Latest news with #TaskForce
The Hindu
5 hours ago
- The Hindu
Man caught with illegal supply of Mephentermine injections in Bandlaguda
The South-East Zone Task Force team, along with Bandlaguda Police, apprehended a 30-year-old man for illegally procuring and selling Mephentermine Sulphate injections. A total of 19 vials, along with a scooter, and a mobile phone, were seized from his possession. The total value of the seized items is estimated at ₹1.25 lakh. The accused, identified as Abdul Jibran Ansari, a welder by profession and a resident of Mohammad Nagar, Bandlaguda, was caught on May 30 after the police received credible information about the illegal activity. He was found in possession of the banned injections while riding his scooter. 'Ansari had sourced the drugs from one Sahendra Prasad, a resident of Gurugram, Haryana, and was selling them at inflated rates to buyers in the Bandlaguda area. Mephentermine, typically used in medical settings, is a restricted substance that can cause serious health complications if misused,' said an officer from the Task Force. The Hyderabad police has urged the public, particularly young individuals, to stay away from stimulant medications like Mephentermine unless prescribed and supervised by a medical professional.
Indian Express
14 hours ago
- Health
- Indian Express
60-year-old woman with Covid dies in Delhi; second death reported in Capital amid surge in cases
Delhi has reported one death due to COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, according to the Union Health Ministry's COVID-19 dashboard on Saturday. This is the second fatality reported in the Capital due to COVID-19 this year. Authorities identified the deceased as a 60-year-old woman with acute intestinal obstruction post-abdominal surgery in whom Covid-19 was detected. As per the dashboard, a total of 294 fresh cases have been reported in Delhi as of May 30, with 56 new patients on Friday. The latest surge in cases in Delhi and other parts of the country comes after a spike was reported in Asian countries. According to reports, the rise is mainly due to the spread of Omicron-related variants of the coronavirus. The sub-lineages of the JN.1 variant (LF.7 and NB1.8) have been confirmed by health authorities in these countries. JN.1 is a descendant of the BA.2.86, also known as the 'Pirola' strain, belonging to the Omicron lineage. The strain can evade existing immunity and is more transmissible. But so far, its symptoms do not differ much from those associated with the Omicron variant. The fresh cases in India have mostly been reported from Kerala, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu. However, most cases are mild and not associated with severity or mortality. It is important to wear a mask when going to crowded places or if you have symptoms like a runny nose, sore throat, headache, or a fever. According to the 2023 AIIMS/ ICMR-COVID-19 National Task Force guidelines, people with mild symptoms should isolate at home. At home, you should maintain physical distancing, wear a mask, and practice good hand hygiene. Mild cases can usually be managed with rest, fluids, and medicines for symptom relief. Stay hydrated, monitor your temperature, and do not use antibiotics unless there is a clear sign of a bacterial infection. Seek immediate medical attention if you have trouble breathing, your oxygen level drops to 93 per cent or lower, or if you have a high fever or severe cough lasting for longer than five days. Those older than 60, or with heart disease, diabetes, a weakened immune system, tuberculosis, chronic lung, kidney, or liver disease, or obesity, or those who are unvaccinated should be extra cautious.
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Binghamton sentenced to 11.5 years for weapons charges
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – A Binghamton man will spend nearly 12 years in New York State Prison for weapons charges. Broome County District Attorney Paul Battisti announced that Dorian Raysor, 33, was sentenced to 11 ½ years in prison to be followed by 5 years of post-release supervision for Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, and Tampering with Physical Evidence. The sentence is the result of an investigation conducted by the Broome County Special Investigations Unit Task Force. On the day of the incident, Task Force members were conducting surveillance in a hotspotarea of Binghamton when they observed Raysor adjusting an object in the front of his waistband. Upon making contact with him, Raysor fled the scene on foot. During the pursuit, he discarded a handgun and a holster. Officers later recovered a loaded FN .45 caliber handgun. 'This conviction is the result of strong, coordinated police work and a commitment to keeping illegally possessed firearms off our streets. Mr. Raysor's actions posed a serious threat to public safety, and this sentence reflects our office's dedication to holding violent offenders accountable. I thank the jury for their service and the SIU Task Force for their tireless work,' said Battisti. Man charged with multiple DWIs after crashing car in Town of Fenton with kids inside Binghamton sentenced to 11.5 years for weapons charges Low Sensory Morning at Animal Adventure allows for calm, quiet visit to the park Police: Waverly man arrested as fugitive out of Pa after attempting to escape police Binghamton firefighters rescue dog from river island Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CTV News
a day ago
- Business
- CTV News
Alberta's D+ grade on housing report card is lowest among provinces
Alberta is ranked dead last in Canada in a new report evaluating home building progress. Alberta is ranked dead last in Canada in a new report evaluating home building progress. Alberta received the lowest grade among Canadian provinces on a report evaluating home building progress. The Report Card on More and Better Housing gave Alberta an overall score of D+ for 'failing to adopt better building codes, incentivize factory-built housing, and regulate construction in flood-prone areas.' 'This, in spite of smart reforms being implemented by municipal governments in Calgary and Edmonton,' the report reads. The report card was commissioned by the Task Force for Housing and Climate. The task force was formed in 2023 to provide practical and actionable advice to governments on housing. It created the Blueprint for More and Better Housing, offering 'a comprehensive set of more than 140 policy actions for adding 5.8 million homes by 2030 that are affordable, low carbon and resilient.' 'Provincial governments control the bulk of housing policy tools and must step up,' said Dr. Mike Moffatt, a task force member and author of the report card. 'Provinces often speak about the housing crisis, but many are not walking the talk. Without meaningful reform from all orders of government, we won't build the homes Canadians need.' The federal government earned the highest grade on the report card, with a B. The report says the federal government adopted key recommendations, including 'federal tax incentives for rental construction, leasing of federal land for housing, and incentivizing municipal zoning reforms, which are having a positive impact on housing supply.' The provincial and federal governments were evaluated based on five categories relative to the task force's blueprint: Legalize density; Implement better building codes; Invest in factory-built housing; Avoid high-risk areas; and Fill in market gaps. 'Alberta has done less to legalize family-friendly density than other provinces and is lagging on resiliency and energy efficiency,' the report reads. No province received a grade higher than a C+. Quebec, Prince Edward Island and British Columbia all scored a C+, while New Brunswick and Ontario got Cs. Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador and Manitoba all got a C-, while Alberta sat alone with a D+. 'Calgary and Edmonton have taken leadership and instituted several helpful reforms on issues ranging from zoning to approval processes. Work on adopting these provincewide. Institute hazard mapping reforms and ensure homes are not built in areas prone to floods and wildfires,' the report said. The group on the task force is bipartisan, with former Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson and former Conservative Cabinet Minister Lisa Raitt involved. Mark Carney was a member of the group before he became the leader of the Liberal party. Read the full report on the task force's website.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Retiring Palm Beach County administrator Verdenia Baker looks back on a career of firsts
WEST PALM BEACH — For the past 38 years, Verdenia Baker's fingerprints have been all over Palm Beach County's budgets. After May 31, those budgets will be someone else's job. The trailblazer — the first woman and the first Black person to lead Palm Beach County's government — is retiring after 10 years as county administrator. "WOW WHAT A RIDE!" Baker said in her retirement letter in early March to county commissioners. Her path to the helm of one of Florida's largest local governments began in Broward County, where she spent three years as a budget analyst. In 1987, she moved north up Interstate 95 to take a similar position in Palm Beach County. Within eight years, she was managing the budget department. County administrator: Task Force names six candidates as finalists for top job Five years later, she was promoted to assistant county administrator. Then-County Administrator Bob Weisman selected Baker to be his deputy, a position she held for 15 years before Weisman retired. "I'd still be his deputy if he had not retired," she joked during an interview May 27 in her office at the County Governmental Center in West Palm Beach. Bake reflected on her lengthy tenure with the county, candidly describing the challenges and rewards of overseeing a multibillion-dollar budget and more than 7,000 employees. In 1987, when she first began her career with Palm Beach County, the population stood at 784,800. It has nearly doubled since then. "It was a real challenge to accommodate all that growth but I believe we did a good job," said Baker, 66, a Royal Palm Beach resident who grew up in Fort Pierce. "I'm leaving the county in good shape, a triple-A bond rating and services that make the county a great place to live in." More: $200 million plan to rebuild county's Delray Beach office complex moves ahead Baker's path to the top of Palm Beach County government began as a teenager. She went to an integrated St. Lucie County middle school, her first encounter in a school with white students. Her principal was the first Black principal there. She was the first Black student council president, and she quickly began dealing with racial issues. She was aware of the mantle she was carrying. "Being first carries a lot of responsibility," she said in a 2017 profile. "It means going above and beyond, and that is how I was brought up," she said. Her service also taught her to find common ground. "Everyone wants the same things — decent jobs, to take care of our family, to take care of our elderly," she said. Baker remembers her first involvement in community activism. There was a dangerous intersection in a Black neighborhood. There were numerous accidents. The coach of the Youth Movement Club urged her and others to go to City Hall and make a case for the traffic signal. "We got our signal," she said. More: 2025 taxable values up nearly 8% in Palm Beach County, driven by new construction As Palm Beach County administrator, she accomplished so much more. She said she is most proud of the county's AAA bond rating. The county, Florida's fourth-largest, is just one of 58 nationally to have such a high rating, which allows it to borrow money at interest rates lower than most other counties. She also is proud of bringing a second spring training baseball stadium to the county to join Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter. Major League Baseball's Houston Astros and Washington Nationals train there, and their fans who travel there help to boost the local tourist industry. Baker also oversaw the issuance of grant money during the COVID-19 pandemic and helped to steer the government through providing services during virus-triggered shutdowns. One of her concerns is that Office of Equal Business Opportunity could become a victim of President Donald Trump's efforts to wipe out diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, programs. The department certifies minority, women-owned business enterprises to make them eligible for work on county contracts. Successful vendors are required to award a percentage of the work to those certified businesses. "It would be a shame to see it eliminated," Baker said. "It has helped to level the playing field. But unless court challenges overturn what the president wants to do, I expect the program will be suspended. There would be a risk of losing millions of dollars in federal aid." More: $5 billion in new construction to be added to Palm Beach County tax rolls As for the budgets over the past 38 years, this year's was the most difficult of all, said Baker. "There's the impact of presidential security costs. That is a $45 million hit. We never expected that. I'm hopeful the federal government will reimburse us, but there's no guarantee.' If that doesn't happen, she has recommended using reserve funds to cover most of the costs. She also reached an agreement with Sheriff Ric Bradshaw to reduce his budget by a record $37 million and has asked him to cut his budget by an additional $20 million. Regardless of whether there is another budget cut, his spending plan for the first time will exceed $1 billion. The problem with dipping into the reserve is that it is already well below what similar Florida counties are maintaining. She said she is concerned that it could affect the county's bond rating, which she has worked hard during her tenure as county administrator to maintain. She said she was reluctant to ask Bradshaw to cut his budget but it was necessary to prevent core county departments from reducing their spending to the level that it would affect their ability to provide needed services. 'They have already been cut enough,' she said. She said her successor will have to analyze public safety spending, which has increased at a pace far in excess of the rate of inflation and far in excess of other county departments. The sheriff's budget has increased 183% during the past 18 years; County Commission departments have risen 71%. The inflation rate was 60%; the population increase 21%. "It is just not sustainable," Baker said of the increase in the sheriff's budget. "I'm all for making sure that first responders have all the tools they need, but we need to balance the needs of departments that fall under the direct supervision of county commissioners." 'This is going to be special': National HBCU Battle of the Bands coming to FAU Stadium Before Weisman retired, he recommended that the commission hire Baker as his replacement. So who does Baker recommend as her successor? She favors her deputy, Patrick Rutter. "I had enough confidence in him to make him my deputy. He would be a great administrator.' But, she added, Assistant County Administrator Isami Ayala-Collazo, another finalist, is also very well-qualified to hold the position. Baker's last day will be May 31, after which she plans to travel and spend time with family. There has been a whirlwind of recognition for Baker during the last month. May 18 was proclaimed Verdenia Baker Day by county commissioners. May 20, county commissioners voted to name the Vista Center complex on Jog Road after her. In June, county commissioners are expected to name a portion of Crestwood Boulevard in Royal Palm Beach after her. The Florida Association of Counties recently provided her with a plaque recognizing her for her years of public service. Mike Diamond is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. He covers Palm Beach County government and issues concerning HOAs. You can reach him at mdiamond@ Help support local journalism. Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Verdenia Baker proud of her record as Palm Beach County administrator
