All posts tagged: Council

Man at City Council Meeting Makes Devastating Case Against Proposed Local Data Center

Man at City Council Meeting Makes Devastating Case Against Proposed Local Data Center

Published by José Betancourt

Sign up to see the future, today Can’t-miss innovations from the bleeding edge of science and tech The growing anger over the AI industry’s obsession with building massive and resource-intensive data centers across the country is as palpable than ever. A recent survey by the Pew Research Center highlighted widespread public concern over the facilities’ environmental harms, effects on home energy costs, and the quality of life of nearby residents. These concerns do seem justified. Experts have found that data centers can spike local electricity prices, generate copious amounts of greenhouse gases, and place a major strain on freshwater resources. Now, a self-described content creator and digital artist named Will Hollingsworth who spoke up during a city council meeting in Ravenna, Ohio — a small town of 11,000 residents — is turning heads with his passionate argument against data centers. The council’s chambers became overwhelmed with a crowd of almost 100 people during the April 10 meeting, which hosted a debate over a proposed 12-month moratorium on data center construction in the area inspired by …

Tories win seat from Reform in council by-election in boost for Kemi Badenoch | Politics | News

Tories win seat from Reform in council by-election in boost for Kemi Badenoch | Politics | News

Published by Sam Flores

The Conservatives have gained a seat from Reform UK in a council by-election in the latest sign of a bounce for Kemi Badenoch’s party. The Tories took the Cramlington South West ward on Northumberland County Council with 34.2% of the vote, up nine points. Reform was down 13 points to second place with 26.1% of the vote share. The Liberal Democrats came third with 23%, while the Greens were fourth on 14.3%. It comes as the Tory fightback is underway following their 2024 general election defeat. The research found that 22% of voters backed the Conservatives, up 3% from the previous poll. Meanwhile, Reform’s lead had narrowed with Nigel Farage’s party on 25%, down 5% from the week before. Labour was third on 21%, while Zack Polanski’s Greens were fourth on 13% and the Lib Dems were on 12%. It comes ahead of next month’s local elections where Reform is expected to make major gains, while Labour is facing a drubbing. Source link

Cinema United Confirms Formation of Filmmaker Leadership Council

Cinema United Confirms Formation of Filmmaker Leadership Council

Published by Daniella Wilson

A coalition of filmmakers are uniting to “champion the future of cinema worldwide.” Cinema United confirmed today the formation of a Filmmaker Leadership Council that will provide “meaningful support” for theatrical exhibition. It will be led by blockbuster veteran Jerry Bruckheimer and Oscar winning producer Emma Thomas as chair and vice chair respectively. Rounding out the council will be Oscar winners Ryan Coogler and Brad Bird, and Oscar nominees Jason Reitman and Celine Song. Per the organization, the council will work with Cinema United to “provide vital feedback and recommendations on the most pressing issues facing theatrical exhibition today,” such as consolidation, windows, promotion, marketing, innovation and technology. Cinema United senior consultant Greg Foster is credited with being instrumental in the council formation and he will serve as executive director. “Movies that captivate audiences and take their breath away — that’s why so many of us got into this business in the first place. There is nothing like that feeling of sitting in a dark theatre, the sound washing over you, watching something unfold on …

Key Contests To Look Out For In The Wales, Scotland, And Local Council Elections

Key Contests To Look Out For In The Wales, Scotland, And Local Council Elections

Published by Sam Flores

Labour has led every Welsh government since the start of devolution in 1999 (Alamy) 11 min read49 min Across England, Scotland and Wales, voters will go to the polls on 7 May in what could be one of the most fragmented and unpredictable local and devolved election cycles in recent British politics. Elections across local councils in England, Holyrood in Scotland, and the Senedd in Wales are taking place on Thursday, 7 May 2026.  Approximately 4,992 councillors will be elected across 136 councils, as well as 6 local authority mayors. Two new councils are also being elected in East and West Surrey, and all 32 London boroughs are holding elections. The Labour Party is defending more than 2,000 seats, the Conservatives are defending more than 1,000, the Lib Dems around 600, the Greens nearly 200, and Reform around 70 seats.  All seats in both Holyrood, the Scottish Parliament, and the Senedd, the Welsh Parliament, are also being contested. The scale of these contests creates potential for huge political upheaval across all …

Liberal Council In UK Moves To Ban “Intimidating” National Flags

Liberal Council In UK Moves To Ban “Intimidating” National Flags

Published by Jenni Sidey

Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news, In the latest salvo against British identity, a Liberal Democrat-run council has formally branded the simple act of flying the England flag an “act of intimidation and division” – and backed it up with a legal notice threatening residents with prosecution. Oxfordshire County Council is pushing a county-wide crackdown by on the grassroots Raise the Colours campaign, which has been putting up Union Flags and St George’s Crosses in public spaces as a straightforward show of patriotism. The council’s message is clear: national symbols are now suspect. A Liberal Democrat-run council is attempting to ban residents from raising “intimidating” St George’s Cross and Union flags, issuing a formal stop notice to the Raise the Colours campaign group. https://t.co/IlHHsPZG0v — Toby Young (@toadmeister) April 1, 2026 The council issued the formal stop notice to the Raise the Colours group, warning that continued flag displays could lead to civil and even criminal proceedings. Council leader Liz Leffman charged that “The widespread installation of flags by Raise the Colours is not a sign of …

Germany Creates New Council to Oversee Returns of Looted Art

Germany Creates New Council to Oversee Returns of Looted Art

Published by Jenni Sidey

The German government is creating a new council to oversee the restitution of artifacts acquired in a colonial context, the Art Newspaper reported Tuesday. The new panel, known as the Coordination Council for Returns of Cultural Property and Human Remains from Colonial Contexts, will be made up of representatives from German government, state, and municipal authorities, according to a statement released yesterday. The council is “an important step in responsibly handling cultural property and human remains from colonial contexts,” explained German culture minister Wolfram Weimer.  Related Articles The news follows the creation of other European committees tasked with establishing frameworks for the return of looted objects. (America lacks a centralized law enforcing the return of international trafficked items, though many major American museums such as the Smithsonian have formed their own policies regarding stolen artifacts in recent years):  In 2017, French President Emmanuel Macron pledged to return works of art looted in Africa during the colonial era; a 2026 proposal passed unanimously by the French Senate in January aims to formalize the process of restitution of …

A watered-down ‘buffer zone’ bill passes NYC Council

A watered-down ‘buffer zone’ bill passes NYC Council

Published by Sam Flores

(RNS) — The New York City Council passed a bill Thursday (March 26) calling for buffer zones around places of worship in an attempt to protect them from rowdy protesters. But the bill that passed with a solid majority, 44-5, with one abstention, was a watered-down version of what Council Speaker Julie Menin initially called for. The bill, which had been much discussed after a November protest was held outside a prominent Manhattan synagogue, directs the New York Police Department to present a plan to the mayor and the council within 45 days, explaining how the city will use “security perimeters” to help safeguard houses of worship. Menin, who is Jewish, had originally called for secure buffer zones of up to 100 feet outside of houses of worship. But Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch raised concerns that the bill would restrict the police’s ability to determine the size of the necessary buffer zones. Others raised free speech concerns and said a buffer zone law would only serve to intimidate those fighting for Palestinian human rights. The bill …

Ex-SNP council leader Jordan Linden guilty of multiple sex offences against young men and boys | UK News

Ex-SNP council leader Jordan Linden guilty of multiple sex offences against young men and boys | UK News

Published by Sam Flores

A former SNP council leader has been found guilty of preying on young men and boys. Jordan Linden, 30, was convicted of 10 offences – including five sexual assaults, stalking and sexual communication – following a trial at Falkirk Sheriff Court. Linden, who stood down as leader of North Lanarkshire Council in 2022 after the allegations came to light, was placed on the sex offenders’ register ahead of his sentencing in May. The offences took place over a 10-year period between 2011 and 2021. Police Scotland said all of the victims were either boys or young men, with the youngest aged just 14. The force said Linden, who also chaired the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) between 2015 and 2016, sexually assaulted two victims at a house party following a Dundee Pride parade in 2019. Linden was charged in February 2024. Detective Chief Inspector Diane Barr said: “This was a protracted investigation which involved speaking with a broad range of people, many of whom regarded Linden as being in a position of trust. “He abused this …