Updated April 01, 2020 15:54:16

News Corp says it will suspend printing of 60 community newspapers in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia from April 9.

The organisation said advertising revenues had rapidly declined after the restrictions placed on real estate auctions and home inspections, and the forced closure of event venues and dine-in restaurants during the coronavirus pandemic.

The move follows the news of the closure of several Victorian independent newspapers last month as a result of a decline in revenue resulting from the pandemic.

A statement released by News Corp said the community mastheads would "continue to publish digitally with reporters and photographers expanding News Corp's hyper-local news coverage for consumers across Australia".

News Corp Australasia executive chairman Michael Miller said the decision to suspend printing of its community newspapers was not taken lightly.

He said News Corp remained committed to serving Australia's many communities with trusted, professional journalism.

The impact of COVID-19 on the community newspapers came on top of the toll on media from the refusal of digital platforms to pay publishers to use their content, Mr Miller said.

He said during the COVID-19 emergency News Corp's main priority was to preserve jobs and get the company in a strong position to counter the crisis.

"During this unprecedented time it is imperative that we reduce costs while continuing to keep the community informed and doing all we can to retain jobs," Mr Miller said.

"The print suspension will allow us to assess the shape of the market itself and future conditions, taking into account how the coronavirus situation unfolds in the coming period."

The statement also said News Corp would give community newspaper readers the opportunity to take up a free 28-day digital subscription.

The offer allows access to the websites, apps and mobile sites of News's metro mastheads the Herald Sun, The Daily Telegraph, The Courier-Mail and The Advertiser.

Topics:media,print-media,journalism,rural-media,covid-19,diseases-and-disorders,business-economics-and-finance,australia,nsw,qld,vic,sa

First posted April 01, 2020 11:11:28

Read more from the original source:
News Corp to suspend 60 community newspapers across the country because of coronavirus - ABC News

MTN Rwanda has announced that is has put in place additional interventions to support the Governments efforts to communicate and raise awareness on precautionary measures to prevent and contain the spread of Covid-19.

Driven by the belief that everyone deserves the benefits of a modern connected life, MTN has rolled out a series of mobile connectivity, digital and mobile fintech solutions for its communities.

MTNs priority is keeping people connected during this period. We need to play our part in the alleviation of the economic, social and educational impact through the support of key institutions such as Health, ICT and Education, said MTN CEO, Mitwa Ngambi.

The company, through its Foundation, has donated Frw 10 million to Rwanda Biomedical Centre to support them as they work tirelessly to stop the spread of the virus and has offered free MTN calls among health workers for a period of 90 days.

MTN has also availed free media channel space (radio, TV, social media, SMS, Ring Back Tone, IVR platform) to promote the Ministry of Healths sensitization messages.

In partnership with the Ministry of Education and Ministry of ICT and Innovation, MTN has made online access to Rwandan universities and school websites free to allow students to access in house learning materials.

Students can access https://elearning.reb.rw/, https://elearning.ur.ac.rw/ and https://elearning.rp.ac.rw/ at any time without consuming any data.

We know how important it is to support continued learning for students during this period when institutions of learning are closed. To this end, we have zero-rated some educational websites to enable learners to access core curriculum materials and facilitate distance learning, she added.

In a bid to better serve customers in this period and beyond, MTN through its Digital platforms, recently announced that it has also increased the daily limit on Airtime Transfer (Me2U) from Rwf 3,000 to Rwf 6,000 as well as increased the airtime account balance limit from Rwf 500,000 to Rwf 1,000,000.

In cooperation with the Central Bank of Rwanda to drive cashless payments, MTN Rwanda recently waived fees on sending money to others, on all transactions from Banks to MoMo wallets and vice versa, as well as payments for goods and services using MoMoPay for a period of 90 days.

Social distancing amongst other precautionary interventions has undoubtedly increased the importance of communities staying digitally connected. In light of this, MTN has seen a spike in Internet traffic.

Indicating how the company plans to deal with the upsurge in online traffic and network load, Mrs. Ngambi said, We have noted an increase in internet traffic, almost doubling in residential areas due to the current situation. We have taken immediate actions to optimize and expand the existing network resources to accommodate the increase in demand over the coming weeks.

A key priority for MTN is to ensure business continuity. Services over this time will be even more critical, so priority is ensuring network continuity, availability of spares and equipment and the upgrading of capacity.

MTN Rwanda has taken a series of precautionary measures to ensure continuity of services and the safety of its stakeholders including employees, customers, communities and suppliers against the outbreak.

All recommended and necessary prevention mechanisms have been put in place in all MTN touchpoints.

A work-from-home plan for employees has been implemented in order to reduce the number of employees in offices and Service Centres at a given time and provisioning of hand sanitizers and temperature screening at all points.

Franchisees, Agents and Suppliers/Service Providers have also been guided to ensure that they are taking the same precautionary and preventative measures.

Customers can seek MTN services through the call centre by dialling 100, visit the Service Centres from 8am to 3pm or engage MTN agents that remain operational to ensure continued Mobile Money and airtime service delivery.

To curb the spread of Covid-19, Rwanda Utilities and Regulatory Authority (RURA) has put in place measures for Agents to adhere to when conducting transactions with customers.

MTN Mobile Money and Airtime Agents must wear gloves and masks at all times and keep a 1 metre distance from customers.

They are not allowed to work under the same umbrella/station nor exchange mobile devices. Agents who violate these set guidelines will be subject to penalties which may include closure of their businesses.

MTN Rwandas top priorities are to keep our customers connected and our employees safe and healthy. We stand ready to leverage our core expertise, technology and infrastructure to support and align our response with the efforts of the Government to contain and mitigate the spread of Covid-19, Mrs. Ngambi said.

Original post:
MTN Rwanda Ramps Up Efforts to Support Communities In The Fight Against Covid-19 - Taarifa Rwanda

A developer is demolishing an existing community to make way for a new 46-unit mobile home community near Lake Galena in New Britain Township. A few residents living in existing mobile homes, are fighting to stay as demolition begins.

Before Dale Bowles moved into a New Britain Township mobile home 11 years ago, he was homeless, sleeping on the concrete floor of a storage unit in Willow Grove.

"This community has been a gem," said Bowles, pacing outside as a excavator with an extended bucket clawed through the roof of a former neighbors home.

His home faces the same fate, but hes not leaving.

Clutching an eviction notice that says his community is being "terminated," Bowles is fighting to hold on to his home or get what he considers fair compensation from the developer who is razing the properties at Lake Ridge Mobile Home Park in order to build a new, more modern mobile home park.

According to a sketch plan of the proposal submitted to the county in October, RHG Properties LLC is looking to build 46 double-wide (25-foot by 52-foot) mobile home units on a 14.73-acre site located on Limekiln Road, just 800 feet from the intersection with Ferry Road.

Neither New Britain Township nor the property owners returned calls or responded to questions about the displacement of residents or the plans for the new mobile home community, which will quadruple the number of units there.

As heavy machinery ripped through homes and loaded dumpsters Monday afternoon, Bowles likened the site to an aftermath of a hurricane.

But hes not budging.

"We are sticking strong because we have no place else to go," said Bowles, who was told to be out by last Sunday but is fighting the developers orders. His son, Andrew Bowles, who lives in a neighboring home with his wife and 4-year-old son, is among four other homeowners who refuse to give up their titles to their homes.

While they own their homes, they rent the lots they sit on as is common practice in mobile home communities.

Bowles treasures the location by Lake Galena, where he takes walks with his grandson and enjoys the park and the local wildlife. Finding affordable housing in the area is tough enough, but nearly impossible at a peaceful location with so many amenities close by, he said.

The lease hes been paying on the land at 35 Limekiln Road is $800 a month, which includes utilities.

"Where can I find that around here? No where," he said.

Watching his son drive a toy Jeep along the rural road, Andrew Bowles said the location is both close to his wifes job at Pine Run nursing home, and its walking distance to Lenape Valley Foundation, where he gets care.

Both Dale and Andrew Bowles have been offered $3,500 for their homes. But they would like more.

"Im asking for $5,000. Im not asking for much more," said the the older Bowles.

Considering how much new mobile homes go for in the area, he believes his price is reasonable.

In a nearby mobile home community, Colonial Heritage, new mobile homes are selling for around $149,000, according to sales listed on ABC Home Sales, which will be selling and installing new homes in the rising New Britain community too.

Folks of #LakeGalena mobile home park @NewBritainTwp1 want more from developer whos razing homes to build 50 new mobile homes. #forcedout pic.twitter.com/Wcz8zjElFM

Bowles would be interested in one of the new communitys homes, but the price is out of reach. He asked if he could keep his home in the community, but he was told his residence is "too dilapidated."

The eviction notice came from property manager ABC Home Sales.

Dated Feb. 20, the letter demands that Bowles "vacate the leased property and give possession of leased property to the landlord within ten days."

"This is because the manufactured home community is being terminated."

RHG Properties LLC, owned by Frank Perano, bought the property for $700,000 in 2004 from Colonial Park for Mobile Homes, according to county assessment records.

Fighting demolition

Bowles, now represented by attorneys with the Community Justice Project, said hell wait for the courts to decide. Many of the residents forced out include seniors, the disabled and others who dont have the means to buy or rent in the surrounding communities, he said.

Attorney Kevin Quisenberry, who is representing Bowles as part of the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network, is working to negotiate an agreement with the mobile park owner to help displaced residents secure both more time to find a home and resources to appraise their homes so they can be compensated for more than what developers are required to pay by state law, which is $2,500.

He said the developer gave the community a six-month notice that the park is closing. A spokesman from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, which works to find affordable housing for low-income residents, said the owner RHG Properties did alert the agency, as required, in August.

The protections in place for displaced residents from mobile homes are essential, Quisenberry said, as such closures trigger a toll on a population of residents who often struggle to find affordable housing.

"You have a group of people who own homes but rent the lot where the home sits," said Quisenberry. "If the park is going to close, residents are stuck with a difficult choice: Can they move the home to some place or not? Its an expensive proposition to move a home, costing thousands depending on what needs to be done, and where are they going to move it to?"

Plus, the move is shocking to families, who often rely on public transportation, neighbors and community resources to uproot their lives, he said.

"We represent people who cant pay for everything they need, so being uprooted and forced to rebuild their life and situation is even more difficult for people with limited financial means," Quisenberry said.

Bowles just doesnt want to end up where he was 11 years ago. He said property managers have already threatened to turn off the utilities.

"If something doesnt happen soon, Ill be homeless."

Go here to read the rest:
Residents fight to keep homes, as demolition begins for new mobile home park near Lake Galena - The Intelligencer

Its Kansas Severe Weather Awareness Week (March 2-6), and Miami County residents likely heard the statewide tornado safety drill that was scheduled to take place at 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 3.

Miami County Emergency Management and the communications division of the Miami County Sheriffs Office, in cooperation with the National Weather Service, moved the regular monthly testing of the outdoor warning sirens to participate in the statewide drill. The monthly testing normally occurs on the first Wednesday of every month.

Miami County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Fleming said Miami County has 15 storm sirens, but he emphasized that, like all storm sirens, they are designed to be heard outdoors and not necessarily indoors.

In addition, the county also can set off four storm sirens in the city limits of Louisburg. The city of Paola has nine storm sirens, and Osawatomie has four, and those cities control their own sirens.

Fleming said the sirens have been strategically placed throughout the county in areas where people are likely to gather outside, such as campgrounds at Hillsdale Lake and mobile home parks. They are also located in rural communities, such as Hillsdale, Block, Fontana, Beagle and Bucyrus.

There were 89 tornadoes reported in Kansas last year, including one in Miami County, according to the annual severe weather awareness packet provided by the state Division of Emergency Management, National Weather Service and Kansas Emergency Management Association.

A majority of the tornadoes (56) took place in May. There were no reported fatalities, but one violent tornado, an EF4, began in Douglas County and crossed into Leavenworth County on May 28. Damage from the tornado was estimated at $26 million, making it the costliest tornado of 2019.

Damage from Miami Countys tornado was less extreme, but it was still devastating to local residents, especially the congregation members of Trinity Lutheran Church in Block.

The 2019 tornado ripped through the Block area in the early morning hours of Monday, April 29, and local community members awoke to find that Trinity Lutheran Church had been damaged.

No injuries were reported in the tornado, which began at 4:10 a.m. six miles east of Osawatomie and traveled for about two miles before dissipating at 4:13 a.m. eight miles southeast of Osawatomie, according to the National Weather Service.

Officials determined that it was an EF-0 tornado with winds as high as 85 miles per hour and a very narrow path that ranged in width from 10 to 50 feet. It was also labeled as a QLCS tornado, according to the severe weather awareness packet. QLCS stands for Quasi-Linear Convective System, and it is used to label tornadoes that form very quickly with little warning. They usually spin up with a line of storms, often called a squall line.

Officials said there was so much rain activity at the time, the tornado likely wouldnt have been visible.

Fleming and Miami County Sheriff Frank Kelly joined several congregation members at the church later that morning to assess the damage.

The roof was ripped off the southwest corner of the building, the flag pole was bent nearly in half and the church sign was a pile of rubble.

The damage also was extensive in the nearby cemetery, where several tombstones were toppled.

In addition to the damage at the church, Kelly said a large trailer was toppled and moved at a home near the church, and power lines were ripped out at another nearby home.

Jamie Bolling said she and her husband didnt have any warning when the storm tore through their rural property southeast of Osawatomie. They didnt even make it to the basement.

The powerful wind uprooted several trees, downed power lines, flipped a trailer, blew out the windows of their rock home built in 1868 and toppled their chimney.

Flooding was also an issue in Miami County during last years severe weather season.

Persistent, heavy rains in late May prompted flooding in low-lying areas along the Marais des Cygnes River in Miami and Linn counties and caused the city of Osawatomie to initiate emergency measures.

When the Marais des Cygnes crested at 40.27 feet mid-afternoon on May 22 in Osawatomie, it was the first time the river topped 40 feet at the community since the historic July 1, 2007, flood in which the river rose to 49.19 feet, according to National Weather Service data.

Osawatomie public works crews installed stop logs in the levees southwest gate about 3 a.m. May 22 to prevent rising water from entering town, former City Manager Don Cawby said later that morning.

During Severe Weather Awareness Week, local residents are encouraged to review their own safety procedures to make sure they and their family members remain safe during weather emergencies.

Fleming recommends that families have a plan of action for their home and establish a safe place that includes items like a battery-operated radio and shoes.

He also reiterated that community members cant always rely on immediate assistance following a disaster, which is why it is important to be prepared.

Part of that preparation is information, and Fleming encourages local residents to sign up for the countys emergency notification system. More information is available online by going to Miami Countys website at http://www.miamicountyks.org and clicking on Sheriff under the department tab.

Cell phone users should already be receiving Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) unless they have modified the settings on their phone or it is not carried by their provider.

Fleming also suggests that cell phone users download multiple weather apps to get reports from different sources, and he suggests using an app that tracks your location, rather than one based on a zip code.

Read more:
Preparation is key as severe weather season looms - Miami County Republic

Two programs that provide shelter for homeless individuals and several groups that look out for the needs of senior citizens will share a portion of the city of El Cajons community development block grants funding.

The El Cajon City Council last week made a preliminary decision on where the citys 2020 block grants will be spent, a plan which will be finalized at the end of April.

The actual funds, which come through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, are expected to be available on or after July 1, according to the city. El Cajon expects to get about $1.36 million from HUD for block grants.

The block grant system, as stated on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development website, is a flexible program that provides communities with resources to address a wide range of unique community development needs. Only cities with more than 50,000 residents are eligible; groups receiving money must spend it on activities that benefit low- and moderate-income residents and/or low- and moderate-income areas, as well as meet certain other requirements.

The funding the city is expected to get in 2020 will include nearly $887,000 for public facilities or capital funding.

About $500,000 of that will help cover about 40 new street lights for eligible residential areas in El Cajon; $275,000 will go toward installing or retrofitting about 80 ADA compliant curb ramps and adjacent sidewalks; $25,000 will go for the replacement of hand and guardrails at the East County Transitional Living Center; $24,000 will go to improve facilities at the Home of Guiding Hands on South Lemon Avenue; and $21,000 will go to replace a gymnasium roof at the Boys & Girls Club of East County. An additional $47,000 will help fund the citys Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program, which helps low-income mobile home owners rehabilitate their homes.

The council also unanimously decided the city would dole out nearly $205,000 to five groups for public service programs and projects.

The bulk of the funding for public services, $100,000, will be earmarked for the East County Transitional Living Centers Emergency Shelter Program, which provides housing for homeless individuals. The program proposes to serve 280 persons with emergency shelter beds and shelter for up to 28 days, as well as provide food and case management. ECTLCs program has received operational support from the city since 2005.

The council said nearly $50,000 should go toward community policing as part of El Cajons Crime Free Multi-Housing program that works to increase safety in neighborhoods.

An additional $25,000 will go to Meals on Wheels, which has received support from the city since 1992. The groups More than a Meal program will provide meals to 126 low-income, home-bound seniors in El Cajon.

ElderHelp of San Diego has been chosen to receive $15,000 for its Care Coordination Program, to help provide case management, referrals and transportation for about 50 El Cajon seniors.

The Interfaith Shelter Network will be granted $10,000 for its Rotational Shelter Program that will provide emergency shelter for up to 40 homeless individuals at East County churches on a rotational basis during the winter months. Each church in the program will provide beds, food and shower facilities.

City Councilman Steve Goble asked the city to help fund a new group that had asked the city for financial help this year - Voices For Children, which works out of the East County Courthouse. A staff report said funds would primarily support costs such as salary expenses for the group. Voices For Children requested nearly $80,000 in block grant funds in anticipation of about 200 El Cajon children spending time in foster care this year.

But because Voices For Childrens scope focuses on supporting a small group within the city - children in the foster care system - city staff did not recommend it be funded. A staff report shared with the City Council noted that past practice has been to maximize the available funds for basic services that benefit all parts of the City.

When the City Council said it might be able to provide $5,000 for the group, Christina Piranio, the groups director of development operations, grants and stewardship, said it might not be worth the staff time it would take to meet the requirements related to accepting funds. She did note that it costs the group about $2,000 to provide 18 months of foster care for one child.

The City Council said it might consider funding the group at a later date.

More here:
Annual block grants in El Cajon will go to several groups - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Great Barrington The first Tuesday of the month arrived proffering blue skies and balmy temperatures for the long line of South County residents queuing up in the parking lot at Community Health Programs. The line, which began forming around 10:45 a.m., was bustling with energy and conversation as shoppers awaited the Mobile Food Bank of Western Massachusetts monthly food distribution. In a region where 12 percent of the population, or close to 16,000 people. find themselves without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food, the mobile is working to break down barriers and eradicate the stigma often associated with food insecurity: there are no eligibility requirements, and anyone in need of fresh food can attend.

Betsy Strickler. Photo courtesy Community Health Programs

We truly have no idea who is in line here, said Betsy Strickler, chief communications officer for CHP, as we chatted in the parking lot during Tuesdays hour-long food distribution. It feels super busy, she said, noting lots of new faces in the crowd. The program began as a pilot in 2014 when there were only six mobiles throughout western Massachusetts. We were one of them, said Mary Feuer, assistant director of South County WIC. In the past six years, the program has grown. The first time [the mobile came to Great Barrington], we had about 100 families; now, we are up over 200 families that come through each month, Feuer reported. The mobile food bank delivers a truck full of fresh and nonperishable groceries from the warehouse directly to community sites throughout the region; the program reaches underserved populations throughout western Massachusetts that dont have access to healthy foods, including families, seniors and children.

Some of the offerings available from the Mobile Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. Photo: Hannah Van Sickle

Volunteers are integral to the process, as many hands make light work. Its always different, but a nice combination of fresh, frozen and packaged food is available each month, said Sonya Seward of Sheffield. As a regular volunteer, Seward has seen offerings run the gamut from organic asparagus to yogurt in addition to a lot of the basics. As I made my way through the line, Bill Nappo of Housatonic helped me fill my cardboard box; he has been a volunteer since the beginning and Tuesday morning, he was handing out frozen turkey breasts. There were onions (2 pounds); potatoes (5 pounds); carrots (5 pounds); a fresh head of cabbage; beets (two handfuls); apples (12);and a bunch of bananas. Thanks to a donation from Big Y, there was stuffing and cranberry sauce as well as a special treat: pumpkin spice creamer. Its all fresh,nutritious food none is expired or old, Feuer explained.

Julia Jarvis, left, and Mary Feuer of Berkshire South WIC, part of Community Health Programs Family Services. Photo: Hannah Van Sickle

Equity is the order of the day: Each shopper receives the same amount of food, whether single or feeding a family of five. We want to take the stigma out of [food insecurity] said Feuer, so we keep it as honest and simple as possible. The only information gleaned at the distribution site is how many individuals are in the family, age ranges of family members and whether or not the shopper has been before. Food security is part of the health of the entire family, Feuer explained, pointing to the excellent fit among a trio of organizations. CHP Family Services coordinates the South Berkshire regions WIC nutrition program, which provides pregnant and breastfeeding women and their young children with healthy diet education, access to nutritious food and nutrition counseling. If there are any drawbacks to the mobile, they are few. I wish [food distribution] were later in the day, one shopper remarked. Or that the days alternated, said another who, along with a friend, commutes from Pittsfield to Great Barrington for work. It happens, very infrequently, that we can cut out of work and come, the woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said.

A pallet of onions from the Mobile Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. Photo: Hannah Van Sickle

Maddie Elling of Housatonic has contemplated this challenge; with a young child at home, she receives WIC benefits and gets text message alerts as to the community programs offered by CHP Family Services. It makes me think of all those who cant make it here, she said on Tuesday, citing inflexible work schedules and lack of transportation as the biggest obstacles. As we chatted, I carried my box of groceries to her car. I have employees who would benefit, she said, understanding the wealth of opportunities that exist for those who know about them. Elling told me about a second monthly food distribution at CHP/WIC in Great Barrington on the third Wednesday of each month organized by Berkshire Bounty as part of the nonprofits efforts to reach more people and supplement the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.

The mobile rolls into town rain or shine, and it has yet to run out of food. They kind of know our numbers, and they always pack the truck for 10 percent over, Feuer said. CHP also coordinates the Mobile Food Bank in Dalton on the fourth Wednesday of the month, also from 11 a.m. to noon. For many, attendance is a bit of a social experience, equally integral in building healthy communities. We welcome people from all walks of life, said Strickler, and we have learned its not our business to ask why they are here.

Community Health Programs, based in Great Barrington, Mass., is a federally qualified health center practice network serving more than 30,000 Berkshire County region residents with primary health care for adults and children, womens health care, dental care, physical therapy, vision care and nutrition services. CHP Family Services reaches parents and children in Southern Berkshire County with parent-child networking, parenting education, WIC services and nutrition classes. CHP accepts all patients, regardless of ability to pay, and accepts all forms of public and private health insurance.

Error: Contact form not found.

View post:
Mobile food bank answer to area food insecurity | - theberkshireedge.com

The international agency that regulates water levels on Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River could find itself the target of lawsuits if some upstate New York congressional representatives have their way.

Legislation has been introduced in the House by Reps. John Katko (R-Camillus), Anthony Brindisi (D-Utica) and Joe Morelle (D-Rochester) that would allow shoreline communities impacted by high water levels to take legal action against the International Joint Commission.

Katko, whose district represents lakeshore residents in Wayne, Cayuga and Oswego Counties, said Monday the IJC hasnt listened to the plight of communities being destroyed by flood damage thats taken place since Plan 2014 was put in place four years ago.

"You get double speak. You get half justifications for things, and were not getting action from them. So today, the gloves come off," Katko said.

That tougher stance comes in the form of the IJC Accountability Act. Katko said legal action may be the only way to get the IJC's attention.

"This legislation is going to remove immunity from judicial proceedings the International Joint Commission is currently provided under federal law, and will allow shoreline communities to pursue lawsuits against the International Joint Commission for damages caused by flooding and persistent high water levels," Katko said.

Cathleen Goodnough is one of the owners of the Greene Point Marina and Mobile Home Park in Sandy Pond in Oswego County. She estimates flood damage to her business adds up to almost $5 million. So shes ready to go to court, and she said shes not the only one.

"It affects the businesses inside, not on the water," Goodnough said. "The bars, the restaurants, anybody thats relying on local tourism to keep them going in the summer months. It affects everybody."

Jason Livesey of Rudys Lakeside Drive-in in Oswego said these lawsuits would be about more than money. The goal is forcing the IJC to get rid of Plan 2014, which many believe led to record high water levels and massive flooding along the south shore of Lake Ontario in 2017 and again last year. It forced property owners and state and local governments to pour millions of dollars into repairs.

"This plan is going to directly impact the residents of New York state going forward for many, many years. So I think we would be doing a disservice if we didnt sue."

New York state is currently suing the IJC. This legislation would allow that lawsuit to proceed.

In a statement, IJC spokesman Frank Bevacqua said the IJC is not responsible for high water on Lake Ontario, nature is.

"The announcement appears to be based on the false belief that IJC can prevent flooding on Lake Ontario. Our International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board has taken every action to reduce the risk of flooding by directing record-high winter outflows from Lake Ontario," said Bevacqua. "However, nature determines whether or not it will flood, not the IJC, particularly when inflows are extremely high both above and below the Moses-Saunders Dam."

Bevacqua said if this legislation passes, it would make the IJC's job of regulating water levels more difficult.

"The IJC was granted immunity from lawsuit because the courts and domestic political institutions are not in a position to oversee international waterways. If Lake Ontario communities file a lawsuit, downstream communities and other interests could as well. It would not be possible to manage Lake Ontario outflows in the face of conflicting lawsuits in different jurisdictions," Bevacqua said.

See original here:
Federal legislation introduced to allow lawsuits over Lake Ontario flooding - WBFO

The international agency that regulates water levels on Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River could find itself the target of lawsuits if some upstate New York congressional representatives have their way. Legislation has been introduced in the House by Reps. John Katko (R-Camillus), Anthony Brindisi (D-Utica), and Joe Morelle (D-Rochester) that would allow shoreline communities impacted by high water levels to take legal action against the International Joint Commission.

Katko, whose district represents lakeshore residents in Wayne, Cayuga and Oswego Counties, said Monday the IJC hasnt listened to the plight of communities being destroyed by flood damage thats taken place since Plan 2014 was put in place four years ago.

"You get double speak. You get half justifications for things, and were not getting action from them. So today, the gloves come off," Katko said.

That tougher stance comes in the form of the IJC Accountability Act. Katko said legal action may be the only way to get the IJC's attention.

"This legislation is going to remove immunity from judicial proceedings the International Joint Commission is currently provided under federal law, and will allow shoreline communities to pursue lawsuits against the International Joint Commission for damages caused by flooding and persistent high water levels," Katko said.

Cathleen Goodnough is one of the owners of the Greene Point Marina and Mobile Home Park in Sandy Pond in Oswego County. She estimates flood damage to her business adds up to almost $5 million. So shes ready to go to court, and she said shes not the only one.

"It affects the businesses inside, not on the water," Goodnough said. "The bars, the restaurants, anybody thats relying on local tourism to keep them going in the summer months. It affects everybody."

Jason Livesey of Rudys Lakeside Drive-in in Oswego said these lawsuits would be about more than money. The goal is forcing the IJC to get rid of Plan 2014, which many believe led to record high water levels and massive flooding along the south shore of Lake Ontario in 2017 and again last year. It forced property owners and state and local governments to pour millions of dollars into repairs.

"This plan is going to directly impact the residents of New York state going forward for many, many years. So I think we would be doing a disservice if we didnt sue."

New York state is currently suing the IJC. This legislation would allow that lawsuit to proceed.

In a statement, IJC spokesman Frank Bevacqua said the IJC is not responsible for high water on Lake Ontario, nature is.

"The announcement appears to be based on the false belief that IJC can prevent flooding on Lake Ontario. Our International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board has taken every action to reduce the risk of flooding by directing record-high winter outflows from Lake Ontario," said Bevacqua. "However, nature determines whether or not it will flood, not the IJC, particularly when inflows are extremely high both above and below the Moses-Saunders Dam."

Bevacqua said if this legislation passes, it would make the IJC's job of regulating water levels more difficult.

"The IJC was granted immunity from lawsuit because the courts and domestic political institutions are not in a position to oversee international waterways. If Lake Ontario communities file a lawsuit, downstream communities and other interests could as well. It would not be possible to manage Lake Ontario outflows in the face of conflicting lawsuits in different jurisdictions," Bevacqua said.

See more here:
Legislation introduced in the House would allow lawsuits over Lake Ontario flooding - WXXI News

NewsA shortage of effective stopping places and reluctance from police to adopt the measures could impact the human rights of the community

Wednesday, 4th March 2020, 3:27 pm

No place left to go

Police will be tasked with arranging the removal of the groups, who will be expected to find settlements in sites approved by local authorities. But the legislation, said Helen O'Nions, an associate law professor and traveller expert at Nottingham Trent University, is not supported by the community - or the police.

"I do not think the government wants to hear from the community at all. There are well established groups representing the community and an all parliamentary group that represent the rights and needs of gypsies and travellers, but their requests have not been taken on board," Professor O'Nions told i.

"The police do not support the proposals either.

"Research by group Friends, Families and Travellers using FOI requests found that 75 per cent of police respondents felt existing powers were adequate and 84 per cent did not support the criminalisation of unauthorised encampments."

Daisy, who cannot disclose her full name for confidentiality reasons, is a member of the travelling community. She tweets from the account @RoadsideMum, and lives in her mobile home with her husband and young children. She fears her family could become homeless. Furthermore, if their home itself is declared illegal, it could leave them vulnerable to hate crime.

"From the moment the law comes into place (if it does, and I am petrified it might) then the police can seize my vehicles, which means by force. They can kick my door in and forcibly eject me from my home and car," she toldi.

"They can destroy my home and everything in it, even down to the last fork and spoon, or my children's teddies and passports. We could transform in an instant from a lawful family, with a home I love, to a street homeless family. It's actually worse than that even, because under the law I can be banned for a period of up to 12 months from returning to the area.

"This area I am parked in now is the local authority area where my children go to school and where my GP is. It's the only Local Authority area that I have spent enough time in to be offered emergency B&B accommodation in, in the event I suddenly didn't have a home. If I am banned from it, that leaves only cardboard box street homelessness in the nearest big city.

"Should the law change as proposed, we would never be able to ask the police for help ourselves or even report crime as witnesses, because our whole life would be essentially criminal. This opens the season for anti-traveller violent crime. At the moment, if we are threatened or worse, I can make a police report. I will never be able to do that again if these proposals pass unchallenged," she added.

Professor O'Nions shared Daisy's concerns.

"A report in 2017 by the Traveller Reform Movement found that 91 per cent of the 214 gypsy travellers surveyed had experienced racism and discrimination, far higher than for any other ethnic group, with a total of 77 per cent had experiencing hate crime or hate speech." she said.

77 per cent could lose their homes

Unlike Roma communities in most of mainland Europe, the nomadic lifestyle is still a significant part of gypsy identity in the UK. But with a shortage of legal stopover sites, the community could be left with no place to go, warned the academic, with dwindling local authority budgets leaving little room for councils to approve new sites.

"Only eight local authorities, out of 68 local authorities in the South East of England, have identified a five-year supply of specific deliverable sites for gypsies and travellers," Professor O'Nions continued.

"There are currently an estimated 1035 caravans on unauthorised land, and a further 2,000 are unauthorised but living on sites owned by travellers. This is 13 per cent of the total number of gypsy traveller caravans a small proportion of the total number, which raises questions about the proportionality of the governments proposals."

The consultation also proposes that no more than two vehicles can be present on a site, which could separate the community from family and friends.

"If there's a two vehicle limit, it leaves one little family on their own that might be easily picked on," Dr Siobhan Spencer MBE, a gypsy and academic from Derbyshire Gypsy Liaison Group, told i.

"Taking away peoples homes, apart from the trauma, is going to cause more issues than resolve them. Where is the government going to house all of the people? Obviously, if someone is committing a crime, reprimand them. But one mistake by one individual doesn't mean there should be implications for the whole community."

An easy target for the government?

While discrimination against the group is all too common, the academics believe the consultation proposals will only make tensions worse.

"It will also create increasing tension in local communities between police, local residents and the traveller community, thus fuelling intolerance and providing a justification for racism and hate crime. Discrimination toward gypsy travellers was described by the Commission for Racial Equality as the last acceptable form of racism and these proposals only endorse that message.

"The gypsy traveller community are an easy target for the government as they tend to lack a strong cohesive political voice to challenge racial stereotypes. At the same time both gypsy and Irish traveller identifies are protected by the Equality Act and therefore there is a legal duty to ensure that they are not treated less favourably on account of their ethnic origins."

"What concerns me is that the government are acting like they'd have the legal powers to do this," Dr Spencer concluded.

"Irregardless, what concerns me is that some people are willing to try, even if it destroys lives, making them significantly more awkward and miserable."

Excerpt from:
Thousands of gypsy families could be left without a safe place to go as Government consults over criminalising stopping places - inews

EDWARDS When someone actually asked them what they think about the community where they live, residents of the West Edwards area clearly said they want a stronger voice in both the current operation and future development of their neighborhood.

In fact, they presented 60 different recommendations focused on topics including equity, funding, resilience, access to affordable and healthy food, social isolation, bike and pedestrian infrastructure, health, early childhood education and more as part of an Urban Land Institute Study that launched last November.

Thats a huge amount of recommendations, noted Emma Sloan, health policy planner for Eagle County Public Health and Environment.

The countys outreach with the Urban Land Institute was a bit unusual. The countys public health department headed up the effort, rather than the countys community development department. Sloan noted that it was a movement back to the roots of community planning when public health concerns gave birth to planning and zoning.

The Urban Land Institute provides leadership for land use issues and works toward creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. The organization has more than 1,400 members in Colorado, and its district council is committed to applying best practices in land use through community workshops, educational events and professional development programs.

In November, one of those workshops focused on West Edwards. This week, the Eagle County Board of Commissioners got a preview of what the workshop report will say.

Sloan noted that the high-density West Edwards area has experienced continued growth and is a central point of the Eagle River Valley. Whats more, there are 20 separate zone districts in the West Edwards area. For the study, two community tours were organized and a group of participants that included county employees, community residents, land consultants, business owners, community organization representatives and special district representatives participated.

The Eagle River mobile home park is a dominant feature of the West Edwards area and according, many of the priorities identified for the larger area are tied to that neighborhood.

Issues regarding the park operations range from concerns about water quality to a new state law allowing the county more regulatory power over the park. Workshop participants stated they wanted to form a homeowners association for the park.

Faviola Alderete, Healthy Communities coordinator for Eagle County Public Health and Environment, said the workshop participants from the mobile home park supported the creation of an HOA to give them the opportunity to have power and a voice.

She added that many of the recommendations identified during the sessions are the responsibility of the property manager, but residents want training regarding the states new mobile home park law. The states new Mobile Home Park Oversight Act specifically allows park residents the right to meet and establish a homeowners association or resident council. The act also gives the county authority to adopt and enforce rules for safe and equitable operation of the mobile home parks. With the new rules in place, workshop participants cited a desire for the county to help with mediation between residents and the property owner.

This (the November workshop) gave residents a chance to say what is the first step, Alderete said.

Sloan noted there are eight recommendation highlights from the workshop specifically address issues at the mobile home park:

Beyond the mobile home concerns, West Edwards residents cited the need for community gathering spaces and a secondary entrance to the neighborhood. They also said they want more trees in the area to reduce heat and beautify the community.

Sloan said neighborhood residents also identified a need for more parking. Folks are dependent on their vehicles for work, she noted. The need for parking spaces was a surprise outcome of this study.

Looking ahead, on March 19 the county commissioners have scheduled a joint meeting with members of the Edwards Metropolitan District Board of Directors. County representatives hope to have the final report from the Urban Land Institute workshop prior to that session.

This study has provided us with the opportunity to demonstrate to the community members of how their voice is important, said Rebecca Larson, deputy director of Eagle County Public Health and Environment. The community wants to be involved. They want to be part of the changes that happen in their community.

More here:
West Edwards residents want a voice in their future - Vail Daily News