Latest news with #KimMiller
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The tide is turning on shark nets at Sydney's famed beaches
Editor's Note: Call to Earth is a CNN editorial series committed to reporting on the environmental challenges facing our planet, together with the solutions. Rolex's Perpetual Planet Initiative has partnered with CNN to drive awareness and education around key sustainability issues and to inspire positive action. In late November, a gaggle of open-water swimmers set out from Sydney's Bondi Beach. About 500 meters (1,600 feet) from shore, they stopped and formed a line 150 meters (about 500 feet) long, treading water above the length of the beach's shark net. They hoped to demonstrate that the length of the net paled in comparison to that of the world-famous kilometer-long beach. And that if they could easily bypass the net, sharks can too. 'It's a bit of a joke for us when we swim over the top of or around the outside of the shark nets … seeing how utterly useless they are,' Kim Miller, an open-water swimmer based in Sydney, told CNN. Miller was out of town the day of the protest, but she's among a growing group of swimmers, surfers, animal welfare advocates, and others vocally opposed to shark nets, which have been used at Sydney's beaches every summer since 1937. Opponents of the nets – which are installed at 51 beaches between Newcastle and Wollongong – argue they are ineffective, outdated, and harmful to the ocean ecosystem. They say nets provide swimmers with a false sense of security. Some academic studies back up claims that the nets are not effective at keeping people safe. From September 2023 to April 2024, 255 marine creatures were entangled in shark nets in New South Wales (NSW). But only 15 of those animals were 'target species' like great white, tiger and bull sharks. The rest were rays, turtles, dolphins, fish like longtail tuna, and sharks not considered dangerous. Marcel Green, the leader of the shark program at the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), which manages the nets, told CNN via email that whale alarms and dolphin pingers are used to deter those animals from the nets, and that nets aren't used during the winter, because it's the peak of the whale migration season. This year, amid growing opposition to the nets, they were removed on March 31, a month earlier than normal, due to increased turtle activity in April. And in recent months, in response to a survey sent out by the NSW government, asking local authorities to vote on the use of shark nets, none of the eight councils where shark nets are used elected to continue their use next season, according to Humane World for Animals. Now, the state government is set to decide if shark nets have a future in NSW. Going to the beach is a popular pastime in Australia, where almost 90% of the population lives within 50 kilometers (30 miles) of the coast. The country's shoreline is also home to several species of sharks, including tiger, bull, and great white sharks, that are most frequently involved in serious injuries to humans. NSW has a comprehensive shark management program to try to keep beachgoers safe. In addition to nets, authorities use technologies like SMART drumlines, which consist of a buoy and a baited hook. When an animal is caught, authorities are alerted. Non-target animals are released, and sharks of target species are tagged and released farther out to sea. Later, if a tagged shark swims close to shore, the public is alerted via an app and updates to an X account. Drone patrols are also a common sight over the state's beaches. 'If we know that we have more sophisticated measures that are better at protecting sharks, they don't kill non-target species, so why would we keep the nets in that mix?' Jack Boyd, the mayor of Sutherland Shire council, one of the councils that participated in the survey, told CNN. 'It's not something that we considered flippantly, it's not something that's a response to special interests,' he added. 'It is something that is based on science.' Over the last 10 years there were, on average, 2.8 annual fatalities from shark incidents nationally, 20 cases a year where people were injured, and seven a year where the person was uninjured, according to the Taronga Conservation Society Australia, which works on the Australian Shark-Incident Database. For comparison, in 2023, 125 people drowned in the ocean, according to Surf Life Saving Australia, and there were 1,266 fatalities on Australian roads over the same period, according to official data. Since the meshing program began in 1937, there has only been one fatal shark incident at a netted beach, and that was back in 1951, says Green, of NSW DPIRD. He points to a 1997 study that says when they were first introduced, shark nets in NSW, Queensland and South Africa reduced the rate of shark incidents by about 90%. He added that to date, there has not been a shark bite while drones have been monitoring a beach. (Officials have been trialing the use of drones to detect sharks at NSW beaches since 2017). According to some experts, shark nets have become a political hot potato. 'I do not see anyone concerned with the safety of swimmers and surfers. I see people concerned with the next election and with political survival,' Christopher Pepin-Neff, an associate professor in Public Policy at the University of Sydney, told CNN. The tensions over the future of shark nets were on full display in late February at a local council meeting in Randwick, home to Coogee, another popular Sydney beach, just a few kilometers south of Bondi. 'They do not form a barrier, deter, deflect, or stop sharks from swimming at beaches,' Lauren Sandeman, a PhD researcher in human and shark interactions, told the council. 'Their goal is to entangle and kill whatever swims into the net.' For others, the risk of changing tack is too great. 'If these shark nets were removed and some person is getting mauled by a shark and being killed, I couldn't face that person's partner or parent,' said councilor Noel D'Souza, before casting his vote to keep the nets in the water. Another councilor, Carolyn Martin, who supported the nets told CNN that although it was a tough decision for her personally, her community 'just felt safer with the nets in.' In the end, eight councilors voted to do away with shark nets, beating out the seven councilors who want them to stay. The population of grey nurse sharks on Australia's East coast has dwindled to about 2,000 animals making them critically endangered. The sharks, which can grow over to over three meters (almost 10 feet) in length and have long, scraggly teeth visible even when their mouths are closed, are not considered a threat to divers and swimmers. 'They have this ferocious look about them, and yet they're these cute, cuddly Labradors,' says Sarah Han-de-Beaux, a Sydney-based free- and scuba diver, who frequently spots the sharks on her outings. Several years ago, Han-de-Beaux and others started 'Saving Norman,' a campaign to advocate for the removal of the nets. (Many Sydney residents refer to grey nurse sharks as 'Norman,' a name coined by a local drone photographer). In recent months, she's given up most of her weekends to campaign for the removal of the nets, manning booths at local beaches to educate the public. 'People think they stretch the whole beach,' she says, but all shark nets in NSW span 150 meters (about 500 feet) and are just six meters tall. Han-de-Beaux says that it's been a year of progress. This summer, the frequency of net inspections went up to every two days from every three days, to increase the possibility of releasing entangled animals alive. (The previous summer, only 36% of the 255 creatures caught in the nets were released alive). Other measures to protect accidental catch, like installing lights on the nets to deter turtles, were trialed. And in recent weeks, local officials have been posting signs warning the public of the early removal of the nets. Now, a decision is expected from the New South Wales government on if the nets will go back in next September. Pepin-Neff estimates that the decision might be clear when the next state budget is announced, generally around June. The government will consider feedback from the surveys it sent out to coastal councils, and other data as it develops its shark management program for the 2025 to 2026 season, according to Green. 'Our program is evidence-based after many years of trials and research,' he added. In the meantime, swimmers like Miller plan to keep taking to the water, nets or not, accepting the risk of entering a shark's natural habitat. 'Every time I get in the ocean, I assume that there are sharks in there. It's where they live,' she says. 'We'd have to be super unlucky for something to go terribly wrong.'
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'It's all about the kids': BOE candidate Kim Miller runs for second term
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — St. Joseph School District Board of Education candidate Kim Miller is seeking another term to serve local constituents. Miller said there are three things she wants to focus on in a second term: decreasing bullying and improving safety, increasing parental involvement and driving academic improvement. Although a big topic of discussion for voters this election season is the Proposition 2 bond measure, Miller said her focus is on the kids. "We've spent all of this time on the buildings, that we forget that the students are in those buildings and they are the ones who matter more than the buildings," Miller said. "I understand all of that, and the voters are going to decide, but when it comes to the success of our students, that supersedes everything." When it comes to decreasing bullying, Miller suggests, "enforcing clear and consistent anti-bullying policies, increasing adult supervision in high-risk areas (hallways, lunchrooms and playgrounds) and implementing mentorship programs that pair older students with younger ones. "Most of the time the board is supposed to be like an oversight to come alongside. We're not supposed to get in the weeds with the staff but to help encourage like those policies, to help get some clear and consistent policies that everyone can understand and implement," Miller said. "We get a lot of complaints, whether emails or phone calls from parents complaining. You know, 'My kid was bullied in the bathroom,' 'My child was bullied on the bus.'" When it comes to increasing parental involvement, Miller said she attended a few sessions offered by the Family Leadership Institute, which suggests ways families and school administrations can work together. "Sometimes we use family forums. It's opening the doors, 'Hey, we have, we have dinner and information for you, come on.' It encourages better relationships," Miller said. "You know, again, it's not oversight of staff. It's not getting in the way of the teaching, but it's it's allowing them privilege to be participant and investor in their children in schools." Miller is also in support of the district's Comprehensive School Improvement Plan, or CSIP, which allows teachers to see where they can improve in classrooms and how to foster student improvement. "It's what's happening in the classroom, how successful they are in providing information and how well the students are taking that in and applying it," Miller said. "So I think that's why and it's comparable. These also show how we rate along with other districts similar in size." You can learn more about each candidate running for the St. Joseph School Board every Tuesday through the end of March.
Technical.ly
26-02-2025
- Business
- Technical.ly
How AI is infiltrating labor union contracts, in Pittsburgh and beyond
With the rise of AI tools in the workplace, workers across sectors are wondering how it might impact their livelihoods. Workers in industries with strong unions, meanwhile, are recognizing the necessity of proactively addressing potential threats AI poses to job security by leveraging their bargaining power. The key is striking a balance between encouraging employers to adopt new technologies to be competitive and protecting workers from new technologies that could erode workplace safety or job security, said Kim Miller, assistant to the international president of the United Steelworkers (USW). While workers in some trades are embracing AI, those in more creative fields are cautious about new tools. Union experts told there's no one-size-fits-all approach, but there are key things unions can start doing now, like getting workers to the bargaining table. 'Having workers at the table is very important upfront, and we always encourage that,' Miller said. 'I will say that in the best-case scenario, we are working with the employer well before any technology is implemented.' USW knows this because, despite 'steelworkers' in its title, the organization's breadth expands far beyond that. It represents 850,000 workers across North America in industries ranging from metals, mining, rubber, and chemicals to paper, oil refining and more. The union also represents workers in the service, public, healthcare and higher education sectors. Last year, USW expanded its local reach by becoming the representative for over 6,000 faculty at the University of Pittsburgh and then over 1,000 grad students. Some unions are ready to embrace AI in cases in which it doesn't currently present downsides for represented workers. 'Best-case scenario, we are working with the employer well before any technology is implemented.' Kim Miller, United Steelworkers Matt Spence, director of media for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), believes AI is benefiting the workers his union represents. IBEW represents roughly 750,000 workers and has had a presence in Pittsburgh since 1897. Today, electricians are benefiting from the additional work related to maintaining or modernizing energy generation and transmission systems that support large-scale tech projects or energy demands related to AI, Spence said. Several pro-business groups did not respond to requests for comment. Creative fields grapple with AI content takeover Unions in fields like news, academia and content creation view generative AI as a real threat to job security, fearing it could devalue the work their members create. Zack Tanner, president of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh, which represents faculty at Point Park University and striking journalists from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, said AI hasn't yet been part of contract negotiations for the workers he represents since other high-level issues currently take precedent, but 'it's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when.' While the union does not currently have any formal policies surrounding the use of generative AI in the workplace, Tanner said the Guild has already fought against the replacement of human-made work with AI-generated content. In the future, Tanner anticipates AI will be addressed on a case-by-case basis. There have been some AI tools released in the last couple of years, like transcription software or upgrades to Photoshop, that have helped unionized workers do their best work, Tanner said. However, other generative AI tools 'spit in the face' of the time workers have invested in developing their creative skills, he said. For now, Tanner sees the rise of AI in the workplace as a 'traditional labor battle, just with a brand new technology.' '[We have to] make sure that our creative input and our work is valued to the extent that it should be,' Tanner said, 'and not let management publish a bunch of AI slop and garbage that hasn't been vetted or edited by somebody that would otherwise have the talent to do such a thing.' Union strategies can focus on upskilling workers, policy advocacy Other strategies unions can employ when raising concerns about AI include making sure current workers are upskilled when new technologies are introduced in the workplace and using collective bargaining power to ensure job retention, Miller said. Along with advocating for retraining programs, workers and unions can push for government policies that protect workers on a national scale, said Lou Martin, a professor and expert on labor and working-class history at Chatham University. Efforts to strengthen the social safety net for displaced workers have been made before, Martin said. The consequence of automation in the 1950s spurred support for the War on Poverty, ultimately leading to the creation of crucial social support programs like Medicare and the bolstering of Social Security benefits. 'As a society, we should have a more humane policy for displaced workers,' Martin said. 'It's oftentimes people who suddenly lose their livelihood who are the most desperate, depressed, angry, and we just don't need any more people to go through that. So, we should have policies that watch out for these folks and make sure that they have the time and support they need to get through that transition.' AI is a new frontier — but the conundrum isn't new Union strategies to protect workers in the face of new technology aren't from an entirely new playbook. Technological changes are constantly changing labor dynamics. 'I think there are a lot of parallels between automation of manufacturing and mining in the 1950s and the potential for AI over the next 10 or 20 years,' Martin said. During the 1950s, automation was introduced as an opportunity to increase productivity and wages. While it did do that to some extent, automation also caused mass unemployment and layoffs in manufacturing and mining. This time, white-collar, college-educated, knowledge-based professions might be the most vulnerable to disruptions from AI tools, according to both Martin and Tom Mitchell, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University's School of Computer Science. AI is not a passing fad; advancements and adoption of the tools will continue, per a November report mandated by Congress on the workforce implications of AI, to which Mitchell contributed. The report also concluded that while it's difficult to predict the exact timeline, nature or specifics of these advances, the impact will be widespread across industries. The biggest wild card question that remains, Mitchell said, is which jobs will be automated, meaning fully replaced by AI, versus augmented, enhanced or supported by emerging tools. For example, some toll booth jobs have been fully automated with the rise of computer vision software, while radiologists' work has been augmented by AI systems that analyze X-rays to enhance diagnostic accuracy. What can workers and unions do, as jobs are redefined by the tasks that AI does better than humans and vice versa? Both Mitchell and Martin say workers should start planning for possible changes now by learning how the tools could be used in their workplace. 'While AI is the conversation of the moment,' said Miller, of USW, 'workplace change and new technologies, this is something that's been kind of a constant in our union for a very long time.'
