Latest news with #county
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
I love the Royals. But Kansas City shouldn't subsidize billionaires
I went to look at some new golf clubs the other day. My game has really been coming along, but the latest technology behind forged iron golf clubs is quite amazing and might take me to the next level. The only problem: Golf clubs are expensive and these really weren't in the budget. Only this was no problem at all, because I figured I'd just call John. 'John Sherman's office.' 'Good morning,' I said, 'may I speak to Mr. Sherman, please?' 'He's not in this morning. May I ask what this is regarding?' 'Sure,' I explained. 'I don't know John, but he also doesn't know me. Yet, he's asking me and all my neighbors to subsidize his hobbies, so I'm just asking for the same from him. I'm at the Golf Galaxy checkout with a new set of irons. How would Mr. Sherman like to help me pay for these?' See how ridiculous the situation we're in as a city is? I didn't really call Mr. Sherman's office — I wouldn't know how to. And that's OK, since I don't really want to ask him to pay for part of my golf clubs. If I want to play golf, it's on me to save my own money to do so, or seek my own form of subsidy by asking my wife. Similarly, if John Sherman wants to own a Major League Baseball team (and I'm glad he does), he needs to pay for his own toys. Asking the residents of our city, our county and our state to help subsidize venues that will be owned and operated by professional sports franchises making profits is offensive. Years of careful economic analysis and study has borne out an unfortunate truth for John Sherman, Clark Hunt and all the other (mostly) men who own sports teams in America: Public subsidization of stadiums is not an effective form of economic development. It's corporate welfare, and it should be called out as such. Stadiums are expensive, and having them in our city is a great luxury. I'm just not willing to foot the bill for luxuries when our basic needs are not being met. I'm as passionate a Royals fan as you'll find. I've been to at least one game every season that I've been alive, all at Kauffman Stadium, and counting to my 9-months-pregnant mother's attendance at Game Two of the 1985 World Series one season before. Taking my 2-year-old daughter to games and instilling the same love for the team in her is a joy beyond measure. Hearing that the Royals had decamped to Nashville, or Charlotte, or even across the state line to Kansas, would be some of the saddest news I could imagine. But if that's the result of our city saying no to handouts for extremely wealthy men — however well-meaning — so be it. We're talking about real money. Resources are finite, and we can't pay for everything. I wish we had more. Until we do, I'd rather we spend our money on infrastructure, on public services, on education — on 100 other things — before we spend it on a new stadium, even for a team I love. I hope others in our area feel the same way, and I think they do. Either way, I'm happy to play golf with John Sherman, as long as he can pay his own greens fee. I'm done supporting the leisure pursuits of billionaires. Go Royals! Sam Burnett is an attorney and stay-at-home father living in Kansas City.
Washington Post
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Iowa sheriff who won't join immigration enforcement program heeds risk of 'sanctuary' status
DES MOINES, Iowa — An Iowa sheriff is warning that his county may be publicly shamed by the Trump administration for insufficiently backing the president's immigration agenda , though he says he is 'more than happy' to help. He said he just wants to ensure he doesn't end up with too few officers, jail beds and dollars to respond to the county's needs.
BreakingNews.ie
13-05-2025
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Graduate planners sought to help transform towns and cities
A recruitment drive is aiming to attract graduate planners into Ireland's county and city councils. The local government initiative, launched on Tuesday, aims to attract graduates exiting degree or masters courses in Ireland, Northern Ireland, Britain and internationally. Advertisement Successful candidates will have the opportunity to shape the future development of cities, towns and villages over the coming decades. A total of 43 new posts are now available in 26 of the 31 county and city councils nationwide, offering a starting salary of almost €39,000, 24 days' annual leave and a structured career allowing graduates to progress to professional planning. The initiative is part of the Government's ministerial action plan on planning resources, which sets out a roadmap to increase the pool of planning expertise in local authorities. 'Planners are critical to tackling the big challenges facing the world in which we live, including housing, protecting our environment, biodiversity and heritage,' said chairman of the County And City Management Association's planning and land use committee, Liam Conneally. Advertisement 'Local government plays a vital role in shaping entire communities and we now need dynamic graduate planners to join our teams across the country, where they can be involved in exciting projects, share their ideas and learn from experienced planners. 'This new stream of planners will have a real and direct impact on sculpting areas in which they themselves live,' added Mr Conneally, who is also the chief executive of Galway County Council. Mateusz Ciesiolka, 24, from Dublin's Drimnagh, graduated from TUD Bolton Street with a degree in Planning and Environmental Management. Now working with Dublin City Council, he says having a vision for an area is one of the core attractions of a planning career. Advertisement 'You're helping to determine the future development of your city or your village, but most importantly, we plan for people,' he said. Planner Grace Hamilton secured a graduate position with Meath County Council two months after finishing her full-time studies at Queen's University in Belfast last August. The Co Down native said: 'Every day is different, and it makes you see the world differently, there are things you wouldn't notice otherwise, and you can see the transformation of an area from start to finish.' Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, John Cummins, said taking on dynamic graduate planners is crucial to drive the enhancement and development of cities, towns and villages. Advertisement 'My department is working with the local government sector to ensure planning authorities have the requisite level of staffing, resources and expertise to efficiently and effectively perform their planning functions,' he said. 'In October 2024, my department published a ministerial action plan on planning resources to respond to capacity challenges in the planning sector. 'This provides a detailed roadmap to increase the pool of planning and related expertise needed to ensure a planning system fit for current and future needs.' The new vacancies are open to recent graduates with an honours level eight degree or higher in planning, or those who are due to graduate this year and expect to achieve an honour in a level eight degree or higher, and are entitled to work in the Republic of Ireland. Advertisement
Irish Times
13-05-2025
- General
- Irish Times
I'm worried about our home being devalued because our neighbour's trees block light. What can we do?
My husband and I built our home on a site we bought in the mid-1980s. All the land adjoining our site was sterilised by the county council so that no further building could take place. We had lovely views of the mountains and plenty of sunshine giving light to our garden and house. New neighbours moved into the house next door soon afterwards. They planted all of the 23 acres in hardwood forest on two sides of our property, east to south sides, which cuts out our sunshine for a major part of the day, especially in winter. The forest is planted right up to our fence. It is now about 2½ metres high and will grow to nearly 61 metres. I checked if they had planning permission for it, but was told by the council that they didn't need it as it was under 25 acres. We asked them to reduce the height of the trees on our south side and they agreed they would, but they never did it. I'm worried that it will seriously reduce the value of our beautiful architect-designed home, which will probably be sold in the next decade or so. At present, our solar panels make no electricity early in the day because the sun is low in the sky and the light is blocked out until later in the afternoon. What are our rights, if any? READ MORE Let's look first at afforestation and the relevant licensing requirements. It is worth checking if the planting of trees on your neighbour's property qualifies as afforestation. In Ireland, an afforestation licence is required if the area planted exceeds 0.10 hectares (approximately 0.25 acres). Planning permission, however, is only necessary if the area exceeds 25 acres or involves specific environmental concerns. If the trees were planted for other purposes, such as landscaping or private gardening, licensing rules may not apply. Verifying the purpose of the planting can help clarify whether any rules have been breached. The right to light is a well-established legal concept that protects access to natural light for specific windows of a property. If you have enjoyed uninterrupted access to light through a window for more than 20 years, you may have acquired an 'ancient lights' easement under the Prescription Act 1832. However, this right applies only to specific windows and not to gardens or open spaces. It is also worth noting that there is limited case law addressing tree-related obstructions, making this a legally uncertain area. Property Clinic's Patrick O'Connor is a senior partner at P O'Connor & Son solicitors in Swinford, Co Mayo The distinction between interference by buildings and trees is important. While legal precedents address artificial structures obstructing 'ancient lights,' there is little authority on natural growth such as trees. Planning laws regulate building heights to protect views but leave tree heights unrestricted, offering homeowners minimal options for such obstructions. [ My son lives abroad and wants to sell his house here but the tenant won't move out. What can he do? Opens in new window ] [ Which windows are best to block out noise and retain heat? Opens in new window ] Legal protection for solar panels is even more limited, as Ireland does not have specific 'solar rights' laws guaranteeing access to sunlight for renewable energy systems. Homeowners may be able to pursue a nuisance claim if the shading caused by neighbouring trees severely impacts the panels' functionality, resulting in financial loss or operational issues. Strong evidence, such as reduced energy output or higher electricity bills, would be crucial to supporting such a claim. The right to a view In Ireland, there is no legal right to preserve a scenic view, even if the loss significantly reduces your property's value. Obstructions caused by natural growth, such as trees or woods, do not constitute grounds for complaint unless they breach local building regulations or overhang your property. Precedents such as Potts v Smith (1868) and Webb v Bird (1862) have upheld that there is no entitlement to maintain uninterrupted access to views, wind or air. Your best course of action may be to engage with your neighbour directly. Discussing the issue and negotiating a compromise, such as trimming or reducing the height of the trees, could provide a practical solution. If that fails, consulting a solicitor with expertise in property law can help you explore whether nuisance claims or other legal remedies might apply. Unfortunately, the law provides little relief in many cases involving trees and views, but taking early action and seeking professional advice may help you protect your property's value and functionality. Patrick O'Connor is a solicitor at P O'Connor & Son This column is a readers' service. The content of the Property Clinic is provided for general information only. It is not intended as advice on which readers should rely. Professional or specialist advice should be obtained before persons take or refrain from any action on the basis of the content. The Irish Times and it contributors will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from reliance on any content
South China Morning Post
11-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Starbucks, Luckin get buzz from smaller-city coffee sales in China
As coffee chains in China struggle with a bitter combination of sluggish consumption and cutthroat pricing, Starbucks and Luckin Coffee regained momentum in the last quarter by focusing on lower-tier cities. Advertisement Same-store sales were flat for Starbucks' China operations in the quarter ended March 30, but a 4 per cent increase in transactions helped to offset a 4 per cent decline in the average tab, the company said last month. This came after the Seattle-based firm suffered an 8 per cent decline in comparable-store sales in the country in the year ended September 29. Operating revenue rose 5 per cent year on year to US$740 million in the quarter. The company said it added 665 stores in China over the past year, bringing its total to 7,758, second only to the US at 17,122, and covering more than 1,000 of China's county-level markets. 'The fact that Starbucks is trading a lower ticket size for better transaction volume is a positive sign,' said Richard Lin, chief consumer analyst at SPDB International, a Hong Kong-based investment bank. 'It shows that the company is making efforts to defend its market share in China as price competition persists.' However, Lin noted that it would also be important to monitor how much further Starbucks could expand beyond the wealthier cities, where customers could afford to pay for a premium brand. Advertisement A total of 66,920 coffee shops opened across China over the past year, according to a food and beverage data provider. Much of that growth was concentrated in second and 'new first-tier cities' – urban centres less globally connected than Beijing or Shanghai, but rising in population and economic power. For example, Chengdu, capital of southwestern Sichuan province, added 1,995 coffee shops over the past year, ranking third nationwide, while tech hub Hangzhou, capital of eastern Zhejiang province, ranked sixth with 1,725 new openings, data showed.
