Authored by Lawrence Wilson via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), The 2024 presidential election may be remembered as the moment Americans abandoned the issues that defined the post-Cold War era and formed new political coalitions based on class, some experts say. President-elect Donald Trump solidified his hold on the working class in his second electoral victory, even as voters with higher incomes and education levels moved to the left. Whether those shifts will be permanent depends largely on how both parties respond to the emerging politics of class, according to analysts. Some believe Democrats can recapture their historic working-class base by listening to the voters who have been drifting away from their party for a decade and crafting a new liberal vision based more on class than on race, gender, or social issues. Republicans, on the other hand, might keep this new party configuration together if they deliver on the promises that won the majority while forming a governing philosophy based on Trump’s America First agenda without alienating traditional Republicans of the Reagan-Bush era. Here’s what happened in 2024 and what it means for both parties. The composition of the major political parties has been shifting since 2012, but that shift reached a tipping point in 2024. The movement was seen most clearly in working-class voters, who supported Trump in even greater numbers than in 2016 and 2020. Analysts commonly use education and income levels as indicators of class identity. By both measures, working-class voters across racial lines shifted right. College graduates favored Republican candidates in every election from 1988 through 2004. That began to change in 2008 when President Barack Obama earned 50 percent of the college vote . The shift accelerated in 2016 when Democrats gained 55 percent of the vote among college graduates and held a majority for the next two elections. In 2024, 53 percent of voters with a Bachelor’s degree voted for Harris, as did 59 percent of those holding an advanced degree, exit polls showed. Over the same period, voters who never attended college, a traditional mainstay of the Democratic coalition, increasingly voted Republican. In 2016, 46 percent of voters having a high school education or less voted Republican, which was consistent with the two previous election cycles. By 2024, the number of Republican voters who never attended college had risen to 63 percent, the polls revealed. A similar migration occurred in terms of income. In 2012, 60 percent of voters with household incomes less than $50,000 voted Democrat. By 2024, that number had dropped below half. At the same time, a majority of voters from households earning more than $100,000 per year favored the Democratic candidate for the first time since the data was tracked in 1988 . The Republican share from this group in 2024 was 46 percent, the lowest ever. Minorities’ support for Democratic candidates has been strong since the 1970s, reaching a high point in 2008 with the election of Obama. Since then, however, the dropoff has been significant, especially among black and Hispanic men. Support for Democrats by black voters fell from a high of 95 percent in 2008 to 85 percent in 2024. The drop was greatest among black men, 77 percent of whom voted for the Democratic candidate in 2024, the same percentage as in 1972. Black women, the most reliable Democratic voters, voted 91 percent for Vice President Kamala Harris, 5 percent lower than for Obama in 2008. Hispanic support for the Democrats hovered around 65 percent for over 40 years. In 2024, the level dropped by 13 percentage points. The decline was more pronounced among Hispanic men. Just 43 percent of them voted Democratic this year, a lower percentage than that of white women. Asian voters supported the Democratic candidate by 73 percent in 2012. That number dropped steadily over the next three cycles, reaching 54 percent in 2024. Muslim voters, 74 percent of whom had supported Democrats in 2016 and 69 percent in 2020, all but abandoned the party in 2024, according to exit polling conducted by the Council on American-Islamic Relations. That was due largely to the Biden administration’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war. Only 20 percent of Muslim voters chose Harris. In Michigan, home to the nation’s highest concentration of Muslim Americans, the number was 14 percent. Shifts in the electorate by class and race in 2024 were significant enough to create movement, if not a landslide, in regional voting patterns. The Blue Wall of industrial states, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, had been solidly Democratic in presidential elections from 1992 until 2016, when Trump won all three. Though President Joe Biden rebuilt that wall in 2020, Trump again carried those states again in 2024. Trump also eroded Democratic support in traditional party strongholds like New York, New Jersey, and California . While Harris carried all three by a comfortable margin, she gained a smaller share of the vote than either Biden in 2020 or Hillary Clinton in 2016. In Wayne County, Michigan, home to Detroit, Harris drew about 38,000 fewer votes than Biden did in 2020. In Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, Harris received about 36,000 fewer votes than Biden had. In Queens County, New York, the deficit was nearly 165,000, and in Los Angeles County, California, it was 621,000. “Harris, in Democratic strongholds in Michigan and Pennsylvania, simply underperformed Biden’s vote totals,” Ken Kollman, a professor of political science at the University of Michigan, told The Epoch Times. Though Harris still won those counties by a large margin, the erosion of support in traditionally strong democratic areas fueled Trump’s victory, according to Kollman. According to William Galston, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, the upshot of these shifts is that class has again become a powerful force in electoral politics. “We are witnessing the emergence of a new politics of class,” Galston said in a Nov. 12 panel hosted by the Brookings Institution. “Class, defined as educational attainment, dominates the scene in the United States and throughout the industrialized world.” This new reality undercuts assumptions that have informed both parties for decades, and experts say both will need to make adjustments before the next election. Self-reflective statements by Democrats in the wake of the election have centered on the need to listen to voters. “ The country wanted change, and the vice president’s campaign decided they would not offer that ,” longtime Democratic strategist James Carville said in a PBS interview on Nov. 13. Doris Kearns Goodwin, the historian and Democratic commentator, focused on the need to reengage the people who have given the party its strength for generations. “The most important thing that the Democrats have to take away from this loss is that they lost the working class base, and that’s been the foundation of the Democratic Party ever since FDR,” Goodwin said in a Fox News interview on Nov. 8. “I think the working class felt invisible. They felt forgotten.” David Schultz, a political science professor at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota, told The Epoch Times that Democrats should talk to real working-class people. “More importantly, go out and listen to them,” he said. A likely takeaway from those conversations, Schultz said, could be that identity politics seems less important to working-class voters than basic questions of economic survival. “ Hispanics, at the end of the day, are saying, ‘We want jobs. We’re not thrilled about illegal immigration, and we want higher wages. ’” Schultz said, noting that this does not conform to the general perception of “Hispanic issues.” Gabriel Sanchez, a professor of political science at the University of New Mexico, reached a similar conclusion. “ Overwhelmingly, the economy is what Latino men have actually been talking about for three election cycles in a row ,” Sanchez said in the Nov. 12 panel discussion. That may be, in part, because Hispanics are a diverse group comprising a mix of national origins and cultures. As a result, “they do not have nearly as strong a sense of linked fate,” Aaron Dusso, a professor of political science at Indiana University Indianapolis, told The Epoch Times, referring to the sense of common identity and interests that characterizes some demographic groups. The sense of linked fate is more pronounced among black Americans, according to Dusso. Yet an increasing share of black men voted Republican in the 2024 presidential election—for a fourth consecutive time. And that was despite direct appeals to black men from both Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, to vote for Harris based on their identity. One explanation for that shift may be that younger blacks seem less concerned with the civil rights issues of a previous generation and more concerned with economic opportunity. Lorenzo Sewell, a Detroit-area pastor who spoke at the Republican National Convention, said his decision to support Trump was rooted in disappointment with the economic results of Democratic leadership for the black community. Noting that many are routinely forced to choose between paying rent, repairing their car, or paying child support, Sewell told the Epoch Times, “We’ve had Democrats running this city for 56 years. I’m not saying Democrats are wrong. I’m just asking, ‘Where’s the change?’” Harris campaigned heavily on a promise to protect access to abortion as a civil right. Democrats had success with that issue on several state ballot initiatives after the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. Yet in the presidential contest, Harris drew the smallest share of the women’s vote, 53 percent, since 2004. Trump, with 45 percent, received the highest share of the women’s vote by any Republican since President George H.W. Bush. “It’s a clear indication to me that, ultimately, the Dobbs decision is not going to have a political effect,” Dusso said. Read the rest here...CP NewsAlert: Trump calls Florida meeting with Trudeau productiveMy contact with Manmohan Singh goes back to the end of the 1960s when both of us were in New York. He was in the United Nations and I was teaching at New York University. Later on, we started working together in the mid-1980s when he was governor of the Reserve Bank of India and I was a deputy governor. If you look at his entire career, three important qualities stand out. One is vision, the other is courage and the third is humility. Ideas are needed to move the system forward, but you must have vision. Adequate vision must be supplemented by courage, which we saw in the early 1990s. The most important aspect of Dr Singh's actions is the exhibition of both ideas and implementation. The reforms introduced in the early 1990s, and the subsequent actions that he took in the period when he was PM, all indicate this combination of ideas and implementation. We worked together and there was an exchange of ideas. Even when we differed, we did so politely. He tried to take everybody along with him, and he gave the freedom to discuss freely. Finally, a conclusion was reached in which everybody agreed. There were occasions when we differed. But that did not come in the way of executing the ideas. There was also the quality of humility in him, which was extraordinary. For a person who held such important positions, he never rode roughshod over anybody. For example, in bringing to an end the system of issuing ad-hoc treasury bills, when I mentioned to him how this system acted a way that it resulted in the automatic monetisation of the fiscal deficit, he heard me out and then agreed, even though I did not expect he would agree to it that quickly. But he did, because when he saw the logic, he tried to follow it and implement whatever suggestion was made. Bringing the issue of these bills to an end could result in the cost of govt borrowing going up. But he was willing to bear it because the underlying principle was correct. Again, when we moved from the system of dual exchange rate to a system in which the market fully determined the exchange rate, there were many arguments against the move. There were suggestions that we move slowly. But when I discussed it with him, we decided that it was better to move in one step. He once again saw the benefit that comes from a particular action and immediately agreed to implement it. What he cared for is the benefit to the nation, benefit to society. If that demanded a particular action, he would take that action immediately. On The 1991 Devaluation: Originally, a decision was taken to devalue the rupee in two stages. I was in charge of announcing the exchange rate and made the first move. Before the second move could be made, there were some concerns whether we should devalue the rupee to such an extent. We had discussed the problem thoroughly and a conclusion had been reached and was also communicated to the President. But then the Prime Minister (PV Narasimha Rao) had some concerns on going ahead with the second step. Dr Singh said he would get in touch with me but then he went on saying that he was not able to reach me. By the time he reached me, I'd already "jumped the step". If he had backed down at that time, it would have reflected badly on India. Our ability to borrow in the market would have been hindered as it would have been seen as our unwillingness to take appropriate action. When the decision to devalue the rupee was taken, Dr Singh wrote a cheque and asked for it to be credited to the PM's Relief Fund. The amount represented difference in rupee value of his assets abroad following the devaluation. That showed how he was not willing to benefit by any decision personally. That shows the man's character, that his integrity was beyond question. He certainly managed the system both as the FM and the PM very well. History will remember him as one of the ablest PMs. Between 2005-06 and 2007-08, India had a growth rate in excess of 9%, which is outstanding. He will be remembered for ushering in efficiency in the system. That is what compelled him to move towards a competitive system. That is an important lesson for a country like India because if we really want to be able to compete in the world, let us say through exports, then efficiency becomes critically important. Without an efficient economic system, we cannot do it. As told to Surojit Gupta Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , Location Guesser and Mini Crossword .
President-elect Donald Trump called his meeting with Justin Trudeau productive and says the prime minister made a commitment to work with the United States to end the drug crisis amid the threat of stiff tariffs. Trudeau flew to Florida Friday evening to attend a dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where Trump’s transition team is based. The in-person meeting came at the end of a rocky week in which Trump threatened to impose stiff tariffs on all imports from Canada and Mexico, unless the two countries stop illegal border crossings and prevent illicit drugs from entering the U.S. In a post on Truth Social, Trump says he and Trudeau discussed the drug crisis, particularly fentanyl, illegal immigration, as well as trade, energy and the Arctic. Trump’s post did not directly mention tariffs. Trudeau told reporters in West Palm Beach Saturday morning that he had an excellent conversation with Trump’s transition team. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 30, 2024.Wizkid Never Liked Me – Skales
NoneVictory Capital Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Provident Financial Services, Inc. ( NYSE:PFS – Free Report ) by 477.4% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 156,240 shares of the savings and loans company’s stock after acquiring an additional 129,183 shares during the quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in Provident Financial Services were worth $2,900,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. ProShare Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Provident Financial Services by 7.4% during the 1st quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC now owns 14,856 shares of the savings and loans company’s stock valued at $216,000 after buying an additional 1,020 shares during the period. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Provident Financial Services by 43.0% during the second quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 4,050 shares of the savings and loans company’s stock valued at $58,000 after acquiring an additional 1,218 shares during the period. Aigen Investment Management LP raised its holdings in Provident Financial Services by 6.5% during the third quarter. Aigen Investment Management LP now owns 20,616 shares of the savings and loans company’s stock valued at $383,000 after acquiring an additional 1,257 shares during the period. Signaturefd LLC grew its position in shares of Provident Financial Services by 991.2% during the second quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 1,855 shares of the savings and loans company’s stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 1,685 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Valley National Advisers Inc. grew its position in shares of Provident Financial Services by 9.8% during the second quarter. Valley National Advisers Inc. now owns 21,844 shares of the savings and loans company’s stock valued at $313,000 after purchasing an additional 1,945 shares in the last quarter. 71.97% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several research analysts recently commented on PFS shares. StockNews.com lowered Provident Financial Services from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Monday, July 29th. DA Davidson boosted their target price on Provident Financial Services from $24.00 to $27.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, November 15th. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price target on shares of Provident Financial Services from $18.00 to $21.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, July 29th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised shares of Provident Financial Services from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and boosted their price objective for the stock from $20.00 to $21.00 in a research note on Thursday, August 15th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $23.00. Provident Financial Services Price Performance NYSE PFS opened at $21.40 on Friday. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $19.36 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $17.31. The company has a current ratio of 1.03, a quick ratio of 1.03 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.02. Provident Financial Services, Inc. has a 12-month low of $13.07 and a 12-month high of $22.23. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.79 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.58 and a beta of 1.03. Provident Financial Services ( NYSE:PFS – Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 29th. The savings and loans company reported $0.36 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.47 by ($0.11). The company had revenue of $349.38 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $211.25 million. Provident Financial Services had a net margin of 9.55% and a return on equity of 5.21%. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.38 earnings per share. Analysts forecast that Provident Financial Services, Inc. will post 1.84 EPS for the current fiscal year. Provident Financial Services Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 29th. Stockholders of record on Friday, November 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.24 per share. This represents a $0.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.49%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, November 15th. Provident Financial Services’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 92.31%. Provident Financial Services Profile ( Free Report ) Provident Financial Services, Inc operates as the bank holding company for Provident Bank that provides various banking products and services to individuals, families, and businesses in the United States. Its deposit products include savings, checking, interest-bearing checking, money market deposit, and certificate of deposit accounts, as well as IRA products. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PFS? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Provident Financial Services, Inc. ( NYSE:PFS – Free Report ). 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Apple's Future Ventures, Huawei's New Chip, And Google's Antitrust Woes: This Week In AppleverseAP Top 25: Alabama, Mississippi out of top 10 and Miami, SMU are in; Oregon remains unanimous No. 1 Alabama and Mississippi tumbled out of the top 10 of The Associated Press college football poll and Miami and SMU moved in following a chaotic weekend in the SEC. Oregon is No. 1 for the sixth straight week and Ohio State, Texas and Penn State held their places behind the Ducks. The shuffling begins at No. 5, where Notre Dame returned for the first time since Week 2 after beating Army for its ninth straight win. No. 6 Georgia and No. 7 Tennessee each moved up two spots. Miami, SMU and Indiana round out the top 10. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, obituaries, sports, and more.Former Israeli justice minister denied Australia visa
Grades are in: Career game from Aidan Laughery propels Illinois to winInjured Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts won't play Sunday against DallasWASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump called his meeting with Justin Trudeau productive and says the prime minister made a commitment to work with the United States to end the drug crisis amid the threat of stiff tariffs. “We discussed many important topics that will require both Countries to work together to address, like the Fentanyl and Drug Crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of Illegal Immigration, Fair Trade Deals that do not jeopardize American Workers, and the massive Trade Deficit the U.S. has with Canada,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social Saturday. Trudeau flew to Florida Friday evening to attend a dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where Trump’s transition team is based. The in-person meeting came at the end of a rocky week in which Trump threatened to impose stiff tariffs on all imports from Canada and Mexico, unless the two countries stop illegal border crossings and prevent illicit drugs from entering the United States. Trump said he and Trudeau discussed the drug crisis and the president-elect made it “very clear that the United States will no longer sit idly by as our Citizens become victims” of the drug epidemic, which he attributed to cartels and fentanyl coming from China. “Prime Minister Trudeau has made a commitment to work with us to end this terrible devastation of U.S. Families,” Trump posted. Trump said the pair also discussed illegal immigration, as well as trade, energy and the Arctic. Trump’s post did not directly mention tariffs and it’s unclear whether the prime minister’s visit has alleviated his concerns about the border. Trudeau, in West Palm Beach Saturday morning, answered a reporter’s question about the dinner, calling it “an excellent conversation.” A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said the two leaders “shared a productive wide-ranging discussion over dinner.” It was centred on collaboration and strengthening the bilateral relationship. “As Canada’s closest friend and ally, the United States is our key partner, and we are committed to working together in the interests of Canadians and Americans,” the statement said. Trudeau had a notably rocky relationship with the Republican leader during the first Trump administration. However, the prime minister was the first G7 leader to visit Trump since the Nov. 5 election. Trump’s tariff threats are critical for Canada. More than 77 per cent of Canadian exports go to the United States. Trudeau said earlier Friday that he would resolve the issue by talking with Trump.Trump asks Supreme Court to delay TikTok ban so he can weigh in after he takes office
Mutual of America Capital Management LLC Boosts Holdings in Sun Communities, Inc. (NYSE:SUI)Alabama and Mississippi tumbled out of the top 10 of The Associated Press Top 25 poll Sunday and Miami and SMU moved in following a chaotic weekend in the SEC and across college football in general. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jalen Hurts is still in the NFL's concussion protocol, forcing the Philadelphia Eagles to play against Dallas without their star quarterback. The Eagles will turn to backup Kenny Pickett on Sunday because Hurts is still dealing with the lingering effects of a concussion suffered against Washington. Hurts was injured early at Washington after his head slammed against the ground on one run and he was hit in the helmet by Commanders linebacker Frankie Luvu at the end of another. Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said the Eagles would lean on the medical staff on a daily basis to know where Hurts — who threw two touchdown passes and ran for a pair of scores in the first meeting against Dallas in November — was in his recovery from the head injury. The 26-year-old Hurts did not practice this week, leaving Pickett — who suffered a rib injury in relief action against the Commanders — in line for his first start as an Eagle. Pickett was 14 of 24 for 143 yards against the Commanders, throwing a touchdown pass to A.J. Brown and an interception. Pickett is from New Jersey and said when he was acquired from Pittsburgh that he had “great memories” of going to games at Lincoln Financial Field with his dad and grandfather since he was 5. The chance to run out of the home team tunnel — which he could get Sunday if he’s the starting QB — left him absolutely delighted. “It's a big opportunity,” Pickett said this week. “I've been working hard to stay ready. I felt like I was in a good position last game with my preparation. Now, having a week to practice, I'll feel even better going into the stadium.” Pickett, a first-round pick out of Pitt in 2022, went 14-10 as a starter for the Steelers. The Eagles will bump third-stringer Tanner McKee to the backup spot. The Eagles also signed QB Ian Book this week to the practice squad. There has been recent precedent for quarterbacks to play a week after entering the league’s concussion protocol. Jacksonville's Trevor Lawrence sustained a head injury while scrambling up the middle on the team’s final drive in Week 15 loss to Baltimore last season. Lawrence misfired on seven of his final eight passes after the hit, a stretch that raised concerns on the sideline about his health. Lawrence reported symptoms after the game. He entered the protocol but was cleared in time to start the next game at Tampa Bay. The Eagles (12-3) could decide to play it safe and rest Hurts with the team needing a win against Dallas or the New York Giants to clinch the NFC East and the No. 2 seed in the NFC. Hurts shook off a sluggish start over the first four games and has thrown 18 touchdowns against just five interceptions to turn the Eagles into Super Bowl contenders. Thanks in large part to the tush push, Hurts has 14 rushing touchdowns this season. The Eagles won the Super Bowl for the 2017 season behind backup QB Nick Foles when starter Carson Wentz went down with a late-season injury. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLAP Top 25: Alabama, Mississippi out of top 10 and Miami, SMU are in; Oregon remains unanimous No. 1UNITY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — The team looking for a missing Pennsylvania woman believed to have fallen into a sinkhole has determined that an abandoned coal mine is too unstable for people to safely search underground, authorities said Wednesday while still expressing hope Elizabeth Pollard will be found alive. Rescue workers continue to search for Elizabeth Pollard, who is believed to have disappeared in a sinkhole while looking for her cat, Wednesday in Marguerite, Pa. Gene J. Puskar, Associated Press Emergency crews and others have been trying to find Pollard, 64, for two days. Her relatives reported her missing early Tuesday and her vehicle with her unharmed 5-year-old granddaughter inside was found about two hours later, near what is thought to be a freshly opened sinkhole above the long closed, crumbling mine. Authorities said in a noon update that the roof of the mine collapsed in several places and is not stable. The sinkhole is in the village of Marguerite, about 40 miles east of Pittsburgh. “We did get, you know, where we wanted, where we thought that she was at. We’ve been to that spot," said Pleasant Unity Fire Chief John Bacha, the incident's operations officer. “What happened at that point, I don’t know, maybe the slurry of mud pushed her one direction. There were several different seams of that mine, shafts that all came together where this happened at.” People are also reading... Trooper Cliff Greenfield said crews were still actively searching for Pollard. “We are hopeful that she’s found alive,” Greenfield said. Searchers were using electronic devices and cameras as surface digging continued with the use of heavy equipment, Bacha said. Search dogs may also be used. Rescue workers search through the night in a sinkhole for Elizabeth Pollard, who disappeared while looking for her cat, Tuesday in Marguerite, Pa. Gene J. Puskar, Associated Press On Wednesday afternoon, machinery was removing material from the area around the hole while police and other government vehicles blocked a clear view of the scene. Sinkholes occur in the area because of subsidence from coal mining activity. Rescuers had been using water to break down and remove clay and dirt from the mine, which has been closed since the 1950s, but that increased the risk “for potential other mine subsidence to take place," Pennsylvania State Police spokesperson Trooper Steve Limani said. Crews lowered a pole camera with a sensitive listening device into the hole, but it detected nothing. Another camera lowered into the hole showed what could be a shoe about 30 feet below the surface, Limani said. Searchers have also deployed drones and thermal imaging equipment, to no avail. Marguerite Fire Chief Scot Graham, the incident commander, said access to the immediate area surrounding the hole was being tightly controlled and monitored, with rescuers attached by harness. The top of a sinkhole is seen Tuesday in the village of Marguerite, Pa., where rescuers searched for a woman who disappeared. Pennsylvania State Police “We cannot judge as to what’s going on underneath us. Again, you had a small hole on top but as soon as you stuck a camera down through to look, you had this big void,” Graham said. “And it was all different depths. The process is long, is tedious. We have to make sure that we are keeping safety in the forefront as well as the rescue effort.” Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts Bacha said they were “hoping that there’s a void that she could still be in.” Pollard's family called police at about 1 a.m. Tuesday to say she had not been seen since going out at about 5 p.m. Monday to search for Pepper, her cat. The temperature dropped well below freezing that night. Her son, Axel Hayes, said Pollard is a happy woman who likes going out to have fun. She and her husband adopted Hayes and his twin brother when they were infants. Hayes called Pollard “a great person overall, a great mother” who “never really did anybody wrong.” He said at one point Pollard had about 10 cats. “Every cat that she’s ever come in contact with, she has a close bond with them,” Hayes said. His mother worked for many years at Walmart but recently was not employed, he said. “I’m just hoping right now that she’s still with us and she’s able to come back to us,” he said. Police said they found Pollard's car parked behind Monday's Union Restaurant in Marguerite, about 20 feet from the sinkhole. Hunters and restaurant workers in the area said they had not noticed the manhole-size opening in the hours before Pollard disappeared, leading rescuers to speculate that the sinkhole was new. “It almost feels like it opened up with her standing on top of it,” Limani said. Searchers accessed the mine late Tuesday afternoon and dug a separate entrance out of concern that the ground around the sinkhole opening was not stable. “Let’s be honest, we need to get a little bit lucky, right?” Limani said Wednesday. “We need a little bit of luck on our side. We need a little bit of God’s good blessing on our side.” Pollard lives in a small neighborhood across the street from where her car and granddaughter were located, Limani said. The young girl “nodded off in the car and woke up. Grandma never came back," Limani said. The child stayed in the car until two troopers rescued her. It's not clear what happened to Pepper. From field to fork: how America's farming revolution affects your plate and wallet From field to fork: how America's farming revolution affects your plate and wallet In an era of rapid technological advancement and environmental change, American agriculture is undergoing a revolution that reaches far beyond the farm gate. From the food on consumer plates to the economic health of rural communities, the transformation of U.S. farming practices is reshaping the nation's landscape in ways both visible and hidden. LandTrust explores how these changes impact everyone, whether they live in the heartland or the heart of the city.The Changing Face of American FarmsThe image of the small family farm, while still a reality for many, is increasingly giving way to larger, more technologically advanced operations. According to the USDA, the number of farms in the U.S. has fallen from 6.8 million in 1935 to about 2 million today, with the average farm size growing from 155 acres to 444 acres. This shift has profound implications for rural communities and the food system as a whole.Despite these changes, diversity in farming practices is on the rise. A landmark study published in Science, involving data from over 2,000 farms across 11 countries, found that diversifying farmland simultaneously delivers environmental and social benefits. This challenges the longstanding idea that practices boosting biodiversity must come at a cost to yields and food security.Technology Revolution on the FarmThe adoption of precision agriculture technologies is transforming how farmers manage their land and resources. GPS-guided tractors, drone surveillance, and AI-powered crop management systems are becoming commonplace on many farms. These technologies allow farmers to apply water, fertilizers, and pesticides with pinpoint accuracy, reducing waste and environmental impact while improving yields.However, the digital divide remains a challenge. More than 22% of rural communities lack reliable broadband internet access, hindering the widespread implementation of AI and other advanced technologies in agriculture.The Economic Tightrope: Challenges Facing Modern FarmersWhile technology offers new opportunities, farmers are also facing significant economic challenges. The USDA's 2024 farm income forecast projects a 4.4% decline in net farm income from 2023, following a sharp 19.5% drop from 2022 to 2023. This financial pressure is compounded by rising production costs and market volatility.Climate variability adds another layer of complexity. Extreme weather events, changing precipitation patterns, and shifting growing seasons are forcing farmers to adapt quickly. These factors could reduce agricultural productivity by up to 25% over the coming decades without significant adaptation measures. But adapting requires additional financial resources, further straining farm profitability. Diversification: A Lifeline for American FarmsIn the face of these challenges, many farmers are turning to diversification as a strategy for resilience and profitability. The Science study mentioned earlier found that farms integrating several diversification methods supported more biodiversity while seeing simultaneous increases in human well-being and food security.Agritourism is one popular diversification strategy. In 2022, 28,600 U.S. farms reported agritourism income, averaging gross revenue of $44,000 from these activities. Activities like farm tours, pick-your-own operations, and seasonal festivals not only provide additional income but also foster a deeper connection between consumers and agriculture.From Farm to Table: The Consumer ConnectionThe changing face of agriculture is directly impacting consumers. The rise of farm-to-table and local food movements reflects a growing interest in where our food comes from and how it's produced. If every U.S. household spent just $10 per week on locally grown food, it would generate billions of dollars for local economies.However, the larger challenges in agriculture can also lead to price fluctuations at the grocery store. The USDA's Economic Research Service projects that food-at-home prices will increase between 1.2% and 2.2% in 2024.The Future of Farming: Opportunities and InnovationsLooking ahead, several innovations are poised to reshape agriculture:Sustainable farming practices: Cover cropping, no-till farming, and precision agriculture are gaining traction. These practices can reduce soil erosion by up to 90% compared to conventional tillage.Genetic engineering: CRISPR and other gene-editing technologies offer the potential to develop crops with enhanced nutritional profiles and resistance to pests and diseases.Alternative protein sources: The market for plant-based and lab-grown meat alternatives is projected to reach $30 billion by 2030.Conclusion: A Call to ActionThe transformation of American agriculture affects everyone, from the food we eat to the health of our environment and rural communities. Consumers have the power to support sustainable and diverse farming practices through our purchasing decisions. As citizens, they can advocate for policies that support farmers in adopting innovative and sustainable practices.The challenges facing agriculture are complex, but they also present opportunities for innovation and positive change. By understanding and engaging with these issues, everyone can play a part in shaping a more resilient, sustainable, and equitable food system for the future.This story was produced by LandTrust and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. LandTrust The Changing Face of American Farms Technology Revolution on the Farm The Economic Tightrope: Challenges Facing Modern Farmers Diversification: A Lifeline for American Farms From Farm to Table: The Consumer Connection The Future of Farming: Opportunities and Innovations Conclusion: A Call to Action Be the first to know
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