Shoplifting incidents in Sault Ste. Marie have surged, with a 22 per cent increase in reported cases compared to last year. In response, local law enforcement is ramping up efforts to tackle the issue through preventative measures, collaboration with the Crown’s office, and enhanced data analysis. This rise comes despite an overall decline in crime across the city. Property crimes such as break-ins and vehicle thefts have dropped significantly — by 32 per cent and 25 per cent, respectively — according to statistics presented at Monday’s police board meeting. “We know something is going on because there are fewer thefts of autos and break-ins,” said Police Chief Hugh Stevenson. “The criminal sub-culture doesn’t have to go to that bother — they simply go into the store, steal the product, and walk out.” Much of the theft involves low-value, consumable items often linked to substance use. “It becomes a low-end commodity to support, basically, a fentanyl habit in this city,” said Stevenson. The economic and social consequences of shoplifting are felt widely, the police board heard. Store owners face increased security costs, which are ultimately passed on to consumers, contributing to higher costs of living. “I think sometimes when we see shoplifting, we think, ‘Well, that’s not an important issue.’ It is an important issue because it affects a lot more people than violent crimes,” said Stevenson, adding that many shoplifting offenders may become violent in the future. While major franchises such as Circle K are often targeted, small businesses also bear the brunt. An employee at Krazy Ernie’s noted, “People steal all the time. It’s sometimes so small that we don’t bother to call it in, but it’s frustrating.” The employee, who wished to remain anonymous, noted that shoplifting appears to be improving, now occurring about once a week compared to once every couple of days during the summer. In the downtown core, shoplifting has been a persistent concern. Ashton Carter, coordinator for the Sault Ste. Marie Downtown Association (DTA), emphasized the financial and safety impacts. “Shoplifting in our downtown core is a real concern that not only impacts local businesses financially but also affects the sense of safety for residents, employees, and visitors,” said Carter in a statement. The DTA has collaborated with law enforcement, community organizations, and merchants to address the issue through various initiatives. The Downtown Ambassador program, launched by the CMHA in 2022, provides on-the-ground support for vulnerable individuals and addresses safety concerns. In June, Norpro Inc. began a downtown security patrol program using “track tick tags,” a technology that monitors patrol movements to optimize their effectiveness and work better in tandem. To curb shoplifting, police have consulted with 11 businesses as of Monday, providing advice on preventative measures such as installing mirrors and raising counter heights to deter theft. Crime Stoppers has also intensified efforts, using “Wanted Wednesday” posts to spotlight repeat offenders. Repeat offenders, especially those committing multiple thefts in a single day, are now being held for bail with the support of the Crown’s office. Police believe stricter bail conditions can help connect offenders with treatment and support. “It will not stop until we apply bail release issues as they were over the last 20 years, where people are held until they get the help, get the treatment, and they can get on with their lives,” said Stevenson. The Local Journalism Initiative is made possible through funding from the federal government.Fox attorneys seek to dismiss shareholder lawsuit over reporting of vote rigging allegations in 2020
Patrick Soon-Shiong, the billionaire owner of the Los Angeles Times , declared this week that he will introduce an AI-generated “bias meter” alongside the newspaper’s opinion and news coverage as part of a broader effort to give its readers “both sides” of the story. The surprising move, which comes after he axed the paper’s planned endorsement of Kamala Harris and announced his intention to overhaul the Times’ editorial board to add more conservative voices, has prompted the paper’s union to publicly blast Soon-Shiong and longtime columnist Harry Litman to resign. Appearing on the podcast of right-wing CNN political commentator Scott Jennings, who is joining the Times’ editorial board, Soon-Shiong said he’s been “quietly building” the so-called bias meter “behind the scenes. Claiming that it will debut next month, the biotech entrepreneur said it uses the same artificial intelligence technology that he’s been developing at his other businesses for years. “Somebody could understand as they read it that the source of the article has some level of bias,” Soon-Shiong continued. “And what we need to do is not have what we call confirmation bias and then that story automatically — the reader can press a button and get both sides of that exact same story based on that story and then give comments.” Soon-Shiong’s remarks immediately drew an immediate rebuke from the LA Times’ union, which represents hundreds of journalists and newsroom staffers. “Recently, the newspaper’s owner has publicly suggested his staff harbors bias, without offering evidence or examples,” the guild’s council and bargaining committee said in a statement . “The statements came after the owner blocked a presidential endorsement by the newspaper’s editorial board, then unfairly blamed editorial board staffers for his decision.” The guild added that it had “secured strong ethics protections for our members, including the right to withhold one’s byline, and we will firmly guard against any effort to improperly or unfairly alter our reporting.” Litman, who had written for the Times for 15 years and been its senior legal columnist for the past three, announced on Thursday that he had tendered his resignation as a “protest and visceral reaction” against Soon-Shiong’s conduct as owner. “Soon-Shiong has made several moves to force the paper, over the forceful objections of his staff, into a posture more sympathetic to Donald Trump,” he wrote in a Substack post on Thursday. “Those moves can’t be defended as the sort of policy adjustment papers undergo from time to time, and that an owner, within limits, is entitled to influence.” Following Trump’s electoral victory, Soon-Shiong told CNN last month that he planned on “balancing” the paper’s editorial board with more conservative and centrist voices, complaining that it had “veered very left” in recent years. Following the owner’s polarizing decision to block the Times ’ Harris endorsement, which resulted in thousands of readers canceling their subscriptions, the board was reduced to just three members due to several resignations . Besides Litman and the LAT guild, roughly a dozen current and former Times staffers told media reporter Oliver Darcy that they felt “demoralized” by Soon-Shiong’s heavy-handed “meddling” in the newsroom. “The man who was supposed to be our savior has turned into what now feels like the biggest internal threat to the paper,” one staffer said. Additionally, Darcy explained why morale has plummeted at the paper in recent months — and much of it hinged on the owner’s apparent public embrace of Trump and MAGA, which they feel he is now looking to force the paper to reflect. “There certainly is plenty of cause to be alarmed. Soon-Shiong, who once fashioned himself as a Black Lives Matter-supporting vaccine proponent, has morphed into a Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Jennings fanboy,” Darcy noted. “Since Trump’s victory in November, Soon-Shiong has turned to X to criticize the news media, praise Trump’s cabinet picks, and appeal to a MAGA audience. The change in behavior has confounded his journalists, who wonder what happened to the Soon-Shiong whose newspaper enforced strict Covid restrictions and emphasized its support for social justice causes.” The Independent has reached out to a Los Angeles Times spokesperson for comment.Atmos Energy Co. (NYSE:ATO) Given Consensus Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Analysts
Why SoundHound AI Stock Rocketed Higher Again TodayWomen will for the first time make up a majority of state legislators in Colorado and New Mexico next year, but at least 13 states saw losses in female representation after the November election, according to a count released Thursday by the Rutgers Center for American Women and Politics. While women will fill a record number of state legislative seats in 2025, the overall uptick will be slight, filling just over third of legislative seats. Races in some states are still being called. "We certainly would like to see a faster rate of change and more significant increases in each election cycle to get us to a place where parity in state legislatures is less novel and more normal," said Kelly Dittmar, director of research at the CAWP, which is a unit of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University. As of Wednesday, at least 2,450 women will serve in state legislatures, representing 33.2% of the seats nationwide. The previous record was set in 2024 with 2,431 women, according to the CAWP. The number of Republican women, at least 851, will break the previous record of 815 state lawmakers set in 2024. "But still, Republican women are very underrepresented compared to Democratic women," Debbie Walsh, director of the CAWP, said. From left, House Maj. Whip Reena Szczepanski, D-Santa Fe, Rep. D. Wonda Johnson, D-Church Rock and Rep. Cristina Parajon, D-Albuquerque, talk July 18 before the start of a special session, in Santa Fe, N.M. By the most recent count, 19 states will have increased the number of women in their state legislatures, according to the CAWP. The most notable increases were in New Mexico and Colorado, where women will for the first time make up a majority of lawmakers. In New Mexico, voters sent an 11 additional women to the chambers. Colorado previously attained gender parity in 2023 and is set to tip over to a slight female majority in the upcoming year. The states follow Nevada, which was the first in the country to see a female majority in the legislature following elections in 2018. Next year, women will make up almost 62% of state lawmakers in Nevada, far exceeding parity. Women in California's Senate will make up the chamber's majority for the first time in 2025 as well. Women also made notable gains in South Dakota, increasing its number by at least nine. Four of South Carolina's Sister Senators, from left, Sen. Margie Bright Matthews, D-Walterboro, Sen. Mia McLeod, I-Columbia, Sen. Katrina Shealy, R-Lexington, and Sen. Penry Gustafson, R-Camden, stand in front of the Senate on June 26 with their John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage award in Columbia, S.C. At least thirteen states emerged from the election with fewer female lawmakers than before, with the most significant loss occurring in South Carolina. This year, the only three Republican women in the South Carolina Senate lost their primaries after they stopped a total abortion ban from passing. Next year, only two women, who are Democrats, will be in the 46-member Senate. No other state in the country will have fewer women in its upper chamber, according to the CAWP. Women make up 55% of the state's registered voters. Half the members in the GOP dominated state were elected in 2012 or before, so it will likely be the 2040s before any Republican woman elected in the future can rise to leadership or a committee chairmanship in the chamber, which doles out leadership positions based on seniority. A net loss of five women in the legislature means they will make up only about 13% of South Carolina's lawmakers, making the state the second lowest in the country for female representation. Only West Virginia has a smaller proportion of women in the legislature. West Virginia stands to lose one more women from its legislative ranks, furthering its representation problem in the legislature where women will make up just 11% of lawmakers. Many women, lawmakers and experts say that women's voices are needed in discussions on policy, especially at a time when state government is at its most powerful in decades. Walsh, director of the CAWP, said the new changes expected from the Trump administration will turn even more policy and regulation to the states. The experiences and perspectives women offer will be increasingly needed, she said, especially on topics related to reproductive rights, healthcare, education and childcare. "The states may have to pick up where the federal government may, in fact, be walking away," Walsh said. "And so who serves in those institutions is more important now than ever." November 7, 2024: Trump Victory Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
49ers confirm huge news on Brock Purdy and Nick Bosa on final injury report for Week 12 game with PackersBERLIN — NASA plans to use cargo versions of Artemis lunar landers under development by Blue Origin and SpaceX to deliver a pressurized rover and surface habitat to the lunar surface in the early 2030s. NASA announced it will add work to existing contracts for development of cargo versions of Blue Origin’s Blue Moon and SpaceX’s Starship to deliver payloads to the surface of the moon, the first such awards since the agency announced in January that it was directing the two companies to work on cargo versions of their Human Landing System (HLS) spacecraft. NASA said Starship will deliver no earlier than fiscal year 2032 the pressurized rover that the Japanese space agency JAXA is developing under an agreement announced in April. Blue Moon will deliver a lunar surface habitat no sooner than fiscal year 2033. “Based on current design and development progress for both crew and cargo landers and the Artemis mission schedules for the crew lander versions, NASA assigned a pressurized rover mission for SpaceX and a lunar habitat delivery for Blue Origin,” Lisa Watson-Morgan, NASA HLS program manager, said in a Nov. 19 statement. NASA did not disclose the value of the impending awards to the two companies for those missions. NASA said in its statement that it will issue a request for proposals to the two companies in early 2025 for those missions, and didn’t explain why it announced the planned awards months in advance. The agency also did not disclose why it selected each company for its specific cargo mission. “Having two lunar lander providers with different approaches for crew and cargo landing capability provides mission flexibility while ensuring a regular cadence of moon landings for continued discovery and scientific opportunity,” Steve Creech, NASA assistant deputy associate administrator for technical in the Moon to Mars Program Office, said in the statement. NASA revealed in January that it had directed the two companies to start work on cargo versions of their HLS landers . The agency said then that the landers are designed to deliver a minimum of 12 to 15 metric tons to the lunar surface, far more than the robotic landers the agency uses in its ongoing Commercial Lunar Payload Services program for delivery of science and technology demonstration payloads. NASA said in January that initial work on the cargo versions of Blue Moon and Starship would be done under existing HLS awards and would not require additional funding.
BERKELEY, Calif. , Dec. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Bamboo Technology , a mental health technology innovation company, is announcing its participation in Batch 19 of the prestigious UC Berkeley Skydeck IPP Program for startup acceleration. The company's HereHear AI therapist solution will be the key focus of the program, driven by the vision of revolutionizing mental health with AI-powered virtual solutions. To learn more about HereHear, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngU32WgiWf4 "HereHear is here in the US, and I am truly grateful to the Berkeley Skydeck IPP Program for recognizing its potential," noted Lynia Huang , Bamboo Technology's CEO. "As important as mental health has become in recent years, there is a shortage of mental health providers and access to support is low — and HereHear is paving the way for AI to bridge that gap as a first line of defense." A growing case for incorporating AI into mental healthcare With data showing that the US is in a mental health crisis, the CDC recently noted a dire need for public health initiatives that create environments centered around mental health. Specific to the workplace, the Society for Human Resource Management's Employee Mental Health in 2024 Research Series found that 44% of US employees feel burned out at work. The combination of a shortage of mental health providers in the US with the flourishing capabilities of AI builds a strong case for the technology to be deployed in the form of human-guided mental health solutions. HereHear's YangYang: A personalized 3D virtual therapist As organizations seek out ways to empower team members to take better care of their mental health, AI is increasingly emerging as a solution for on-demand, personalized support. Offering a more engaging interaction than chatbots, HereHear's 3D virtual therapist YangYang was launched in January 2024 and offers: YangYang has already been implemented in several therapy clinics and has helped 70% of users improve stress and depression levels by 25% within 3 months. Taking the form of a sheep further distinguishes her — this functions both to provide a 'cute' aspect lending to the warm, healing emotional support she provides, while also helping users who are struggling emotionally to keep in perspective that their interactions are ultimately not with a human. Bringing success in Taiwan to the US market Bamboo Technology's acceptance into the Berkeley Skydeck IPP Program is a major accomplishment as the platform seeks to enter the US market. Batch 19 has only 117 startups out of around 2300 applications, and the program will support HereHear to develop, pilot and launch, as well as to pitch for funding. The company aims to target the app in the human resources space—as a tool for companies to offer staff for on-demand, privacy-first mental health support. Back in Taiwan , the app already has hospitals, mental health clinics, universities, publicly listed companies, and government agencies that use it, similarly spurred by a shortage of mental health workers. About Bamboo Technology Established in November 2018 , the Taipei -based Bamboo Technology is a mental health technology innovation company that focuses on improving public mental health with voice emotion analysis technology. It embraces a belief that a universal, objective, and scientific mental health system can effectively solve the problem of deteriorating mental health in today's society — a core tenet upheld by its many psychologists; social workers; and information management, AI and big data experts. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bamboo-technologys-herehear-virtual-ai-therapist-joins-berkeley-skydeck-ipp-program-302325187.html SOURCE BAMBOO TECHNOLOGY LTD.
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Carbon Revolution Announces Receipt of Non-Compliance Letter from NasdaqAs President-elect Donald Trump reshuffles his cabinet wish list, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis seems to be moving closer to the halls of the Pentagon, that is if Trump's embattled first choice for the job flames out. Pete Hegseth's nomination continues to be clouded by troubling allegations raising serious concerns about his suitability for one of the country's most critical roles. That said, on Friday Trump made his first public show of support for Hegseth, according to ABC News since the scandals began to flood the airwaves. “Pete Hegseth is doing very well. His support is strong and deep,” Trump wrote on his social media platform. “He was a great student — Princeton/Harvard educated — with a Military state of mind. He will be a fantastic, high energy, Secretary of Defense Defense [typo in original text], one who leads with charisma and skill," wrote Trump who added that Hegseth is a "WINNER." But then Trump invited someone else (DeSantis) to the upcoming annual Army-Navy college football game, reported Fox News on Friday. Which means? Read Also: Trump To Swap Hegseth For DeSantis? Here’s What Polymarket Odds For Defense Secretary Pick Show While not a defense stalwart though he did offer to send Florida troops to the Texas border to stop the flow of drugs and immigrants from Mexico, DeSantis served as a Navy Judge Advocate General (JAG) officer and deployed to Iraq, making him comparatively qualified by Trump standards, which seem to prioritize loyalty and optics over skill and experience. In Florida, DeSantis has been riding high since the defeat of the constitutional amendment to legalize cannabis, which he fought against tooth and nail despite widespread public support for legalization, which included Trump’s endorsement that no doubt irked the governor. Advocates argue DeSantis’ resistance to cannabis reform not only stifled economic opportunities in the state but also ignored the will of many Floridians. For an amendment to be adopted in Florida, it must receive 60% of the vote. The cannabis amendment received 57% — a majority, but no cigar. The cannabis angle could become relevant given the growing recognition of legalization as a bipartisan issue. For a potential Secretary of Defense nominee, opposition to marijuana reform could complicate relations within the states — 38 and counting — and nations where cannabis is embraced for its medical, social and economic benefits. Now Read : Trump’s DEA Drama: He Didn’t Quit, I Fired Him — A Tale Of Pastors, Pandemic And Hurt Feelings © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Atalanta goes from the Europa League trophy to the top of Serie A. Inter routs Verona 5-0US announces nearly $1 bn in new military aid for Ukraine
WASHINGTON — Former Rep. Matt Gaetz dropped his bid to become President-elect Donald Trump’s next attorney general on Thursday, closing out a campaign that was dogged by sexual misconduct allegations and the specter of an unreleased ethics report. With the Florida Republican’s withdrawal, the Senate will avoid what was shaping up to be a fiery confirmation process, with Democrats escalating their push for more information on Gaetz while some Republicans asserted the former lawmaker deserved to have a hearing. Gaetz had met Wednesday with several Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Gaetz, who has been accused of having sex with a 17-year-old girl, has steadfastly denied wrongdoing. “While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition,” Gaetz said in a post on social media. “There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General.” “Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1,” he said. The withdrawal also comes one day after the House Ethics Committee announced it would not release information about its probe into allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, and Senate Democrats requested the “complete evidentiary file” in a closed Justice Department investigation involving Gaetz, which did not lead to criminal charges against him. Trump posted on social media that he appreciated Gaetz’ efforts to seek approval to be attorney general. “He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect,” Trump wrote. “Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!” Gaetz’s withdrawal opens up a key spot in the Trump administration, an official that will likely be tasked with implementing Trump’s plans to remake an agency he fumed at during the campaign trial. Senate reactions Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, said he respected Gaetz’s decision to withdraw. “I look forward to working with President Trump regarding future nominees to get this important job up and running,” Graham said in a statement. Sen. Charles E. Grassley, who is in line to lead Judiciary next year and would have handled the Gaetz confirmation hearings, told a reporter to look at his social media account for a comment. “I respect Gaetz decision &look fwd 2helping PresTrump confirm qualified noms 2reform Dept of Justice &bring TRANSPARENCY/ACCOUNTABILITY Trump’s mission = DRAIN THE SWAMP& I would add get some1 who will answer my hundreds of outstanding oversight letters sitting at Biden DOJ/FBI,” Grassley had posted. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said Gaetz withdrawal could have reflected the meetings he had with senators on Wednesday. “I don’t know that for a fact, but I think that he has put country first,” she said. Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., who had clashed with Gaetz, said he trusts Trump’s ability “to pick some really good people, and he’s done that for his whole career, through his business career, to when he was in office last time, to his campaign.” “Matt’s decisions were his decisions, it has nothing to do with me,” Mullin said. Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., a member of the Judiciary Committee, said Gaetz “clearly got a message from his Republican colleagues.” Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., a Judiciary Committee member, said he was surprised when he was shown the tweet. “I said, ‘So double check it and make sure it’s not one of those fake news tweets.’ ” “When we met we mostly talked about procedure, how a Judiciary confirmation hearing works,” Kennedy said. “We talked about the Department of Justice, and the decision under President Biden to begin weaponizing the Department of Justice ... and I commented that, in my judgment, in America, we don’t prosecute our political enemies.”