Latest news with #Somerville
The Independent
4 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Claws are out in small town Massachusetts after a cat mayoral election race was hijacked by other animals
Talk about copy- cats. A race to elect the newest bike path cat mayor in Somerville, Massachusetts, has been hijacked by an array of other animals – including a parrot, guinea pig, snake and tortoise. Several ferocious felines, including incumbent cat mayor Berry, had been campaigning for the fictitious role of 'Bike Path Mayor' when posters for other pets to fill the role began popping up in the Boston suburb. The highly contested race began after Berry's owner, Mallory Bisset, placed a humorous poster declaring her indoor-outdoor cat the 'Bike Path Mayor' as a way to let passersby know she isn't a stray, just a cat that loves to spend time on the trail, NBC 10 reported. Then Noah's Ark opened... Claws quickly came out as a furry competitor, 'Orange Cat,' began campaigning for the role as well. 'Berry became mayor of Somerville without an election, and I thought that was bologna,' said Orange Cat's owner, Janet McNamara. 'Orange Cat stands for fair and free elections.' Both Berry and Orange Cat frequently stroll along the bike trail and are known and loved amongst residents. "The original race, we have photo evidence all over the Somerville Discord, was Orange Cat vs Berry, who is the incumbent," one resident said. "I see Berry all the time, Orange Cat almost as much. And then other candidates started coming in, and then Berry's sign was stolen." Signs for Berry, who is running along the TabbyCat Party, later reappeared with a promise to 'Make Cats Outside Again.' Meanwhile, Orange Cat's campaign has been 'paid for by the catalyst party,' according to signs. While Berry and Orange Cat appear to be the frontrunners among locals, dozens of other cats have since entered the race, each with their own slogan and campaign platform. Pirate is running on 'More Kibble For All,' while Puzzle has taken a pro catnap position. Freya is running on the 'Com-meow-nist Party' and advocating for 'Frisky's South 4 All.' Another favorite in the race, Minerva, is simply running on 'Crime.' The cat quickly got out of the bag, and a slew of other animals have since entered the race. A dog duo, Duke and Ella, entered on a shared ticket with the tagline, 'You got anyone betta?' While only a few dogs are on the ballot, McNamara said it would be 'ridiculous' for a dog to be elected mayor of the bike path. As of Thursday, the race opened up to even more exotic animals, including a parrot named Timber, a guinea pig named Ms. Potato, a snake, aptly named Large Snake, and a tortoise named Nagi. 'I'm a big fan of Nagi the tortoise. I think his age and experience is good,' local voter Gabe Smith told NBC10. 'You know, diversity in a campaign is probably good,' added Somerville resident Valerie Folan. While there are countless cat-idates, many residents seemed to stand behind the incumbent, Berry. 'I am a little partial to Berry, because she has held a town hall in our garden a few months ago, so I think I'm just waiting to see if other candidates are going to speak up more,' said resident Andrea Wen, who frequently walks the trail. Given the competitive nature of the race, some pets have decided to throw their hat in for other governmental positions. Wasil the cat is running for attorney general while Whiskers, also a cat, hopes to be elected as chief of staff. A QR code is displayed on the bike path for people to cast their votes. According to the form, a winner will be announced on September 5.
The National
14 hours ago
- Business
- The National
Calls for disability benefits to be simplified following review
The independent review highlighted that while the ADP is significantly more compassionate than the UK benefit it replaced, some people still face barriers, complexity and distress when applying for it. The review noted that although the ending of the DWP-style assessments and recognises the compassionate approach of Social Security Scotland staff, it concluded that there is still more that can be done to deliver a truly human-rights-based approach. The review made more than 50 recommendations, including that eligibility for ADP should be based on the real-life experience of clients and not just on a list of activities, along with recommending that the application process should be made easier for those with fluctuating conditions, mental health problems, and also take into consideration the environment in which the person lives. READ MORE: Hedge fund boss and Labour donor buys Scottish island as last residents leave The report also called for sustainable funding for welfare advice services, more inclusive communication, and automatic entitlement in some circumstances. Edel Harris, chair of the Adult Disability Payment Review and experienced charity leader, said the review recommendations are based on real experiences and a shared commitment to make ADP work better for everyone who needs it. She said: 'Adult Disability Payment has been described by many as a step change - kinder in tone and more dignified in approach. But too often, disabled people still find the system difficult to navigate, time-consuming, and anxiety-inducing. 'I heard consistently that if we are to realise social security as an investment in people, it is important to ensure that the eligibility criteria fulfil this goal. 'This review highlights the importance of a system that is not only compassionate, but practical and accessible.' The review engaged extensively with disabled people and the organisations that support them. It drew on evidence from a public consultation, written submissions, in-person and online events, and the lived experience of an advisory group made up of third sector representatives, disabled people and people with long-term health conditions. Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice Shirley-Anne Somerville said she felt 'very encouraged' to read the feedback from disabled people about their positive interactions with Social Security Scotland. (Image: Jane Barlow) Somerville added that the Scottish Government's approach to providing social security is a compassionate one, based on dignity, fairness and respect. She said: 'While the UK Government seeks to make cuts to the vital support disabled people rely on, I want to make clear that we will not cut Adult Disability Payment. 'Instead, we will work to protect and enhance Scotland's social security system, improving on what we have achieved so far. I very much appreciate the comprehensive recommendations this report provides for how we can improve Adult Disability Payment. Somerville thanked Harris for her 18-months' worth of work conducting the review as she added: 'The Scottish Government will now carefully consider all of the recommendations and provide its initial response by January 2026.' Harris visited Inspire by Community Integrated Care, an Aberdeen-based charity supporting adults with learning disabilities and additional support needs. The visit offered an insight into the role of social security in promoting independence, inclusion, and dignity. Community Integrated Care's managing director for Scotland, Sara Murphy, welcomed the review as said: 'As a care provider, we see every day how inclusive, person-centred support enables people to build confidence, develop skills, and live more independently. 'We welcome the review's call for a system that truly listens to disabled people and reflects their real-life experiences. We hope it leads to meaningful change that makes accessing support fairer, simpler, and more empowering for those who need it.'
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Trump's tariffs give chocolate makers in Canada, Mexico an edge over US firms
U.S. President Donald Trump's trade tariffs are meant to boost domestic manufacturing. But in the chocolate industry, they're doing the opposite: ramping up the cost of importing already-pricey cocoa and hurting the competitiveness of local factories versus Canadian and Mexican outfits that supply the U.S., according to conversations with 11 industry executives, representatives, experts and traders. Under the United States-Mexico-Canada free trade pact (USMCA), which the Trump administration has confirmed remains in place, Canada and Mexico can export chocolate to the U.S. tariff-free no matter where they sourced their inputs of cocoa - a tropical crop that does not grow in the United States. Canada also has zero tariffs on imports of raw and semi-processed cocoa like butter and powder, while Mexico grows its own beans, meaning factories both north and south of the U.S. border can produce more cheaply than those domestically who now have to pay tariffs of between 10-25% on cocoa inputs. The rates could rise to 35% on August 1. A government official said that the White House continues to monitor trends in trade and commerce and listen to industry feedback to deliver on Trump's economic agenda. Top U.S. chocolate maker Hershey, which mainly makes chocolate in the U.S. but has plants in Canada and Mexico, has estimated it would face $100 million in tariff costs in its third and fourth quarters if the levies remain in place. Live Events Smaller firms like Somerville, Massachusetts-based Taza Chocolate, which produces chocolate from scratch using imported cocoa, have no alternatives to U.S. manufacturing. Taza in May had to pay $24,124 in duties on a container of cocoa from Haiti, subject to the blanket 10% tariff imposed by Trump, a Customs and Border Protection invoice showed. Taza faces a customs cheque of more than $30,000 to release its next container of cocoa from the Dominican Republic, founder and CEO Alex Whitmore said. "For a company our size, that's our profit margin gone so the immediate thought is OK, the rules have changed, we just need to create the most cost-effective solution for the consumer," said Whitmore. He initially explored offshoring part of Taza's manufacturing to Canada to benefit from USMCA terms, but decided against it given the significant investment of both money and time that would require, in a volatile business environment. "Right now, the environment is so uncertain that we're just hunkering down and hoping this will pass," Whitmore said. "A lot of us business owners are kind of frozen." Customs data compiled for Reuters by Trade Data Monitor (TDM) shows Canada's chocolate exports to the U.S. grew by 10% in volume terms in the five months to end-May, indicating some Canadian manufacturers are taking advantage of the opportunity created by tariffs. Companies benefiting are mostly Canadian and Mexican contract chocolate makers , or multinational contractors like Barry Callebaut that have a significant footprint in Canada and Mexico, industry sources said. Barry Callebaut, which has just under half its North America chocolate factories in Canada and Mexico, declined to comment. Its CEO Peter Feld said at its July post-results conference call: "On tariffs ... we have operations in the U.S., we have operations in Canada, we have operations in Mexico. So we can actually navigate this environment in the right way." Contract chocolate firms produce raw chocolate that U.S. factories add ingredients to and sell as American chocolate. Tariffs - a pillar of Trump's "America First" economic agenda - come at a delicate time for U.S. chocolate makers as consumers are already buying less after absorbing double-digit inflation over the past several years. In chocolate specifically, prices have risen sharply as cocoa tripled in value to hit record highs in the first four months of last year, and remains well above historical averages because of adverse weather and disease in top growers Ivory Coast and Ghana. Under pressure from rising input costs, Hershey earlier this month rolled out double-digit price hikes across its confectionary products like Reese's cups to retailers like Walmart and Kroger. Cocoa accounts for about 30-50% of the cost of a bar of chocolate. Hershey said its recent price hikes were not related to tariffs. Taza has raised its wholesale prices by 10% since a year ago, and the price of its chocolate bars on its website rose in June to $6.99 from $5.99 previously, but Whitmore also said tariffs would cause further price hikes. Because cocoa can't be sourced domestically, Hershey said in May it is "engaging with the U.S. government to seek an exemption" for cocoa. It declined to comment on whether it was counting on imports from its Canada and Mexico plants to help mitigate tariff costs. M&Ms maker Mars, which said Tuesday it is investing $2 billion in its U.S. manufacturing, including chocolate, has not changed its sourcing structure and continues to make 94% of its U.S. products locally. A Lindt spokesperson said the Lindor truffle maker will decide on possible changes to its sourcing after August 1. Paolo Quadrini, director general of Mexican chocolate and candy association Aschoco Confimex, said U.S. tariffs are "creating new opportunities for Mexican companies." "The sentiment among companies and entrepreneurs, as well as requests from U.S. chocolate companies to manufacture in Mexico, is real and has been increasing," he said. The chocolate market in the U.S., the world's top chocolate consumer, is worth $25-30 billion, according to investment bank TD Cowen, and imports from top supplier Canada account for about 10% of that total, while those from No. 2 supplier Mexico account for some 2.5%. Tareq Hadhad, CEO of mid-sized Nova Scotia-based chocolate maker Peace by Chocolate said tariffs had largely prompted Canadian and American firms to opt for locally produced goods but that contract chocolate makers in Canada had benefited from the new trade dynamic. "It's an advantage for them," he said.
The Star
a day ago
- Business
- The Star
Trump's tariffs give chocolate makers in Canada, Mexico an edge over US firms
LONDON/NEW YORK: U.S. President Donald Trump's trade tariffs are meant to boost domestic manufacturing. But in the chocolate industry, they're doing the opposite: ramping up the cost of importing already-pricey cocoa and hurting the competitiveness of local factories versus Canadian and Mexican outfits that supply the U.S., according to conversations with 11 industry executives, representatives, experts and traders. Under the United States-Mexico-Canada free trade pact (USMCA), which the Trump administration has confirmed remains in place, Canada and Mexico can export chocolate to the U.S. tariff-free no matter where they sourced their inputs of cocoa - a tropical crop that does not grow in the United States. Canada also has zero tariffs on imports of raw and semi-processed cocoa like butter and powder, while Mexico grows its own beans, meaning factories both north and south of the U.S. border can produce more cheaply than those domestically who now have to pay tariffs of between 10-25% on cocoa inputs. The rates could rise to 35% on August 1. A government official said that the White House continues to monitor trends in trade and commerce and listen to industry feedback to deliver on Trump's economic agenda. Top U.S. chocolate maker Hershey, which mainly makes chocolate in the U.S. but has plants in Canada and Mexico, has estimated it would face $100 million in tariff costs in its third and fourth quarters if the levies remain in place. Smaller firms like Somerville, Massachusetts-based Taza Chocolate, which produces chocolate from scratch using imported cocoa, have no alternatives to U.S. manufacturing. Taza in May had to pay $24,124 in duties on a container of cocoa from Haiti, subject to the blanket 10% tariff imposed by Trump, a Customs and Border Protection invoice showed. Taza faces a customs cheque of more than $30,000 to release its next container of cocoa from the Dominican Republic, founder and CEO Alex Whitmore said. "For a company our size, that's our profit margin gone so the immediate thought is OK, the rules have changed, we just need to create the most cost-effective solution for the consumer," said Whitmore. He initially explored offshoring part of Taza's manufacturing to Canada to benefit from USMCA terms, but decided against it given the significant investment of both money and time that would require, in a volatile business environment. "Right now, the environment is so uncertain that we're just hunkering down and hoping this will pass," Whitmore said. "A lot of us business owners are kind of frozen." Customs data compiled for Reuters by Trade Data Monitor (TDM) shows Canada's chocolate exports to the U.S. grew by 10% in volume terms in the five months to end-May, indicating some Canadian manufacturers are taking advantage of the opportunity created by tariffs. Companies benefiting are mostly Canadian and Mexican contract chocolate makers, or multinational contractors like Barry Callebaut that have a significant footprint in Canada and Mexico, industry sources said. Barry Callebaut, which has just under half its North America chocolate factories in Canada and Mexico, declined to comment. Its CEO Peter Feld said at its July post-results conference call: "On tariffs ... we have operations in the U.S., we have operations in Canada, we have operations in Mexico. So we can actually navigate this environment in the right way." Contract chocolate firms produce raw chocolate that U.S. factories add ingredients to and sell as American chocolate. Tariffs - a pillar of Trump's "America First" economic agenda - come at a delicate time for U.S. chocolate makers as consumers are already buying less after absorbing double-digit inflation over the past several years. In chocolate specifically, prices have risen sharply as cocoa tripled in value to hit record highs in the first four months of last year, and remains well above historical averages because of adverse weather and disease in top growers Ivory Coast and Ghana. Under pressure from rising input costs, Hershey earlier this month rolled out double-digit price hikes across its confectionary products like Reese's cups to retailers like Walmart and Kroger. Cocoa accounts for about 30-50% of the cost of a bar of chocolate. Hershey said its recent price hikes were not related to tariffs. Taza has raised its wholesale prices by 10% since a year ago, and the price of its chocolate bars on its website rose in June to $6.99 from $5.99 previously, but Whitmore also said tariffs would cause further price hikes. Because cocoa can't be sourced domestically, Hershey said in May it is "engaging with the U.S. government to seek an exemption" for cocoa. It declined to comment on whether it was counting on imports from its Canada and Mexico plants to help mitigate tariff costs. M&Ms maker Mars, which said Tuesday it is investing $2 billion in its U.S. manufacturing, including chocolate, has not changed its sourcing structure and continues to make 94% of its U.S. products locally. A Lindt spokesperson said the Lindor truffle maker will decide on possible changes to its sourcing after August 1. Paolo Quadrini, director general of Mexican chocolate and candy association Aschoco Confimex, said U.S. tariffs are "creating new opportunities for Mexican companies." "The sentiment among companies and entrepreneurs, as well as requests from U.S. chocolate companies to manufacture in Mexico, is real and has been increasing," he said. The chocolate market in the U.S., the world's top chocolate consumer, is worth $25-30 billion, according to investment bank TD Cowen, and imports from top supplier Canada account for about 10% of that total, while those from No. 2 supplier Mexico account for some 2.5%. Tareq Hadhad, CEO of mid-sized Nova Scotia-based chocolate maker Peace by Chocolate said tariffs had largely prompted Canadian and American firms to opt for locally produced goods but that contract chocolate makers in Canada had benefited from the new trade dynamic. "It's an advantage for them," he said. - Reuters
Business Recorder
a day ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Trump's tariffs give chocolate makers in Canada, Mexico an edge over US firms
LONDON/NEW YORK: US President Donald Trump's trade tariffs are meant to boost domestic manufacturing. But in the chocolate industry, they're doing the opposite: ramping up the cost of importing already-pricey cocoa and hurting the competitiveness of local factories versus Canadian and Mexican outfits that supply the US, according to conversations with 11 industry executives, representatives, experts and traders. Under the United States-Mexico-Canada free trade pact (USMCA), which the Trump administration has confirmed remains in place, Canada and Mexico can export chocolate to the U.S. tariff-free no matter where they sourced their inputs of cocoa - a tropical crop that does not grow in the United States. Canada also has zero tariffs on imports of raw and semi-processed cocoa like butter and powder, while Mexico grows its own beans, meaning factories both north and south of the U.S. border can produce more cheaply than those domestically who now have to pay tariffs of between 10-25% on cocoa inputs. The rates could rise to 35% on August 1. A government official said that the White House continues to monitor trends in trade and commerce and listen to industry feedback to deliver on Trump's economic agenda. Top U.S. chocolate maker Hershey, which mainly makes chocolate in the U.S. but has plants in Canada and Mexico, has estimated it would face $100 million in tariff costs in its third and fourth quarters if the levies remain in place. Smaller firms like Somerville, Massachusetts-based Taza Chocolate, which produces chocolate from scratch using imported cocoa, have no alternatives to U.S. manufacturing. Taza in May had to pay $24,124 in duties on a container of cocoa from Haiti, subject to the blanket 10% tariff imposed by Trump, a Customs and Border Protection invoice showed. Taza faces a customs cheque of more than $30,000 to release its next container of cocoa from the Dominican Republic, founder and CEO Alex Whitmore said. 'For a company our size, that's our profit margin gone so the immediate thought is OK, the rules have changed, we just need to create the most cost-effective solution for the consumer,' said Whitmore. He initially explored offshoring part of Taza's manufacturing to Canada to benefit from USMCA terms, but decided against it given the significant investment of both money and time that would require, in a volatile business environment. 'Right now, the environment is so uncertain that we're just hunkering down and hoping this will pass,' Whitmore said. 'A lot of us business owners are kind of frozen.' Customs data compiled for Reuters by Trade Data Monitor (TDM) shows Canada's chocolate exports to the U.S. grew by 10% in volume terms in the five months to end-May, indicating some Canadian manufacturers are taking advantage of the opportunity created by tariffs. Companies benefiting are mostly Canadian and Mexican contract chocolate makers, or multinational contractors like Barry Callebaut that have a significant footprint in Canada and Mexico, industry sources said. Barry Callebaut, which has just under half its North America chocolate factories in Canada and Mexico, declined to comment. Its CEO Peter Feld said at its July post-results conference call: 'On tariffs … we have operations in the U.S., we have operations in Canada, we have operations in Mexico. So we can actually navigate this environment in the right way.' Contract chocolate firms produce raw chocolate that U.S. factories add ingredients to and sell as American chocolate. Tariffs - a pillar of Trump's 'America First' economic agenda - come at a delicate time for U.S. chocolate makers as consumers are already buying less after absorbing double-digit inflation over the past several years. In chocolate specifically, prices have risen sharply as cocoa , tripled in value to hit record highs in the first four months of last year, and remains well above historical averages because of adverse weather and disease in top growers Ivory Coast and Ghana. Under pressure from rising input costs, Hershey earlier this month rolled out double-digit price hikes across its confectionary products like Reese's cups to retailers like Walmart and Kroger. Cocoa accounts for about 30-50% of the cost of a bar of chocolate. Hershey said its recent price hikes were not related to tariffs. Taza has raised its wholesale prices by 10% since a year ago, and the price of its chocolate bars on its website rose in June to $6.99 from $5.99 previously, but Whitmore also said tariffs would cause further price hikes. Because cocoa can't be sourced domestically, Hershey said in May it is 'engaging with the U.S. government to seek an exemption' for cocoa. It declined to comment on whether it was counting on imports from its Canada and Mexico plants to help mitigate tariff costs. M&Ms maker Mars, which said Tuesday it is investing $2 billion in its U.S. manufacturing, including chocolate, has not changed its sourcing structure and continues to make 94% of its U.S. products locally. US, China to launch new talks on tariff truce extension, easing path for Trump-Xi meeting A Lindt spokesperson said the Lindor truffle maker will decide on possible changes to its sourcing after August 1. Paolo Quadrini, director general of Mexican chocolate and candy association Aschoco Confimex, said U.S. tariffs are 'creating new opportunities for Mexican companies.' 'The sentiment among companies and entrepreneurs, as well as requests from U.S. chocolate companies to manufacture in Mexico, is real and has been increasing,' he said. The chocolate market in the U.S., the world's top chocolate consumer, is worth $25-30 billion, according to investment bank TD Cowen, and imports from top supplier Canada account for about 10% of that total, while those from No. 2 supplier Mexico account for some 2.5%. Tareq Hadhad, CEO of mid-sized Nova Scotia-based chocolate maker Peace by Chocolate said tariffs had largely prompted Canadian and American firms to opt for locally produced goods but that contract chocolate makers in Canada had benefited from the new trade dynamic. 'It's an advantage for them,' he said.
