Latest news with #Cowen
10-07-2025
- Politics
Michigan State professor enters crowded Democratic primary for US Rep. Tom Barrett's seat
LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State University professor Josh Cowen announced Thursday that he is running for one of the battleground state's most competitive congressional districts, joining a crowded field of Democrats seeking to challenge Republican Rep. Tom Barrett. In an interview with The Associated Press, Cowen said federal worker layoffs and cuts to research funding and Medicaid inspired him to run for the Lansing-area seat that Barrett flipped in 2024. 'What it really means in our daily lives is disinvestment from services that we depend on,' said Cowen, an education policy academic who is known for his research and arguments against school vouchers. Vouchers broadly refer to the allocation of per-child public funding that can be used toward private-school tuition. Cowen has been cited by media outlets on the topic, including the AP. School vouchers have been championed by Betsy Devos, who was education secretary during President Donald Trump's first administration and remains a key player in Michigan Republican politics. 'We don't need DeVos and her billionaires pushing their harmful agenda that benefits a select few at the expense of the many,' Cowen said in a news release. Cowen's announcement comes shortly after former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink and former Navy SEAL Matt Maasdam announced their own campaigns for the Democratic nomination. Barrett, an Army veteran, won the seat last year by 3.7 points after the incumbent, Democrat Elissa Slotkin, decided to run for the Senate. The 7th Congressional District encompasses the capital city of Lansing and surrounding rural areas. Barrett's win helped Republicans maintain a slight majority in the House. He recently announced a haul of $2 million in fundraising this year.
Winnipeg Free Press
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Michigan State professor enters crowded Democratic primary for US Rep. Tom Barrett's seat
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan State University professor Josh Cowen announced Thursday that he is running for one of the battleground state's most competitive congressional districts, joining a crowded field of Democrats seeking to challenge Republican Rep. Tom Barrett. In an interview with The Associated Press, Cowen said federal worker layoffs and cuts to research funding and Medicaid inspired him to run for the Lansing-area seat that Barrett flipped in 2024. 'What it really means in our daily lives is disinvestment from services that we depend on,' said Cowen, an education policy academic who is known for his research and arguments against school vouchers. Vouchers broadly refer to the allocation of per-child public funding that can be used toward private-school tuition. Cowen has been cited by media outlets on the topic, including the AP. School vouchers have been championed by Betsy Devos, who was education secretary during President Donald Trump's first administration and remains a key player in Michigan Republican politics. 'We don't need DeVos and her billionaires pushing their harmful agenda that benefits a select few at the expense of the many,' Cowen said in a news release. Cowen's announcement comes shortly after former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink and former Navy SEAL Matt Maasdam announced their own campaigns for the Democratic nomination. Barrett, an Army veteran, won the seat last year by 3.7 points after the incumbent, Democrat Elissa Slotkin, decided to run for the Senate. The 7th Congressional District encompasses the capital city of Lansing and surrounding rural areas. Barrett's win helped Republicans maintain a slight majority in the House. He recently announced a haul of $2 million in fundraising this year.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Inside Home Depot's $4.3 billion pivot toward the professional trade
In today's CEO Daily: Phil Wahba on Home Depot's $4.3 billion acquisition of GMS. The big story: Trump's 50% tariff on copper is a real thing. The markets: Mostly up, especially Bitcoin. Analyst notes from Wedbush on Apple and Perplexity, and Pantheon and Bernstein on copper tariffs. Plus: All the news and watercooler chat from Fortune. Good morning. The retail landscape is littered with failed M&A deals. Lowe's spent years pursuing Canadian retailer Rona to get a foothold north of the border, only to sell it off two years ago, losing about $2 billion in the process. Tapestry's acquisition in 2017 of Kate Spade, whose sales fell 13% last quarter, has led to a number of write-downs. Capri Holdings recently sold Versace at a big loss. Dollar Tree said recently it was selling its Family Dollar division at a great loss. So I noted with great interest Home Depot's latest deal. Last week it announced one of its business units was buying building-products distributor GMS for $4.3 billion. GMS, whose name stands for Gypsum Management and Supply and which is based in Tucker, Georgia, is hardly the sexiest acquisition target. But then again, it has a wide network of 320 distribution centers catering to pros rather than the DIY crowd, whose appetite for home improvement projects seems to be plateauing. With the GMS deal, SRS will dominate the market for professional suppliers both outside the home (roofing, pool, yard) and inside (wallboard, steel framing, and ceilings), Cowen analyst Max Rakhlenko wrote in a research note. Rakhlenko praised the deal, saying it 'would allow SRS to expand into additional verticals, grow market share, consolidate the industry, and meaningfully increase HD's supply chain and distribution network.' The deal follows Home Depot's $18 billion acquisition last year of SRS Distribution (which is the entity actually buying GMS). That was the largest acquisition in the company's history, aimed at helping Home Depot win a much bigger share of the mammoth professional-contractors segment. The deals together show Home Depot is making a major, thoughtful pivot in its strategy towards a lucrative new segment. Doing so in a disciplined way is a path other CEOs—who are would-be acquirers—can learn from. — Phil WahbaContact CEO Daily via Diane Brady at This story was originally featured on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Politico
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Josh Cowen is launching a congressional bid in a swing Michigan district
The capitol building in Lansing, Michigan. | Carlos Osorio/AP By Nicholas Wu 07/10/2025 04:45 AM EDT Democrat Josh Cowen is launching a bid by highlighting education and affordability issues in what is already becoming a crowded primary in a tossup Michigan district. Cowen, an education policy professor at Michigan State University, singled out the school choice and voucher programs pushed by Michigan Republicans like former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos as part of what inspired him to run for Michigan's 7th Congressional District in the central part of the state. 'I'm a teacher, and I have been fighting Betsy DeVos across the country on a specific issue, and that's privatizing public schools,' Cowen said in an interview. 'She's been trying to disinvest, defund commitments to kids and families all over the place, and that's actually the same fight as everything that's going on right now — trying to protect investing in health care through Medicaid and other systems — protect jobs.'
Time Out
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Montreal's Canada Day parade 2025 cancelled again according to organizers
For the second straight year, the organizers of the Montreal Canada Day Parade 2025 in Downtown Montreal have pulled the plug on the celebrations. In a news release, organizers said the event—which typically draws over 100,000 spectators to Downtown Montreal each year—was cancelled due to a variety of reasons. In a statement, the City of Montreal said that, as was the case last year, organizers did not submit a project application despite multiple invitations from the city. Is there a Canada Day parade in Montreal? Established in 1977, the Montreal Canada Day Parade is a free, family-friendly celebration that unites Canadians and visitors of all backgrounds to mark the country's birthday. Featuring colourful floats, cultural performances, and lively entertainment, it has become a beloved summer tradition in Montreal. Why did Montreal cancel the Canada Day parade? According to a news release by the parade's main organizer, Nicholas Cowen, Montreal's Canada Day Parade 2025, the parade was cancelled due to continued planning disruptions, tense relations with city departments, and unresolved issues linked to municipal worker strikes. Here is the statement from the Montreal Canada Day Parade site: 'After nearly five decades of celebration and community spirit, the streets of downtown Montreal will remain quiet this Canada Day. The 2025 Montreal Canada Day Parade has been officially cancelled due to ongoing planning disruptions, strained relations with city departments, and unresolved challenges stemming from municipal worker strikes. This difficult decision was made by Nicholas Cowen, Main Organizer of the Montreal Canada Day Parade, who has been involved with the parade since the 1990s. The parade, which has welcomed hundreds of thousands of spectators annually since its inception in 1977, has become increasingly difficult to organize without disruptions in recent years. 'Safety is our number one priority when it comes to large events such as the Montreal Canada Day Parade,' said Cowen. 'When different city departments of workers do disruptions, you no longer just have to focus on the safety of the public but the functional aspect of the event. If something was planned, are they going to do their jobs to the best of their abilities? This is a concern.' While the parade is a non-profit, volunteer-driven initiative meant to foster unity and national pride, Cowen notes that the working environment with the City of Montreal has deteriorated significantly. 'I do understand where the City of Montreal workers are coming from. Everything in recent years has gone up in price. The city workers do multiple minor disruptions to bring those to the negotiating table,' said Cowen. 'To the other organizations who have come to me in the past asking for help with these minor disruptions in their own events, I can't help you because I am not part of those negotiations.' Disruptions have increased over time, particularly after the reopening of large-scale events following the COVID-19 pandemic. These interruptions have only grown more unpredictable and difficult to navigate. While the Mayor's Office had previously assured the organizer that these issues would be resolved, no meaningful or lasting solution has been implemented. The loss of this cultural mainstay is significant. The Montreal Canada Day Parade has been featured in media outlets across 23 countries and was projected to attract over 120,000 attendees in 2025 alone. With its cancellation, not only does the city lose a major tourism draw, but Canadian culture itself takes a hit on one of the most important national holidays. Cowen remains hopeful that the parade can return in future years — provided there is a renewed spirit of collaboration from the departments of the city of Montreal. 'This event is for the people, not for profit. I truly hope we can one day return to the streets of Montreal with a parade that unites us, not divides us,' Cowen concluded.'
