Latest news with #SisterCity
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Glendale revitalizes Sister City Program to grow international relationships
The city of Glendale has launched a revitalized version of their Sister City Program. The commitment will help in 'building global relationships that enrich [the] community through cultural, educational and economic exchange,' city officials said in a media release issued Tuesday. To celebrate the program being refreshed, Glendale held their inaugural Under One Sky event on March 26, which brought community members, international delegates and civic leaders together to honor the community's global partnerships as well as introduce the mission and opportunities of the sister cities program. Bear roaming Burbank neighborhood for over a week has residents on edge 'Glendale is proud to be one of the most diverse cities in California,' said Glendale City Councilmember Elen Asatryan, who helped spearhead the relaunching of the sister cities program. 'Through the revitalized program, we are strengthening international partnerships and opening new pathways for our city, residents and businesses to engage in cultural and economic exchange opportunities.' 'This initiative is more than symbolic,' added Glendale Mayor Ara Najarian. 'It's a hands-on way for our community to share ideas and culture across borders.' Currently, Glendale has 10 sister cities, all of which were chosen based on similarities between locales, including size, economics, manufacturing, entertainment options and more: Higashiosaka, Japan Rosarito, Mexico Kapan and Gyumri, Armenia Goseong, Gimpo, and Boeun-gun, South Korea Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic Santa Rosa, Laguna, Philippines Martuni, Artsakh (archived) Los Angeles, for comparison, has 25 sister cities, including Lusaka, Zambia; Tehran, Iran and Split, Croatia. It has also been sister cities with Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia, since 2007. Victim recounts frightful carjacking at Los Angeles County car wash Higashiosaka was Glendale's first sister city, receiving the designation in 1960, which is just four years after President Dwight D. Eisenhower founded Sister Cities International, a network of tens of thousands of citizen diplomats and volunteers who work in more than 140 countries. Click here to sign up for updates on cultural exchanges, events and opportunities to connect with Glendale's sister cities' community members. For more information, call 818-548-4844 (option 1) or email SisterCity@ Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Davenport hosts group from Chinese Sister City
Davenport hosted a group from its Sister City in China to extend and expand current relationships. The city welcomed a delegation from Langfang, China on April 28 to renew the established Sister City relationship between the two cities. Events a lunch at the Hotel Blackhawk, followed by a formal meeting and tour at the Figge Art Museum. Mike Mattson, Mayor of Davenport, and Liu Yuan, Mayor of Langfang, signed an agreement extending the Sister Cities relationship for five years. Davenport's relationship with Langfang goes back to 2018 after visits to both cities from delegations. A Sister City relationship creates diplomatic ties between cities worldwide to further the public good through cultural awareness. The discussion also included opportunities for expanded tourism and shared cultural experiences. 'The City of Davenport is honored that the Langfang delegation dedicated time to make this visit,' said Mayor Mattson. 'We look forward to continuing to work with the Chinese people in appreciation of both our wonderful cities.' 'The people of Langfang fully agree with the renewal of the Sister City agreement,' said Mayor Liu Yuan, who received a vase created by Joe and Logan Ryser from Hot Glass in Davenport. The vase, with blue and white swirls, symbolizes the movement of the Mississippi River. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Yahoo
Two Veteran Anchors Retiring: One in Wisconsin Another in Michigan
It seems like veteran journalists are dropping out of local TV in larger numbers than usual. Either that, or I'm just getting old. Hopefully, no one feels shorted by this combo post where I cover two retirements in one. In Green Bay, Wisconsin, Bill Jartz is retiring from ABC affiliate WBAY, while Sheri Jones has announced her retirement after almost 37 years from CBS affiliate WLNS in Lansing, Michigan. WBAY general manager, Steve Lavin, said, "There is just no one like Bill. Our viewers will miss him, his co-workers will miss him, and I will miss him." He started his broadcasting career as the 10 o'clock sports anchor in Wausau. He joined WBAY as a sports reporter in 1983. He left local TV in 1990 and came back three years later as sports director. He moved from sports to news in 1998. Jones's contributions to broadcasting have earned her a place in the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame. In addition to her professional achievements, Jones has traveled to Japan as part of Lansing's Sister City program, contributing to cultural understanding and international relations. She has also spent time in China taking part in economic development efforts on behalf of the city of Lansing and the state of Michigan. She also led a team to Kenya, Africa, to build a home for a deserving family in Homa Bay as part of Habitat for Humanity Capitol Region. Since 1994, Jones has been the spokesperson for Mid-Michigan Crime Stoppers, producing segments that have aided in the capture of many of the area's most wanted fugitives. In 2018, Crime Stoppers had an 80 percent success rate in taking fugitive felons off the street.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Yahoo
Longtime 6 News anchor Sheri Jones to retire after almost 37 years
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — Sheri Jones has announced her retirement after almost 37 years of bringing all of us the news on WLNS TV 6 in Lansing. Jones's contributions to broadcasting have earned her a well-deserved place in the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame, solidifying her status as a respected journalist. Sheri is respected and beloved by the Mid-Michigan community for her warm, steady, and compassionate presence. Her dedication to journalism is further evident through her multiple accolades and memberships in prestigious organizations. She is an inductee of the Michigan Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame and a member of the Silver Circle with the Michigan chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Her commitment to excellence has also garnered her Emmy nominations and accolades from the Associated Press and the Michigan Association of Broadcasting. Beyond her professional achievements, Jones has ventured to places like Japan as part of Lansing's Sister City program, contributing to cultural understanding and international relations. Jones also spent time in China taking part in economic development efforts on behalf of the city of Lansing and the state of Michigan. Over the years, her spirit has shone through with her involvement with Habitat for Humanity Capitol Region, where she led a team to Kenya, Africa, to build a home for a deserving family in Homa Bay. In Lansing, Jones has championed causes such as the opioid crisis, mental health, gun safety, and sex trafficking through her role at the station. Jones has also taken the lead in organizing station initiatives, hosting debates and telethons, and fostering community engagement and awareness. Since 1994, Jones has been the spokesperson for Mid-Michigan Crime Stoppers, producing segments that have aided in the capture of many of the area's most wanted fugitives. In 2018, Crime Stoppers had an 80% success rate in taking fugitive felons off the street. Sheri Jones is a dedicated journalist, a global ambassador, and a compassionate advocate, leaving an indelible mark on both the field of journalism and the communities she serves. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Fox News
26-02-2025
- Business
- Fox News
The plan to confront China and kick out companies controlled by the Chinese Communist Party from the U.S.
The line against Beijing is drawn in Little Rock. "We are taking a strong stand against China infiltrating our state," says Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders. "We're going to continue to push back." Arkansas is the first state in the nation that forced a Chinese-connected company to divest farmland, and now says it is taking additional action against the CCP. Sanders is introducing new legislation that adds further measures to stop China state-owned businesses from operating in her state and shut down programs sponsored by China. The measures include banning CCP-linked companies from buying or leasing property, blocking ownership near critical infrastructure sites, scraping Sister City partnerships and cutting funding for universities and colleges that have Chinese-funded programs. "We've seen a number of cases where China is trying to infiltrate things that matter to our critical infrastructure, buying up land around our military bases, our substations. These are things that we're taking strong action against here in Arkansas, expanding existing legislation so that we can continue to hold their feet to the fire and push them out," says Sanders. In 2023, the state ordered Syngenta Seeds, whose parent company is a Chinese conglomerate, to divest farmland used for seed production. The company said that "the suggestion that China is using Syngenta to purchase land or conduct operations for any purpose other than supporting the company's commercial business in North America is simply false." But the state fined the company $280,000 for not initially disclosing its foreign ownership by the deadline. "Syngenta is foreign-owned — ultimately by the Chinese Communist Party," said Arkansas Attorney General Tim Miller in announcing the penalty. "This serves as a warning to all other Chinese state-owned companies operating in Arkansas." "Agriculture is the number one industry here in the state of Arkansas and so protecting our agricultural security and protecting the components that make it so strong, are one of the things that are really important," says Sanders. Two other firms are being investigated for possible ties to China, but in December a Federal Judge issued a preliminary injunction to halt the probe of one of them. At least 22 states have enacted some form of restrictions on Chinese-owned companies. "The CCP has aggressive intent and has become more aggressive and threatening, both at home as well as abroad, and we need to be aware of these threats," says Congressman John Moolenaar, (R) Michigan, Chairman of House Select Committee on the CCP. He says more states should follow Sanders' lead. "She is taking a leadership role and protecting farmland and green spaces in Arkansas and making sure the CCP doesn't gain a foothold in Arkansas. We want to see more states taking this kind of action," he says. For several years, officials have been warning about China's entry into the U.S., through businesses and other organizations that they say pose a national security threat. Michael Pillsbury, a former top U.S. government official on China matters and Senior Fellow at the Heritage Foundation, has been sounding the alarm. He authored "The One Hundred Year Marathon, China's Secret Strategy to Replace America as the Global Superpower" a decade ago and says not much has changed since then. "What Governor Sanders is launching is pretty important," he says, "part of building the long-term foundation to protect ourselves against the CCP, but it is not the end of the story unless she is successful in persuading Homeland Security and the FBI to make this a federal issue." "The state of Arkansas doesn't have a CIA or FBI to do this. The intelligence collection that triggers the alarm is what the federal government has to do." Experts say it can be difficult to determine if a company is really owned by a Chinese firm, which is part of the CCP's strategy. "There really is no such thing as a private company in China," says Rep. Moolenaar. "All the companies are affiliated in some way and directed in some way by the Chinese Communist Party. And secondly, it is important to note that they have something called military fusion, where technologies, even in the civil area, are used for military purposes." He says Chinese-funded programs that operate under the guise of educational programs also serve to further the CCP's interests, which is one target of Sanders' push. Moolenaar points to a recent case in his state of Michigan that raised alarms. "The Chinese Communist Party will leverage people," he says. "Five Chinese national students were caught spying at Camp Grayling. Camp Grayling is a military facility, where according to public reports, we train military leaders, including Taiwanese military leaders. So when you consider the threat of the leverage of the Chinese Communist Party, we need to be vigilant and protect American universities and American taxpayer dollars." The five Chinese students were charged last fall with lying to the FBI after they claimed to be observing meteor showers at midnight at the base, but instead were found to have taken photos of the installation. The FBI said all five graduated last spring from the University of Michigan, and were part of a joint program between the university and the Shanghai Jiao Tong University in Shanghai, China. This is exactly the type of suspicious scenario Sanders is trying to address. "We know that so often China is looking for any way possible into and developing a relationship for the purpose of exploiting it, and for the purpose of taking that information back and using it against us," she says. "We want to make sure that we are protecting against that." China's embassy in Washington has accused the U.S. of "politicizing and weaponizing economic and trade issues." Embassy spokesman Liu Pengyu says U.S. officials "deliberately obstruct normal economic and trade exchange for (a) political agenda." But critics charge that is exactly what the CCP is doing under the guise of commerce and friendship. "We need to be proactive," warns Rep. Moolenaar. "We need to not so much look for a smoking gun, we need to look for a loaded gun that is actually a threat to America."
