Clemson added a quarterback to its 2025 recruiting class on Tuesday with Chris Denson announcing his decision to flip from Coastal Carolina. The 6-foot-2, 175-pounder from Plant City High School in Florida had been committed to the Chanticleers since April and has yet to visit Clemson's campus. Tigers coach Dabo Swinney has been putting a push on to flip Denson in recent weeks following the decommitment of Blake Hebert last month. "I just feel like my development will be through the roof," Denson told On3.com about his decision to switch. "Playing under one of the best coaches in the country and knowing that I haven't reached my potential yet, I know that they will take me to that level." A three-star recruit, Denson is ranked as the No. 50 quarterback in the nation by the 247 Composite. He is the 14th player to commit to the Tigers, who have also seen six players decommit this cycle, according to The Greenville News. "What makes Clemson special is just the level of ball that they are playing at," Denson said. "And the way they compete. I'm a huge competitor, so that's the type of place and people I want to surround myself around." --Field Level MediaThe Swatch Group AG (OTCMKTS:SWGAY) Sees Significant Increase in Short Interest
Clemson added a quarterback to its 2025 recruiting class on Tuesday with Chris Denson announcing his decision to flip from Coastal Carolina. The 6-foot-2, 175-pounder from Plant City High School in Florida had been committed to the Chanticleers since April and has yet to visit Clemson's campus. Tigers coach Dabo Swinney has been putting a push on to flip Denson in recent weeks following the decommitment of Blake Hebert last month. "I just feel like my development will be through the roof," Denson told On3.com about his decision to switch. "Playing under one of the best coaches in the country and knowing that I haven't reached my potential yet, I know that they will take me to that level." A three-star recruit, Denson is ranked as the No. 50 quarterback in the nation by the 247 Composite. He is the 14th player to commit to the Tigers, who have also seen six players decommit this cycle, according to The Greenville News. "What makes Clemson special is just the level of ball that they are playing at," Denson said. "And the way they compete. I'm a huge competitor, so that's the type of place and people I want to surround myself around." --Field Level MediaAmerican manufacturing is staging a comeback. More companies are building new facilities stateside or expanding existing ones. The biggest headwind? Companies are struggling to fill positions on -- and off -- the factory floor. There are three simple ways manufacturers can bring the talent they need on board. First, sell potential workers on their enterprises while they're still in school. Second, make opportunity for advancement a priority. Third, design a workplace that appeals to blue-collar and white-collar workers alike. America is home to nearly 400,000 manufacturing facilities, an increase of 11% since 2019. E-commerce, which makes up one-fifth of retail sales, requires three times more industrial space than brick-and-mortar retail. American manufacturers will have 3.8 million new jobs to fill in the next decade. They're already struggling to fill 1.9 million roles today. The two biggest reasons? A skills gap and a shortage of applicants. Companies need to evangelize, early and often, by dispatching employee-alums to colleges, vocational schools, and business schools to tout their compensation packages, opportunities for advancement, and advantages of their facilities. Next-level engagement can include partnering with schools that have proven good sources of talent to ensure students are getting the skills companies need -- from supply chain to warehouse management. Nearly 95% of manufacturers surveyed by Deloitte had at least one such partnership. Some things that manufacturers perceive as disadvantages in recruiting can actually end up being strengths. Many young people are enticed by big-city life -- until they encounter the cost of living. Manufacturers in small towns and exurbs can cite their locations as a quality-of-life asset. In the age of next-day delivery and streaming services, many young people can access the goods and entertainment they want without enduring the high price of urban housing. Manufacturers can also tell potential hires they offer faster advancement than other employers. Six in 10 workers who left their job in 2021 did so because they couldn't advance. The manufacturing workforce offers tremendous opportunity for young people. Manufacturing and warehousing rank among the top industries with workers over 55. Nearly 3 million jobs will be opening up because their current occupants will be retiring. Young people who want to climb the corporate ladder quickly will have the chance. Once new hires report to work, companies can offer thoughtful workplace design that fosters interaction and keeps them engaged with colleagues. The days of a cubicle farm overlooking a factory floor are over. Research indicates that training rooms, café areas, and collaborative spaces keep employees productive and excited about coming to work. One large manufacturer in Illinois created a "Main Street" social corridor in the middle of its technology team's office. Employees from all departments sought out the collaborative space, even preferring it to their own desks. The American manufacturing workforce is on the cusp of a generational turnover. In order to survive, firms need to prioritize recruiting young people, showing them opportunities for advancement, and creating workplaces that people want to come to. Jonathan Webb is director of workplace & healthcare markets at KI, a global furniture manufacturer in Green Bay, Wis.None
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METAIRIE, La. -- Dejounte Murray plans to return to the New Orleans Pelicans ' lineup on Wednesday night for the first time since fracturing his left hand in a season-opening victory over Chicago on Oct. 23. And when Murray takes the court against the Toronto Raptors , his mother will be on his mind. After practice on Tuesday, Murray discussed his impending return and disclosed more details about the previously unspecified “personal matters” that caused him to leave the team during the final days of the preseason. His mother had a stroke, he said. “It was tough to leave and go deal with that. As she got better, she wanted me to come play,” Murray said of his last-minute decision to start against Chicago. He added that his hand injury near the end of that game was God's way of telling him, “‘Nah, you need to stay with your mom.’” “I was more concerned about my mother. That was my priority,” Murray continued. “I wasn’t really worried about my recovery.” Murray's mother has recovered well, he said, while he is “healthy and ready to help this team.” “I’m ready to hoop. Play for my mother — she’s going to be watching," Murray said. “I’m ready to compete, bring that winning spirit.” The Pelicans (4-14) certainly could use the help, having lost 14 of 16 games since opening the season with a pair of victories. Injuries have ravaged the roster. At times, all five starters have been out. Star power forward Zion Williamson has missed 12 games this season — one with an illness and 11 with a hamstring injury. Herb Jones has been sidelined by a shoulder strain and Brandon Ingram's status is in doubt after he sat out practice on Tuesday with calf soreness that also sidelined him during a loss on Monday night at Indiana. But at least two starters — Murray and fellow guard CJ McCollum — are expected to play against the Raptors. “I don’t care how many games we’ve lost. I just know every time I step on the floor I feel like we can win games,” said Murray, who had 14 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in his lone game with the Pelicans. "That’s just my mentality, and I feel like it can carry over to a lot of guys.” ___ AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
How Trump’s bet on voters electing him managed to silence some of his legal woes
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks climbed Thursday after market superstar Nvidia and another round of companies said they’re making even fatter profits than expected. The S&P 500 pulled 0.5% higher after flipping between gains and losses several times during the day. Banks, smaller companies and other areas of the stock market that tend to do best when the economy is strong helped lead the way, while bitcoin briefly broke above $99,000. Crude oil, meanwhile, continued to rise. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 461 points, or 1.1%, and the Nasdaq composite edged up by less than 0.1%. Nvidia rose just 0.5% after beating analysts’ estimates for profit and revenue yet again, but it was still the strongest force pulling the S&P 500 upward. It also gave a forecast for revenue in the current quarter that topped most analysts’ expectations due to voracious demand for its chips used in artificial-intelligence technology. Its stock initially sank in afterhours trading Wednesday following the release of the results. Some investors said the market might have been looking for Nvidia’s revenue forecast to surpass expectations by even more. But its stock recovered in premarket trading Thursday, and Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said it was another “flawless” profit report provided by Nvidia and CEO Jensen Huang, whom Ives calls “the Godfather of AI.” The stock meandered through Thursday as well, dragging the S&P 500 and other indexes back and forth. How Nvidia’s stock performs has more impact than any other because it’s grown into Wall Street’s most valuable company at roughly $3.6 trillion. The frenzy around AI is sweeping up other stocks, and Snowflake jumped 32.7% after reporting stronger results for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The company, whose platform helps customers get a better view of all their silos of data and use AI, also reported stronger revenue growth than expected. BJ’S Wholesale Club rose 8.3% after likewise delivering a bigger profit than expected. That may help calm worries about how resilient U.S. shoppers can remain, given high prices across the economy and still-high interest rates. A day earlier, Target tumbled after reporting sluggish sales in the latest quarter and giving a dour forecast for the holiday shopping season. It followed Walmart , which gave a much more encouraging outlook. Nearly 90% of the stocks in the S&P 500 ended up rising Thursday, and the gains were even bigger among smaller companies. The Russell 2000 index of smaller stocks jumped a market-leading 1.7%. Google’s parent company, Alphabet, helped keep indexes in check. It fell 4.7% after U.S. regulators asked a judge to break up the tech giant by forcing it to sell its industry-leading Chrome web browser. In a 23-page document filed late Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Justice called for sweeping punishments that would include restrictions preventing Android from favoring its own search engine. Regulators stopped short of demanding Google sell Android but left the door open to it if the company’s oversight committee continues to see evidence of misconduct. All told, the S&P 500 rose 31.60 points to 5,948.71. The Dow jumped 461.88 to 43,870.35, and the Nasdaq composite added 6.28 to 18,972.42. In the crypto market, bitcoin eclipsed $99,000 for the first time before pulling back toward $98,000, according to CoinDesk. It’s more than doubled so far this year, and its climb has accelerated since Election Day. President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to make the country “the crypto capital of the planet” and create a “strategic reserve” of bitcoin. Bitcoin got a further boost after Gary Gensler, the chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission, said Thursday he would step down in January . Gensler has pushed for more protections for crypto investors. Bitcoin and related investment have a notorious history of big price swings in both directions. MicroStrategy, a company that’s been raising cash expressly to buy bitcoin, saw an early Thursday gain of 14.6% for its stock quickly disappear. It finished the day with a loss of 16.2%. In the oil market, a barrel of benchmark U.S. crude rose 2% to bring its gain for the week to 4.8%. Brent crude, the international standard, climbed 1.8%. Oil has been rising amid escalations in the Russia-Ukraine war. In stock markets abroad, shares of India’s Adani Enterprises plunged 22.6% Thursday after the U.S. charged founder Gautam Adani in a federal indictment with securities fraud and conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud. The businessman and one of the world’s richest people is accused of concealing that his company’s huge solar energy project on the subcontinent was being facilitated by an alleged bribery scheme. Stock indexes elsewhere in Asia and Europe were mixed. In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury inched up to 4.43% from 4.41% late Wednesday following some mixed reports on the U.S. economy. One said fewer U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week in the latest signal that the job market remains solid. Another report, though, said manufacturing in the mid-Atlantic region unexpectedly shrank. Sales of previously occupied homes, meanwhile, strengthened last month by more than expected. AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Yuri Kageyama contributed.
BREAKING NEWS Massive £177million EuroMillions jackpot has been won by UK ticket holder By SHANNON MCGUIGAN Published: 22:32, 26 November 2024 | Updated: 22:58, 26 November 2024 e-mail 32 View comments A UK ticket holder has won the £177 million EuroMillions jackpot in Tuesday's draw, the National Lottery said. National Lottery players have been encouraged to check their tickets in case they have bagged the nine-figure jackpot. Tonight's National Lottery EuroMillions winning numbers were 07, 11, 25, 31, 40 and 35, whilst the Lucky Stars were 01, 10. Andy Carter, senior winners' adviser at Allwyn, operator of the National Lottery, said: 'Wow, it has been a truly incredible night for a single UK ticket-holder who has scooped tonight's jaw-dropping £177m EuroMillions jackpot! 'The win has landed them a spot on the National Lottery's Rich List, as they have become the third biggest National Lottery winner of all time! 'What a wonderful win right before Christmas , and we cannot wait to pay out this amazing prize.' A UK ticket holder has won the £177 million EuroMillions jackpot in Tuesday's draw (Stock image) This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow. Share or comment on this article: Massive £177million EuroMillions jackpot has been won by UK ticket holder e-mail Add comment"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" Thanks for your interest in Kalkine Media's content! To continue reading, please log in to your account or create your free account with us.The list of President-elect Donald Trump's legal cases is shrinking — or being delayed. On Monday, Special Counsel Jack Smith filed a motion to dismiss the Washington, D.C. election subversion case. He also asked a federal appeals court to stop reviewing the classified documents case in Florida. On Tuesday, that court granted dismissal of the case against Trump — though not against other appellees. In dismissing the cases, the Special Counsel cited the Department of Justice's long-standing policy of not prosecuting sitting presidents. "After careful consideration, the Department has determined that OLC's prior opinions concerning the Constitution's prohibition on federal indictment and prosecution of a sitting President apply to this situation and that as a result this prosecution must be dismissed before the defendant is inaugurated," Smith wrote in his court filing regarding the election subversion case. "We've used the word unprecedented a lot over the course of the last four years, and yet again this is something that is unprecedented, and Smith himself said this in his motion," former state and federal prosecutor David S. Weinstein told Scripps News. "He took great detail to point out that this was not based on the strength or weakness of the case." In a post on Truth Social , Trump said in part "These cases, like all of the other cases I have been forced to go through, are empty and lawless." RELATED STORY | Special counsel evaluating how to wind down federal cases against Trump Earlier this year, Trump faced four on-going criminal cases. He was convicted in his New York hush money case in May, but sentencing — which was scheduled for this week — has been delayed . After Smith's actions Monday, Trump now faces only the Georgia election interference case. In Georgia, Trump was indicted along with 18 allies, accused of trying to overturn the 2020 election results in the state. But that case is now on hold after the state appeals court unexpectedly removed a December hearing from its calendar. That court will issue a new order on how this case will move forward, but with less than two months before the inauguration, the future of the Georgia and New York hush money cases are still being decided. "The two state cases are likely to recede into the background — at best," former Department of Justice attorney and current partner at Gelber, Schachter & Greenberg, Barbara Llanes, told Scripps News. "We probably won't hear much about these cases following the inauguration of President-elect Trump." Defense attorneys for Trump believe his election victory is enough for the hush money case to be dismissed. They need to file a motion by Dec. 2 making that argument. Then prosecutors have until Dec. 9 to file a rebuttal. They still believe Trump should be sentenced — even if it's after he leaves office. Judge Juan Merchan will then make a decision on how this case should move forward. There's no set date on exactly when he will make that decision.
Forthright and fearless, the Nobel Prize winner took pot-shots at former prime minister Tony Blair and ex-US president George W Bush among others. His death came after repeated bouts of illness in which images of the increasingly frail former president failed to erase memories of his fierce spirit. Democrat James Earl “Jimmy” Carter Jr swept to power in 1977 with his Trust Me campaign helping to beat Republican president Gerald Ford. Serving as 39th US president from 1977 to 1981, he sought to make government “competent and compassionate” but was ousted by the unstoppable Hollywood appeal of a certain Ronald Reagan. A skilled sportsman, Mr Carter left his home of Plains, Georgia, to join the US Navy, returning later to run his family’s peanut business. A stint in the Georgia senate lit the touchpaper on his political career and he rose to the top of the Democratic movement. But he will also be remembered for a bizarre encounter with a deeply disgruntled opponent. The president was enjoying a relaxing fishing trip near his home town in 1979 when his craft was attacked by a furious swamp rabbit which reportedly swam up to the boat hissing wildly. The press had a field day, with one paper bearing the headline President Attacked By Rabbit. Away from encounters with belligerent bunnies, Mr Carter’s willingness to address politically uncomfortable topics did not diminish with age. He recently said that he would be willing to travel to North Korea for peace talks on behalf of US President Donald Trump. He also famously mounted a ferocious and personal attack on Tony Blair over the Iraq war, weeks before the prime minister left office in June 2007. Mr Carter, who had already denounced George W Bush’s presidency as “the worst in history”, used an interview on BBC radio to condemn Mr Blair for his tight relations with Mr Bush, particularly concerning the Iraq War. Asked how he would characterise Mr Blair’s relationship with Mr Bush, Mr Carter replied: “Abominable. Loyal, blind, apparently subservient. “I think that the almost undeviating support by Great Britain for the ill-advised policies of President Bush in Iraq have been a major tragedy for the world.” Mr Carter was also voluble over the Rhodesia crisis, which was about to end during his presidency. His support for Robert Mugabe at the time generated widespread criticism. He was said to have ignored the warnings of many prominent Zimbabweans, black and white, about what sort of leader Mugabe would be. This was seen by Mr Carter’s critics as “deserving a prominent place among the outrages of the Carter years”. Mr Carter has since said he and his administration had spent more effort and worry on Rhodesia than on the Middle East. He admitted he had supported two revolutionaries in Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo, and with hindsight said later that Mugabe had been “a good leader gone bad”, having at first been “a very enlightened president”. One US commentator wrote: “History will not look kindly on those in the West who insisted on bringing the avowed Marxist Mugabe into the government. “In particular, the Jimmy Carter foreign policy... bears some responsibility for the fate of a small African country with scant connection to American national interests.” In recent years Mr Carter developed a reputation as an international peace negotiator. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his commitment to finding peaceful solutions to international conflicts, his work with human rights and democracy initiatives, and his promotion of economic and social programmes. Mr Carter was dispatched to North Korea in August 2008 to secure the release of US citizen Aijalon Mahli Gomes, who had been sentenced to eight years of hard labour after being found guilty of illegally entering North Korea. He successfully secured the release of Mr Gomes. In 2010 he returned to the White House to greet President Barack Obama and discuss international affairs amid rising tensions on the Korean peninsula. Proving politics runs in the family, in 2013 his grandson Jason, a state senator, announced his bid to become governor in Georgia, where his famous grandfather governed before becoming president. He eventually lost to incumbent Republican Nathan Deal. Fears that Mr Carter’s health was deteriorating were sparked in 2015 when he cut short an election observation visit in Guyana because he was “not feeling well”. It would have been Mr Carter’s 39th trip to personally observe an international election. Three months later, on August 12, he revealed he had cancer which had been diagnosed after he underwent surgery to remove a small mass in his liver. Mr Obama was among the well-wishers hoping for Mr Carter’s full recovery after it was confirmed the cancer had spread widely. Melanoma had been found in his brain and liver, and Mr Carter underwent immunotherapy and radiation therapy, before announcing in March the following year that he no longer needed any treatment. In 2017, Mr Carter was taken to hospital as a precaution, after he became dehydrated at a home-building project in Canada. He was admitted to hospital on multiple occasions in 2019 having had a series of falls, suffering a brain bleed and a broken pelvis, as well as a stint to be treated for a urinary tract infection. Mr Carter spent much of the coronavirus pandemic largely at his home in Georgia, and did not attend Joe Biden’s presidential inauguration in 2021, but extended his “best wishes”. Former first lady Rosalynn Carter, the closest adviser to Mr Carter during his term as US president, died in November 2023. She had been living with dementia and suffering many months of declining health. “Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished,” Mr Carter said in a statement following her death. “She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me.”None
Jesse James' Estranged Wife Bonnie Rotten Requests Contents of 'Gun Room'Over the past few years, Elon Musk has expanded his footprint in Texas, moving his companies from California and building offices, warehouses and manufacturing plants across a growing number of Texas counties. Now Musk is trying to do something that few, if any, titans of industry have done in a century: create his own company town. Musk has long talked about his desire to make a new town — which he hopes to call Starbase — in coastal South Texas, where his rocket launch company, SpaceX, is based. For years, the plan did not appear to be moving forward in any official way, in part because creating a new municipality in Texas requires a certain number of residents and support from a majority of voters. But in that time, SpaceX employees have packed into newly refurbished midcentury homes and temporary housing — some of it in the form of silver Airstream trailers — in the shadow of the company’s rockets. Then this month, company employees who live around its offices and launch site took the first major step toward incorporating a town, gathering signatures and filing an official petition to hold an election. The petition, filed with top officials in Cameron County and shared with The New York Times based on a public records request, provides some of the first details on the size and the operation of the new city that Musk and his company are envisioning. If authorized by the county, the election would allow voters to cast a ballot for a slate of three new city officials, including the city’s first mayor. The petition suggests that the mayor will be SpaceX’s security manager, Gunnar Milburn. “This is a very unique situation,” said Alan Bojorquez, a lawyer in Austin who specializes in helping groups of Texas residents through the process of incorporating new towns. He said he had never helped a company that wanted its employees to form their own town. The Starbase petition describes a community of around 500 current inhabitants, including at least 219 primary residents and more than 100 children, in an area at the very end of State Highway 4 by Boca Chica Beach, where SpaceX launches many of its rockets. Town Is a Bit Bigger Than Central Park The town would be about 1.5 square miles, a little larger than Central Park but small by Texas standards. Nearly everyone is a renter and works at SpaceX, according to the petition. There are few examples in Texas of such company towns, though there is one north of Houston where the founder of the Texas Renaissance Festival created the town of Todd Mission and became its mayor. And Musk may not be content with just one new town. He has already looked into the possibility of housing employees in a development outside the town of Bastrop, near Austin. The area is home to a swiftly growing campus for Musk companies, including a manufacturing plant for SpaceX; the headquarters of the Boring Co., which is creating tunneling technology; and, soon, offices for the social platform X. It was not clear from the petition why Musk and his company were seeking to create the new town of Starbase nor what benefit they might obtain from doing so. Bojorquez said that most new towns were created by people who live in unincorporated areas and want to prevent their area from being gobbled up by an expanding city, or to keep a particularly undesirable business from moving in. The new town being proposed by Musk could create its own police or fire departments, or issue its own ordinances. But it would not have to. “Cities are required by law to do very little,” Bojorquez said. One of the biggest practical issues is road maintenance, which would no longer be handled by the county. Of course, incorporation allows communities to elect their own local leaders, and also to create municipal utility systems, such as for water. As a city, Starbase would be eligible for state and federal grants, would have certain immunity from lawsuits and could also condemn property, Bojorquez said. In a letter filed along with the petition, Kathryn Lueders, SpaceX’s general manager for Starbase, said the company needed “the ability to grow Starbase as a community,” and noted that SpaceX “currently performs civil functions” because of its remote location, including managing utilities and providing schooling and medical care. “Incorporation would move the management of some of these functions to a more appropriate public body,” Lueders wrote in her letter to the Cameron County judge, who is the county’s top executive and must approve the petition if it meets all of the legal requirements. For years, SpaceX has run into local opposition in Cameron County from environmental groups over the effect of large-scale and frequent launches on the nearby protected coastal ecology. And residents and officials from Brownsville, about 20 miles away, have at times complained that launches shut down roads and cut them off from the beach. Previously, the company had appeared interested only in having the area’s name changed for the purposes of postal delivery. An application to do so is pending before a federal agency. “We thought that was what they were really looking for, but I guess they wanted to extend that a little further,” the county judge, Eddie Treviño Jr., said in an interview. “Obviously, they think that there’s some advantage to it.” Treviño said the county’s legal team and elections office were studying the petition to see if it met the legal requirements. “I’m waiting to hear back from them,” he said. An election could be scheduled next year. The proposed new mayor, Milburn, declined to comment when reached by phone Monday. So did others who signed the petition. — This article originally appeared in . By J. David Goodman/Meridith Kohut c. 2024 The New York Times Company
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