Author: Jaime Corey Floyd

This region is ‘God’s country’ — Maine is heavily forested, surprisingly large, and the perfect place to witness an iconic New England Fall. The endless ocean of fiery treetops extends from Maine’s coasts to its border with Canada, and in that expanse lie the most spectacular destinations of the Eastern United States. Rocky cliffs meet the ferocious crashing of waves in the town of Bar Harbor, and the ever-spiritual Mount Katahdin tears a hole in the sky that ancient tribes deemed sacred. “It’s like stepping into a painting” is the only way to describe this state, so see for yourself and read…

Facing some of the highest property taxes in the nation, Texas voters could sign off on a massive tax-cut package in the Nov. 7 constitutional amendment election. Early voting is under way for the slew of proposed amendments. Proposition 4 would allow the state to spend $18 billion on property tax cuts for homeowners and businesses, cut school districts’ tax rates and enact other tax changes. Whether Texas can afford those tax cuts in the long term remains unanswered. Lawmakers tapped a record $33 billion surplus this year, fueled by the state’s robust economic growth and federal COVID-19 relief money, to cover an…

SANDUSKY, Ohio, Oct. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — The International Sports Academy (ISA) has a new home at Cedar Point Sports Center (CPSC) for its basketball development program after spending previous years in Willoughby, OH. ISA has also partnered with other local entities to round out the academy experience for their athletes. Established in 2017 by Northeast Ohio natives Bob Bossman and John Kopcso, both of whom boast extensive high school and NCAA college coaching experience, ISA, at its core, is a college readiness program that paves the way for participants to achieve their goal of playing college athletics and obtaining a higher education. The organization offers opportunities to…

SIOUX FALLS – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Yankton, South Dakota, woman convicted of Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Misrepresentation, Fraud, Forgery, Deception, and Subterfuge. The sentencing took place on September 11, 2023. Lisa Merrigan, age 55, was sentenced to two years of probation and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Merrigan was indicted by a federal grand jury in October of 2022. She pleaded guilty on July 5, 2023. The conviction stemmed from incidents between June 19, 2021,…

Germany became the 29th nation to sign the Artemis Accords. In a ceremony hosted by German Ambassador to the United States Andreas Michaelis, Dr. Walther Pelzer, Director General of the German Aerospace Center, signed the Artemis Accords on behalf of Germany. Acting Assistant Secretary of State Jennifer Littlejohn gave remarks, as did NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, Executive Secretary of the U.S. National Space Council Chirag Parikh, and Federal German Coordinator of German Aerospace Policy Dr. Anna Christmann. The Artemis Accords were launched on October 13, 2020, with eight nations. Jointly led by the Department of State and NASA for the United States, the Accords are…

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Aug. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — First Horizon Corp. (NYSE: FHN or “First Horizon”) is pleased to announce the naming of Hunter Hill as Regional President of the First Horizon Bank’s South Central region, which includes Birmingham and Mobile, Alabama, and Atlanta, Georgia. As Regional President, Hill is responsible for all banking operations within the region. A native of Alabama, Hill joined the company in 2009 to grow the bank’s commercial client base in Birmingham, Alabama. In 2014, he was promoted to New Orleans Market President. In this role, he led a wide variety of client segments including Commercial, Business, and Retail Banking as well as Private Client and Wealth Management…

The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller: Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke by phone with Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari today to reaffirm a productive U.S.-Pakistan partnership. Secretary Blinken underscored the United States’ steadfast commitment to the people of Pakistan, highlighting that the economic success of Pakistan remains a top priority for the United States.  The Secretary noted that the United States will continue to engage with Pakistan through technical and development initiatives and through our robust trade and investment ties. He also welcomed the International Monetary Fund’s approval of a program to support Pakistan and…

The shooting comes two months after Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation requiring guns to be safely stored and locked if a child is present. A 2-year-old in Michigan died in an accidental shooting over the weekend after the toddler got a hold of an unsecured firearm, police said. Authorities responded to a home in the 1900 block of Oak Squire Lane in the Rolling Oaks neighborhood in Howell just before 6 p.m. Sunday, the Howell Police Department said in a news release. Howell is about 40 miles southeast of Lansing. The child was transported to a local hospital where the…

The Treasury Department will issue $600 billion-$700 billion in T-bills weeks after lawmakers agree to lift the debt ceiling, Goldman Sachs estimated. President Joe Biden and Republicans in Congress have yet to reach a deal, but Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen reiterated her warning that the government will run out of money as soon as June 1. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy indicated Monday ahead of his meeting with Biden that a deal could be made before the June deadline. Once a settlement is reached, as is widely expected, Goldman expects the Treasury to flood the market with T-bills, restoring its cash balance to $550 billion…

Two new plant species have been discovered on Costa Rica’s Cocos Island, adding to the country’s already impressive list of biodiversity. The Stenospermation coques and Ilex hammelii were identified through the work and investigation of botanist Alexander Rodríguez, the collaboration of park rangers from Cocos Island, and international experts. The Stenospermation coques was discovered by park rangers stationed on the island and SINAC. It belongs to the Araceae family, and the new species is endemic to Cocos Island. The Ilex hammelii, on the other hand, was discovered through a completely different study and belongs to the Aquifoliacea family. It was proposed as a new…