Latest news with #Kassel
Politico
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Camco Dems win round 1 of Cherry Hill dispute
Good Monday morning! A judge on Friday sided with the Camden County Democratic Committee in the Cherry Hill county committee dispute, finding that even though the slate of three dissident progressives easily beat a slate of 74 machine-backed candidates for Cherry Hill committee, the other 71 seats were effectively tied and should be filled by members of the losing slate. 'The question is what is the fairest thing to do,' said Judge Michael Kassel, who sits in Camden County. 'You have 74 vacancies, you have 77 people who want to fill them. Fair enough. Seems like the fairest thing is to give the top 74 vote-getters the job.' Those sympathetic to the progressives expected this outcome, figuring they would have to appeal. One activist noted to me that Kassel in 2019 affirmed the county clerk's decision to boot progressive freeholder candidates off the ballot without a hearing. And after Friday's hearing, they complained about how Kassel let Camden County Democratic Committee attorney Bill Tambussi speak continuously, then interrupted the progressives' lawyer, Yael Bromberg, time after time. As I watched the hearing Friday I was indeed struck by how many times Kassel interrupted Bromberg — more than two dozen times, by the Inquirer's count. Kassel was confident in his decision that the result of the election was a 71-seat tie, acknowledging during the hearing that he expected it to be appealed either way. But he also said the case was 'unprecedented.' What's clear is the ballot design was at fault for giving voters one oval for each slate instead of for each of the candidates. And Camden County Clerk Pam Lampitt said she had no choice but to design it that way, since Cherry Hill was too large a town to fit so many ovals on the ballot. But this is not a problem in any other county, because the others elect their county committee members by voting district. Had Camden County Democrats elected their committee members that way, they wouldn't have run into this problem. In the end, this is just for control of the Democratic Party in one town. But it happens to be the biggest one in Camden County, in the heart of what had long been vaunted as New Jersey's most powerful Democratic machine. It was a self-own on the machine's part. And there's the poetic justice of the progressives' ballot placement likely playing a role in their landslide win, since during the days of the county line the Camden County Democrats were notorious for allegedly manipulating ballots to favor their candidates. FEEDBACK? Reach me at mfriedman@ WHERE'S MURPHY — No public schedule QUOTE OF THE DAY: 'It's a very bad habit of mine.' — Judge Kassel on interrupting Yael Bromberg, right before interrupting her again. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Vicky Flynn, Sarah Steward WHAT TRENTON MADE LARUE THE DAY — 'LaRue tells embattled Arnau to prove innocence or quit,' by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: 'The chair of New Jersey's largest LGBTQ+ advocacy organization wants Democratic Assembly candidate Ron Arnau to either refute allegations that he physically and emotionally abused his partner of nearly two years or get out of the race. 'If Mr. Arnau cannot disprove these serious allegations, he must step aside. Voters deserve candidates who uphold – not undermine — the public's trust,' said Jeannine Frisby LaRue, the Garden State Equality Action Fund board chair LaRue's statement is potentially devastating to Arnau's campaign and could leave the openly gay candidate without an essential ally in an already uphill race for an Assembly seat.' —'Memorial set for Kabir Moss on Monday' —'Teen found dead next to train tracks 10 years ago was the victim of a hate crime, not a suicide, suit claims' —'Gig workers outraged over NJ rule change for 1.7 million independent contractors' TRUMP ERA HABBA IS ALSO INVESTIGATING MY CHILDHOOD GIRLFRIEND THAT MY FRIENDS NEVER MET. (SHE LIVES IN ANOTHER STATE) — 'U.S. subpoenas governor who said he would house migrant at his home,' by The New York Times' Tracey Tully and Jonah E. Bromwich: 'Alina Habba, who has used her job as New Jersey's top federal prosecutor to aggressively target Democrats, is pursuing an investigation into remarks made by Gov. Philip D. Murphy about housing a migrant, according to three people with knowledge of the matter. Mr. Murphy said in February that he was prepared to house a woman whose immigration status was unclear at his family's home in Middletown. F.B.I. agents have since sought to interview at least four witnesses in connection with the comments, two of the people said, with one adding that the governor had been subpoenaed but not questioned … Two of the people with knowledge of the investigation involving Mr. Murphy's comments indicated that it was separate from any Justice Department inquiry related to New Jersey's so-called sanctuary policy, which has been upheld by a federal appeals court. There has been no public sign of that inquiry moving forward.' IMMIGRATION — 'Booker: Ban ICE agents from wearing masks during arrests,' by NJ Spotlight News' Briana Vannozzi: 'U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) is leading a growing push to ban immigration enforcement agents from covering their faces during operations. Booker and California Sen. Alex Padilla have introduced legislation that will require U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to show their faces when making public arrests, as well as have clearly displayed personal identification on their body. ICE has said the masks and face coverings are being used for officers' protection amid ramped-up crackdowns under the Trump administration, with what they said is an increase of personal threats against the agents and their families. According to lawmakers, using those masks while acting in a federal capacity is illegal and stoking fear in communities like Newark and Los Angeles, where arrests have led to protests.' HOPE AND CHANGE FOUND BETWEEN THE MURPHYS' COUCH CUSHIONS—'Joined By Obama and Sherrill, Murphy raises more than $1.5 million for DNC,' by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: 'Joined by former President Barack Obama, Gov. Phil Murphy and First Lady Tammy Murphy raised over $1.5 million for the Democratic National Committee tonight, with some of that haul expected to be spent in New Jersey this year. The Democratic nominee for governor, Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-Montclair), was at the high-dollar dinner held at the Murphy home in Middletown.' ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL? — 'Trump marks anniversary of assassination attempt at soccer final,' by The AP: 'President Donald Trump on Sunday marked the one-year anniversary of a failed attempt on his life, joining family, friends and close advisers to witness Chelsea's dominating FIFA Club World Cup final victory over Paris Saint-Germain. The president joined the players on the field after the match to congratulate the tournament's outstanding performers, present PSG players with their runner-up medals and hand Chelsea their championship trophy. Trump and first lady Melania Trump were greeted with cheers as they arrived at MetLife Stadium just ahead of the pre-match performance by musical artists Robbie Williams and Laura Pausini. And the president got a smattering of boos when he was briefly shown on the stadium's mega-screen.' —'Trump administration freezes $140 million for NJ schools as Gov. Murphy urges feds to release funds' —'Trump's voucher plan hurts N.J.'s public schools, rewards the rich | Opinion' LOCAL ICE NOT COOLING ANYTHING DOWN — 'Several injured after driver plows through crowd of anti-ICE protesters in New Jersey,' by ABC 7's Sonia Rincon: 'Several people were injured after a driver plowed through a crowd of anti-ICE protesters at an immigration rally in New Jersey on Saturday afternoon. Fairview Police say Linda Roglen, 62, of North Bergen is facing several violations and criminal charges, including assault by auto resulting in injury and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in injuries. Roglen and one of the protesters got into a verbal argument. A worker at a pizza shop across the street started recording the protests because he thought it was interesting, happening right outside the window at Fairview and Anderson Avenues. He saw the confrontation between the two. 'I don't know what they said, but they just say something to each other and he spits in her face,' said Gabriel Mayen. Mayen says he never expected to see that, but what happened next was even more shocking -- the driver hit that then more as the car accelerates.' OCEAN COUNTY — 'N.J. couple alleges Assistant Ocean County prosecutor targeted them to benefit his side business,' by NJ Advance Media's Colleen Murphy: 'A New Jersey couple scored a win in federal court, where a judge ruled they can move forward with key parts of their lawsuit accusing Ocean County prosecutors of malicious prosecution and defamation. Salvatore and Jane Mattiaccio, owners of Level and Square Construction in Point Pleasant, allege that now-retired Assistant Ocean County Prosecutor William Scharfenberg used his position to pursue criminal investigations against them while operating a competing construction company, Beacon Homes of N.J … They … allege that his business interests motivated a series of criminal investigations and prosecutions against them, including charges stemming from a contract dispute with a customer in 2018. That case was later dismissed.' ABHOR DAY — 'Drew University plan calls for up to 700 new homes. Is deal to preserve forest dead?' by The Daily Record's William Westhoven: 'The path to preserving 51 forested acres on the Drew University campus once again appears in jeopardy after the school proposed building hundreds of residential units — despite a tentative agreement with Madison borough to save the property. The borough's affordable housing plan … includes details of a proposal by the university to build 492 residential units on two lots that are near, but not considered part of, the Drew Forest parcel. … Of those units, 20% would be reserved for low- or moderate-income residents and count towards Madison's state-mandated affordable-housing obligations. … That was expected by preservation advocates. But the university's proposal also identifies the two Drew Forest lots as 'ideal' for a 208-unit townhome community. Those lots were not included in Madison's latest calculations of land considered to have redevelopment potential.' INFRASUCKSHORE 'Two broken Depression era Jersey Shore drawbridges are causing problems on land and sea,' by NJ Advance Media's 'Two Jersey Shore drawbridges that were built during the Great Depression are showing their age, breaking down and causing problems for drivers and boaters this summer. The moveable section of the failed Route 71 drawbridge in Monmouth County is in the open position, while the Dorset Avenue bridge in Atlantic County is closed, making it an obstacle for tall boats. Replacement is an option for the Route 71 drawbridge in Monmouth County, which is owned by the state, but not for the Dorsett Avenue bridge, owned by Atlantic County, officials said.' THE MARVELOUS MRS. MEASLES — 'First measles case of the year confirmed in Ocean County resident,' by The Asbury Park Press' Amanda Oglesby: 'New Jersey health officials confirmed the first case of measles in Ocean County this year. Officials are urging people to know the symptoms of measles after an Ocean County resident tested positive as of July 10. Bergen County had a case of a resident who had recently traveled. Another Bergen County case was tied to an individual who was a non-resident and was visiting. … Officials did not release additional information about the case.' —'Asbury Park Housing Authority pitches new affordable homes, but is this plan realistic?' —'Newark Public Library Workers are not city employees says mayor, as staff fight for a new contract' —'Cape May County eyes renewed effort to ease homelessness' —'Passaic mayor wants solution for tenants priced out of their apartments after fire' —Sayegh: 'Paterson is a city of immigrants. And we're proud of it | Opinion' EVERYTHING ELSE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO EXPUNGE THE ARREST OF THE REPORTERS FOR ALLEGEDLY VIOLATING EXPUNGEMENT — 'NJ reporters face unconstitutional charges for refusing to unpublish news,' by Freedom of the Press Foundation: 'Prosecutors are pursuing baseless criminal charges against two Red Bank, New Jersey, journalists for refusing to remove a police blotter entry from a news website, as the Freedom of the Press Foundation's U.S. Press Freedom Tracker first reported. The defendants are Redbankgreen publisher Kenny Katzgrau and reporter Brian Donohue. They're alleged to have engaged in disorderly conduct by revealing the existence of an arrest, knowing that the arrest record has been expunged or sealed ... They're represented by Pashman Stein Walder Hayden P.C., who have moved to dismiss the ridiculous charges ... On Sept. 18, 2024, Redbankgreen published the August 2024 blotter provided by the Red Bank Police Department, which contained information about the arrest. The arrest was later expunged on March 27, 2025. The blotter published by the Redbankgreen includes an update that the arrest was expunged, as well as a note that arrests in general are not determinations of guilt.' HUDSON TUBES TIED UP — 'Weekend PATH meltdown leaves riders, Hoboken mayor calling for reform,' by WNYC's Ramsey Khalifeh: 'PATH train riders were fuming Sunday after a series of equipment failures upended commutes across the system throughout the weekend. A switch problem just before noon on Saturday cut off service between the Hoboken, Journal Square and 33rd Street, according to PATH officials. Delays were made worse after a train broke down at the World Trade Center station later in the evening. And the problems continued Sunday morning, when signal and track problems at the Newport and Hoboken stations caused further outages. Advocates said that the disruptions were another slap in the face to riders who already endure poor weekend PATH service, which they argue ought to be made more frequent. ' EN BAS DU RIVAGE — 'Is it cheaper to spend a week in Paris, Hawaii, or down the Shore? We investigated,' by The Philadelphia Inquirer's Amy S. Rosenberg: 'Can you still really jet off at the last minute to, say, Paris, for less money than slogging it with your linens and towels down the A.C. Expressway and Garden State Parkway … to check in to a weekly rental in Ocean City? We put it to the test, asking Philly travel agents for quotes on trips to Honolulu, Paris, Puerto Rico, via Paul Ferdinand of Rainbow Voyages. … Brian Logue, managing partner of the Anchor Group in Ocean City, says Shore rental prices have cooled since the post-COVID high. … Ferdinand found that a week in Honolulu from Aug. 12 to 19, could rival a week at the Shore in price. Round-trip airfare runs $660 per person with one connection each way. He priced an oceanview room at the three-star Park Shore Waikiki at $2,030 total, including all taxes and fees. 'You can lay in your bed and have a completely unobstructed view of the Pacific and Diamond Head through the floor to ceiling windows in the room,' he noted. 'Try getting a house for a week at the Shore for that price,' he said, accurately.' DEI ANOTHER DAY — 'Some N.J. nonprofit leaders say they are not backing down from DEI initiatives, despite Trump's dismantling policies,' by WHYY's Kenneth Miles: 'Several New Jersey nonprofit leaders say they are not backing down from initiatives that promote diversity, equity and inclusion — also known as DEI — despite the Trump administration targeting the programs and threatening to end federal contracts over them. While President Donald Trump has signed several executive orders looking to prohibit the programs in the public and private sectors, nonprofit leaders in the Garden State who work in DEI space said that while they are being challenged, they're not giving up. In fact, they're doubling down.'
National Post
24-06-2025
- Business
- National Post
SWARM Biotactics Raised €13M to Advance Bio-Robotics From Lab to Field
Article content KASSEL, Germany & SAN FRANCISCO — SWARM Biotactics, developer of bio-robotic systems based on fully controllable living insects for mission-critical operations, has secured €10 million in seed funding, bringing its total raised to €13 million, including a €3 million pre-seed. The round was backed by a consortium of international investors from Europe, the United States, and Australia, including Vertex Ventures US, Possible Ventures, and Capnamic, who was the first investor in the pre-seed round. Several early backers also increased their stakes in the oversubscribed round. Article content SWARM Biotactics secures €13 M seed funding to scale insect-based bio-robotic swarms, delivering silent ISR and real-time data for defense, security and disaster response in high-risk, denied terrain beyond drone and robot reach. Article content UNMATCHED ACCESS FOR CRITICAL MISSIONS Article content SWARM Biotactics is creating a new category of robotics: living, intelligent systems designed for environments where machines can't go—cluttered, denied, and high-risk terrain. Bio-robotic swarms consist of cockroaches equipped with a custom-built backpack for control, sensing, and secure communication—enabling precise navigation and real-time data collection in the most inaccessible places. SWARM delivers highly scalable bio-robotic systems for defense, security, and disaster response. Article content 'We're entering a decade where access, autonomy, and resilience define geopolitical advantage,' said Stefan Wilhelm, CEO of SWARM Biotactics. 'Conventional systems fail where control is needed most—denied zones, collapsed infrastructure, politically complex terrain. Article content SWARM is the first company building an entirely new category of robotics: biologically integrated, Article content AI-enabled, and mass-deployable systems for persistent intelligence in places no drone or ground robot can reach. This funding moves us from deep tech to deployment—delivering the infrastructure democracies need to operate more smartly, more safely, and with total tactical awareness.' Article content SWARM will use the new funding to transition from advanced research to field deployment. Priorities include: Article content Launching operational pilots in Europe and North America with defense, national security, and emergency response agencies. Scaling production of proprietary sensor backpacks, neural interfaces, and swarm infrastructure. Expanding its R&D centers and its international go-to-market and engineering hub. Recruiting top talent in insect neurobiology, embedded AI, field robotics, and dual-use system integration. Article content 'Our mission is to build a scalable, dual-use intelligence platform that adapts to any terrain, threat, or mission,' Article content said Moritz Strube, CTO and co-founder. Article content 'This funding round validates the vision—and brings in the right global partners to help us scale.' Article content ABOUT SWARM BIOTACTICS Article content Founded in 2024, SWARM Biotactics develops fully controllable bio-robotic systems for defense, national security, disaster response, and industrial inspection. By combining biology with edge AI, swarm intelligence, and secure communications, SWARM delivers real-time data from the world's most inaccessible places. The company is headquartered in Kassel, Germany, with a U.S. subsidiary in San Francisco, California. Article content Article content Article content Article content
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
SWARM Biotactics Raised €13M to Advance Bio-Robotics From Lab to Field
KASSEL, Germany & SAN FRANCISCO, June 24, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SWARM Biotactics, developer of bio-robotic systems based on fully controllable living insects for mission-critical operations, has secured €10 million in seed funding, bringing its total raised to €13 million, including a €3 million pre-seed. The round was backed by a consortium of international investors from Europe, the United States, and Australia, including Vertex Ventures US, Possible Ventures, and Capnamic, who was the first investor in the pre-seed round. Several early backers also increased their stakes in the oversubscribed round. UNMATCHED ACCESS FOR CRITICAL MISSIONS SWARM Biotactics is creating a new category of robotics: living, intelligent systems designed for environments where machines can't go—cluttered, denied, and high-risk terrain. Bio-robotic swarms consist of cockroaches equipped with a custom-built backpack for control, sensing, and secure communication—enabling precise navigation and real-time data collection in the most inaccessible places. SWARM delivers highly scalable bio-robotic systems for defense, security, and disaster response. "We're entering a decade where access, autonomy, and resilience define geopolitical advantage," said Stefan Wilhelm, CEO of SWARM Biotactics. "Conventional systems fail where control is needed most—denied zones, collapsed infrastructure, politically complex terrain. SWARM is the first company building an entirely new category of robotics: biologically integrated, AI-enabled, and mass-deployable systems for persistent intelligence in places no drone or ground robot can reach. This funding moves us from deep tech to deployment—delivering the infrastructure democracies need to operate more smartly, more safely, and with total tactical awareness." FROM DEEP TECH R&D TO OPERATIONAL READINESS SWARM will use the new funding to transition from advanced research to field deployment. Priorities include: Launching operational pilots in Europe and North America with defense, national security, and emergency response agencies. Scaling production of proprietary sensor backpacks, neural interfaces, and swarm infrastructure. Expanding its R&D centers and its international go-to-market and engineering hub. Recruiting top talent in insect neurobiology, embedded AI, field robotics, and dual-use system integration. "Our mission is to build a scalable, dual-use intelligence platform that adapts to any terrain, threat, or mission," said Moritz Strube, CTO and co-founder. "This funding round validates the vision—and brings in the right global partners to help us scale." ABOUT SWARM BIOTACTICS Founded in 2024, SWARM Biotactics develops fully controllable bio-robotic systems for defense, national security, disaster response, and industrial inspection. By combining biology with edge AI, swarm intelligence, and secure communications, SWARM delivers real-time data from the world's most inaccessible places. The company is headquartered in Kassel, Germany, with a U.S. subsidiary in San Francisco, California. View source version on Contacts PRESS CONTACTinfo@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
The Guardian
19-06-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Rampaging raccoons: how the American mammals took over a German city – and are heading across Europe
In Kassel, everyone has a story about raccoons. Some struggle with a family of them that moved into their roof and simply will not leave. Others recount how a picnic in the park turned into an ambush as gangs of the black and white animals, known in Germany as Waschbären, raided the food. Almost everyone seems to have a neighbour who feeds them, to the annoyance of the entire street. 'We are the raccoon city. They are everywhere,' says Lars, a Kassel resident, as he tends his allotment by Karlsaue park in the fading light. 'When it's a bit darker, they will come out. I sit here in my garden at night and the raccoons come. If your bag is here, they will steal your banana or something,' he says. 'They have no predators, so they are the chiefs. They can do what they want. We love them but we also hate them.' While no one knows the exact number, there are thousands of raccoons in this central German city, a hotspot for the estimated 1.5 million that live across the country. The omnivorous mammal, native to North America, was brought to Nazi Germany in the 1930s for fur farming, but escaping animals and intentional introductions helped establish a large wild population in the years afterwards. Today, they are increasingly spotted across Europe, with sightings in France, Denmark, Poland, Italy, Austria and elsewhere. 'It is clear that the raccoon is spreading very rapidly across western Europe,' says Daniel Willcox, a co-chair of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) small carnivore specialist group. 'It's going to be very difficult to control – but it doesn't mean you shouldn't try.' Many in Kassel have embraced the raccoons: several sports teams have named themselves after the animals; residential bins are locked to stop opportunistic raiders, and people are careful to check under their cars for the animals. But since 2016, the raccoon has been classified as an invasive species in the EU because of the threat it poses to native wildlife. 'The impacts of raccoons are widespread,' says Marten Winter, an invasive species expert at the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv). 'They can climb, which is a totally new ecological niche for a species like this in Europe. Ground-nesting birds, bats in caves, birds in boxes, amphibians – they are able to eat almost everything.' One study in Brandenburg indicates that raccoons routinely predate on ground-nesting birds, which have already suffered significant population declines across the continent. Other research, from western Poland, shows they are eating 'extreme' quantities of endangered mussels. Raccoons have become so widespread in parts of Europe that they are now probably part of ecosystems for good, Winter says. Their spread across Europe is likely to accelerate and ecologists are divided about what to do next. Willcox says: 'There are certain native species that are going to be really sensitive to predation by raccoons. There have to be control programmes. There is no ecological equivalent to raccoons in Europe and it's not something that should be tolerated.' He proposes stricter programmes across the EU to limit their spread, akin to those in Australia and New Zealand that have invested large sums to eliminate non-native biodiversity. But others urge caution. Winter says further research is needed about the raccoons' impacts on European biodiversity and says they are not the only pressure on species they are accused of consuming. 'We need better data to really have an idea of the actual impact of the raccoon on its prey populations. With potentially 1.6 million individuals in Germany, they have an impact. But we still have the mink, which is also a very effective predator for ground-nesting animals. And what about cats? Cats are very likely to be causing more severe declines in bird populations, at least in semi-urban areas,' he says. Despite the animal's popularity among many Germans, 200,000 raccoons were culled last year alone. Hunting associations report that they are being found in growing numbers and across larger ranges. To help with population control, at least one butcher has even started making sausages and meatballs from their meat. 'I've never had anyone say it is disgusting or that you can't eat it. Honestly, everyone likes it,' he told CNN in 2024. At sunset in Kassel, the stream of early summer cyclists begins to slow. Swallows and swifts feast on flying insects in the fading light. From the trees, raccoons begin to emerge, ready to scour the city in the short hours of darkness. Lars, resting on his spade, says Kassel's residents will continue to embrace the animals – but there are limits. 'When I was a child, they were here but not so many,' he says. 'They are a symbol for us here, a badge of honour. Sometimes, we are proud of them. But they destroy a lot.' Find more age of extinction coverage here, and follow the biodiversity reporters Phoebe Weston and Patrick Greenfield in the Guardian app for more nature coverage
