Latest news with #CHAMP
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Memorial Day weekend drivers should keep safety on their minds
Going on a road trip this Memorial Day weekend? The Georgia Department of Public Safety is encouraging drivers to play it safe on the busy holiday streets. You will likely see Georgia Highway Patrol troopers and other members of law enforcement out on patrol this weekend, watching for possible impaired drivers and other road hazards. Troopers will also participate in Operation Observation on Friday, sponsored by the Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] 'We want everyone to enjoy this holiday weekend with family and friends by focusing on your driving behavior and minimizing distractions that could lead to serious or even fatal consequences,' said Col. William W. Hitchens, III, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Safety. Memorial Day weekend is the traditional start of the summer driving season. AAA said 87% of Americans, or about 45.1 million people, will be traveling by car at least 50 miles away from their home this Memorial Day weekend. RELATED STORIES: AAA recommends pre-trip checks on vehicles before Memorial Day weekend Lake Lanier closures: Number of parks closing will be scaled back, US Rep. says The last time this many people left home for the holiday was 2005. Want to beat the traffic? It seems the best bet is to leave early. Here are the best, and worst, times to hit the road during Memorial Day weekend, according to Inrix, a traffic intelligence company: Thursday Best: Before 12 pm. Worst: 1 - 9 p.m. Friday Best: Before 11 a.m. Worst: 12 – 8 p.m Saturday Best: Before 12 p.m. Worst: 2 – 6 p.m Sunday Best: Before 1 p.m. Worst: 1 – 5 p.m. Here are some travel tips to keep you and your loved ones safe as you travel this weekend: Observe the posted speed limits, and all traffic laws and signals. Do not drive impaired. Make sure everyone in the vehicle wears a seatbelt and children are in the appropriate child safety seat. Show common courtesy to other motorists and pedestrians on the roads. Pay attention to large trucks and buses. Do not drive distracted. Georgia is a hands-free state, which means no texting while driving. If you have an emergency on the road, please contact 911 or dial *GSP to be connected to the Georgia State Patrol Post closest to your location. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Those who need assistance on the roadway can dial 511 to request Georgia Department of Transportation's CHAMP (Coordinated Highway Assistance and Maintenance Program), a free service covering interstates outside of metro Atlanta (except I-59 and I-24), or HERO (Highway Emergency Response Operators) for assistance in the Metro Atlanta area. CHAMP and HERO can help stranded drivers, change tires, maintain traffic flow and even identify several vehicle maintenance problems. For more information and to view traffic cameras, download the 511 Georgia app or visit This year's 78-hour holiday travel period begins at 6 p.m. Friday and ends at 11:59 p.m. Monday. Eleven traffic deaths were investigated by state and local law enforcement officials during Memorial Day holiday weekend last year. Troopers also issued more than 14,000 citations, made more than 500 DUI arrests and investigated more than 500 crashes that resulted in more than 250 injuries.
NDTV
18-05-2025
- Science
- NDTV
Bacteria Thriving In Extreme Space Conditions Found On Chinese Space Station
A new, previously unknown strain of bacteria called niallia tiangongensis has been discovered on board China's Tiangong space station. As per the researchers, the new strain has remarkable mechanisms for adapting to extreme space environments, a discovery which might have real-life implications. The microbe had a better ability to combat oxidative stress, a condition in which cells and tissues are damaged due to an imbalance in the body. Additionally, the bacteria was also better equipped against reverse radiation-induced damage, according to a report in the South China Morning Post. Researchers from the Shenzhou Space Biotechnology Group and the Beijing Institute of Spacecraft System Engineering announced the discovery in a study published in the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. "Structural and functional differences in proteins (BshB1 and SplA) were identified, which may enhance biofilm formation, oxidative stress response and radiation damage repair, thereby aiding its survival in the space environment," the study highlighted. The discovery of the microbe is part of CHAMP (China Space Station Habitation Area Microbiome Program), an ongoing initiative that tracks microbial dynamics during long-term station operations. In 2023, the crew members aboard the Shenzhou-15 spacecraft collected surface swabs across multiple modules and returned them to Earth for genomic and metabolic analysis. "In this study, a Gram-positive, aerobic, spore-forming, rod-shaped strain JL1B1071 was isolated from the surface of hardware on the China Space Station," the article stated, adding that the microbe belonged to the genus niallia within the cyto bacillaceae, a family of rod-shaped bacteria. The microbe's survival mechanism could help develop targeted control strategies for spacecraft, agriculture, industry and medicine. Moreover, the bacteria's ability to break down specific organic compounds suggests new, sustainable methods for converting waste into useful resources, both in orbit and on Earth.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Town of Plattsburgh adopts CHAMP Law to aid future housing development
PLATTSBURGH — CHAMP is leading the way for housing development in the town of Plattsburgh. CHAMP, which, in this instance, stands for 'Creating Housing Acceleration Measures for Plattsburgh' and not the Lake Champlain folklore monster, is Plattsburgh's newest solution to the North Country housing crisis. Adopted this year, the CHAMP Law reformed the town's zoning code, making it easier for existing developments to expand and for new developments to begin. 'We all know that New York state is facing a housing crisis, and the North Country is no exception,' Plattsburgh Town Supervisor Michael Cashman said at a news conference at Emerson Place Tuesday, a new housing development on Kansas Avenue. 'But, here is the difference in the Town of Plattsburgh: we are not waiting on solutions. We are creating solutions with CHAMP. We are removing outdated barriers and modernizing our zoning to expand housing options.' Some of the key highlights of the CHAMP Law include • Permitting multi-family housing in A2 and SC zones. • Allowing for duplexes and infill conversions and walkable T4 and T5 zones. • Increasing density in the MDR zones with a minimum of one unit per 5,000-square feet. • Streamlining the site plan and permitting process. 'These reforms position us to accommodate approximately 2,600 new housing units here in the town of Plattsburgh,' Cashman said of the new law. 'This is a smart, intentional development that strengthens our future. It is focused on specific districts, cutting through regulatory clutter (and) it is based on the real demand and real project proposals. It reduces the need for variances, saving both money and time for our developers, and it also preserves the neighborhood characteristic. It also increases property value by boosting the opportunity and density for a strong return on investments as well.' PROOF OF CONCEPT One housing development, Emerson Place at 89 Kansas Ave. which is being built by K&M Taylor Properties, served as a learning experience for the town as they created the new CHAMP Law. Kerry Taylor of K&M Taylor Properties said when they began the process of developing the land, they had to go through the town's variance process, which she said was long and costly. 'I commend the town of Plattsburgh for being proactive in changing the zoning on some of these areas, because it's going to make it so much easier for developers to come in and build the housing we need,' Taylor said. 'Like Michael said, we need all levels (of housing) … it's not just the affordable (housing).' When construction is finished, Emerson Place will have six buildings and 28 units in total at market rate rent. For example, the news conference Tuesday was held in a two bedroom, two full bath with a garage and attic above it — Taylor said rent for that unit will be $2,050 a month. She said most of the units are already rented and they aren't even finished being built yet. 'So if that tells you the demand … it's kind of scary when you think about it,' Taylor said. BREAKING BARRIERS Cashman said the town wanted to make it easier for developers like K&M Taylor Properties to build and expand in the future like they are already doing. 'We have that responsibility, with our local developers that want to do business here, to break down barriers. That's what this law is about,' Cashman said. 'In addition to that, though, this law is also about showing investors that we have ample opportunity for people to put shovels in the ground, to build here.' 'This new law … this changes everything,' Taylor said. 'It really does. I mean, it's such a huge opportunity for the area, and this is addressing the housing crisis dead on.' Cashman said the main takeaway from the updated law is that he wants developers to know the town remains open for business. 'Come build with us. There is ample amount of opportunity here in the town, and we are positioned to work with people to continue to lead the way in our corner of the North Country.'
Boston Globe
13-04-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
‘A job in itself': The red tape to access food, housing, and help holds back Mass. families
'It's exhausting, it's stressful,' Delarosa said. 'It's like a job in itself.' Millions of low-income people in Massachusetts — often women and families of color — have to navigate a labyrinth of red tape to eat, access health care, and stay housed. Making a mistake or missing a deadline means a delay in services, or losing vital access altogether. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up the bureaucracy on their own, or coach each other through the grueling process even as they face evictions and food insecurity. Advertisement Across the country, systems in which people get access to benefits through one universal application. 'If we have programs that are, by design, not responsive to people's needs, that reinforces that pattern of inequality and who's represented in democracy,' said Carolyn Barnes, an associate professor at the University of Chicago. Advertisement In Massachusetts, Researchers who study administrative burden break it down into three categories: compliance costs, which include printing and mailing documents and attending agency interviews to access services; learning costs, which involve figuring out eligibility for different programs and how to actually apply for them; and psychological costs, or the shame and frustrations that come with asking for help. 'You have to open your whole life up to feel like you qualify for this crap housing,' said Marcia Boston, 74, who lives in state subsidized housing in Arlington that she said has mice and is too cramped. Boston was on a centralized state wait list through the Common Housing Application for Massachusetts Programs, or CHAMP, for eight years in hopes of being able to move to Northampton. She was checking in every few months when she received an email from the state that she was removed from the list. She is still not sure why. In 2022, then-Governor Charlie Baker state programs into one common application similar to the existing common housing application. Agencies would share information, allowing people to apply once, rather than repeatedly fill out various forms to find out what they're eligible for. The Department of Transitional Assistance is working to build a centralized hub that would do just that, but a spokesperson for the office declined to commit to a timeline, explaining that the office is in final contract negotiations with a vendor. Advertisement Officials said the first iteration of the tool would not come until after 2025 and would not initially include affordable housing programs. Instead, it will focus on SNAP and cash benefits for children, older adults, and people with disabilities, and it would leverage federal dollars to partially fund its creation. Those funds are pending federal approval but state officials said they expect them to come through. But as Trump administration officials eye cuts to programs such as Medicaid and Social Security, advocates and families who rely on those benefits are nervous about the potential impact. Even if the tool is finally created, budget cuts could mean longer wait times as fewer staff are available to process applications or support ailing families. Melinda Delarosa reached over to help her son, Edison, as they prepared lunch together at home. Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff Social safety net programs are used by all sorts of people. In Massachusetts, 45 percent of SNAP recipients, for example, are white people, 23 percent identify as Latino or Hispanic, and 14 percent are Black. Many programs, especially federal programs, also require participants to be US citizens to be eligible for benefits. The largest Several residents who use social benefits told the Globe they've had to coach each other on how to apply or handle a rejection notice. One Facebook Researchers admonish that this loss of trust ripples out to other parts of civic engagement such as elections, and can lead to lower voter turnout, according to Meredith Dost, a fellow at the Institute for Research on Poverty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Advertisement Among all 50 states, Massachusetts is in the middle of the pack when it comes to creating accessible health insurance, she said. For people who struggle to access technology, those who don't speak English, and people with disabilities, applying for services is particularly challenging. Carolyn Villers, executive director of the Massachusetts Senior Action Council, has watched as older adults struggle with MassHealth's On average, she said it takes people an hour and a half to fill out the paperwork if they're getting help from an assistant. If long-term services are needed, the application then requires five years' worth of documentation. 'It's a really high burden and as you can imagine, a lot of people get overwhelmed with the process and give up totally,' she said. What is also troubling to Villers is the burden to staff: 'It's silly for people in three different agencies to be processing the same paperwork for one person.' Often, individuals who need affordable housing could also benefit from state insurance, subsidized transportation, or heating and energy assistance. More than a decade ago, Colorado unveiled a one-stop-shop digital tool called the Program Eligibility and Application Kit, or PEAK, to help residents apply to state and federal programs all at once, with automatic renewals in some cases. 'They did it on a shoestring budget. A lot of people volunteered out of their regular roles,' said Mike West, the product owner of PEAK who manages a staff of seven that keeps the tool working smoothly. The original cost for the tool was around $600,000 state officials estimate. Advertisement 'Our job at PEAK is to make that look seamless and make that look friendly in the space of a smartphone screen,' West said. Back in Massachusetts, Delarosa keeps a close eye on her mail and email. Inevitably, it will be time again to file another application. Up next is a renewal for Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children, a cash program for very low-income families, due in May. The paperwork never gets easier, Delarosa said, but, 'What else are you supposed to do?' This story was produced by the Globe's team, which covers the racial wealth gap in Greater Boston. You can sign up for the newsletter . Esmy Jimenez can be reached at
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
FlatRate Moving Joins Elite Federal Movers List with GSA Approval
NEW YORK, April 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- FlatRate Moving is proud to announce its official approval to participate in the General Services Administration (GSA)'s Centralized Household Goods Traffic Management Program (CHAMP) Domestic Program. This designation recognizes FlatRate's exceptional standards of service, operational reliability, and compliance with the highest levels of federal moving and logistics requirements. As an approved Transportation Service Provider (TSP), FlatRate joins a select group of movers entrusted with managing household goods relocations for federal agencies. The company's inclusion in the CHAMP program reflects its outstanding capabilities, customer satisfaction, and track record of managing large-scale, secure relocations with professionalism and precision. "Being accepted into the GSA's CHAMP program is an exciting milestone," said David L. Giampietro, General Counsel & Chief Administrative Officer at FlatRate Moving. "It affirms our commitment to excellence and highlights the trust that public institutions place in our services." FlatRate continues to elevate its role as a premier logistics partner for government operations, offering best-in-class moving solutions tailored to the demands of federal contracts. For more information, visit Media Contact: David L. GiampietroGeneral Counsel & Chief Administrative OfficerFlatRate Moving (718) 475-5790(646) 596-2638davidg@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE FlatRate Moving
