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Otago Daily Times
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Letters to the Editor: Q'town, therapy dogs and elections
Today's Letters to the Editor from readers cover topics including unsustainable housing in Queenstown, the joy of therapy dogs, and name recognition for electoral candidates. Vulnerable cash cow must be protected Queenstown and surrounds are heritage treasures of natural beauty. A cash cow, the area is vulnerable, endangered by tourism expansion and unrestrained development, unsupported by services and infrastructure. Just released for public comment is the Homestead Bay development on SH6 beyond Jack's Point. Part of Te Tapuae Southern Corridor development plan, this slick document claims to address points including: "For the landscape to retain its timeless identity and its connections between Tangaroa, Tāwhiri-mātea and Tāne, land and waters, people and place." Proposed development fulfils no stated aspirations with big interests and profits at play. Everyone interested in maintaining the area's unique beauty must comment. The uninterrupted view from the Remarkables across SH6 to Homestead Bay, majestic Cecil Peak and the Bayonets will be trashed by 2800 sardine dwellings and retail area. Infrastructure discussion is fanciful, with "active travel" (walking or bike riding) suggested. A moratorium on development must be placed, immediately. The region and country must decide, why and for whom development is proceeding, limits and the huge toll on this environment and landscapes. If rubber-stamped, then infrastructure, services, building and staffing a new hospital, must leap ahead and in place before encroachment from unsustainable housing. Elizabeth Corbett McCusker Eloquent art Excellent cartoon by Yeo in the ODT (20.6.25) — pictures speak louder than words. There is not enough money to build our new hospital but the person called in to progress the build will be paid $2500 per day plus expenses for the three months of his contract. I query how $2500 per day would not cover anyone's expenses. Yeo's cartoon (20.6.25) is what a lot of Dunedinites are thinking. It was absolutely mind-blowing to read the article about the appointment of Evan Davies. He said he was too busy to complete his previous time in the job because of a promotion. Apparently he still holds that job so how has the situation changed? His remuneration (plus expenses) surely requires his full attention, not an hour or two here and there. More than a hall As a Tahakopa Valley resident I must say that at no time have the locals been consulted regarding the last school reunion on March 29 2025. The Board of Trustees decided it was their school to make all decisions and they are upset about community money going back to the Ministry of Education. A trust account would have been sensible to have set up for such money. Is there not a rule whereby such money if singled out, should be shared in such a community, not just to one entity? There is the Our Hut heritage hub plus a local Sir Truby King railway bridge walking track which are visited by people from all over the world. Rachel Napier (Letters ODT 17.6.25) is making out that the community hall is the only entity in the district. Over the past 10 years the hub has funded renovation of its building and created a world class walking track. It is about to start a project doing a "Storymapp" about the Sir Truby King Track, and his life and work here in the Tahakopa Valley. Perhaps the Tahakopa Hall Committee will just have to do some work in raising some funds for the hall? Bedside visit from Staffy a delightful moment During a recent stay in Dunedin Hospital I had the most uplifting moment with a 9-month old Staffy dog named Nancy, brought in for patients who wished to spend a few minutes with her to pat and cuddle. For my interactions with Nancy, a therapy animal, I was rewarded with facelicks. Thank you to the hospital for permitting this, and very special thanks to Nancy and her owner, who brought myself and others a very real uplift. Cleaning bill The taxpayer should not have to pick up the bill from failed coal ventures. ( ODT 18.6.25). Compared to the budgeted $443 million the taxpayer is on the hook for to clean up the Tui oil field, the West Coast coal mess at less than $100m is relatively minor. How much will the taxpayer pay if Aussie miner Bathurst Resources decides destroying what is left of the Stockton and Denniston Plateaus is not economic? Bilious rhetoric re Bill decried Acting Prime Minister David Seymour's Facebook trolling of those exercising their democratic right to challenge the Regulatory Standards Bill reveals the extent to which he is not interested in any opinion other than his own. When any leader is unable to engage with and reply to others' expert opinions they reveal their lack of respect for everybody's democratic rights. We should all be very grateful that Seymour has exposed his narrow definition of democracy and the depravity to which he will stoop to obfusticate legal processes. How do you do? I read Brian Ellis' letter (25.6.25) with great interest and agree wholeheartedly with his observation that name recognition provides a real advantage in the upcoming 2025 local body elections. As he rightly points out, former MPs and high-profile sports figures benefit from this familiarity. To that list I would add incumbent councillors. The mechanics of the STV voting system only serve to amplify this advantage. Unfortunately, name recognition can sometimes save underperforming or fatigued councillors from being removed, limiting the opportunity for new people bringing fresh ideas and renewed energy to council. That is a shortcoming in the system which has not served Dunedin well. Mr Ellis goes on to criticise the campaign spending by myself and the Future Dunedin team, suggesting we are investing "vast sums of money". I'd like to reassure him and readers that this is simply not the case. Our campaign budget allocates approximately $9000 per candidate for media, considerably less than the $17,274.13 per candidate declared by Green Dunedin during the 2022 elections. If not through a media campaign, how else are new candidates to introduce themselves to voters? Our campaign addresses the very issue identified by Mr Ellis at the outset of his letter. Mayoral and council candidate, Future Dunedin Address Letters to the Editor to: Otago Daily Times, PO Box 517, 52-56 Lower Stuart St, Dunedin. Email: editor@
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
June 30-July 4: Cohoctah to discuss Headland Solar, Hamburg Twp. to consider park upgrades
In 2025, The Daily is providing a weekly round-up of the biggest topics in upcoming municipal meetings, giving our readers a chance to engage with their local officials on the projects, appointments and decisions that hit closest to home. These round-ups are written on Fridays, and will not include an agenda if one hasn't been posted by 1 p.m. Municipalities are not required by the Michigan Open Meetings Act to provide an agenda in advance of a meeting, but they are required to provide notice. Please visit your local municipality website for the most updated information. Here are the biggest topics for meetings Monday-Friday, June 30-July 4: Board of Public Works Meeting: 8 a.m. Thursday, July 3, in the Livingston County East Complex Building, Room D An agenda was not immediately available. City Council Special Meeting: 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 1, at Brighton City Hall The agenda includes: Consideration of entering into closed session to consider the purchase or lease of real property. Read the full agenda: Board of Trustees Meeting: 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 1, at Hartland Township Hall An agenda was not immediately available. Planning Commission Meeting: 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 1, at Cohoctah Township Hall The agenda includes: Discussion of the land use application from Ranger Power for the Headland Solar Project. This is unfinished business from a prior meeting. A review of the Cohoctah Township Master Plan. Read the full agenda: Board of Trustees Meeting: 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 2, at Green Oak Township Hall The agenda includes: Consideration of a purchase agreement for vacant land at 12115 Limekiln Drive. Consideration of rehabilitation on Alan Drive. Read the full agenda: Board of Trustees Meeting: 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 1, at Hamburg Township Hall The agenda includes: Consideration of the purchase of police radios and a police vehicle, as well as the sale of other police vehicles. Consideration of roof repairs at Fire Station 11. Consideration of hirings for park ranger and the treasury department. Consideration of committee reassignments. Consideration of upgrades to Manly Bennett Park. This is unfinished business from a prior meeting. Read the full agenda: Public Safety Committee Meeting: 3 p.m. Wednesday, July 2, at Hamburg Township Hall An agenda was not immediately available. — Contact reporter Evan Sasiela at esasiela@ Follow him on X @SalsaEvan. This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: June 30-July 4: Big meetings in Cohoctah Township, Hamburg Township
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Colorado College Appoints Dr. Manya Whitaker as 15th President
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., June 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Trustees of Colorado College, a nationally recognized liberal arts institution known for its distinctive Block Plan, academic excellence, deep-rooted commitment to access, and distinct location at the intersection of the Rocky Mountains and Southwest, has appointed Dr. Manya Whitaker as the College's 15th president. Initially appointed to a two-year interim presidency on July 1, 2024, Whitaker earned the confidence of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community partners through her transparent leadership, keen understanding of Colorado College's mission, and steady guidance. During her initial year as Interim President, she advanced several critical institutional priorities, including securing the new Research Colleges and Universities distinction from Carnegie, surpassing fundraising goals, and overseeing a pivotal year in College history. "Dr. Manya Whitaker has demonstrated exceptional leadership during a pivotal time in the College's history," said Jeff Keller, Chair of the Board of Trustees. "From day one in the Interim President role, she brought vision and pragmatism to it. We recently celebrated the College's 150th year, and the board has every confidence that President Whitaker is the right person to lead Colorado College into its next chapter." Incoming Board of Trustees Chair Kyle Samuel added, "Manya Whitaker has consistently impressed and inspired us with her vision, leadership, and deep commitment to the mission of Colorado College. She brings a steady hand and a bold perspective – exactly what's needed in this transformative era for higher education." An accomplished academic and developmental educational psychologist with expertise in adolescent identity formation and motivation, Dr. Whitaker previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff to former CC President L. Song Richardson. In that role, she assisted in managing sensitive and confidential issues, oversaw various cross-divisional and executive initiatives as well as the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, and provided critical direction and leadership to optimize strategic priorities such as the college's antiracism commitment. Dr. Whitaker is also a Professor of Education at Colorado College. Before moving into administration, she taught classes on social and political issues in education. She has authored four books and more than 20 book chapters and articles focused on her research, including "Public School Equity: Educational Leadership for Justice," "Schooling Multicultural Teachers: A Guide for Program Assessment and Professional Development," "Learning from the Inside-Out: Child Development and School Choice," and "Counternarratives from Women of Color Academics: Bravery, Vulnerability, and Resistance" (co-editor). During her 14 years at Colorado College, her roles have also included Interim Director of the Butler Center, Director of the Crown Faculty Center, and Director of Graduate Studies and Chair of Education. Dr. Whitaker received her doctorate in developmental psychology from Vanderbilt University and her B.A. in educational psychology from Dartmouth College. In accepting the appointment, President Whitaker said, "It has been a profound honor to serve this extraordinary community as Interim President over the past year and as a faculty member in the years prior. I am inspired daily by our students' passion, our faculty's wisdom, our staff's dedication, and the entire campus community's commitment to the College's values. I look forward to working together to build on our strengths and shape an even brighter future for Colorado College." Additional information about President Whitaker can be found on the College's website at About Colorado College Colorado College is a nationally prominent, four-year liberal arts college founded in Colorado Springs in 1874. In 1970, the college created the Block Plan, in which its approximately 2,200 undergraduate students take one class at a time in intensive 3.5-week segments. A Master of Arts in teaching degree is also offered. The college's vision is to ignite students' passion and potential to create a more just world. For more information, visit View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Colorado College Sign in to access your portfolio
Business Wire
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust Declares Second Quarter 2025 Dividend for Its Common Shares
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust (NYSE: PMT) announced today that its Board of Trustees declared a cash dividend of $0.40 per common share of beneficial interest for the second quarter of 2025. This dividend will be paid on July 25, 2025, to common shareholders of record as of July 11, 2025. About PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust is a mortgage real estate investment trust (REIT) that invests primarily in residential mortgage loans and mortgage-related assets. PMT is externally managed by PNMAC Capital Management, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of PennyMac Financial Services, Inc. (NYSE: PFSI). Additional information about PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust is available at Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, regarding management's beliefs, estimates, projections and assumptions with respect to, among other things, the Company's financial results, future operations, business plans and investment strategies, as well as industry and market conditions, all of which are subject to change. Words like 'believe,' 'expect,' 'anticipate,' 'promise,' 'plan,' and other expressions or words of similar meanings, as well as future or conditional verbs such as 'will,' 'would,' 'should,' 'could,' or 'may' are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. Actual results and operations for any future period may vary materially from those projected herein and from past results discussed herein. Factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from historical results or those anticipated include, but are not limited to: changes in interest rates; the Company's ability to comply with various federal, state and local laws and regulations that govern its business; volatility in the Company's industry, the debt or equity markets, the general economy or the real estate finance and real estate markets; events or circumstances which undermine confidence in the financial and housing markets or otherwise have a broad impact on financial and housing markets; changes in real estate values, housing prices and housing sales; changes in macroeconomic, consumer and real estate market conditions; the degree and nature of the Company's competition; the availability of, and level of competition for, attractive risk-adjusted investment opportunities in mortgage loans and mortgage-related assets that satisfy the Company's investment objectives; the inherent difficulty in winning bids to acquire mortgage loans, and the Company's success in doing so; the concentration of credit risks to which the Company is exposed; the Company's dependence on and potential conflicts with its manager, servicer and their affiliates; the Company's ability to mitigate cybersecurity risks, cybersecurity incidents and technology disruptions; the development of artificial intelligence; the availability, terms and deployment of short term and long term capital; the adequacy of the Company's cash reserves and working capital; the Company's ability to maintain the desired relationship between its financing and the interest rates and maturities of its assets; the timing and amount of cash flows, if any, from the Company's investments; the Company's substantial amount of indebtedness; the performance, financial condition and liquidity of borrowers; the Company's exposure to risks of loss and disruptions in operations resulting from severe weather events, man-made or other natural conditions, including climate change and pandemics; the ability of the Company's servicer, which also provides the Company with fulfillment services, to approve and monitor correspondent sellers and underwrite loans to investor standards; incomplete or inaccurate information or documentation provided by customers or counterparties, or adverse changes in the financial condition of the Company's customers and counterparties; the Company's indemnification and repurchase obligations in connection with mortgage loans it purchases, sells or securitizes; the quality and enforceability of the collateral documentation evidencing the Company's ownership and rights in the assets in which it invests; increased rates of delinquency, defaults and forbearances and/or decreased recovery rates on the Company's investments; the performance of mortgage loans underlying mortgage-backed securities in which the Company retains credit risk; the Company's ability to foreclose on its investments in a timely manner or at all; increased prepayments of the mortgages and other loans underlying the Company's mortgage-backed securities or relating to the Company's mortgage servicing rights and other investments; risks associated with the discontinuation of LIBOR; the degree to which the Company's hedging strategies may or may not protect it from interest rate volatility; the effect of the accuracy of or changes in the estimates the Company makes about uncertainties, contingencies and asset and liability valuations when measuring and reporting upon the Company's financial condition and results of operations; the Company's ability to maintain appropriate internal control over financial reporting; the Company's ability to detect misconduct and fraud; developments in the secondary markets for the Company's mortgage loan products; legislative and regulatory changes that impact the mortgage loan industry or housing market; regulatory or other changes that impact government agencies or government-sponsored entities, or such changes that increase the cost of doing business with such agencies or entities; federal and state mortgage regulations and enforcement; changes in government support of homeownership; changes in government or government-sponsored home affordability programs; changes in the Company's investment objectives or investment or operational strategies, including any new lines of business or new products and services that may subject it to additional risks; limitations imposed on the Company's business and its ability to satisfy complex rules for it to qualify as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes and qualify for an exclusion from the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the ability of the Company's subsidiaries to qualify as REITs for U.S. federal income tax purposes; changes in governmental regulations, accounting treatment, tax rates and similar matters; the Company's ability to make distributions to its shareholders in the future; the Company's failure to deal appropriately with issues that may give rise to reputational risk; and the Company's organizational structure and certain requirements in its charter documents. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement and should consider all of the uncertainties and risks described above, as well as those more fully discussed in reports and other documents filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements or any other information contained herein, and the statements made in this press release are current as of the date of this release only.
Gulf Today
4 days ago
- Business
- Gulf Today
Sultan Bin Ahmed honours Sharjah PhD Award winners
Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and President of the University of Sharjah, attended the ceremony to honour the winners of the 22nd edition of the Sharjah Award for the best PhD thesis in administrative and financial sciences in the Arab world. The event took place on Tuesday afternoon at Al Biruni Hall, University of Sharjah. Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed honoured the winners in the administrative science category. Dr Islam Ali Al Hadidi from Egypt secured first place for his thesis titled 'The impact of humble leadership on the performance and behaviours of frontline employees in the hospitality and tourism sector.' Dr Fatima Saeed Saif Al Dhahuri from the United Arab Emirates won second place for her thesis titled 'A study of the underlying causes of workplace ostracism and its impact on employee silence, with the pivotal role of ethical leadership.' In the financial sciences category, Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed honoured Dr Ahmad Husein Obayya from Egypt, who was awarded first place for his thesis titled 'Research on the effects of female representation on the quality of internal control: New insights from listed companies in Egypt and China.' Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed, in his capacity as President of the University of Sharjah, also honoured the award's sponsors. Sharjah Islamic Bank was recognised as the gold sponsor, and the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry was recognised as the silver sponsor. He concluded the ceremony by taking commemorative photos with the winners, sponsors, members of the Board of Trustees and the scientific committee. The ceremony began with recitation from the Holy Qur'an, followed by a speech delivered by Professor Dr Esameldin Agamy, Chancellor of the University of Sharjah and Chair of the Award's Board of Trustees. He highlighted the prestigious legacy of the award, which was established in 2001 by His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and founder of the University of Sharjah. Sheikh Sultan's belief in the importance of fostering administrative and financial culture within Arab institutions led to the establishment of the award. Dr Agamy noted that the award has evolved over the years into a distinguished Arab platform that encourages researchers to produce applied and field-based studies addressing real-world challenges. It supports development in the administrative and financial fields and raises awareness of sound and transparent governance. Dr Agamy praised the vital role of Sheikh Sultan the university president in supporting education and knowledge through his generous patronage of the award. He stated that this patronage embodies Sheikh Sultan's enlightened vision, affirming the University of Sharjah's dual role in academia and community development. This, he said, makes the university a unique and exemplary model in the Arab region and internationally. The Chair of the Board of Trustees congratulated the winners on their academic distinction and noted that this year's theses were selected with extreme care due to their significant contribution to scientific knowledge and service to Arab communities. He highlighted that winning research contributes to improving the administrative and financial landscape in the Arab world and represents a qualitative addition to the Arabic academic library. Dr Agamy revealed that the current edition of the award received wide participation, with 131 thesis submissions from 16 Arab countries. These included 55 in administrative sciences, 69 in financial sciences, and 7 in other fields. Following a rigorous and impartial evaluation process, the committee selected the two best theses in administrative sciences and one in financial sciences. Since the award's launch in 2001, a total of 55 winners have been recognised, all of whom represent a vanguard of Arab researchers who have contributed to the development of administrative and financial thought in the region. The ceremony featured visual presentations by the winning researchers, each of whom gave a detailed overview of their award-winning thesis. These presentations highlighted the research problems, objectives, methodology, key findings, and recommendations. The researchers expressed their sincere gratitude to the university president, and the award organisers for their support and encouragement. WAM
