Podcasts about general fund

This "Deep Dive" podcast analyzes the Newtown Township Treasurer's Report for the period ending March 31, 2026. This comprehensive financial summary details the allocation of over $11 million in combined cash across various municipal accounts, including the General Fund, Fire Protection, and Capital Projects. The reports include detailed balance sheets that list local assets and liabilities alongside budgetary comparisons for both revenues and expenditures. Key data points highlight the township's primary income sources, such as real estate and enabling act taxes, while tracking operational costs for public safety, public works, and administrative services. Ultimately, these records offer a transparent view of the township's fiscal health and spending efficiency through the first quarter of the 2026 fiscal year.

Send us a text and chime in!The Yuma County Board of Supervisors continues its longstanding commitment to conservative financial stewardship and taxpayer responsibility through the Tentative Fiscal Year 2026/27 Budget, which maintains no overall increase to the County's combined property tax rate. The Tentative Budget includes a proposed half-cent increase to the County's General Fund primary property tax rate, which is fully offset by a corresponding half-cent reduction to the Library District debt service property tax rate. As a result, the overall combined property tax rate for taxpayers remains unchanged. The reduction to the Library District debt service rate is largely attributable to the successful refinancing...   For the written story, read here >> https://www.signalsaz.com/articles/yuma-county-proposes-no-overall-tax-increase/ Check out the CAST11.com Website at: https://CAST11.com Follow the CAST11 Podcast Network on Facebook at: https://Facebook.com/CAST11AZFollow Cast11 Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/cast11_podcast_network

As summer kicks into high gear across Pennsylvania, outdoor recreation is as popular as ever, with boaters and anglers taking advantage of the commonwealth's 86,000 miles of waterways. Joining Sen. Kristin Phillips-Hill (R-York) for this episode is Dr. Timothy Schaefer, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission. They discuss an upcoming collaboration that will bring a waterway conservation officer to two mobile office hour events in June (June 4 and June 18) across southern York County. They also review how the commission uses revenue from licenses—rather than the state's General Fund—to invest in the future of fishing and boating in Pennsylvania. Finally, they cover the commission's efforts to engage the next generation of anglers through educational outreach.

Faith, Doubt, and The A Team Pastor Mark Havel Matthew 28:16-20Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him but some doubted. Jesus said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore, and baptize all nations in the name of the Father, the +Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I've commanded you. And remember, I am with you always to the end of the age.” “I love it when a plan comes together.” (Does anyone else remember the A-Team? Murdock … Hannibal … Mr. T as B.A. Baracus? It was a show from way back in the 1900's.) John Hannibal, was the leader of The A-Team who coined that phrase, or at least made it a pop-culture thing at the time – “I love it when a plan comes together.” I watched the show faithfully, but had to look it up to remember that the A-Team was a group of special forces, military guys, who had been wrongly accused and imprisoned for war-crimes they didn't commit. After breaking out of prison, these good guys were simultaneously on the run from the military police AND finding ways to help people in need, as benevolent vigilantes.Anyway, the phrase, “I love it when a plan comes together,” was funny because, The A-Team was this motley crew of mismatched misfits who joked and argued and got into all sorts of trouble and fights and shenanigans as they did their thing. They achieved their goals, rescued their people, accomplished their missions, made their escapes … barely … by the skin of their teeth … every time. And, at the end of every successful mission, their leader, John Hannibal, sucking on a log-sized cigar, would declare – as though it was his design and strategy all along – “I love it when a plan comes together.”This phrase came to mind because our plans have been all over the place the last couple of months where this building project is concerned. Securing reliable bids, getting a loan approved, scheduling congregational meetings, then re-scheduling congregational meetings, and all the rest have landed us here on May 31st – which for all sorts of practical, logistical reasons – was the last best option for all that's on our plate for today's Annual Meeting.Which led to the practical, holy need for this Unified Worship service – where we can all be together in one place at the same time – which just so happened to be Holy Trinity Sunday, which is the Church's invitation to wrestle with and wonder about and celebrate the unity of God's nature – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; the Triune God; three persons, equal in majesty; three in one and all the rest.“I love it when a plan comes together.” (For a preaching pastor, this is kismet, serendipity, or it might just be the work of the Holy Spirit.)And there's also this Gospel reading where Jesus gives “The Great Commission” to “go and baptize and make disciples and remember.” But before all of that, what grabs my attention every time, is the notion that when the disciples showed up in Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go, “they worshiped him,” we're told, “but some doubted.” They all worshiped him, but some doubted.For my money, there's not a more accurate description of what the church is up to, generally, in the world these days, and what we're up to, very particularly as Partners in Mission at Cross of Grace, at this moment in time. They all worship, but some doubted.“I love it when a plan comes together.”I mean I'm glad we're all here today – and that we show up week after week to worship. (… and to learn and to serve, too.) And I'm grateful to be reminded that, even with Jesus standing among his disciples, having done all that he'd promised he would do – up to and including rising from the dead – some of them still doubted. Some of them still weren't sure. Some of them were still skeptical, cynical, afraid, maybe. Because that means we can be all of those things, too – and still be faithful. Because I'm right there with the doubters, more often than I'd like to admit.I worry every year that General Fund commitments – never mind actual offerings – are going to show up in a way that supports and grows this ministry. I worry every year that Time and Talent offerings may or may not meet the needs of our nursery, a mowed lawn, a cleaned building, a Grace Quest program, and all the rest. And every time we've engaged a building project over the last 25 years at Cross of Grace – and this will be our fourth – I've worried that we are building too much, too soon, of the right spaces, for the right about amount of money.And I worry most about you – and about whose doubts, discouragement, and disappointments are going to get the best of them.But in spite of my doubts and my worries and my misgivings and concerns, I just keep showing up to this mountain I feel God has called us to. Maybe it's foolish. Maybe it's faith. I don't know. But I just keep doing my best to worship and learn and serve, I mean. I doubt and I worship. I doubt and I learn. I doubt and I serve. And I do it all over and over and over again. And I'm grateful that so many of you join me for it, too.Because I love it when a plan comes together … a plan only God can design, dictate, and deliver.It's a plan that looks like a wide welcome of love and affirmation for LGBTQ+ children of God – in a world and a faith that still doesn't get it.It's plan that has helped to build over 100 houses in Fondwa, Haiti, right along with every square foot of facility we've built for ourselves around here.It's a plan that includes a voice for racial justice and equity that would otherwise be silent in a community that hasn't heard all we have to say on the matter.It's a plan that has called us – as Partners in Mission – to baptize and confirm, to marry and bury, to feed and nourish, to party, pray, and otherwise walk together – by faith – through a world that can be so lonely and lost and without meaningful connection so much of the time. It's a plan that's still in the making … a plan that's still coming together … a plan that is messy and risky and cobbled together by an A Team of mismatched misfits and sinners, but full of beautiful things I doubt would happen otherwise, if Cross of Grace weren't here continuing to grow, still building, and still sharing grace in the unique, bold, faithful ways God has called us to do.And it's a plan that will only come together if and when we seek to accomplish it BY God's grace, FOR God's glory, and GROUNDED in God's love revealed in Jesus Christ, crucified and risen for the sake of the world we're called to serve.Amen

This episode of the #FactsMatter focuses on Michigan's 2026 budget season, with Guy Gordon interviewing the Research Council's Craig Thiel and Bob Schneider. All three major budget proposals—the Governor's, House's, and Senate's—are now public, making this year's process smoother than last year's. Schools and local governments benefit from early budget clarity. All three FY2027 School Aid budget proposals align on a 2.5% increase in the foundation allowance, bringing per‑pupil funding to roughly $10,300. At‑risk funding continues to grow, though the chambers differ sharply: the Governor proposes a 6% increase, the House 5%, and the Senate a dramatic 25% bump, which Craig describes as “a major revenue stream” for districts with high poverty rates. The Legislature has rejected the Governor's plan to shift $400 million from the School Aid Fund to higher education, though this could re‑emerge in negotiations. On the General Fund side of the budget proposals, Bob reports modest revenue growth—“better up than down”—but not enough to ease structural pressures. The House proposes deep cuts to university operations, including a $421 million reduction to U‑M and MSU, while the Governor's proposed new revenues have been dismissed by both chambers. All three budgets create shortfalls heading into FY28, meaning more cuts or revenue changes will be required next year. Despite tensions, there is agreement among the three proposals on several items: funding for universal school meals, continued mental health and school safety grants, and the foundation allowance. The biggest risks ahead include unresolved General Fund gaps, higher‑ed funding battles, and the possibility that K–12 dollars could again be eyed to plug holes elsewhere.

Pentecost and the Language of God Pastor Mark Havel Download John 7:37-39On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me; and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water.'” Now he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive, for as yet there was no Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified. Christa and I spent a few days in Michigan and Northwest Ohio this week and laughed more than once about the colloquialisms, language, and accents of our people and of the places where we were raised: places and people who think mayonnaise and Miracle Whip are synonyms, I mean; people who say things like “Italian dressing;” and people who buy “pop” – not soda – at “Krogers” or at “Meijers.” I have disabused myself of a lot of that, although “pop” is and will always be “pop,” in my world.All of this is to say, I have language on the brain this Pentecost Sunday, and I wish I could speak more of them. My four years of high school and undergraduate minor in Spanish haven't lasted as long as they woulda, coulda, should have. I never did the much-needed “full-immersion” thing where I spent enough time living in and engaging with the culture of a people so that I could practice, speak, and learn that language, which is still more foreign to me than not.And I have traveled enough to regret my ignorance of and inability to speak other languages in very tangible, up close and personal ways. Of course, it would be nice to order the best food at restaurants and ask about and follow directions in a new city, but it would be most meaningful to communicate conversationally with people more deeply and more meaningfully, to worship, even, when traveling in other countries and cultures.Of course, I've noticed this most, over the years, in Haiti. There was a spell of about 18 months once, where I was in Fondwa three separate times, for a week at a clip, and, while I was nowhere near speaking Haitian Creole with any fluency, I did find that I could almost eavesdrop on conversations between my Haitian friends and just about make sense of, and anticipate discussions with, our translators as we lived and worked and spent time with our people there.And the hardest thing about this longing for language – the most convicting part of it all – is how so much of the rest of the world is at least bi-lingual; how, when I have traveled to places like Haiti, Mexico, Italy, Greece, Germany, and more, average bears in all of those places are able to speak my language – to engage me with patience and kindness and wisdom and generosity; how they're able – and so graciously willing – to meet me where I am and where I need them to be.Which is how I'm receiving the good news and invitation of Pentecost this time around: with that story from Acts and those tongues of fire and all of those languages, cultures, and nationalities ringing in my ears – along with Jesus' invitation to come to – and to become – living water for the sake of the world.See, I think our invitation as God's people – among so many other things – is to always be listening for and opening ourselves to the needs of the world around us. To not pretend that ours is the only way or the best way to do all the things. To remember – and to celebrate – that Jesus showed up for the sake of the world; that he very literally didn't speak our language; and that most of us here should approach him with deference and humility because we are utterly unfamiliar with the kind of life he lived – its poverty and low position in the grand scheme of the empire and power he so bravely, faithfully resisted, I mean.So, on this Pentecost Sunday, as we celebrate what many refer to as the birthday of Christ's Church in the world, and as we wonder about our call as wannabe followers of Jesus in that regard – and as a congregation of Partners in Mission, more specifically – I find myself wondering about the way we find ourselves looking beyond our own walls, into the hearts and minds, into the lives and longings of others, and speaking their language – if not literally, than spiritually … faithfully … lovingly … graciously – like Jesus did and like Jesus calls us to do, as believers from whom rivers of living water are supposed to flow.If you haven't seen the Greenfield Reporter article from yesterday yet, please check it out. They ran a lovely piece about the many places our most recent round of Building and Outreach grants will go. In addition to our continued support of Project Rouj, to build homes in Haiti, $45,000 are in the mail to places and people who live and speak very differently than we do in so many ways: impoverished communities of color in Louisiana, shelters and transitional housing ministries on the west side of Indy, recovery houses, rehab centers, and therapy for children with disabilities as far away as Guatemala.And you should know, if you haven't heard, that it appears our Summer Reading Program – with special invitation and encouragement for kids learning English – seems to really be happening. With a week and a half to go there are 11 kids signed up so far. And with last names like Perez, Garcia, Montalvan, and Mercano, we are all going to be speaking and learning and sharing grace in more ways and languages than just one around here. And I think it's going to be beautiful.And don't get me wrong. Let's not break our arms patting ourselves and each other on the back. We have plenty of work to do until there are at least as many Black and brown people joining us for worship on Sunday morning at 8:30 a.m. and 10:45 a.m., as there are those who show up to the food pantry on Wednesdays between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.Which, again, for me, is at least part of the call of this Pentecost celebration and of the Pentecost season to come for us. It's about recognizing the scope of the Church's mission – our mission here at Cross of Grace and the mission of God's Church in the world, just the same. Our building project is about making room in a very literal way for more of God's children to join us here, to receive and to share the living water of grace so many of us have found in this place, with so many who don't know it exists. And the money our Building Fund's tithe will allow us to share to build homes in Fondwa, Haiti – each of which now includes a water cistern, by the way – will continue to share living water, literally – and so much more – with God's children in the poorest country in the western hemisphere.In addition to that, the General Fund commitments and the Time and Talent offerings I hope you're praying about increasing and adding to the mix next Sunday, will be continue to be used – not just for our own sake – but because we exist to love and serve our neighbor; and because the grace we proclaim, promise, and pour out in the waters of Holy Baptism around here, are for all people – ANYONE who is thirsty; and because when we do that in the spirit of Pentecost – when we get it right – we do it more faithfully than a lot of people feel comfortable and more graciously than enough churches feel called.My friend Jamalyn – who many of you know, too, as the founder of Project Rouj, the organization we support that builds all those houses in Haiti – she is fluent in Haitian Creole, having lived there for a couple of years, just out of seminary. I remember her saying once, on one of our trips to Fondwa, that it takes her a couple of days of being back in the country to feel like she's speaking fluently and communicating, in Creole, as fully as she likes; that it takes her a minute to get her bearings and back into the swing of it, but that she knows when that has happened, because she starts to dream in Creole.And I think that's just about the most beautiful, holy way to wonder about today's Pentecost good news: that we will know we're in the swing of it … that the Holy Spirit has hold of us … that we are speaking God's language … whether it's Haitian Creole, Spanish, German, Italian, or midwestern English … if and when we start dreaming in ways that inspire our capacity to understand, love, and serve all of God's children, wherever they may be and for whatever it is that they thirst.When we start dreaming about our longing to meet the needs of others before our own…When we start dreaming about ways God's kingdom can come alive among us and flow through us – not just for us – like so much living water…So that our generosity of time, talent, and treasure; our desire to worship, learn, and serve turns God's Church – and Cross of Grace as part of it – into nothing more and nothing less than a vessel for the very Holy Spirit of God's love, for the sake of the world, in Jesus' name.Amen

Oregon's Office of Economic Analysis released the State's June 2026 Economic and Revenue Forecast on Wednesday, May 20. The news is mixed, with challenges remaining from slowing wage growth, softening labor conditions, and more persistent inflation pressures amid geopolitical uncertainty and elevated energy prices. Contributors to State revenue growth were strong financial markets, capital gains collections, and a partial disconnect from the federal tax code in response to the federal tax cuts included in HR 1.State School Fund allocations come from combined General Fund and Lottery dollars, so those revenue streams are the ones we watch most closely. Since the March 2026 Forecast, General Fund resources are up $345 million and Lottery resources are up $35.2 million, for a combined increase of $380.2 million. These revenue streams are up $30.8 million since the Close of Session Forecast - the first time they've been in the positive this biennium. Things to watch moving forward are the impact of legislatively approved increases to spending outside of education - there was a $198 million increase in the 2026 short session - any potential challenges to the federal tax code disconnect bills, and legislative appetite for utilizing reserve funds for K-12 education in the 2027-29 biennium. The Hillsboro Schools Foundation conducted its highly anticipated “Surprise Patrol” the week of May 18 through 22, where winners of Engagement Grants for the following school year are announced. In all, fifteen proposals received funding - twelve from HSF directly, and three from anonymous donors. Projects range from bringing art literacy curriculum to McKinney Elementary School; to adding barbering and cosmetology stations to the career learning lab at R.A. Brown Middle School; to providing the tools for students to use reading, writing, and creativity to craft their own board games at Century High School; and many more! While the projects may differ, what they have in common is their ability to engage students in their learning and provide experiences that would not be possible under normal school funding. Many thanks to HSF for your ongoing support of innovation and engagement in HSD schools!Hot News is produced and emailed to HSD families and staff each week school is in session. Please add the address to your “safe sender” list to make sure you always receive the latest issue. Please also bookmark our district website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hsd.k12.or.us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to stay informed about what's happening in our district and schools.

In this episode, Steve and Katie recap the May 19, 2026, Redding City Council meeting, including updates on:Public safety investments and roadway improvement projects New appointments to the City's Audit Committee and Financial Advisory Committee Redding Electric Utility's third-quarter financial report and long-term energy planning The future operations and management transition of the Redding Civic AuditoriumThe Redding Police Department's annual military equipment report, including approval of a new public safety drone The City's third-quarter General Fund financial update and ongoing efficiency efforts They also discuss the Mayor's proclamation recognizing the upcoming 250th birthday of the United States and encouraging the community to display the American flag from May 22 through July 12.Watch the full meeting on the City of Redding YouTube channel.Contact the City of Redding Podcast TeamEmail us at podcast@cityofredding.orgConnect with us on Facebook, Twitter and InstagramVisit the City of Redding websiteLove the podcast? The best way to spread the word is to rate and review!

Vancouver is investing $14 million this summer to pave or preserve more than 100 lane miles of street. The program covers residential neighborhoods and major corridors, adds ADA curb ramps at 70 locations, and introduces new protected bike and mobility lanes on several key routes. Funding comes from the Street Fund, General Fund, and Transportation Benefit District. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/vancouver-prepares-for-2026-pavement-season/ #Vancouver #ClarkCounty #Transportation #PavementManagement #Infrastructure #RoadMaintenance #Bikelanes #VancouverWA #PublicWorks #CityOfVancouver ---

In this episode, Steve and Katie recap the May 5, 2026, Redding City Council meeting, including updates on:Foster Care Awareness MonthThe upcoming Ironman 70.3 eventHousing and Community Development fundingUpdates to the City's fire code They also discuss early findings from the Circle 6 Efficiency Study—including opportunities to return funds back to the General Fund—and changes to the City's Water Shortage Contingency Plan that provide more flexibility for outdoor watering while maintaining conservation goals. Watch the full meeting on the City of Redding YouTube channel.Contact the City of Redding Podcast TeamEmail us at podcast@cityofredding.orgConnect with us on Facebook, Twitter and InstagramVisit the City of Redding websiteLove the podcast? The best way to spread the word is to rate and review!

Connecticut Comptroller Sean Scanlon is projecting a deficit of 109-million dollars this year. Despite the projections, the state is retaining a rainy-day fund of two-point-one billion dollars and Scanlon says the 109-million-dollars only represents a small fraction of the state's overall 27-point-two-billion-dollar General Fund budget. We did a deeper dive into this with Comptroller Scanlon.

The Trump Economy On our political radar this week… J.D. Vance went 0-for-2 on his European trip. Victor Orban, campaigning with Vance at his side, got dumped as President of Hungary…despite ringing endorsements from Donald Trump and his BFF Vladimir Putin. Then Vance led negotiations with Iran over ending Trump's Middle East War and struck out, calling it quits after all of one day of talks. Facing multiple allegations of sexual improprieties, Eric Swalwell has resigned from Congress and pulled out of the California gubernatorial race while denying the accusations. There was bipartisan condemnation of Swalwell's behavior but, when asked if the same standard should be applied to pussy-grabbing Donald Trump, Republicans suddenly had a problem answering. Also resigning in disgrace: Texas Republican Tony Gonzalez, like Swalwell facing allegations of sexual misconduct against him. Republicans are worried that a special election to replace him could result in a Democratic flip thanks, in part, to the new GOP gerrymander of the state. The Trump politicizing of the Justice Department continues. Two federal civil rights prosecutors in Detroit who secured convictions against a group of Christian protestors accused of blocking access to abortion clinics were fired as part of a Trump administration crackdown on what it says were politically motivated cases under former President Joe Biden. Donald Trump is redirecting his demented rage at Pope Leo, who had the temerity to note that Jesus wasn't a fan of war or genocide. All that's been missing so far: Trump calling the Pope “Low IQ”. And then, there’s that AI image of “Dr. Jesus of Palm Beach” which was quickly deleted from Trump's Truth Social account. The field is effectively set for Michigan's U.S. Senate race. On the Democratic side, Haley Stevens, Mallory McMorrow and Abdul El Sayed each submitted their nominating petitions to the Elections Bureau in the last few days. Republican Mike Rogers' campaign says he has his petitions ready to go and will file shortly. All four candidates are submitting around 30,000 signatures, the maximum allowed under state law. John James has joined with all the Republican candidates for Governor making a campaign promise they can't keep: repealing the state income tax. The repeal would basically eliminate the entire General Fund budget. Since Michigan has a flat-rate tax, the biggest winners with repeal would be the state's wealthiest taxpayers. Attorney General Dana Nessel has blasted on one of the many offsets that's raising your cost of living: utility rates run amuck. She joined with other Democratic and community leaders to deride the state's Public Service Commission for rolling over on behalf of the state's two major utilities. Michigan Democrats are holding their candidate endorsement convention this weekend. The events can be seen as a prelude to the 2028 national campaign with potential presidential candidates Kamala Harris, Andy Beshear and Cory Booker all doing some speechifying in the Motor City. The Dems are focusing on growing inflation brought about by Donald Trump's Mideast War, and his obsession with tariffs. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell led a news conference addressing the most fundamental “kitchen table” issue: the cost of living, noting that tax cuts in the Republicans' Big Beautiful Bill are more than offset by the cost of groceries, gasoline, electricity and healthcare. It's a mantra we'll hear a lot between now and November.  Thank you for your attention to this matter. We’re now on YouTube every week! Click here to subscribe. A Republic, If You Can Keep It is sponsored by  

Send us Fan MailWith committee work wrapped up, the supplemental General Fund budget finalized, and the last edition of MMA's Legislative Bulletin published and emailed on March 27, the Legislature is on pace for an April 15 adjournment.  In this episode of the podcast, Rebecca Lambert and Amanda Campbell discuss how bills move between the chambers, highlight the municipally relevant components of the supplemental budget, and provide updates on the legislation debated this week.   

Greg visits with Stephanie Smith for a conversation about how Alabama's state budgets are actually built and the forces that shape spending decisions in Montgomery. Many citizens hear about the General Fund and Education Trust Fund, but few understand the process lawmakers use to assemble these massive budgets each year.Stephanie explains how the budgeting process works inside the Alabama Legislature, the priorities that often drive funding decisions. Part of the discussion focuses on the history and the political influence of the Alabama Education Association and how it affects education funding debates.Greg and Stephanie also explore what greater transparency in the budgeting process could look like and why understanding the budget matters for Alabama taxpayers and families.

This "Deep Dive" podcast outlines the 2026 Liquid Fuels Road Program for Newtown Township, a municipal infrastructure project focused on roadway rehabilitation and safety upgrades. The technical specifications and street index detail a comprehensive list of base and alternate bid locations, including roads such as Union Street and Eagleton Farm Road. Primary tasks involve asphalt milling, pavement resurfacing, and the installation of ADA-compliant curb ramps and sidewalks. Potential contractors must submit electronic bids through the PennBid platform by March 18, 2026, and adhere to PennDOT standards and state prevailing wage laws. Financial resources for the project includes a total budget of $850,000, sourced from both the Township's General Fund and PennDOT Liquid Feuls Fund. Successful applicants are required to provide various financial securities, such as performance and maintenance bonds, to ensure the completion and quality of the construction.

Just two weeks after digesting the details of Governor Whitmer's final Executive Budget proposal, one thing is certain: it's going to be a very interesting watch as Michigan policymakers tackle and negotiate the fiscal year 2027 budget. Senior Research Council staff Craig Thiel and Bob Schneider chat with Guy Gordon, walking through some of the most consequential pressure points as lawmakers craft a budget that will pass both chambers and be signed by the Governor. Multiple federal and state policy changes over the past year have set the stage for General Fund revenue that is expected to be down by more than $1.2 billion from the May 2025 forecast, an 8.3 percent decrease. Additionally, state budget writers will need to address federal cost shifts that place greater burdens on states for Medicaid and food assistance programs. The key challenge for budget writers during FY2027 budget deliberations will be addressing deficits rather than allocating surpluses, as has been the case for several consecutive years. Any new investment proposals that increase the budget will require additional dollar-for-dollar reductions to offset their impact. To quote Schneider: “It's going to be a really interesting budget cycle. In an election year, you're usually always done by July 1st, but I'm not so sure that's going to happen this year.”

Send a textTanya Emery, MMA's Advocacy Manager, joins podcast co-hosts Rebecca Lambert and Amanda Campbell to discuss LD 2173, which seeks to amend LD 1829 housing development provisions enacted in 2025.  The team also reviews key elements of Governor Mills' proposed FY 2026 – FY 2027 supplemental General Fund budget (LD 2212), including funding for code enforcement officer support, pre-K to grade 12 school programs, school bus passenger safety retrofits, and an expansion of the veterans' exemption. Amanda provides updates on General Assistance-related initiatives, including increased state reimbursement for the assistance provided applicants (LD 978), and administrator access to a statewide database used to determine applicant eligibility (LD 1996). Rebecca provides an update on an effort to collaborate with the Maine Press Association to modernize public notice requirements (LD 2042).  The team also provides an update on an amended version of LD 2174, which seeks to preempt municipal regulation of renewable energy projects, which will receive a public hearing this week.  

The provided document is an official bills list for Newtown Township, detailing financial expenditures and fund transfers authorized on February 25, 2026. The records outline a total disbursement of $325,504.61 across several categories, including the General Fund, Fire Protection, and Capital Projects. Significant costs include road maintenance, legal services, and municipal utility payments, alongside specific invoices for snow plowing and administrative repairs. A major $25,000 transfer was also designated for a boiler replacement within the township's administration building. Detailed itemizations highlight payments to various vendors for services ranging from police vehicle maintenance to recreational programming. This financial summary serves as a comprehensive account of the township's operational and infrastructure expenses for the mid-February period.

This financial documentation details the expenditure of funds for Newtown Township during a period ending in February 2026. The records provide a comprehensive Bills List that accounts for a total disbursement of $470,312.91 across various municipal accounts, including the General Fund, Fire Protection, and Highway Aid. These costs encompass essential public services such as police equipment, road maintenance materials like salt, and building repairs. Additionally, the itemized reports track employee benefits, insurance premiums, and recreational program expenses. The documents serve as a formal accounting ledger to ensure transparency in the allocation of taxpayer resources for local governance and infrastructure.

This "Deep Dive" podcast focuses on official financial records for Newtown Township, documenting various expenditures and account activities throughout 2025. The provided Bills Lists detail payments to vendors for municipal services, including public works maintenance, police department equipment, and professional legal and engineering fees. Additionally, the records include fund transfer authorizations that move significant capital between the General Fund and specialized accounts for payroll, health benefits, and pension obligations. The sources also track infrastructure costs such as utility bills, road repair materials, and public lighting projects. Individual entries further reflect community programming expenses, ranging from summer camp supplies to recreational instructor fees. Collectively, these reports offer a transparent overview of the township's fiscal management and operational spending.

The provided sources for this "Deep Dive" podcast - the official meeting agenda and a detailed transcript - offer insight into a Newtown Township Board of Supervisors meeting held on December 10, 2025. The meeting began with the recognition of two departing supervisors, John Mack and Dennis Fisher, who each offered farewell remarks expressing gratitude for their recognition of service. Key actions from the meeting included the controversial adoption of the 2026 budget, which faced strong opposition from two supervisors and several public commenters concerned about the depletion of the General Fund and excessive spending on non-roadwork-related items. Other official business covered the approval of the 2026 tax rate and ordinances for fire and EMS services, along with reports from the Township Engineer and Police Captain.

The provided excerpts from the Newtown Township 2026 Proposed Manager's Budget offer a comprehensive look at the municipality's financial planning and departmental operations. These documents outline the fund structure, detailing various governmental funds, their major revenue sources, and the services they provide, such as the General Fund supporting Public Safety and Public Works, and special revenue funds for fire and rescue services. Furthermore, the text gives an overview of departmental descriptions and staffing levels, noting proposed capital purchases and personnel changes, including a planned increase in full-time employees from 79 in 2025 to 82.5 in 2026, primarily due to additional firefighters. Financial details include a history of real estate tax levies showing a significant millage increase over the last five years, a debt service summary for General Obligation Notes, and a detailed look at the General Fund's budgeted versus actual surplus/deficit history, which relies on applying surplus fund balance to offset planned deficits in 2026.

A busy Tuesday on the show leading off with our monthly visit with the NH Insurance Department. We were joined by the State Insurance Commissioner D.J. Bettencourt to discuss the importance of life insurance during "Life Insurance Awareness Month". Also Mr. Bettencourt talked about the departments financial contribution to New Hampshire's General Fund in Fiscal 2025. Also with us Tuesday, correspondent John Leahy on the Red Sox and the upcoming NFL season plus our first visit with UNH head football coach Rick Santos discussing his team's win on opening weekend, and a preview of Saturday night's home opener vs. Holy Cross.

Kentucky Delivery Network Company Driver Transparency & Protections Act SECTION 1. KRS Chapter [to be assigned] is amended to create a new section to read as follows: As used in Sections 1 to 10 of this Act, unless the context requires otherwise: "Delivery network company" or "DNC" means an entity that: (a) Uses a digital network to connect consumers with drivers to facilitate delivery services; (b) Collects payments from consumers for such delivery services; and (c) Compensates drivers for providing such services. "Driver" means an individual who: (a) Is engaged by a delivery network company to provide delivery services; (b) May be classified as an independent contractor or an employee; and (c) Uses a personal or commercial vehicle to fulfill delivery requests. "Consumer" means an individual who uses a delivery network company's platform to request and receive delivery services. SECTION 2. A delivery network company shall, for each delivery transaction: Clearly disclose to the consumer: (a) The total amount charged for the delivery, including all fees, tips, and service charges; and (b) The amount or percentage of the total that will be remitted to the driver. Clearly disclose to the driver prior to accepting a delivery offer: (a) The total amount payable for the delivery; and (b) Any tip included; and       (c) Delivery pick up and drop off location; and       (d) Delivery total miles. Ensure that: (a) One hundred percent (100%) of any tip provided by the consumer is paid to the driver; and (b) A driver's base compensation is not reduced based on the amount of a tip. SECTION 3. A delivery network company shall provide each driver with access to all contracts or terms of service that govern the relationship between the driver and the company. Any updates or changes to contract terms shall be: (a) Provided to the driver via the digital platform and via email; and (b) Presented in clear and understandable language. A delivery network company shall: (a) Make available all current contract templates to drivers in English and Spanish; and (b) Post notice of any revised contract terms at least fourteen (14) days prior to implementation. SECTION 4. A delivery network company shall maintain and publicly post a written driver deactivation policy. If a driver is deactivated or restricted from accessing the platform, the company shall: (a) Provide written notice stating the specific reason for deactivation; and (b) Offer an internal appeal process that allows the driver to contest the deactivation and request reinstatement. Deactivation policies and appeal procedures shall be made available on the company's website. SECTION 5. When matching a driver with a consumer for a delivery, the company shall include a prompt or notice requesting that the consumer facilitate a safe delivery environment, which may include: (a) Keeping paths to delivery locations clear and well-lit; and (b) Securing pets or potential hazards. A driver shall be provided no fewer than sixty (60) seconds to review and accept or decline a delivery offer. SECTION 6. A delivery network company shall submit quarterly reports to the Kentucky Labor Cabinet, containing the following data: (a) Average and range of driver compensation per delivery; (b) Percentage and distribution of tips among drivers; (c) Number of drivers deactivated during the reporting period and outcomes of appeal proceedings. The Labor Cabinet shall compile and publish an annual report summarizing the data and providing recommendations for legislative or regulatory action as necessary. SECTION 7. A driver or consumer aggrieved by a violation of this Act may bring a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction for: (a) Statutory damages of up to one thousand dollars ($1,000) per violation; (b) Actual damages; and (c) Injunctive or other equitable relief as the court deems appropriate. The Kentucky Labor Cabinet may impose administrative fines not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500) per violation. SECTION 8. The Kentucky Labor Cabinet shall promulgate administrative regulations necessary to implement and enforce the provisions of this Act. SECTION 9. The General Assembly hereby appropriates sufficient funds from the General Fund to the Kentucky Labor Cabinet to carry out its duties under this Act for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026. SECTION 10. Sections 1 through 8 of this Act shall take effect on March 6th, 2026. This Act is hereby declared to be an emergency measure in order to allow immediate preparation and rule making, and shall take effect upon its passage and becoming law. ***** ***** ***** ***** *****  Rideshare Rodeo Brand & Podcast: https://linktr.ee/RideshareRodeo 

Pennsylvania's Attorney General is planning a new statewide program to promote treatment for persons with mental illness who commit minor crimes. Defense spending, investment in artificial intelligence and fossil fuels will support Pennsylvania’s economic future, according to three Republican lawmakers who visited the Midstate this week. President Donald Trump says he wants to get rid of voting by mail and voting machines. Some of Pennsylvania’s congressional Republicans say they like the idea, but election rules are set by states, not the president. The Dauphin County General Authority voted Wednesday to accept a proposal for a Dauphin County golf course to be sold and turned into a data center. A bill introduced by Allegheny County state Rep. Emily Kinkead would use $10 million from the state's General Fund to establish the proposed Landslide and Sinkhole Insurance Program. Earlier this summer, WITF welcomed dozens of children and teens for summer camps organized by our colleagues at Pennon Education. That included a camp for middle schoolers called Rising Youth Voices. To learn more about pennon education check out The Sparks podcast episode live now: Did you know that if every one of WITF’s sustaining circle members gives as little as $12 more a month, we'd close the gap caused by federal funding cuts? Increase your gift at https://witf.org/increase or become a new sustaining member at www.witf.org/givenow.Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

JC Shepard, founder of Wimkin Social Media - big free speech advocate, and we talk the challeneges in the modern culture. Fmr State Senator Baertschiger - why cant Oregon pay for all the stuff it used to from the General Fund, Huh??

Budget Currently Being Hashed Out by Legislators to Decline by $1.1 Billion; OBBBA to Eat 40% of Expected General Fund Growth by FY2032 The Citizens Research Council today released an analysis of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), the massive federal legislation signed into law earlier this month that touches nearly every corner of the federal government. The analysis focuses on the likely short- and long-term impacts of OBBBA provisions on Michigan's budget outlook. Key provisions of OBBBA include the extension of the vast majority of tax cuts included in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and an assortment of new – albeit temporary – tax relief provisions for tipped income, overtime pay earners, and senior citizens. Under Congressional rules, the legislation needed to identify significant federal spending reductions to offset the revenue loss attributed to the new tax policies as well as increased military and immigration enforcement spending. OBBBA also achieves federal spending reductions through shifts in cost-sharing with states – provisions that will have significant impacts on state budgets going forward. In contrast to much that has been written about the immediacy of certain tax benefits followed by the delay in programmatic cuts, the Research Council's analysis shows the impact to the FY2026 Michigan budget currently being deliberated by state lawmakers is immediate: The OBBBA increases state cost-sharing within two major safety net programs – Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The changes could increase Michigan's spending on these programs by over $1 billion by FY2032. It also implements more favorable tax treatment of certain business expenditures under the federal corporate income tax – changes that will have ripple effects on Michigan's corporate income tax collections, leading to large and immediate revenue declines ($677 million revenue reduction estimated for FY2026). These provisions mean the state will need to cut around $1.1 billion in General Fund/General Purpose appropriations from the FY2026 Executive Budget proposal. By FY2032, OBBBA's provisions will absorb around 40 percent of expected General Fund revenue growth. “For years since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Michigan experienced an unexpected state revenue high driven largely by federal stimulus initiatives,” said Robert Schneider, senior research associate for state affairs and lead author of the report. “Even before OBBBA, it was evident that those days were coming to an end and state revenue growth was returning to pre-COVID trends. With the enactment of the OBBBA, Michigan now faces an added budget challenge that will be particularly severe over the next few budget cycles. State lawmakers should get to work on developing a budget plan that considers these new realities.”

There is a pile of important matters we discuss in today's show. From the White House to the U.S. Southern Border and everywhere in between, our nation is busy finding its way through a plethora of landmines laid by the Far Left in America.The noise along with multiple allegations of the details of the Epstein saga continues to grow. Now, President Trump has even suggested that Attorney General Pam Bondi "release any of the details of the incidents she deems credible.The Senate passed a massive "recession" bill that, if the House agrees, will claw back more than $9 billion to put back in the U.S. General Fund. It is now before the House for consideration and is expected to be passed today.We learned today that 1.4 million people who live abroad are receiving UK welfare money, and none of them are working.A new report provides evidence that shows the "official" Jeffrey Epstein jail video released to the public is "officially" short by almost 3 minutes of content. Those three minutes were removed, and the video was copied three times.

John 21:1-19After these things, Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. This is how he showed himself to them. Gathered there were Simon Peter, Thomas who was also called the Twin, Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee, the Sons of Zebedee and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” And they went and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.Just after daybreak, Jesus came and stood on the shore, but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. He said to them, “My children, you haven't any fish, have you?” They said to him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” So they cast it and they were not able to haul in the net because it was full of so many fish. The disciple whom Jesus loved said to Simon Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was Jesus, he put on some clothes for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. The others went in the boat, bringing with them the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land; only about a hundred yards off.When they had come ashore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring with you some of the fish you just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, one hundred fifty-three of them. But even though there were so many fish, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.”Now, none of them dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they new that it was Jesus. He came and took the bread and gave it to them and he did the same thing with the fish. This was the third time he had appeared to them since he had been raised from the dead.After they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time, Jesus said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” A third time, Jesus said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter, upset that he had asked him a third time, “Do you love me?,” said to him, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. When you were a child, you used to fasten your own belt and go wherever you chose to go. But when you grow old you will stretch out your arms and others will fasten a belt around you and lead you to places that you may not choose to go.” (He said this in order to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) And when he has said this, he said to him, “Follow me.” Pastor Cogan said something, almost in passing last Sunday, in his sermon reflecting on Pope Francis. It was a one-liner that caught my attention in the moment and that came back to me when I read today's Gospel. He said that Pope Francis – faithful, humble servant that he was – “was a shepherd who smelled like his sheep.” “… a shepherd who smelled like his sheep.”Did anyone else catch that? Or remember that? Or wonder any more about that? I did, because I think it has a lot to say about where we find Jesus and his disciples – and especially, this famous conversation and command to Peter – on the beach at breakfast, not long after the resurrection.“Do you love me?” … “Yes.” … “Feed my lambs.”“Do you love me?” … “Yes.” … “Tend my sheep.”“Do you love me?” … “Yes.” … “Feed my sheep.”And you can't blame Jesus for asking again, and again, and again. It's no coincidence that Jesus asked him three times, after what had happened just days before, of course, when Peter, questioned just before the crucifixion, denied Jesus three times to strangers, just as Jesus warned him that he would. So, this “Q and A” between Jesus and Peter – this whole experience on the beach after Easter, really – is chock full of symbolism and meaning. But, to the sheep and the lambs…Too much of the time for us, “sheep” and especially “lambs” – so close to Easter Sunday, in the spring of the year – elicit a warm and fuzzy, soft and sweet, cute, cuddly, cozy kind of vibe – don't you think? They are the stuff of Springtime and Easter baskets, right. But the truth is, sheep are actually dirty and lambs are pretty dumb. (Here's that video I'm sure many of us have seen of a sheep being both – dirty and dumb.) And remember that even the “sheep” Jesus refers to so often, even before this brunch on the beach, are pitiable and lost and in need of redemption, too. Remember that the “sheep” in Jesus' teachings need to be separated from the goats, they need to be found because they've gone astray, they need to be saved from the clutches of the wolves that surround them, and they need to listen for the sound of their shepherd's voice to lead them. And besides, all of that, remember that the warm and fuzzy Lamb, in Jesus himself, gets sacrificed, after all. And remember that the Lamb of God, in Jesus Christ, showed up to do the dirty work of taking away the sin of the world.There's not much “warm and fuzzy” or “cute and cuddly” or “soft and sweet” about any of that, in the end. The Lord's work is dirty work, to say the least. So it's notable, for me, that Jesus uses “sheep” and “lambs” as a metaphor for Peter, the fisherman – again – this time around.So when he talks about feeding sheep and tending to lambs, it seems to me, that Jesus is talking about the hard and holy stuff of life and discipleship for believers, this morning. And he's implying that you really need to LOVE Jesus, in order to fully enter into the business of following him faithfully.So we're invited to wonder, what in the world that means for you and me? Where are the sheep and the lambs, the lost and the lonely, the scared, the sick, the suffering – and the stinky – in this world and in your life?He makes it really hard for us to avoid the question. When Jesus asks us if we love him, who and how and what is he really asking us to consider? How many of us – like Pope Francis – smell like the sheep we're called to love and serve?For starters, it seems random, but it's no mistake that the Gospel writer says there were 153 fish in the net that morning. It's not likely anyone actually counted those fish. It's a number that smarter people than me suggest is meant to symbolize the entirety of creation; or they say it symbolizes all the people and every nation of the world. So, it's just another reminder that, as followers of Jesus, we're meant to tend to, feed, care about, and love all people; from every nation; in every land; even when it's hard. Even when it stinks. Do you love Jesus, even if it leads to people and to places where you may not want to go? Do you love Jesus, even if it leads people to your doorstep who you wish wouldn't come?Of course, we answer this question in other ways, too.I hope, when we consider our financial commitments to the General Fund in the days ahead, we'll hear that question, again: “Do you love me?” And I pray our commitments and the offerings that follow will be one meaningful way that we respond – even if it's uncomfortable, unfamiliar, unconventional by the world's standards and expectations.I hope, as we're filling out our Time and Talent Sheets for the year ahead, too, that Jesus' question will ring in our ears, “Do you love me?” And that how we choose to serve the world through our little part of the kingdom at Cross of Grace will reveal our answer in a faithful way – and that we'll do it even when it's inconvenient sometimes; even if it's new; even if it's something we've done before or something we never thought we'd do at all. Even if it stinks from time to time, like helping to clean the church or to mow the lawn.I hope, that as we live our lives in this broken and hurting world, that we see around us – on the evening news, in the hallways at school, in the house down the street, on the faces of strangers, and in the mirror – I hope we see the sheep and lambs of Jesus – the children of God – who are starving for, who need and who deserve to be fed and tended to and loved with the same grace we long for, need, and try to share around here.I hope that when we wonder about what it looks like to love Jesus, that we aren't afraid to get our hands dirty, to stop pretending that life in this world – our own lives or the lives of our neighbors – are always neat and tidy, soft and sweet, cute, cuddly, and convenient. I hope our lives of faith in this world leave us smelling like sheep.Because the truth is we are all sheep. Each of us is a lamb. We all stink of the sin that covers us. And we're all unable to be free of it on our own.So Jesus shows up to inspire us and to encourage us and to love us, first – all so that we might follow him – like he invites Peter to do – into a new way of life. So that we'll follow him into a kingdom that is built on service and sacrifice, generosity and grace, mercy and good news; a kingdom built with very clear directions from the resurrected and living love of Jesus Christ our Lord – who so faithfully feeds, tend to, and loves us – and the world – so that we can't help but return the favor, in his name.Amen

AlabamaAG Marshall files lawsuit against Tik Tok for causing mental harm to childrenA state version of the Laken Riley Act close to passage if no more delaysAL senate passes General Fund budget  despite Democratic delay tacticsBill that places adult content filters on cellphones for minors passes HouseGovernor Ivey allocates $7.6M for road and bridge projects in stateSen. Tuberville to officially announce his political plans at end of MayNationalPresident Trump holds cabinet meeting on Day 101 since taking officeA Federal judge in CA blocks Border Patrol from arresting illegal aliensNY Governor wants a ban on cellphones in public school classroomsRNC Chair details legal efforts in states to stop non citizens from votingUS and Ukraine sign an energy deal that involves rare earth minerals

Today we have a new state employee benefit and the General Fund budget. And the Poarch Creeks closed on a Birmingham property. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  —Here are 3 big things you need to know—   One — President Trump has officially signed an executive order to dismantle the Department of Education, first created by then-President Carter back in 1979.  The White House says test scores for kids have been in decline for years, and it's time to see education authority be returned to individual states.  Education Secretary Linda McMahon will have to get Congressional approval to officially abolish the department.   Two ---- Governor Gretchen Whitmer is happy state House Speaker Matt Hall has passed a three-point-one-billion-dollar plan to fund road fixes, but says the plan could create budget holes and doesn't solve the problem.  Whitmer says she will work with the state Senate on a compromise that will be acceptable to both parties.  Whitmer and Republicans in the House want to put all taxes collected for fuel to the roads instead of being split up now for road funding, education, and more.  The GOP plan would fill the School Aid Fund hole with money from the General Fund and wouldn't raise taxes but Whitmer says new revenue has to be brought in from somewhere.   And number three —    A private company said Wednesday it has obtained a contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to start housing immigrant inmates at its 1,800-bed prison in northern Michigan. GEO Group, a for-profit prison company based in Boca Raton, Florida, owns and operates North Lake Correctional Facility near Baldwin. The company issued a statement that there will be an activation of a federal immigration processing center at North Lake, boasting it will bring in $70 million dollars in annual revenue.  

—Here are 3 big things you need to know—   One — The Pentagon is preparing to eliminate between 50 and 60-thousand civilian jobs over the next few months.  On Tuesday, a senior defense official said the job cuts will hopefully happen via voluntary resignations and by not replacing workers who leave.  The Pentagon will also begin firing probationary employees.   Two ---- The Michigan House has approved a bill to lower income taxes to four-point-zero-five-percent from four-and-a-quarter-percent.  The bill would restore the tax rate that was in place for 2023 after the General Fund revenue grew faster than inflation.  In 2024, the income tax rate went back up following an opinion issued by Attorney General Dana Nessel that the reduction should be temporary.   And number three -- One of the biggest auto shows in Canada says it's removing Tesla from the event over safety concerns.  The Vancouver International Auto Show starts today and bills itself as one of North America's premiere auto shows.  In a statement Tuesday, the director of the event said Tesla vehicles were being removed from the show over concerns for the safety of attendees, exhibitors, and staff. 

GoFundMes to support victims of the fires in LA who are part of the MGoBlog community: General Fund. Reader's mother-in-law Anne Cohen. Reader Chef Robert. Reader Josh Bishop-Moser. Reader Mike on behalf of Mika Yoshitake & daughter Sora. Readers Liberty and Mark. 1 hour and 21 minutes The Sponsors Thank you to Underground Printing for making this all possible. Rishi and Ryan have been our biggest supporters from the beginning. Check out their wide selection of officially licensed Michigan fan gear at their 3 store locations in Ann Arbor or learn about their custom apparel business at undergroundshirts.com. Our associate sponsors are: Peak Wealth Management, Matt Demorest - Realtor and Lender, Ann Arbor Elder Law, Michigan Law Grad, Human Element, Sharon's Heating & Air Conditioning, The Sklars Brothers, the Autograph: Fandom Rewarded app, Champions Circle, Winewood Organics, Community Pest Solutions, and Venue by 4M where usually record this. 1. Men's Basketball vs Illinois Starts at 1:00 Michigan was asking for a game like this after the last couple months, you can't give up 19 offensive rebounds in a game and expect to win. Illinois got 9 more shots than Michigan and their young guys went off. Vlad Goldin was the only one who was getting an advantage. Danny Wolf is officially in a funk, this likely doesn't affect his draft stock. Michigan might be a popular pick to get upset in the first round of the tournament. They're fading down the stretch and not getting better in a lot of departments, especially rebounding.  [The rest of the writeup and the player after THE JUMP]  2. Men's Basketball vs Michigan State Starts at 23:06 This was a "make your shots" game, Michigan State hit their shots. Also Michigan had an 11 shot deficit. Michigan now has a worse 3-point shooting percentage than Michigan State. Roddy Gayle has not hit a three-pointer since January, nobody is covering him anymore and that extra player is guarding the paint. Tre Donaldson might've had his worst game.  3. Hot Takes and Men's Basketball vs Rutgers & Nebraska Starts at 34:06 Takes hotter than yours truly after the 19th Illinois offensive rebound. These two games were polar opposites in what basketball is. Michigan had poor shooting and looked tired after the Michigan State game. The three-point shooting has come down tremendously. Seth thinks the worse three point shooting is mostly random except for Roddy Gayle, opposing defenses can always plan for Roddy not being able to shoot. For one half, Rutgers was the greatest basketball team in the world, then it came crashing back to Earth. Is it time for L.J. Cason to play more? Sometimes he looks great and sometimes he doesn't box out at all. Vlad Goldin is just not a passer in the paint. Who would you take for free throws to win the game, Roddy Gayle or Nimari Burnett? 4. Hockey vs Ohio State Starts at 1:10:08 Michigan steals four points from Ohio State and has their tournament percentage up to 85%. Michigan hosts Penn State in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament but Penn State is playing very hot at the end of this season. The "It gets worse" call is now legendary. Win this upcoming series and you're in, get swept and... you might still be in.  MUSIC: "You Don't Know The Shape I'm In"—MJ Lenderman "Loser"—Jerry Garcia "Whip Appeal"—Babyface “Across 110th Street”—JJ Johnson and his Orchestra    

GoFundMes to support victims of the fires in LA who are part of the MGoBlog community: General Fund. Reader's mother-in-law Anne Cohen. Reader Chef Robert. Reader Josh Bishop-Moser. Reader Mike on behalf of Mika Yoshitake & daughter Sora. Readers Liberty and Mark. 1 hour and 42 minutes The Sponsors Thank you to Underground Printing for making this all possible. Rishi and Ryan have been our biggest supporters from the beginning. Check out their wide selection of officially licensed Michigan fan gear at their 3 store locations in Ann Arbor or learn about their custom apparel business at undergroundshirts.com. Our associate sponsors are: Peak Wealth Management, Matt Demorest - Realtor and Lender, Ann Arbor Elder Law, Michigan Law Grad, Human Element, Sharon's Heating & Air Conditioning, The Sklars Brothers, the Autograph: Fandom Rewarded app, Champions Circle, Winewood Organics, Community Pest Solutions, and Venue by 4M where usually record this. 1. Men's Basketball at Ohio State Starts at 1:00 Bienvenue! Recorded remotely this week because Seth's 19 year old ski boots exploded. Michigan wins a defense-optional shootout, they rebounded half their misses which ended up being the difference (Ohio State just couldn't out-rebound Goldin and Wolf). There's a big difference between Goldin being the role guy and Tschetter being the role guy, so why did Goldin only get 24 minutes? Officiating in this game and how it relates to the Bo Ryan era. Don't elbow someone in the head but also don't put your head into someone's elbow. Roddy Gayle returns to Columbus and silences the boos out of timeouts. Stop missing dunks. Neither team got a double digit lead, the game was tense the whole time.  [The rest of the writeup and the player after THE JUMP]  2. Men's Basketball vs Purdue Starts at 24:50 Michigan avenges a terrible loss to become co-favorites to win the Big Ten. Braden Smith plays an insane 12 minutes to open the game for Purdue, making the first half extra frustrating. His mid-range shots weren't even bad shots, necessarily. Rubin Jones and Roddy Gayle combined for 20 points and played excellent, annoying defense. They came through in a way that was required to win this game. Michigan shoots below their season 3-point average but only had 11 turnovers. They also got to the line a lot (off of some calls that weren't great). Caleb Furst should've fouled out in the first six minutes! The physicality of the Big Ten is more than Dusty May realized. Purdue had zero bench points.  3. Hot Takes and Hockey vs Minnesota Starts at 49:12 Takes hotter than Michigan basketball in a three point game. Michigan gets slightly more than a split against Minnesota which decently increases their NCAA tournament chances. A split with Ohio State and a first round win in the Big Ten Tournament should do it. Minnesota was out-shooting Michigan 12-2 to start the game on Saturday, not great! Welcome back, Michael Hage. Tyler Duke played a nice game when everyone else was gassed. Bye week upcoming so we won't know much about tournament chances for a while.  4. Tournament Outlooks Starts at 1:16:40 Men's basketball is now projected to win the Big Ten but Wisconsin is looming with the easier schedule. Purdue and Michigan State both finish with a gauntlet. Of Michigan's last six games, four or five of them will be against tournament teams. Finishing 3-3 could maybe be enough to win a share of the Big Ten and get a banner. It's been a while since it's come down to Michigan and Michigan State down the stretch. Torvik has Michigan jumping between 3 and 4 seeds, which takes win margin into account. Hockey is projected to play Penn State in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament. They're now 80% to make the NCAA tournament but everyone ahead of them in the Pairwise rankings is pretty much a lock. The worst tournament in sports is suddenly in Michigan's favor! There's a regional in Toledo but Michigan probably doesn't go there. Shout out to Hockey Bear.  MUSIC: "Real Life"—The Marias "MUTT"—Leon Thomas "THE BADDEST"—Joey Valence and Brae “Across 110th Street”—JJ Johnson and his Orchestra

GoFundMes to support victims of the fires in LA who are part of the MGoBlog community: General Fund. Reader's mother-in-law Anne Cohen. Reader Chef Robert. Reader Josh Bishop-Moser. Reader Mike on behalf of Mika Yoshitake & daughter Sora. Readers Liberty and Mark. 1 hour and 28 minutes The Sponsors Thank you to Underground Printing for making this all possible. Rishi and Ryan have been our biggest supporters from the beginning. Check out their wide selection of officially licensed Michigan fan gear at their 3 store locations in Ann Arbor or learn about their custom apparel business at undergroundshirts.com. Our associate sponsors are: Peak Wealth Management, Matt Demorest - Realtor and Lender, Ann Arbor Elder Law, Michigan Law Grad, Human Element, Sharon's Heating & Air Conditioning, The Sklars Brothers, the Autograph: Fandom Rewarded app, Champions Circle, Winewood Organics, Community Pest Solutions, and Venue by 4M where usually record this. 1. Dusty May Talk Starts at 1:00 Welcome to the Plodcast. This game had the awkward undertones of Mike Woodson getting "fired" and Indiana wanting to hire Dusty May. What's a better job, Indiana or Michigan? Indiana is home for Dusty but there's also a lot of pressure there. If Michigan needed the money to match, they could get it. He did turn down the Louisville job so maybe the biggest thing that would bring Dusty May back to Indiana is that his mom still lives in Bloomington.  [The rest of the writeup and the player after THE JUMP]  2. Men's Basketball vs Indiana Starts at 22:30 Once again it is the story of the season where Michigan gets a big lead and then suddenly looks like they forgot how to play basketball. Kenpom said Michigan would win by four so maybe we're overexaggerating. They've gone from a top 10 team to a top 25 team, so a 5-6 seed in the tournament. The turnover margin between the most turnovers and the fewest in the Big Ten is only four turnovers. Three point shooting was extremely frustrating. Gayle is driving to the basketball when he should be shooting a 3. Screwing up the foul on Goldin really hurt Michigan. Nimari Burnett's shooting percentages have simply fallen back down to earth.  3. Hot Takes and Men's Basketball vs Oregon Starts at 41:22 Takes hotter than the Indiana fanbase when Dusty May spikes a three hundred million dollar offer in their faces and says "I'm a Michigan man forever, babyyyy". Another game where Michigan had a double digit lead that they almost blew! Roddy Gayle got to the line a lot but also traveled enough that John Beilein would've ripped his esophagus out. Will Tschetter had a nice game and led the team in scoring. The bench players aren't quite ready and that's okay. Is Supreme Cook the best version of Brian?  4. Michigan Hockey vs Michigan State Starts at 1:13:28 Michigan picks up a split against the #2 team in Pairwise, getting one win was the best possible scenario. Both games were about the same but Michigan State actually scored in the second game. Michigan is a team of just guys. Nobody really pops besides Hage. The WWE aspect of these games in the 3rd period against Michigan State has become a bit much. Michigan has a 70% projected chance of making the field, which feels great right now. Is the most boring Michigan hockey team in memory? This isn't a bad team, they're just not the team last year that booted Michigan State out of the tournament. Pre-season expectation was to hopefully make the tournament and that hasn't changed. MUSIC: "Aston Martin Music"—Rick Ross "Waiting For The Bells"—Joel Alme "Vines"—Cameron Winter “Across 110th Street”—JJ Johnson and his Orchestra    

GoFundMes to support victims of the fires in LA who are part of the MGoBlog community: General Fund. Reader's mother-in-law Anne Cohen. Reader Chef Robert. Reader Josh Bishop-Moser. Reader Mike on behalf of Mika Yoshitake & daughter Sora. Readers Liberty and Mark. 1 hour and 9 minutes The Sponsors Thank you to Underground Printing for making this all possible. Rishi and Ryan have been our biggest supporters from the beginning. Check out their wide selection of officially licensed Michigan fan gear at their 3 store locations in Ann Arbor or learn about their custom apparel business at undergroundshirts.com. Our associate sponsors are: Peak Wealth Management, Matt Demorest - Realtor and Lender, Ann Arbor Elder Law, Michigan Law Grad, Human Element, Sharon's Heating & Air Conditioning, The Sklars Brothers, the Autograph: Fandom Rewarded app, Champions Circle, Winewood Organics, Community Pest Solutions, and Venue by 4M where usually record this. 1. Men's Basketball vs Rutgers Starts at 1:00 Brian returns after a week (or two) of trying not to die ala ice and norovirus. The Rutgers game was a weird game of two offensive-oriented teams not scoring much. Rutgers has 15 more shots than Michigan and still loses due to poor shooting. Michigan did a great job defending Ace Bailey. Rubin Jones made a two! Rutgers likely won't make the tournament but this was still a solid road win. Tre Donaldson is averaging 1.7 fouls per game, can't just pull him with two fouls. Things feel bad but Michigan has a tournament bid pretty much locked up if they stay the course.  2. Men's Basketball vs Penn State and Purdue Starts at 21:34 Penn State is the most Clingon team in college basketball. Tre Donaldson was the hero with 21 points, also the Vlad Goldin "empty tubes" game. Only nine turnovers was a great improvement against a team that forces a bunch of turnovers. Speaking of poop, the Purdue game! This was not a game from the start. Michigan can't handle Purdue's pace and then the second half is just coasting home for both teams. Every Michigan coach has to get their head caved in by Painter once. It was discombobulating to see Michigan so discombobulated. The final stretch of this schedule is a gauntlet, they're all quad 1 games (besides maybe Rutgers). If Michigan finishes .500 they'll be fine.  3. Football Stuff Starts at 41:23 Ross Dellenger got a leak of a portion of Michigan's NCAA response. Michigan is taking the route that the allegations are unsupported and should be level 2 allegations. In the past they've laid down and taken it for allegations. All the released texts about Connor Stalions within the program almost sound like they're annoyed with him. The portal has been pretty quiet recently, this might be it for the incoming wide receivers. All signs point towards Ty Haywood coming to Michigan. The NIL values you see are probably made up.  4. Michigan Hockey vs Penn State Starts at 56:09 Michigan is down to 14th in Pairwise and on the bubble. The remaining games are the hardest part of the schedule so they need to go at least 3-3 to try and get into the tournament. This is such a frustrating team to watch. In some years, the Michigan defense can do spectacular things while making mistakes, this year they just make mistakes. They're running out of time to figure stuff out.  MUSIC: "Alaska"—Maggie Rogers "Help Me"—Joni Mitchell "Don't Dream It's Over"—Crowded House “Across 110th Street”—JJ Johnson and his Orchestra    

Measure H would implement a one-cent sales tax for Butte County residents that could lead to millions of dollars in the county's coffers. Also, Plumas County is trying to attract people to live and visit the area by being featured in the PBS show “Viewpoint,” and Gov. Gavin Newsom yesterday released an optimistic progress report on efforts to reach an ambitious goal to conserve 30% of California's land by 2030.

Boeing's commercial market outlook, the AirVenture and Farnborough air shows, Airbus' A321XLR certification, funding for FAA infrastructure, Embraer's Eve flying taxi prototype, JetBlue's unpaid leave offer to flight attendants, and first officers decline to upgrade to captain. Aviation News Boeing Forecasts Demand for Nearly 44,000 New Airplanes Through 2043 as Air Travel Surpasses Pre-Pandemic Levels Boeing released its Commercial Market Outlook (CMO) for 2024-2043, including an interactive dashboard. CMO forecast highlights through 2043: The global commercial fleet is projected to grow 3.2% annually. The air cargo fleet will increase by two-thirds by 2043, to support 4.1% annual air cargo traffic growth. The number of global routes served by commercial airlines has returned to 2019 levels, even though nearly 20% of them are new, illustrating the adaptability of aviation in a dynamic market. Single-aisle airplanes will make up 71% of the 2043 fleet. The global widebody fleet will more than double, with twin-aisles comprising 44% of the Middle East fleet. It's Opening Week for Two of the World's Largest Airshows EAA AirVenture Oshkosh is July 22 – July 28, 2024. EAA has about 300,000 members worldwide. AirVenture sees more than 500,000 attendees over the week-long event they call The World's Greatest Aviation Celebration®. The Farnborough International Airshow is held every two years, alternating with the Paris Air Show. This year Farnborough is July 22 – July 26, 2024, and targets the global aerospace industry. See Farnborough Air Show 2024 - Preview from the Royal Aeronautical Society. Airbus A321XLR Receives EASA Type Certification The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued Type Certification for the Airbus A321XLR powered by CFM LEAP-1A engines. Airbus has a backlog of over 500 single-aisle A321XLR orders. Iberia is the launch customer and EIS is expected in November 2024. Airbus also has orders from Qantas, Icelandair, and IAG Group. Certification for the Pratt & Whitney GTF variant is to come next. Groups Push Lawmakers To Up FAA's ATC Equipment Budget Twenty-six industry associations sent a letter to the Appropriations Committees, the Senate Commerce Committee, and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee asking for more ATC modernization funding. The associations represent business and general aviation, airlines, air traffic controllers and specialists, pilots and flight attendants, and manufacturers. The groups note an uncommitted balance in the Airport and Airway Trust Fund (AATF) that could be used for the FAA's Facilities and Equipment (F&E) account. “We… believe more must be done to not only maintain and sustain the ATC system but also to modernize it.” The Airport and Airway Trust Fund (AATF), also known as the Aviation Trust Fund, was established in 1970 to help finance the FAA's investments in the airport and airway system, independent of the General Fund. Embraer's Eve rolls out flying taxi prototype, cash needs covered until 2027 Embraer subsidiary Eve Air Mobility revealed their full-scale eVTOL prototype. The fixed-wing aircraft uses eight propellers for vertical flight and an electric pusher motor. The first prototype does not have a cabin or pilot. The final aircraft will seat four passengers and a pilot. Eve was founded in 2020 and plans to obtain certification and enter service in 2026. Five conforming prototypes are planned for 2025. The company says they have letters of intent for 2,900 eVTOLs that seat four passengers and a pilot. Investors include United Airlines, BAE Systems, Thales, and Rolls-Royce. Eve eVTOL protype. JetBlue to Offer Six Months of Unpaid Leave to Flight Attendants, Trim Number of Crew Members On Transatlantic Flights A Transport Workers Union of America (TWU) memo says JetBlue is taking steps to reduce costs. Flight attendants should expect “significantly reduced” flying sched...

State budget officials met on May 17, 2024, to finalize state revenue estimates that will be used as guideposts for ongoing FY2025 budget deliberations. The Research Council's Bob Schneider and Craig Thiel provide insights into what the new estimates mean as lawmakers wrap up the budget as well as the budget outlook for Fiscal Year 2026. Scheider said the conference experts delivered a positive outlook, stating that the forecast for the national and state economy was generally good: real GDP, the key metric to monitor the health of the national economy, is expected to continue to grow through the next few years at a normal, healthy rate. Inflation is falling back, though not quite as fast in Michigan as it is nationally; incomes are growing, and Michigan's unemployment rate remains low. The revenue conference, held in January and May each year, brings together the State Treasurer, the Michigan Legislature's top budget advisors and economists who present information on the state and national economy, workforce, wages, the auto industry, and spending patterns by businesses and the public in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The May Revenue Estimating Conference is a key step for state lawmakers in finalizing the state budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins October 1. Economists and state officials determined that revenue estimates in May showed a slight increase for the state's General Fund and a slight decrease for the School Aid Fund from January estimates. Schneider says the most important takeaway is that revenues continue to grow. Revenues for the state General Fund is expected to grow about 1.5 percent, or just over $200 million. School Aid Fund revenues were adjusted down to about $160 million, or about 1 percent, from January, and that largely reflects slightly slower sales tax growth. "During COVID, people shifted their spending patterns towards goods and 'stuff.' People were buying stuff rather than services. So now, maybe we're seeing a sort of return to normal on that front, which is slowing sales tax growth."

The 2024 race for Northfield Mayor took an interesting turn yesterday when Erica Zweifel, a three-term member of the Northfield City Council from 2009 until she chose to not run in 2020, announced that she is a candidate for the City of Northfield's highest elected office.   Zweifel said as mayor, her priorities would be fiscal […]

 Zweifel announces candidacy for Northfield Mayor; School Board hears '24-'25 General Fund budget presentation; Watermain flushing begins on Sunday 

Today we have a Legislative roundup that includes a $3.4 billion General Fund budget. A North Alabama chef won the Alabama Seafood Cook-Off. An NFL team is helping build girls flag football in Alabama. Jonathan Sobolewski explains the new federal noncompete rules. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Legislative session talk is still on the stalled lottery/casinos package. Biden now only needs Ivey's signature to be on the ballot. House passes General Fund budget. Finding and affording childcare is no easy task. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fiscal and Administrative Services is providing weekly briefings to the Charles County Board of Commissioners on different aspects of the proposed Fiscal Year 2025 budget.  Throughout the month of April and into early May, Let's Get Fiscal will have weekly "Budget Bite" mini-episodes to give quick overviews of what was presented and what's coming next!  Tune in to this episode to hear about all about the budget presentations on April 23 and April 24, and the budget public hearing on April 24th.  Tune back in next week to hear about Special Revenues Funds (grants, fire & rescue, special programs), recapping the Enterprise funds and discussing any Commissioner Proposed Changes to the Budget.

Fiscal and Administrative services is providing weekly briefings to the Charles County Board of Commissioners on different aspects of the proposed Fiscal Year 2025 budget.  Throughout the month of April, Let's Get Fiscal will have weekly "Budget Bite" mini-episodes to give quick overviews of what was presented and what's coming next!  Tune in to this episode to hear about the Tuesday, April 16th presentation that discussed the County Administrator's proposed fiscal 2025 general fund proposed budget, our partner agency budget requests, and the capital improvement program. Check back in next week to hear about the April 23rd presentation, and don't forget to block your calendar to attend the public hearing on April 24th!

Acts 4:32-35Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.John 20:19-31When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors on the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” When he said this, he showed them his hands and his sides, and the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. He said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so now I send you.” And after he said this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any they are forgiven them. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”Now, Thomas (who was called “the Twin”) one of the twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus appeared. So the disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But Thomas said to them, “Unless I see the marks of the nails in his hands, and put my fingers in the marks of the nails, and my hands in his side, I will not believe.”A week later, the disciples were again in the house and this time, Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your fingers here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” And Jesus said to him, “Do you believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”Now, Jesus did many other signs which are not written in this book, but these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you might have life in his name. If I were to meet Thomas today, I would ask him, which would have been harder for him to believe: What we heard about in this Gospel reading from John or what took place in that reading, later in Acts, Chapter 4.In John's Gospel, immediately following Easter's resurrection, we hear the familiar story about the unfairly infamous “Doubting Thomas” with all of that heavy breathing, behind the locked doors of that hideout of a house. There are Jesus' holey hands and scarred sides. There are those commands to be sent into the world with the authority to forgive the sins of others, at their discretion. And there's that invitation to “not doubt, but believe.” That's a whole lot of hard, holy stuff to take in, to buy, and to make sense of.But it's at least as easy to believe, if you ask me, as what happens later in Acts. Did you hear it? Were you paying attention? Did you consider it with at least as much seriousness as Easter's good news and Thomas' doubts? First, it's worth knowing that “the whole group who believed” as we hear about in Acts, was bigger than just the handful of disciples who saw Jesus in that house with Thomas on Easter Sunday. By the time we get to that Acts reading, thousands had been baptized and had come to believe; believers and followers were being added to the mix every day. And this is what we're told:- The whole group of those thousands who believed were of one heart and soul. (How could that be?)- And not one of them claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. (Can you imagine?)- There was not a needy person among them, as the story goes. They sold their land and houses, and laid the proceeds of it at the feet of the apostles' to be handed out, as any had need, no strings attached. (Call me “Thomas.” I'd need to see it, for myself, to believe it.)Because that sounds like a cult to me. Or socialism, God forbid. Nothing most of us – and the culture surrounding us – are willing to believe or buy into, practice or propagate as faithful capitalists. But there it is, in black and white, lifted up as a model for faithful living, right there in the Word of God.And it makes me wonder if people in the world might have an easier time believing the former – the Gospel good news that the love of God, in Jesus, was more powerful, even, than death – if they could see and experience the latter, from his followers like you and me – that kind of radical, selfless, sacrificial, generosity – I mean. And that's a question we're called to ponder, still.…We were blessed enough to have celebrated a couple of baptisms the last couple of weeks here, in worship – one, each, on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, too. Depending on which service you attended, you may or may not have known that. And, as is customary at Cross of Grace, especially when the family of the baptized and/or a sanctuary full of people who don't usually attend Cross of Grace – or church, generally, for that matter, as is customary on a typical Easter Sunday – we make a deliberate effort at explaining ourselves.What I mean is, we baptize at the back, by the door. We move the baptismal bowl. We encourage everyone to stand and turn to see it. And we explain our reasoning for that is two-fold. First, because baptism is a sign of our invitation, welcome and entry to the Church on this side of heaven. And it's also a sign of our promised welcome into God's heaven, on the other side of eternity. Hence, the doors.And the second reason we turn our attention to the back, is to show that the kind of grace we celebrate, pour out, and promise to one another by way of Holy Baptism, is meant to turn us around, quite literally, in as many ways as we'll allow that to happen. It's meant to change us, utterly. God's love is meant to inspire and transform the way we live and move and breathe in the world – here and now, on this side of heaven, in great gratitude for God's love in our lives and for the sake of the world.…That's what the good news of Easter's grace and love and new life was doing in that room with Thomas and those first disciples – everything was changed and changing. And that's what the good news of Easter's grace and love and new life was doing in the lives of those followers in Acts, just the same – everything was changed and changing, still, for those who wanted in on the action, too.They were so captivated by who they now knew Jesus to be – the Messiah, the Son of God – that they let that good news have its way with every part of their life, as individuals and as a community of faith. They devoted themselves to each other in prayer, fellowship, teaching, worship … and in sharing their money for the good of the cause, too. …Several weeks ago, before we got knee deep into the season of Lent, in preparation for Easter, we engaged some wonderful Holy Conversations as a congregation. Those conversations were about a lot of things – what we've been up to as a family of faith, what we hope to see happen around here in the future, and how we plan to make that happen. And we have some big dreams brewing among us. We heard about building projects, expanding our food pantry ministry, growing our influence in social justice efforts, adding programming for kids and youth, and more.And we'd like to continue those conversations now that we've made it to the other side of Easter. Not in the same way. We won't be hosting special events, happy hours, or luncheons and whatnot, like we did for those Holy Conversations. But we're gearing up to make our General Fund financial commitments in early May, and we want to pray and prepare for that in the context of worship, learning, and service on the other side of the empty tomb – like Thomas and the first disciples; like the apostles and the throngs of the faithful, changed by Easter's good news and wanting to change the world with the same kind of grace, generosity, love, mercy and forgiveness they had experienced, in Jesus.That's God's call and my hope for all of us, every day that we live on the other side of Easter – that we'll be so captivated by the grace and blessing of God's love for the world, that we'll return the favor as much as we're able by sharing ourselves and our resources for the sake of what's so unique about the ministry we share in this place, for the sake of the communities we serve.And our ministry is uniquely beautiful as far as churches go in our community. I'm talking about our wide, sincere welcome of all people – and especially the LGBTQ neighbors among us. And I'm talking about our food pantry, our teaching about and our doing of justice for those others ignore, and our generosity when we get it right. (We have 25 grant applications to review for the $50,000 we get to give away from our Building and Outreach Fund.)…After that baptism on Palm Sunday, one of the family members of the newly baptized little boy came looking for me to very deliberately thank me for whatever I had preached that day and, generally, for the spirit of welcome and grace and whatever else he felt by being here. He lives out west, so won't be back anytime soon, but he could see and feel something different about this placed than is true in so many other churches out there in the world. You all deserve to know that just as much as I do.…Like Thomas, sometimes you just have to see and experience it to believe it. So, I'm praying we're all paying attention. And, like the early Church in Acts – growing and giving and sharing their resources and themselves – I'm hopeful we'll all get in on the action in the days ahead, because I know others will be drawn to and inspired by what we're up to when they see and experience the kind of grace we proclaim, right along with us, just the same.Amen

Let's talk about a new way to allocate resources for Portland. Maria Sipin is working with the Community Budgeting for All campaign and they just launched a petition drive to get participatory budgeting (PB) on the November 2024 ballot in Portland. They want to take 2% of the city's General Fund (about $15.6 million) and put it in the hands of everyday people. In this conversation, you'll learn what PB is and how it's different than the traditional, top-down budgeting process.Links:https://www.communitybudgetingforall.com/

Nate Benefield, Senior VP at the Commonwealth Foundation joins Dawn LIVE! Nate expands on the recent Commonwealth report expanding on the Shapiro budget, and the deficit that PA residents could face long after Gov. Shapiro's stint as Governor...  From the report: Gov. Josh Shapiro proposed a $48.3 billion 2024–25 General Fund budget, a $3 billion or 7.1 percent spending increase compared to last year's ongoing general fund spending.The proposal overestimates revenue growth and underestimates spending growth compared to projections from the Pennsylvania Independent Fiscal Office (IFO), meaning deficits under Shapiro's plan may be even higher than projected.Shapiro's budget would balloon the structural deficit to more than $6 billion. His proposed series of startling increases and new initiatives would empty Pennsylvania's checking account and illegally raid the Rainy Day Fund, necessitating a tax hike of more than $2,000 per family of four.Pennsylvania's aging population and the persistent, troubling outmigration of its working-age residents present long-term budgetary challenges for policymakers. Shapiro's budget, as proposed, fails to address our economic competitiveness, exacerbating these trends. Nathan (Nate) Benefield is the Senior Vice President at the Commonwealth Foundation.An Ohio native, Nate holds an undergraduate degree in political science and economics and a master's degree in public service management from DePaul University in Chicago. He also completed his doctoral studies (ABD) in political science at Loyola University, also in Chicago. Nate joined the Commonwealth Foundation in 2005. Now as senior vice president, he provides strategic leadership as well as operational oversight spanning policy analysis, government relations, marketing, and communications. Tune in 10 AM - 12 PM EST weekdays on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT; or on the Audacy app!

Over the past decade Arizona's population and economy have grown rapidly, but more recent data suggests this pace is slowing. Today the state is facing the end of its fastest period of revenue and spending growth ever – over the past five years, General Fund revenue collections have grown 52%, while spending has increased by over two-thirds (to $17.8 billion this year). In October, the Arizona Legislature's Financial Advisory Committee (FAC) – a nonpartisan body tasked with forecasting State revenue collections – projected a cumulative $1.0 billion General Fund cash deficit over the next three fiscal years. The last time the state was in this position was in 2015, following years of tepid revenue growth after the Great Recession and during the peak of K-12 formula funding litigation. How did this happen, and how did it happen so quickly? Host and National Chairman of CSI Earl Wright welcomes President & CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry Danny Seiden and CSI Arizona's Director of Policy and Research Glenn Farley to discuss the issue's origins, its history, and its possible solutions.  Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.