Latest news with #Blouin
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Oregon Senate passes bill allowing governor to appoint a US senator during seat vacancy
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The Oregon Senate passed a bill on Monday that would require the governor to appoint a new U.S. senator in cases where the seat becomes vacant before an election. In a press release, Oregon's Democratic Senate Majority Office explained aims to fill gaps in Oregon representation in the nation's capitol if the Senate seat becomes vacant. Without the bill, current Oregon law requires the state to keep the seat empty until a special election is held. Trump executive order 'another attempt to bully Portland' 'Oregonians count on our US Senators every day. Our Senators ensure Oregon gets its share of resources, provide assistance with federal benefits such as Social Security and veterans benefits and coordinate with the State Department when Oregonians are in danger outside our nation's borders,' said Senator Sara Gelser Blouin (D- Corvallis, Albany & South Salem), chief sponsor of the measure. 'Under current law, if a U.S. Senator dies or resigns from office, Oregonians are deprived of representation for months. That is because Oregon is one of just four states that do not allow the Governor to make an appointment. Senate Bill 952 fixes that and will ensure Oregonians never go more than 30 days without a U.S. Senator fighting for them,' Blouin added. Under the bill, the governor's appointments would not be permanent. Instead, the legislation clarifies that a special election must be held for the seat and must occur between 80 and 150 days after the seat becomes vacant. 'This change will allow Oregon to have full representation in the U.S. Senate quickly and ensures the people of Oregon have the final say over who serves in the role for the duration of the term,' said Senate Majority Leader Kayse Jama (D – Portland, Boring & Damascus). As REAL ID deadline looms, here's what happens if you don't have one The Senate Majority Office pointed to one case when Oregon US Senator Bob Packwood (R) resigned in October 1995, which left Oregon reduced to one Senate vote for four months as the special election to replace him did not occur until January 1996. Under the bill, appointees must meet a few requirements, including being a citizen that's qualified to hold office, belonging to the same political party as the U.S. Senator who left the seat and must have at least a 180-day history as a member of the political party. The bill also bans governors from appointing themselves to the Senate seat. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now During an April 2 work session on the bill in the Senate Rules Committee, while taking a question from Committee Vice Chair Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles), Sen. Blouin emphasized the importance of the seat being filled. 'I want to be clear, I'm not aware of any U.S. senator that is not planning on being a U.S. senator moving forward, but let's say something happened today – a Democrat leaves, and our Democratic governor needs to appoint that person,' Blouin said. 'I trust that she would make a wise choice for Oregon and I also trust if that was a Republican governor, if that was Governor Bonham, I would trust that you would not be appointing the weakest Democrat to that spot in order to get an electoral advantage because I think we all understand how critical it is that we have the best possible representation in Washington D.C. for us at all times.' Senate Bill 952 passed in a 16-13 vote and now heads to the Oregon House of Representatives for consideration. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Yahoo
Lewiston man arrested in South Paris after pursuit
Apr. 7—PARIS — Police arrested an armed Lewiston man early Saturday after he called 911 and threatened to drive into a tree unless they stopped him, according to a Paris Police Department Facebook post. Jonathan Blouin, 22, was arrested and charged with driving to endanger, refusing to submit to arrest, operating under the influence, reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon and leaving the scene of an accident. Police responded to the High Street area around 1:08 a.m. Saturday after 911 received a call from a man, later identified as Blouin, who made "multiple disturbing comments," police said. Blouin threatened to drive into a tree at 1:30 a.m. if police did not stop him. Dispatch alerted officers that Blouin was doing burnouts in the area of High Street while shooting a gun. When police located Blouin in his vehicle, he accelerated and swerved at officers' cruisers before leaving the scene. Officers found him on Main Street, where he was arrested without incident, the release said. A handgun and ammunition were found inside his vehicle. Police transported Blouin to a hospital where he was cleared medically and then transported to the Oxford County Jail. The release said further criminal charges are pending in the investigation. Oxford and Norway police departments assisted Paris police. Copy the Story Link We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others. We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion. You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs. Show less White sharks make frequent visits to Maine's coastal waters, new data reveals L-A This Week
CBC
07-04-2025
- Automotive
- CBC
RV industry hopes for more Canadian road trippers amid tariff uncertainty
Canadian RV dealers say they are concerned about the threat of tariffs on their industry, but are cautiously optimistic that travellers may have a renewed interest in exploring Canada in a recreational vehicle. The vast majority of RVs in Canada are produced in the U.S., mostly in and around Elkhart, Ind. So far, the vehicles have been spared from the United States's 25 per cent auto tariffs and Canada's equivalent retaliatory ones, says Shane Devenish, the president of the Canadian Recreational Vehicle Association. But, he says, dealers have been stockpiling units just in case. "[We've] certainly got our fingers crossed that we won't be hit.… It would tremendously affect our industry with these tariffs, if they come on," Devenish told Shelley Joyce, host of CBC's Daybreak Kamloops. Devenish says he wishes more RVs were manufactured in Canada, but the answer is not that simple. "It's a competitive advantage that the U.S. has," he said. "Elkhart is what's called the RV capital of the world. They have a workforce, they have a supply chain. They have the manufacturers right within about a 150-mile radius." Allison Blouin of Fraserway RV in Kamloops, B.C., agrees that the future is unclear. She notes that RVs in the U.S. and Canada use Canadian lumber and some Canadian steel, meaning U.S. manufacturers could be impacted too. "I don't know exactly where the price points will end up," she said. Blouin adds that there is optimism in the industry as they've seen a rise in interest from Canadians looking to travel within their own country amid a trade war. "The RV industry, I think, is going to be a beneficiary of that," she said. "Our backyard is massive. We are anticipating people wanting to spend their money at home and wanting to support local communities, local businesses." Blouin says her company, which also rents RVs, is doing a lot of business with travellers from Europe and the U.S. Devenish says he's hearing from Canadian RV owners who are looking to travel further afield in Canada. "I was at a Moncton [N.B.] RV show a couple weeks ago and more people were talking to me about taking those longer trips that they haven't taken in the past," he said. "People want to enjoy Canada and take the RVs right across the country." WATCH | Why it's the best time to stay local for your trips: How tariff turmoil could make 2025 the best year to get out with an RV and explore Canada 3 days ago Duration 1:49 Kamloops RV dweller to skip U.S. There has been an uptick in Canadians choosing to stay local for their vacations in recent months. Karl Willms, 80, is a Kamloops artist who's travelled the world with his wife and sketchbook — but he's never taken a road trip across Canada before. That's now something the graphic novelist and sketch artist plans to do, instead of his usual trip involving six months in Mexico after a circuitous trip of the southwest U.S. "We're just planning to go across Canada, because of the situation down south, we decided to patronize our own country," he said. Willlms says he plans to stay as far south in Canada as he can with his RV, nicknamed "White Fang." "If it's gravel roads that's fine," the artist said. "I'm very interested in small town Canada. "The Prairie towns I love are towns with a Main Street, a Chinese restaurant, bank and pharmacy, you know, basically. And there's still lots of those towns around."
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Goldman Sachs Sees More Upside In Real Estate Data As February Volumes Surge And Revisions Trend Higher
Goldman Sachs analyst Julien Blouin discussed preliminary February data from RCA for the American Real Estate market. The analyst notes that in February, total transaction volumes rose 23% year over year, up from a decline of 3% year over year in January. This represents an increase of 7% year over year on a quarter-to-date basis in the first quarter of FY25. The analyst writes that the growth reflects strong Office and Retail volumes, with modest Industrial and Multifamily transaction volumes. Blouin anticipates additional upward revisions to February volumes, following an average 25% upward revision for the October to January period, with January volumes seeing a 13% revision in the most recent data release. Taking about a recent conference, the analyst notes that Newmark Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:NMRK) management highlighted that the commercial real estate (CRE) capital markets are experiencing increased activity due to the decline in treasury yields, particularly in terms of broker opinions of value (BOVs). While the company noted that BOVs don't always directly correlate to sales, they do generally lead to an increase in sales, adds the analyst. The analyst stated the company notes that the activity is especially strong in New York City, with improvements also seen in Silicon Valley. The analyst writes that the numbers are likely to be revised upwards when RCA reports the preliminary March data and final February figures going forward. Blouin notes that the previous estimates for October, November, December, and January were revised upward by 37%, 39%, 13%, and 13%, respectively, from their initial publications. Read Next:Photo via Shutterstock. Date Firm Action From To Mar 2022 Wolfe Research Downgrades Outperform Peer Perform Nov 2021 Raymond James Maintains Outperform Aug 2021 Raymond James Maintains Outperform View More Analyst Ratings for NMRK View the Latest Analyst Ratings UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? This article Goldman Sachs Sees More Upside In Real Estate Data As February Volumes Surge And Revisions Trend Higher originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Palm Beach's search for traffic solutions takes the spotlight at town hall forum
Palm Beach officials have sent out a survey to local businesses to gauge interest for a town-wide shuttle service for town employees and the employees of local businesses. A shuttle service was among the potential policies and actions to combat traffic discussed Tuesday during "Moving Forward: Traffic Solutions 33480," a public forum co-sponsored by the town and the Palm Beach Civic Association. That list includes restriping of Bradley Place between its intersections with Royal Poinciana Way and Sunrise Avenue, raising the threshold of Palm Beach's "town-serving" requirement for businesses and a temporary mortarium on single-family residences and certain building additions, Town Manager Kirk Blouin said. But he cautioned that residents interested in the shuttle idea should temper their optimism. 'Frankly, I'd be surprised that the demand is there, because people aren't going to do that unless it improves their workday,' Blouin said during the forum at Town Hall. Joining Blouin on Tuesday's panel were Palm Beach Police Chief Nicholas Caristo, Public Works Director Paul Brazil, town attorney Joanne O'Connor and Planning, Zoning and Building Director Wayne Bergman, with Civic Association CEO Michael Pucillo serving as moderator. Staff also spoke about the policies already enacted, with Blouin highlighting the temporary changes made to the hours for to landscapers and construction workers. In December, Town Council voted to change landscape hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., to 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with the first 30 minutes limited to quiet work. On Feb. 11, the council voted to change the construction hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., to 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with the first hour limited to quiet work. 'So, in concept, if they are able to get on the island before the peak rush hours in the morning or leave after the peak rush hours in the afternoon, it should have some effect on the traffic,' he said. 'It may be small, but we're looking at everything.' The town also has rescheduled town capital improvement projects that could negatively impact traffic, senior project engineer Julie Parham said. She said residents can head to the "Planned Traffic Impacts" page on the town's website to view a map and schedule of upcoming town projects. Those changes came after Palm Beach recorded its largest recent uptick in the yearly growth of traffic. Kimley-Horn transportation engineer Adam Kerr said the rate of growth increased from a five-year average of 2.7% to 6.3% in the last year. That amounted to roughly 60,000 cars coming to and from the island every day, Kerr said. That translates to about 19,000 daily trips on Flagler Memorial Bridge, 27,000 daily trips on the Royal Park Bridge and 12,500 daily trips on the Southern Boulevard Bridge, he said. While Blouin emphasized that the town's traffic woes were caused by a range of factors, he said the two most impactful factors have been bridge openings, and the U.S. Secret Service's mandated closure of South Ocean Boulevard while the President Donald Trump is at Mar-a-Lago. He noted that while the Coast Guard controls the bridges leading into town, Mayor Danielle Moore had successfully lobbied to reduce bridge openings from two to one an hour during the town's morning and afternoon rush hour. However, that does not include the unscheduled bridge openings caused by the barges going to and from Palm Beach County's Bonefish Cove Project. 'We asked them to delay the project, to work in the off hours, to work at night ... all those requests were denied but the meeting and the communications did not stop,' Blouin said. During the town's last meeting with the project's lead, the Army Corps of Engineers, Blouin said Corps officials acknowledged that they did not expect the negative traffic impact caused by project's schedule. But there is some positive news. Blouin said the town saw a 16% decrease in traffic on the Flagler Memorial Bridge and a and 23% decrease on the Royal Park Bridge when the Secret Service lifted the South Ocean Boulevard closure. Palm Beach County's ever-increasing levels of tourism and growth have also played a role in the town's traffic woes, Blouin said. 'There's been an explosion of tourism and growth here in Palm Beach County, record setting numbers year over year,' Blouin told the over 60 in attendance. 'That's certainly not helping with the traffic, not only in Palm Beach County, but here in the Town of Palm Beach.' Palm Beach County has also experienced a nearly 3% growth in traffic along its main roadways leading to West Palm Beach and the Town of Palm Beach, Kerr said. However, residents could expect improvements by 2026, Blouin said, noting that the county is in the midst of updating its traffic signals, which should help reduce traffic traveling to and from the island during rush hour. Diego Diaz Lasa is a journalist at the Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at dlasa@ This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Town pitches shuttle service, building moratorium during traffic forum
