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B.C. Premier David Eby said B.C. will slay its record-setting deficit of $9 billion through growth and sound fiscal planning, not "harsh austerity cuts" or "under-funding services" as he reached out to business leaders to make a case for investment in physical and social infrastructure. Eby made these comments while speaking in Vancouver Tuesday, (Dec. 10), at an event hosted by the B.C. Chamber of Commerce, which has previously raised concerns about B.C.'s fiscal direction. That tension surfaced during the opening of the informal question-and-answer session between Eby and Fiona Famulak, chamber president and chief executive officer. "We don't always agree, but we can always have — and we always do have — candid and frank conversations, and I know you are always up for tough questions, because you always answer them," Famulak said. "What you have just said minutes ago, a lot of good things have been said." Eby acknowledged relations could be better. "So my commitment is that you will find a government that is hoping, with your support, to hit reset on this relationship, to move forward with the tariff threat that we are facing in a unified way, with the massive opportunity in this province to deliver it for British Columbians and that four years from now...we can look back and go, 'man, we did a lot of good work together.'" Eby's prepared remarks touched on a range of subjects, including tomorrow's meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as well as provincial and territorial leaders to discuss threatened tariffs of 25 per cent on all Canadian goods by incoming-president U.S. Donald Trump. But if a singular theme ran through Eby's speech, it was his promise to reform permitting for natural resource projects. He pointed to yesterday's announcement that his government would free nine new wind energy projects from the required environmental assessments. He then added that those projects would go through a singular rather multiple permitting windows. Eby said these changes will help get these projects off the ground three to five years faster than otherwise in framing them as the first of many changes to speed up permitting in various areas. One of the central sectors concerned about permitting is the mining sector. More to come...None
New York City’s new schools chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos has wrapped up her ambitious five-borough “listening tour” — with dozens of parents blasting it as nothing but a “PR stunt” full of “buzzwords” and “political agendas.” The fact-finding mission, which started in late November and finished last week in Staten Island, was part of Aviles-Ramos’ promise to “open dialogue with school communities” after she was catapulted into the highly-paid position following her predecessor, David Banks’ shock exit. Aviles-Ramos had said the tour would focus on efforts to ensure safety and wellness in Big Apple schools as well as how the Department of Education could foster greater support for teachers. But disgruntled parents told The Post they felt “muzzled” and even “less informed” about the future of the largest school system in the country. “Most of the people who got up to talk sounded like they were characters from a dystopian novel,” Queens dad Charlie Vavruska decried. “All I heard were the same buzzwords or people’s political agendas,” he added. Bronx mom Deb Alexander admitted she opted out of the tour because it all felt too “highly curated” — and that feedback she heard from other parents confirmed her skepticism. “It would be so refreshing to hear ‘yes, that is a problem, we’re not sure how to fix it but we’re open to your suggestions.’ Engagement is not ‘listening,’ it’s a two-way street,” she said. Aviles-Ramos addressed the criticism from parents in a sit-down interview with The Post, insisting the events were meant to be an “initial step.” “What I would say to them is, we’re not perfect. We’re trying to get it right and we’re going to find more authentic and creative ways for them to get their voices out,” she said. On the education department’s website the “listening tours” were described as an event to be held in each borough of New York City “featuring structured discussions on topics such as special education, curriculum development, and mental health resources, culminating in a Q&A session.” DOE staffers, however, eclipsed the number of parents and students attending each session. The parents and students who did attend were split into groups of eight and asked to come up with one question, which was then massaged by a “facilitator” — typically a DOE staffer — and put to the chancellor and her panel of agency staff. Topics brought up ranged from the contentious cell phone ban , remote schooling , class sizes and staffing concerns. Class size law requires that K-3 classes have no more than 20 students, grades 4-8 have no more than 23 students, and grades 9-12 have no more than 25 students. Despite the opportunity to air concerns, parents said the session ultimately didn’t feel “productive” or “insightful.” “Why did I come out all this way,” an anonymous Brooklyn parent, who had her question on the math curriculum dismissed during the roundtable discussions, told The Post. “I didn’t even feel like I could say how I felt during the discussion,” they added. Meanwhile, Manhattan and Brooklyn were also the only two boroughs to even have a Q&A session. Parents and students who attended sessions in the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island were instead asked to provide one comment to the panel — who would then silently take notes with the promise to address the feedback or concerns at an unspecified later date. Aviles-Ramos waved off the backlash to the structure, saying, “of course, the structure doesn’t allow for every single person to ask a question.” Parents also groaned that Aviles-Ramos has been tightlipped on policy since Banks’ earlier-than-expected departure — and that they feel “left in the dark” amid the leadership shakeup. “I made a promise to the city that I would focus on civility and continuity, and you don’t bring in instructional initiatives in the middle of the school year when you’re already building out other ones,” Aviles-Ramos said of her tactic. Families said they’re doubtful that the “listening tour” will foster in any real change. “All chancellors have these listening tours. It starts with ‘yes, I’ll listen, I’ll take my notes,’ but how much of it will get done?” Queens parent Phil Wong bemoaned. “If history serves us, only a very small set of problems will get addressed.” It’s unclear how the data from the tour will inform upcoming policy. Aviles-Ramos’ predecessor was pushed out of the top job by Mayor Eric Adams in October, rather than at the year’s end as originally planned, sources previously told The Post. The move — which reportedly blindsided the ex-chancellor — came after he drew Hizzoner’s ire when he confided to city superintendents that he doubted the mayor could stay in power while facing federal criminal charges, sources said. The mayor and City Hall officials also believed the blabbermouth Banks botched it and created confusion among parents about several initiatives, notably a potential cellphone ban and an expansion of early education seats, a source with knowledge said. It also came after the feds raided the home Banks shares with Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright.Rocket Cos. Inc. stock rises Wednesday, still underperforms market
Phil Lind Initiative announces 2025 speakers, including Ziwe and Raven ChaconGalaxy holds on to claim 6th MLS Cup
Peoples Bancorp director sells $53,227 in stockNewtopia Reports Third Quarter 2024 Financial ResultsS&P/TSX composite down more than 100 points Tuesday, U.S. stock markets also lower
S&P/TSX composite down more than 100 points Tuesday, U.S. stock markets also lower
NEW YORK, Dec. 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- New York Mortgage Trust, Inc. (Nasdaq: NYMT) (the “Company”) announced today that its Board of Directors (the “Board”) declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.20 per share on shares of its common stock for the quarter ending December 31, 2024. The dividend will be payable on January 23, 2025 to common stockholders of record as of the close of business on December 20, 2024. In addition, the Board declared cash dividends on the Company’s 8.000% Series D Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (“Series D Preferred Stock”), 7.875% Series E Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (“Series E Preferred Stock”), 6.875% Series F Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (“Series F Preferred Stock”) and 7.000% Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (“Series G Preferred Stock”) as stated below. Quarterly Preferred Stock Dividends The Board declared cash dividends for the dividend period that began on October 15, 2024 and ends on January 14, 2025 as follows: About New York Mortgage Trust New York Mortgage Trust, Inc. is a Maryland corporation that has elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) for federal income tax purposes. NYMT is an internally managed REIT in the business of acquiring, investing in, financing and managing primarily mortgage-related single-family and multi-family residential assets. Forward-Looking Statements When used in this press release, in future filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) or in other written or oral communications, statements which are not historical in nature, including those containing words such as “will,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “plan,” “continue,” “intend,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “may” or similar expressions, are intended to identify “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and, as such, may involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Statements regarding the following subject, among others, may be forward-looking: the payment of dividends. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates, projections, beliefs and assumptions of management of the Company at the time of such statements and are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties in predicting future results and conditions. Actual results and outcomes could differ materially from those projected in these forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including, without limitation: changes in the Company’s business and investment strategy; inflation and changes in interest rates and the fair market value of the Company’s assets, including negative changes resulting in margin calls relating to the financing of the Company’s assets; changes in credit spreads; changes in the long-term credit ratings of the U.S., Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Ginnie Mae; general volatility of the markets in which the Company invests; changes in prepayment rates on the loans the Company owns or that underlie the Company’s investment securities; increased rates of default, delinquency or vacancy and/or decreased recovery rates on or at the Company’s assets; the Company’s ability to identify and acquire targeted assets, including assets in its investment pipeline; the Company's ability to dispose of assets from time to time on terms favorable to it, including the disposition over time of its joint venture equity investments; changes in relationships with the Company’s financing counterparties and the Company’s ability to borrow to finance its assets and the terms thereof; changes in the Company's relationships with and/or the performance of its operating partners; the Company’s ability to predict and control costs; changes in laws, regulations or policies affecting the Company’s business; the Company’s ability to make distributions to its stockholders in the future; the Company’s ability to maintain its qualification as a REIT for federal tax purposes; the Company’s ability to maintain its exemption from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; impairments in the value of the collateral underlying the Company's investments; the Company's ability to manage or hedge credit risk, interest rate risk, and other financial and operational risks; the Company's exposure to liquidity risk, risks associated with the use of leverage, and market risks; and risks associated with investing in real estate assets, including changes in business conditions and the general economy, the availability of investment opportunities and the conditions in markets for residential loans, structured multi-family investments, mortgage-backed securities and other assets in which we invest. These and other risks, uncertainties and factors, including the risk factors and other information described in the Company’s reports filed with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act, could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements the Company makes. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made. New risks and uncertainties arise over time and it is not possible to predict those events or how they may affect the Company. Except as required by law, the Company is not obligated to, and does not intend to, update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. For Further Information AT THE COMPANY Investor Relations Phone: 212-792-0107 Email: InvestorRelations@nymtrust.comERIE, Pa. (AP) — Alex Chaikin's 20 points off of the bench helped Lafayette to a 77-73 victory against Mercyhurst on Saturday. Chaikin went 7 of 8 from the field (6 for 7 from 3-point range) for the Leopards (5-5). Justin Vander Baan added 13 points while shooting 3 of 5 from the field and 7 for 9 from the line while he also had six rebounds and five blocks. Andrew Phillips had 10 points and shot 4 of 6 from the field and 1 for 3 from the line. Shemar Rathan-Mayes finished with 21 points and four assists for the Lakers (5-6). Aidan Reichert added 18 points, six rebounds and three steals for Mercyhurst. Jeff Planutis also recorded 13 points. Chaikin scored nine points in the first half and Lafayette went into the break trailing 38-31. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
Iowa governor sets special election date for Senate District 35, Cournoyer's vacated seatNone
It’s the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, which means you’re either laying the groundwork for how best to avoid awkward conversations tomorrow or prepping your Black Friday shopping list. Or both. My advice for blocking out those cringe-worthy chats is to bury your face in the sweet potatoes and never look up. My advice for shopping for gadgets on Black Friday is a little more helpful. Here are my tips for how to shop for tech products this year, whether you’re prowling the aisles of your favorite store or perusing an app from your couch. Video games, game consoles, and game accessories are an easy score on any Black Friday. You’ll find deals on consoles including Sony’s ( SONY ) PlayStation 5, Microsoft’s ( MSFT ) X Box Series X, and Nintendo’s ( NTDOY ) Switch, not to mention a solid amount off on controllers, which are mighty pricey when not on sale. I’m hoping my wife opts for a new PlayStation 5 controller at $20 off , since ours are always dying. Discounted gaming gift cards are also a great option for Black Friday shopping. Sony , Microsoft , Nintendo , Valve’s Steam , Roblox , and others offer gift cards for in-game purchases or to pay for a few months of access to their respective online services. Whether you’re looking for over-the-ear headphones or in-ear earbuds, you can score some exceptional deals during Black Friday. Be on the lookout for Apple’s ( AAPL ) AirPods and AirPods Pro if you’re an Apple fan, or check out the various offerings from Beats , JBL , Bose , and Sony that will be on sale at different retailers. It’s important to remember that some people are exceedingly particular when it comes to their earbuds. Some prefer those with silicon tips and others can’t stand them. You should also take into account whether you want active noise cancellation (ANC) or not. ANC, as its name implies, actively cancels out background noise while you're listening to music, podcasts, shows, whatever you’re into. You’ll usually only find ANC on more expensive headphones and earbuds. So, if you can find a pair with the technology at a good price, like the Bose QuietComfort for $199 at Amazon , go for it. In the market for a laptop this Black Friday? You’re in luck. Amazon , Walmart , Best Buy , and others are offering up sales on everything from Apple’s MacBooks to ASUS gaming rigs and Microsoft’s Surface laptop . Not every laptop you see on sale is worth buying, though. My advice is to look for a laptop with at least 16GB of RAM. That’s more or less the norm for modern laptops, but lower-cost models often only provide 8GB, which can translate to slower overall performance. Generally, when you’re shopping for a laptop, or desktop for that matter, you want to purchase the most expensive model you can comfortably afford. That’s because pricer models tend to have the latest and greatest chips and more RAM and storage, which means they’ll last longer than more modestly priced computers. TVs are some of the most sought-after Black Friday items. But don’t just settle for the first TV you see at a suspiciously low price. When it comes to TVs, your best bet is to get an OLED model , thanks to their brilliant colors and inky blacks. Unfortunately, OLED TVs are pretty expensive, with most coming in at $1,000 or more. QLED TVs are a great alternative , though you’re not going to get the same kind of color performance as an OLED set. If there’s one thing to remember when buying a TV, though, it’s that you get what you pay for. In other words, if you opt for a $400, 55-inch model, don’t expect it to provide the best picture quality. But if you’re looking for the kind of TV that turns your friends green with envy, like LG’s C3 , expect to splash out $1,300. If you’re looking for smartphone and tablet deals on Black Friday, you’re in for a mixed bag. In the market for a new iPhone? Then you’ll generally need to search for trade-in options or sign up for a new mobile plan. Android phones like Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra, however, are on sale at places like Best Buy . Tablets, on the other hand, are great buys during Black Friday, whether they’re from Apple , Samsung , or Amazon . You can often find slates for hundreds of dollars off with a quick online search. Amazon, Roku ( ROKU ), and Google ( GOOG , GOOGL ) tend to go all out when it comes to Black Friday sales on their smart speakers and streaming boxes, and this year is no different. Amazon’s Echo Show 8 is $70 off at Best Buy, Roku’s Streaming Stick is $20 off at Amazon, and Google’s Nest Audio speaker is $50 off on the Google Store site. I’ve been holding off on buying a new Roku for my bedroom until Black Friday specifically because the sales are too good to pass up. Email Daniel Howley at dhowley@yahoofinance.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley . Click here for the latest technology news that will impact the stock market Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo FinanceAP Sports SummaryBrief at 4:39 p.m. EST
Santa Clara County’s top educator says a series of investigations into his ousted predecessor have revealed even more issues — beyond major allegations of misspending public funds and malfeasance — and now the findings are being turned over to authorities. Former superintendent Dr. Mary Ann Dewan faces “deeply concerning” accusations of wrongdoing, according to a Dec. 10 letter from Charles Hinman, the interim Santa Clara County Superintendent of Schools. Although he doesn’t go into details about these new allegations, he has turned the information over to the authorities. Dewan office’s allegedly approved inappropriate expenditures of public funds, approved suspicious and unnecessary contracts, conducted unauthorized surveillance and used public dollars for personal legal fees. She’s also accused of conducting “clandestine” investigations into some employees and Board of Education members, which were alleged to be retaliatory. The board voted in closed session in October to fire Dewan. Dewan didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. Hinman said he shared his latest findings with Board of Education members this week, just before the swearing in of the district’s newly-elected trustees. According to his letter, the investigations’ findings are being turned over to authorities, including the Santa Clara District Attorney’s office and Sheriff’s Office, state attorney general, among others. Hinman said the board will cooperate to hold Dewan accountable for any “malfeasance and misfeasance.” “Under the leadership of a new superintendent who will no doubt choose to work cooperatively with the board, the County Office of Education is now providing the steady hand needed to move forward, with the accountability and transparency the community demands,” Hinman wrote. The Santa Clara County Office of Education is responsible for overseeing the special education services, migrant education and Head Start and state preschool programs, as well as services for delinquent students at risk of expulsion. The office provides academic and fiscal oversight for the county’s 31 school districts and monitoring for the county’s 21 authorized charter schools. Dewan’s firing without cause sent shockwaves through the county’s political circles and met fierce pushback from state lawmakers – even prompting calls for a civil grand jury investigation. The school board majority that supported Dewan’s ouster has made few public remarks about their decision. But hints about their motivations came after it made an “extraordinary” request for third-party audits into misuse of school district funds during Dewan’s tenure. Related Stories It all comes after an apparent power struggle between Dewan and a majority of the office of education’s elected trustees. Dewan has argued the board majority had no authority to fire her and she was not technically employed by them. A Santa Clara County Superior Court judge denied her lawsuit . Before her firing, Dewan requested an investigation — outside of her office’s complaint policies and procedures — into board members for allegedly violating policies and public meeting laws, retaliating against employees and harassing her. Hinman, who has a 35-year career in public education and is from Southern California, was hired by the board in October to temporarily replace Dewan. Hinman has said he does not plan to relocate from Orange County in his interim role. He’s had multiple stints as a superintendent in school districts across California. The board is still searching for Dewan’s permanent replacement. The firing has prompted a looming discussion among Santa Clara County supervisors as to whether to change the Office of Education’s governance structure — changing the trustee positions from elected ones to supervisor-appointed ones, and making the superintendent role an elected position. Contact Brandon Pho at [email protected] or @brandonphooo on X, formerly known as Twitter.Commentary: A center-right Democrat's view from Washington state
White House Says Pakistan Developing Long-Range Nuke-Capable Missile Which Can Reach USNEW YORK – President-elect Donald Trump’s recent dinner with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his visit to Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral were not just exercises in policy and diplomacy. They were also prime trolling opportunities for Trump. Recommended Videos Throughout his first term in the White House and during his campaign to return, Trump has spun out countless provocative, antagonizing and mocking statements. There were his belittling nicknames for political opponents, his impressions of other political figures and the plentiful memes he shared on social media. Now that's he's preparing to return to the Oval Office, Trump is back at it, and his trolling is attracting more attention — and eyerolls. On Sunday, Trump turned a photo of himself seated near a smiling first lady Jill Biden at the Notre Dame ceremony into a social media promo for his new perfume and cologne line, with the tag line, “A fragrance your enemies can’t resist!” The first lady’s office declined to comment. When Trudeau hastily flew to Florida to meet with Trump last month over the president-elect's threat to impose a 25% tax on all Canadian products entering the U.S., the Republican tossed out the idea that Canada become the 51st U.S. state. The Canadians passed off the comment as a joke, but Trump has continued to play up the dig, including in a post Tuesday morning on his social media network referring to the prime minister as “Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada.” After decades as an entertainer and tabloid fixture, Trump has a flair for the provocative that is aimed at attracting attention and, in his most recent incarnation as a politician, mobilizing fans. He has long relished poking at his opponents, both to demean and minimize them and to delight supporters who share his irreverent comments and posts widely online and cheer for them in person. Trump, to the joy of his fans, first publicly needled Canada on his social media network a week ago when he posted an AI-generated image that showed him standing on a mountain with a Canadian flag next to him and the caption “Oh Canada!” After his latest post, Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller said Tuesday: “It sounds like we’re living in a episode of South Park." Trudeau said earlier this week that when it comes to Trump, “his approach will often be to challenge people, to destabilize a negotiating partner, to offer uncertainty and even sometimes a bit of chaos into the well established hallways of democracies and institutions and one of the most important things for us to do is not to freak out, not to panic.” Even Thanksgiving dinner isn't a trolling-free zone for Trump's adversaries. On Thanksgiving Day, Trump posted a movie clip from “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” with President Joe Biden and other Democrats’ faces superimposed on the characters in a spoof of the turkey-carving scene. The video shows Trump appearing to explode out of the turkey in a swirl of purple sparks, with the former president stiffly dancing to one of his favorite songs, Village People’s “Y.M.C.A." In his most recent presidential campaign, Trump mocked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, refusing to call his GOP primary opponent by his real name and instead dubbing him “Ron DeSanctimonious.” He added, for good measure, in a post on his Truth Social network: “I will never call Ron DeSanctimonious ‘Meatball’ Ron, as the Fake News is insisting I will.” As he campaigned against Biden, Trump taunted him in online posts and with comments and impressions at his rallies, deriding the president over his intellect, his walk, his golf game and even his beach body. After Vice President Kamala Harris took over Biden's spot as the Democratic nominee, Trump repeatedly suggested she never worked at McDonalds while in college. Trump, true to form, turned his mocking into a spectacle by appearing at a Pennsylvania McDonalds in October, when he manned the fries station and held an impromptu news conference from the restaurant drive-thru. Trump’s team thinks people should get a sense of humor. “President Trump is a master at messaging and he’s always relatable to the average person, whereas many media members take themselves too seriously and have no concept of anything else other than suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome,” said Steven Cheung, Trump’s communications director. “President Trump will Make America Great Again and we are getting back to a sense of optimism after a tumultuous four years.” Though both the Biden and Harris campaigns created and shared memes and launched other stunts to respond to Trump's taunts, so far America’s neighbors to the north are not taking the bait. “I don’t think we should necessarily look on Truth Social for public policy,” Miller said. Gerald Butts, a former top adviser to Trudeau and a close friend, said Trump brought up the 51st state line to Trudeau repeatedly during Trump’s first term in office. “Oh God,” Butts said Tuesday, “At least a half dozen times.” “This is who he is and what he does. He’s trying to destabilize everybody and make people anxious,” Butts said. “He’s trying to get people on the defensive and anxious and therefore willing to do things they wouldn’t otherwise entertain if they had their wits about them. I don’t know why anybody is surprised by it.” ___ Gillies reported from Toronto. Associated Press writer Darlene Superville contributed to this report.