel Director.

Listen every weekday for a local newscast featuring town, county, state and regional headlines. It's the daily dose of news you need on Wyoming, Idaho and the Mountain West — all in four minutes or less. 

An introspective introductionFor most of the history of this newsletter, the print version has served as the script for the audio version. Both went out at the same time. In the past few months, the two products have diverged but it is my hope to return back to more frequent audio. This particular edition is almost the exact same as the June 11, 2024 newsletter. That's the one that went out late Tuesday about a single topic. That and the 33 minute podcast version are the result of my trip to Champaign-Urbana to follow the Charlottesville City Council on their visit to the Mass Transit District. I've also cross-posted the full article to Information Charlottesville which serves as an archive site for most of the work I do. I estimate this edition took about forty hours of my time not counting the travel time out to Champaign-Urbana. I decided to take the trip because I wanted to go back to Illinois, a place where I spent time as a child. I'd not been back in a very long time and along the way I had an interesting journey that's not germane to Charlottesville Community Engagement. Yet the trip to Champaign-Urbana was very much part of what I've always wanted to do in my time as a journalist. I don't do enough reporting from the field, and I forgot a lot of necessary tricks for audio production, such as make sure you grab enough tone to make it seem like the narration is coming from the scene. This also could have used another edit, but as a one-person operation sometimes you just have to move on. Yesterday I spent about four or five hours or so doing the audio version so I'd have something to air this morning on WTJU. I was glad to spend that much time on something complicated so that doing smaller stories will seem more manageable. A house shout-out: A Thank You to Patreon SupportersIn today's first shout-out, I am shouting out the dozens of people who support Town Crier Productions through Patreon. Over four years ago, I wanted to get back to journalism but did not have deep pockets or a large bank account. I had an idea of what I wanted to do, and decided to put out a digital hat to support my community journalism!And since then, Patreon supporters have provided the bedrock of my finances so that I can continue to go forward in the telling of stories intended to help members of the community understand where we are in a turbulent era of history. This summer I'll be rethinking the various tiers and what people get, but for now I want to encourage others who may not be Patreon supporters to consider doing so. This summer I hope to get the podcast back in line with the newsletter because audio production is a core component of what I hope Town Crier Productions will continue to do. There's a link in the newsletter if you want to sign up! And double thanks to all of those who double-dip with Patreon and Substack support.This one ends as #687AThe only way I can pull off all of this work is to organize as best I can. Or at least pretend to be. Over the years I've added internal numbering to everything I do. I have to keep track of the shout-outs and make sure all stories get from the newsletter to Information Charlottesville. In addition to Patreon, there are hundreds of people who have subscribed here on Substack. Part of today's work is going to be thanking recent subscribers for making the decision to help fund this work. I may also get a good jump start on the Week Ahead and see if I can publish that earlier in the day as I'm doing with the newsletter.I'm grateful to get to keep experimenting and covering as much as I can. I also want to continue exploring different parts of the country and writing about them. There is a lot to learn from similar communities across America and the world and every now and then I'll do something like this edition. Subscribers make it happen, and I appreciate it. If you become a paid subscriber through Substack, Ting will match your initial subscription. That can be at the $5 a month level, the $50 a year level, or the $200 a year level. If you have any questions, drop me a line.Ting can help you with your high speed Internet needs. If service is available in your area and you sign up for service, enter the promo code COMMUNITY and you will get:* Free installation* A second month for free* A $75 gift card to the Downtown Mall This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Listen every weekday for a local newscast featuring town, county, state and regional headlines. It's the daily dose of news you need on Wyoming, Idaho and the Mountain West — all in four minutes or less.

ABQ City Councilor Louie Sanchez has questions about mandatory meeting held by police Chief Medina plus the sentence is handed down in the Hannah Gutierrez Reed, Rust shooting case on News Radio KKOBSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with Toronto Police Association president Jon Reid about the letter sent by six members of Toronto City Council, two on the police board, challenging police action at pro-Palestinian protests and demonstrations, particularly on March 30 when several people were arrested after clashing with police. The councillors letter includes "it is deeply concerning to hear residents voicing fears about their freedom to engage in protests, demonstrations and large gatherings." Toronto Chief of Police Myhron Demkiw's statement in reply included "The service will always respect the right to lawful assembly, which we have done, consistently since October 7"......"When individual behaviour crosses into criminality, endangering officers or the public we will enforce the law, as is our duty....."last weekend alone, police officers were assaulted, spit on, a police horse was struck, lawful orders not followed and demonstrators attempted to obstruct officers who were effecting arrests." The Toronto Police Association in its statement wrote officers have exercised patience, have been professional and opted to de-escalate situations while "officers have been threatened with injury or death."  A demonstration is planned for Toronto this afternoon. Guest: Jon Reid. President. Toronto Police Association.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Councilors in the Town of Renfrew are calling for the mayor to resign over mismanagement of a big project. It came after a scathing report exposed a lack of oversight and improper handling of contracts for a recreation facility expansion. However, Mayor Tom Sidney is adamant he's not going anywhere. We spoke to him this morningIf you're scrambling to find a pair of solar eclipse glasses for the upcoming eclipse, then look no further as you can build an eclipse projector at home for the event. Vice Principal Jim Dewey of Minesing Central Public School has built homemade solar eclipse projectors with his students and he was happy to share how to make it with us. Yesterday was the first day of a bylaw that bans daytime camping in Kingston city parks. Temporary shelters must be set up no earlier than one hour before sunset and dismantled no later than one hour after sunrise. For some insight of the aftermath, we spoke to Pamela Gray, a volunteer with the Integrated Care Hub, who was on site yesterday.

The Kalispell City Council appointed Sam Nunnally and Kari Gabriel back to the seats they vacated last month due to election administration errors.

Boston mayor sends holiday party invite meant only for 'electeds of color,' dividing city councilors. Pags gives his thoughts. PLUS...Dr. Jesse Lopez talks with Joe about New Pneumonia Cases in China.. and Ohio, Mask Mandates and Weight Loss Prescriptions. Pags also questions airlines' policy: free second seats for overweight passengers.

This Day in Maine for Tuesday, November 21st, 2023.

We were Live in Germantown Philadelphia for their Local Government Elections. On this noisy but epic episode, we had a chance to participate in the Local Government elections for city Mayor, Councilors and Judges in Philly, and conducted several interviews with those present at the polling station including: voters and polling station workers and the surrogates working for the candidates. We even got a chance to do a quick Live out-door studio show recorded before an audience comprising residents of the community who took particular interest in the conversations we had with Kevin Poole who spared no time to speak at length with us about Philadelphia Politics, Cherelle Parker, Donald Trump and why he should be ineligible and the state of our country's conscience and the decadence of its morality. Kevin Poole, who is a Democratic Committee member in the 59th ward 10th division was campaigning for Cherelle and was confident that she would get the nomination to ne the 100th mayor of Philadelphia. Moreover, Cherelle would also become the first woman and fist black woman if she were elected. We did the recording on the day of the elections while at the polling station in Germantown Philadelphia on Wednesday November 8, 2023. Cherelle Parker, a Democratic candidate eventually won the mayoral race by a landslide, beating David Oh, the GOP candidate. We also had a chance to speak with several other volunteer workers who had much advice for the candidates vying to become the next crop of leaders who will steer Philly in the next phase of this century. On top of people's concerns were Homelessness, Poverty, Crime and Violence and Education. One conversation was quite interesting especially when a resident of the area stated that homelessness needs to be a big thing just as how elections are big and the candidates have posters and flyers all over, he stated that we need to see more of homeless resources being promoted in the city with the same level of urgency. The show was intense, deep and an enriching experience. We drew attention from several onlookers as we conducted the interviews in open space at the polling station. The NeoLiberal Round Podcast and The NeoLiberal Journals were the only media covering the polling station in Germantown. The NeoLiberal Round Podcast and The NeoLiberal Journals are produced and published by The NeoLiberal Corporation, serving the world today to solve tomorrow's challenges by making popular what was the monopoly! Visit us at https://theneoliberal.com or https://renaldocmckenzie.com Get a copy of our Published work, Renaldo McKenzie book: Neoliberalism, Globalization, Income Inequality, Poverty and Resistance at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Wal-Mart and at The Neoliberal Corporation - https://theneoliberal.com/shop or https://renaldocmckenzie.com/theneoliberalbookstore. Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/renaldomckenzie or theneoliberalco. This audio is available in video via our YouTube channel. Subscribe here:  https://youtube.com/@RenaldoMckenzie  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2bZOONcuZ3eIHXRYwkqWLM?si=58b4e0d80605421e The show (#theneoliberalround #podcast) is also available in audio podcast on any stream! Find your stream here: https://anchor.fm/theneoliberal. Show your support by sharing, subscribing and or donating to us at: https://anchor.fm/theneoliberal/support --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theneoliberal/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theneoliberal/support

I look at the Tier-3 level At-Large candidates for the Boston City Council: Clifton Braithwaite, Catherine Vitale, and Shawn Nelson. However, I spend most of the time on Catherine and Shawn, looking at their political development and how they became symbols of the Anti-Vax Right in Boston. Can they win?! No. But what they represent is with us to stay.

Here's a look at the top headlines from around the Northland for Friday, Sept. 29, 2023.  The Duluth News Tribune Minute is a product of Forum Communications Company and is brought to you by reporters at the Duluth News Tribune, Superior Telegram and Cloquet Pine Journal. Find more news throughout the day at duluthnewstribune.com. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting our work with a subscription at duluthnewstribune.news/podcast. Your support allows us to continue providing the local news and content you want.

Here's a look at the top headlines from around the Northland for Monday, Sept. 25, 2023.  The Duluth News Tribune Minute is a product of Forum Communications Company and is brought to you by reporters at the Duluth News Tribune, Superior Telegram and Cloquet Pine Journal. Find more news throughout the day at duluthnewstribune.com. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting our work with a subscription at duluthnewstribune.news/podcast. Your support allows us to continue providing the local news and content you want.

Boston City Councilors Ricardo Arroyo (District 5) and Kendra Lara (District 6) lost their bids for reelection during Tuesday's preliminary vote. This follows a year of controversy for both the councilors and city council. It's also the first time in over 40 years that an incumbent city councilor has lost a preliminary election in the city of Boston. WBUR Reporter Walter Wuthmann was at the polls on Tuesday. He joins The Common to discuss the upset and what it means going into the November general election. Greater Boston's daily podcast where news and culture meet.

Boston's preliminary municipal elections are September 12. Among the seats up for grabs are District Five and District Six, which are currently held by Councilors Ricardo Arroyo and Kendra Lara, respectively. Both candidates have had their share of high profile drama this past year, and are heading into the election with multiple competitors. Boston Globe Politics Reporter Emma Platoff joins The Common to discuss the outlook for Lara and Arroyo's campaigns, as well as what this coming election season could mean for progressive politics in Boston. Greater Boston's daily podcast where news and culture meet.