Latest news with #Dann
NZ Herald
7 days ago
- Business
- NZ Herald
As Trump changes tariff deadline again, what will it mean for New Zealand?
In the most recent round of tariff threats, the US President said he would impose a 35% tariff on Canadian imports, and that could creep up if Canada retaliates. He also announced 30% tariffs on all imports from Mexico and the European Union, after negotiations failed. NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann told The Front Page Trump has also threatened that the base tariff, which would affect New Zealand, could go from 10% up to 15% or 20%. 'But, it's very hard to know how seriously to take that because that's the way Donald Trump negotiates. In theory, he's trying to put pressure on those negotiations with a big, scary number,' he said. In April, the Trump administration promised '90 deals in 90 days'. They have managed two: the UK and Vietnam. While a partial deal regarding rare earth exports was signed with China in late June, some significant duties remain. 'It's harder than it might seem from the outside to do these trade deals. They're very complicated. It can take years to do,' Dann said. So, what does it mean for New Zealand? 'We are still supposed to be just looking at a 10% base tariff. The businesses that are most affected, the beef and meat sector, the wine sector, have been working on talks with trading partners and customers, and I think largely we'll be okay. 'The cost is going to be borne by US consumers, unless it means they say no to our goods and we have to drop the price a bit to keep the same volumes up, and we don't have somewhere else to send the products. But if we've got other markets interested in our products, then we are not desperate. 'The US needs a lot of our beef. It doesn't generate enough low-grade beef for hamburgers and things like that. So it actually needs New Zealand, Brazilian, Argentinian and Australian meat to go into all those hamburgers. So, I think those sectors will be alright,' Dann said. Listen to the full episode to hear more about how the tariffs might affect the global economy, and whether Liam actually thinks they'll happen. The Front Page is a daily news podcast from the New Zealand Herald, available to listen to every weekday from 5am. The podcast is presented by Chelsea Daniels, an Auckland-based journalist with a background in world news and crime/justice reporting who joined NZME in 2016. You can follow the podcast at iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Otago Daily Times
03-07-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Team project helps keep kids sun smart
Fairlie's Village Green playground is getting a makeover in order to make it safer for summer. Located on the corner of Main Rd and Talbot St, the playground has had a new safety fence put in place and will have much-needed shade sails installed before the end of the year. While the safety fence was a Mackenzie District Council-led initiative, the shade sail project was made possible by concerned parents with the help of several South Canterbury organisations. Parent Claire Dann said natural shade used to be provided at the playground by surrounding trees. "One got removed for the skate park and another came down in a really bad wind. So, that left us with no real natural shade around the playground. "In 2021 another mum, Hiltje Boysen-Anderson, started the project after being there with her little ones and realising you just couldn't get any shade, especially with babies that want to be on blankets. "She started looking for ways we could get some shade sails and I joined in as well to see if we could get something happening." The pair reached out to the likes of the local Cancer Society and Plunket to see if they would help with funding. "She [Hiltje] reached out to a local Cancer Society member and they were like 'this is right up our alley, we could help with some funding', so that was a great start. "Then we talked to the local Plunket group as they have a play session there once a week with lots of mums with under 5s. "They thought it was a cool thing to support as well, so we had the beginnings of a project." Plans for the shade sail were drawn up pro bono by Felipe Silva Valves, of Timaru architectural design firm Silva Studio, and were presented to the Mackenzie District Council and approved. The Fairlie Community Board then helped with the remaining funds and the support poles for the sails were installed by local builders at the end of May. Ms Dann said it was great to see so many different people and organisations join forces to make the project happen. "That's what small communities are often about, people chipping in. It's definitely been a team project. "We also have Allan from Kotuku Saddlery, he has donated the canvas for them and has put up a lot of shade sails. "He'll get those done up by springtime and that's when it will all start to look like something. "We're kind of aiming for a Labour Weekend to Easter Weekend kind of time frame for the sails to be up for." She said the sails would be hugely important for the area. "It's been really noticeable, last summer wasn't fabulous. "When we've had hot summers it's been hard for local families with young ones to go down to the playground. "It's just really hard to keep them sun smart and protected when they're always ripping their hats of and stuff like that," Ms Dann said. "I think having some shade protection is really going to help the local community and obviously it will be an asset for any visitors passing through as well. "Once those shade sails are up around October we'll have a little do and a little party to celebrate because it has been a couple of years in the making."
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘Defeat for democracy'? Waldport City Council reinstates mayor after hostility complaints
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — After consulting their attorney in a closed executive session, Waldport City Council passed a resolution on Tuesday, reinstating Mayor Heide Lambert after she was expelled amid complaints she created a hostile work environment. The resolution comes after Mayor Lambert challenged the decision, leading Lincoln County Circuit Court Judge Sheryl Bachart to order the mayor's reinstatement. The mayor's removal and reinstatement stems from letters sent by two City of Waldport employees on March 27, alerting City Council of 'unacceptable and aggressive behavior' from the mayor two days earlier when the mayor visited City Hall to get her mail. 'Mayor Lambert was clutching a small stack of envelopes, demanding to know why the letters had not been scanned to her and council,' one employee wrote. 'I greeted Mayor Lambert, asking how I might help. She, obviously frustrated and with an accusatory tone, commanded to know why the letter scans had not been sent to her, as they were addressed to her. I let her know that the letters had, in fact, been scanned and sent to (City Manager Dann Cutter) and that their delivery would come from either Dann or (another City Hall staffer). As that is their role.' Beloved Portland restaurant to hold steak sale amid temporary closure 'She continued, in a confrontational manner, by insisting the letters be scanned to her and stated that 'all these letters are complaints against Dann,' as she clasped the letters, shaking them at us in emphasis. How she could possibly be aware of the contents of the letters without having read them is beyond me,' the letter continued. 'During a pause in her relentless onslaught, I let Mayor Lambert know that since none of our answers would satisfy her, we should end this conversation, and she should speak with Dann. She, of course, had the last word saying, 'I won't be speaking with Dann. I will be speaking with legal counsel,'' the letter claimed. 'I'm not easily intimidated,' the letter continues, 'but Mayor Lambert's behavior was not only out of line but was also in violation of city charter.' A new variant of COVID-19 may be driving up cases in some parts of the world, WHO says In response to the complaints, the mayor sent a letter to City Council, explaining, 'I have read both letters and feel concerned that my statements and demeanor, thoughmisinterpreted, might have contributed to feelings of unease, and I apologize for notrealizing this at the time.' The mayor continued, 'While I want to be accountable for anything I may have said or done that caused either of these employees to feel 'uncomfortable' or 'Intimidated,' I am baffled by the allegations and do not believe I was 'aggressive.' Nor do I think I violated the city charter.' Lambert explained that a community member had previously approached her at a supermarket and informed her that he submitted a complaint about Cutter. Before the City Hall incident, the mayor said she was advised to speak to CityCounty Insurance Services — claiming she was advised by 'CIS Attorney Ross (Davis)' to pick up her mail and ask the county clerk to scan the letters and send them to council and the city attorney. However, Davis claimed, 'I have read Ms. Lambert's 4/1 email. First, I am not an attorney and never claimed to be. Second, I did not advise her in anyway as she describes. She brought up thecomplaint and I advised to follow whatever City protocols there are for complaints against any employee by a citizen.' In a unanimous vote on April 3, City Council expelled the mayor, citing a violation of the city charter, which states no member of the council shall directly or indirectly attempt to direct a city officer or employee in the performance of their duties. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now One week later, the then-former mayor appeared at an April 10 City Council meeting where she was asked several times by council members to leave, but officials said she refused and hindered the meeting. Members from the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office attempted to remove Lambert peacefully, explaining the legal consequences. Officials said she continued to refuse. Oregon Coast safari park owner arrested, 44 guns, 80 grams of meth seized Eventually, Lambert was escorted outside and cited for disorderly conduct before being released, where she was able to return to the meeting and sit in the public seating area. In a , Lincoln County District Attorney Jenna Wallace later announced she would . 'We have never had an elected city official treat staff this way. What may seem like a minor incident is actually a serious legal concern,' Waldport City Council previously said. 'Hostile work environment complaints lead to staff leaving positions, to costly lawsuits against the city, and to a near stop in city operations. In January, each of us, including Mayor Lambert, swore to uphold the Waldport City Charter and the Oregon and United States Constitutions. We take that pledge seriously.' Lambert previously said this is a complicated situation, because community members had written formal complaints to her about the city manager that were labeled confidential. PDX travelers: No Real ID, no problem so far 'I went in to pick it up, and it had already been opened, and it had already been sent to the person that the complaints were about. And that was where I was confused,' she said. 'So, I asked the city clerk to email the council those complaints, and I was told that was not what they were directed to do.' Lambert hired a lawyer, previously telling KOIN 6 News that she had no interest in suing the city she was elected to lead but was prepared to take this issue to court if it's not resolved. 'I'm fighting for my seat. I have to stick with my voters, and I have to keep running, keep fighting for my seat,' Lambert said. 'I guess if it's decided that I can be removed, then I'll have to be reelected.' Tiny opossum settles in at Oregon Zoo after being rescued from wild In response to Mayor Lambert's reinstatement, Waldport City Manager Dann Cutter raised concerns, telling KOIN 6 News this marks a 'defeat for democracy.' 'The mayor is claiming this is a victory for democracy. Sadly, I think it's the exact opposite. It showed that the threat of an expensive lawsuit can be used to silence elected officials from preventing abuse of power and corruption,' Cutter said. The city manager then pointed to an ongoing lawsuit filed in 2023, which names Lambert. The lawsuit was filed by two staffers for the City of Yachats against the City — alleging they experienced discrimination and workplace harassment under several city managers, including Lambert, who was hired as the Yachats city manager in 2022. A spokesperson for the city told KOIN 6 News the city has no comment on the pending litigation. 'Two years ago, Ms. Lambert was named in a lawsuit with the city of Yachats, alleging discrimination and the creation of a hostile environment. Yachats is still fighting that lawsuit. Instead, the Waldport Council attempted to stand up for their staff when the same hostile environment was created here. Technicalities of the law were used to threaten the city with hundreds of thousands of taxpayers' dollars to fight over what boils down to an unlawful direction of city staff by an elected official – the very definition of abuse of power. The Council absolutely acted in the city's best interest then, and bravely, did the same last night – knowing that a small town cannot afford the fight, even when right. So, they put it back in the citizens hands to do the right thing,' Cutter furthered. 'The question is, will they? Will citizens stand up for the staff who work hard to build the city up? Or will they instead support a continuation of the behaviors for which their neighboring city is still paying. Because, after all is said and done, the Mayor never apologized to the employees,' Cutter said. 'She claims she is supporting women's rights – but they are women too who have been subject to harassment and ridicule for daring to stand up against those unlawful actions. Instead, the mayor wants to make this about the City Charter, attempting to hide behind technicalities of process.' 'So, no, this is a defeat for democracy and the protections against abuse by those in power – a theme we are seeing playing out nationally as well,' Cutter concluded. KOIN 6 News has reached out to Mayer Lambert and Waldport City Council President Greg Dunn for comment. This story will be updated if we receive a response. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Wasted a whole trip to Palatka:' Some Blue Crab Festival guests mad about pricey food, no carnival
Many attending the Blue Crab Festival in Palatka last weekend were 'shell-shocked' and disappointed with this year's event. They said the annual three-day festival featured high food prices, fewer vendors, and no carnival like they had in previous years. The Palatka Blue Crab Festival is an annual tradition, and has been for nearly 30 years. However, this year some festival goers were left disappointed with this year's event. 'It made me feel like I wasted a whole trip to Palatka,' festival attendee Andie Dann said. 'I'm wondering if I'm going to attend, you know, next year or any years, you know, after this one.' Dann has been attending the Palatka Blue Crab Festival for 20 years. Some of the complaints she and other people had were about the high food prices. 'This is a small-town festival. We don't need big city prices,' Dann said. Larissa Ricketts-Owens owns Modern Reality in downtown Palatka. She has been attending the festival for years, and was shocked to see how expensive the food was this year. 'I got one of the lobster rolls from the one of the food trucks down by the band shell, and it was $39 for a lobster roll that literally had four pieces of lobster on it with a stale bun,' Ricketts-Owens said. Another photo sent to Action News Jax shows a King Crab leg an attendee purchased at the festival over the weekend. They said it cost them $50. For the last four years, the festival has been produced by Ancient City Entertainment. The City of Palatka is one of the festival's main sponsors. Eddie Cutwright is the Community Affairs Director for the City of Palatka. He says the city had no role in determining the prices. 'The city was not in charge of anything that had to do with the event,' Cutwright said. 'We just help her (Ancient City Entertainment) with staffing and also blocking off roads for the event. Any vendors, anything that came through that area was placed and reserved spots through her.' [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] We reached out to Ancient City Entertainment and they provided us with a statement: 'My name is Jeanetta Cebollero, I've been the director of Palatka Blue Crab Festival the past 4 years, where we have since revitalized the town's branding, marketing. I worked very hard to bring in national acts and include new amusements and vendors. 'I've worked alongside the City of Palatka for 4 years to execute this project. Each year, they have made significant funding cutbacks and had a staggering administrative employment turnover rate that had disproportionately affected the success of the event. 'This year, specifically, the City of Palatka chose to make some very distinct changes regarding the footprint of the festival to appease the merchants of St. Johns Ave. This moved paying vendors to a marina space where we had previously booked a carnival in years past. They chose not to move forward with the carnival. They also voted to not allocate any marketing dollars to the event this year from The Tourism Development Council, which has been crucial in the past for the implementation of success in driving visitors to their flagship and largest tourism event of the year. 'After trying for 8 months to get them to approve a contract, they finally decided on a minimal effort approach. 'To put it mildly, we are disappointed in the partnership renewal contract that was decided by City of Palatka commissioners, but would love to acknowledge the hard work of the sanitation workers, parks and recreation, and festival workers and organizers who are the actual boots on the ground. Best, Jeanetta Cebollero [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] In regard to the carnival and footprint changes referenced in Ancient City Entertainment's statement, Wright said that a conversation was had between them about the decision. 'Other than the foot traffic of bringing it down to 4th Street, that was a common conversation that we had early on as a group. And that was just to try to accommodate some things when we said we was not bringing, when she said, and we agreed that they was not bringing the carnival back because we had some issues with the carnival last year. But that's how that foot track got smaller. But as far as vendors and everything of that nature, that's all the coordinator's responsibility,' Cutwright said. Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
SLCSD reflects on phone policy
SARANAC LAKE — Saranac Lake High School banned cellphones before it was cool. The still-yet-to-be-approved state budget includes a 'bell-to-bell' ban on smartphones in schools across the state, but SLHS has already been doing this since the start of the 2023 school year. At graduation last June, SLHS Principal Josh Dann said he felt the policy went over well, after a challenging start. The policy's been controversial among the students it affects and some of their parents, and it's certainly gone through some growing pains, Dann said. But administrators and even some students say it's for the best and has improved school. At the very least, Dann said it's made the hallways louder. RIP THE BAND-AID OFF Previously, school policy was that students could have phones in non-academic areas — hallways, study halls, the cafeteria. But while discussing this in a faculty meeting one day, Dann said they realized students were still on their phones around a third of the day. They decided to just 'rip the Band-Aid off' and blanket-ban phone use during school. 'We felt the cellphones were getting in the way of them being successful in school,' Dann said. Listening to music, watching movies or keeping a Snapchat streak alive are all appropriate, if the work is done, Dann said. But he found phones led to procrastination. SLHS bans phone usage from the time students arrive until dismissal. Students usually keep the phones in their pockets or bags — Dann said students don't use seem to use lockers much after the coronavirus pandemic. Things are a bit easier for SLHS — the building barely has any cell phone service anyway. The WiFi password is changed regularly to avoid it being figured out and disseminated. 'I GOT USED TO IT' The change was toughest on the seniors last year, who had gone nearly their whole school years with some use of their phones. Dann's daughter was one of them. He said they all thought the policy was crazy. Elijah Schenk, who graduated last year, said though the cellphone ban didn't feel great at first, he felt it was a good choice. 'It made paying attention much easier, not worrying about who posted this or who texted me,' Schenk said. 'Yes, it makes people upset, but the people in question are mostly high school kids who have what is considered an addiction, maybe even a dependency, to their phone. Not to sound like an old man but staring at a phone for long periods of time really does rot your brain, as I experience it if I use my phone extensively.' It was difficult coming out of the pandemic, when phone restrictions were 'very loose,' he said, but 'after a while I got used to it like any other policy or rule.' 'It even felt nice to just ignore my phone and choose other alternatives,' he said. Dann said they faced only a little pushback from parents. 'They know we're not doing this to be jerks,' he said. 'We just feel its a healthy tactic for a school.' 'ALL OF THE KIDS WERE SO MAD' The pushback they did get was from parents worried about what would happen in an emergency, if they'd be able to contact their child. Dann said they talked with local and state police about this and they said students need to be focused and present in an emergency. 'They said students shouldn't be communicating with parents anyways during emergencies,' Dann said. 'They should be listening to school authorities and listening for good directions.' And the students? 'They hate it,' Dann said. Current SLHS Junior Gabby Mitchell said the cell phone ban has been difficult. 'Having little breaks to play my games, I had to get used to not having that,' she said. She misses these mental breaks, especially during lunch. This has been the schoolwide sentiment since the ban started two years ago, she said. 'Oh, I was so mad,' Mitchell said. 'All of the kids were so mad.' 'A WHOLE BATTLE' The rule has strict enforcement, which Dann said takes vigilance from teachers. There are loopholes they're trying to close. They've stopped giving warnings. If they see phones or headphones out, they confiscate them. 'They see your phone for just a split-second and they take it,' Mitchell said. 'If you figure out the WiFi password, they take your phone right away.' Junior Lilly Latham said one time her phone slid out of her pocket, so she looked at the time before she pushed it back in. But a teacher saw that and eventually she was threatened with suspension if she didn't give up her phone. 'It was a whole fight, it was horrible,' she said. Latham said she feels for the students in the rest of the state who will be joining Saranac Lakers in the school phone ban. 'I feel bad for them,' she said. 'Honestly, I would just listen, because it's not worth the consequences,' Latham added. 'Even though you have an opinion, you think it's stupid, just try to listen because it's just better in the end. … You won't win unless you have some serious people backing you up.' In middle school, Latham successfully petitioned the school board to allow hats in the dress code. It took a lot of work, she said. CHECK YOURSELF Dann said students know if he believes something is best for them, he's not going to waver. He wondered if maybe they'll admit it was beneficial after they graduate. 'It's with good intentions,' he said, not to make life miserable. He said phones are useful tools, but also a distraction. He's hoping to create practices that last after graduation and matter in college and in the workforce. The goal is to encourage in-person socialization, improve focus and for students to be present in the moment. 'Even for me, personally. I have to check myself, my cellphone usage,' Dann said. If a student's phone vibrates with a notification, there's an impulse to attend to it. Dann sees a lot of anxiety about responding and reacting immediately. 'There's a lot of maintenance that they're putting on themselves to uphold all this,' he said of social media. LIFE OUTSIDE OF A SCREEN Before the ban, Dann said hallways during class transitions were quiet and most people's heads were down. 'It seemed like there was no noise going on, and all of it was because of the cellphones,' he said. After the policy took place, the change was immediate. 'This place was so loud. The senior lounge was loud, the hallways were loud,' Dann said. 'It took some getting used to, because we were so used to it being quiet. Now that they couldn't use their phones, they were actually communicating with each other and having conversations.' For New York students who will be new to this policy, Schenk had some advice. 'Take advantage of that policy and experience life outside of a screen,' he said. 'Experience and education is valuable, no matter how boring it seems.' NO HALF-MEASURES Dann had a recommendation for other schools joining the phone ban — don't do half-measures. 'What's interesting about high school is that any change that's made, within three years, it just becomes an expectation,' he said. Current SLHS Junior Paxton Leerkes said he doesn't use his phone a lot, but he feels they should be able to have them for emergencies. He remembers when the ban started that 'everyone was mad.' He said not having the phone helps with his focus, but he also wants it for its calculator. However, he understands the rule. 'Just have school before phones,' Leerkes said. Around a dozen states have some sort of ban or restriction on cellphones in schools. 'We've protected our kids before from cigarettes, alcohol, and drunk driving, and now we're protecting them from addictive technology designed to hijack their attention,' Gov. Kathy Hochul said in an announcement of the plan. Schools will have some flexibility in how they implement the ban, and the law includes exemptions for students who might need phones for medical reasons, learning disabilities or if they don't speak fluent English. When SLHS students came back to school after Spring Break this week, Dann noticed there was a period of more discipline for phone usage as students adjusted to not being able to use them all the time. 'It's an addiction,' he said.
