Latest news with #BeforeYou
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Look Before You Rent webinars
SYRACUSE. N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — The city of Syracuse is set to host two technical assistance webinars involving a tutorial on 'Look Before You Rent,' which is an online tool to help you become more educated on rental properties in Syracuse. This online map includes all the information you need about rentals. Including how to search by address or neighborhood to discover a property's status on the City's Rental Registry, Certificate of Compliance programs and any code violations or other property information. The webinars are scheduled for Tuesday, June 10, from 1:30 to 2:15 p.m. and Wednesday, June 11, from 5:30 to 6:15 p.m. Staff members will show attendees how to access and use the tool. There will also be times to ask questions and give feedback. To participate, you must register here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Southwest Gas asks to recover higher costs of ‘Call Before You Dig' line location
(Photo: Southwest Gas excavation safety presentation) Southwest Gas says it's getting more requests to locate customers' gas lines through its 'Call Before You Dig' service than anticipated in its last general rate request, and is asking the Nevada Public Utilities Commission to allow it to pass on the costs to customers via a process called single-issue ratemaking. ''In 2023, close to 30 percent of Southwest Gas' companywide damages were due to homeowners and contractors not calling 811 before excavation,' says the utility's website. ''Call 811' line marking service is free for residential and commercial digging jobs of all sizes and for all types of projects, and is the law.' While free to the caller, the service comes at a cost to the customer. From June 2022 to May 2023, line location expenses paid by customers totaled just under $11.7 million in Southern Nevada and about $2 million in the north. The utility won approval to recover those yearly costs as part of a $59.1 million general rate hike that went into effect last year. Now Southwest Gas is asking for authority to recover an estimated $3.5 million a year for the next two years. Southwest Gas contends it's not technically seeking a rate hike, but rather permission from the PUC to establish a regulatory account 'to track the actual level of line location-related expenses the Company incurs. This will allow the Company to recover its actual costs – no more, no less – at a future date after consideration by the PUCN,' spokesperson Amy Washburn said via email. In testimony provided to the PUC, utility executives contend the cost of line location has skyrocketed since 2016, with the utility recovering a smaller portion of the expense. David Chairez, regulatory manager for the Nevada Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection, testified to the PUC that the utility's holding company, Southwest Gas Holdings, 'is doing very well… with net income of $261 million, an increase of $19 million' over the previous year, while its operation and maintenance expenses per customer are unchanged. Chairez argues the PUC should deny the application to establish a regulatory asset for line locating expenses because it's an attempt to engage in single-issue ratemaking – legislative or commission actions that set or affect rates outside of a general rate case. The practice is permitted in some cases, such as when it's required by statute, or because of a natural disaster, such as a hurricane, that results in unforeseen expenses for the utility. Opposition to single-issue ratemaking is based on the premise that a utility's revenue requirement is calculated on aggregate costs, rather than one cost related to a single component of its operations. Rates are designed to cover a utility's costs and provide for a fair and reasonable return on investment. Chairez argues the proposed rate solely benefits Southwest Gas shareholders. When requests from Nevada's Consumer Advocate for single-issue ratemaking would have benefitted the customer, Southwest Gas and the PUC opposed it, Chairez testified, including when President Donald Trump, in his first term, lowered corporate tax rates from 35% to 21%, resulting in a windfall for the utility. The utility, which enjoyed the tax relief immediately, delayed passing the savings of Trump's corporate tax adjustment to ratepayers for nine months until its next rate case, during which time customers were paying rates that were based on the utility having to pay a higher federal tax rate than it was actually paying. That cost Southern Nevada customers $7.2 million in savings and Northern Nevada customers $1.3 million by waiting, Chairez estimated. The Bureau of Consumer Protection's position is at odds with that of PUC staff, who support the application. 'Southwest Gas asserts it has experienced a dramatic increase in the level of line locate requests in recent years,' PUC staffer John Brownrigg testified, and recommended that regulators approve the utility's request to account separately for the increased line location costs now, and include the expense in the utility's next general rate case. Unlike electric utilities, Southwest Gas is not bound by law to file a general rate case every three years, but rather at its discretion. The average customer currently pays $15.20 a year for line location efforts. The utility's request, if approved by the PUC, would eventually add about $5 a year. Chairez, in his testimony, notes Southwest Gas is required to comply with the 'Call Before You Dig' statute 'and that obligation will not change if the PUC denies the request.' Southwest Gas is also currently asking state lawmakers to allow it to engage in alternative ratemaking, a policy shift that could pose a cost burden to customers, according to opponents of the legislation, because it avoids the transparency of a general rate case.
Express Tribune
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Boone's nostalgic jumpsuits
Benson Boone's sparkling debut at Coachella this year was one for the books. That's not just because Boone finished his marvelous set with Queen's Brian May, performing the band's iconic Bohemian Rhapsody and his very own hit Beautiful Things, but also paid homage to the late frontman Freddie Mercury in more ways than one. Aside from reviving the Live Aid call-and-response, Boone also rocked the stage in a vibrant, deep-neck jumpsuit, reminiscent of Mercury's own performance picks. The Before You singer, who also notably wore skin-tight fits at the Grammys, spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about the nostalgic intent behind his eye-catching sartorial choices. "My dad has always been a fanatic about Halloween and costumes," he recalled. "Every year our family would go all out and we would do family pictures. And I think now, because of that, I see being on stage as an opportunity to dress up and be a little more of an elevated version of myself, because obviously I would never pull up to a hangout with the boys in a jumpsuit." Laughing, he added, "But at the same time, when I'm on stage, I want to give people something that's interesting, fun, cool, colourful, and sparkly, something that I can move around in - sometimes that's jumpsuits, sometimes that's open vests with dress pants, and I'm sure it will elevate to something else." Boone opened his Coachella segment with a cotton gabardine jacket and wide leg trousers strapped with a leather belt flaunting a gold Devotion Heart buckle. The golden accents of the ensemble complemented the crop top's blue straps. He later donned Dolce & Gabbana's custom belt-strapping printed lurex long-sleeve bodysuit, which flared down the crystal-decked legs. He paired the look with a velvet cape with faux-fur train. "I probably spent more time on my outfits than I think I ever have in my life," he said. "But definitely the highlight was having Brian May up on stage. He is incredible and such a lovely person." Boone's performance of Bohemian Rhapsody made quite the splash, eliciting cheers as the singer played the piano, tossed away his fur coat, and sprung down the platform with a flip. "It was actually my first time going to Coachella, so I really had no idea what to expect." After serenading the audience, he lent the spotlight to May who strummed his iconic guitar solo, though even Boone's efforts to hype up the legendary guitarist fell short. He acknowledged the audience's underwhelming response in a funny TikTok video. "The crowd for sure was tough," he admitted in the interview. "But really other than that, the experience is pretty wild. It was incredible."
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Utah election offices earn awards for their educational voting initiatives
An election worker hands out 'I Voted' stickers at the Main Library in Salt Lake City on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) Two Utah programs are among 53 leaders in best practices for running elections, according to nationwide awards recognizing the top election practices during the 2024 presidential election year from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. The Utah Lt. Governor's Office earned the commission's 2024 Clearinghouse Award for distinguished voter education initiatives and the Salt Lake County Clerk Election Division won for best practices for improving accessibility for voters with disabilities. Salt Lake County's 'Try Before You Vote: Accessible Vote Outreach' program earned it a spot on the list. With the initiative, the county's election division offered live demonstrations of voting equipment and other resources at events for individuals with disabilities, allowing them to test out the tools, ask questions and register to vote. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 'This outreach was all about meeting voters where they are,' Salt Lake County Clerk Lannie Chapman said in a news release. 'We know that confidence and familiarity are key to participation, especially for voters with disabilities. Our team is proud to be recognized for helping make the voting process more accessible, approachable, and inclusive for everyone in our community.' The election division wrote in its award entry that the program substantially increased confidence and participation in the election process. It also had benefits for election officials by 'reducing the need for last-minute accommodations and increasing overall efficiency.' The lieutenant governor's office earned its award for its '12 Days of Election Improvements,' or 'Votemas,' a social media campaign nodding to '12 Days of Christmas' traditions, highlighting new voting technologies, procedures and laws in Utah elections. 'While election-related posts tend to flood social media in the weeks leading up to Election Day, after the dust settles, it's easy for people to forget that election work continues year-round. Voter records need constant upkeep, and preparation for future elections never stops,' the office wrote in its award entry. 'Our goal with Votemas is to remind voters that the work doesn't end with Election Day — every year is an election year.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Syracuse launches a new tool to help renters
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — Syracuse's mayor, Ben Walsh, has announced a new community tool to help renters learn more about a property before renting. The new tool 'Look Before You Rent' allows users to search by address or neighborhood to discover a property's status. Check out Look Before You Rent 'We want people to live in safe, healthy housing and have access to property information that can help them make informed decisions before signing a lease,' said Mayor Walsh. 'Look Before You Rent is built on a user-friendly map that provides a baseline understanding of a property's record with City Code Enforcement.' Federal funding cuts have local impact on Food Bank of CNY 'Pray for Aunamarie!' Shop sign becomes memorial for girl hit by car Sackets Harbor declares state of emergency ahead of protests Syracuse launches a new tool to help renters Local farm braces for high prices following Trump's tariffs The tool, available on desktop and mobile devices, has an interactive map that provides information on code violations, if a property has been declared unfit, and other property information, the city said. 'As an agency who helps assist low-income tenants in obtaining safe and affordable rental housing, the Look Before You Rent tool will be incredibly helpful to us and the tenants we serve,' said Sharon Sherman, Executive Director of the Greater Syracuse Tenants Network. With this tool, there will be rental Registry and Certificate of Compliance programs that the city says will help protect the renters' safety by requiring landlords to register their property with the Division of Code Enforcement. To be issued a certificate, Syracuse requires rental properties to be inspected every three years and to be clear of any code violations. Tenants will be able to look before they decide to rent to see if serious violations such as lead-based paint hazards are present. This is a step in the right direction to providing better access to important housing information impacting tenant health and safety,' Sherman said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
