Latest news with #Nygren
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Native Americans Hurt by Federal Health Cuts, Despite RFK Jr.'s Promises of Protection
Navajo Nation leaders took turns hiking alongside Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in April to detail the tribal nation's priorities to improve access to health care and clean water. They also advocated for the preservation and reestablishment of U.S. government programs that have far-reaching impacts for their nation. (Katheryn Houghton/KFF Health News) WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — Navajo Nation leaders took turns talking with the U.S. government's top health official as they hiked along a sandstone ridge overlooking their rural, high-desert town before the morning sun grew too hot. Buu Nygren, president of the Navajo Nation, paused at the edge with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Below them, tribal government buildings, homes, and juniper trees dotted the tan and deep-red landscape. Nygren said he wanted Kennedy to look at the capital for the nation of about 400,000 enrolled members. The tribal president pointed toward an antiquated health center that he hoped federal funding would help replace and described life for the thousands of locals without running water due to delayed government projects. Nygren said Kennedy had already done a lot, primarily saving the Indian Health Service from a round of staffing cuts rippling through the federal government. 'When we started hearing about the layoffs and the freezes, you were the first one to stand up for Indian Country,' he told Kennedy, of his move to spare the federal agency charged with providing health care to Native Americans and Alaska Natives. But Nygren and other Navajo leaders said cuts to federal health programs outside the Indian Health Service are hurting Native Americans. 'You're disrupting real lives,' Cherilyn Yazzie, a Navajo council delegate, told KFF Health News as she described recent changes. Kennedy has repeatedly promised to prioritize Native Americans' health care. But Native Americans and health officials across tribal nations say those overtures are overshadowed by the collateral harm from massive cuts to federal health programs. The sweeping reductions have resulted in cuts to funding directed toward or disproportionately relied on by Native Americans. Staffing cuts, tribal health leaders say, have led to missing data and poor communication. The Indian Health Service provides free health care at its hospitals and clinics to Native Americans, who, as a group, face higher rates of chronic diseases and die younger than other populations. Those inequities are attributable to centuries of systemic discrimination. But many tribal members don't live near an agency clinic or hospital. And those who do may face limited services, chronic underfunding, and staffing shortages. To work around those gaps, health organizations lean on other federally funded programs. 'There may be a misconception among some of the administration that Indian Country is only impacted by changes to the Indian Health Service,' said Liz Malerba, a tribal policy expert and citizen of the Mohegan Tribe. 'That's simply not true.' Tribes have lost more than $6 million in grants from other HHS agencies, the National Indian Health Board wrote in a May letter to Kennedy. Janet Alkire, chairperson of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in the Dakotas, said at a May 14 Senate committee hearing that those grants paid for community health workers, vaccinations, data modernization, and other public health efforts. The government also canceled funding for programs it said violated President Donald Trump's ban on 'diversity, equity, and inclusion,' including one aimed at Native American youth interested in science and medicine and another that helps several tribes increase access to healthy food — something Kennedy has said he wants to prioritize. Tribal health officials say slashed federal staffing has made it harder to get technical support and money for federally funded health projects they run. The firings have cut or eliminated staff at programs related to preventing overdoses in tribal communities, using traditional food and medicine to fight chronic disease, and helping low-income people afford to heat and cool their homes through the Low Income Home Energy Program. The Oglala Sioux Tribe is in South Dakota, where Native Americans who struggle to heat their homes have died of hypothermia. Through mid-May the tribe hadn't been able to access its latest funding installment from the energy program, said John Long, the tribe's chief of staff. Abigail Echo-Hawk, director of the Urban Indian Health Institute at the Seattle Indian Health Board, said the government has sent her organization incomplete health data. That includes statistics about Native Americans at risk for suicide and substance use disorders, which the center uses to shape public health policy and programs. 'People are going to die because we don't have access to the data,' Echo-Hawk said. Her organization is also having trouble administering a $2.2 million federal grant, she said, because the agency handling the money fired staffers she worked with. The grant pays for public health initiatives such as smoking cessation and vaccinations. 'It is very confusing to say chronic disease prevention is the No. 1 priority and then to eradicate the support needed to address chronic disease prevention in Indian Country,' Echo-Hawk said. HHS spokesperson Emily Hilliard said Kennedy aims to combat chronic diseases and improve well-being among Native Americans 'through culturally relevant, community-driven solutions.' Hilliard did not respond to questions about Kennedy's specific plans for Native American health or concerns about existing and proposed funding and staffing changes. As Kennedy hiked alongside Navajo Nation leaders, KFF Health News asked how he would improve and protect access to care for tribal communities amid rollbacks within his department. 'That's exactly what I'm doing,' Kennedy responded. 'Making sure that all the cuts do not affect these communities.' Kennedy has said his focus on Native American health stems from personal and family experience, something he repeated to Navajo leadership. As an attorney, he worked with tribes on environmental health lawsuits. He also served as an editor at ICT, a major Native American news outlet. The secretary said he was also influenced by his uncle, President John F. Kennedy, and his father, U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, who were both assassinated when Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was a child. 'They thought that America would never live up to its moral authority and its role as an exemplary nation around the world if we didn't first look back and remediate or mitigate the original sin of the American experience — the genocide of the Native people,' Kennedy said during his visit. Some tribal leaders say the recent cuts, and the way the administration made them, violate treaties in which the U.S. promised to provide for the health and welfare of tribes in return for taking their land. 'We have not been consulted with meaningfully on any of these actions,' said Malerba, director of policy and legislative affairs for the United South and Eastern Tribes Sovereignty Protection Fund, which advocates for tribes from Texas to Maine. Alkire said at the congressional hearing that many Native American health organizations sent letters to the health department asking for consultations but none has received a response. Tribal consultation is legally required when federal agencies pursue changes that would have a significant impact on tribal nations. 'This is not just a moral question of what we owe Native people,' Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) said at the hearing. 'It is also a question of the law.' Tribal leaders are worried about additional proposed changes, including funding cuts to the Indian Health Service and a reorganization of the federal health department. Esther Lucero, president and CEO of the Seattle Indian Health Board, said the maneuvers remind her of the level of daily uncertainty she felt working through the covid-19 pandemic — only with fewer resources. 'Our ability to serve those who are desperately in need feels at risk,' Lucero said. Among the most pressing concerns are congressional Republicans' proposed cuts to Medicaid, the primary government health insurance program for people with low incomes or disabilities. About 30% of Native American and Alaska Native people younger than 65 are enrolled in Medicaid, and the program helps keep Indian Health Service and other tribal health facilities afloat. Native American adults would be exempt from Medicaid work requirements approved by House Republicans last month. After Kennedy summited Window Rock with Navajo Nation leaders, the tribe held a prayer ceremony in which they blessed him in Diné Bizaad, the Navajo language. President Nygren stressed how meaningful it was for the country's health secretary to walk alongside them. He also reminded Kennedy of the list of priorities they'd discussed. That included maintaining the federal low-income energy assistance program. 'We look forward to reestablishing and protecting some of the services that your department provides,' Nygren said. As of mid-May, the Trump administration had proposed eliminating the energy program, which remains unstaffed. KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF. Subscribe to KFF Health News' free Morning Briefing. This article first appeared on KFF Health News and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bill Nygren's Strategic Moves: Constellation Brands Inc. Takes Center Stage with 1. ...
Bill Nygren (Trades, Portfolio) recently submitted the N-PORT filing for the first quarter of 2025, providing insights into his investment moves during this period. Bill Nygren (Trades, Portfolio) is the Portfolio Manager of The Oakmark Fund, The Oakmark Select Fund, and the Oakmark Global Select Fund. With an M.S. in Finance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Minnesota, Nygren is a seasoned value investor. He and his partners focus on companies trading at a substantial discount to their perceived true business value, believing that stock prices will eventually reflect the underlying company's worth. Their investment strategy emphasizes stock price discounts, free cash flows, intelligent cash investment, and high manager ownership, viewing each purchase as acquiring a business piece rather than just a stock certificate. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 5 Warning Sign with AIG. Bill Nygren (Trades, Portfolio) added a total of two stocks to his portfolio, with the most significant addition being Constellation Brands Inc (NYSE:STZ). This purchase involved 1,370,000 shares, accounting for 1.12% of the portfolio and a total value of $251,422,400. The second largest addition was Marathon Petroleum Corp (NYSE:MPC), consisting of 1,704,000 shares, representing approximately 1.11% of the portfolio, with a total value of $248,255,760. Bill Nygren (Trades, Portfolio) also increased stakes in a total of 24 stocks. The most notable increase was in The Carlyle Group Inc (NASDAQ:CG), with an additional 3,985,100 shares, bringing the total to 4,822,200 shares. This adjustment represents a significant 476.06% increase in share count, a 0.78% impact on the current portfolio, and a total value of $210,199,700. The second largest increase was in Airbnb Inc (NASDAQ:ABNB), with an additional 1,048,100 shares, bringing the total to 2,340,000. This adjustment represents a significant 81.13% increase in share count, with a total value of $279,536,400. Bill Nygren (Trades, Portfolio) also reduced positions in 14 stocks. The most significant changes include a reduction in Fiserv Inc (NYSE:FI) by 907,100 shares, resulting in a -30.48% decrease in shares and a -0.85% impact on the portfolio. The stock traded at an average price of $218.93 during the quarter and has returned -32.28% over the past 3 months and -22.30% year-to-date. Additionally, The Kroger Co (NYSE:KR) was reduced by 2,825,000 shares, resulting in a -29.35% reduction in shares and a -0.79% impact on the portfolio. The stock traded at an average price of $63.37 during the quarter and has returned 3.79% over the past 3 months and 10.55% year-to-date. At the first quarter of 2025, Bill Nygren (Trades, Portfolio)'s portfolio included 54 stocks. The top holdings included 3.45% in American International Group Inc (NYSE:AIG), 3.4% in Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL), 3.32% in Charles Schwab Corp (NYSE:SCHW), 3.17% in Citigroup Inc (NYSE:C), and 2.99% in ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP). The holdings are mainly concentrated in 10 of the 11 industries: Financial Services, Healthcare, Energy, Industrials, Communication Services, Consumer Defensive, Consumer Cyclical, Technology, Basic Materials, and Real Estate. This article, generated by GuruFocus, is designed to provide general insights and is not tailored financial advice. Our commentary is rooted in historical data and analyst projections, utilizing an impartial methodology, and is not intended to serve as specific investment guidance. It does not formulate a recommendation to purchase or divest any stock and does not consider individual investment objectives or financial circumstances. Our objective is to deliver long-term, fundamental data-driven analysis. Be aware that our analysis might not incorporate the most recent, price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative information. GuruFocus holds no position in the stocks mentioned herein. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bill Nygren's Strategic Moves: Constellation Brands Inc. Takes Center Stage with 1. ...
Bill Nygren (Trades, Portfolio) recently submitted the N-PORT filing for the first quarter of 2025, providing insights into his investment moves during this period. Bill Nygren (Trades, Portfolio) is the Portfolio Manager of The Oakmark Fund, The Oakmark Select Fund, and the Oakmark Global Select Fund. With an M.S. in Finance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Minnesota, Nygren is a seasoned value investor. He and his partners focus on companies trading at a substantial discount to their perceived true business value, believing that stock prices will eventually reflect the underlying company's worth. Their investment strategy emphasizes stock price discounts, free cash flows, intelligent cash investment, and high manager ownership, viewing each purchase as acquiring a business piece rather than just a stock certificate. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 5 Warning Sign with AIG. Bill Nygren (Trades, Portfolio) added a total of two stocks to his portfolio, with the most significant addition being Constellation Brands Inc (NYSE:STZ). This purchase involved 1,370,000 shares, accounting for 1.12% of the portfolio and a total value of $251,422,400. The second largest addition was Marathon Petroleum Corp (NYSE:MPC), consisting of 1,704,000 shares, representing approximately 1.11% of the portfolio, with a total value of $248,255,760. Bill Nygren (Trades, Portfolio) also increased stakes in a total of 24 stocks. The most notable increase was in The Carlyle Group Inc (NASDAQ:CG), with an additional 3,985,100 shares, bringing the total to 4,822,200 shares. This adjustment represents a significant 476.06% increase in share count, a 0.78% impact on the current portfolio, and a total value of $210,199,700. The second largest increase was in Airbnb Inc (NASDAQ:ABNB), with an additional 1,048,100 shares, bringing the total to 2,340,000. This adjustment represents a significant 81.13% increase in share count, with a total value of $279,536,400. Bill Nygren (Trades, Portfolio) also reduced positions in 14 stocks. The most significant changes include a reduction in Fiserv Inc (NYSE:FI) by 907,100 shares, resulting in a -30.48% decrease in shares and a -0.85% impact on the portfolio. The stock traded at an average price of $218.93 during the quarter and has returned -32.28% over the past 3 months and -22.30% year-to-date. Additionally, The Kroger Co (NYSE:KR) was reduced by 2,825,000 shares, resulting in a -29.35% reduction in shares and a -0.79% impact on the portfolio. The stock traded at an average price of $63.37 during the quarter and has returned 3.79% over the past 3 months and 10.55% year-to-date. At the first quarter of 2025, Bill Nygren (Trades, Portfolio)'s portfolio included 54 stocks. The top holdings included 3.45% in American International Group Inc (NYSE:AIG), 3.4% in Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL), 3.32% in Charles Schwab Corp (NYSE:SCHW), 3.17% in Citigroup Inc (NYSE:C), and 2.99% in ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP). The holdings are mainly concentrated in 10 of the 11 industries: Financial Services, Healthcare, Energy, Industrials, Communication Services, Consumer Defensive, Consumer Cyclical, Technology, Basic Materials, and Real Estate. This article, generated by GuruFocus, is designed to provide general insights and is not tailored financial advice. Our commentary is rooted in historical data and analyst projections, utilizing an impartial methodology, and is not intended to serve as specific investment guidance. It does not formulate a recommendation to purchase or divest any stock and does not consider individual investment objectives or financial circumstances. Our objective is to deliver long-term, fundamental data-driven analysis. Be aware that our analysis might not incorporate the most recent, price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative information. GuruFocus holds no position in the stocks mentioned herein. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kalispell planners warn of impending parking crunch
May 15—Kalispell officials are warning that on-street parking is in jeopardy thanks to a bill awaiting the governor's signature that limits off-street parking requirements on new construction. The piece of legislation, House Bill 492, came up during the Kalispell Planning Commission's Tuesday meeting as members mulled over the preliminary draft land use plan required by the Montana Land Use Planning Act. The act, which was signed into law in 2023, requires 10 Montana cities — including Kalispell — to draft a new land use plan that emphasizes boosting housing supply. The city is required to adopt at least five of 14 potential zoning ordinances meant to stoke development, like reducing setback areas and lot size, or allowing apartments on single-family lots. Residents can peruse and vote on each regulation on the dedicated city webpage ( But an ordinance outlined in the act that limits parking regulations may become law regardless. House Bill 492, sponsored by Rep. Katie Zolnikov, R-Billings, was introduced in February and would limit city parking requirements to one space per dwelling unit in new construction. It would also eliminate any parking requirements for child care, deed-restricted housing, assisted living or residential units under 1,200 square feet. While developers have in the past built more parking than required, Development Services Director Jarod Nygren said he sees a potential for opportunistic developers to buy up infill and not allocate any parking, which would push cars out onto the city streets. If that becomes reality, Nygren said the city would eventually need to look at outlawing on-street parking, particularly if it begins affecting the city's ability to provide services like plowing or responding to emergencies. City officials expressed confusion as to why the bill was passed in a state with limited public transit. "It seems like another [law] that was borrowed from a city where you can walk out of your apartment, jump on the train or walk to work," said Planning Commission Vice President Rory Young. Kalispell city officials were not keen on some of the other zoning regulations the state Legislature wants cities to adopt under the Montana Land Use Planning Act. Nygren criticized the law for prompting a "balancing act" of guiding new, diverse, development without remolding historic single-family neighborhoods and stripping away aesthetic amenities. "We shouldn't be building housing just for the sake of housing, it should still be quality," Nygren said. A potential ordinance allowing for three- and four-unit apartments wherever a single-family residence is allowed drew criticism for threatening the character of old neighborhoods. "This takes an eastside, historic, single-family home and says you can tear down and build a fourplex," Nygren said. But the process is time consuming and expensive for any developer, and he predicted it would not result in attainable housing. Planning Commission President Chad Graham was also an adamant no to the potential ordinance. Homeowner associations are exempt from adhering to some of the ordinances, which Graham worried would disproportionally affect historic neighborhoods while letting newer subdivisions off the hook. The ordinance to reduce setback areas by 25% was also looked down upon by city officials and the public, according to community feedback. Assistant Development Services Director PJ Sorensen said the regulation may impede space needed for utilities, buffers and other infrastructure. Planning Commission member Pip Burke argued that people still need access around the outside of their house. Nygren said that the setback ordinance, among others, disregard institutional knowledge around fire safety, noise and light for the sake of increasing housing density. Many of the ordinances, though, the city already implements in some form, Sorensen said. For instance, the city encourages denser development around community hubs like business centers and named "transit corridors." Kalispell also allows multi-family housing in commercial zones through a permit process. THE COMMISSION also appeared in favor of a developer's proposal to expand a subdivision in south Kalispell. Colton Behr, developer of the Anderson Ranch subdivision that was OK'd by Council in September 2024, is looking to annex 12 acres to the 31-acre property that resides on the west side of Demersville Road and just south of Lower Valley Road. The extension, which is at the south end of the property, resides on a 100-year flood zone and is intended only for parkland and stormwater detention, according to the development proposal. The entire subdivision stakes out 166 lots for single-family detached dwellings. The homes will be 1,600 square feet or less on 4,500-square-foot lots, "which equates to small homes on small lots that can provide more attainable housing options for residents of Kalispell," according to the subdivision proposal. The subdivision shares a planned unit development with Todd Gardner, who owns property directly west that will see an Amazon distribution warehouse go up in the future. A public hearing on the extension is scheduled for June 10. Reporter Jack Underhill may be reached at 758-4407 or junderhill@
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kalispell planners warn of impending parking crunch
May 15—Kalispell officials are warning that on-street parking is in jeopardy thanks to a bill awaiting the governor's signature that limits off-street parking requirements on new construction. The piece of legislation, House Bill 492, came up during the Kalispell Planning Commission's Tuesday meeting as members mulled over the preliminary draft land use plan required by the Montana Land Use Planning Act. The act, which was signed into law in 2023, requires 10 Montana cities — including Kalispell — to draft a new land use plan that emphasizes boosting housing supply. The city is required to adopt at least five of 14 potential zoning ordinances meant to stoke development, like reducing setback areas and lot size, or allowing apartments on single-family lots. Residents can peruse and vote on each regulation on the dedicated city webpage ( But an ordinance outlined in the act that limits parking regulations may become law regardless. House Bill 492, sponsored by Rep. Katie Zolnikov, R-Billings, was introduced in February and would limit city parking requirements to one space per dwelling unit in new construction. It would also eliminate any parking requirements for child care, deed-restricted housing, assisted living or residential units under 1,200 square feet. While developers have in the past built more parking than required, Development Services Director Jarod Nygren said he sees a potential for opportunistic developers to buy up infill and not allocate any parking, which would push cars out onto the city streets. If that becomes reality, Nygren said the city would eventually need to look at outlawing on-street parking, particularly if it begins affecting the city's ability to provide services like plowing or responding to emergencies. City officials expressed confusion as to why the bill was passed in a state with limited public transit. "It seems like another [law] that was borrowed from a city where you can walk out of your apartment, jump on the train or walk to work," said Planning Commission Vice President Rory Young. Kalispell city officials were not keen on some of the other zoning regulations the state Legislature wants cities to adopt under the Montana Land Use Planning Act. Nygren criticized the law for prompting a "balancing act" of guiding new, diverse, development without remolding historic single-family neighborhoods and stripping away aesthetic amenities. "We shouldn't be building housing just for the sake of housing, it should still be quality," Nygren said. A potential ordinance allowing for three- and four-unit apartments wherever a single-family residence is allowed drew criticism for threatening the character of old neighborhoods. "This takes an eastside, historic, single-family home and says you can tear down and build a fourplex," Nygren said. But the process is time consuming and expensive for any developer, and he predicted it would not result in attainable housing. Planning Commission President Chad Graham was also an adamant no to the potential ordinance. Homeowner associations are exempt from adhering to some of the ordinances, which Graham worried would disproportionally affect historic neighborhoods while letting newer subdivisions off the hook. The ordinance to reduce setback areas by 25% was also looked down upon by city officials and the public, according to community feedback. Assistant Development Services Director PJ Sorensen said the regulation may impede space needed for utilities, buffers and other infrastructure. Planning Commission member Pip Burke argued that people still need access around the outside of their house. Nygren said that the setback ordinance, among others, disregard institutional knowledge around fire safety, noise and light for the sake of increasing housing density. Many of the ordinances, though, the city already implements in some form, Sorensen said. For instance, the city encourages denser development around community hubs like business centers and named "transit corridors." Kalispell also allows multi-family housing in commercial zones through a permit process. THE COMMISSION also appeared in favor of a developer's proposal to expand a subdivision in south Kalispell. Colton Behr, developer of the Anderson Ranch subdivision that was OK'd by Council in September 2024, is looking to annex 12 acres to the 31-acre property that resides on the west side of Demersville Road and just south of Lower Valley Road. The extension, which is at the south end of the property, resides on a 100-year flood zone and is intended only for parkland and stormwater detention, according to the development proposal. The entire subdivision stakes out 166 lots for single-family detached dwellings. The homes will be 1,600 square feet or less on 4,500-square-foot lots, "which equates to small homes on small lots that can provide more attainable housing options for residents of Kalispell," according to the subdivision proposal. The subdivision shares a planned unit development with Todd Gardner, who owns property directly west that will see an Amazon distribution warehouse go up in the future. A public hearing on the extension is scheduled for June 10. Reporter Jack Underhill may be reached at 758-4407 or junderhill@
