Category Archives: Intentional Communities

June 26, 3:59 a.m., report of vehicle information call, Groningen Road, Sandstone

June 26, 9:32 a.m., report of unwanted person, Weber Avenue S, Hinckley

June 26, 9:52 a.m., report of fraud/scam/ID, W Grindstone Road, Sandstone

June 26, 12:46 p.m., report of juvenile trouble, Pathfinder Village, Hinckley

June 26, 2:34 p.m., report of garbage call, Railroad Lane, Hinckley

June 26, 4:09 p.m., report of traffic stop, County Highway 61, Rutledge

June 27, 8:28 a.m., report of bomb call, Lady Luck Drive, Hinckley

June 27, 9:31 a.m., report of missing person, 1st Street SE, Hinckley

June 27, 3:22 p.m., report of traffic stop, 1st Street NE, Hinckley

June 27, 4:32 p.m., report of check welfare, Pathfinder Village, Hinckley

June 27, 7:48 p.m., report of assist other agency, 1st Street SE, Hinckley

June 27, 8:55 p.m., report of suspicious activity, Commercial Avenue N, Sandstone

June 28, 12:39 a.m., report of threats, Partridge Drive, Askov

June 28, 8:42 a.m., report of hit and run property, State Highway 123, Sandstone

June 29, 5:09 a.m., report of found drug, Lady Luck Drive, Hinckley

June 29, 2:19 p.m., report of MVA property damage, 6th Street, Sandstone

June 29, 4:44 p.m., report of traffic stop, Old Highway 61 S, Hinckley

June 29, 8:58 p.m., report of attempt pickup, Badger Road, Sandstone

June 29, 10:19 p.m., report of MVA with animal, Fire Monument Road, Hinckley

June 30, 12:24 a.m., report of customer trouble, Hinckley Road, Hinckley

July 1, 2:06 p.m., report of hit and run property, Fire Monument Road, Hinckley

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Pine County Sheriff's Report and Jail Roster | Communities ... - Pine City Pioneer

Potentially, a group of young 500 very diversified idealistic Israelis, getting together in one room, with politicians and Jewish leaders, could have ended up with rallies for and against the proposed judicial reforms. From the moment I arrived at an event on Tuesday evening, organized for hundreds of new shlichim (emissaries), who will embark this summer to hundreds of Jewish communities around the world, I found myself amidst a diverse tapestry of Israelis representing all backgrounds and walks of life, all seeking solace from the issues that often tear our society apart. The vibrant energy pulsated through the air, creating an atmosphere charged with excitement and a shared sense of pride for our beloved Israel.

While political tensions and judicial reforms loom large in our societal discourse, this evening provided a respite from those contentious debates. Surprisingly, despite the presence of individuals from different sides of the political spectrum, the focus remained solely on unity, Zionism, and the love of Israel. There was no mention of the issues that often divide us.

The highlight of this event, that was intended to energize the shlichim before they get on an airplane for a period of one to five years, was a performance by Israeli pop sensation Hanan Ben Ari. The 35-year-old religious singer grew up in the religious-Zionist community, but has quickly become one of the most successful Israeli artists, with songs dominating the charts and prime time commercials as a presenter.

The lyrics of Ben Ari's song echoed through the venue, serving as a powerful reminder of the need to break free from societal stereotypes and embrace our individuality. With passion in our voices, the audience sang along to the words that challenged us not to be confined in cages, or summarized on Wikipedia, as Ben Ari sang these words in his hit song Wikipedia. We understood that we are everything and nothing at all, forever light dressed in a body, as Ben Ari wrote so wisely. These verses became a rallying cry for self-expression and a rejection of simplistic categorizations.

In that moment, as the audience raised their voices as one, the atmosphere transformed into an arena of unity. Strangers became friends, embracing each other in warm hugs, breaking down barriers that had divided us for far too long. The spirit of the concert transcended the lyrics themselves, embodying the essence of the messageunity, acceptance, and pride in our diverse nation.

The event, organized by the Aliyah and Integration Ministry, was an intentional celebration of our shared identity as a nation. It aimed to unite Israelis around the common goals of promoting aliyah and strengthening Jewish communities worldwide. The absence of political discourse allowed the attendees to set aside their differences and come together in a spirit of harmony and camaraderie.

Minister Ofir Sofer, a member of the Religious Zionist Party was diplomatic and idealistic while speaking to the future shlichim. "The dear emissaries are young idealists who travel to Jewish communities around the world out of a deep sense of ideology and a great desire to connect many Jews to the State of Israel, to Jewish identity and to encourage immigration to Israel," Sofer said.

Chairman of the World Zionist Organization, Yaakov Hagoel, emphasized this acceptance, stating, "Every emissary who goes on a mission abroad instantly becomes an ambassador of the Jewish people, of the State of Israel. The emissaries' touch of every Jew, the experience and personal experience they will give to Diaspora Jewry, will help advance Zionism in the futureits revealed value: the immigration to Israel."

The significance of the event was not lost on chairman of the Jewish Agency, Major General Doron Almog. He emphasized the existential importance of the relationship between the State of Israel and Diaspora Jewry and the crucial role that the missions and emissaries play in building that bridge. "We work to bring hearts together in the Jewish world during our shlichut and also after their return to Israel," he stated.

The concert was a celebration of Israeli diversity. It was a testament to our ability to rise above divisions and find common ground, even in the face of societal challenges. People from all backgrounds were present, representing the rich tapestry of Israeli society. From the leftist to the Haredi, the religious to the non-religious, the Mizrahi to the Russian, they all stood shoulder to shoulder, united in their love for Israel.

As Ben Ari's voice resonated through the venue, singing about the false assumptions that have plagued our society, the participants were reminded of the importance of breaking down these barriers. The lyrics challenged them to see beyond the stereotypes that had divided us: Every leftist labeled as a traitor, every Arab as a suicide bomber, and every settler blamed for the tragedy that befell [Yitzchak] Rabin, Ben Ari sung in the most exact way possible. He urged Israelis not to lock themselves into preconceived notions, but to embrace the uniqueness of each individual.

This concert was more than just an entertainment event. It was a testament to our resilience, our ability to overcome differences, and our commitment to building a stronger, more inclusive Israel.

As these shlichim continue in their individual journeys, we should pray that they carry the spirit of unity and acceptance with them, remembering the lyrics that sounded through the theater:

"I came naked and thus I will return; So don't lock me in any cage; You will not lock me in any cage."

These words serve as a powerful reminder that we are the authors of our own stories, and together, we can shape a future of unity, understanding, and pride in our diverse Israeli identity.

One of the organizers, a senior Jewish Agency official, told me after the concert that Ben Ari was intentionally asked to perform for the shlichim. His engagement with the audience was not only extraordinary, but he actually spoke of the work that these future leaders will have in Jewish communities abroad. It was also the acceptance that he promotes in his music that causes the masses to fall in love with him.

During the performance of his hit song Dream Like Joseph, he asked the audience if any of them was named Joseph. One of the shlichim answered positively, and received the honor of singing together with Ben Ari, while standing in the middle of the theater, off-stage. This Joseph, or possibly Yosef, actually sang beautifully and Ben Ari, who was overwhelmed with this young mans charm, asked are you single? Suggesting that there may be a potential female partner in the audience, but Joseph actually said, Im not single; I have a boyfriend whom I love very much. The crowd cheered; this wasnt the answer Ben Ari, an orthodox Jew, expected. But he didnt care and gave Joseph a big hug. Ben Ari's uncle Dr. Michael Ben Ari established the extreme-right Otzma Yehudit party, which promotes a more conservative Israel with regards to LGBTQ rights. Ben Ari studied at yeshivas and is a member of orthodox communities, but that doesn't cause him to distance himself from a gay Israeli; on the contrary. That may be the secret of his success.

This attitude of pure acceptance of Ben Ari, who grew up as the son of a former mayor in a settlement in Samaria, defined the exact act of acceptance and love of every Jew that is expected from the shlichim the different organizations send annually to Jewish communities around the world. Even though Ben Ari could have been categorized as a Religious Zionist, he defies these categories and has succeeded in becoming one of the most popular Israeli artists, because he looks upon those in front of him as complex human beings, and will not allow putting them in a box.

Leaving the concert, I carried with me a renewed sense of optimism. The absence of political discourse, though perhaps unexpected, allowed for a pure celebration of our shared identity and purpose. It was a testament to the power of unity and the unwavering love we have for our country, despite our differences.

Many of the participants said that their experience had been transformative. It reminded all of them of the power of music to bridge divides and unite every Jew in our shared love for Israel. The concert showed all those present, that amidst the divisions plaguing our society, we can find strength in unity and pride in our country and nation.

Erase everything you knew about me up to now No, Ben Ari sings in Wikipedia. I am not the settler; I am not God's representative; Not a religious guy who excludes women; not a bridge between the sectors; The sectors will be burned, burn previous opinions. Everyone will have a chance to write their own story.

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Is a Hanan Ben Ari concert the solution for Jewish divisions? - opinion - The Jerusalem Post

The dust is still settling from last weeks U.S. Supreme Court ruling that businesses in expressive sectors such as web designers and artists can deny services to others under the First Amendment.

The 6-3 decision, announced the last day of Pride Month, found in favor of an evangelical Colorado web designer who wanted the right to refuse services for same-sex marriages. What that ruling means for Georgia isnt fully clear.

Federal law passed during the Civil Rights era prohibits discrimination in public accommodations, gas stations, theaters and restaurants. But many other services are covered only if there is a state law, like that in Colorado and about 20 other states and now the Supreme Court has opened up an exception to those laws.

Georgia does not have that kind of broad law forbidding discrimination. On the other hand, Republicans have come close several times to adopting religious liberty laws that could have allowed private business owners permission to refuse service to gay couples.

Now, the Supreme Court has provided that at least if theres speech or expression involved.

Legal analysts said the decisions boundaries are still blurry and the impact unpredictable.

The definition of speech cannot be extended to say, making sandwiches, but it is still a fuzzy notion, said Anthony Michael Kreis, professor of law at Georgia State University.

There is a lot of room for mischief, he said. Something like weddings, thats where it could get ugly.

If a business is deemed expressive, the courts reasoning would allow it to reject clients for any reason whether a matter of race, sexual identity, religion or politics, Kreis said. It is very open-ended.

Yet many people are going to seek out services from businesses they are comfortable with, so a self-selection will mean that few people end up being rejected, he said.

I am really concerned about that kind of stuff because I think its unhealthy and damaging, Kreis said. But Im not sure it will mean any kind of change on the ground day to day.

The courts decision was narrow in some ways, protecting only services that involved speech or expression. But because it was based on the First Amendment, when theres speech or expression, it permits a business to reject virtually any customer.

That could undo decades of Supreme Court precedent that has worked to open accommodations to all Americans.

Reactions in Georgia were predictably split.

The decision was decried as radical and reckless by Jeff Graham of Georgia Equality, an LGBTQ advocacy group. But it won praise as protection of the conscience of a business owner from Georgia Republican Party Chair Josh McKoon, who as a state senator was a lead sponsor of the religious liberty proposal.

McKoon has long said the measure wasnt designed as a backlash to LGBTQ rights, but instead was a response to a series of government actions suppressing free exercise in Georgia. It was sparked in part by what he said were fears that schoolteachers could face legal issues for offering Merry Christmas greetings.

Last weeks ruling rattled some metro Atlanta business owners whose clients include gays and lesbians, sparking worries about a larger trend away from protecting minority communities.

Companies that appeal to lesbian and gay clients, for instance, are not likely to retreat, said Matt Mitchell, owner of Mitchell Event Planning, which orchestrates high-end, personalized weddings. Mitchells website shows the diversity of wedded couples across the nation, including straight, same-sex and interracial couples.

I think I am going to be louder, he said. People are looking for help anyway they can to find someone who aligns with their values.

That business conscience may now apply to gay and lesbian-owned businesses who can also refuse on free speech grounds to take work if it means expressions they find offensive.

But the Courts decision seems more about intolerance, said Carlton Brown, president of 29-year-old Occasional Occasions, an upscale catering company.

I wouldnt want a Nazi asking me to cater their party, I get that, he said. But this just really saddens me. Its as if you are opening up the door to a lot of free hatred.

Occasional Occasions website now is mostly a celebration of food choices and packages available for corporate events, graduations, weddings and home entertaining. But the courts decision has convinced him to be more assertive about social issues, Brown said.

I think it will change our business, he said. This decision gives us the fuel to be more intentional in letting our customers know that we are very supportive. We want to let people know who we are.

-Staff writer Greg Bluestein contributed to this story.

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What the LGBT wedding website Supreme Court ruling means for ... - The Atlanta Journal Constitution

This edition, titled "Trans Joy" featured a panel of LGBTQ+ and trans activists, among them Bonsai Bermudez, the co-founder and executive artistic director of Youth Empowerment Performance Project, or YEPP; and Jae Rice, who serves as deputy CEO of Brave Space Alliance, the critically important Black- and trans-led LGBTQ+ agency located on Chicago's South Side. The panel was moderated by Kim Hunt, who currently serves as the executive director of Pride Action Tank and is also senior director of policy and advocacy operations at AIDS Foundation of Chicago.

Chicago History Museum's senior manager of public and community engagement Greg Storms opened the discussion by noting that, "Given our current social and political climate, our committee wanted to focus this event on the transgender community. As we have seen, there has been a gigantic upsurge of transphobia and especially anti-transgender legislation across the nation the past several years."

Storms noted that community programming centering the trans and non-binary communities often takes what he called a "Trans 101" approach, thus helping the audience learn the fundamentals of being an ally to those communities. Other programming often foregrounds the traumatic aspects of living in a transphobic society as well. As such, CHM was determined to counter-program with a night of joy that featured the transgender community at its center.

"We wanted to create a program that can center the more joyful and positive aspects of what it means to live as a transgender and/or nonbinary person in this world, surrounded by people who love and support you, and how living as your true, authentic self and having support around you can be a wonderfully joyous thing," Storms said.

Hunt first asked, "What does queer joy mean to you?"

Bermudez admitted, "It's hard to talk about joy without trauma. This year I think of it as a conversation between the spirit, body and mind. There is harmony in the conversation that allows us to tap into joy. I was born in Puerto Rico and early on nature became a big part of my identitythe mountains and the river. A big part of my joy is returning to nature."

Rice next commented slyly that queer joy meant, "Being able to pick your own pronouns." He added that BSA, as a South Side organization, is "very central in the community. We have wraparound holistic services and anything that affirms your trans identity you can find at BSA. This brings me joy because we are of the community. We can step back and see what the trans community needs."

Contemplating the importance of YEPP, Bermudez said "Chicago is one of the largest cities to produce major artistic talent. I started at the Broadway Youth Center and was surrounded by many radical queer and trans creative people. I thought about it and realized, 'This is what we needthe process of creation.' I brought my career as a dancer and in theater...everything together to create a program.

" Now twelve years later we have a huge space for trans youth of color. We have people impacted by their issues and we decided from the beginning to address what they needed through performance and theater. When I look at the whole process, the momentum, the structure, and how our youth are ready to take it over... When you see trans people stand up in leadership, that brings me joy."

Hunt subsequently asked Bermudez and Rice how they ported joy with the people they work with.

Bermudez replied, "Unfortunately when we talk about Black and Brown people, we think of not having our human rights. We live in an ocean of trauma. We have to ask, 'What are the things that bring us to health? We have to keep learning how to create our own eco-system where we can move forward."

Rice said, "One of the most successful programs we have at BSA is our Voguing University. Joy is a resource and we are going to put much of our effort into Vogue University. Queer and Black people fighting on the dance floor...pure joy at BSA. We just want you to be here and be fine. We don't want anything from you, we don't want your money, we don't want your stats... We're being as intentional as possible."

When asked who she looks up to as a role model, Rice said, "Kim Hunt is it for me. She continuously gives me advice and encourages me. Everyone needs a Kim."

After being asked the same question, Bermudez said, "The older trans folks are people I look up tothey're inspiring to me."

For more information on the Brave Space Alliance go to bravespacealliance.org . For more information on The Youth Empowerment Performance Project go to http://www.wesayyepp.com .

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Out at CHM hosts its first 2023 event - Windy City Times

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Timing and purpose aligned when two childhood friends who had moved away to opposite coasts recently returned to Lawrence, feeling empowered to empower others.

Taylor Overton, 29, and Devant Green, 30, in May co-founded Black:30, an entrepreneurial support organization for Black and Brown business owners.

Systemic inequities can stall people of color from building generational wealth for their families at the same rate as their white counterparts. Overton and Green are attempting to combat that on a local level by serving as liaisons for Black and Brown entrepreneurs trying to progress their businesses around town.

I want people to be able to look at us and not see competition but to see inclusion to see two people that are trying to collaborate and connect all of these players that maybe havent been in the same spaces historically, said Overton, president of Black:30.

As Green and Overton moved back to Lawrence, they began noticing several of their other high school friends were coming back, too. That divine timing, he said, set their work into motion.

As we were coming up with the idea for Black:30 thinking about how important time is to marginalized communities people always come out with sort of strategies and policies and they have deadlines and times on them, but a lot of times those deadlines arent met, and so its like, what happens to the community in the meantime when youre not delivering on that timeline? said Green, executive director of Black:30.

Overton added as the thought behind the organizations name, So its not 10:30, its Black:30.

Both Lawrence kids who were heavily involved in their schools, Green graduated from Free State High School in 2011 and Overton graduated from Lawrence High School in 2012.

Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, Overton has always been interested in creating and owning. She remembers her parents her mother, who previously owned WIN Construction and is now retired, and her father, who currently owns EUCO LLC brainstorming ways to scale their businesses at 2 a.m. sometimes.

Her perspective has changed since she was a kid, however.

I think its just kind of growing up and viewing entrepreneurship as a curse, Overton said. I didnt think that it was viable. I thought it was more for play or for fun. And a lot of the same fights that my parents fought, you know, 20 or so years ago are still now the fights that Devant and I are approaching.

After high school, Green stayed local and studied exercise science at the University of Kansas, graduating in 2016. He then went on to earn his masters degree in exercise science from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Overton, however, attended Morgan State University an HBCU (Historically Black College or University) in Baltimore and played on the womens tennis team. She finished up her undergraduate degree in business at Ottawa University in Ottawa, Kansas, graduating in 2018. Continuing at Ottawa University, she then earned her masters degree in human resources.

While away, they both witnessed communities of color who were thriving people who were actively building wealth. Green said that made him want young people of color in Lawrence to feel they dont have to leave to grasp their big break, if they dont want to.

The time is now for us all to be thinking about the future and thinking about the bigger picture of this economy, Green said.

So many of us come through Lawrence or are from Lawrence and are out in the world and in other communities doing really great things. And now a lot of us are starting to come back, weve gotten a lot of different experiences, weve seen what a Black community can do, weve seen what a small community can turn into, and so I think thats what we want for Lawrence. We want a better Lawrence.

Green moved back in August 2021 and now works as the development officer for KU Endowment, where he raises funds for the KU School of Engineering.

Overton moved back with her family in December 2022. She works as the director of corporate and minority business development for the National Minority Supplier Development Council. Though her life is based in Lawrence, her office is stationed in Oakland, California, so she flies back and forth for work and serves a region that includes California, Hawaii and Nevada.

Wanting her son to attend Raintree Montessori School, where she went to elementary school, was one of the main reasons Overton and her husband agreed to move back to Lawrence. She also wanted to be the representation for Lawrence kids that she and Green didnt have when they were growing up.

What I want to be able to create is businesses that can create jobs that will pay living wages to employees that will then turn around and create safer communities for children, and then Lawrence is a healthier, happier place to be, Overton said. I think that access to entrepreneurship is the root cause of a lot of the problems that we face as an economy.

When considering future generations, Green immediately thinks about his nephew.

My family we arent a line of entrepreneurs, Green said. Im kind of like the first one to take this on, and when I think about my nephew, I want him to have options. I dont want him to feel like he has to go and work for anybody or he has to go to college or he has to go into the military. You can also be an entrepreneur, you can do all of those things or none of those things.

Black:30 provides support services, confidential and free of charge, to Black and Brown business owners. Those services can look like offering a listening ear, starting point or connection. More than anything, Green and Overton said they want to pour hope and confidence into young Black and Brown entrepreneurs.

We meet businesses and people kind of where they are, Green said. I think the listening piece is super important to understand Why did you start the business? Whats your goal for the business? because I think everybody has a different goal. And then we just try to support and be an advocate, a cheerleader for them along the way being a connector and providing that systemic support.

Since launching, Black:30 has assisted several businesses in opening, Overton said. Black:30 funneled supplies and startup capital into KiantEvents, owned by Lawrence local Kianti Vann.

Black:30 also hired KiantEvents for a networking mixer on Friday and highlighted Vann during the event, which was also the organizations first public event. It was hosted at the 409 Boutique Venue, a new Black-owned business at 409 E. 12th St. in Lawrence.

If a business owners needs are beyond Overton and Greens scope of knowledge, the pair can help them navigate local organizations, such as the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, Kansas Small Business Development Center and others. They lend feedback to those organizations on the barriers people are facing while trying to access their resources or spaces.

We want to see a Lawrence where there are more players, Overton said. If you were to name the five richest people in Lawrence, none of them look like us. If you were to name the largest developers in Lawrence, none of them look like us. So I just want to provide spaces where individuals can thrive and see that they dont have to work for someone for the rest of their life.

Working with Overton and Green, Black:30s board includes Paige Robinson, John Overton, Trei Wells, Kara Easum, Clare Nderagakura Granger and Erica Demby. It can be difficult to navigate business spaces as young professionals in Lawrence, Green said, but the group has cultivated an inspiring environment.

It has been challenging, but its also been kind of easy because the board that we selected and the advisers, its like were all in community with one another, weve known each other for years, so its actually kind of fun, Green said. Even when its getting hard, we kick back, we tell some jokes, and we get back to the work.

So far, Overton and Green are fronting all costs out-of-pocket, which have gotten into the tens of thousands of dollars, but they said they believe in the goals they want to attain. Theyre currently searching for funding opportunities, and those interested in donating can do so via PayPal.

Besides offering individual services to entrepreneurs, Black:30 hosts private and public events for professionals to network.

Black:30 on Tuesday, June 27 hosted its Empower Minority Entrepreneur Grant Pitch Competition in partnership with NetWork Kansas. The organization selected three Black women entrepreneurs to give $15,000 to.

Breanna Bell, owner of hair salon Curlology; Erica Demby, owner of Pinkys Precious Pets; and Catherine Bell, owner of Sew Simple Sewing each earned $5,000. Black:30 presented them with their awards during the networking mixer on Friday.

From cultural food markets to curly hair stores, some businesses may have already been established in Lawrence for a while, but they havent had the social presence needed to thrive, Overton said. Thats where Black:30 can come in, Overton said.

Overton and Green said they have identified more than 200 BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color)-owned and women-owned businesses, to date, across Douglas County that they have compiled into a database. They plan to launch the comprehensive database on their website by late September or early October.

From an economic development standpoint, weve really been left out of the conversation, Overton said. But now with this list, we can make sure that were not left out from a perspective of ignorance. If you leave us out its because you intentionally want to because were providing them every single business that we find.

Around the same time as the database, Black:30 plans to launch a learning management system that will be free for the communitys usage. People can complete modules similar to those in the LinkedIn Learning program about startups, policies, requests for proposals (RFPs), cybersecurity and more.

Using Black:30s Facebook group as a community platform, Black and Brown entrepreneurs can plug their own businesses. They can seek community support and learn about resources Black:30, or those in its network, are providing.

Though the organization centers its services on Black and Brown entrepreneurs, allyship and advocacy of these local businesses are encouraged. Anyone can request to join the private Facebook group, which currently has more than 400 members.

When we made the intentional decision to open the Facebook group, my thought process was from the perspective of creating conscious consumers, Overton said.

There are a lot of people that just dont know that we have Black businesses or even local businesses that do the things that they are going to Kansas City for. In Lawrence, everything is so grassroots and community-based. We thought it was important that we be intentional about creating a digital space where everybody can see whats happening and kind of grow together.

Community members interested in gaining membership, supporting, requesting support services or learning more information can visit the organizations website, Black.30.org. Overton and Green can also be reached via the website.

Maya Hodison (she/her), equity reporter, can be reached at mhodison (at) lawrencekstimes (dot) com. Read more of her work for the Times here.

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Douglas County District Court Chief Judge James McCabria on Thursday unveiled the local bar associations new composite photo, featuring the faces of several dozen members.

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Susan Cooper, principal of Lawrence Virtual School, has stepped down to take a position with another district. In addition, Lysette DeBoard has been named interim assistant principal and athletic director for West Middle School.

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With the 2023 city primary election just around the corner, some candidate forums aim to help voters get to know the people who want to make decisions about the issues that are closest to home.

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This past week, people all over town have reached out to the Lawrence Humane Society to help mitigate the animals stress from being in such close proximity to last nights fireworks.

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'The time is now': Longtime friends launch support organization for ... - The Lawrence Times

As many communities struggle to recruit and retain first responders amid rapid growth, the La Vergne Fire Department has made a continual effort to promote professional and personal development in order to bolster both the department and their community.

In recognition of the concerted efforts made by the La Vergne Fire Department to pursue professional development to provide the best services possible to their community, the Tennessee Municipal League (TML) is pleased to present La Vergne with an award for Excellence in Fire Services. The award will be presented Tuesday, July 25, at the TML 83rd Annual Conference held at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel.

Since its reincorporation in 1972, La Vergne has seen its population explode from around 5,000 residents to more than 38,700 at the last census due to its proximity to two major airports and the recruitment of major companies. One of the ways the city has dealt with this growth is the establishment of a municipal fire and rescue department in 2013.

The growth of Middle Tennessee as a whole has made the recruitment and retention of fire and EMS officials a challenge for many departments and La Vergne Fire and Rescue has met this challenge head on with an intentional focus on increased professionalism. Members are encouraged to take part in continued professional growth through higher education coursework, advanced levels of professional certification, and professional licensure.

Of the departments 48 firefighters, 10 hold degrees ranging from associates to masters, eight are actively pursuing degrees, and three are registered to begin their classes in the fall. As a result, half of the department will hold some level of higher education certification. Within the past 12 months alone, members of the department have collectively earned 42 accredited professional certifications or levels of licensure above what is required for their position.

This dedication to professional advancement is shown both in how the department responds to community emergencies and their elevation of the profession as a whole. These accomplishments have also contributed to the improvements of La Vergnes ISO rating from a Class 3 to a Class 2 this year along with the departments fire prevention, community risk reduction, and fire suppression efforts. As a result, the La Vergne Fire Department is now ranked in the top 5% of Tennessee departments and the top 6% of fire departments nationally.

Each year the Tennessee Municipal League honors cities throughout the state for overall excellence, improvement, specific outstanding programs, or department accomplishments. Award winners for 2023 include the city of Algood for Excellence in Community Development; the city of Clarksville for Excellence in Police Services; the city of Collegedale for Excellence in Public Works; the city of Harriman for Small City Progress; the city of Kingsport for Excellence in Economic Development and Revitalization; city of La Vergne for Excellence in Fire Services; the city of Lakesite for Small City Progress; the city of Morristown for Excellence in Recreation Facilities; the city of Nolensville for Excellence in Strategic Planning in Fire Service; the city of Paris for Excellence in Green Leadership; the city of Smyrna for Excellence in Governance.

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La Vergne Receives Municipal League Award for Excellence in Fire ... - rutherfordsource.com

LA CROSSE, Wis. The University of Wisconsin System today presented the Board of Regents with a broad overview of the progress on the systems five-year strategic plan since its adoption by the board last December.

UW System President Jay Rothman told Regents that the strategic plan is the systems north star and is premised on the fact that the status quo is not sustainable.

Rothman said the strategic plan is focused on addressing some of the significant challenges facing the state, including, among others, a significant shortage of workers with a four-year degree or more, shifting demographics in the state, a declining perception of the value of a college degree coupled with a decline in the participation rate of high school graduates, and the need to maintain and enhance world-class research capabilities.

If unaddressed, I believe these issues pose a significant if not existential threat to our states long-term economic viability, Rothman said.

He called Regents attention to the significant amount of overlap among various strategic objectives. This is intentional, and helps drive teamwork among our various departments, which collaboration I am pleased to say is alive and well, Rothman said.

He also noted the substantial alignment between the systemwide strategic plan and the strategic plans of individual universities. This alignment is essential because fulfillment of the systemwide plan is absolutely dependent on the efforts of our universities, which is as it should be, he said.

Rothman called on UW Systems three vice presidents Johannes Britz, senior vice president for Academic and Student Affairs; Sean Nelson, vice president for Finance and Administration; and Jeff Buhrandt, vice president of University Relations to provide the Board with status updates on the plans strategic priorities. They each highlighted action items already completed as well as anticipated actions going forward.

President Rothman told the Regents that he considers the lack of significant overall investment in the UW System in the recently signed state budget a missed opportunity.

To be direct, the budget was a disappointment, and it sets back our goals of partnering with the state to meet workforce challenges, Rothman said. At a time when Wisconsin has a historic surplus, much of the legislative debate unfortunately was not about the opportunity to make a significant investment in Wisconsins most prolific talent generator to meet our states workforce needs but rather about cutting our budget because of diversity and inclusion staffing.

Rothman continued to support the UW Systems commitment to inclusivity. We are educating students from a variety of backgrounds to enter an increasingly diverse and globally competitive workforce, he said. Our employers are counting on our preparing students for a global marketplace. And our students rightfully expect to be exposed to, and learn from, a broad spectrum of cultures, ideas, and opinions.

We need to develop all the talent we can in Wisconsin, Rothman said. That is job #1 at our universities. At the same time, as I have acknowledged to the legislature, in an organization as large as ours there may be times when initiatives may stray from our primary mission of student success. We acknowledge that and will make every effort to keep our work in this space on track.

Rothman added that continuing to shrink the UW Systems budget is going to have consequences not only on the university system but more importantly those consequences will jeopardize the longer-term competitiveness of Wisconsin and its economic vibrancy.

It is profoundly serious when our universities seek an increase that was substantially less than inflation and instead face cuts that function to have us reduce our purchasing power by hundreds of millions of dollars, Rothman said. At a time when Wisconsin has a historic $7 billion surplus, it is inconceivable to me that we are not using even a portion to invest in the states best talent generator.

Rothman told Regents that the UW System will rally in the face of challenges posed by shrinking budgets. Thats the Wisconsin way, he said. There will be tough choices ahead, but we will remain student focused. And we will keep Wisconsins wellbeing front and center. But make no mistake, our ability to provide these opportunities is connected to the states willingness to invest.

In a presentation to the full Board, UW-La Crosse Chancellor Joe Gow shared keys to the universitys success in Great Partnerships, Extraordinary People.

As a chancellor, as any leader, you can have the best intentions and the brightest ideas. But none of that matters unless you have the right people in the right positions to help all of us succeed, Gow said. Just like our university would not be the same without our people, our community would not be the same without partnerships. All across the region, weve found eager partners who share our vision for building a better La Crosse and a stronger Wisconsin.

Gow highlighted two of UWLs many partners in the La Crosse area, Kwik Trip and Mayo Clinic Health System. Both play key roles in supporting the universitys workforce development efforts.

He also discussed UWLs award-winning Community Engaged Learning program, which pairs local organizations with students and faculty who are uniquely qualified to help those organizations overcome challenges.

At UWL, we recognize and embrace the important role we play in workforce development, Gow explained. And we know that industry standards are constantly changing. So its crucial for us to remain nimble and responsive in how we prepare students for their future careers.

Gow also detailed how UWLs ACCESS Center increases access to a UWL education by providing personalized accommodations for students with disabilities.

Regent President Karen Walsh provided the Board with an update on the ongoing UW-Parkside chancellor search, noting that the Search & Screen Committee is currently reviewing applications and will reconvene next week to select semi-finalist candidates to interview later this summer.

The Search & Screen Committee, led by Regent Kyle Weatherly as chair and Professor Adrienne Viramontes as co-chair, will then recommend a slate of candidates to the Special Regent Committee who will select finalists to continue the process.

Its anticipated the search process will conclude before the Boards next regular meeting in early October.

President Walsh also shared her own experience as a first-generation college student and how it influences her understanding of diversity. As a young woman from a small farming community, it was very daunting to come to a large university, she said, and the support she and other first-generation students received from people on campus focused on making all students feel included was vitally important. We need to make sure we understand that diversity is broader than what most of us consider, she said.

In addition to reflections on the budget, President Rothman in his regular report to the Board said the UW Systems legal team has been working with UW universities for months to prepare for the U.S. Supreme Courts recent final decision on the use of race in admissions decisions.

Our analysis of the implications of this decision will be ongoing, he said. However, we have already established resources to address questions and to provide guidance, as needed, to our universities on this matter.

Rothman also shared a brief video highlighting Its Just Coffee, his informal gatherings with students to encourage more open and robust sharing of ideas and civil discourse.

Since arriving at the UW System just over a year ago, I have had the pleasure of speaking with hundreds of students and I continue to be so impressed. Theyre smart, theyre enthusiastic, and theyre brimming with ideas to make the world better, Rothman said.

Events have been held at four campuses to date (Eau Claire, Milwaukee, Oshkosh and Platteville) and will resume in the fall.

Watch Its Just Coffee video

Rothman also reminded Regents that the UW System continues to have noteworthy accomplishments. He noted that UW-Eau Claire was recently honored with a third-place award for Engaged University of the Year by the Accreditation Council for Entrepreneurial and Engaged Universities. UW-Eau Claire was the only finalist from North America for this international award, which honors universities that inspire innovation, collaboration, and positive change in their communities.

Rothman told Regents that Wisconsins Department of Public Instruction recently announced its five winners of the states Teacher of the Year honors. He said he was proud to note that all five of these teachers completed some aspect of their licensure program at a UW institution. Between undergraduate and masters degrees, this years winners came through UW-Eau Claire, UW-La Crosse, UW-Milwaukee, UW Oshkosh, and UW-River Falls.

UW System awarded over 3,500 education degrees in 2021-22, the highest number since 2008-09, Rothman said. He added that UW System institutions produced 76% of all graduates who could fill jobs as elementary, middle, secondary and special education teaching positions in the state.

Vice President for Finance and Administration Sean Nelson provided an informational update on the FY24 Annual Operating Budget for UW System. The UW budget is informed by the provisions of the state budget bill which include a $32 million GPR reduction being held for release upon approval of the Joint Finance Committee; $21 million in cost-to-continue funding for prior year pay plan and fringe benefit expenses; and pay plan increases of 4% and 2% respectively over the next two years.

With the state budget bill having been signed just this week, the Boards approval of the UW annual budget will be deferred while the Finance team finalizes the details of a proposal for the Boards consideration at a future date to be determined.

The Education Committee approved the modification of the UW System undergraduate application fee structure. The resolution maintains the current application fee of $0 for new undergraduate admission, signaling the UW Systems commitment to educational access for all students. After three free applications, subsequent applications will incur a $25 fee.

UW-Eau Claire, UW-La Crosse, and UW-Madison will continue to charge undergraduate applicants their current fees of $25, $25, and $70, respectively. All institutions can still waive application fees for students who meet the conditions of financial hardship.

The existing waiver of application fees at UW institutions has significantly increased the number of applications at UW institutions and led to smaller declines in freshman enrollment than seen during the same time period nationwide. At the same time, for many institutions, the influx of additional applications has introduced significant challenges in determining where to direct scarce resources to maximize yield. It is expected that reducing the number of free applications will help students to be more focused on the schools they are most interested in attending, and thus help universities better target their time and resources to improve yield.

The Capital Planning & Budget Committee approved UW-Madisons request for authority to increase the budget of the Veterinary Medicine Addition and Renovation project by $24,000,000 for a revised estimated total project cost of $152,103,000.

This project constructs a new three-story building just north of the School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) between Observatory and Linden Drives. The new facility will provide space for the small animal clinic and connect it to the existing clinic; construct new research, animal biosafety level 3, and biosafety level 2 and 3 laboratories; and include new offices, conference rooms, and shared collaboration/interaction spaces to support the teaching hospital. The clinical space will be expanded to increase access to the small and large animal isolation suites that are required to meet accreditation standards, increase the quantity of specialized surgery environments and equipment, provide imaging space for horses and cattle, and separate patient access to medical oncology services.

The scope for this project has been revised to include an upgrade to the existing BSL-3 lab. The pandemic related challenges of the past three years highlighted the importance of high quality, secure biological research laboratories at UW-Madison. The renovation portion of this project provides an opportunity for SVM to upgrade an existing BSL-3 laboratory to modern standards to meet the need for biological research facilities conducting critical and timely research on airborne diseases, such as COVID-19.

UW System Chief Compliance Officer Paige Smith provided the Audit Committee with an overview of its plans to initiate the UW System Risk, Compliance, and Audit (RCA) Pilot Program during the 2023-24 academic year.

The Office of Compliance and Risk Management has developed a new risk assessment approach that will enhance and improve the manner, method, and timeline under which UW System and its universities identify, assess, and mitigate high-level risks. The pilot program will create a standardized and consistent process at the university levels for conducting consistent and informative risk assessments. It will encourage universities to engage in regular and updated discussions to stay aware of their risks that could impact their universities.

The UW System Board of Regents will continue its meeting at 8:45 a.m., July 7, 2023, at UW-La Crosse.

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UW System offers status update on its five-year strategic plan (day 1 ... - University of Wisconsin System

President Joe Biden appointed Kaai to lead his initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. She sat down with Civil Beat this week to talk about her work.

WASHINGTON Krystal Kaais identity is integral to what she does when shes in Washington.

Kaai is originally from Hawaii and has held a number of high-profile positions in the nations capital, including as the executive director of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

In 2021, she was appointed by President Joe Biden to lead the White House Initiative on Asian American, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. The initiative was first created by executive order in 1999 during the Clinton administration, but has been reimagined in recent years as Biden pushes to expand diversity, equity and inclusion in federal government.

Kaai is at the forefront of those efforts, at least when it comes to the AANHPI community.

Shes the first Native Hawaiian to be named as executive director of the White Houses AANHPI initiative.And shell be bringing her work back to the islands this week as top officials hold a series of discussions focused on AANHPI topics such as anti-Asian discrimination, data disaggregation, economic opportunities and immigration.

On Thursday, the presidents Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders is scheduled to hold a meeting in Honolulu to take public comment from the community. The meeting will be followed up by an economic summit Friday at the Hawaii State Capitol and will feature key leaders from the Biden administration.

Kaai sat down with Civil Beat at her offices in Washington, D.C., before flying to Hawaii. She talked about everything from her role advancing Bidens agenda to her views on the recent Supreme Court ruling that effectively put an end to race-conscious admissions programs at colleges.

She also discussed her own upbringing in Hawaii and how thats influenced the way she approaches her job on a daily basis.

My mom is an immigrant from Japan and my dad is Native Hawaiian, whos mixed with other things, too, Kaai said.So that unique kind of perspective helps make sure that not only am I advocating for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders who have very much not had a voice here in D.C. for a very long time, but Im also able to understand some of the challenges that our Asian American communities face, especially our recent immigrant populations.

The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Lets start with the big picture. What is the White House Initiative on Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders and why does it matter?

This initiative has actually existed for over two decades, but it was more recently reauthorized by President Biden two years ago in May 2021.The core mission is to advance equity, justice and opportunity for the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander community across the U.S.

We do that in a number of ways that are outlined in the executive order.

Unfortunately, what we often see here in Washington, D.C., is that if you dont have a seat at the table when critical policy decisions and engagements and outreach are being done theres a long history of so many communities being overlooked.

Its everything from combating the rise in anti-Asian hate we saw throughout the pandemic to promoting things like data disaggregation for an extremely diverse population and language access given that about a third of this population is limited English proficient.

It also looks at policy issues, like education equity, housing and economic development while making sure that the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander community is included and that their unique voices and perspectives are integrated into the work that we are doing at the federal level.

Some people, especially in Hawaii, may wonder why you would even need an initiative like this.

In a state where the AANHPI community is a majority of the population it doesnt really seem like it would be necessary.But throughout the nation the latest census shows the Asian American, Native Hawaii, Pacific Islander population is about 7% of the total U.S. population.

So its relatively small compared to the entirety of the United States, but rapidly growing.

Unfortunately, what we often see here in Washington, D.C., is that if you dont have a seat at the table when critical policy decisions and engagements and outreach are being done theres a long history of so many communities being overlooked.

So what specifically are you doing through this initiative that will have a direct effect on the people of Hawaii?

A lot of what we do directly impacts the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander communities back home, and that includes a better look at the data piece.I know that sounds really monotonous, but its so critical when we talk about our work to advance equity.

If we cant see where those inequities are in federal datasets that actually inform funding and policy decisions thats a big challenge.

Unfortunately, throughout Covid so many of our Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander communities and especially our Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, including COFA populations were not even registering at the federal level as facing really significant disparities whether we were talking about the health impacts of the Covid pandemic, in terms of really high infection and mortality rates amongst our Pacific Islander communities, or even the economic impacts.

We were not being seen as an underserved population.

A big part of the work that were doing is to push for that data collection, and not just in the context of Covid, but across the board when looking at educational disparities, health disparities and economic impacts.

During Covid, Hawaii was the only state that was disaggregating Pacific Islander data so we were looking at Samoan, Tongan and Chamorro communities.

Most of the United States does not do that and so we were not even registering.Theyre not even collecting separate Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander data. We were invisible.

Again, going back to the work we do, its really to educate and elevate the specific needs and concerns of our communities that would, quite frankly, not have much of a voice here in Washington, D.C., otherwise.

The Biden administration seems to have made this initiative a priority. So how would you say this administrations iteration compares to prior administrations, including that of former President Donald Trump?

The biggest difference is that under this administration the initiative has the broadest scope that its ever had.It also explicitly includes Native Hawaiians in the name of the initiative for the first time. Under prior administrations it was just the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

Under this administration, theres been a really intentional push to be inclusive of Native Hawaiians while also recognizing the unique challenges that that community faces that are different from some of our other Pacific Islander groups.

Just these past two weeks, I know Interior Secretary (Deb) Haaland was in Hawaii and (Housing and Urban Development) Secretary Marcia Fudge is there at the moment.

So theres been a lot of senior level engagement from federal officials who are going out to Hawaii not just to see how federal dollars are being used through a number of landmark pieces of legislation that were passed, like the Inflation Reduction Act, the American Rescue Plan and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, but also to learn more about how to better engage with our Native Hawaiian communities.

Under the Trump administration, the scope of this initiative was very limited. It focused predominantly on economic development and opportunity and so it was housed at the Department of Commerce.

Now we focus on that plus over a dozen other issues that range from, as I mentioned, health and educational equity to climate justice.

Its a much broader scope and because of that weve actually been able to do a lot more to bring to bear this whole-of-government approach to advancing equity, rather than just focusing on one issue and one specific population.

I was shocked at how for so many federal employees who have been here for decades this is actually a new phenomenon. It didnt even happen under the Obama administration to this extent, this really intentional focus on making sure our policies are inclusive, that our workforce is diverse and inclusive, and that the populations that we serve and that we are engaging reflect the true diversity of America.

Do you have a good example of that direct engagement between the Biden administration and the Native Hawaiian community that you can point to?Yes, for the first time ever at the Department of Interior they have a senior adviser to the secretary on Native Hawaiian affairs.

That position has never existed before Summer Sylva, and shes actually going to be with us later this week. Shell be speaking about some of the work that the Department of Interior is doing to create a Native Hawaiian consultation policy.

Thats just one example. Another is just earlier this year in February during Mahina Olelo Hawaii (Hawaiian language month) the White House worked with a number of our counterparts, including the White House Council on Native American Affairs, to do a virtual engagement with the Native Hawaiian community on the Biden-Harris administrations 10 year Native language revitalization plan. And so those are just a few examples.

Again, its very unprecedented the amount of outreach and also the volume of outreach to the Native Hawaiian community to make sure that they are included and that their voices are incorporated into the decisions that are being made here.

There were so many decades where Native Hawaiians were not really consulted in this process, and so I think its been very welcomed to have that sort of engagement from the federal government on issues that will directly impact Native Hawaiian populations in the state.

Of course, youre the first Native Hawaiian to lead the initiative as the executive director. How have your background and experiences influenced the work that youre doing with the initiative?

I think my personal experiences have very much contributed to the work that Ive done throughout my career.

The entire reason Im here is actually through opportunities Ive had at the state level.I was in the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Washington, D.C., bureau. I worked for U.S. Sen. Dan Akaka.

And those experiences have been very formative to the work that I do in terms of advocating for our Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander communities back in the state of Hawaii as well. Also my personal upbringing.

I am Native Hawaiian, but Im also Japanese American. My mom is an immigrant from Japan and my dad is Native Hawaiian, whos mixed with other things, too.

So that unique kind of perspective helps make sure that not only am I advocating for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders who have very much not had a voice here in DC for a very long time, but Im also able to understand some of the challenges that our Asian American communities face, especially our recent immigrant populations.

A lot of the work that I do is personal when were talking about language access, or data disaggregation or how we are engaging with Native Hawaiian communities.

The lack of federal recognition for Native Hawaiians is an ongoing concern in Washington, and often requires Hawaii lawmakers to play defense when protecting federal programs and dollars that benefit the community. How has that played a role in the work that the initiative is undertaking?

Under the Obama administration they did actually create a pathway for Native Hawaiians should they choose to pursue federal recognition through the executive branch, and that door still remains open.

The federal government is not trying to direct the community to do one thing or another.

The ball is in the court of the community in terms of how they want to engage in this process.

Legally, without that federal status Native Hawaiians dont have the same parity as other federally recognized Indigenous communities and so that does create limitations in terms of the types of programs and funding and opportunities that they are eligible for at the federal level.

So I think thats just one of the things that we have to, at the federal government, be mindful of. What programs do Native Hawaiians qualify for and how can we make sure that for those programs and opportunities we are engaging them in a very intentional way?

How will the Supreme Courts recent ruling on affirmative action in college admissions affect the work of the initiative moving forward?

This was a case we were monitoring very closely from its inception.

Where we stand is where the administration stands. The president and vice president, Education Secretary (Miguel) Cardona and the attorney general have all made it very clear the administrations ongoing commitment to advancing equity.

Right now, there are so many communities that are concerned about the future of a number of programs.

There are a number of actions that this administration is committed to looking at, including convening a higher education summit, and the president made clear that he is going to continue to encourage universities to look at ways to to be mindful of a number of different factors in the admissions process.

Were also seeing more come to light about legacy admissions with a lot of these elite institutions.

A significant number of students are not being admitted, due to the fact that so many institutions hold about a third of their slots for legacy admissions and that doesnt help Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, nor does it help other communities of color that just dont have that history.

Overall, our initiative, in solidarity with the other White House initiatives for the Black, Hispanic, Native American communities, sees this as a loss and as a setback to decades of precedent and also to the progress that has been made.

But we also very strongly believe and remain committed to ensuring that collectively our communities will not get pitted against each other and that we can just really work together to continue to advance opportunities for all Americans.

House Republicans led the charge to create a select committee to address competition concerns with China, which some, including U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda, have warned could lead to increased xenophobia. What are your thoughts on the committee and what do you think can be done to allay some of those concerns?

Unfortunately, as tensions between the (Peoples Republic of China) and the United States continue to rise we have seen just increasingly hostile rhetoric that is inflammatory.

We saw it during Covid, but we see it now on any number of fronts and youve mentioned this committee that was created.

The president has been very clear and he actually issued a presidential memorandum within his first week in office to condemn and combat racism, xenophobia and intolerance against the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander community.

Two and a half years ago we were at a very different time.We were seeing just really horrific hate crimes, unprovoked, and we are still unfortunately seeing some of those.

A lot of that was due to inflammatory rhetoric around Covid, but also misconceptions about the virus. We see that continue to play out even now. So theres still a lot of xenophobia.

In the presidents memorandum, he did actually direct all federal agencies to ensure that the language that they use, and also the work that they are doing, does not actively stoke xenophobia against the Asian American community.

Unfortunately, Asian Americans in particular, are still seen as perpetual foreigners in this country. There are many people who look at someone like me and would never think that I grew up here and I have Indigenous roots in this country.

The average person cannot also distinguish between various Asian ethnic races. And so thats why that rise in anti-Asian hate was something that really impacted not just Chinese Americans, but alsojust anyone who was East Asian appearing, ranging from Korean to Filipino and so many others.

Again, that was something that folks in Hawaii did not feel as deeply impacted by, but it is something that we, even to this day as we traveled to other parts of the country, hear as one of the top concerns.

Theres that fear of the inflammatory rhetoric thats led to actual, horrific hate crimes and incidents against our communities.

The president has made it clear from the very beginning through the executive order to reestablish and reinvigorate the White House initiative that one of our key mandates was to address anti-Asian bias and hate, but also to promote inclusion and belonging of our communities so that were not just being reactive to addressing hate after it happens.

The work we do is not just reactive. Its really about how do we educate, how do we inform and how do we, at the end of the day, ensure that all Americans view us as American.

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Hawaii Native Krystal Ka'ai Tackles Equity And Anti-Asian Hate For ... - Honolulu Civil Beat

Synod met online on a bright but windy Saturday morning.

The agenda include:

PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS

We live in a new missionary situation, where most people grow up knowing very little about the Christian faith and having virtually no experience of the church. There is much we can learn from the first evangelisation of England, and particularly from the Anglo-Saxon Saints of the North, and the movements of mission that shaped our land and gave birth to the church that weve inherited.

Their flexibility and sacrificial approach to mission; the way they established intentional communities of prayer; and their willingness to be vulnerable and to go to people where they were inspires us today.

In this way, we will renew our parishes and therefore renew our diocese. But there will be a focused attention on the local; on service to the local community; and on evangelism, sharing with others the good news we have received and therefore paying attention to our own receiving. Hence the really important work on Rhythm of Life that we have introduced this year.

We then learn to share the story of Christ that we have been called to live.

Read Archbishop Stephens full Presidential Address at bit.ly/presaddress2307.

JOHN SPENCE

John outlined to Synod the background and impetus of the changes in the Church Commissioners funding for the dioceses of the Church of England over the last decade, with a change of emphasis from maintenance towards promoting growth, and resourcing policies to underpin sustained growth in the future.

Half an hour of questions to John followed:

Could he cite any particularly good examples of rural outreach? John said he couldnt cite any particular examples, but this is a shared challenge across the church, and the Diocese of Yorks Revitalise programme for churches needing support to grow was very important.

Is there a prospect of more funding support for Chaplaincy (particularly in higher education)? Chaplaincy should be integral to future mission and ministry planning in the church, said John, which will be the focus of future funding from the Church Commissioners through the Strategic Investment Board.

How do the Church Commissioners, on behalf of the national church, determine current spending levels against the need to maintain capital for the future? John sketched the Commissioners historic responsibility for the funding established in the early 18th Century through to the integration of Glebe and other property in order to create a funding stream for the Church of England into the future. While the capital cannot be spent, he said the successful management of the funds in recent decades continues to release large sums to support the church from year to year, while the capital itself now stands at about 10bn. Without the Church Commissioners, that money would have gone, he said.

Should we plan in the expectation of continuing funding from the Commissioners, or should we be aiming for our own sustainability? Sustainability means just that, said John, and ideally the Commissioners funding should be released for where its needed most.

Whats the most important thing about the future to tell our churches in the face of cynicism and distrust? The future is not all about finances, said John, and the distrust is very sadwe can say that the Archbishop of York and the whole national church leadership is totally committed to the future (although they recognise the continuing cost of Covid), and that the church remains very strong and able.

QUESTION TIME

Following publication of the Church of Englands Living in Love and Faith report and proposals, the Revd John Telford had submitted a question asking what support was planned to help churches pastor and look after same-sex attracted people who, holding a traditional biblical understanding of marriage and sexual relations, have chosen to remain celibate and single or are happy in opposite-sex marriages.

Archbishop Stephen replied that as a diocese we continue to be committed to offer care to everyone, regardless of how they identify or to whom they are attracted, primarily through local churches. The coming introduction of Living in Love & Faith Listeners in the diocese will offer opportunities for all who wish to talk these issues through, together with the existing ministry of Diocesan Adviser in Pastoral Care the Revd Andrew de Smet, who with his team offers confidential support and counselling where needed.

LECTIO DIVINA

Synod broke into small groups to reflect briefly on Philippians 4:5-9, introduced by member David Millican.

LIVING CHRISTS STORY

Diocesan Director for Strategic Transformation Sam Nicol introduced a paper giving a progress report and outlining the new governance structures and processes that will drive the implementation of the programme shaped by Deanery Plans and agreed by Synod in November 2022.

A Steering Group mainly comprising the Diocesan Leadership Team with senior members of the diocesan administration will ensure the effective leadership of strategy delivery, and stakeholder engagement and involvement; hold all parts of the strategy together in light of business as usual, and set the strategic priorities while securing and allocating resources to these. Major decisions will be referred to the Archbishops Council or Diocesan Synod as appropriate.

An Implementation Coordination Group at whose core will be the Suffragan Bishops, Archdeacons and a number of senior administration members will engage with other networks such as Area and Lay Deans, establish the models of change for and across the Diocese, to ensure collaborative working and coordination across the diocesan offices, archdeaconries and out to the deaneries and parishes. It will develop a robust, realistic and achievable implementation plan for delivering Living Christs Story that enables progress to be measured and communicated.

Questions arising from brief small-group discussion of the paper included concern that selected parishes might feel compelled to participate in the Revitalise programme within the Growing Healthy Churches strand of Living Christs Story. It was reiterated that there is no compulsion; participation is by invitation and some parishes have already opted not to take part.

Download Synod papers at bit.ly/diosynpapers230701

FINANCIAL UPDATE

Finance Director Kathryn Rose updated Synod on the financial position of the Diocese this summer. While most of the 2022 results were outlined at the 22 April 2023 Synod, the Statutory Accounts were now complete. While unfavourable fluctuations in investment values contributed much of a 3.8 million deficit, stripping out the investments and one-off items including the sale of a closed school site, the overall financial result in 2022 was similar to 2021.

Expenditure on stipends (about 7 million), housing (over 2 million) and other staff costs (under 3 million) were mostly unchanged from 2021 despite inflation.

Readily realisable reserves fell from 9 million in 2012 to 8 million in 2022.

For 2023, expenditure is largely on the target set by the budget agreed by Synod in November 2022. While Free Will Offer payments from parishes to the Common Fund are slightly down against the budget expectations, some parishes have indicated that they may be able to increase their payments as the year continues. Kathryn believed the deficit for 2023 might be 1.9 million rather than the 2.6 million anticipated in the budget, but a deficit is a deficit, and the reserves are shrinking.

A motion that the Synod receive the Annual Report and Accounts of the York Diocesan Board of Finance Ltd for the year ended 31 December 2022 was proposed by DBF Chair Rodney Barton, and carried by an online vote of 99% with a 1% abstention.

Download Synod papers at bit.ly/diosynpapers230701

OTHER COMMITTEE REPORTS

The Annual Reports of other Committees had presented to Synod in advance (and may be downloaded from bit.ly/diosynpapers230701), and were approved as follows:

* in each case the remaining votes were abstentions; no votes against were recorded.

Download the above Synod papers at bit.ly/diosynpapers230701

NEXT MEETING

Saturday 18th November 2023 on Zoom.

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News & events / News - Diocese of York

Social enterprises are organisations that promote social or environmental issues as their core business. They are useful to societies in lots of ways. They can help solve social and economic problems such as poverty and joblessness, among others. They can also help support the work of local, provincial and national government.

Over the last decade a growing number of these enterprises have been started in many countries. South Africa has also seen an increase in social enterprises.

But running a social enterprise isnt easy. They need to pursue a social motive while also trying to remain sustainable with little funding.

This often means that they need structures, processes and leadership acumen for both their operational success and sustainability.

The performance and operation of social enterprises can be affected by a lack of resources. Their failure rate is therefore quite high.

So what could help them?

We conducted a study to try to answer this question. Our focus was on what capabilities needed to be in place for social enterprises to operate effectively.

Our research shows that for social enterprises to enhance their performance, network capability and strategic planning are key. Addressing these challenges can help their owners and managers respond to the challenges such enterprises face. At the core of this is addressing the challenge of funding and sustainability. Social enterprises rely mostly on donor funding.

We conducted our study in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Its one of the poorest regions in the country, with a high unemployment rate and continued social dependence. Industries on which the areas economy depends are in decline.

Our research focused on 147 social enterprises in the area. One set of enterprises focused on poverty alleviation efforts. They ran empowerment projects for local communities, especially those in the black residential areas.

The social enterprises in the second group in our sample were dedicated to improving livelihoods of communities through agricultural support mechanisms.

Finally, a third group focused on assisting communities to respond to health challenges such as HIV/AIDS, the COVID-19 pandemic and tuberculosis.

Some of the questions we asked in our survey were about how each social enterprise made strategic decisions; the relationship between the social enterprise and its networks; and the enterprises continued value creation amid challenges. We then ran a model to see how these three issues related to performance.

The results showed that three important capabilities were needed to enhance social enterprise performance.

The first was strategic planning. This involves defining the enterprises direction in the short and long term, what it seeks to achieve in terms of goals and tactics, and how the enterprise will achieve all this.

Social enterprises need to be deliberate and intentional in setting up strategic planning regimes. They need a clear horizon, targets and mandates. These should then drive their day to day operation.

The second need was for strong networks. Building networks involves continued interaction between the social enterprise and its stakeholders. Networking capabilities allow the social enterprise to remain relevant to other important role players in the community.

Finally, our research points to the need for the social enterprise to keep a focus on its main business, the social aspect mandate of value co-creation. This continued quest for the social aspect necessitates continued involvement and relevance of the social enterprise to the community. Our finding on value co-creation the social enterprise partnering with other stakeholders and community members to achieve its social goal becomes important here.

We recommend that social enterprises be proactive in improving their internal processes and structures. This can be achieved through ongoing efforts to make improvements from the bottom up meaning that the employees also drive the changes, not just the management. By being deliberate and intentional in their efforts, social enterprises can improve their operations and achieve better results.

We also recommend that financial and non-financial resources such as tangible assets (land, buildings, motor vehicles and equipment) and intangible assets (patents, goodwill and intellectual property) should be channelled to support strategic planning, networking capabilities and value co-creation. This means they should continue to be deliberate in searching for funding to be able to support their core activities.

Concerning non-financial resources, this includes investing in the training of the people running the social enterprise. Such non-financial investment strengthens the social enterprise through internal development of the three capabilities found in our research: emphasis on strategic planning, the building of strong networks and continued quest to create value together by all stakeholders.

The enterprise also needs clear channels for sharing essential information with stakeholders, including communities, towards achieving the social goal of the enterprise.

Formal networking structures should be established to enable the social enterprise to build, maintain and renew strong relationships with stakeholders.

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Businesses that address social or environmental problems often ... - The Conversation