win777 casino MIAMI (AP) — The NBA is urging its players to take additional precautions to secure their homes following reports of recent high-profile burglaries of dwellings owned by Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis , Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley Jr. and Kansas City Chiefs teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. In a memo the NBA sent to its team officials, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, the league revealed that the FBI has connected some burglaries to “transnational South American Theft Groups” that are “reportedly well-organized, sophisticated rings that incorporate advanced techniques and technologies, including pre-surveillance, drones, and signal jamming devices.” Conley's home was broken into on Sept. 15 when he was at a Minnesota Vikings game and jewelry was taken, officials told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Portis said his home was broken into on Nov. 2 and has offered a $40,000 reward for information related to the incident. The homes of Mahomes and Kelce were broken into within days of each other last month, according to law enforcement reports, and the NFL issued a similar warning memo to its teams this week. The NBA memo, relaying information from the FBI, said the theft rings “are primarily focused on cash and items that can be resold on the black market, such as jewelry, watches, and luxury bags.” The NBA, which has also been giving guidance to team security personnel, recommended that players install updated alarm systems with cameras and utilize them whenever leaving the home, keeping valuables in locked and secured safes, remove online real estate listings that may show interior photos of a home, “utilize protective guard services” during extended trips from the home and even suggested having dogs assist with home protection. “Obviously, it’s frustrating, disappointing, but I can’t get into too many of the details because the investigation is still ongoing,” Mahomes recently said. “But, obviously, something you don’t want to happen to anybody, but obviously yourself.” One of the break-ins involving the Chiefs players happened on a game day — Oct. 7 — and Portis was also playing a game when his home was robbed. “They took most of my prized possessions,” Portis said. AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

NoneFunctional Food Ingredients Market to Grow by USD 53.14 Billion (2023-2028), Segmented by Product, Application, and Geography, with AI Impacting Market Trends - Technavio

BEIJING , Nov. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- During the Wuzhen Summit of the World Internet Conference, ZICC interviewed Internet experts from all over the world. Lampros Sterg, UNESCO Chair in AI & Data Science, said that AI can accelerate social progress, but it needs to be used properly to avoid its negative effects in order to benefit citizens and society . L atif Ladid, the president of the IPv6 Forum, called for the establishment of a global governance system to allow artificial intelligence technology to serve humanity for good. South Korean computer scientist Kilnam Chon shared insights on AI's positive role in healthcare. He urged global efforts to ensure AI safety and prevent its misuse in weapons . I ndian entrepreneur Bibin Babu said he believes that AI will not replace humans, but will create more new jobs. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zicc-internet-experts-pay-attention-to-the-development-of-artificial-intelligence-302314745.html SOURCE ZICC

NoneUnlocking Operational Excellence with the Keyence LM-1100: Precision, Efficiency, and Reliability2 convicted in human smuggling case after Indian family froze to death on US-Canada borderU.S. stocks climbed 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 Thursday after flipping between modest gains and losses several times in the morning. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 1.1%, and the Nasdaq composite edged up less than 0.1%. 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. Treasury yields edged higher in the bond market. On Thursday: The S&P 500 rose 31.60 points, or 0.5%, to 5,948.71. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 461.88 points, or 1.1%, to 43,870.35. The Nasdaq composite rose 6.28 points, or less than 0.1%, to 18,972.42. The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies rose 38.48 points, or 1.7%, to 2,364.02. For the week: The S&P 500 is up 78.09 points, or 1.3%. The Dow is up 425.36 points, or 1%. The Nasdaq is up 292.30 points, or 1.6%. The Russell 2000 is up 60.18 points, or 2.6%. For the year: The S&P 500 is up 1,178.88 points, or 24.7%. The Dow is up 6,180.81 points, or 16.4%. The Nasdaq is up 3,961.07 points, or 26.4%. The Russell 2000 is up 336.94 points, or 16.6%.

Two probe committees have been formed to investigate the death of three students of the Islamic University of Technology (IUT) in electrocution when their picnic bus came into contact with a high-voltage electric line in Sreepur, Gazipur on Saturday morning. Gazipur Deputy Commissioner formed a four members committee headed by Gazipur’s Additional District Magistrate Salma Akter. Other members are Shreepur Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Barrister Sajib Ahmed, Deputy General Manager (DGM) of Mymensingh Palli Bidyut Samiti-2 Khondokar Mahmudul Hasan, and another member whose name has not been disclosed. Another committee was formed by the IUT authorities, headed by Pro-Vice Chancellor and Head of the Electrical Department Rakibul Islam, consists of five members, including the dean and registrar of the university, along with two other officials. Gazipur District Commissioner (DC) Nafisa Arefin and the university's Pro-Vice Chancellor Rakibul Islam have acknowledged the formation of these investigation committees. Earlier, 460 students from Mechanical Engineering Department of IUT boarded on six BRTC double-decker buses were going to Matir Maya Eco Resort in Sreepur on Saturday. When the buses reached Udaykhali bazar, one of those came in contact with a high-voltage power line. Then three students of that bus were electrocuted at around 10AM. Several others were also injured during the incident. They were taken to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital where the on-duty doctors declared them dead on arrival. The deceased were Mozammel Hossain Naeem, 24, Mostakim Rahman Mahin, 22, and Jobayer Alam Sakib, 22. NY 3 IUT students electrocuted inside picnic bus in Gazipur

UNITED NATIONS — Myanmar’s desperate military junta is ramping up attacks on villages that have fallen to opposition groups, carrying out beheadings, gang rapes and torture, with women, children and the elderly among the victims, the U.N. independent human rights investigator for Myanmar said in a new report. Thomas Andrews, a former U.S. congressman from Maine, said in the report to the U.N. General Assembly circulated Friday that the junta has responded to military defeats and the loss of territory by using sophisticated weapons against civilians and seeking to destroy towns that it cannot control. Related Story: Myanmar: An Invisible Crisis Calling Myanmar “an invisible crisis” because the world’s attention is focused elsewhere, he said, “Escalating atrocities against the people of Myanmar are being enabled by governments that allow, or actively support, the transfer of weapons, weapons materials, and jet fuel to junta forces.” Andrews didn’t name the governments. But he praised Singapore for cracking down on weapons transfers that has led to a 90% reduction by Singapore-registered companies, and said sanctions imposed by the United States on junta-controlled, state-owned banks have disrupted military supply chains. The U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar lamented, however, that their actions remain an exception. He called on all countries to address Myanmar’s “devastating human rights and humanitarian crisis” by stopping the flow of weapons to the junta, stepping up humanitarian aid to millions in need, and supporting efforts to hold perpetrators accountable for human rights violations. Related Story: Escalating Violence and Humanitarian Crisis Myanmar is racked by violence that began when the army ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021 and brutally suppressed nonviolent protests. That triggered armed resistance and combat across the country, with the military increasingly using airstrikes to counter the opposition and secure territory. The army is on the defensive against ethnic militias in much of Myanmar as well as hundreds of armed guerrilla groups collectively called the People’s Defense Forces, formed to fight to restore democracy. The military has said in the past that it only attacks legitimate targets of war and has accused the resistance forces of being terrorists. Andrews called the military junta’s plan to hold an election in late 2025 “a farcical parody” and “thinly veiled attempt to create an impression of legitimacy and relieve international pressure.” He warned, “Not only is this fraudulent attempt outrageous, it is dangerous, as it could lead to even greater levels of instability and violence.” He ticked off grim statistics: Over 3.1 million people are displaced by conflict and the junta’s human rights violations, and 18.6 million people need humanitarian assistance, including 13.3 million facing emergency levels of food insecurity. He said the junta’s military forces have killed more than 5,800 civilians, destroyed over 100,000 homes and other civilian structures, and have kept more than 21,000 political prisoners languishing behind bars. “Junta troops have killed civilians in ground assaults, including the mass killing of individuals already in the custody of junta forces,” Andrews said. “Victims have been tortured, raped and beheaded, and their bodies burned.” Related Story: Desperate Situation in Rakhine State Andrews, a human rights fellow at Yale Law School who was appointed by the Geneva-based Human Rights Council, said the situation was most “desperate and dangerous” in Rakhine state in western Myanmar. Last November, the Arakan Army, which is seeking autonomy from Myanmar’s central government, began an offensive against the military in Rakhine and has gained control of more than half of its townships. The Arakan Army, which is the well-armed wing of the Rakhine ethnic minority movement, is also a member of the armed ethnic group alliance trying to topple the military. In the report, Andrews said: “The Arakan Army has been implicated in grave human rights abuses, including indiscriminate attacks, killings, sexual violence and arbitrary arrests.” He also said the military has responded to the Arakan Army’s steady losses in Rakhine by attacking civilians and raising tensions between the ethnic Rakhine and Rohingya communities. Buddhist-majority Myanmar has long considered the Rohingya Muslim minority to be “Bengalis” from Bangladesh even though their families have lived in the country for generations. Nearly all have been denied citizenship since 1982. In August 2017, attacks by a Rohingya insurgent group on Myanmar security personnel triggered a brutal campaign by the military, which drove at least 740,000 Rohingya to Bangladesh. The military is accused of mass rape, killings and burning thousands of homes. Meanwhile, the military junta has conscripted thousands of Rohingya men and deployed them to the front lines to fight the Arakan Army, he said. And Rohingya militant groups have “cynically aligned with the junta” and committed human rights abuses against the ethnic Rakhine population. “Hundreds of thousands of people in Rakhine State are completely cut off from humanitarian assistance and threatened by exposure, starvation and disease,” Andrews warned. “Failure to act immediately to provide emergency humanitarian aid will be a death sentence for untold numbers of innocent men, women and children.” A month ago, he said, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, the interim leader of Bangladesh where 1 million Rohingya refugees live, called on U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to convene a conference with all key players in the Rohingya crisis. Yunus has pressed for their repatriation to Myanmar. Andrews urged Guterres to call a conference that could help “seize the attention of a distracted world and mobilize the resources and action necessary to save the many lives that hang in the balance.”None

Jada Williams' goal was to 'play for her team for 5 minutes' after sprained ankle against GCUSyracuse, Albany each hoping to get right at expense of the other

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Matthew Downing threw for two touchdowns and ran for another to lead Elon to a 31-21 season-ending win over North Carolina A&T on Saturday. The game was tied at 7 in the second quarter when the Phoenix turned a fumble recovery into a field goal. That started a string of four-straight scoring possessions. Downing was 16 of 21 for 203 yards. Chandler Brayboy had 12 receptions for 118 yards with a score. Rushawn Baker ran for 106 yards for the Phoenix (6-6, 5-3 Coastal Athletic Association). Julian Bumper also had a 10-yard rushing touchdown on his only carry and Jamarien Dalton had a 30-yard receiving touchdown on his only catch. Freshman Cortez Lane returned a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown for the Aggies (1-11, 0-8), who lost their 11th straight. Justin Fomby threw for 190 yards and a touchdown pass to Daniel Cole and Shimique Blizzard ran for 87 yards and a TD. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football . Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25UN Deserves Commendation For Commitment Against Genocide – CCDI

Aston Villa up to third in Champions League as they triumph in five-goal thrillerNo-grow zone LABOUR cannot shirk the blame for our ­dismal economic figures. In the first half of 2024, under Rishi Sunak , UK growth led the G7 . Under the new “growth-focused” Government, we have shrunk for two straight months. On taking power Labour chose not to talk Britain’s prospects up but to trash the Tories, exaggerate our problems and conjure up a “£22billion black hole”. How did they imagine investors would react to a Government saying the country was on its knees? They fled. And our firms froze with fear about the Budget. READ MORE SUN SAYS The crippling tax rises that they unleashed, including the job-wrecking National Insurance hike, are likely to trigger more woe in November’s figures. Chancellor Rachel Reeves says she has rolled the pitch for bumper long-term growth. The OBR is more pessimistic. We must hope she’s right and the economists are wrong. Wrecker Ed IT is arguable that Russia might never have invaded Ukraine were it not for Ed Miliband’s ­political parlour games. Most read in The Sun In 2013 he whipped Labour to defeat Tory plans to join the US in bombing Syria to stop it using chemical weapons. Without us, President Obama backed off. Assad continued his savagery, his ally Putin saw the West had lost its nerve and months later he attacked Crimea. So Health Secretary Wes Streeting is right to call out our “hesitation”, meaning his Cabinet colleague’s opportunism. These days Miliband’s unbending ignorance is driving us off a Net Zero cliff. High time Keir Starmer stopped him inflicting the same carnage on our energy supply as he may have done on all those lives in Syria and Ukraine . Name them NO ONE failed Sara Sharif as egregiously as the family court which handed her over to her monstrous father and stepmother. A judge and social workers made that ruling in 2019 despite knowing Urfan Sharif’s appalling record of abuse. Now, incredibly, another judge has ordered they must remain anonymous to dodge criticism. But they SHOULD be accountable for the error which proved a death sentence for little Sara. How else to stop them making another? Andy sums WHERE is disgraced, jobless Prince Andrew getting his money ? Cut off by the King after the Epstein paedo scandal, he can still afford the huge bills on the vast Royal Lodge. READ MORE SUN STORIES His top business advisor is an alleged Chinese spy — and people are snuck into and out of his mansion “unnoticed”. Are these murky dealings remotely in the national interest? Or just Andrew’s?GOP lawmaker calls for Mankato prof to resign after comment about UnitedHealthcare CEO’s killer

Kendrick Lamar surprises with new album 'GNX' LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kendrick Lamar gave music listeners an early holiday present with a new album. The Grammy winner released his sixth studio album “GNX” on Friday. The 12-track project is the rapper’s first release since 2022’s “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.” Lamar’s new album comes just months after his rap battle with Drake. The rap megastar will headline February's Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show in New Orleans. The 37-year-old has experienced massive success since his debut album “good kid, m.A.A.d city” in 2012. Since then, he’s accumulated 17 Grammy wins and became the first non-classical, non-jazz musician to win a Pulitzer Prize. Ancient meets modern as a new subway in Greece showcases archaeological treasures THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) — Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city, is opening a new subway system, blending ancient archaeological treasures with modern transit technology like driverless trains and platform screen doors. The project, which began in 2003, uncovered over 300,000 artifacts, including a Roman-era thoroughfare and Byzantine relics, many of which are now displayed in its 13 stations. Despite delays caused by preserving these findings, the inaugural line has been completed, with a second line set to open next year. Conor McGregor must pay woman $250K in sexual assault case, civil jury rules LONDON (AP) — A civil jury in Ireland has found that mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor sexually assaulted a woman in a hotel penthouse after a night of heavy partying. The Dublin jury awarded the woman more than $250,000 for her lawsuit that claimed McGregor “brutally raped and battered” her on Dec. 9, 2018. The lawsuit says the assault left her heavily bruised and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. McGregor testified he never forced her to do anything and that the woman had fabricated her allegations after the two had consensual sex. The jury found for the woman on Friday. At least 15 people are sick in Minnesota from ground beef tied to E. coli recall U.S. health officials say at least 15 people in Minnesota have been sickened by E. coli poisoning tied to a national recall of more than 160,000 pounds of potentially tainted ground beef. Detroit-based Wolverine Packing Co. recalled the meat this week after Minnesota state agriculture officials reported multiple illnesses and found that a sample of the product tested positive for E. coli O157:H7, which can cause life-threatening infections. Symptoms of E. coli poisoning include fever, vomiting, diarrhea and signs of dehydration. Actor Jonathan Majors’ ex-girlfriend drops assault and defamation lawsuit against once-rising star NEW YORK (AP) — Jonathan Majors’ ex-girlfriend has dropped her assault and defamation lawsuit against the once-rising Hollywood star after reaching a settlement. Lawyers for Majors and Grace Jabbari agreed to dismiss the case with prejudice Thursday. Jabbari is a British dancer who had accused Majors of subjecting her to escalating incidents of physical and verbal abuse during their relationship. Representatives for Majors didn’t respond to emails seeking comment Friday. Jabbari’s lawyer said the suit was “favorably settled” and her client is moving on with “her head held high.” Majors was convicted of misdemeanor assault and harassment last December and sentenced to a yearlong counseling program. Hyundai, Kia recall over 208,000 electric vehicles to fix problem that can cause loss of power DETROIT (AP) — Hyundai and Kia are recalling over 208,000 electric vehicles to fix a pesky problem that can cause loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. The recalls cover more than 145,000 Hyundai and Genesis vehicles including the 2022 through 2024 Ioniq 5, the 2023 through 2025 Ioniq 6, GV60 and GV70, and the 2023 and 2024 G80. Also included are nearly 63,000 Kia EV 6 vehicles from 2022 through 2024. The affiliated Korean automakers say in government documents that a transistor in a charging control unit can be damaged and stop charging the 12-volt battery. Dealers will inspect and replace the control unit and a fuse if needed. They also will update software. Christmas TV movies are in their Taylor Swift era, with two Swift-inspired films airing this year Two of the new holiday movies coming to TV this season have a Taylor Swift connection that her fans would have no problem decoding. “Christmas in the Spotlight” debuts Saturday on Lifetime. It stars Jessica Lord as the world’s biggest pop star and Laith Wallschleger, playing a pro football player, who meet and fall in love, not unlike Swift and her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. On Nov. 30, Hallmark will air “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story.” Instead of a nod to Swift, it’s an ode to family traditions and bonding, like rooting for a sports team. Hallmark’s headquarters is also in Kansas City. Top football recruit Bryce Underwood changes commitment to Michigan instead of LSU, AP source says ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Top football recruit Bryce Underwood has flipped to Michigan after pledging to play at LSU. That's according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to share the recruit’s plans to join the Wolverines. Underwood pinned a post on his Instagram account, showing a post in which On3.com reported that he has committed to Michigan. The 6-foot-3 quarterback played at Belleville High School about 15 miles east of Michigan's campus, and told LSU nearly a year ago he intended to enroll there. Emperor penguin released at sea 20 days after waddling onto Australian beach MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The only emperor penguin known to have swum from Antarctica to Australia has been released at sea 20 days after he waddled ashore on a popular tourist beach. The adult male was found on Nov. 1 on sand dunes in temperate southwest Australia about 2,200 miles north of the Antarctic coast. He was released Wednesday from a boat that traveled several hours from Western Australia state's most southerly city of Albany. His caregiver Carol Biddulph wasn't sure at first if the penguin would live. She said a mirror was important to his rehabilitation because they provide a sense of company. Biddulph said: “They’re social birds and he stands next to the mirror most of the time.” Shohei Ohtani wins third MVP award, first in NL. Aaron Judge earns second AL honor in 3 seasons NEW YORK (AP) — Shohei Ohtani won his third Most Valuable Player Award and first in the National League, and Aaron Judge earned his second American League honor on Thursday. Ohtani was a unanimous MVP for the third time, receiving all 30 first-place votes and 420 points in voting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor was second with 263 points and Arizona second baseman Ketel Marte third with 229. Judge was a unanimous pick for the first time. Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. got all 30 second-place votes for 270 points, and Yankees outfielder Juan Soto was third with 21 third-place votes and 229 points.NEW YORK, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Blackstone (BX.N) , opens new tab expects an improved environment for mergers and acquisitions and a pickup in the market for initial public offerings to help the buyout giant sell and exit more than twice the number of investments in 2025, a top executive told Reuters. "IPO markets are open. The cost of capital has come down. The 2021 vintage, which resulted in a significant increase in volume for private equity deployment, will be four years old in 2025, so some of these deals, the ones that have done well, will be ready for an exit," said Martin Brand, head of North America private equity at Blackstone, in an interview at the Reuters NEXT conference in New York. Leading buyout firms have been gearing up for a recovery in leveraged buyout volumes in 2025, aided by lower interest rates, the need to deploy billions of dollars of raised capital, and a surge in opportunities tied to the booming artificial intelligence sector. Lower interest rates bode well for private equity firms, after a spike in financing costs in the last two years made financing leveraged buyouts more expensive and big deals hard to clinch. Yet some of the world's biggest buyout firms, including Blackstone, are starting to pursue large leveraged buyouts, as the financing outlook improves. "Large transactions will continue to happen and maybe even get larger. The financing market is certainly there," said Brand. In November, Blackstone struck an $8 billion deal to acquire sandwich chain Jersey Mike's Subs , one of the biggest buyouts of the year. Earlier this year, Blackstone agreed to buy Australian data center operator AirTrunk for $16 billion. In September, Vista Equity Partners and Blackstone reached an $8.4 billion deal to take collaboration-software maker Smartsheet SMAR.N private . U.S. private equity and venture capital deal volumes have reached $423 billion so far this year, compared with $440 billion for the entire year in 2023, according to data from Preqin. Large buyout firms are expecting a strong U.S. economy to be a big driver of M&A activity in the near term. Brand said it is too early to assess the impact of tariffs and deregulation on the economy under the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump. "We're generally confident in the (U.S.) economy," he said. "It seems to be gathering momentum." Blackstone, the world's largest alternative asset manager, has assets under management of about $1.1 trillion, as of the end of September. The firm, under Chief Executive Stephen Schwarzman, has identified the boom in generative artificial intelligence as a key growth driver. On a recent quarterly earnings call, Schwarzman said Blackstone manages $55 billion in data center assets that are currently being developed or under construction, and the firm has zeroed in on $70 billion in further investment opportunities in the sector. To view the live broadcast of the World Stage go to the Reuters NEXT news page: https://www.reuters.com/world/reuters-next/ Sign up here. Reporting by Echo Wang, Milana Vinn and Carolina Mandl in New York; Editing by Anirban Sen and Matthew Lewis Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab Thomson Reuters Milana Vinn reports on technology, media, and telecom (TMT) mergers and acquisitions. Her content usually appears in the markets and deals sections of the website. Milana previously worked at GLG and PE Hub, where she spent several years covering TMT deals in private equity. She graduated from CUNY Graduate School of Journalism with Masters in Business Journalism. Thomson Reuters Echo Wang is a correspondent at Reuters covering U.S. equity capital markets, and the intersection of Chinese business in the U.S, breaking news from U.S. crackdown on TikTok and Grindr, to restrictions Chinese companies face in listing in New York. She was the Reuters' Reporter of the Year in 2020.

Keith Reckdahl breathed a sigh of relief this week after an automatic recount, certified last week, confirmed his narrow 10-vote victory for a seat on the Palo Alto City Council. “There’s a lot of relief — it was a long grind, and the county process was lengthy on top of the recount,” Reckdahl said. Reckdahl, a planning and transportation commissioner, initially led fellow commissioner Doria Summa by just 12 votes, 11,539 to 11,527. However, last month’s recount tightened the race even further, leaving Reckdahl with a razor-thin 10-vote lead, 11,561 to 11,551, according to the official count from Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters. The Palo Alto race was one of several nail-biters in the region , including contests in Fremont, Cupertino, and Newark. In Newark, Julie Del Cantancio narrowly edged out Jacinta Arteaga by just three votes . Incumbents Greer Stone, the current mayor, and Pat Burt, along with newcomer George Lu, secured their seats on the council early in the race. With two new members joining the council, Reckdahl emphasized the importance of fresh perspectives. “The council has a few new people, and that’s good,” Reckdahl said. “It’s always valuable to have a variety of voices. You don’t want groupthink, where everyone’s thinking exactly the same.” One of Reckdahl’s top priorities when he takes office in January is to increase the housing supply and “modernize” downtown zoning. “The council is committed to adding more housing, but there are still many details to address,” Reckdahl said. “We must continue pushing aggressively to create more housing in the city. As for retail, we have some vacancies, and we’re working on modernizing downtown zoning to make the area more attractive. These efforts are already underway, but there’s still much to be done.” Palo Alto’s housing plan, officially known as the housing element, was certified in August after being sent back by the California Department of Housing and Community Development. In April, the city revised its plans to include measures for increasing access for minorities and zoning for multi-family construction. To meet its state-mandated housing targets, Palo Alto must build 6,000 new housing units by 2031 . “The housing element took a lot of time, which diverted attention from other city matters,” Reckdahl said. California Avenue, one of Palo Alto’s two downtown areas that features parklets, mom-and-pop shops, cafes, and restaurants, has become quiet since the pandemic as many tech companies and start-ups shifted to remote work. The council has been discussing ways to revitalize the area, but so far, efforts such as new signage, painted planters, bike lanes, and bollards have not been enough to boost foot traffic. “If you go down to California Avenue, it just looks like a cold street,” Reckdahl said. “It doesn’t look like an attractive shopping area, but it has so much potential.” In addition to serving on Palo Alto’s Planning and Transportation Commission, Reckdahl has worked as an aerospace engineer for Lockheed Martin since 2005 and is a graduate of Stanford University.