Category Archives: general

SFV JACL’s 84th Installation Set for Jan. 24

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The San Fernando Valley Japanese American Citizens League (SFV JACL) Chapter invites everyone to attend its 84th installation luncheon on Saturday, January 24. The event will be held at the San Fernando Valley Japanese American Community Center’s Sakaguchi Hall.

According to SFV JACL President May Wood, the keynote speaker will be Howard Kakita of the American Society of Hiroshima-Nagasaki A-Bomb Survivors. Originally from Los Angeles, Mr. Kakita is a survivor of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945.

Doors open at 11 a.m., and the program will begin at 11:30 a.m. Attendees can look forward to special performances by SFV Taiko and the koto ensemble, LA’s 33 Strings.

The cost to attend is $30 per person or $15 per student. To RSVP, please email Linda Tanaka at info.sfvjacl@gmail.com or leave a message at (805) 304-5745. When RSVPing, be sure to include the names and number of people attending. The deadline to RSVP is Saturday, January 17.

Checks should be made payable to “SFV JACL.”

The San Fernando Valley Japanese American Community Center is located at 12953 Branford St., Pacoima. We look forward to seeing you there!
https://rafu.com/2026/01/sfv-jacls-84th-installation-set-for-jan-24/

US Lawmakers Demand Ethics Safeguards for Market Structure Bill: Report

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A number of Democratic lawmakers in the US Senate are reportedly pushing for conflict-of-interest guardrails in a crypto market structure bill currently under consideration. According to a Thursday report, these measures would affect how US regulatory agencies and the government handle digital assets.

The lawmakers have advocated for provisions prohibiting public officials, including former US President Donald Trump, from profiting from any connections to crypto companies. “It is a red line,” Representative Ruben Gallego told Punchbowl regarding the ethics guardrails. “They need to get it right, or they’re not going to have enough votes to pass this.”

The market structure bill, which passed the US House of Representatives as the CLARITY Act, has been under Senate review since July. The ongoing debate includes discussions over potential conflicts of interest and decentralized finance (DeFi). The bill’s progress was also delayed by a 43-day government shutdown in October and November.

Drafts of the Responsible Financial Innovation Act (RFIA), made public by the Senate Banking Committee and the Senate Agriculture Committee, reveal that the bill could grant the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) expanded authority to regulate digital assets.

Some experts speculate that the 2026 midterm elections could increase political support for the bill, especially among Democrats, as market structure and crypto regulation continue to gain prominence.

### Key Supporters and Upcoming Developments

Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis, one of the bill’s earliest supporters and the lead advocate on the Senate Banking Committee, announced in December that she will not seek reelection in 2026. She is set to leave the Senate in January 2027.

This week, Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott indicated that the committee would hold a markup on the RFIA on Thursday. However, as of the time of publication, no such markup event was listed on the public calendars for either the Senate Banking Committee or the Senate Agriculture Committee.

The evolving conversation around crypto regulation underscores the importance of ethical considerations and effective oversight as lawmakers work to shape the future of digital asset governance in the United States.
https://bitcoinethereumnews.com/tech/us-lawmakers-demand-ethics-safeguards-for-market-structure-bill-report/

‘Recidivist drunk driver’ and Long Island bar owner charged in hit and run

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A Long Island bar owner and “recidivist drunk driver” whose license was revoked 10 years ago has been charged in a hit-and-run crash that seriously injured a pedestrian.

Leonard Gross, proprietor of Teddy’s Bully Bar, was arraigned Thursday on charges including driving while intoxicated, vehicular assault, and leaving the scene of an incident that left a pedestrian seriously injured in the spring, according to a news release from Nassau County prosecutors.

“This defendant is a recidivist drunk driver, and on the evening of the crash, was on our roads with a license that had been revoked nearly a decade before,” said Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly.

The 67-year-old defendant from Syosset pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutors claim video and witness statements prove Gross consumed “multiple drinks” at his Oyster Bay bar before getting behind the wheel and mowing over a pedestrian with his 2025 Dodge Ram pickup truck shortly after 9 p.m. on May 17.

“This man should have never been on the road,” Donnelly added. “Now, we will hold him accountable for his criminal actions and the harm he caused.”

Gross is accused of striking his victim in a crosswalk, then running them over and speeding away. Surveillance video and license plate readers led police officers to the defendant’s driveway, where they claim to have seen blood under Gross’s truck.

The victim was treated for multiple broken ribs, chest and lung injuries, and facial lacerations at Nassau University Medical Center. Police said the unidentified man was intubated for roughly five days.

Teddy’s Bully Bar is described on its website as “a refined gastropub located in the heart of Oyster Bay, that celebrates the town’s rich history with American comfort food, specialty cocktails, local beer & wine, featuring live music every weekend.”
https://www.nydailynews.com/2026/01/08/recidivist-drunk-driver-hit-and-run-teds-bully-bar-owner/

National Alert Warning System To Start Soon at Cooper, County Commissioners Informed

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**Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) Implementation at Cooper Nuclear Station Nears**

Dakota Schulenberg presented the Cooper Nuclear Station’s fourth quarter report to the Nemaha County Commissioners on Tuesday morning, December 30. He shared that the implementation of the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) at the facility is forthcoming. However, Schulenberg noted that the responsibility for putting IPAWS into practice lies with other officials, with hopes to begin the process in the spring.

IPAWS is the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) national system for local alerting, designed to provide authenticated emergency and life-saving information to the public.

Schulenberg also reported that Cooper Nuclear Station is currently operating at 100 percent power, with the next scheduled refueling outage planned for next fall.

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### Action Items

The following action items were unanimously approved by the commissioners in a 3-0 vote:

– A $150 bid from John Thomas was approved to remove snow from the Multiplex grounds.

– Kip Reeves was appointed to the Nemaha County Planning Commission.

– The single January fuel proposal submitted by Sapp Bros. was accepted. The proposal includes:
– $3.00 per gallon for No. 1 clear diesel,
– $2.51 per gallon for No. 2 clear diesel,
– $2.0390 per gallon for regular gasoline with ethanol.

– Approval of Link2Pump as a fuel monitoring system for the county road department. The system requires an initial fee of $18,400 and an annual service charge of $5,400. The selection of this system was requested by the Auditor’s office.

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### Board of Equalization

Assessor Mallory Lempka presented tax list corrections, which were approved by the board. The adjustments include:

– Kenneth and Joan Kracke: A 20 percent Homestead exemption to be applied, resulting in a $237.28 tax loss to be recouped by Homestead credit from the state.

– Scott and Debra Brakhahn: A $192.18 tax deduction to be applied for now, with the amount to be charged after a 30-day notice of value.

– Jay Fischer: Deduction of $12.48 for tenancy in common, which was corrected last year but not deleted from the computer-assisted mass appraisal system.

The Treasurer’s staff also presented tax list corrections for Jeffrey and Becky Whisler to reflect ownership change to Rachel Snyder and Mark Brown; these corrections were approved.

Two board notices were accepted concerning property value adjustments:

– Teresa Oestmann building: The structure will be moved to a different parcel. The current value is $589,301, with a new value of $619,298.

– Jamie Lee and Christopher Beaner: Purchased a house from the City of Auburn before the levy date. The current assessed value is zero, with a new value set at $283,103.

In both cases, a 30-day waiting period is required before tax list corrections can be made.

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### Other Updates

The commissioners were informed that a $21,248 grant agreement has been signed with the Nebraska Department of Water, Energy & Environment for tire recycling. A date for the recycling event or program will be set at a later time.

Vicky McNealy, Executive Director of the Southeast Nebraska Community Action Partnership, inquired about the agency’s use of the county building located at 1908 O Street over potential safety concerns. District 3 Commissioner Michael Weiss responded that the building is safe to occupy, having been inspected by professionals.

Commissioners acknowledged that while repairs are needed, the roof has been repaired, leaks have been resolved, and there is no ongoing mold growth. There have been no recommendations from state officials to vacate the building or concerns declaring it a health hazard.

McNealy noted that the Richardson County outreach office is located in the courthouse in Falls City and that no office is currently open at the Nemaha County Courthouse. She also discussed potential expansion of services, should the need arise.

Currently, the Auburn office is open Thursdays and Fridays. Additionally, the Johnson County office operates two days each week, and the Pawnee County office is open one day weekly.
https://www.anewspaper.net/article/1651,national-alert-warning-system-to-start-soon-at-cooper-county-commissioners-informed

Bayer Leverkusen vs Stuttgart Prediction and Betting Tips | January 10th 2026

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Bayer Leverkusen and Stuttgart will face off in a Bundesliga Round 16 clash on Saturday, January 10th. The match is set to take place at the BayArena, with both sides eager to secure vital points as the season progresses.

Leverkusen’s last outing was an impressive 3-1 comeback victory away at RB Leipzig in December 2025. Despite going behind to Xaver Schlager’s 35th-minute strike, the visitors bounced back through goals from Martin Terrier and Patrik Schick to lead 2-1 at halftime. Montrell Culbreath sealed the win deep into injury time, ensuring all three points for Leverkusen.

On the other hand, Stuttgart were held to a goalless draw at home against Hoffenheim in their most recent match. That stalemate left them in sixth place in the Bundesliga standings, having accumulated 26 points from 15 games. Bayer Leverkusen sit just above them in third, with 29 points.

### Head-to-Head and Key Statistics

Looking at the history between the two teams, Bayer Leverkusen have won 46 of the last 93 encounters. Stuttgart have come out on top 23 times, while 24 matches have ended in draws. The most recent meeting occurred in March 2025, where Leverkusen staged an incredible comeback, overturning a two-goal deficit to win 4-3 away.

Recent trends highlight that six of the last seven head-to-head games have seen both sides score. Additionally, eight of Stuttgart’s last nine matches have featured three or more goals. Leverkusen remain unbeaten in the last 15 meetings against Stuttgart, winning 10 of those.

Defensively, Stuttgart have conceded nine goals after the 75th minute this season, which is the joint-most in the league.

### Match Prediction

Bayer Leverkusen are firmly targeting UEFA Champions League qualification this season and host Stuttgart, a team also eyeing a top-four finish. Leverkusen have won four of their last five league home games by multi-goal margins and kept a clean sheet in each of those matches. Notably, they score their opening goals on average by the 41st minute, the earliest in the Bundesliga.

Stuttgart, meanwhile, are still searching for their first head-to-head win against Leverkusen since 2018. Manager Sebastian Hoeness has yet to beat Leverkusen in 11 attempts, recording six losses — the most against any team in his managerial career.

Given what’s at stake for both clubs, this match could be pivotal in the top-four race. Both sides will be motivated to claim maximum points, but the hosts are expected to edge a narrow victory with goals at both ends.

**Prediction:** Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 Stuttgart

### Betting Tips

– Tip 1: Bayer Leverkusen to win
– Tip 2: Both teams to score
– Tip 3: Over 2.5 goals

Stay tuned for what promises to be an exciting Bundesliga fixture at the BayArena!
https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/bayer-leverkusen-vs-stuttgart-prediction-betting-tips-january-10th-2026

Pyrite President Targets Programs In Dem States

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The Trump administration plans to freeze $10 billion in funding for child care subsidies, social services, and cash support for low-income families in five states controlled by Democrats. This move comes amid claims of widespread fraud throughout those states, though no evidence has been cited to support these claims beyond a major welfare fraud scheme uncovered in one of them.

The affected states—Minnesota, New York, California, Illinois, and Colorado—will lose access to approximately $7 billion in funding for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. TANF provides cash assistance to households with children, according to two people familiar with the matter.

In addition to the TANF cuts, the five states will also forfeit nearly $2.4 billion allocated for the Child Care Development Fund, which supports child care for working parents. They will also lose around $870 million in social services grants, which mostly benefit children at risk, the sources said.

This funding pause could jeopardize programs serving hundreds of thousands of low-income households in the affected states.

The planned freeze appears to build on the administration’s recent suspension of $185 million in annual aid to Minnesota day care centers. This action followed investigators’ findings that more than a dozen welfare fraud schemes in Minnesota had resulted in billions of dollars in taxpayer losses.

While no evidence has emerged to suggest that the other four Democratic states experienced similar widespread welfare fraud, Andrew Nixon, a spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)—the agency responsible for disbursing the funds—implied that the Minnesota fraud cases triggered the broader freeze.

“Democrat-led states and governors have been complicit in allowing massive amounts of fraud to occur under their watch,” Nixon said in a statement. “Under the Trump administration, we are ensuring that federal taxpayer dollars are being used for legitimate purposes.”

The funding freeze, initially reported by The New York Post, continues the Trump administration’s pattern of interrupting federal dollars to Democratic-run cities and states. This approach appears to leverage the disbursement of congressionally approved funding to punish perceived enemies and political opponents.
https://crooksandliars.com/2026/01/pyrite-president-targets-programs-five

Mamdani’s appointed Director of the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants previously labeled U.S. homeownership a ‘weapon of White supremacy’

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**New York City Mayor Appoints Cea Weaver as Director of the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants Amid Controversy**

*By Cory Hawkins | 12:13 PM Wednesday, January 7, 2026*

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has appointed 37-year-old Cea Weaver as the Director of the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants. Weaver, a Democratic socialist and housing activist, took on the role starting January 1st, named during Mamdani’s first news conference on his inaugural day in office.

However, Weaver has come under scrutiny for a past claim that home ownership is a “weapon of White supremacy,” a statement challenging the traditional American principles of private property rights, capitalism, and the American Dream.

The comment originated from an August 2019 post on X (formerly Twitter), though Weaver’s account has since been deactivated. A screenshot of the post, shared by the conservative X account “Libs of TikTok,” reads:
“Private property including and kind of ESPECIALLY homeownership is a weapon of white supremacy masquerading as ‘wealth building’ public policy.”

Additionally, another X account, @PNWConservative, shared a video of Weaver stating, “For centuries, we’ve really treated property as an individualized good and not a collective good.”

Weaver’s perspective aligns with certain socialist thinkers who reference pre-industrial times or indigenous land-use models where “the commons”—shared lands for grazing or farming—were the norm. They see the historical shift toward individualized property ownership as an “enclosure” that benefits the wealthy at the expense of the poor.

In the undated video, Weaver expanded:
“In transitioning to treating it as a collective good and toward a model of shared equity will require that we think about it differently, and it will mean that families, especially white families but some POC families who are homeowners as well, are going to have a different relationship to property than we currently have.”

In an ironic twist, Weaver’s mother, Celia Applegate, reportedly owns a $1.6 million home just south of the main strip in Nashville, Tennessee.

Prior to her appointment, Weaver was a leader in organizations such as Housing Justice for All and New York State Tenant Bloc, according to a Facebook post from Mamdani’s office on January 2nd. She is also a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, as is Mayor Mamdani.

While leading the New York State Tenant Bloc, Weaver helped pass the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019, landmark legislation aimed at closing loopholes landlords used to raise rents and remove apartments from rent stabilization, according to Mamdani’s office.

Mayor Mamdani stated that Weaver will “work with us to hold landlords accountable and ensure New York City tenants are living in safe, clean homes.”
“For too long in our city, freedom has belonged only to those who can afford to buy it,” he said last week. “Our City Hall will change that.”

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https://www.oann.com/newsroom/mamdanis-appointed-director-of-the-mayors-office-to-protect-tenants-previously-labeled-u-s-homeownership-a-weapon-of-white-supremacy/

LifeFlight says increase in number of drones poses risk to pilots and patients

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LifeFlight of Maine has reported multiple encounters with drones near major hospitals in Bangor, Lewiston, and Portland. These incidents occur as pilots approach and depart from these locations, posing serious risks to pilots, patients, and crew members.

According to LifeFlight pilot Bonenfant, these drone encounters are not only dangerous but also violate FAA regulations, which prohibit drone activity within five nautical miles of an airport. “You’re traveling 165 mph and our windscreens are not that thick; a drone could come right through the windscreen, or hit the rotor system or tail rotor system, causing catastrophic damage,” Bonenfant explains.

LifeFlight emphasizes that it is the responsibility of drone operators to remain aware of aircraft in their vicinity and keep their drones at a safe distance. “We want to make people aware that just a small $60 drone can bring down a $7 million helicopter with many lives on board,” Bonenfant warns.

All drone encounters are reported to local law enforcement and the FAA. To promote safe drone operation, the FAA also offers training resources for drone users.
https://www.bangordailynews.com/2026/01/07/state/state-health/lifeflight-says-increase-in-number-of-drones-poses-risk-to-pilots-and-patients/

Trump at House GOP retreat: ‘If Republicans don’t win the midterms, Democrats will find a reason to impeach me again’

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**President Trump Warns House Republicans of Potential Third Impeachment if GOP Loses 2026 Midterms**

*By OAN Staff Cory Hawkins and Brooke Mallory*
*5:06 PM | Tuesday, January 6, 2026*

President Donald Trump told House Republicans that if the GOP fails to retain control in the upcoming 2026 midterm elections, Democrats will likely attempt to impeach him for a third time.

Speaking at a House Republican policy retreat on Tuesday, Trump urged lawmakers to secure a decisive victory this November to protect his “America First” agenda by stopping what he called Democrat overreach.

“You got to win the midterms, because if we don’t win the midterms, it’s just going to be I mean, they’ll find a reason to impeach me,” Trump said. “I’ll get impeached.”

“We don’t impeach them. You know why? Because they’re meaner than we are. We should have impeached Joe Biden for 100 different things,” he added.

During his remarks at the Trump-Kennedy Center, President Trump emphasized the importance of the 2026 midterms, which will determine whether the GOP retains majorities in both chambers of Congress. All members of the House and approximately one-third of Senate seats are up for re-election this November.

President Trump was impeached twice during his first term in office. In both cases, the Democrat-led House impeached him, but he was ultimately acquitted by the Senate, preventing his removal from office or barring him from future campaigns.

He was first impeached in 2019 for allegedly pressuring Ukraine to investigate former President Joe Biden, and again in 2021 for actions related to the January 6th Capitol protest. Trump has consistently proclaimed his innocence in both cases, describing the impeachments as partisan attacks intended to undermine his presidency.

Highlighting the current political landscape, Trump expressed optimism that many unpopular Democrat policies do not resonate with the majority of American voters.

“But when they want open borders, when they want, as they said, men in women’s sports, when they want transgender [policies] for everyone,” Trump said, impersonating a hypothetical Democrat official. “‘Bring your kids in. We’re going to change the sex of your child.’”

“We have great, solid common sense policy,” he continued. “They [Democrats] have horrendous policy. What they do is they stick together. They never have a no vote.”

Reflecting on his 2025 successes against the pharmaceutical industry, Trump pledged to use the same “strong-arm” tactics to pressure health insurance CEOs to reduce prices for American families.

Labeling industry executives as “fat cats” who have long “ripped off” the country, the President reiterated his intent to leverage his administration’s deal-making power.

“Let the money go not to the big fat cats and the insurance companies that made 1,700% over the last short period of time. Let the money go directly to the people where they can buy their own health care,” Trump stated.

“You guys don’t get money from the insurance companies. They do. They get a massive amount of money. It’s their biggest donor. They’re going to try and fight you, but they can’t win the fight if you explain it: the money goes directly to the people. That’s going to be your issue.”

He added, “In a few days, I’m meeting with them [U.S. health insurance companies] all, 14 companies. I’m meeting with them all.”

Additionally, following the recent capture of Venezuelan socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro, President Trump informed House Republicans that he is preparing to meet with major oil executives to jumpstart drilling in Venezuela.

He vowed to leverage the country’s vast oil reserves to flood the market and promised that the move would “bring down oil prices even further” for U.S. consumers.

“I’m also meeting with oil companies. We got a lot of oil to drill, which is going to bring down oil prices even further,” Trump said.

The White House is anticipated to host a meeting later this week with executives from ExxonMobil, Chevron, and ConocoPhillips.

Should Congressional Democrats regain control in 2027, they are widely expected to initiate investigations into the Trump administration, seeking any evidence of illegality, including scrutiny of President Trump’s business interests.

Following the recent military operation in Venezuela, Representative Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) has already suggested that such actions could provide grounds for impeachment.

“Today, many Democrats have understandably questioned whether impeachment is possible again under the current political reality,” Waters said in a statement. “I am reconsidering that view. Even if Republicans refuse to act, Democrats cannot remain silent or passive in the face of actions this extreme from this Administration.”

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https://www.oann.com/newsroom/trump-at-house-gop-retreat-if-republicans-dont-win-the-midterms-democrats-will-find-a-reason-to-impeach-me-again/

Oregon running back Jordon Davison out for Peach Bowl

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Running back Jordon Davison is out for No. 5 Oregon in the Peach Bowl. Davison, who has 113 carries for 667 yards and 15 touchdowns this season, is among 12 players listed as out for the Ducks for Friday’s College Football Playoff semifinal against No. 1 Indiana at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Oregon is down to three healthy scholarship running backs: Noah Whittington, Dierre Hill Jr., and Jay Harris. Jayden Limar and Makhi Hughes are transferring, and Da’Jaun Riggs (foot) is also out. Harris, who is also transferring, was at practice Monday but is not listed on UO’s availability report.

Receiver Evan Stewart, who has missed the entire season due to a torn right patellar tendon, is once again listed as out. Safety Trey McNutt (leg) is not listed; he has not played this season but was previously listed as a game-time decision against JMU and Texas Tech.

### Latest Ducks News:
– How Oregon’s October loss to Indiana became a turning point for their playoff run
– Ducks Confidential podcast: Will No. 5 Oregon exact revenge on No. 1 Indiana in CFP semifinal?
– Oregon’s Dan Lanning draws from March Madness for playoff inspirations

Saturday’s matchup features No. 1 Indiana (14-0) versus No. 5 Oregon (13-1).
https://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/2026/01/oregon-running-back-jordon-davison-out-for-peach-bowl.html