Latest news with #Knudsen
Global News
19-06-2025
- Business
- Global News
B.C. renters taking a wait-and-see approach to home ownership: report
Renters in British Columbia appear to be holding off on buying a home despite lower interest rates and increased housing supply. The 2025 Royal LePage Canadian Renters Report found that more than half of B.C. renters say they plan to buy a property in the future, but only 16 per cent say they plan to do it in the next two years. For renters not planning to purchase a property, which was 26 per cent of those who responded, affordability is still the biggest issue. Sixty-six per cent said their income will not allow them to buy a property in the neighbourhood they want to live in, 53 per cent said renting remains more affordable for them and 33 per cent said they don't want to take on the responsibility of maintaining a home. 'The rental market looks very different today than it did a year ago,' Nina Knudsen, property manager with Royal LePage Sussex in North Vancouver, said in a statement. Story continues below advertisement 'There is a surplus of inventory available, much like in the mainstream market. In fact, the slowdown in resale activity is having a knock-on effect in the rental market. Some property owners who weren't able to sell their units, specifically condos, are choosing to list them as rentals instead.' Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy She said that at the same time, as resale prices come down, more tenants are purchasing the units they have been renting. 'It's a unique dynamic we're watching unfold in real time,' Knudsen added. 'Despite ongoing affordability challenges, the goal of achieving home ownership remains a priority for many young people in the region.' 1:51 Ad asks Vancouver renters to name their price According to the latest National Rent Report by and Urbanation Inc., the average price of a one-bedroom rental unit in Vancouver decreased 4.8 per cent year over year to $2,544 in May 2025, a modest 0.3 per cent increase over the prior month. Story continues below advertisement The average price of a two-bedroom rental unit in the city decreased 7.4 per cent year over year to $3,358, a decrease of 1.6 per cent month over month. However, rent remains a significant portion of people's incomes. Thirty-six per cent of renters said they spend between 31 and 50 per cent of their net income on monthly rent, while only 28 per cent are spending 30 per cent or less. Twenty-three per cent of respondents are spending more than 50 per cent of their income on rent. Many people said they have reduced spending on groceries, reduced contributions to savings or retirement or taken on a second job to be able to afford rent. 'Overall, affordability in Vancouver's rental market has improved over the last year, and it's not unusual to see renters moving units because they've found a better deal,' Knudsen said. 'By and large, renters are in the driver's seat today. But I do think we've reached the bottom of that opportunity. 'The biggest drop in rental prices is likely behind us. Looking ahead, I expect steady activity and price flattening for the foreseeable future.'
CNBC
18-06-2025
- Health
- CNBC
CEO of Sean Parker's breakthrough cancer drug institute on leading new race for cure
Karen Knudsen did not grow up in a scientifically centered home. She grew up in a military family. But at an early age, as a "naturally curious" kid, she came to love the experience of discovery and gravitated toward math and science. That led Knudsen to assume she would one day become a medical doctor. But her career went in another scientific direction, starting with a stint as a summer research intern working in the lab at the National Cancer Institute during the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s. "There was so much interest in trying to understand retrovirus like HIV, and so I went to a lab that was actually using retrovirus as a way to study cancer," she recalled in a recent interview with CNBC's Julia Boorstin for the CNBC Changemakers Spotlight series (Knudsen was named to the inaugural CNBC Changemakers list in 2024). "It got me very interested in that direct line. How does what I'm doing right now in the laboratory have an opportunity to impact a life, and I got hooked, and I never looked back," she said. Knudsen's experience as an oncology researcher at large health care systems, and seeing many mergers taking place around her, led to the realization that it might help to know more about the business of health care. She chose to pursue an MBA. "I'm not sure I'll forget the look on my husband when I came home one day and said, 'I'm going to get my MBA'," Knudsen recalled. "That was probably one of the more unexpected decisions." Ultimately, it led to Knudsen becoming the first female CEO of the more-than-century-old American Cancer Society, though she says it's even more important that she was the first CEO for the organization to come from oncology research. Under Knudsen's leadership, ACS's revenue increased by over 30%. Recently, Knudsen assumed the CEO post at the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy — created by Sean Parker, Facebook's first president and the tech entrepreneur behind breakthrough ideas like Napster — where a new philanthropy-meets-venture-capital business model that aligns with Knudsen's lifelong interest in discovery is being built. The mission hasn't changed: "In the U.S., we have 2.1 million Americans that are going to get a new cancer diagnosis this year, and unfortunately, 600,000 plus people who will die from one of the 200 diseases we call cancer," she said. While there has been a 34% decline in cancer mortality since 1991, primarily attributed to earlier detection and preventative health practices, Knudsen's new role places her at the forefront of efforts to fund a new generation of breakthrough cancer drugs. Knudsen spoke with CNBC's Boorstin about how she reached this stage of her career, and the lessons she has learned from a lifetime devoted to experimentation. Here are some highlights from the full video interview. As a scientist, Knudsen says, "You get very comfortable with hypothesis generation and testing," and that is in some ways similar to a business executive trying to figure out what is going to come next in their market, and how to remain successful as conditions change. Scientists get comfortable developing a set of success metrics that enable them to know quickly whether it's time to quit on a hypothesis or move ahead. Knudsen says that is part of the "overlapping mindset between being a scientist and being a business person" which has helped her to succeed as she moved from research into executive leadership. "It made the process of developing a set of success metrics and creating a business strategy that tells you when you may be onto something, or not, fairly easy," she said. As a researcher within health systems who saw firsthand how a wave of consolidation could reshape entities and raise the question of how every person, process and practice might need to change, Knudsen says you need to be ready to identify not only what works but also what needs to go away. Coming into the CEO post at ACS was "like coming into a fresh merger that was in need of business transformation," she said. "Finding opportunities and fixing what needs repairing is often the hardest part of leadership," she added. Knudsen took a hard look at a bureaucracy that over more than a century had grown into 12 separate organizations, with 12 CEOs and 12 strategies, and she made significant changes to streamline the operation. It wasn't all about rooting out the inefficiencies, though. "I was on the road 49 weeks of the year for four years in a row, because you really needed to be there to see what was so good in these various areas, and apply that to the rest of the organization," Knudsen said. Her larger point is that a lifetime in research has made her a leader who sees change as a constant. "Because medicine is changing, science is changing, technology will change ... It's okay to transform and to constantly iterate," she said. Sean Parker comes out of the Silicon Valley "move fast and break things" world of success, and Knudsen says she had learned to be "a little more confident at risk-taking" over the years. Working with Parker, who was the first president of Facebook and co-founder of Napster, is the culmination of the risk-taking business side of her mindset. "He's unafraid of thinking differently," Knudsen said, adding that he still embodies the idea that "if we're failing, let's fail fast." More specifically, she said Parker identified that lack of access to capital was a major impediment to progress in the fight against cancer, and that was holding the risk takers back from doing what they do best. "The whole philosophy of the Parker Institute is to, step one, collect the best brains. Give them investment in funding to do the high risk, high gain, cutting-edge research, which could fail but could also dramatically transform cancer therapy," she said. Founded in 2016 by Parker to turn all cancers into "curable diseases," the institute supports clinical testing, startup formation and incubation, and drug commercialization. In all, PICI has supported the work of 1,000 researchers and helped to create a $4 billion venture capital portfolio that includes 17 biotech companies. "I think it's because we've de-risked the science from the very beginning," Knudsen said. "We're not waiting for someone to pitch for us. So I'm feeling very bullish about the ability to crank this wheel," she said. Knudsen has had many mentors throughout her journey. One she cited was Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association, who she says was a "fountain of knowledge" to her. But as CEO of the American Cancer Society, she surrounded herself "with CEOs from all walks of life. I had a CEOs council that was hot dial," Knudsen said. "There are some things you just really need to talk to other CEOs about." She also emphasized that women pursuing success should expect to have to fight even harder for female representation the higher they ascend up a professional ladder. Statistically, that is the case whether in the business or academic world. More than 50% of both MD and PhD programs are filled with women, but only 12% become full professors, department chairs or deans. In the business world, 10% of women hold CEO positions in S&P 500 companies; and approximately 12% in VC-backed companies and 13% at health-care firms. The hurdles, whether it is related to gender, the inherent risk of failure in scientific endeavors, or lack of access to capital, are barriers that Knudsen's mission has helped her to overcome. "What I've always wanted to do, whether it's as a scientist, whether it's as a health executive, the CEO of the American Cancer Society or now the Parker Institute, it's to get innovation to people," she said. "We're at this moment in time where there is so much discovery that's happening, the pace of change is truly logarithmic, and yet, too many great ideas don't ever make it off the laboratory floor."
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Retailers, researchers criticize Indiana plan to exclude soda and candy from SNAP
Researchers and retailers question the effectiveness of an Indiana proposal to exclude candy and soda — both of which are loosely defined — from a food benefit program. (Photo by) Hoosiers could be prohibited from purchasing soda and candy with their food benefits as early as January, but researchers and retailers question the effectiveness of the move — noting how difficult it could be to implement. Teas and other, non-milk based beverages may be out but candy bars with flour — like Twix or Butterfingers — are fine, a confusing distinction for clerks and cashiers to explain. Last month, the federal government approved the state's application to exclude the treats based on loose definitions added to Indiana's code more than two decades ago. Gov. Mike Braun and Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith are fans — and so is U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. But Joe Lackey, president of the Indiana Grocery and Convenience Store Association, said the decision came without much warning for the retailers responsible for face-to-face communication with the consumers enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program. 'The day after they held the press conference and announced they were doing it, they asked the industry to come to a meeting to talk about it and we basically said, 'This meeting should have happened a couple of days ago before you made the decision,'' said Lackey, a longtime lobbyist. 'I think it's probably the end of the program (nationwide). I think food stamps and SNAP are going to just go away,' Lackey continued. 'That was the intent, I think, to start with in Washington.' He said SNAP retailers near the border will be hit hardest by the change, since benefits apply across state lines. Indiana cannot restrict what a SNAP enrollee purchases in neighboring states. The approved waiver has an explicit goal to help 'low-income households … obtain a more nutritious diet' to combat the nationwide 'health epidemic further induced by diet-related chronic disease.' But even that impact is far less clear for the 610,000 Hoosier enrollees. 'I think, as a person who tends to think about these things from more of an economic point of view, it's probably just going to shift (SNAP expenses to) other places,' said Dan Knudsen, a professor emeritus of geography at Indiana University and part of the IU Food Institute. Knudsen approaches food benefits from a mathematical perspective, analyzing the pros and cons of the Thrifty Food Plan used to calculate benefit allocations under SNAP. He noted that many beneficiaries might not have regular access to refrigeration, a stove or transportation — limiting their food options to whatever's accessible and shelf stable. 'Our current read from our most recent literature would indicate that SNAP benefits, right now, given the rise in food costs, are getting people through somewhere between 15 and 21 days of the month,' said Knudsen. 'And then you need to take into account the fact that somewhere in the neighborhood of 50-60% of the SNAP benefit is typically utilized in a single purchase.' SNAP enrollees already can't purchase alcoholic beverages, tobacco or hot/prepared foods under federal rules. Indiana's soda and candy exemption waiver was signed the same day as Iowa's, the latter of which includes snacks in addition to candy. Both came just a few days after Nebraska's approved move to ban soda and energy drinks from SNAP purchases. But their definitions, though overlapping, are distinct from Indiana's. For example, Nebraska's definition of soft drinks is more narrow and focuses on carbonation, but specifies that sports drinks like Gatorade are not included. On Tuesday, Braun went to Washington D.C. as part of a press conference at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees SNAP, for a ceremonial signing to exempt certain foods in Arkansas, Idaho and Utah. All are part of a growing number of state leaders seeking to limit food benefits, including lawmakers in at least a dozen states that explored legislative options earlier this year. The federal government pays for the program's benefits, only shuffling some administrative costs to states, and must approve any changes to SNAP. Lackey pointed to a pair of failed bills earlier this year as evidence of a lack of widespread support, saying he and a coalition of anti-poverty advocates alongside industry lobbyists opposed the legislative efforts. Indiana is proud to be a leader in the Make America Healthy Again initiative, and I'm proud to join Secretary (Brooke) Rollins, Secretary Kennedy, Congressman (Jim) Baird, and my fellow Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders today to discuss returning SNAP to its proper purpose of nutrition, and how my Make Indiana Healthy Again agenda supports Indiana agriculture and empowers Hoosiers to live longer, healthier lives. – Gov. Mike Braun, speaking at a June 10 press conference in Washington D.C. 'I don't know anyone in Indiana — except for the governor — that's for it,' said Lackey. Indiana's waiver bans soft drinks, which defined in Indiana code are 'nonalcoholic beverages that contain natural or artificial sweeteners. The term does not include beverages that contain milk or milk products, soy, rice, or similar milk substitutes, or greater than fifty percent (50%) of vegetable or fruit juice by volume.' Candy is defined as 'a preparation of sugar, honey, or other natural or artificial sweeteners in combination with chocolate, fruits, nuts, or other ingredients or flavorings in the form of bars, drops, or pieces. The term does not include any preparation containing flour or requiring refrigeration.' The loose definition of these terms appears to ban popular items like bottled teas and granola bars from purchase. Yet candy bars with flour, such as Kit Kats, and sugary bakery items are fine. The state is required to notify beneficiaries and will even provide informative posters to retailers, retailers will have to reprogram their computers to align with the new rules. And clerks and cashiers will likely be the ones telling SNAP enrollees. 'They're the ones that are going to have to try to explain to the customers why they can no longer buy soft drinks or why they can no longer buy a candy item,' Lackey said. 'This is going to be a real problem and a lot of stores, major stores throughout the state, have said they're seriously considering dropping (SNAP).' Such purchases can make up 20% of a convenience store's sales, Lackey said. The hit also comes on top of the state's long-proposed cigarette tax increase, which Lackey said would also hurt his members. The waiver itself cites several studies concluding that SNAP enrollees consume more sugary drinks and snacks than their peers — and the consumption of both has been linked to higher rates of obesity and diabetes. A similar public health effort to improve health by increasing taxes on soda has split experts, with researchers at the University of California in Berkeley finding such moves decrease consumption in low-income neighborhoods while Tax Foundation analysts argue that reducing obesity and sugar intake requires a more complicated plan. SNAP cost-sharing jeopardizes food assistance program Knudsen pointed to many other sources of sugar in the typical American diet — including his personal favorite, bread, which some European countries classify as confections because of the high sugar content in American brands. 'Taxes on sugar and taxes on candy are just the tip of the iceberg of the sugar consumption of the average American,' he said. Instead, SNAP supporters point to programs that allow enrollees to 'double up' on fruits and vegetables with their benefits card by offering a discounted rate on certain produce at participating farmers markets and stores. An Indiana University study on SNAP beneficiaries at farmers markets concluded that 'economic incentives (like double bucks) are a critical means for enhancing access to local fresh fruits and vegetables by subsidizing further purchasing power for low-income individuals,' though transportation posed a big barrier for SNAP enrollees. However, Knudsen noted that such studies like the above — which was produced by a former student of his — also struggle to connect those efforts to long-term health goals. And more change could be coming. Lackey said he's heard that the state plans to exclude other foods from SNAP, adding to the burden on retailers. 'It's grown to a point where they just can't fund it anymore, which is pretty scary,' said Lackey. 'But do it on a national basis; don't do it on a restricted, state-by-state basis where you have inconsistency.' Also on the horizon: work requirements for SNAP enrollees, which Knudsen called a 'red herring' since many beneficiaries are children, disabled or retired seniors. 'Why are we punishing the poor?' Knudsen asked. '… it's really important that any changes to SNAP are thought about from the point of view of individuals who are on SNAP who are food insecure.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
AG Knudsen blasts Gallatin County Attorney for advising against ICE contract
Gallatin County Courthouse in Bozeman. (Keila Szpaller/The Daily Montanan) A Gallatin County Commissioner described a scalding letter from the attorney general about a local legal opinion as 'political theater' and said Friday the county has had the longest-standing agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement of any county in Montana. Wednesday, Attorney General Austin Knudsen sent a letter to the Gallatin County Commissioners criticizing a legal opinion — which Knudsen put inside quotations as 'legal opinion' — by Gallatin County Attorney Audrey Cromwell. The April 24 opinion from Cromwell argued against entering into an agreement with ICE to detain undocumented immigrants from across the state at the Gallatin County Detention Center. Cromwell said doing so would raise constitutional and legal questions and potentially cost taxpayers millions of dollars. The Trump administration has been aggressive in pursuing, and in some cases deporting, immigrants nationwide, including in Montana, as the president pledged to do in his campaign. In March, MTN News reported that ICE detained 17 immigrants it described as undocumented in Bigfork. In some cases, judges have found authorities under Trump acted without due process and deported people illegally, including legal immigrants and even U.S. citizens. A New York Times analysis said illegal deportations are difficult to undo. But immigration is a political hot button, and in his criticism of the Gallatin prosecutor, Knudsen said the American people sent Donald Trump back to the White House 'to secure our border,' and Montanans want state officials to support his agenda, 'not undermine it.' 'At its core, the Cromwell Opinion is an endorsement of the disastrous open border policies of the Biden administration,' Knudsen said in his letter. In a 2024 report, the Pew Research Center said unauthorized immigrants hit a 12.2 million peak in 2007 and, after a downward trend, crept up again in recent years to 11.1 million in 2022, and likely higher since then. 'My office fought back against these destructive policies for four long years, and I refuse to stand by as feckless left-wing prosecutors attempt to subvert the will of the people and put dangerous criminals back on the streets,' Knudsen wrote. In response, Cromwell said in a statement that Gallatin County already participates in a program, known as the federal 287(g) program, that ensures 'undocumented individuals charged with a crime in Gallatin County are immediately flagged and held for ICE.' The 287(g) program authorizes local law enforcement officials to perform specific immigration duties under the agency's oversight. 'Given constitutional concerns regarding due process, significant legal liability, and added strain on overburdened County resources, I stand by my legal opinion, which advises the Commission against entering into an additional agreement with ICE to detain non-local undocumented immigrants in the Gallatin County Detention Center,' Cromwell said. Her legal opinion said earlier this year, a court found Suffolk County in New York responsible for $60 million in a class action lawsuit that found unconstitutional detention practices of undocumented immigrants. The county is appealing the decision, according to a local news report. Gallatin County Commissioners said they already cooperate with ICE on immigration and will 'continue to work closely with the Gallatin County Attorney, who was elected by our community.' 'And we will continue supporting the Sheriff and his dedicated team of public safety heroes,' Commissioners said in a statement. In an interview Friday, Gallatin County Commissioner Zach Brown said under the existing agreement, Gallatin County already temporarily holds detainees for ICE to pick up when an immigration flag comes up during booking. 'That's a legal framework that is in place and has been in place for a long time,' Brown said. Cromwell's opinion said 1.4% of the county jail population has been flagged for ICE holds over the last year. Brown also said he wanted to cut through some of the rhetoric around immigration. For one, Brown said the president and the attorney general are conflating civil and criminal law — and doing so 'intentionally.' In other words, he said, local government and county law enforcement handle criminal offenses, but federal civil procedures govern people whose immigration status is questioned. County facilities and services aren't designed, funded or empowered to execute federal civil procedures, he said. Rhetoric, including from President Trump, implies that every illegal person is a criminal, he said, but that's not necessarily true. 'If someone has an immigration issue, that does not make them inherently a criminal under American federal law,' Brown said. However, he also said Gallatin County has made 'record investments' in public safety, including in salaries, new positions, and equipment, and resources for the drug task force, courts, 'and on and on.' 'That trajectory and commitment to law enforcement is really strong with this commission and within this community,' Brown said. In February, MTN News reported ICE agents arrested six alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua in Gallatin County. At the time, Sheriff Dan Springer told MTN News law enforcement had been working to combat the gang and had been successful given no violent incidents had been reported. Springer could not be reached by voicemail Friday for an update. Cromwell's opinion said those people were held solely on ICE detainers and not on criminal charges, and the situation demonstrates the risk that counties may inadvertently hold people without due process. Brown also pointed to statistics that show Gallatin County has the second lowest crime rate among urban counties in Montana, only behind Flathead County. Citing the Montana Board of Crime Control, he said Gallatin had 540 incidents per 10,000 in 2023, the most recent data available, compared to 1,100 per 10,000 in Cascade County, reporting the highest number per capita. Info Box Reported Crime incidents per 10,000 in 2023 (urban counties), according to the Montana Board of Crime Control: Cascade County – 1,100 Yellowstone County – 887 Missoula County – 865 Butte-Silverbow – 640 Lewis & Clark County – 632 Ravalli County – 565 Gallatin County – 540 Flathead County – 487 Source: Gallatin County Commissioner, citing Montana Board of Crime Control Dashboard. Brown also said that at its root, immigration is squarely a federal issue, and an argument about a county contract, 'a minor, minor issue,' is a distraction from the fact that Congress hasn't taken action on immigration reform since 1986. 'It's infuriating that these issues are getting talked about at the local government level. Just that, in and of itself, is political theater,' Brown said. He said local government is at the behest of the federal government when it comes to immigration, it's experienced whiplash upon changes in administration, and it will continue without action. 'Congress is allowing the executive branch to make policy on immigration law, and that's not the executive's job under the constitution and our form of government,' Brown said. He called on Montana's congressional delegation to legislate, and he said the dispute over the additional agreement between ICE and Gallatin County is just a symptom of the disease. 'The cancer in the system is Congress' inaction. So Congress needs to get off their butt and do their job,' Brown said. U.S. Sens. Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy are from Bozeman in Gallatin County and could not be immediately reached for comment on Friday. However, in remarks three weeks ago and posted on his Facebook page, Daines said presidential leadership matters. He said law enforcement officers in Bozeman told him they weren't getting any response from ICE under the Biden administration, and that changed right after Trump was sworn into office. 'Within 30 days, those ICE agents swarmed and got those TDA (Tren de Aragua) guys apprehended and deported from our country. That directly affects my hometown of Bozeman,' Daines said. In his letter, Knudsen, said the 'horrors aren't hypothetical.' In his letter, he said under the Biden administration, the state Crime Lab reported 262 fentanyl-linked deaths in Montana, and he said 100% of illicit fentanyl seized in Montana is trafficked across the border. 'In one Gallatin County operation conducted in March, three illegal immigrants were arrested on drug-related charges and methamphetamine, cocaine, cash and four vehicles were seized,' Knudsen said. He also said earlier this year, the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area seized 9,400 carfentanil pills in Billings, just a couple of hours away from Gallatin County. He said carfentanil is 100 times more potent than fentanyl, 'making it even more dangerous and deadly.'
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tuition increases proposed for all 3 state universities
DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa college students are speaking out about a pending decision on proposed tuition increases at all three state universities. The University of Northern Iowa increase is proposed to be 2.7%, while there is a suggested increase of 3% for both Iowa State University and the University of Iowa. New main street project in Cumming aims to preserve small-town charm The increase will add $279 to the cost of tuition at the University of Iowa. Student body President Thomas Knudsen, a junior, says the annual increases are adding up. 'If this trend continues, it's the difference in pursuing a four-year degree or pursuing some sort of alternative option. Now, since I started as a freshman, the cost of attendance has steadily increased. Now, if this proposed increase is approved, it's around a $1,200 increase since my freshman year alone. A rise of close to 12 percent,' said Knudsen. The Iowa Board of Regents will vote on the proposed increase at its next meeting on June 10th. The Iowa State Legislature gave no funding increases to Iowa's state universities in this year's budget. Iowa veteran back on Appalachian Trail, surpasses 900 miles after battling Norovirus Tuition increases proposed for all 3 state universities Clean up underway in Perry after strong storm moves through Monday night New main street project in Cumming aims to preserve small-town charm Wright County landowners hopeful Gov. Reynolds will sign eminent domain legislation Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
