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DMARC launches Thanksgiving meal box program amid record demand
The Des Moines Area Religious Council is seeking more than 200 volunteers to help distribute 1,400 Thanksgiving meal boxes to Greater Des Moines residents in need. The drive-thru distribution will take place Nov. 21 at the DMARC-ket Southside Food Pantry, 100 Army Post Road in Des Moines. The initiative comes as DMARC’s network of 13…
Wyoming Business Council Seeking Interim CEO
The Wyoming Business Council Board of Directors has announced they are accepting applications for an interim chief executive officer following the departure of Josh Dorrell, who led the agency for seven years. According to a news release, this appointment is expected to last approximately nine to 12 months while the board prepares to recruit a […]
Detroit councilwoman defends Kercheval business review requests amid neighborhood backlash
Detroit City Councilmember Renata Miller says she's sticking up for residents scared to speak up.
Jamie Miller leaving Gulf Coast Business Council for leadership role at Mississippi Power
Jamie Miller is leaving the Mississippi Gulf Coast Business Council for a leadership position at Mississippi Power, the largest electric utility in the
New Report Highlights How Private Credit Powers Businesses Across America
Dunham: "Private credit direct lending plays a critical role in our economy, supporting countless small and midsized businesses across the U.S."
Coast Business Council details changes and future plans
The Gulf Coast Business Council meeting provided changes as well as a look into the area's future in terms of economic development.
Coast Business Council details changes and future plans
The Gulf Coast Business Council meeting provided changes as well as a look into the area's future in terms of economic development.
The Politics Hour: On the road in Prince George's County with U.S. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks and Council Chair Krystal Oriadha
U.S. Senator Angela Alsobrooks on what's at stake in the upcoming midterm elections and Prince George's County Council Chair Krystal Oriadha on the widening controversy over county grant money.
National City political shakeup might not end with mayor's race
National City’s structural budget deficit has triggered much finger-pointing among councilmembers — and is at the center of the mayoral race.
Introspection required if EU Inc fails, says start-up lobbyist
European start-ups have a new voice in Brussels. Startups for Europe, created from the merger of lobby groups Allied for Startups and the European Startup Network, is hoping to harness the momentum behind EU-Inc, a campaign that united start-ups and investors behind demands for a new pan-European company regime.At a launch event for the new association in Brussels on October 1, the mood was remarkably upbeat compared to a typical Eurobubble gathering, more Silicon Valley than Schuman roundabout.When asked whether this reflects a feeling that Europe is on the right track, chief executive Serena Borbotti-Frison said it’s a “scary” moment as the continent looks to boost its competitiveness amid a new technological arms race.“What is at stake is quite intense, and the way we can answer is by delivering, but also with hope,” she told Science|Business. “It’s what our industry does. It’s not about identifying a pain point and then saying it’s too hard.”For many in the start-up community, that sense of hope is dwindling. In March, the European Commission presented its proposal for EU Inc, naming its initiative after the grassroots campaign.EU Inc was meant to be a gamechanger: the ability to incorporate within 48 hours for less than €100 and scale up across Europe; a harmonised stock option regime enabling start-ups to compete for talent; and simplified insolvency procedures for innovative start-ups to reduce the cost of failure.However, haggling by EU governments has raised concerns that EU Inc will be stripped of the very features, including stock option harmonisation, that are meant to make it attractive for companies.“I fear we are proving to ourselves that the model doesn’t work,” Borbotti-Frison said of the policymaking process. “Everyone agrees we should have EU Inc. Everyone agrees it’s hard to scale and we need to scale to answer the competitiveness [challenge], and still we cannot deliver? [. . .] What does that say about ourselves?”The Commission has made EU Inc a cornerstone of its single market reform, and has agreed with the European Parliament and the Council of the EU to target an agreement by the end of 2026. However, several points are currently holding up an agreement, including national rules around employee participation in management decisions, and the provision that employee stock options always be taxed at the point of sale. Some EU governments have reportedly pushed back on the Commission’s choice of legal basis, contending that anything related to taxation requires unanimity in the Council.Trade unions have also protested against EU Inc, fearing it will be exploited by companies looking to undermine workers’ rights.“If this doesn’t work, it’s introspection time, on the way our institutions work, maybe the way our lobbies work, and maybe the way the cooperation between them works,” Borbotti-Frison said.“Is it in the national interest? Is it a gap between political will and technical ability to operate? Is it speed? I don't know, but something needs to be fixed.”Ahead of last week’s European Council meeting, EU-Inc campaigners tried a new strategy: appealing directly to EU presidents and prime ministers. In an open letter, they urged EU leaders to “step in and give your negotiating teams a clear mandate to change course and reverse their objections to the Commission’s original proposal.”Lessons from EU-IncLike its predecessors, Startups for Europe will represent national start-up associations, but it is also targeting investors. The founding sponsors are venture capital firm Atomico and EQT, the investor selected earlier this year to manage the €5 billion Scaleup Europe Fund.It also wants to harness the knowledge and cross-border experience of European success stories. “Take the list of the 100 biggest unicorns in Europe. We are speaking to all of them,” Borbotti-Frison said. The association plans to publish a full list of supporters following the Slush tech conference in Helsinki in November.Andreas Klinger and Simon Schaefer, two key figures in the EU-Inc campaign, are both on the board of the new association, and Startups for Europe wants to take the lessons from their campaign.What was unprecedented about EU-Inc was “how rooted it was, and how strong it was in bringing everyone on board behind one clear pain point and solution to fix it,” Borbotti-Frison said. “This is an inspiration for us, and then we need to turn it into something more systematic, more bridged in Brussels, more connected to the policymaking game, and to scale it.”If it’s possible to unite such a broad coalition, it’s because the European start-up ecosystem is now mature, she said. “Maybe it was not ten years ago. Maybe it was not five years ago. But now, it’s mature to speak with one voice.”Open and liberal EuropeThe association plans to campaign on files related to three “pain points,” Borbotti-Frison said: “start and scale in Europe, fundraise and invest in Europe, and making Europe the most innovative continent.”As well as EU Inc, she cited public procurement, the EU’s simplification push, the Savings and Investments Union, and files related to AI adoption and technological sovereignty as priorities for the coming months.What these files have in common is that they relate not to subsidies but to the framework conditions influencing the availability of mostly private, or in the case of procurement, public, funding.Related articlesEmployee participation disagreement delays MEPs’ vote on EU IncCommission urges EU governments not to water down EU IncEU’s ‘ultra-fast’ €5B scale-up fund is set up to win, says its fund managerThe budget dispute over the next Horizon Europe programme will also impact start-ups, which are supported notably through the European Innovation Council. But EU innovation funding is a drop in the ocean compared to venture capital and public procurement budgets.“If competitiveness and innovation are a priority, then the [EU budget] should reflect it,” Borbotti-Frison said. However, she added that the main question is not how much public money is invested, but “how do we create the right conditions for the market to solve the problem?”The Scaleup Europe Fund mixes both approaches, using €1 billion in EU funding to crowd in private investors and address Europe’s lack of large-scale, late-stage growth funds. “It’s a proof of concept. Ideally, then the market will do it itself,” Borbotti-Frison said.Startups for Europe is also focused on bringing an alternative political narrative. Amid competing visions for open, global markets on the one side and a protectionist Europe on the other, it wants to offer “a third voice, to say we can be proudly European and build a strong continent in a liberal economy, open to the world, and global.”It can be tempting, when thinking about how Europe can better support innovation, to look across the Atlantic. But while it’s important to compare statistics to see where Europe needs to catch up, that’s where the comparison should stop, Borbotti-Frison said. “On everything else, we need to do it our own way. We don't have the same history. We don't have the same political model. We don't have the same way of life.”Many of the key files that could benefit the start-up community, including EU Inc and the Savings and Investments Union, rely on closer integration within Europe, making it easier to operate across borders.While the Commission has made deepening the single market a political priority, support at national level is more precarious. The coming months will see pivotal elections in Spain and France, while the German government has also been coming under pressure domestically. In each country, far-right parties have been gaining ground.When asked if she was concerned the political situation could jeopardise this progress, Borbotti-Frison responded: “Of course. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t.” However, she continues to believe that cooperation is the only way forward. “Doing it alone is not the solution. It’s also not who we are, it’s not the model we are building, and it’s not the scale we need.”
Dal researcher Dr. Rita Orji named Fellow of the International Science Council
Latest international recognition caps a remarkable stretch of honours and recognition for the Dal computer scientist, who has emerged as a global leader in responsible and human-centred AI.
Chinese vice premier meets foreign representatives attending International Science Council meeting
Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau
Tracking tsunamis triggered by extreme weather
As much of Western Europe faced record-breaking temperatures and extended drought this summer, Croatia experienced another weather event that could also set a worrisome precedent.Over the course of two weeks, a series of meteorological tsunamis (meteotsunamis) struck Croatia’s Adriatic coast, alarming both residents and tourists. Social media posts showed flooded seaside promenades and people walking through knee-deep water. Fortunately, no deaths or major damage were reported.In a world where natural disasters seem to be increasing, meteotsunamis — tsunamis caused by rapid weather changes – rarely make headline news. But warming sea temperatures and changing atmospheric conditions may help explain why these phenomena could become more common, especially in shallower seas and inland lakes with wide coastal shelves.“We have definitely become more aware of them, and there have been a lot more reports of these events in the last 10 years,” says Jadranka Šepić, an associate professor of environmental physics at the University of Split whose research focuses on efforts to track meteotsunamis in real time. She is also one of Croatia’s ambassadors for Science Comes to Town (SCTT), a European Commission-funded programme aimed at making research more accessible to the public.Šepić sees two possible reasons for the apparent increase in meteotsunamis. One is that photos and videos shared on social media are providing more empirical evidence, while rising air and sea temperatures could also play a role. The geophysicist “cannot say with certainty” that warming is a contributing factor because research is still ongoing. “But I can say that previously in Croatia we might have had one exceptionally strong event every 10 or 15 years, and one strong event every five years, and within 15 days this summer we had five strong events,” Šepić notes. “This is not typical.”‘A fist against the sea surface’Unlike tsunamis that are triggered by underwater earthquakes or volcanoes, meteotsunamis are caused by sudden changes in atmospheric pressure combined with other rapidly developing weather events, such as thunderstorms. The effect “is like pushing a fist against the sea surface,” Šepić explains. The resulting oscillation intensifies as it reaches shallower water, and “can be far more destructive than a wind-driven wave because meteotsunamis are accompanied by very strong currents than can penetrate much deeper inland.” The meteotsunami, she continues, “then behaves the same as a tsunami — they slow down and grow as the sea shallows, and then grow further in places like harbours due to further shallowing and narrowing. When they come ashore, they can be very destructive — taking everything with them out to sea and then taking it back.”Croatian research institutions have tracked such sea oscillations since the 1930s because the relatively shallow Adriatic Sea is prone to meteotsunamis. The strongest recorded so far was in June 1978, according to the Adriatic Meteotsunami Catalogue, which is supported by the European Research Council (ERC), Croatian Science Foundation and the country’s leading research institutions. During that event, six-metre-high waves flooded the coastal town of Vela Luka on Korčula Island, causing major damage.Other meteotsunami “hotspots” in Europe include the Mediterranean Sea as well the Atlantic coastal shelves off France, Portugal and Spain. In June 2006, a meteotsunami with five-metre-high waves swept through the harbour of Ciutadella in Spain’s Balearic Islands, causing widespread damage to boats. Several less powerful events were reported in the Balearics and off the coast of Spain this summer, leading to some beach closures.Forecasting is challenging because of how quickly meteotsunamis can develop and their uncertain trajectory. Šepić is involved in two ERC-funded research projects — SHExtreme and MeD-Track — aimed in part at strengthening monitoring and real-time data collection. Access to accurate and immediate information is essential for early-warning systems.Early exposure to meteotsunamisŠepić first learned about meteotsunamis from her parents while growing up in Croatia. She later had the opportunity to investigate these events during her master and doctoral studies in geophysics at the University of Zagreb. The geophysicist has also conducted research at the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries in Split, the University of the Balearic Islands in Palma de Mallorca and the Institute of Ocean Science in the Canadian province of British Columbia.Projects like SCTT are important to raise awareness about research and inspiring young people to pursue studies and careers in science, notes Šepić. She credits her colleagues at the University of Split and the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries for their community outreach and engagement in the European project, which includes partner universities and institutions in Brest (France) and Kiel (Germany). As an example of town-gown collaboration, Šepić highlights her own university’s ‘Oceanographers on the Island’ programme. This initiative offers workshops and hands-on learning for children living on numerous Croatian islands.“It is a great privilege for Split to be involved in a project like Science Comes to Town, which is the first of its kind in the European Union," Šepić says. As for encouraging new generations of scientists, “This is a great effort, and I hope that we will see an effect in a few years.”Science|Business, which connects policymakers, academics and industry through its news reporting, analysis and events, is an SCTT partner.
Excessive Litigation Undermines Small Business Growth, Innovation and Opportunity - Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council
By Karen Kerrigan – America’s small businesses are remarkably resilient. They continue to navigate rising costs, economic challenges, robust competition, rapidly changing markets and workforce gaps while continuing to invest, innovate, and serve their customers. SBE Council’s latest Small Business Outlook Survey (October 2026) revealed that 81% of small business owners said their business is […]
New Mexico health councils seek recurring funds from lawmakers
New Mexico's county and tribal health councils seek recurring funding ahead of the next legislative session.
Buffalo Council Considers Offers on Properties at Business Park
Buffalo’s City Council considered two offers on properties in the Buffalo Business Park. The first was for Block 1, Lot 1 with a counter-offer with minor changes recommended to the agreement. The council approved the counter offer. The second offer was for Block 2, Lot 2 in the Business Park. Councilwoman Myra Camino made a […]
Johnson pitches election-year budget with focus on ‘fair share’ taxes on businesses
Johnson’s proposal doubles as his re-election message as he campaigns not only against a crowded mayoral field, but a majority of the City Council he has battled.
Minneapolis mental health crisis response program ‘thrown into chaos’
The program that sends unarmed mental health professionals to some 911 calls is in limbo after the council rejected a new vendor to do the work.
NWACC to build new trail, amenities
NorthWest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville received a $680,000 grant from the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council to support the development of a campus bike loop and new recreational...
NWACC to build new trail, amenities
NorthWest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville received a $680,000 grant from the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council to support the development of a campus bike loop and new recreational...
Ray Archuleta, Barry Fisher, Jim Moseley and more soil health presenters
By Randall Reeder, Ohio No-Till Council Ray Archuleta will present two days: Nov. 10 in Columbiana and Carroll Counties, and Nov. 11 at the Brandt Farm in Fairfield County. Other key presenters will also be on those programs. Ray Archuleta, an internationally known soil scientist (retired from
A timeline of Mike Causey’s sometimes-turbulent tenure as NC insurance chief
A look at Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey’s career as a second complaint about his behavior with women surfaces.
Reno + Sparks Chamber announces Latino Business Council launching in 2027
The Reno + Sparks Chamber of Commerce announced plans to establish a Latino Business Council on Jan. 4, 2027, to expand services, advocacy and networking opportunities for Latino business owners in Northern Nevada. The new council will work to increase chamber membership among Latino business owners and operators while developing programs that address their business […]
‘Egregious’: Denver City Council’s Health and Safety Committee Argues Against Proposition 132
By Nahila Bonfiglio Members of Denver City Council’s Health and Safety Committee voiced their opposition to proposed fentanyl ballot measure Proposition 132 in an Oct. 7 meeting. Council members Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez and Amanda Sandoval came together to take a stand against the proposition, w
Mohammed Saleem wins American Heart Association career development award
Mohammad Saleem, PhD, is the recipient of a 2026 Stephanie Watts Career Development Award, sponsored by the American Heart Association Council on Hypertension’s Trainee Advocacy Committee and Data Sciences International.
Money and Politics in New York City: A Frontline Perspective
A former candidate for the New York City Council explains the complications of campaign financing.
Floral City Heritage Council announces October meeting
The Floral City Heritage Council (FCHC) will meet Tuesday, Oct. 27, at the Floral City Community House in the Floral City Town Center. The evening includes a community dinner, a
Marco Rubio and President Mirziyoyev Highlight U.S.–Uzbekistan Economic Cooperation at Business and Investment Council
To publish news and commentary - without fear or favor - in the finest tradition of independent journalism
Eagle Scout nominated for Service Award
Eagle Scout John Casper of Round Rock Troop 157 has been nominated for a Distinguished Conservation Service Award by the Capitol Area Council. DCSA is Scouting America’s highest conservation honor.
Talks on Montgomery health care authority care authority continue
A recently proposed health care authority was the topic of discussion at Tuesday night's city council meeting.
Nashville renters, business tenants could get rezoning notices for first time under Metro Council proposal
Council member said the current system leaves nearly half of Nashville unaware of nearby developments.
Round Rock City Council to consider incentive for semiconductor industry business
City of Round Rock officials will vote on an economic development agreement supporting an expansion of PulseForge during their Oct. 22 meeting.
Online student expands domain from sports blogosphere to city hall
Grand Canyon University online student Jon Zaghloul learned about communications from the blogosphere. He started "Sports Talk Chicago," a popular sports blog, and that was […]
Councilmember Mark Squilla is up for the PPA’s top job. Progressives are hoping to win his seat.
The potential of Squilla taking the job would shake up the race for his 1st District seat, and could give progressives an easier path to grow their ranks on Council.
Georgia: Secretary General Alain Berset calls for safeguarding democracy and political pluralism ahead of opposition ban hearings
Council of Europe to closely follow developments and continue dialogue with Georgia
Georgia: Secretary General Alain Berset calls for safeguarding democracy and political pluralism ahead of opposition ban hearings
Council of Europe to closely follow developments and continue dialogue with Georgia
Council leader to stand down after health scares
Labour's Tudor Evans said it was time to "put health and family first" after 38 years in politics.
DC council member wants temporary shutdown of business where National Guard was shot
A D.C. Council member has called for the temporary shutdown of a business where police said a National Guard member was shot late Sunday.
Taylorville City Council Approves Three Business District Projects
The Taylorville City Council approved a trio of projects inside the Business Development District One. At the Taylorville City Council meeting on Monday night, three locations were approved which included 216 South Main Street, 800 West Springfield Road, and 204 West Market Street. Mayor Bruce […]
Former Las Vegas Councilwoman denies misusing donations during judicial discipline hearing
Michele Fiore testified that she believed a developer paid for a memorial statue honoring slain Metro officer Alyn Beck as she denied misusing donations during a Nevada judicial discipline hearing.
Toppenish School District receives $7.5 million federal grant to expand mental health services for students
The BriefThe Toppenish School District has been awarded up to $7.5 million through Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education), a federal grant administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).The grant will provide up to $1.5 million annually over five years to expand mental health services, strengthen substance use prevention and intervention, and improve access to support for students.District officials say the funding will help address identified gaps in services, particularly drug and alcohol counseling at the high school level, and will allow the district to build capacity for long-term mental health support.TOPPENISH, WASHINGTON — The Toppenish School District has been awarded up to $7.5 million through Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education), a federal grant administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), to expand mental health services and substance use prevention for students.District officials said access to mental health resources has been limited, making it difficult for some students and families to get the support they need. The federal Project AWARE grant will help address those challenges by bringing schools and local healthcare providers together to better support students.The grant will provide up to $1.5 million annually over five years to expand mental health services, strengthen substance use prevention and intervention, and improve access to support for Toppenish students. Deputy Superintendent Dr. Jeff Camero said the district is focused on coordinating with service providers in the area to work as a unified team."We made the awareness with the grant. But looking at all the service providers in the area and how can we all together work as a team?" Camero said.Camero said the district wants to use those resources to reach students earlier and provide more support for those struggling with their mental health. The district plans to address a range of mental health challenges, from anxiety and depression to youth suicide risk. Camero emphasized the importance of supporting students in grades eight through twelve, where suicide rates are a particular concern."Making sure from anxiety to depression, making sure that we can help support our students at those levels, but also the youth suicide risk, looking at that as a top in this area, in our grades, you know, eight, for example, eight through 12, looking at suicide rate and looking at how whether we look at the ACES or whatever program we're looking at, that's federal, how that connects and how we can better serve our students with this extra funding," Camero said.The funding will allow the district to bring in additional staff, including mental health and substance use specialists, to work directly with students and connect families with community resources. The district is already posting positions, including a director role, with additional positions expected to follow.District officials are also thinking beyond the grant's five-year timeline. Brittany Kaple, Director of Public Relations for the Toppenish School District, said the intent is to build capacity and establish connections that will sustain mental health services even after the grant funding ends."We do have the director position already posted, with some of our other positions following really close behind that. But the intent is to, you know, it's a five-year grant, so those positions would be funded for that five years. But there's also the intent to build capacity and make those connections so that at the end of the grant, when that money, you know, if that money is not renewed," Kaple said.As student mental health needs continue to evolve, access to drug and alcohol counseling has become an important priority for the district. Kaple said teachers and staff have been raising concerns about the need for more support, especially at the high school level."And that was something that was also an identified need by our high school staff when the superintendent met with them last school year. They said that that was a really great need, something that they felt was a gap in services that we were providing for our students. And so this is going to be one way to help support that need," Kaple said.The Toppenish School District says its goal is to ensure students and families have access to the support they need, both now and in the years ahead. Additional positions, including drug and alcohol counselors and family engagement specialists, are expected to be posted in the coming weeks. News Sunnyside City Council navigates 2027 budget planning Monique Garcia News "Dancing with the Stars" champion J.R. Martinez shares message of resilience during Central Washington visit Tyler Wargo News Toppenish, Mattawa educators honored at state Educator of the Year Awards Erin Wencl News Kennewick educator named 2027 Washington Teacher of the Year Erin Wencl News Voters to decide the next Yakima County Sheriff Monique Garcia COPYRIGHT 2026 BY APPLE VALLEY NEWS NOW. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston agrees to allocating $2 million to help businesses impacted by city construction
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston responded to the City Council's request for changes to the 2027 budget, in which city revenue is expected to increase slightly more than 1% from this year.
City of Fate Approves Chapter 380 Agreement Advancing Fate Yards Entertainment Development
FATE, TX (Oct. 19, 2026)— The City of Fate City Council voted 6-0 to approve a Chapter 380 Economic Development Agreement to support the creation of Fate Yards, a major entertainment and tourism-focused commercial center planned for the southeast quadrant of I‑30 and Memorial Parkway. The Fate Yards development represents approximately 274,000 square feet of...
Business Beyond the Beach: Rodrick T. Miller | President and CEO, Beacon Council
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... 🎙 Welcome to the Business Beyond the Beach Talk Show! The Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce is proud to present Business Beyond the Beach, the exclusive Chamber talk show created in partnership with Miami’s Community Newspapers. This series highlights the stories of Miami Beach Chamber members making an impact […]
New district lines will test if Lodi can help U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui fend off upstart Mai Vang
California's newly redrawn 7th congressional district pits the veteran congresswoman against a Sacramento City Councilmember.
City of Memphis investing millions in Soulsville housing, development
Also this week, early voting is underway and a judge is pondering whether to lift a ban on several people who were barred from Memphis City Council.
Candidates for Austin City Council District 9 discuss affordability, public safety and homelessness
Current City Council member Zo Qadri will face off with four challengers on the ballot in November.
West Village bars, restaurants face city scrutiny over zoning, licenses at council member’s request
A Detroit City Councilmember is pushing for a review of a handful of businesses.
Plan for £3.8m health facility in Rutland set for approval
Rutland County Council's planning committee is recommended to approve the application on Tuesday.
Mobile Health Clinic, Library Trustees Meeting, Closed Council Meeting: Princeton This Week
Zufall Health will offer exams, vaccines and more at Monument Hall, with fees based on what patients can pay.
Haverhill Councilors to Hear School Roof Borrowing, Condo Changes, Health Board Choice
Haverhill city councilors Tuesday are expected to hear plans for the estimated $3.6 million roof replacement at Golden Hill Elementary School, proposed changes to a Marshland Street condominium plan and approve a changing of the guard on the city Board of Health. Councilors are expected to file the school roof request for the required 10
St Vincent's Australia convenes first national AI Clinical Council
The council will guide the evaluation and adoption of AI technologies across its hospitals, aged care facilities and home-based services.
World Affairs Council of the Upstate to host ‘Supply Chains’ panel discussion on Oct. 29
The program will explore how geopolitical tensions, shifting trade policies, transportation challenges and changing global markets are reshaping supply chains.
Supporting Ohio’s small businesses
In Focus host Mike Kallmeyer sits down with Alex Beohnke with the Ohio Council of Retail Merchants
Iran Warns of More Devastating Response to Any US-Israeli Aggression
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Mohsen Rezaei warned that Iran’s Armed Forces have prepared a more devastating plan for any new military adventure than their response during the previous 12-day and 40-day US-Israeli wars of aggression.
Nepal’s Mandira Lamichhane Dhimal elected fellow of the International Science Council
She is the first Nepali woman scientist and only the second Nepali citizen to receive the distinction.
Recap: Glocester Council Expands Planner's Hours for Health Grant, Continues Senior Tax Hearing
The Glocester Town Council made the town planner full-time to run a rural health grant and continued its senior tax exemption hearing to Nov. 5.
Bluebird Days brings live music, local food and entertainment to Greenbelt
KBOI-TV CBS 2 covers news, sports, traffic, and weather in the Treasure Valley and Boise, Idaho and nearby communities, including Meridian, Nampa, Garden City, Caldwell, Kuna, Middleton, Eagle, Mountain Home, Star, Melba, Payette, Weiser, Horseshoe Bend, Idaho City, Marsing, Homedale, Parma, New Plymouth, Murphy, Fruitland, Emmett, Wilder, Notus, McCall, Cascade, Donnelly, Council, and Vale, Oregon, and Nyssa, Oregon, Ontario, Oregon.
Business Notes: Spanberger appoints Hampton Roads leaders to advisory council; $1.6M raised for St. Jude’s
View the latest business milestones and professional accolades in Hampton Roads.
Brenner named Guardian of Small Businesses
COLUMBUS – The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), Ohio’s leading small business advocacy organization, named state Sen. Andrew Brenner and state Rep. Meredith Craig as Guardians of Small Business, NFIB’s highest legislative honor. NFIB Ohio State Director Jared Weiser presented the awards at NFIB’s Ohio Leadership Council meeting Thursday.
Quakertown football wins fourth straight with victory over CR North
Quakertown dispatched Council Rock North in a Suburban One League Continental Conference high school football game. The Panthers have won 4 straight.
Reed Harris added to ASU's Tillman Leadership Council
Reed Harris leads the Big 12 in receiving yards and touchdowns. He is second in catches behind Baylor's Gavin Freeman.
Arts & Entertainment Calendar
Ghost Walk: Farmville Community Arts Council’s annual Ghost Walk will be held today and Thursday-Saturday. Tours will leave from the Paramount Theater, 3723 N. Main St., Farmville, every 10 minutes
Horse carriage drivers rally against ban ahead of vote to end industry
A full council vote on the bill is scheduled for Oct. 22.
Mars Impact Fund Commits $3M to 4-H science pathways
Mars is investing $3 million in National 4-H Council to expand agricultural, food science and veterinary career opportunities for up to 200K young people.
Heather Baker Joins Forbes Business Council, Brings Arkansas Media Leadership to National Stage
AY Media Group President and Publisher Heather Baker joins Forbes Business Council, bringing nearly 30 years of publishing experience to a national platform.
THE BUSINESS COUNCIL ANNOUNCES LEADERSHIP TRANSITION AS GOLDMAN SACHS CEO DAVID SOLOMON TAKES THE HELM
Washington, D.C., Oct. 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Business Council today announced that Goldman Sachs Chairman and CEO David Solomon will become its next leader, succeeding Brian Cornell, Executive Chair of Target Corporation. In this role, Solomon will chair one of the nation’s most distinguished business organizations, bringing together the world’s foremost CEOs to confront emerging challenges, advance innovation, and help define the future of global leadership. Cornell has led The Busin
As Troy mayor vetoes Flock law, council president promises override
Mayor Carmella Mantello says the law is biased in favor of criminal defendants. Council President Sue Steele says the veto was expected.
Exclusive: Goldman Sachs CEO to chair Business Council
Solomon will succeed Target's Brian Cornell as chair of the exclusive group.
Q&A with candidates for Leesburg Town Council and mayor
In Leesburg, the county’s largest town with a population of nearly 50,000, incumbent Mayor Kelly Burk, a resident of Crestwood Hamlet, is running unopposed for a sixth term.
Reitsma wants to be approachable to Wichita Falls constituents
Wichita Falls City Council District 5 candidate Heather Reitsma discussed her goals and her views on data centers.
Mars Impact Fund Commits $3 Million to Expand Youth Science Careers Across US
$3 million investment: Mars Impact Fund will support National 4-H Council’s Beyond Ready initiative over three years, expanding access to science
An Amazon 'science fair' and quashed legislation: A busy day for debate on Trenton data centers
On Thursday, Amazon hosted an open house about its potential 600-acre data center in St. Clair and Madison Townships. Trenton City Council also voted to withdraw several pieces of legislation proposing financial benefits for residents that would only take effect if voters reject Issue 17.
Chamber offers business-focused voter guide for 2026 general election
Business owners wanting to know where candidates for Congress, the state Legislature and Richland City Council stand on economic issues can review the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce’s online voting guide.
Oyster Creek City Council to vote on limit where sexually oriented businesses can open
The Oyster Creek City Council is set to vote Thursday night on an ordinance that would limit where sexually oriented businesses can operate in the small Brazoria County city.
Members of Governor’s Competitiveness Council break ranks to criticize tax proposal
Colorado needs to create a regulatory concierge for businesses, to treat housing as essential infrastructure, to simplify its sales and use tax system, and to modernize its workforce pipeline.
Recap: Warren Council Bars Self-Storage Downtown, Advances Vacancy Tax Changes
Warren Town Council removed self-storage from the business district and advanced vacant-property tax changes, with snow fines set for November.
Wyoming Business Council CEO resigns amid agency reform efforts
Josh Dorrell's tenure saw the council navigate through a shifting economic and political landscape that included an effort to dismantle the agency.
Santa Monica election heat: Who's really behind the attacks on Doug Trussler?
Opinion: Santa Monica Democratic Club leadership attacked council candidate Doug Trussler without disclosure. Analysis of local politics and the 2024 election.
Clinton Policy Institute outlines maternal health solutions for states
Health Care Clinton Policy Institute outlines maternal health solutions for states It’s the first major report from the project, which launched in July to foster nonpartisan policies to improve the wellbeing of children and families. Stephanie Akin 10:00 AM, Oct 15, 2026 Dr. Jacob Lenz performs an ultrasound at the Oklahoma State University obstetrics and gynecology clinic in Tulsa, Okla., on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Mary Conlon) The Clinton Policy Institute is calling on states to lead efforts to curb maternal mortality, releasing a 61-page playbook Thursday highlighting successful policies that could be adopted nationwide. The playbook is the first major report from the Clinton Foundation’s project, which launched in July to foster nonpartisan state and local policies to improve the wellbeing of children and families. “Eighty percent of maternal deaths are preventable, and we know what works,” CPI Chair Jennifer Klein said. “The solutions are well established and evidence-based.” CPI’s mission is to convene political leaders from both parties, policy experts, state officials and other stakeholders to explore solutions to longstanding problems. “What we aim to do is bring together people who are deeply engaged, but may not be meeting together in the same room,” Klein said, noting that state policymakers might not always be aware of what their peers are doing in other states. In May, CPI brought together lawmakers from Virginia and Pennsylvania, two of the 14 states that have passed bipartisan maternal health “Momnibus” packages modeled after a comprehensive federal proposal that has repeatedly stalled, called the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act. Other participants included Dr. Mona Hanna, founder of Rx Kids, a Michigan program that provides direct cash allowances to pregnant women and infants. Pennsylvania Rep. Morgan Cephas, who was part of the group, said she learned about funding opportunities she hadn’t come across during her decade in the Legislature. “As legislators we can issue grants, we can pass legislation, we can move policy, but we want to ensure that funding opportunities and programs that are tackling this issue are sustainable,” Cephas said. The playbook outlines broad areas where state policy can make a difference, such as allowing Medicaid to pay for doulas and remote patient monitoring, and using federal and private grant funding to pay for home visits to pregnant and postpartum women. For each category, it highlights innovative programs that can serve as models, with examples of specific actions state lawmakers and governors’ offices can take. Those include the Rx Kids model, which gets funding from the Michigan state budget; Pennsylvania’s Healthy Moms Vibrant Futures strategic action plan, emphasizing equity-centered maternal care, regional collaboration, Medicaid innovation, and workforce development that was launched this year with more than 160 stakeholders; and Kansas’s Bridging Plan, which reserves three slots and provides at least $26,000 in loan forgiveness for obstetric residents who commit to practicing in rural or underserved communities for 36 months. CPI emphasizes that its work is nonpartisan. Klein, the director of the White House Gender Policy Council under former President Joe Biden, acknowledged that CPI also takes positions on abortion, Medicaid funding, and the need to address the economic and social drivers of poor health, which might rankle some conservatives. “We don’t shy away from talking about those things that we think are part and parcel of the maternal health crisis in this country,” Klein said. “That said, there are so many policies that are both evidence-based and have been tried successfully in both red and blue states, and people can see that they can have real impact.” She pointed to the federal option to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage from 60 days to 12 months that was made available during the Biden administration and has since been adopted by every state but Arkansas. Other initiatives embraced across party lines include Medicaid coverage for midwives and doulas, as well as “bundled” payments for prenatal and postpartum care. That alternative payment model, pioneered in states such as Arkansas, Colorado and Tennessee, incentivizes fixed fees to cover all healthcare services associated with pregnancy and childbirth. Advocates say it promotes more coordination among caregivers, discourages unnecessary interventions, and expands postpartum support. In addition to maternal health, the initiative is also focused on addressing family economic security, children’s well-being, and democracy and civic resilience.
Is the EU research budget actually increasing?
Is a Horizon Europe budget of €158 billion a 10% cut or a significant increase to the EU’s support for research and innovation? What would seem like a question of fact has divided opinion in Brussels since the Irish presidency of the EU Council presented its negotiation box on October 10. The answer depends on factors such as how you adjust for inflation, whether you account for increases in overall EU wealth and if you care about absolute or proportional figures. The €158 billion budget in current prices, proposed by the Irish presidency of the EU Council, was quickly criticised by university lobbies and rejected by the high-level expert group led by former Portuguese science minister Manuel Heitor. It was also decried by the four pro-European political groups in the European Parliament. “How can Europe close its competitiveness gap while cutting the European Competitiveness Fund by 13% and Horizon Europe by nearly 10%?” asked a joint statement by the European People’s Party (EPP), Renew Europe, the Socialists and Democrats and the Greens/European Free Alliance. Together, these parties hold 63% of seats in the Parliament.In stark contrast, Irish foreign affairs minister Helen McEntee said that the proposal “significantly increases investment in competitiveness, research and innovation,” Meanwhile, a presidency press release said that, compared to the current Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the proposal would “double the volume of competitiveness related programmes.” So, who is right? That depends on how you make the calculation.Compared to the Commission figure or the previous budget?The first thing to notice is the difference in baselines. When the MEPs say the Irish presidency will cut Horizon Europe by “nearly 10%” they are using the European Commission proposal for the MFF from July 2025, which allocated €175 billion in current prices to Horizon Europe. However, when the Irish foreign affairs minister said the research and competitiveness budget is increasing significantly, she is comparing it to the 2021-27 MFF, which had a Horizon Europe budget of €84.9 billion in 2018 prices.Her point holds when accounting for inflation. Applying a 2% annual inflation rate, the calculation method used by the Commission, the 2021-27 Horizon Europe would have a budget of €97.5 billion in 2025 prices. In comparison, the Irish presidency’s €158 billion figure in current prices translates to €140 billion in 2025 prices. Does the ECF count?But there is more to the dispute. In its statements, the Irish presidency lumped the research budget in with the overall budget for competitiveness. The Parliament statement, however, kept the two separate. This matters because the next MFF includes plans to add a new European Competitiveness Fund (ECF) to fund programmes meant to boost the continent's competitiveness. The Irish negotiating box allocated €245 billion in current prices to this programme.When this is added to the €158 billion for Horizon Europe, as well as programmes such as the EU education programme Erasmus+, the total for “competitiveness, prosperity and security” in the Irish proposal becomes €514 billion in current prices. But it is still uncertain how big a share of this competitiveness budget would go to research. The Commission proposal of July 2025 for the MFF included clear links between the ECF and Horizon Europe, indicating some ECF money will go to research. At the same time, the structure of the ECF is still being negotiated, and a substantial part of its budget is expected to support non-research activities such as defence manufacturing, decarbonisation and digital infrastructure. Related articlesCouncil floats 9.6% budget cut to next Horizon EuropeResearch community to appeal to national governments over planned EU budget cutEU own resources ‘essential’ for future research budget, says leading MEPSo, it is by looking at competitiveness rather than research, or combining the two, that the Irish presidency can claim that its proposed budget will significantly increase investment in competitiveness, research and innovation.According to the Irish presidency proposal, Horizon Europe and other competitiveness-related programmes in the current multiannual budget received €221 billion in current prices. However, since this money is being distributed from 2021 to 2027, it is not directly comparable to the €514 billion in current prices which will be distributed from 2028 to 2034.Research as a proportion of the MFFBut the relative rise in competitiveness-related programmes points to another important distinction: whether you look at the research budget in absolute terms or as a share of the overall MFF. Here, too, the size of the research budget has risen, although only slightly. In the 2021-27 MFF, Horizon Europe accounted for 7% of the total budget. In the Irish presidency’s proposal, it amounts to 8.7%. The share for the total competitiveness envelope went from 17.7% in the current MFF to 28.1% in the Irish presidency proposal.This proportional share may seem irrelevant to universities looking for research funding, but it is becoming significant as budget negotiations between the Parliament, the Commission and the Council begin. On October 2, a group of 17 southern and eastern European countries sent out a statement calling for the EU agriculture and cohesion budgets to be protected. The Parliament’s co-rapporteur on the budget, Siegfried Mureșan of the EPP, has also said that the research envelope is likely to be cut disproportionately as the budget is slimmed down during negotiations.
One Small Step: Town Council candidate, recycling manager talk divergent politics and the impacts of trauma
Jessica Sell Chambers and Larry Hartenstein both advocate for survivors.
Councillors quit Reform UK after suspensions
David Dresser and Paula-Jane Thackray launch a new political group called Leeds First Independents.
Philly City Council is reluctant to abolish the sheriff’s office, even after a $20 million scandal
While Council members expressed dismay over the recently located $20 million, none clearly stated they were in favor of eliminating the sheriff’s office.
Business Council Of New York Visits Crystal Windows
National manufacturer Crystal Window & Door Systems was selected by The Business Council of New York as one of 11 stops on its week-long 2026 Manufacturers’ Week bus tour of major manufacturers across the state. On Monday, October 5, The Business Council bus pulled into the parking lot at Crystal’s Queens headquarters and factory where Business
Lincoln City Council chair calls AG's move seeking legal fees 'political intimidation'
Lincoln City Council Chair Brodey Weber on Wednesday called Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers' recent move seeking legal fees from the city “political intimidation.”
San Diego Rules Committee advances campaign to increase transparency in local politics
The San Diego City Council's Rules Committee Wednesday advanced proposals intended to increase transparency in local politics.
Mayor’s support clears the way for horse carriage ban
The City Council is expected to pass the legislation next week.
Wyoming Business Council announces Josh Dorrell to step down as CEO
CHEYENNE – The Wyoming Business Council (WBC) announced Wednesday that Chief Executive Officer Josh Dorrell will be stepping down.
Business Council CEO Resigns
Josh Dorrell has announced he will step down as Chief Executive Officer of the Wyoming Business Council (WBC). The WBC Board of Directors accepted his resignation at a special meeting on October 14. Dorrell took the helm in 2020, bringing private-sector leadership and a results-driven approach to the WBC. He guided the agency through the […]
City of Davenport adopts new occupational health contract
Davenport City Council approved a resolution to provide full on-site occupational health services for city workers.
Mission adopts policy for artificial intelligence usage in city business
MISSION — The city council here unanimously adopted a policy regarding artificial intelligence usage in municipal business.
Wyoming Business Council's Josh Dorrell stepping down as CEO
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Josh Dorrell, CEO of the Wyoming Business Council since 2020, is stepping down from his position after a special meeting Oct. 14. The
Ubisoft plans cuts at German studios, adding to wave of workforce reductions
Ubisoft is planning to reduce its workforce in Germany, where it operates a trio of studios, by about 100 workers, Game File has learned. The company wants to offer employees buyouts to, should enough people accept, avoid having to lay anyone off. “In Germany, we initiated discussions with the Works Council last week regarding a proposed voluntary departure plan across Ubisoft Dusseldorf, Ubisoft Berlin & Ubisoft Mainz,” a company rep told Game File. A “works council” is a union-like group representing employees. “The voluntary plan is the primary measure being proposed to support the intended organizational changes,” the Ubisoft rep added. The company declined to confirm the scale of the potential headcount cut. Of the impacted studios, Mainz might be the best known to the public. It leads development of the Anno series and shipped the well-reviewed strategy game Anno 117: Pax Romana in November 2025. Berlin and Dusseldorf operate as support studios within Ubisoft’s creative network. Berlin recently supported the development of Rainbow Six Siege and the Rayman Legends Retold remake. Dusseldorf also contributed to those projects, as well as The Settlers and Ubisoft-branded escape rooms. Dusseldorf is the biggest of the three studios, with some 400+ workers, compared to just over 100 at the other two, a source familiar with the reductions and the teams told Game File. More than half of these new reductions of about 100 people are expected to happen at Dusseldorf. The planned cuts were announced at a town hall for the German studios on Tuesday of last week. In an email follow-up, the studio group’s managing director, Benedikt Grindel, said the cuts were intended to “best position our German studios for the future... with a clearer focus on their role, capabilities and organizational setup needed for the work ahead.” The email was an echo of the past. In January 2025, Grindel had emailed the Ubisoft developers in his region (or studio “zone”) to explain that a round of 185 cuts at the time, including about 65 at Dusseldorf, were “essential to improve our operational efficiency and ensure the long-term sustainability of our studios, the zone and the company.” A half-decade of continued job cuts Ubisoft has been aggressively cutting its headcount for years. At the end of September 2022, it had 20,729 workers. By the end of March 2026, that total was down to 16,590. Studio management is trying to trim costs as it grapples with a changing industry and a drought of releases, let alone hits. The company announced earlier this year that it had reduced its costs since 2022 by “nearly €325 million” ($362m) and planned to lower them through 2028 by another €180 million ($200m). In June the company said it was closing down its Winnipeg and Belgrade studios and cutting roles in its Barcelona team. Even commercial and creative success hasn’t spared studios from this ongoing company-wide contraction. As Game File was nailing down details around the proposed cuts in Germany, Ubisoft management was informing workers of cuts in its Singapore studio, which shipped a hit remake of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag this past July. Some 70 positions in Singapore are being eliminated “to align the studio with upcoming production needs,” per a company rep’s statement to Game File. In early 2024, a large team in the Singapore studio launched the multiplayer pirate game Skull & Bones. It performed poorly but has been supported with regular content updates since. Many of Ubisoft’s studios around the world are heavily subsidized via regional grants and tax breaks. Singapore had been among them for years, but received no such local assistance in the 12 months ending this past March. News of the Singapore cuts broke today alongside word that Ubisoft is also proposing the closure of RedLynx, pending negotiations with officials. The Finnish studio behind the motorbike series Trials was founded in 2000 and sold to Ubisoft in 2011. As reported by VGC (and corroborated by Game File), Ubisoft management told employees it could not come up with a new, sustainable assignment for RedLynx. The 2025 workforce at Ubisoft Dusseldorf were straight-up cuts. This time, Ubisoft is hoping the reductions at its trio of German studios will largely come from workers taking a payout to leave. The company offered such voluntary dismissals at its Massive Entertainment studio (The Division) a year ago. For the German studios’ buyouts this time around, Ubisoft and the Works Council had discussed a formula that’d pay a worker’s monthly salary multiplied by 1.5 and by the number of years they’ve worked at the company, according to Game File sources. The formula is still subject to negotiations with the Works Council and has not yet been part of an official offer to workers. It could be adjusted up or down, and it could be supplemented with additional bonuses. Asked about the floated payout formula, a Ubisoft rep told Game File, “The terms of a potential voluntary departure program remain subject to negotiation with employee representatives. No final agreement has been reached, and we won’t comment on specific proposals while discussions are ongoing.” Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Item 2: Epic’s AI adventures Epic Games (Fortnite, the Unreal engine) is all-in on using AI to try to transform the way it makes video games and game-making tools. It’s leaders appear to be undeterred by any resistance among gamers and some game developers around generative AI—and instead emboldened by advances, particularly in AI-assisted programming. A recap of the last three days: On Monday, Bloomberg reported that Epic management told workers last week that development of an upcoming game combining Star Wars and Marvel characters would be “AI first.” Employees would be expected to use AI models such as Claude to code the game. A manager told Epic’s developers there would be “[n]o more hand-written code” and that art for the game would be “generated with full AI workflows,” per the outlet. Just ahead of that story running, Epic founder Tim Sweeney tweeted: “We have a huge pivot underway here at Epic, moving developers around to retool for maximum AI acceleration. The aim isn’t to do the same stuff with fewer people, but to enable everyone here to build MORE and BETTER stuff, and to bring the benefits to all teams using Unreal.” In a follow-up, Sweeney predicted that most game development processes would be at least three times faster a year from now than they were in January 2026, thanks to AI. To a person on X who told him he was failing to read the room, Sweeney said: “Much of the room wants it to be 2016 again, but it’s not. Our job, as the provider of tools and technology to much of the industry, is to design for the present that is and the future that will soon be.” On Wednesday, Epic announced it was releasing a faster launcher for its Epic Games Store marketplace. It did so by stating in a blog post as clear as could be that the launcher is an AI-enabled, vibe-coded project: Programming is hard. So, instead of doing that, we vibe coded a new Epic Games Launcher that’s way faster and more responsive than the current one, and has a new look. Programming is hard? That was unexpected phrasing from a company founded by a legendarily great programmer. Back in 2011, Sweeney told me that he’d picked up programming quickly as a kid and rejoiced at the power it gave him. “I could look at any program that anybody else had written and, with enough effort, build something cooler.” Item 3: The Xbox Labs experiment (and one of the people behind it) Microsoft’s Xbox division, which is flooding the zone with announcements lately, yesterday revealed a new internal tech-tinkering team called Xbox Labs. In the words of Xbox boss Asha Sharma Labs is “a small group of game makers, engineers and scientists whose job is to turn emerging ideas into things our players and developers can experience.” Conventional wisdom coming out of the announcement is that Labs is a team that’ll focus on ideas driven by generative AI. In her announcement, Sharma cited some of the dizzying achievements in tech and gaming over the past month as AI agents and other AI tools have been deployed to swiftly figure out how popular games work, then rebuild them and mix them up. She mentioned seeing ”games rapidly decompiled and rebuilt to run on hardware they were never originally designed to support” and said “[p]erhaps more surprisingly, we’ve seen many of the biggest games in the world have been remixed into the source code of another.” (Minecraft plus Elden Ring, for example, or Fortnite + Super Monkey Ball + Overwatch + Diablo + others.) Sharma also cited the work of Windows PC games being ported to run in browsers, a seeming reference to a recent AI-assisted fan port of Halo. Or perhaps Call of Duty or GTA. Sharma didn’t use the specific term “AI” in her memo, but she came close, citing AI “agents” and their potential for game-making tools that Labs could help craft: I think XBOX has an important role to play here. Coding became the first major workload for agents because they can write, run, and test software. Games share many of those same properties, and people spend more than 72 billion hours a year playing XBOX games, roughly five times the estimated time spent writing code worldwide. We’ve spent 25 years learning how to make great games, and I want our game makers to help shape what these new technologies make possible. As we learn, we’ll share the tools we build with developers across the industry, just as we always have. When I asked an Xbox rep if Labs was an AI-centric team, they said genAI was not the focus, describing it as having a broader mandate for using new tech in new ways in gaming. As an example, they pointed to Xbox’s recently launched disc-to-digital gaming usage rights program. Microsoft didn’t specifically name anyone involved full-time in Xbox Labs yesterday, but on social media and LinkedIn, I spotted Adrian Mato IDing himself as leading the creatio of tools at Labs and talking up the launch. Mato first caught my attention in late September, when he said on X that he was “starting to build a new team at Xbox focused on products and tools for how games get built and distributed as agentic tools become more capable.” At the time, he framed AI-based tools as a supplement to traditional game dev tools. “I don’t think we need to replace them,” he said. Since then, he’s publicly shown interest in AI and in games. He’s recently spent some of his X feed marveling at the power of AI agents and praising the lighting in the latest Gears of War. Following the Labs announcement yesterday, he enthused about the Xbox Labs’ stylish landing page. He wrote: “We built some fun tools to art-direct shaders in real time, experimented with interactive ASCII art, and sprinkled in lots of tiny details. “Move your mouse to leave a colorful trail that reveals the original footage, or interact with the video to trigger bursts of particles. “A lot of love went into making it all feel just right. “More to come”
Johnson survives City Council veto override attempt by a single vote
The failed veto override comes a week before Johnson unveils his plan to close a $882 million 2027 budget gap
Beacon CEO ML Mackey Named to Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Statewide Advisory Council
Beacon Interactive Systems announced today that CEO and Co-founder ML Mackey has been named to the newly formed Massachusetts Small Business Development Center (MSBDC) Statewide Advisory Council.
Horse Girls and Gays Rejoice! Mamdani Says “Neigh” to Carriage Industry
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the New York City Council have reached an agreement to end the use of horse-drawn carriages by June 2028.
100+ Manufacturing, Business Groups Urge Congress to Pass Bipartisan Permitting Deal
Washington, D.C. – The National Association of Manufacturers, joined by members of its Council of Manufacturing Associations, Conference of State Manufacturers Associations and other leading manufacturing and business organizations, sent a coalition letter urging Congress to swiftly pass the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act. Representing businesses across the country and industries throughout the manufacturing …