Latest news with #MID
NZ Herald
23-05-2025
- Health
- NZ Herald
Mamamia's Holly Wainwright on why she wants to celebrate midlife
One of its co-hosts is Holly Wainwright. A British expat who has lived in Australia since the 90s, in the past few years she has been hosting her own podcast, MID, tackling self-care and tricky topics, with an aim of sharing wisdom with her audience. Speaking to Francesca Rudkin and Louise Ayrey on the NZ Herald 's lifestyle podcast, The Little Things, Wainwright said that the big window between 35 and 65 where things change was not something she was fully prepared for. 'There's lots of levels to it, isn't there? Because there's the hormonal stuff, and then there's just the fact that there's a lot of what one of the guests on an episode of MID has described as 'midlife collisions'. 'There are a lot of big things [that] are bound to happen in that phase where maybe you've been parenting for a while or maybe that never happened for you and you are reckoning with how you feel about it or with choices you've made. 'Maybe your relationships are changing, a lot of divorce in midlife, a lot of separation, a lot of friend dynamics shifting. There's a whole lot of stuff happening. 'But with the hormonal stuff, I think I wasn't ready for it because I think I was the kind of Gen X feminist who was very reluctant to give my hormones too much credibility in my world.' Wainwright said discussions about menopause were never talked about when she was younger because you could be dismissed as being 'crazy'. She recalls even trying to cover up weaknesses 16 years ago when she was pregnant with her first child, so as not to show any weakness. 'So I think that I've been a bit of a denier of the realities of the female body and the impact it has on you. 'But then what happens is perimenopause and menopause comes along and just smacks you right in the face. And you have to kind of [realise] this isn't just me who's dealing with all these wobbles and issues and physical symptoms that don't make sense and worrying you're losing your mind. This is hormones and I can't deny it any longer. 'So in some ways it's been a bit of a reckoning for me.' In the past few years, Wainwright has noticed a big change in these types of conversations. Mamamia put together a summit about perimenopause recently, and the company was blown away by the response to it. She's even seeing the impact it is having on younger generations. 'The young women I work with, they talk all the time about what phase of their cycle they're at, how they're feeling about it. It's really shifted and, and I'm really delighted about that.' And while she is glad that these conversations are being had, Wainwright also wants to ensure that it's not the sole thing defining women. 'I don't want every conversation around women in their 40s and 50s and beyond to be about hormones.' She said many women about her age have experienced a lot, surviving numerous challenges, and have reached a stage where they have a lot of experience and wisdom to share. 'Exactly that moment, you are kind of pushed aside by the culture and society, whatever that means, and sort of pitied a little bit, and it's like you're not really relevant anymore, are you? 'So I really wanted to make a show that explored all these different parts of 'mid' but with a positive feel to it.' Listen to the full episode of The Little Things for the full conversation with Holly Wainwright about celebrating 'mid' – including the best parts of this time, challenging the feeling of being 'invisible', beauty standards and what her advice to younger women is.
CBS News
23-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
City of Oakdale explores if it can pull plug on PG&E for new electric provider
OAKDALE — Oakdale city leaders are exploring whether they can move all residents under one electric provider, potentially cutting ties with Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) in favor of the Modesto Irrigation District (MID). The city currently operates under a dual-provider system. About 7,000 households get electricity from PG&E, while around 1,000 are served by MID. But the difference in cost between the two is substantial. Interim City Manager Jerry Ramar said PG&E customers in Oakdale pay an average of $250 more per month than those on MID service. That adds up to more than $3,000 annually per household. Citywide, that gap could mean up to $21.5 million in potential annual savings, according to Ramar's estimates. Those numbers prompted the Oakdale City Council to unanimously direct staff to move forward with a feasibility study examining the legal and logistical path to citywide consolidation under MID. "I was asked to look into it because PG&E rates are exceptionally high right now, and they seem to continue going higher," Ramar said. "Whereas we have about 1,000 homes on MID, and their rate increases are much lower." Ramar said he contacted several experts who recommended a consulting firm to lead the study. The consultants returned a proposal faster than expected, and Ramar plans to bring it to the council on June 2 for funding approval. He estimated the study would cost between $50,000 and $75,000 and would likely be paid from the city's general fund. However, PG&E has made clear it has no intention of selling its infrastructure. Company representative Eric Alvarez told the council that eminent domain would be costly, pointing to the South San Joaquin Irrigation District's ongoing $28 million battle to acquire PG&E infrastructure since 2008. "I understand where they're coming from," Ramar said. "They invested money to provide a service for the community. But our community thinks that their price is too high, and they want us to look at alternatives." The feasibility study won't guarantee a switch to MID, but it will determine whether such a move is possible.
The Citizen
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
watch: Mjaivo Jaiva takes over the streets of Joburg
Celebrating International Dance Day with rhythm, unity, and joy. Hundreds of dancers took to the streets for International Dance Day celebration. Picture: Screenshot/Facebook Hundreds of dancers flooded the streets of Johannesburg this Friday, 16 May, for Mjaivo Jaiva, a celebration of International Dance Day. The Johannesburg Inner City Partnership (JICP), in collaboration with Moving Into Dance (MID) and the Maharishi Invincibility Institute (MII), hosted the event starting at the Magistrate's Court in Main Street, Johannesburg. Although International Dance Day is officially marked on 29 April, the celebration was moved to line up with South Africa's public holidays, allowing for greater participation and public engagement. ALSO READ: WATCH: ULTRA South Africa celebrates 10 years of dance music Mjaivo Jaiva for International Dance Day More than 1 000 dancers, choreographed by the renowned MID team, turned the pavements into lively stages filled with joy, music and shared creativity. JICP CEO David van Niekerk said collaborations like these are crucial for transforming the city from the inside out. 'This is more than a dance event – it's a living, breathing example of what happens when culture, creative expression and community power intersect. This is Jozi showing the world what it's made of.' MID, a Newtown-based pioneer of Afro fusion and edudance since 1978, has trained hundreds of participants over the past weeks in a choreographed routine that speaks to identity, movement and inclusion. 'This is dance for everyone. Whether you know the choreography or just want to move your body, we invite you to join in – follow the rhythm, feel the vibe, or simply soak up the spirit of Mjaivo Jaiva,' said Nadia Virasamy, CEO of MID. MII, a non-profit educational hub in the inner city since 2007, brought its own cohort of students to join the performance. NOW READ: Not just 'Lazy, rich housewives'! Louise Volschenk claps back at Afrikaans critics on The Mommy Club
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Oakdale explores switch from PG&E to MID. How much might residents save on power?
Oakdale leaders, alarmed by recent spikes in PG&E power bills, are looking to switch to the Modesto Irrigation District. The City Council voted 5-0 on Monday, May 5, to recruit a consulting firm to explore the idea in detail. It came over a protest from PG&E, which said rate relief is coming and the system is not for sale in any case. Interim City Manager Jerry Ramar said homes could save $257 a month on average based on the current rate structures. He cautioned that the transition costs could cancel out the benefits. Supporters told of residents paying several hundred dollars a month for air-conditioning during heat waves. 'I do live next to people who have to run their fans all summer, and they are actually hot, very hot,' Councilmember Kayleigh Gilbert said. About 7,000 of Oakdale's homes, the vast majority, have PG&E hookups. Some of the newer subdivisions are in MID because of a circa-2000 effort to bring competition to the California grid. The switch would need approval from the MID board, the Stanislaus Local Agency Formation Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission. The process could mean several years of legal wrangling. As a public agency, MID can charge less for electricity than PG&E because it does not have to earn profits for investors. It also does not serve mountainous areas, where PG&E has incurred huge costs for wildfires sparked by its wires. Oakdale would have three main obligations before joining MID, said an email from Melissa Williams, the utility's public affairs manager. One is paying for an analysis of how this would affect the overall system. The city also would have to cover the cost of extending MID service and reimburse PG&E for its infrastructure. Those assets includes poles and wires along city streets and Oakdale's share of PG&E power plants and transmission lines around the West. Monday's vote was for Ramar to contact firms that could do a feasibility study, which he said might run $50,000 to $75,000 and take a year. The council would have to approve the contract at a future meeting. MID was founded in 1887 to provide Tuolumne River water to farms, as was the neighboring Turlock Irrigation District. Both began in the 1920s to generate cheap hydropower for sale to local homes and businesses. Population growth prompted them to add other sources, first fossil fuels and later wind and solar. MID's original service area takes in much of the zone bounded by the Tuolumne, Stanislaus and San Joaquin rivers. Oakdale lies within the Oakdale Irrigation District, which generates Stanislaus hydropower for sale to distant users rather than city residents. MID gained its Oakdale customers as part of a grid reform that also gave it access to part of the Ripon area and to all of Mountain House. The latter was an entirely new town northwest of Tracy. MID and TID now have close to a quarter-million electricity customers between them. PG&E also evolved over the past century-plus and today serves about 16 million users of power, gas or both. Electricity bills have one charge to cover fixed costs, such as salaries, and rates that vary with monthly consumption. Users are penalized for high use. Ramar said his estimate was based on average MID consumption of 850 kilowatt-hours per home in a month. The district charges 18 cents for each of the first 500 kilowatt-hours and 21 cents for the other 350. PG&E's rates are 63 cents per kilowatt-hour during peak demand 40 cents at other times, the city manager said. The speaker from PG&E was Eric Alvarez, government affairs representative for Stanislaus and four other counties. He is a Modesto City Council member but recuses himself from matters involving that city. Alvarez acknowledged that high summer bills 'cause a hardship for many of our Central Valley customers.' But he said no rate hike is planned this year and 2026 will bring a drop of about 5 cents per kilowatt-hour. Alvarez also mentioned a $15 billion federal loan guarantee that will help PG&E's upgrade its sources and transmission capacity. PG&E has paid major settlements following wildfires and also is burying the lines in many vulnerable areas. During winter, it contends with snow and wind in the mountains. The council said Oakdale residents need help sooner than PG&E offered. Member Jared Pitassi said this could especially aid renters hoping to become owners. He added that his own house is on MID power, never topping $160 per month. 'I think it's fair for us to stand up for the residents,' Pitassi said. '... It really ticks me off how much they have to pay.' Alvarez warned Oakdale against trying to acquire the system through eminent domain, which happens when governments cannot get owners to sell. And he noted the ongoing attempt by the South San Joaquin Irrigation District to take over PG&E customers within its boundaries. SSJID generates hydropower on the Stanislaus River in a partnership with OID. It has proposed since 2008 to use it as a cheaper source than PG&E in Manteca, Ripon, Escalon and other towns. Alvarez said this has cost SSJID about $28 million in legal and other costs so far. He concluded with these words for the Oakdale council: 'We are committed to providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable energy to our customers in Oakdale, and while we understand the focus on affordability, exploring a public takeover that isn't viable and would create additional risk and costs will not benefit residents and customers.'
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
More than 1 million Mississippi properties lack flood insurance
JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Governor Tate Reeves (R-Miss.) declared March 16-22, 2025, as Flood Insurance Awareness Week in Mississippi. According to the Mississippi Insurance Department (MID), more than 1 million properties in the state are not covered by flood insurance. 'Mississippi has experienced significant flooding in recent years, causing hardship and financial loss to homeowners and business owners,' said Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney. 'It's estimated that even a few inches of rain in a small home could cost more than $10,000 in repairs. At last check, there were nearly 53,000 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policies in force in Mississippi.' Homeowners can buy flood insurance through the NFIP or through private insurance. Homeowner's policies do not cover flooding. It typically takes 30 days for a flood policy to go into effect. Volunteers unite to aid Mississippi tornado victims Other tips to prepare for flooding now: Sign up for your community warning system. The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio also provide emergency alerts. Learn and practice evacuation routes and shelter plans. Keep important documents in a waterproof container. Make digital copies of those documents to upload and protect them with a password. Designate someone out of state to be your family contact in the event of an emergency. Make sure everyone knows the contact's address and phone number. Gather supplies you might need if you have to leave home quickly. Keep in mind, you may need medication, pet food and crates, and extra batteries and chargers for mobile phones. After a flood: Listen to authorities for information and return home only when authorities say it's safe. Avoid driving, except in emergencies. Snakes and other animals may have come into your home or business during the flood. Wear gloves and boots during cleanup. Don't touch electrical equipment if it is wet or if you're in standing water. If it's safe, turn off the electricity to prevent electric shock. Avoid wading in floodwater as it could be contaminated. Only use a generator outdoors and away from windows. File a flood insurance claim as soon as possible. Call 1‐800‐621‐3362 for further assistance or Register for FEMA Flood Disaster Assistance. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
