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White House delays banning menthol cigarettes yet again: When is the next target date?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:37 GMT

(The Hill) – The Biden administration is delaying a decision on whether to ban menthol flavored cigarettes amid intense lobbying from critics including the tobacco industry, industry-backed groups and some Black criminal justice advocates. The delay is alarming public health groups, which fear that the White House could cave to pressure and delay the rule indefinitely, especially against the backdrop of President Biden’s reelection bid. The target date for releasing the rule was initially August, which was then pushed back to the end of the year. The White House in its regulatory agenda released Wednesday set a new target for March 2024.  “Any delay in finalizing the FDA’s [Food and Drug Administration's] menthol rule would be a gift to the tobacco industry at the expense of Black lives,” said Yolanda Richardson, CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. “We urge the administration to keep its promise and issue a final rule by the end of this year.”  Can you bring ...

Stream plans to begin East Sixth Street transformation in new year

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:37 GMT

AUSTIN (Austin Business Journal) -- A substantial facelift of Austin’s East Sixth Street will begin in the new year.Stream Realty Partners LP said preliminary preservation work is planned to begin in early January as part of a major restoration of more than 30 properties along the popular street with Congress Avenue to the west and I-35 to the east.The initial work will focus on restoring the facades and interiors of the Stream-owned buildings that have fallen into disrepair. The majority of interior and exterior work is scheduled to begin late in the first quarter of 2024 and early in the second quarter of the year, according to the developer.The firm also disclosed that it will begin looking for new tenants in 2024 but it did not share if it is still actively looking for contractors to carry out the renovations.Read the full story at Austin Business Journal.

How the Gophers got quarterback recruit Drake Lindsey out of the Razorbacks’ backyard

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:37 GMT

The Gophers football program moved fast one day in April.Georgia prep quarterback Aaron Philo had de-committed from Minnesota’s 2024 recruiting class, and U coaches were looking for another QB option when they came across Drake Lindsey in Fayetteville, Ark.Approaching 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, Lindsey had thrown 3,778 yards, 37 touchdowns and three interceptions in 11 games during his junior year in the state’s largest class. But he only had scholarship offers from Alabama-Birmingham, Nevada-Las Vegas and Colorado State.Gophers quarterbacks coach/offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh watched some of Lindsey’s film and asked Fayetteville coach Jay Wilkinson about why Lindsey was still on the market.“(Harbaugh) almost felt like it was too good to be true,” Wilkinson recalled to the Pioneer Press. “He’s like, ‘What’s going on with this kid?’ ”Nothing out of the ordinary, Wilkinson assured him. Lindsey just had a slower start to the recruiting process after playing in mop...

Coaldale residents pitch in for Samaritan’s Purse campaign

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:37 GMT

Southern Alberta NewspapersFor the second time, Coaldale residents Karen and Jim Laturnus have travelled to Calgary to spend a day helping children in need at the Samaritan’s Purse processing centre.Karen, 63, and Jim, 66, spent Nov. 30 inspecting Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes before they were packed in cartons and transported to Central America, West Africa, Philippines and Ukraine. There, they will be given to children who in many cases have never received a gift in their lives.“It’s an excellent service opportunity, contributing to a good cause and spreading God’s love,” said Karen.“I like that Operation Christmas Child helps a lot of underprivileged kids and the get a bit of God’s love,” Jim said. It’s not too late for Lethbridge and Coaldale residents to help children in need. Just visit http://www.PackaBox.ca and pack Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes online.

Little Makers Program helps both parents and children

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:37 GMT

By Heather CameronSouthern Alberta NewspapersLocal Journalism Initiative ReporterThe Coaldale Public Library keeps even the littlest of kids busy with the Little Makers Program.Kendra Birss, operator of the Little Makers Program at the Coaldale Public Library, says that the Little Makers program runs in tandem with Lego Club on Tuesday afternoons from 3:45 to 4:30 p.m. and gives parents with two to five-year-olds an opportunity to sing songs, listen to a story, and then build with Duplo blocks.“It allows parents to drop their older children off at Lego Club, but then have a way to entertain their younger children while they wait,” said Birss. “It also gives the younger siblings ownership since they get to participate in a similar program to the big kids; some of the program participants refer to it as ‘Duplo Club’ (just like Lego Club). It is a drop-in program for any caregiver with toddlers and preschoolers, not just Lego Club participants.”Birss says that the library began offerin...

Global Crop Production Conference takes places on Dec. 13

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:37 GMT

By Heather CameronSouthern Alberta NewspapersLocal Journalism Initiative ReporterFarming Smarter’s 2023 virtual Global Crop Production Conference will take place on December 13.“This event connects our audience, primarily located in southern Alberta, with industry professionals from around the world that can provide innovative solutions for the challenges we face,” said Sean Kjos, Communications Coordinator for Farming Smarter. “Our typical audience at this event is farmers and other agricultural professionals who want to learn from these new perspectives.”  The Global Crop Production Virtual Conference, Kjos says, is a holdover from COVID-19 when we had to find new and safe ways to keep our audience engaged with relevant research in 2020. “The virtual conference persists because it allows us to bring international speakers to you at very low cost,” said Kjos.   Kjos says that this year’s Virtual Conference will consist of six 45-minute sessions featuring our guest speakers followed...

Location concerns table book box discussion

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:37 GMT

By Nikki JamiesonSunny South NewsConcerns around the proposed location of a memorial book box led Coaldale town council to table the discussion.During their regular Nov. 27 meeting, Coaldale councilors reviewed a request for a book box installation.The 3rd Coaldale Scouts want to install a memorial “Book Box” in the public right-of-way on the corner of 20 Avenue and 13 Street. The town had previously received an inquiry from the Scout group in spring  2023. The Book Box would be in memory of a troop member who had passed away.A Book Box is a community structure whose purpose is to provide users with free access to literature. People can take or leave a book at the box, free of charge. The concept has become increasingly popular in recent years. “Throughout the summer and fall, town administration worked with the representative of the group to determine feasibility, strategize management of the structure and determine an appropriate location,” said Hailey Winder, senior planner for t...

Copperheads start December with pair of wins

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:37 GMT

By Garrett SimmonsSunny South NewsThe Coaldale Copperheads are 2-0 in December after a weekend sweep.Saturday at home, Coaldale picked up a 4-2 win over Okotoks, despite a strong start from the visitors. The Bisons got out to a 1-0 lead in the first period, before Nathan Verloop and Griffin McCulloch scored to put the Copperheads up 2-0 after 20. McCulloch added an assist on the Verloop goal, as Peyton Twigg, Brandon Creighton and Nolan Price had the other helpers.Caden Heins made it 3-1 with a powerplay goal assisted by Verloop and Bill Hounengnon, as Coaldale led by two after 40.An Okotoks powerplay goal in the third made it 3-2 but Price restored the two-goal lead later in the period, as Hounengnon and Brogan Booth drew assists.Nixon Ordway made 33 saves for the win, as Okotoks held a 35-24 advantage on the shot clock. Okotoks went 1/6 on the powerplay and Coaldale was 1/5.On Sunday, the Copperheads took care of business on the road in Cochrane with a 5-4 win.Price scored the fir...

Premier Smith, if it ain’t broke don’t fix

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:37 GMT

Dear Editor,TV newscasts and newspaper articles lately showed the Premier of Alberta has picked another fight with Prime Minister Trudeau, this time regarding carbon capture to decrease emissions  at oilsands sites in Alberta, even before he set out the rules for climate change. Does she ever look around to see what benefit the smoke stacks of pollution  do to the environment? “NO,” all she desires is to produce oil and gas to make millions of dollars. Smith’s target for green electricity is 27 years from now. By that time southern Alberta will likely become a desert; whereas Trudeau’s target is 12 years.I believe the Sovereignty Act will not help her childish way. What does a Talk show hostess know about running the Province of Alberta? Taxpayers should encourage her government to take a survey and referendum whether she should make changes to our Constitution as set out in the Bill of Rights. Beside controlling the environment, she has no right to opt out of the CPP because the po...

Politicians must stop weaponizing food prices for political gain

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:37 GMT

In an era where food inflation has become a contentious political issue, it’s all too tempting for politicians to target the grocery industry. Sadly, that’s exactly what transpired in our country this year, and it was both absurd and embarrassing.The government and Parliament relentlessly hounded our grocers, drowning out the opportunity for Canadians to truly comprehend the intricacies of food inflation amid the din of political theatrics.While amusing, the recent “greedflation” campaign highlights a collective amnesia regarding why companies exist and the power of market forces. The sustainability of the grocery business in Canada hinges on profits and a profound understanding of market dynamics.In 2023, grocers made three visits to Ottawa. On March 8, they appeared in Parliament, followed by a meeting with Minister Francois-Phillippe Champagne on September 18, and a final appearance in Parliament in November. Regrettably, these visits yielded little more than media photo ops that...