Latest news with #communityLeaders
Forbes
30-06-2025
- Forbes
Hawaiʻi Travel Update: A Developer Wants To Build A Gondola To The Top Of Oʻahu's Tallest Mountain. The Local Community Is Pushing Back.
Mt. Kaala is the highest peak of the Waianae Mountain Range and the highest peak on Oahu. A controversial proposed development plan would install a gondola or cable car to the top. getty A gondola in Hawaiʻi? That's the goal of one tourism project that's brewing controversy on Oʻahu's North Shore. The development plan, named 'Kamananui' and proposed by Kaukonahua Ranch, calls for the installation of a gondola or cable car ascending Mount Kaʻala in the Waiʻanae Mountain Range, Oʻahu's highest peak (4,026 feet). According to the project description, it aims to attract about 1,700 visitors per day and will be complemented by other tourist-friendly attractions, like a zipline and cafe. The project leaders say it will focus on agritourism and cultural education for visitors to the island. Some residents aren't so sure. In late June, roughly 100 people rallied to protest the proposed Kamananui project. Opponents of the idea—which include community leaders and cultural advocates—argue the mountain is sacred, home to unique ecosystems and ancestral significance, and that the influx of tourists would overload the area and cause headaches for locals. Kaukonahua Ranch has scaled back elements of the proposal in recent years in order to appease concerned residents (it first applied for permits in 2019). The latest version reduces the number of ziplines from two to one, scales back tree planting and expands grazing areas. Project coordinators maintain that the project aligns with existing permits and pledges local job creation and conservation efforts; local critics say that these amendments are 'agri-washing'—that is, disguising a tourism project as an agricultural project—and warrant a fresh environmental impact study and stronger community input. 'In Oahu, we have a lot of agri-washing,' State Representative Amy Perruso told Hawaiʻi News Now. 'So these projects are really about tourism, and we need to not only hold those developers accountable for that agri-washing, but then really stop those kinds of developments because we need that land for food sovereignty.' Another public meeting is scheduled for late July to further discuss the contentious proposal, which is still under review by the Department of Planning and Permitting. Hawaiʻi is no stranger to controversial projects and protests surrounding its high peaks. In recent years, several projects have been contested across the islands, such as adding new telescopes atop the summits of Mauna Kea and Haleakalā.
BBC News
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Chaka Khan to headline Pride in London 2025 at Trafalgar Square
Singer Chaka Khan has been revealed as the headline act for Pride in London's Trafalgar Square as the Queen of Funk, Khan is known for her powerful voice and trailblazing appearance will see her belt out hits including I'm Every Woman, Ain't Nobody and I Feel For in London's six stages - Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Golden Square, Soho Square, Dean Street, and a family stage in Victoria Embankment Gardens - will host more than 100 performers including icons from the LGBTQ+ community. The main parade is scheduled to start at 12:00 BST and finish at 18:00, running from Hyde Park Corner, through Piccadilly Circus, down Haymarket along Cockspur to Trafalgar Square, culminating at Whitehall Place. More than 500 groups, made up of LGBT+ community groups, businesses, and partners, forming together to make a total of over 33,000 participants. Sir Sadiq Khan will be leading the cavalcade in his role as mayor of London. The Trafalgar Square stage will also feature speeches from LGBTQ+ activists and community in London 2025 will take place on Saturday 5 July.
Reuters
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Immigrant rights activists call on LA Dodgers to speak out against ICE raids
LOS ANGELES, June 20 (Reuters) - Immigrant rights leaders and others on Friday called on the Los Angeles Dodgers organization to make a "forceful stand" against raids being carried out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents across the city. The Dodgers have a large Latino fan base and calls for the team to make a public statement denouncing the raids have grown since they began two weeks ago. "This is the moment for the Dodgers to stand with the families whom masked agents are tearing apart," a coalition of over 50 community, labor, faith, and immigrant rights leaders said in a petition to the team. "Children who may have sat in your seats enjoying a game now come home with no parents to receive them and no word of their whereabouts or well-being other than reports of inhumane treatment in detention centers across California and the Southwest." The leaders asked the Dodgers to issue a public statement saying that the ICE raids must stop and to back organizations focused on "integrating immigrants into the fabric of our great region." The Dodgers did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The petition comes a day after the Dodgers said they had denied ICE agents access to the parking lot at Dodger Stadium, and it called on the Dodgers to continue to ensure that no Dodgers' property be used for immigration enforcement operations. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, which includes ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said on Thursday that CBP vehicles used the parking lot briefly and that their presence "had nothing to do with the Dodgers." The raids have sparked street protests, which in turn prompted U.S. President Donald Trump to send in the National Guard and U.S. Marines to protect federal personnel and property, fueling more protests and tension. The Dodgers, coming off a World Series championship in 2024, are a cultural touchstone in Los Angeles. Their Latino fan base has been a large part of the team's identity at least since the "Fernandomania" craze surrounding Mexican-born pitcher Fernando Valenzuela in the early 1980s. The professional soccer clubs LAFC and Angel City FC have issued statements of support for immigrants but otherwise the city's sports franchises have refrained from commenting.
SBS Australia
19-06-2025
- Politics
- SBS Australia
End of Walk for Truth begins closing chapter in Yoorrook truth-telling process
In one of the final steps on the truth telling journey, Yoorrook Justice Commissioner Travis Lovett welcomed by over five thousand people gathered at Victoria's parliament house. Gunditjmara man, Travis Lovett finished his nearly 500 kilometre trek across the state. Beginning in Portland on May 25 where Victoria's earliest colonial settlement began, this historic walk has traced the deep scars of colonisation across the state, while also opening space for shared action. Mr Lovett trekked all the way to Naarm, Melbourne. His walk aimed at bringing all Victorians - including Elders, jarjums, community leaders and allies along the truth telling journey. "The walk for truth was about walking with all Victorians in solidarity, encouraging all to come and listen and learn and engage in truth telling. We have worked really hard over the last four years, the documents, it's part of our terms of reference to document the ongoing and systematic injustices experienced by First People's in the state of Victoria. We've engaged with more than 9,000 people through that time." This supporter says truth telling should be led by mob for mob. "This is just a small showing of what mob can do, and its the real way that truth telling should be led, by mob for mob. And in opposition to the state, because the state was never made for us. It was made only to progress colonisation, and they continue genocide - like that's the only thing. These are all arms of the law made against mob, and will trickle down all of the communities that stem from that." Mr Lovett's efforts have been inspiring others, including Mauritian woman Adele. "I understand deeply what the pain of colonisation has been over basically 400 years so we are here for humanity - we want better humanity, progress, future, hand in hand brothers and sisters regardless of what we look like. We want treaty, we want treaty. We want our Aboriginal brothers to be recognised, to say okay yeah you are here before us. We respect you, we love you and we are here to support you." The Yoorrook Justice Commission is the first formal truth-telling inquiry of its kind in Australia. Established in 2021 as part of Victoria's Treaty process, its work has been led by First Peoples, for First Peoples, with a mission to tell the full story of colonisation and its ongoing impacts. For over four years, the Yoorrook Justice Commission has investigated systemic injustices faced by Indigenous people in Victoria. They're also due to release a comprehensive reform report which outlines their recommendations and a road map for change. That final report is likely to make more than 100 recommendations, many of which may be implemented via the statewide treaty process, which is currently being negotiated by the state government and the First People's Assembly. Levi Power is a First People's Assembly of Victoria member. He tells NITV the truths must be told to guide their decisions forward. "We must have these truths told to guide these decisions and to guide our journey forward, not only for this first treaty but going into the future as well." Yoorrook has heard testimony from thousands of people - Stolen Generations survivors, Elders, legal experts, historians, and non-Indigenous allies - across areas such as land, law, education, health and child protection. Its interim report released in 2023 detailed entrenched injustices and called for sweeping reforms to Victoria's criminal justice and child welfare systems. Yet only a handful of those 46 recommendations have received full support from the state government. Victoria's Premier Jacinta Allan says we can't have treaty, without truth. "It is well understood that to drive a treaty process you need to have truth. And truth telling is a part of that which is what the justice commission has been focused on and I want to thank the commissioners, but also particularly thank the hundreds of people who have engaged through the formal hearings process, particularly many of our First People's community here in Victoria who did tell some challenging, challenging stories about their experiences." She says that will be an important part in guiding the truth. "And treaty is all about making the practical common sense changes that are about lifting, lifting the outcomes about First People's here in Victoria, because it is well understood that the best way to close the gap, the best way to get the best outcomes, is by listening to people directly impacted by government decision making policies and programs involving them in the process, and that is the best way to get an improvement in outcomes that we absolutely need to strive towards, here in Victoria and indeed across the nation."
CBS News
17-06-2025
- Business
- CBS News
This is the best-run city in the U.S., a new analysis says. See where your city ranks.
More women say they're interested in taking a solo vacation. Here's how to plan your next trip. There's a whole list of factors that go into keeping a city running smoothly, not least of which is local leadership. In times of turmoil — whether it's a natural disaster, economic crisis or public health issue — Americans turn to their community leaders for answers. But what exactly sets certain places apart? A new study from financial site WalletHub seeks to answer that question by analyzing data for 148 of the nation's largest cities. To determine its rankings, WalletHub looked at dozens of metrics that represent a city's "quality of services" across public finances, education, health, safety, infrastructure and more. After scoring cities across these metrics, WalletHub then compared the data against each city's per-capita budget to determine which are run the best. "The best-run cities in America use their budgets most effectively to provide high-quality financial security, education, health, safety and transportation to their residents," said Chip Lupo, a WalletHub analyst, wrote in the study. "Many of the top cities also have a very low amount of outstanding government debt per capita, which can prevent financial troubles in the future." Read on to find out where your city falls on WalletHub's list. What are the best-run cities? Provo, Utah ranks as the best-run city in the U.S., according to the WalletHub study. Home to 115,000 people, the western city is probably best known for its towering mountains and as the birthplace of Brigham Young University. A constellation of factors pushed Provo to the top of the list, including its robust business growth (5.2%), impressive high school graduation rate (91%), infrastructure and safety ratings, with it the fourth-lowest violent crime rate in the country. The nation's average high school graduation rate stands at 87%. Trailing Provo at number two and number three are Nampa, Idaho, which stands out due to its low government debt and safety ratings, and Manchester, New Hampshire, respectively. The latter notched points for low pollution levels and steady growth in home values. Here are the best and worst-run cities, as ranked by WalletHub. You can also search for your city by name in the bar at the top of the chart.
