jilipiso ( MENAFN - EIN Presswire) Dr. Tyson Cobb, orthopedic surgeon and seasoned Real estate investor, shares insights on the booming commercial real estate market and growth opportunities. As commercial real estate rebounds, growth markets like NYC and Sunbelt states offer investors unique opportunities for stability and long-term gains. BETTENDORF, IA, UNITED STATES, December 28, 2024 /EINPresswire / -- As the commercial real estate (CRE) market begins to show clear signs of recovery, certain sectors and regions are emerging as leaders, offering compelling opportunities for savvy investors. Dr. Tyson Cobb, a real estate investor with over $1 billion in investing experience and a semi-retired orthopedic surgeon, believes this is the time for strategic action. With targeted investments in booming markets, investors can secure stable, long-term returns and financial freedom. The resurgence in the CRE market is being driven by strong fundamentals, particularly in key regions like New York City and the Sunbelt states. In New York City, the CRE market rebounded significantly in Q3 2024, with Manhattan alone reporting $3.2 billion in investment sales, more than doubling from the same period last year. Across all five boroughs, total CRE sales reached $4.9 billion, representing a 21% quarter-over-quarter increase and a 63% year-over-year jump, according to CRE Daily. This renewed activity signals growing investor confidence and the return of long-term potential in urban markets that have historically been the backbone of CRE. Beyond New York, the Sunbelt states-such as Texas, Florida, and Arizona-are seeing unprecedented demand for medical office and multifamily properties. These regions are experiencing rapid population growth, particularly among retirees and young professionals, creating a surge in demand for healthcare services and residential spaces. Medical office real estate, in particular, has emerged as a resilient asset class. Properties in this sector are often supported by long-term leases with creditworthy tenants, making them attractive to investors seeking stability in a volatile economic environment. The recovery isn't limited to these regions. Nationwide, the U.S. CRE market is projected to reach $1.66 trillion in transaction value in 2024 and grow steadily to $1.89 trillion by 2029, according to Mordor Intelligence. This consistent upward trajectory underscores the strength of the market and its ability to deliver strong returns over time. Additionally, improvements in lending conditions, including easing interest rate pressures, are expected to unlock further opportunities, particularly in growth-focused markets. Dr. Cobb stresses the importance of recognizing and acting on these trends before the market becomes oversaturated.“The greatest opportunities come when others are cautious,” Cobb explains.“Investors who can act decisively in high-growth areas are positioning themselves to benefit from long-term appreciation and stable cash flows.” Medical office real estate stands out as a particularly attractive option. These properties are essential to local communities, hosting healthcare providers that are insulated from many economic downturns. As demand for outpatient services and specialized care grows, medical office properties are experiencing high occupancy rates and rising rental income. This makes them ideal for investors looking for reliable income streams, especially through syndication opportunities that reduce the financial burden of ownership. Cobb also highlights the role of syndications in making these high-quality investments accessible to a broader range of investors. By pooling resources and sharing expertise, syndications allow investors to access premium properties in growing markets without the operational challenges of direct ownership. This approach aligns with Cobb's disciplined investment philosophy, which focuses on thoroughly vetted opportunities in markets with strong population and job growth. While interest rates remain a concern for many investors, there are signs of stabilization. The Federal Reserve's gradual softening of monetary policy could lead to lower borrowing costs, unlocking additional value in CRE assets. Historically, as rates decrease, property values tend to appreciate, providing a favorable environment for those who invest early in the recovery cycle. “Timing is everything,” Cobb advises.“By acting now, investors can take advantage of discounted property prices and position themselves for substantial returns as the market continues to recover.” For those ready to explore high-quality investment opportunities in thriving CRE markets, Dr. Cobb and Timberview Capital offer access to meticulously vetted deals that align with long-term financial goals. Schedule a call today at to learn more about how you can benefit from today's commercial real estate market. “Success in real estate comes to those who act decisively,” Cobb explains.“The opportunities are there for those willing to seize them. Don't wait for the perfect moment-it's already here.” Tyson Cobb, MD Timberview Capital +1 563-209-8488 ... 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Minnesota hunters registered 120,675 deer after the third weekend of the firearms deer season, up 6% from 2023, but down 4% from the five-year mean, or average, the Department of Natural Resources reported Tuesday, Nov. 26. Deer Season A opened Saturday, Nov. 9, and ended Nov. 17 in 200- and 300-series deer permit areas (DPAs) and continued through Nov. 24 in 100-series DPAs, which are mainly in the northern and northeastern part of the state. ADVERTISEMENT The Season B firearms deer season in 300-series DPAs opened Nov. 23 and continues through Sunday, Dec. 1. The firearms deer harvest by region after 16 days was as follows: According to Todd Froberg, big game program coordinator for the DNR at Whitewater Wildlife Management Area in Altura, Minnesota, the harvest really only increased in the Northwest, Northeast and Central regions during the rest of the 16-day season and then in the B season in the southeast part of the state. The 200-series DPAs only had the nine-day season, and there is only one DPA in the southwest region open during the ongoing B season, Froberg said. The cumulative harvest to date, which includes archery, firearm, early antlerless, youth and special hunts, was 153,390 deer, the DNR said. That’s up 3% from 2023, but down 6% from the five-year average and down 8% from the 10-year average. Cumulative tallies by region were as follows: In related deer hunting news, Minnesota archery hunters as of Tuesday had harvested 23,047 deer, Froberg said, up 12% from last year. Crossbows, which are legal for all archery hunters in Minnesota, are making up a greater percentage of the archery harvest, Froberg says. ADVERTISEMENT “Crossbows are making up 47% of (the) archery harvest,” he said. “For crossbow-specific harvest, we are up 24% compared to last year’s crossbow harvest. Vertical bow harvest is up 4% compared to last year’s vertical bow harvest.” Minnesota’s muzzleloader opens Saturday, Nov. 30, and continues through Sunday, Dec. 15. Archery season continues through Dec. 31. The DNR posts regular harvest updates, both statewide and by DPA, on its website at dnr.state.mn.us/mammals/deer/management/statistics.html.Stock market today: Wall Street hits records despite tariff talk

Another NBA All-Star drops his agentKYIV, Ukraine — NATO and Ukraine will hold emergency talks Tuesday after Russia attacked a central city with an experimental, hypersonic ballistic missile. escalating the nearly 33-month-old war. The conflict is “entering a decisive phase,” Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Friday, and “taking on very dramatic dimensions.” Ukraine’s parliament canceled a session as security was tightened following Thursday’s Russian strike on a military facility in the city of Dnipro. In a stark warning to the West, President Vladimir Putin said in a nationally televised speech the attack with the intermediate-range Oreshnik missile was in retaliation for Kyiv’s use of U.S. and British longer-range missiles capable of striking deeper into Russian territory. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks Friday during a meeting with the leadership of the Russian Ministry of Defense, representatives of the military-industrial complex and developers of missile systems at the Kremlin in Moscow. Vyacheslav Prokofyev, Sputnik Putin said Western air defense systems would be powerless to stop the new missile. People are also reading... Ukrainian military officials said the missile that hit Dnipro reached a speed of Mach 11 and carried six nonnuclear warheads, each releasing six submunitions. Speaking Friday to military and weapons industries officials, Putin said Russia will launch production of the Oreshnik. “No one in the world has such weapons,” he said. “Sooner or later, other leading countries will also get them. We are aware that they are under development. “We have this system now,” he added. “And this is important.” Putin said that while it isn’t an intercontinental missile, it’s so powerful that the use of several of them fitted with conventional warheads in one attack could be as devastating as a strike with strategic — or nuclear — weapons. Gen. Sergei Karakayev, head of Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces, said the Oreshnik could reach targets across Europe and be fitted with nuclear or conventional warheads, echoing Putin’s claim that even with conventional warheads, “the massive use of the weapon would be comparable in effect to the use of nuclear weapons.” In this photo taken from a video released Friday, a Russian serviceman operates at an undisclosed location in Ukraine. Russian Defense Ministry Press Service Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov kept up Russia's bellicose tone on Friday, blaming “the reckless decisions and actions of Western countries” in supplying weapons to Ukraine to strike Russia. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts "The Russian side has clearly demonstrated its capabilities, and the contours of further retaliatory actions in the event that our concerns were not taken into account have also been quite clearly outlined," he said. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, widely seen as having the warmest relations with the Kremlin in the European Union, echoed Moscow’s talking points, suggesting the use of U.S.-supplied weapons in Ukraine likely requires direct American involvement. “These are rockets that are fired and then guided to a target via an electronic system, which requires the world’s most advanced technology and satellite communications capability,” Orbán said on state radio. “There is a strong assumption ... that these missiles cannot be guided without the assistance of American personnel.” Orbán cautioned against underestimating Russia’s responses, emphasizing that the country’s recent modifications to its nuclear deployment doctrine should not be dismissed as a “bluff.” “It’s not a trick ... there will be consequences,” he said. Czech Republic's Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky speaks to journalists Friday during a joint news conference with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriiy Sybiha in Kyiv, Ukraine. Evgeniy Maloletka, Associated Press Separately in Kyiv, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský called Thursday’s missile strike an “escalatory step and an attempt of the Russian dictator to scare the population of Ukraine and to scare the population of Europe.” At a news conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Lipavský also expressed his full support for delivering the necessary additional air defense systems to protect Ukrainian civilians from the “heinous attacks.” He said the Czech Republic will impose no limits on the use of its weapons and equipment given to Ukraine. Three lawmakers from Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, confirmed that Friday's previously scheduled session was called off due to the ongoing threat of Russian missiles targeting government buildings in central Kyiv. In addition, there also was a recommendation to limit the work of all commercial offices and nongovernmental organizations "in that perimeter, and local residents were warned of the increased threat,” said lawmaker Mykyta Poturaiev, who said it's not the first time such a threat has been received. Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate said the Oreshnik missile was fired from the Kapustin Yar 4th Missile Test Range in Russia’s Astrakhan region and flew 15 minutes before striking Dnipro. Test launches of a similar missile were conducted in October 2023 and June 2024, the directorate said. The Pentagon confirmed the missile was a new, experimental type of intermediate-range missile based on its RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile. Thursday's attack struck the Pivdenmash plant that built ICBMs when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. The military facility is located about 4 miles southwest of the center of Dnipro, a city of about 1 million that is Ukraine’s fourth-largest and a key hub for military supplies and humanitarian aid, and is home to one of the country’s largest hospitals for treating wounded soldiers from the front before their transfer to Kyiv or abroad. From tuberculosis to heart disease: How the leading causes of death in America have changed From tuberculosis to heart disease: How the leading causes of death in America have changed We're all going to die someday. Still, how it happens—and when—can point to a historical moment defined by the scientific advancements and public health programs available at the time to contain disease and prevent accidents.In the early 1900s, America's efforts to improve sanitation, hygiene, and routine vaccinations were still in their infancy. Maternal and infant mortality rates were high, as were contagious diseases that spread between people and animals.Combined with the devastation of two World Wars—and the Spanish Flu pandemic in between—the leading causes of death changed significantly after this period. So, too, did the way we diagnose and control the spread of disease.Starting with reforms as part of Roosevelt's New Deal in the 1930s, massive-scale, federal interventions in the U.S. eventually helped stave off disease transmission. It took comprehensive government programs and the establishment of state and local health agencies to educate the public on preventing disease transmission.Seemingly simple behavioral shifts, such as handwashing, were critical in thwarting the spread of germs, much like discoveries in medicine, such as vaccines, and increased access to deliver them across geographies. Over the course of the 20th century, life expectancy increased by 56% and is estimated to keep increasing slightly, according to an annual summary of vital statistics published by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2000.Death Records examined data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to see how the leading causes of death in America have evolved over time and to pinpoint how some major mortality trends have dropped off. Smith Collection/Gado // Getty Images Infectious diseases lead causes of death in America According to a report published in the journal Annual Review of Public Health in 2000, pneumonia was the leading cause of death in the early 1900s, accounting for nearly 1 in 4 deaths.By the time World War I ended in 1918, during which people and animals were housed together for long periods, a new virus emerged: the Spanish Flu. Originating in a bird before spreading to humans, the virus killed 10 times as many Americans as the war. Many died of secondary pneumonia after the initial infection. Pneumonia deaths eventually plummeted throughout the century, partly prevented by increased flu vaccine uptake rates in high-risk groups, particularly older people.Per the CDC, tuberculosis was a close second leading cause of death, killing 194 of every 10,000 people in 1900, mainly concentrated in dense urban areas where the infection could more easily spread. Eventually, public health interventions led to drastic declines in mortality from the disease, such as public education, reducing crowded housing, quarantining people with active disease, improving hygiene, and using antibiotics. Once the death rates lagged, so did the public health infrastructure built to control the disease, leading to a resurgence in the mid-1980s.Diarrhea was the third leading cause of death in 1900, surging every summer among children before the impacts of the pathogen died out in 1930. Adopting water filtration, better nutrition, and improved refrigeration were all associated with its decline.In the 1940s and 1950s, polio outbreaks killed or paralyzed upward of half a million people worldwide every year. Even at its peak, polio wasn't a leading cause of death, it was a much-feared one, particularly among parents of young children, some of whom kept them from crowded public places and interacting with other children.By 1955, when Jonah Salk discovered the polio vaccine, the U.S. had ended the "golden age of medicine." During this period, the causes of mortality shifted dramatically as scientists worldwide began to collaborate on infectious disease control, surgical techniques, vaccines, and other drugs. Death Records Leading causes of death tip toward lifestyle-related disease From the 1950s onward, once quick-spreading deadly contagions weren't prematurely killing American residents en masse, scientists also began to understand better how to diagnose and treat these diseases. As a result, Americans were living longer lives and instead succumbing to noncommunicable diseases, or NCDs.The risk of chronic diseases increased with age and, in some cases, was exacerbated by unhealthy lifestyles. Cancer and heart disease shot up across the century, increasing 90-fold from 1900 to 1998, according to CDC data.Following the post-Spanish Flu years, heart disease killed more Americans than any other cause, peaking in the 1960s and contributing to 1 in 3 deaths. Cigarette smoking rates peaked at the same time, a major risk factor for heart disease. Obesity rates also rose, creating another risk factor for heart disease and many types of cancers.This coincides with the introduction of ultra-processed foods into diets, which plays a more significant role in larger waistlines than the increasing predominance of sedentary work and lifestyles.In the early 1970s, deaths from heart disease began to fall as more Americans prevented and managed their risk factors, like quitting smoking or taking blood pressure medicine. However, the disease remains the biggest killer of Americans.Cancer remains the second leading cause of death and rates still indicate an upward trajectory over time. Only a few types of cancer are detected early by screening, and some treatments for aggressive cancers like glioblastoma—the most common type of brain cancer—have also stalled, unable to improve prognosis much over time.In recent years, early-onset cancers, those diagnosed before age 50 or sometimes even earlier, have seen a drastic rise among younger Americans. While highly processed foods and sedentary lifestyles may contribute to rising rates, a spike in cancer rates among otherwise healthy young individuals has baffled some medical professionals.This follows the COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2020. At its peak, high transmission rates made the virus the third leading cause of death in America. It's often compared to the Spanish Flu of 1918, though COVID-19 had a far larger global impact, spurring international collaborations among scientists who developed a vaccine in an unprecedented time.Public policy around issues of safety and access also influences causes of death, particularly—and tragically—among young Americans. Gun control measures in the U.S. are far less stringent than in peer nations; compared to other nations, however, the U.S. leads in gun violence. Firearms are the leading cause of death for children and teens (around 2 in 3 are homicides, and 1 in 3 are suicides), and deaths from opioids remain a leading cause of death among younger people.Globally, the leading causes of death mirror differences in social and geographic factors. NCDs are primarily associated with socio-economic status and comprise 7 out of 10 leading causes of death, 85% of those occurring in low- and middle-income countries, according to the World Health Organization.However, one of the best health measures is life expectancy at birth. People in the U.S. have been living longer lives since 2000, except for a slight dip in longevity due to COVID-19. According to the most recent CDC estimates, Americans' life expectancy is 77.5 years on average and is expected to increase slightly in the coming decades.Story editing by Alizah Salario. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Paris Close. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick.This story originally appeared on Death Records and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Canva Be the first to knowRio Tinto-backed lithium tech startup set to raise second round of funds

NoneAlcoa stock soars to 52-week high, hits $46.57 amid market rally

Julie Appleby | KFF Health News Unauthorized switching of Affordable Care Act plans appears to have tapered off in recent weeks based on an almost one-third drop in casework associated with consumer complaints, say federal regulators . The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which oversees the ACA, credits steps taken to thwart enrollment and switching problems that triggered more than 274,000 complaints this year through August. Now, the annual ACA open enrollment period that began Nov. 1 poses a real-world test: Will the changes curb fraud by rogue agents or brokerages without unduly slowing the process of enrolling or reducing the total number of sign-ups for 2025 coverage? “They really have this tightrope to walk,” said Sabrina Corlette, co-director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University. “The more you tighten it up to prevent fraud, the more barriers there are that could inhibit enrollment among those who need the coverage.” CMS said in July that some types of policy changes — those in which the agent is not “affiliated” with the existing plan — will face more requirements, such as a three-way call with the consumer, broker, and a healthcare.gov call center representative. In August, the agency barred two of about a dozen private sector online-enrollment platforms from connecting with healthcare.gov over concerns related to improper switching. And CMS has suspended 850 agents suspected of being involved in unauthorized plan-switching from accessing the ACA marketplace. Still, the clampdown could add complexity to enrollment and slow the process. For example, a consumer might have to wait in a queue for a three-way call, or scramble to find a new agent because the one they previously worked with had been suspended. Given that phone lines with healthcare.gov staff already get busy — especially during mid-December — agents and policy analysts advise consumers not to dally this year. “Hit the ground running,” said Ronnell Nolan, president and CEO of Health Agents for America, a professional organization for brokers. Meanwhile, reports are emerging that some rogue entities are already figuring out workarounds that could undermine some of the anti-fraud protections CMS put in place, Nolan said. “Bottom line is: Fraud and abuse is still happening,” Nolan said. Brokers assist the majority of people actively enrolling in ACA plans and are paid a monthly commission by insurers for their efforts. Consumers can compare plans or enroll themselves online through federal or state marketplace websites. They can also seek help from people called assisters or navigators — certified helpers who are not paid commissions. Under a “find local help” button on the federal and state ACA websites , consumers can search for nearby brokers or navigators. CMS says it has “ramped up support operations” at its healthcare.gov marketplace call centers, which are open 24/7, in anticipation of increased demand for three-way calls, and it expects “minimal wait times,” said Jeff Wu, deputy director for policy of the CMS Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight. Wu said those three-way calls are necessary only when an agent or a broker not already associated with a consumer’s enrollment wants to change that consumer’s enrollment or end that consumer’s coverage. It does not apply to people seeking coverage for the first time. Organizations paid by the government to offer navigator services have a dedicated phone line to the federal marketplace, and callers are not currently experiencing long waits, said Xonjenese Jacobs, director of Florida Covering Kids & Families, a program based at the University of South Florida that coordinates enrollment across the state through its Covering Florida navigator program. Navigators can assist with the three-way calls if a consumer’s situation requires it. “Because we have our quick line in, there’s no increased wait time,” Jacobs said. The problem of unauthorized switches has been around for a while but took off during last year’s open enrollment season. Brokers generally blamed much of the problem on the ease with which rogue agents can access ACA information in the federal marketplace, needing only a person’s name, date of birth, and state of residence. Though federal regulators have worked to tighten that access with the three-way call requirement, they stopped short of instituting what some agent groups say is needed: two-factor authentication, which could involve a code accessed by a consumer through a smartphone. Unauthorized switches can lead to a host of problems for consumers, from higher deductibles to landing in new networks that do not include their preferred physicians or hospitals. Some people have received tax bills when unauthorized policies came with premium credits for which they did not qualify. Unauthorized switches posed a political liability for the Biden administration, a blemish on two years of record ACA enrollment. The practice drew criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle; Democrats demanded more oversight and punishment of rogue agents, while Republicans said fraud attempts were fueled by Biden administration moves that allowed for more generous premium subsidies and special enrollment periods. The fate of those enhanced subsidies, which are set to expire, will be decided by Congress next year as the Trump administration takes power. But the premiums and subsidies that come with 2025 plans that people are enrolling in now will remain in effect for the entire year. The actions taken this year to thwart the unauthorized enrollments apply to the federal marketplace, used by 31 states . The remaining states and the District of Columbia run their own websites, with many having in place additional layers of security. Related Articles Health | Feds suspend ACA marketplace access to companies accused of falsely promising ‘cash cards’ Health | TV’s Dr. Oz invested in businesses regulated by agency Trump wants him to lead Health | Yale New Haven opens another urgent care clinic in Hartford County Health | More foods are making us sick: What to know as foodborne outbreaks hit Health | Troubled chain plans to close two more CT nursing homes For its part, CMS says its efforts are working, pointing to the 30% drop in complaint casework. The agency also noted a 90% drop in the number of times an agent’s name was replaced by another’s, which it says indicates that it is tougher for rival agents to steal clients to gain the monthly commissions that insurers pay. Still, the move to suspend 850 agents has drawn pushback from agent groups that initially brought the problem to federal regulators’ attention. They say some of those accused were suspended before getting a chance to respond to the allegations. “There will be a certain number of agents and brokers who are going to be suspended without due process,” said Nolan, with the health agents’ group. She said that it has called for increased protections against unauthorized switching and that two-factor authentication, like that used in some state marketplaces or in the financial sector, would be more effective than what’s been done. “We now have to jump through so many hoops that I’m not sure we’re going to survive,” she said of agents in general. “They are just throwing things against the wall to see what sticks when they could just do two-factor.” The agency did not respond to questions asking for details about how the 850 agents suspended since July were selected, the states where they were located, or how many had their suspensions reversed after supplying additional information.The city police service is proposing a 13.7 per cent increase to its annual operating budget, citing increased costs of wages and benefits from recently settled collective agreements. Kingston Police will ask the police services board to approve a $54,053,627 budget for 2025, representing a total increase of $6,531,431, or 13.74 per cent, over the year before. Most of the increase, according to a new report, is “directly attributed to the newly settled collective agreements.” These agreements include increases to wages and benefits, and represent a “significant portion” of the overall budget request, the report says. “The 2025 budget increase incorporates several factors including salary and benefit increases as per negotiated agreements. The contracts, which expired at the end of 2022, were finalized recently and include retroactive compensation adjustments for the 2023 and 2024 periods, as stipulated by the agreements, which are higher than anticipated,” the report reads. “Key factors driving the increase include base wage rate increases, higher specialty and premium pay, and enhanced payroll benefits. These increases ensure compliance with the newly negotiated agreements and are consistent with trends observed across other police services and specifically, comparable services.” The report says nondiscretionary items, such as salaries and benefits, represent approximately 86.2 per cent of the total expenditure budget for Kingston Police. The police service also said 3.84 per cent of the total increase would be allocated to offset long-term absences, support implementation of the Kingston Police Service Board’s Strategic Plan, including enhanced police presence in the downtown core, and to meet legislative requirements of the Community Safety and Policing Act, which came into effect on Apr. 1. The implementation of the new legislation has “introduced several budgetary impacts for police services,” the report says, including training requirements, equipment upgrades, uniform modifications, legal and compliance costs, and administrative expenses related to enhanced oversight and reporting obligations. “These legislative requirements are non-discretionary, and the service has little or no ability to influence.” The operating budget also includes forecasts for projected increases of 8.4 per cent in 2026, 4.13 per cent in 2027, and 3.45 per cent in 2028. Kingston is not alone in facing a drastic year-over-year increase in policing costs – the story is the same throughout many jurisdictions policed by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP). In 2024, South Frontenac Township paid about $2.9 million for OPP services. Next year, the township expects to pay almost $3.3 million, a 14.9 per cent increase. Next door, in Central Frontenac Township, they are facing an expected 14 per cent increase in projected OPP costs. In Loyalist Township, the 2025 budget includes policing costs of more than $2.9 million, an increase of more than 20 per cent from the $2.4 million the township paid in 2024. Rising OPP costs in neighbouring Leeds and Grenville have prompted regional mayors to consider a regional municipal police force. The OPP has not yet provided an explanation for the widespread price hikes. In Kingston, on the capital side of things, the 2025 budget includes $3 million in spending, funded mostly by the Police Capital Reserve Fund, the report says. Within the budget, they’ve allocated $1.1 million for replacement vehicles, $1.3 million for information technology projects, $200,000 for critical incident management equipment, $250,000 for protective gear, and $175,000 for building capital. The $175,000 for building capital would be funded by the Facilities Capital Reserve Fund, the report says. The police board will discuss the proposed budget at its meeting this week before sending it to city council for inclusion in its annual budget deliberations. (With files from Elliot Ferguson) sbedford@postmedia.com

Former Federal Communications Commission Chairman is siding with Congress — and against his former boss, president-elect Donald Trump — in support of a federal law that could ban TikTok. In a brief filed with the Supreme Court on Friday, Pai joined Thomas Feddo, an official in the Department of Treasury during Trump's first term, to call on the court to uphold the law, telling the justices that it has precedent. Trump also filed a on Friday, asking the court to put the law on hold. It's set to go into effect on January 19, one day before Trump assumes office for the second time. Congress passed the in April, citing national security concerns over the Chinese ownership of the popular social media company. It established a nine-month deadline for TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell the app to a non-Chinese company or face a ban in the United States. TikTok filed a suit in May, arguing that the law . The DC Circuit Court upheld the law on December 6. TikTok then on December 18. The court is expected to hear arguments on January 10. Pai was one of numerous people and organizations, from members of Congress to free speech groups, who filed briefs to the Supreme Court in support or opposition to the law. Pai headed the FCC from 2012 to 2016 under President Barack Obama and then from 2017 to 2021 under President Donald Trump. In his filing, Pai's attorneys argued that the law has precedent. They said he "spearheaded rulemaking" that prevented communications companies receiving federal funding from purchasing or using equipment from Chinese-owned tech companies like Huawei and ZTE over data privacy and security concerns. The briefing says Pai also "put in place" the process for designating companies that could be a risk to national security. The document says these measures are "extremely similar" to the TikTok law passed by Congress. "Congress and the Executive Branch have routinely identified in legislation or regulation specific companies under China's control that pose particular national security risk," the document says. "In these other instances, just as with the Divestiture Act, Congress put in place a process for future designations in addition to naming particular threats." Pai was a controversial figure during his leadership of the FCC. Under his tenure, the FCC ended rules, which had governed the internet and been encoded in 2015. Net neutrality is the idea that internet service providers should treat all data the same, and not give preference to certain websites or slow down others. In April 2024, the FCC announced an order that restored net neutrality as an industry standard. Searchlight Capital — the private equity firm where Pai has been a partner since 2021, when he left his post at the FCC — did not immediately return a request for comment from Business Insider. An attorney for Pai declined to comment. Read the original article onWarren Buffett gives away another $1.1B and plans for distributing his $147B fortune after his deathPost Office scandal, the musical? In the UK, news and entertainment blur.