Latest news with #MikeLaBelle
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tensions flare at school board meeting after trans athlete wins multiple track events
Parents and residents clashed at a school board meeting in Chicago on Monday after a trans junior high school student won multiple events at a local track meet. The Naperville 203 Community School District Board meeting was at times contentious, with roughly 100 people in attendance, split between the main room and an overflow viewing area. Those in support of the trans athlete waved the blue, pink and white striped transgender flag, while those advocating for athletes to compete against people of the same biological sex held signs reading "Protect girls sports" and "Defend Title IX," a federal civil rights law that prohibits sex discrimination in education. California Track Meet Turns To Political Rally Over Trans Athletes As Schools Speak Out Vs. State The controversy centered around a biological male who competed in a 7th grade track meet against biological females at the Naper Prairie Conference Meet, with attendees at the meeting sharply divided on the issue. "These situations place feelings over reason and force other students and families to participate in something we all know is a lie," parent Mike LaBelle said. Read On The Fox News App Naperville resident Doug MacGregor said there is a hidden political agenda behind district policies. "Many of us knew then the achievement gap was just a Trojan horse for DEI's real objective, pronouns and the radical LGBTQ-plus agenda," MacGregor said. "Naperville parents will spend literally tens of thousands of dollars on sports throughout their daughters lives: travel teams, coaches, summer camps, traveling to tournaments and meets, etc. and when their daughter steps up for her chance to win a state championship or medal," he said. "She'll lose to a biological male. That once in a lifetime moment gone because of DEI's political agenda." Those defending the trans athlete included Dorothy Powers, a parent of six who is non-binary. Powers argued that forcing students to compete in a gender category that does not match their identity harms their personal development. "When a student is forced to compete in a gender with which he or she does not identify, education is a choice," Powers said. "America began providing public education in 1635. Will Naperville continue the proud American tradition of forward progress, or try to justify exclusion? For those who are non-binary, of course I include. I encourage inclusion." Illinois Trans Athlete Policy Brewing Conflict Within State Parent Tim Thompson said the controversy is not truly about races or a specific athlete, but rather part of a broader effort to target transgender students. "Don't be fooled. It was never about a race, and it was never about an athlete," Thompson said. "This is an attempt to further marginalize the group and tell them that they don't belong, that they aren't good enough." Awake Illinois has filed a civil rights complaint against the district, with the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights alleging a violation of Title IX. They called on federal funds to be withheld from the district, which it says receives between $8 million and $9 million in federal grants annually. The complaint is part of a broader effort by Awake Illinois, which previously filed similar Title IX complaints against other districts and the Illinois State Board of Education. Shannon Adcock of Awake Illinois also spoke out at the meeting. "Now in 2025, you've got boys stealing girls' victories, leaving young girls sobbing on the track," Adcock said. "This isn't inclusion. It's oppression." Meanwhile, Lauren Hruby said that a solution may be to give trans students a different class of sports to compete against one another. "But I think for women, I don't think we stand a chance against a male," she said. "I know a lot of these girls practice their entire life to try to get a scholarship, and there's a lot lost opportunities, so I just wanted to come and support women in women's sports." Fox News' Patrick McGovern contributed to this report. Original article source: Tensions flare at school board meeting after trans athlete wins multiple track events
Fox News
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Tensions flare at school board meeting after trans athlete wins multiple track events
Parents and residents clashed at a school board meeting in Chicago on Monday after a trans junior high school student won multiple events at a local track meet. The Naperville 203 Community School District Board meeting was at times contentious, with roughly 100 people in attendance, split between the main room and an overflow viewing area. Those in support of the trans athlete waved the blue, pink and white striped transgender flag, while those advocating for athletes to compete against people of the same biological sex held signs reading "Protect girls sports" and "Defend Title IX," a federal civil rights law that prohibits sex discrimination in education. The controversy centered around a biological male who competed in a 7th grade track meet against biological females at the Naper Prairie Conference Meet, with attendees at the meeting sharply divided on the issue. "These situations place feelings over reason and force other students and families to participate in something we all know is a lie," parent Mike LaBelle said. Naperville resident Doug MacGregor said there is a hidden political agenda behind district policies. "Many of us knew then the achievement gap was just a Trojan horse for DEI's real objective, pronouns and the radical LGBTQ-plus agenda," MacGregor said. "Naperville parents will spend literally tens of thousands of dollars on sports throughout their daughters lives: travel teams, coaches, summer camps, traveling to tournaments and meets, etc. and when their daughter steps up for her chance to win a state championship or medal," he said. "She'll lose to a biological male. That once in a lifetime moment gone because of DEI's political agenda." Those defending the trans athlete included Dorothy Powers, a parent of six who is non-binary. Powers argued that forcing students to compete in a gender category that does not match their identity harms their personal development. "When a student is forced to compete in a gender with which he or she does not identify, education is a choice," Powers said. "America began providing public education in 1635. Will Naperville continue the proud American tradition of forward progress, or try to justify exclusion? For those who are non-binary, of course I include. I encourage inclusion." Parent Tim Thompson said the controversy is not truly about races or a specific athlete, but rather part of a broader effort to target transgender students. "Don't be fooled. It was never about a race, and it was never about an athlete," Thompson said. "This is an attempt to further marginalize the group and tell them that they don't belong, that they aren't good enough." Awake Illinois has filed a civil rights complaint against the district, with the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights alleging a violation of Title IX. They called on federal funds to be withheld from the district, which it says receives between $8 million and $9 million in federal grants annually. The complaint is part of a broader effort by Awake Illinois, which previously filed similar Title IX complaints against other districts and the Illinois State Board of Education. Shannon Adcock of Awake Illinois also spoke out at the meeting. "Now in 2025, you've got boys stealing girls' victories, leaving young girls sobbing on the track," Adcock said. "This isn't inclusion. It's oppression." Meanwhile, Lauren Hruby said that a solution may be to give trans students a different class of sports to compete against one another. "But I think for women, I don't think we stand a chance against a male," she said. "I know a lot of these girls practice their entire life to try to get a scholarship, and there's a lot lost opportunities, so I just wanted to come and support women in women's sports."
Associated Press
31-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
BXP Upsizes Unsecured Credit Facility to $2.95 Billion & Commercial Paper Program to $750 Million
BXP, Inc. (NYSE: BXP), the largest publicly traded developer, owner, and manager of premier workplaces in the United States, announced today that its operating partnership, Boston Properties Limited Partnership ('BPLP'), has (1) amended its existing unsecured revolving credit facility to extend its maturity date and increase its revolver borrowing capacity by $250 million to $2.25 billion, (2) extended its $700 million unsecured term loan facility, and (3) increased the size of its unsecured commercial paper program by $250 million to $750 million. 'The combination of these facilities with additional capacity and tenor provides enhanced liquidity at attractive pricing as we continue to invest opportunistically and strengthen our position as the market leader of premier workplaces, creating long-term value for our clients and shareholders,' stated Mike LaBelle, EVP, CFO, & Treasurer, BXP. 'The success of these transactions reflects our strong long-term relationships with our banking partners and their commitment to providing BXP with consistent access to capital.' BPLP's increased unsecured commercial paper program now permits BPLP to issue, from time to time, unsecured commercial paper notes up to a maximum aggregate amount outstanding at any one time of $750 million with varying maturities of up to one year. As of March 28, 2025, BPLP had $500 million outstanding under its commercial paper program that bore interest at a weighted-average rate of 4.66%. The revolving credit facility extended its maturity date by five years to March 2030, and the term loan facility extended for an initial four-year term with two six-month extension options, subject to customary conditions. At closing, BPLP fully drew on the $700 million term loan facility and used the proceeds to fully repay its existing $700 million unsecured term loan that was scheduled to mature in May 2025. The revolving credit facility currently has a facility fee equal to 0.20% per annum with loans bearing interest at a variable rate equal to Term SOFR plus 0.85%. The term loan currently bears interest at a variable rate equal to Term SOFR plus 1.05%. BofA Securities, Inc. and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. served as the Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners with Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Syndication Agent. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. New York Branch, BNY, M&T Bank, Mizuho, Morgan Stanley Bank, N.A., PNC Bank, National Association, Scotiabank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, TD Bank, N.A., Truist Bank, U.S. Bank and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. served as Documentation Agents and LBBW-New York Branch participated in the amended and restated credit facility. ABOUT BXP BXP, Inc. (NYSE: BXP) is the largest publicly traded developer, owner, and manager of premier workplaces in the United States, concentrated in six dynamic gateway markets - Boston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, DC. BXP has delivered places that power progress for our clients and communities for more than 50 years. BXP is a fully integrated real estate company, organized as a real estate investment trust (REIT). As of December 31, 2024, including properties owned by unconsolidated joint ventures, BXP's portfolio totaled 53.3 million square feet and 185 properties, including seven properties under construction/redevelopment. For more information about BXP, please visit our website or follow us on LinkedIn or Instagram. Mike LaBelle Executive Vice President [email protected] Han SOURCE: BXP, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 03/31/2025 07:15 AM/DISC: 03/31/2025 07:15 AM
