2 fish fighting PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes announced Wednesday she's suing a Saudi Arabian agribusiness for allegedly violating a public nuisance law, contending that its groundwater pumping threatens the public health, safety and infrastructure of local communities in a rural western county. The complaint filed in Maricopa County Superior Court alleges that the pumping at a Fondomonte Arizona, LLC. alfalfa farm has had widespread effects in the Ranegras Plain Basin of La Paz County, harming everyone who depends on basin water by drawing down supplies, drying up wells and causing the ground to crack and sink in some areas. The lawsuit is the latest action by Arizona against foreign companies that use huge amounts of groundwater to grow thirsty forage crops for export because of climate challenges in other countries. Rural Arizona is especially attractive to international businesses because it has no groundwater pumping regulations. The lawsuit alleges that since 2014, Fondomonte has extracted huge amounts of water that accelerated depletion of the basin’s aquifer. The company is a subsidiary of Saudi dairy giant Almarai Co. “We find the allegations of the Attorney General totally unfounded, and we will defend any potential action against Fondomonte and our rights vigorously before the competent authorities,” Fondomonte said in a statement Wednesday. “The company has invested significantly to bring the latest conservation technology and applies environmentally sustainable practices on these long-established farms,” it said. “Fondomonte has continued to develop responsibly during its time farming in the state and the company complies with all state regulations. ” Years of drought have increased pressure on water users across the West, particularly in states like Arizona, which relies heavily on the dwindling Colorado River. The drought has also made groundwater — long used by farmers and rural residents without restriction — even more important for users across the state. Mayes told reporters Wednesday that the Arizona Legislature has done nothing to fix the groundwater problem despite knowing about the problem for years. “While laws regulating groundwater pumping could have prevented this situation, the legislature’s inaction has allowed the crisis to grow,” Mayes said. “When the legislature fails to protect our most basic resources, the attorney general must step in.” La Paz County Supervisor Holly Irwin, a Republican, commended Mayes, a Democrat, for attempting to address what she described as her community’s “most challenging” concern. “I know that my constituents will be thrilled over this, that somebody is actually paying attention to the real problems here,” Irwin said during Wednesday’s news briefing via a video conference call. Mayes' lawsuit alleges that Fondomonte's actions are a public nuisance under a state statute that prohibits activity that injures health, obstructs property use, or interferes with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property by a community. Mayes called the company’s groundwater pumping “unsustainable” and said it caused “devastating consequences” for people in the area. “Arizona law is clear: no company has the right to endanger an entire community’s health and safety for its own gain,” she said. The lawsuit seeks to enjoin the company from further groundwater pumping it says is “excessive” and require that an abatement fund be established. Arizona officials have been targeting Fondomonte for more than a year over its use of groundwater to grow forage crops, by not renewing or canceling the company's leases in Butler Valley in western Arizona. Some residents there had complained that the company’s pumping was threatening their wells. ___ By GABRIEL SANDOVAL and ANITA SNOW (Associated Press/Report for America). Gabriel Sandoval is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

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HALIFAX, Nova Scotia — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ‘s government announced plans Thursday to temporarily lift the federal sales tax on a number of items and send checks to millions of Canadians who are dealing with rising costs as a federal election looms. The measures come as a cost-of-living crisis has left voters unhappy with Trudeau and ahead of an election that could come anytime between this fall and next October. “Our government can’t set prices at the checkout, but we can put more money in people’s pockets,” Trudeau said at a news conference in Toronto. Under the plan, Canadians who worked in 2023 and earned up to 150,000 Canadian dollars ($107,440 U.S.) will receive a check for 250 Canadian dollars. Trudeau noted that even those earning at the high end of that amount have been struggling to get by. An estimated 18.7 million Canadians will receive the one-time check. The federal goods and services tax break would begin Dec. 14 and end Feb. 15. The government said the tax break will apply to a number of items including children’s clothing and shoes, toys, diapers, restaurant meals, beer and wine. It also applies to Christmas trees, a variety of snack foods and beverages and video game consoles. “Politically, it’s probably too little too late and it feels like a desperate move on the part of an unpopular government,” said Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal. “It’s also bad public policy, at least from a fiscal standpoint.” Trudeau has said he will lead his Liberal Party into the next election. No Canadian prime minister in more than a century has won four straight terms. Trudeau channeled the star power of his father when he reasserted the country’s liberal identity in 2015 after almost 10 years of Conservative rule. But the son of late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau is now in trouble. Canadians have been frustrated by the cost of living coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Liberals trail the opposition Conservatives 39% to 26% in the latest Nanos preference poll. The poll of 1,047 respondents has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. Gillies writes for the Associated Press.

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. , Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Creative Group, a full-service meeting, event, and incentive agency, is proud to highlight its insights and contributions to Skift Meetings' Megatrends 2025 report. The report reveals a dynamic landscape shaped by transformative forces, from artificial intelligence and sustainability to mental health and generational inclusivity. Creative Group's expertise underscores how strategic event design can address complex organizational goals while delivering exceptional attendee experiences. Trends Redefining the Events Landscape 1. Events Have Become More Strategic Melissa Van Dyke , Creative Group's Senior Vice President of Integrated Marketing, Design, and Innovation, highlights the shift in event strategy. "Today's events must go beyond flawless logistics to deeply align with business initiatives," Van Dyke states in the report. Events must begin with a deep understanding of their purpose. Creative Group advocates for aligning all aspects of event planning with business initiatives, ensuring every element—from agenda to attendee engagement—supports organizational goals. By starting with the "why," planners can craft experiences that not only meet attendee expectations but also drive organizational objectives forward. This more intentional design focus is the crucial middle between events that check a box and events that move the needle. 2. Addressing Generational Shifts With Millennials and Gen Z comprising an increasing share of the workforce, event strategies must reflect values like sustainability, inclusivity, and experiential depth—with more immersive and interactive experiences. Creative Group's methods integrate these elements seamlessly, ensuring events resonate with all age groups while fostering connections across diverse demographics. 3. Immersive and Interactive Engagement Understanding the purpose of an event also shapes how planners design interactions. Creative Group incorporates principles of behavioral economics—awareness, engagement, and nudges—to create meaningful moments before, during, and after the event, ensuring participants stay inspired by and connected to event messaging, brand and core business objectives. Meeting New Expectations in 2025 Sustainability as a Business Imperative As sustainability becomes non-negotiable for many attendees, Creative Group emphasizes adopting eco-friendly practices, such as waste reduction and locally sourced elements, to meet expectations while reflecting each brand's business values. Mental Health Integration Event designers are increasingly tasked with addressing attendee well-being, making it essential to create events that reduce stress and promote emotional connection. Creative Group's approach integrates wellness strategies that are empathy-based and customizable to meet the needs of the modern attendee. Looking Ahead Creative Group's contributions to the Megatrends 2025 report reinforce the idea that understanding the "why" behind every event is crucial in today's meetings landscape, especially critical given the additional scrutiny on event budgets in 2025. "Corporate events are no longer about simply gathering people for a single objective—they are about achieving complex business challenges, reinforcing organizational culture, boosting brand loyalty, and recognizing and retaining top talent," says Van Dyke . To explore how Creative Group and other industry leaders are addressing the trends shaping 2025, download the full Skift Meetings Megatrends 2025 report. About Creative Group Creative Group is a full-service meeting, event, and incentive agency that delivers business results by inspiring people to thrive. An industry leader, Creative Group has been honored with numerous Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) awards and the CMI 25 Award, which recognizes the top 25 most influential meeting and incentive management companies in the U.S. Creative Group was founded in 1970, and has served clients in financial services, life sciences, insurance, manufacturing, retail, technology, automotive, and hospitality. Employing 220+ people, the company is headquartered in Schaumburg, Illinois , and maintains offices in San Francisco , Appleton, Wisconsin , and Toronto, Canada . For more information about Creative Group, visit http://www.creativegroupinc.com . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/creative-group-spotlights-event-industrys-2025-megatrends-in-skift-meetings-report-302334125.html SOURCE Creative Group, Inc.Baltimore lawyers begin presenting $5 billion request for ‘full response to the opioid epidemic’