logo
#

Latest news with #residency

City grants some department heads exemption to residency law
City grants some department heads exemption to residency law

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Politics
  • Yahoo

City grants some department heads exemption to residency law

Jul. 21—WATERTOWN — The City Council voted Monday night to exempt the current city manager, city engineer, and the superintendent of public works from a law that would have required the department heads to move into the city. "I appreciated the support and I'm going to continue to serve the city residents to my best possible ability," City Manager Eric Wagenaar said after the meeting. In a 4-1 vote, the only opposition was from Councilwoman Lisa A. Ruggiero. Under contract, Wagenaar was given until June 29, 2024, to make the move, with a possible six-month extension until last December. The City Council discussed the issue during an executive session but no action was taken. Mayor Sarah V. C. Pierce said she understands that there is frustration that the residency provision of Wagenaar's contract was not fulfilled, while adding Wagenaar's experience would be difficult to replace. "Over the past year and a half we've seen the city manager really do an exemplary job for the city," she said. "I think that his experience and connections to the community would be extremely hard to replicate." The mayor said the city is facing a number of issues it is making progress on. "To not grant an exemption would essentially stall that progress and I don't think that we can afford to do that at this point in time," she said. Pierce also said that there should be talks about ways to encourage more city employees to live in Watertown. "The next time those positions come open, what can we do to encourage the next person who takes that job to live in the city, or how can we give preference to people who live in the city for those positions," she said. While saying it wasn't an easy decision, Pierce added that she thinks it's in the city's best interest that they continue on the path they're on. "I think that this is important to move forward with this," she said. Ruggiero said she received a phone call from Assemblyman Scott A. Gray, who suggested doing "home rule" legislation. A home rule law "makes the local government a full partner with the state in the shared responsibility for providing services to the people," according to the state's website. City attorney Kristen Smith said if they passed the local law, it wouldn't stop the council from doing home rule legislation. Council member Clifford G. Olney III, in explaining his vote, said that he has heard people say they are doing a "workaround" to state law, which states that officers must live in their municipality. But he doesn't see it that way, instead calling it a "patch to a situation that wasn't addressed initially." Olney claims that what they did previously by allowing the city manager to have six months and then a potential additional half-year to move into the city, was a workaround because the council did not have a law in place permitting Wagenaar, and other city officers, to live outside the city. "What we would be doing this time is cleaning up that issue for this particular time with these three individuals but not doing anything about the next manager, the next department head... We would be faced with this again," he said. Olney said he would be open to putting the grace period they gave Wagenaar into law. Solve the daily Crossword

8 Best Moments From the Opening Night of Kelly Clarkson's ‘Studio Sessions' Las Vegas Residency
8 Best Moments From the Opening Night of Kelly Clarkson's ‘Studio Sessions' Las Vegas Residency

Yahoo

timea day ago

  • Entertainment
  • Yahoo

8 Best Moments From the Opening Night of Kelly Clarkson's ‘Studio Sessions' Las Vegas Residency

Rested and ready, an exuberant Kelly Clarkson finally made it to the stage of the Colosseum at Caesars Palace on Friday night (July 11) for the start of her new residency. More from Billboard Hegseth's Video Deleted, Reposted After Metallica's Cease & Desist Over Unauthorized Use of 'Enter Sandman' in Drone Clip Ed Sheeran Overwhelmed With Emotion Performing With Musical Hero James Blunt: 'Top 3 Favorite Moments on Stage Of All Time' Doja Cat, Tems, J Balvin & Coldplay Join Forces for Unifying FIFA Club World Cup Final Halftime Show Performance Clarkson is no stranger to Las Vegas stages. She previously had a show at PH Live in Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in 2023, the sold-out engagement 'Chemistry,' which ended in 2024. Starting off Friday night with a bang, she immediately got deep with fans. 'It took us a minute … took me a minute. I'm so sorry if some of y'all had tickets to last weekend's shows. We can't help our body sometimes … if we get sick. But thank you all so much for showing up,' Clarkson's told the audience after opening the show with 'Me' and 'Walkway,' immediately addressing the elephant in the room: last week's abrupt cancellation 90 minutes before the scheduled start of 'Kelly Clarkson: Studio Sessions.' 'I sound incredible because I canceled last weekend,' the American Idol champ commented after a few songs. The two-hour-long run through her 23-year career, told through music and stories, proved exactly why the singer, songwriter and talk show host needed to be at full vocal capacity. The setlist accounted for about 80 minutes of music, with Clarkson filling in around 40 more with banter and storytelling. The staging and musical arrangement put the audience inside a Clarkson recording session with more than two dozen studio musicians rotating in and out throughout the production. Clarkson let loose with major vocal runs, candid emotional moments and even a 'glass of tequila' from an audience member. Sixteen performances of 'Kelly Clarkson: Studio Sessions' are scheduled through Nov. 15, with new dates for the postponed July 4–5 shows still to be announced. Here are the eight best moments from night one of Clarkson's 'Studio Sessions' at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace on July 11. The Set Design: In the Studio With Clarkson The expansive stage replicates a recording studio with a control room, live room and vocal booth. 'We gave you a sneak peek of what we do. There's nothing like getting into studios with a bunch of musicians and vibing with each other. It's electric,' Clarkson shared, walking the audience through what they were about to see onstage. 'You're feeding off everyone's emotional state, wherever they are that day. This is my favorite show I've ever put together, because I love being in the studio and that's where this whole idea came from. That's my favorite mic to use.' Inspired by what you would see in her 'party barn,' in Montana, the personal ephemera accenting the studio walls was an engaging visual enhancement to stunning stage design. 'I have all these pictures up of me. Patty Griffin, I have Bonnie Raitt over here. I have me and Reba. I have Steven Tyler, Lauryn Hill and Janis Joplin. All these people are big musical influences for me,' she said. 'This is literally my s—t on these walls. That's my Dolly,' the singer added, looking over at a photo of Parton. The Musicians: Dozens of Performers On Stage 'No shade to anyone, but these singers are better than 99.9% of people on the radio,' Clarkson said of her backing vocalists. 'These are the players that I play with, the singers that I sing with, these aren't just people that can sing, they are people who record music — that's a different level of musician. People think you're so talented, you're so gifted; they want it forever.' She alluded to the fact that the show didn't have any tracks mixed in. 'If there are seven guitars in a song, it's hard to cover with two guitarists on stage,' said Clarkson, who shared the stage with more than two dozen performers. 'That's why I have all these people here together. The coolest thing about this show is that in over 20-plus years of doing this, I've played with everyone in some capacity, either on the talk show or on tour or at different times in my career.' The Shot: A Glass of Tequila Eight songs in, during 'Didn't I,' the party mood really kicked up. The original American Idol winner downed a double shot of tequila handed to her by an audience member. 'I don't know how the show's gonna go. I don't drink much,' the singer said. 'Oh my gosh. But it's rude to say no, I got heat in my chest. I'm not gonna lie, it was such a non-shot, but just a glass of tequila.' She mentioned that 'heat' a few more times throughout the concert. The Wardrobe: Show Stayed in Character There was only one costume change and Clarkson performed the majority of 'Studio Sessions' in what she described as an elevated jean and T-shirt look — a bedazzled Stevie Nicks shirt and bell-bottom flares accented by streams of sequins. 'We did jeans and a T-shirt, but with sparkle. I thought, 'I'll come out for the encore and look fabulous,'' she said. For the last three songs, Clarkson channeled Cher in a gown that resembled one of Bob Mackie's famed 'Naked' dresses. The Jabs: Exes & Former Bosses Leading into 'Behind These Hazel Eyes,' Clarkson said, 'It's a song I wrote a long time ago. It was the first song that I realized, 'you can make a lot of money off of heartbreak.' I was in a real s—y relationship. And I was like, hold on here. How do we turn this into a positive? And then this a—e helped me make millions of dollars.' During the intro to 'Because of You,' the artist shared that she fought hard for the track because 'after winning American Idol, people only knew me as a singer. They didn't know me as a songwriter yet and that … 'not nice older men'' at the label tried to block it, an apparent jab at Clive Davis with whom she has a longstanding public feud. The Setlist: Not Just the Hits At the top of the show, Clarkson threw in 'Heat' ('I wish it could have been a single. It feels like a modern day, like a Tina Turner song. I hope you dig it, if you don't f—k it, I picked it') and 'Dance with Me' ('It's so Bowie'). She admitted that 'Piece by Piece' will always be a work in progress and she keeps changing the lyrics as experiences transform within her own life. Leading into 'Beautiful Disaster,' she noted, 'This is my favorite song in my catalog that I did not write … I just sold my catalog, a percentage of it. It was so apparent to me that my catalog would not be my catalog without Jason Halbert,' who was onstage playing piano. The Kellyoke Cover: 'I'll Always Love You' 'I'm gonna preface [this] with no one should ever sing this song, but I got tricked one time,' Clarkson said, leading into the second-to-last song of the night, a Kellyoke cover of Dolly Parton's 'I'll Always Love.' Speculation has been high for weeks that Clarkson would do the song after she posted a photo on Instagram of the Caesars Palace marquee — showing her shared billing with Parton, who will debut her residency at the theater Dec. 4 — and commented, 'I ​​think this is a sign I should cover a Dolly song at one of my shows… but which song?' Parton clapped back with, 'Hey Kelly, I think you should sing 'I Will Always Love You' because I think you do one of the best versions of that song that I have ever heard… Whitney and I would both be proud.' Then came a long soliloquy about Parton and the song. 'She's a beautiful human and she's so sweet. Early in my career, she was kind, and that matters, especially for younger artists who are fearful of looking stupid.' '[An awards show asked me] to sing this tribute to her. I said, 'Absolutely.' Then they're like, 'She picked, I Will Always Love You.' I was like, 'Have a good night.' No singer in the world, on their best day, wants to sing 'I Will Always Love You.' I was terrified. She's standing on the side stage. I was like, 'Oh my God, that's like the principal watching you do math on a chalkboard.'' Clarkson also gave props to Whitney Houston. 'You can tell by some of my runs. I've been taking a little run here, a little run there from her, because I grew up on her. These are two of my favorite musical influences and it's such a beautiful song. We tried to do a marriage of both artists. We all know The Bodyguard. I'm from Texas, so the very first version I heard was Dolly.' The Live Record: In the Works? A live record of this residency show makes perfect sense and Clarkson has guaranteed that something is in the works. 'I hope you enjoy tonight,' she said. 'We're having a good time, as if we were literally in the studio creating a live record, which I'm going [to] sell this [as] one day.' Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart Solve the daily Crossword

Kingdom arrests 23,167 illegals in one week
Kingdom arrests 23,167 illegals in one week

Arab News

time3 days ago

  • Arab News

Kingdom arrests 23,167 illegals in one week

RIYADH: Saudi authorities arrested 23,167 people in one week for breaching residency, work and border security regulations, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday. A total of 14,525 people were arrested for violations of residency laws, while 5,511 were held over illegal border crossing attempts, and a further 3,131 for labor-related issues. The report showed that among the 1,593 people arrested for trying to enter the Kingdom illegally, 69 percent were Ethiopian, 30 percent Yemeni, and 1 percent were of other nationalities. A further 41 people were caught trying to cross into neighboring countries, and 22 were held for involvement in transporting and harboring violators, the SPA reported. The Ministry of Interior said that anyone found to be facilitating illegal entry to the Kingdom, including providing transportation and shelter, could face imprisonment for a maximum of 15 years, a fine of up to SR1 million ($267,000), as well as confiscation of vehicles and property. Suspected violations can be reported on the toll-free number 911 in the Makkah and Riyadh regions, and 999 or 996 in other regions of the Kingdom.

Tuvalu citizens enter Australian visa lottery as rising oceans swallow island
Tuvalu citizens enter Australian visa lottery as rising oceans swallow island

SBS Australia

time4 days ago

  • General
  • SBS Australia

Tuvalu citizens enter Australian visa lottery as rising oceans swallow island

Tuvalu citizens enter Australian visa lottery as rising oceans swallow island Published 18 July 2025, 7:46 am The entire population of the Pacific Island of Tuvalu could live in Australia within 40 years if demand for a new visa lottery holds. 280 Tuvalu citizens will be granted permanent residency each year as part of a landmark pact. On the last count, 5,157 applications have been made - more than half of the nation's estimated population - the lottery closing today. For some, the offer is bittersweet as their island-home disappears.

Jacinda Ardern forced out wealthy foreigners. Now New Zealand is desperate to win them back
Jacinda Ardern forced out wealthy foreigners. Now New Zealand is desperate to win them back

Telegraph

time5 days ago

  • Business
  • Telegraph

Jacinda Ardern forced out wealthy foreigners. Now New Zealand is desperate to win them back

New Zealand had long lured wealthy foreigners with its golden visas. The hurdles were low: applicants needed to maintain an investment of NZD$10 million (£4.4m) in the country for three years, and spend just six weeks a year there. No English language skills or business experience was required, and the money could sit quietly in an investment fund overseen by Kiwi managers. It opened a pathway to permanent residency and the lifelong right to stay in the Pacific nation. But in 2022, New Zealand's leadership – under its then-prime minister Jacinda Ardern – tore up the scheme. The result was an approximately NZD$1.5bn hit to the country's economy as investment collapsed and wealthy people snubbed a stricter replacement visa scheme. Now, the Kiwi government is desperate to win back these people – and their money. It has reversed course and made its golden visa rules more attractive than ever before. Wealthy investors snub New Zealand As New Zealand emerged from the pandemic, Ardern restricted its golden visa programme ostensibly to promote investments in businesses and infrastructure. But the move came amid a slew of isolationist policies under the Ardern government, which included banning foreigners from buying residential property in 2018. A long-term stagnation in foreign direct investment, vital to New Zealand's geographically remote economy, followed. This was compounded when the country became one of the first outside China to impose a Covid lockdown, sealing its borders. Troy Hanley, of migration consultancy Henley & Partners, says: 'During Covid, the foreign direct investment into New Zealand really plummeted which had a massive impact on a country that [already] is quite isolated. The government also changed the investor visa rules and increased the price.' Applicants for the new Active Investor Plus visa had to have at least NZD$15m, speak English and spend 117 days over four years in the country. They could no longer park their investments purely in bonds, property and investment funds, and a weighted system incentivised them to put their money into New Zealand's businesses. The new scheme received just 61 applications in its first two years compared with 145 under its predecessor, official figures show. It also brought in far less money. In the years prior to the Covid pandemic, the old scheme's rules attracted NZD$2.2bn in investments, while the new scheme saw just NZD$70m. The government later accepted changes to the scheme 'had the effect of discouraging potential investors from seeking New Zealand residence'. 'We should be rolling out the welcome mat' A new Right-wing coalition government has attempted to revive New Zealand's economic fortunes after it only recently emerged from a technical recession last year. In February this year, the country unveiled a new 'growth' visa that is even more generous than the older scheme, in an attempt to encourage investment. It is one of a number of policies introduced by Ardern that are now being rolled back. The country's new government has also relaxed visa rules for so-called 'digital nomads' – people who typically use freelance remote work to fund travel – and will allow them to work remotely for an overseas employer for 90 days while visiting. Nicola Willis, the country's economic growth minister, said at the time: 'We should be rolling out the welcome mat and encouraging investor migrants to choose New Zealand as a destination for their capital.' Just NZD$5m was required as a minimum investment to qualify, while the requirement to be physically present in New Zealand dropped to just 21 days over a three-year period, about a week every year. To be approved for this scheme, applicants must invest in New Zealand-based funds or put their money directly into the country's businesses. A further 'balanced' visa was also introduced, and is similar to the old scheme with a minimum NZD$10m investment required over five years. For a higher price, applicants have a wider choice of investment options including bonds, shares in companies, property development and charitable donations. They must also spend 105 days across five years in New Zealand. Hanley says: 'The price is now more reasonable and more accessible to a larger number of high-net worth people.' Ardern also imposed a ban on foreign buyers of property in the country, though this remains in place. Foreigners are still banned from buying property for personal use in New Zealand, however, and golden visa applicants are encouraged to invest in the construction of new housing to increase overall housing stock, which has failed to keep pace with demand in recent years. This is something New Zealand has sought to address through its golden visa programme. A qualifying investment for applicants to the 'balanced' visa can be in property development if it is judged to expand housing stock in the country. Once approved for permanent residency in New Zealand, which is typically possible after the investment visa period ends, investors become eligible to buy housing to live in. But, they must pay taxes in the country and have lived there for at least the last 12 months. A 'bolthole' in an unstable world The new scheme has succeeded in attracting significant interest, says Hanley. 'It has really changed the types of people who are looking at New Zealand. Previously, it was dependent on people who wanted to spend quite a bit of time down there but now you just have to get a few flights down there.' This is combined with a relatively light tax burden in New Zealand. The top rate of income tax is 39pc for incomes of more than NZD$180,001. The country also abolished inheritance tax in 1993. While Hanley says he has seen interest in New Zealand from British clients, most prospective applicants he has worked with are from China. 'There's also no English language requirement and we are seeing a lot of interest in China now that requirement has gone. 'In China, and this has been quite longstanding, the government has targeted wealthy people and entrepreneurs and [Chinese parents have] always had that mindset of getting your kids educated overseas.' Americans are also increasingly seeking alternative residency abroad as the country's politics become more fraught. The low requirements to be physically present are particularly attractive to American applicants. 'You can do it while you are based in Los Angeles and do three trips a year and you get permanent residency for life.' He says US clients 'love the idea' that New Zealand could function as a safe haven in the event of a global conflict in the future. 'Even if there was a conflict in the South China Sea, New Zealand is a 12-hour flight from there. It's a bolthole.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store