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McCollum Family Vineyard Opens Estate for Public Hospitality Experience in Willamette Valley

McCollum Family Vineyard Opens Estate for Public Hospitality Experience in Willamette Valley

McCollum Family Vineyard Opens Estate for Public Hospitality Experience in Willamette Valley
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McCollum Family Vineyard Opens Estate to Guests, Enhancing Willamette Valley Wine Tourism

McCollum Family Vineyard Opens Estate to Guests, Enhancing Willamette Valley Wine Tourism

McCollum Family Vineyard Opens Estate to Guests, Enhancing Willamette Valley Wine Tourism
TheStreetTheStreet
Costco's Kirkland Signature cancels popular adult beverage line

Costco's Kirkland Signature cancels popular adult beverage line

Some Costco shoppers may still have time to stock up, depending on where they live.
USA TodayUSA Today
These cities have designated Sept. 25 as Dolly Parton Day

These cities have designated Sept. 25 as Dolly Parton Day

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law that establishes Sept. 25 as Dolly Parton Day throughout the state.
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Faith Communities and Local Governments Collaborate to Expand Affordable Housing Through 'Yes in God's Backyard' Initiatives

Faith Communities and Local Governments Collaborate to Expand Affordable Housing Through 'Yes in God's Backyard' Initiatives

The 'Yes in God's Backyard' (YIGBY) movement is gaining momentum across the U.S., with states and local communities implementing legislation to facilitate affordable housing development on land owned by faith-based organizations. This initiative aims to address the significant housing shortfall by repurposing underutilized church parking lots or reimagining facility spaces for residential use. Several states, including California, Florida, Minnesota, and Oregon, have passed or are considering YIGBY acts. For instance, California's Affordable Housing on Faith and Higher Education Lands Act of 2023 allows for by-right development and waives environmental review and local zoning requirements if 100% of the homes are affordable. Florida's Live Local Act in 2025 and 2026 mandates local governments to permit multifamily and mixed-use residential development on qualifying religious-owned properties, provided at least 40% of units are affordable rental housing. Montgomery County, Maryland, also passed a zoning tex...
AP NewsAP News
At a talent show on Los Angeles' Skid Row, the performers are all part of the homeless community

At a talent show on Los Angeles' Skid Row, the performers are all part of the homeless community

Los Angeles' Skid Row held what is believed to be its first talent show featuring performances from people who are homeless or formerly homeless
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AI Data Centers Drive Up U.S. Electricity Bills, Sparking Political Debate Over Cost Allocation

AI Data Centers Drive Up U.S. Electricity Bills, Sparking Political Debate Over Cost Allocation

U.S. electricity bills are climbing, with residential electricity prices rising 3.8% year-over-year, and artificial intelligence (AI) data centers are identified as a significant contributing factor. These data centers, with over 1,500 planned or underway nationwide, primarily in rural areas, operate continuously, demanding massive amounts of power. This constant demand necessitates costly grid upgrades and new infrastructure, including transmission lines, substations, and transformers. Utilities are also facing increased labor, equipment, and supply-chain costs, alongside investments in transmission and maintenance. Wholesale power costs have also risen, contributing to a roughly 45% jump in average residential electricity prices since 2016. The expansion of AI data centers is accelerating this trend, leading to a political debate on whether households or technology companies should bear these infrastructure costs.
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Oregon Senator Introduces Bill to Transfer 18,000 Acres of Federal Land to Grand Ronde Tribes

Oregon Senator Introduces Bill to Transfer 18,000 Acres of Federal Land to Grand Ronde Tribes

Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley has introduced a bill aimed at transferring 18,000 acres of federal forestland within the Siuslaw National Forest to the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. This land, located near the Yamhill-Tillamook county line, is intended to help rectify historical injustices stemming from the 1954 Western Oregon Termination Act, which stripped the Tribes of federal recognition and land. The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, which include various Kalapuya, Rogue River, Molalla, Umpqua, Chasta, Clackamas, Tillamook, and Clatskanie bands, lost significant portions of their reservation over time, with the original 61,000-acre reservation being reduced to 33,000 acres by 1887 and further diminished by 1901. After regaining federal recognition in 1983 and subsequently recovering 9,000 acres, the Tribes currently own 10,800 acres in Yamhill County. The proposed transfer would place the additional 18,626 acres into a trust for the Tribe, with the stated goal of rebuilding their reservation, com...
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Baymont By Wyndham Odessa, TX, Hotel Sold to West Coast-Based Ownership Group

Baymont By Wyndham Odessa, TX, Hotel Sold to West Coast-Based Ownership Group

Baymont By Wyndham Odessa, TX, Hotel Sold to West Coast-Based Ownership Group
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Decatur Woman Sentenced for $158,000 Email Scam Targeting Agriculture Business

Decatur Woman Sentenced for $158,000 Email Scam Targeting Agriculture Business

Ogechi Urenna Udunka, a 44-year-old woman from Decatur, has been sentenced to prison for her involvement in an email scam that defrauded an agricultural company of over $150,000. Udunka pleaded guilty in Gwinnett County Superior Court to two counts of theft by taking and two counts of money laundering. Prosecutors revealed that Udunka participated in a business email compromise (BEC) scheme, a sophisticated cyber-enabled fraud where criminals impersonate legitimate business sources to illicitly obtain payments. In this specific case, the agricultural company believed it was paying an Oregon-based company for strawberry seeds. However, a fraudulent email, nearly identical to the legitimate one, redirected the payments to Udunka. She received $158,000 through two wire transfers in June 2021 and subsequently engaged in multiple financial transactions to conceal the origin of the funds, distributing them to herself and other co-conspirators. Under the First Offender Act, Udunka received a sentence of 10 years,...
AP NewsAP News
Firefighting helicopter crashes near Yosemite, killing both pilots

Firefighting helicopter crashes near Yosemite, killing both pilots

Officials say two helicopter pilots have been killed in a crash while battling a wildfire at Yosemite National Park in California
1Weather1Weather
Over 215 Wildfires Burning Across 27 U.S. States

Over 215 Wildfires Burning Across 27 U.S. States

As of the latest update, approximately 215 active wildfires are being tracked across 27 states in the United States, collectively burning an estimated 1,945,827 acres. The largest wildfire currently is the Crosswhite Fire in Wheeler County, Oregon, which has burned 342,923 acres and is 99% contained. Containment percentages indicate how much of a fire's perimeter has been encircled by control lines, not the extent to which the fire has been extinguished. This data is sourced from the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) and is updated regularly with satellite imagery from Esri and smoke data from NOAA. The situation remains dynamic, with containment efforts ongoing across the affected regions. [Source time: not specified]