Latest news with #J.R
The Hindu
a day ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Seminar on Environmental Clearance Requirements and Compliance
Hubert Enviro Care Systems (HECS), in association with CREDAI Chennai, organised a seminar on Environmental Clearance Requirements and Compliance. Mohammed Ali, Managing Director of South India Shelters and President of CREDAI Chennai, highlighted about the bottlenecks faced in securing Environmental Clearances (ECs) for construction projects. He pointed out the potential implications of the recent Supreme Court judgment on the sector, calling for greater clarity, streamlined procedures, and proactive stakeholder engagement. J.R. Moses, CEO of HECS emphasized the critical need to understand and adapt to the evolving legal landscape, according to a statement. Balasubramaniam, Professor of Chemical Engineering at Anna University and Member of the State Disaster Management Committee, spoke about waste management, emphasising the intersection of science and policy. He called for an integrated approach to turn environmental challenges into sustainable development strategies.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Kansas Republican state senator accepts appointment to USDA rural development job
J.R. Claeys, a member of the Kansas Legislature for 13 years, said he accepted appointment to an administrative job in the U.S. Department of Agriculture within under President Donald Trump. He said serving the Salina area was the biggest honor of his life. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA — Republican Sen. J.R. Claeys of Salina resigned from the Kansas Legislature after accepting an administrative job with the rural business development service in the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Claeys, who served 13 years in the House and Senate but lost a GOP primary for secretary of state, disclosed several weeks ago his intent to quit as senior advisor to Attorney General Kris Kobach and as a Republican political consultant for Axiom Strategies. On Monday, Claeys assumed duties at USDA as director of the Rural Business-Cooperative Service. The federal agency within USDA has responsibility for promoting economic development by supporting rural businesses and cooperatives. Claeys said he joined the administration of President Donald Trump to 'continue to fight for rural Americans.' 'I have had the privilege of serving my hometown in the Kansas Legislature,' Claeys said. 'Representing the people of Saline and Dickinson counties, including Salina where I was born and raised, has been the honor of my life.' Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, said he appreciated the role Claeys' played in shaping the Senate's budget and tax policies. 'He has helped lead efforts to secure key private and public sector investments into Kansas, particularly his district,' Masterson said. The 24th District in the Senate, in accordance with Section 5 of the Kansas Constitution, was declared vacant and the process of nominating a replacement could begin. Claeys won reelection to a four-year term in November. Claeys was the second Republican to recently depart the Legislature for employment at USDA. State Rep. Patrick Penn, R-Wichita, stepped down in mid-May to begin work as deputy undersecretary for the agriculture department's food and nutrition service. Sedgwick County Republicans nominated Steve Brunk to complete the unexpired portion of Penn's term. Brunk served as a state representative from 2003 to 2015. Claeys said the central Kansas region within his legislative district experienced economic growth due to massive federal investment and an influx of state bond revenue that spurred manufacturing expansion and technological evolution. Developments included transportation projects, housing construction, downtown revitalization and growth at Kansas State University's aviation campus in Salina. 'Rural America is not an afterthought,' Claeys said. 'It is where the strongest work ethic exists in our nation. A resource more valuable than any other.' Claeys was elected to the House in 2012 and transitioned to the Senate in 2020. He worked on behalf of the Trump presidential campaign in 2020. He ran unsuccessfully for Kansas secretary of state in 2010. In 2012, the Salina Journal reported a company owned by Claeys was the subject of a Federal Trade Commission investigation into sales of worthless 'green' certifications to more than 125 companies. The FTC concluded Tested Green, based in Washington, D.C., sold bogus environmental certifications from February 2009 to April 2010. 'This company was putting out a green certification that consumers could pay for that was deceptive,' the FEC said at that time. 'It had nothing behind it to prove a company was green.' The FTC said Tested Green certifications were backed by the National Green Business Association and the National Association of Government Contractors. Those Claeys-owned associations shared an address in the District of Columbia. Claeys said he launched Tested Green, but turned over management to a 'director' when he began the campaign for Kansas secretary of state. Claeys said he was deceived by the director, who he declined to identify. The FTC's order listed Jeremy Ryan Claeys was doing business as Tested Green, the Journal said. The company wasn't fined or penalized by the FTC, which typically would issue a cease-and-desist order to the offending company.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Yahoo
Popular Florida beach tells spring breakers to take a hike
As spring break season continues, Panama City Beach, one of the country's most popular spring break towns, is telling visitors they're not wanted. The city's police chief said they are displeased with the behavior of many people who have already visited Panama City Beach this year. Police Chief J.R. Talamantez declared that Panama City Beach 'can no longer be a Spring Break town. 'That time is over,' he said in a recent social media post. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< Talamantez said they have seen instances of people firing gunshots over 'social media drama.' 'If you came with guns, bad intentions, and no respect for this city, we saw you,' Talamantez stated in the post. 'You thought you could blend in and get away with it. You were wrong. Our officers were ready, and many of you ended up in handcuffs.' As Spring Break season began ramping up, Talamantez issued a strict warning to those coming to the area: follow the law or face the consequences. He said the city would be instituting strict rules, including a curfew, security checkpoints and trespassing enforcement. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Read Talamantez's entire message to spring breakers below: Dear Spring Breakers and Our Community, Let me start by thanking those who did things the right way. To the future doctors, nurses, engineers, teachers, and leaders who came here for a break, you're appreciated. You made memories, enjoyed the beach, and showed respect. Most of you went home without problems, and that's exactly how it should be. Now to the others, the ones who came here to bring trouble. If you came with guns, bad intentions, and no respect for this city, we saw you. You thought you could blend in and get away with it. You were wrong. Our officers were ready, and many of you ended up in handcuffs. Some of you fired shots over petty arguments and social media drama. And when the cuffs went on, the tough act disappeared. Our officers didn't see hardened criminals. They saw scared kids crying in the interview room. TikTok doesn't show that part, but our body cameras do. To our community—here's where I stand. Panama City Beach can no longer be a Spring Break town. That time is over. Every year we try to manage it, and every year it brings more challenges. I'm not willing to risk the safety of our city to hold onto something that no longer works. And let me be clear, our law enforcement officers should not be expected to shoulder the burden of an event that no longer aligns with the values or vision of this community. It's unfair to continue placing that weight on the backs of the men and women who serve and protect this city every day. In the coming weeks, we will be having serious discussions with stakeholders and city leadership about the future of the Spring Break season. I'm confident they share this same concern. No plan will fix this overnight, but we have to start somewhere. And we have to start now. Panama City Beach is a safe, family-focused community. We've worked too hard to build that, and I won't let a group of criminals destroy it. To the good visitors, you'll always be welcome. To the idiots, go somewhere else. Chief J.R. Talamantez Semper Fi Read: Duval teacher concerned she has measles, turned away from being tested: What you should know Read: Palatka pastor arrested, accused of sexual assault against a child Read: Duval County Public Schools employee arrested, accused of abusing student [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Yahoo
Popular beach spot ‘can no longer be a Spring Break town,' police chief says
A popular spring break location wants travelers to go somewhere else. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Panama City Beach Police Chief J.R. Talamantez told our sister station, WSB TV in Atlanta, that they are not happy with the behavior of some visitors. He added that Panama City Beach, 'can no longer be a Spring Break town.' TRENDING STORIES: Plane runs out of fuel, makes emergency landing in cornfield, OSHP says Busy street closed after reported motorcycle crash in Dayton Man accused of shooting, killing man outside of bar; Defense says prosecutors have wrong guy Talamantez told WSB that he saw many instances of people firing gunshots over 'social media drama.' 'I'm not willing to risk the safety of our city to hold onto something that no longer works,' Talamantez said. 'Our law enforcement officers should not be expected to shoulder the burden of an event that no longer aligns with the values or vision of this community.' Talamantez added that 'Panama City Beach is a safe, family-focused community,' WSB reports. 'We've worked too hard to build that, and I won't let a group of criminals destroy it,' he said. The Bay County Sheriff's Office has also increased its efforts to stop the influx of vacationers and violence during the spring. They said they are focused on travelers who bring guns, start fights, or disrupt the community. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Honoring Black History: JR Clifford, the first African-American lawyer in West Virginia
MORGANTOWN, (WBOY) — J.R. Clifford was many things, an activist, an educator, a journalist, a veteran and the first African-American lawyer in the state of West Virginia. Through the efforts of Friends of Blackwater and its J.R. Clifford Project, his story is preserved at the West Virginia and Regional History Center (WVHRC). 12 News took a trip to the archives to learn about Clifford's impactful life. J.R. Clifford was born in 1848 in Moorefield, Virginia (later West Virginia) to free Blacks Isaac and Septima Clifford. As a teenager, he enlisted in the Union Army, fighting in the Civil War in a colored regiment. After the war, Clifford went to Harpers Ferry to attend Storer College, a school founded in the aftermath of the Civil War to educate freed slaves. After finishing college, Clifford became an educator himself, serving as a teacher and principal at Sumner School in Martinsburg. During this time, he also started a newspaper—the Pioneer Press—which ran for 35 years. Honoring Black History: The Mountaineer Military Museum In 1887, Clifford passed the bar exam, becoming the first African-American lawyer in West Virginia. Along with being a lawyer, Clifford was a pioneering civil rights activist. In 1898, Clifford represented teacher Carrie Williams, who sued the Board of Education Fairfax District in Tucker County for having the school term of black students be three months shorter than white students. West Virginia & Regional History Center Director Lori Hostuttler explained that the circuit court sided with Williams and Clifford. She added how the case was appealed and went to the West Virginia Supreme Court, but was not overturned. Clifford also attended the 1906 meeting of the Niagara Movement at Harpers Ferry, joining the likes of W.E.B. Du Bois in a call to end segregation. Clifford died in 1933, leaving behind a legacy of activism in his relentless pursuit of justice. Inside the collection, an educational pamphlet made by the Friends of Blackwater reads, 'West Virginia is our home, we can make things better, we can build a better world, just like J.R. Clifford.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
