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Trump’s Push to Defeat Thomas Massie Is the Most Expensive House Primary in Recent Years
The Republican primary in Representative Thomas Massie’s district has drawn vast spending, but it is just one of several contests on Tuesday that will test the power of big money.
If/Then: Pending Deregulation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Could Create Significant Negative Health Effects
If the US Environmental Protection Agency finalizes a rule on greenhouse gas emissions without quantifying related effects on human health, then Congress could respond by requiring this and future rules to account for human health effects.
Mark Cuban forced to play nice with President Trump after agreeing to be business partners
Billionaire Mark Cuban stood beside Trump at the White House to promote TrumpRx.gov after spending months campaigning against him for Kamala Harris.
Could Republican Thomas Massie survive Trump's attack to oust him?
The Kentucky congressman, who has crossed the president on federal spending and the Epstein files, faces Republican voters on Tuesday.
Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship docks in the Netherlands for disinfection
The crew will now go into quarantine, with those who cannot be immediately repatriated spending their time in quarantine in these containers.
Buttigieg rallies for Montana election initiative, stays mum on political plans
During an hour-long speech in a packed Mother Lode Theatre, Pete Buttigieg made a rousing plea to ban corporate money from Montana politics while repeatedly sidestepping talk of a 2028 presidential run. The 2020 Democratic presidential candidate and former U.S. transportation secretary drew cheers from the audience of 1,200 in Butte as he suggested that special interests and corporate spending in campaigns had drowned out the concerns of average voters.
Illinois infrastructure investment strengthens economy and workforce
U of I professor Rober Bruno on how public infrastructure spending fuels job creation and long-term growth in Illinois.
Former Gov. Christine Gregoire blasts WA Democrats’ tax strategy, warns businesses will leave state
Former Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire is publicly breaking with many fellow Democrats over the state’s tax-and-spending strategy, warning lawmakers they risk driving businesses and wealthy residen...
California Politics 360 Full Episode | Governor & lawmakers debate proposed spending plan
This week, Gov. Gavin Newsom outlined his priorities, proposing to spend $349 billion. On California Politics 360, Ashley Zavala sits down with Republican State Sen. Roger Niello.
Pro-Israel groups are spending big to sink Thomas Massie in the most expensive House primary in history
“AIPAC’s views on Thomas Massie are no secret,” the group's spokesman said. “We use different tactics in different districts. Our goal is to win.”
‘Pressures are real’: Colleges grapple with future of Olympic sports amid football spending boom
My daughter says some of her best childhood memories came from bars
Spending time in bars taught my daughter how to have conversations with people she might not have much in common with. I'm grateful for that.
Canada confirms first suspected hantavirus case linked to cruise ship
Canadian in B.C. presumptively tests positive for hantavirus linked to MV Hondius cruise outbreak, pending lab confirmation, health officials say.
New Hawaiian law limits corporate spending on politics, other states work to follow suit
Hawaii’s Democratic Governor on Thursday signed into law a bill to stop corporations and "dark money" groups from spending unlimited amounts of money on politics.
(LETTERS) Business council spending, Wyoming judicial retention system and state politics
Oil City News publishes letters, cartoons and opinions as a public service. The content does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Oil City News or its
(LETTERS) Business council spending, Wyoming judicial retention system and state politics
Oil City News publishes letters, cartoons and opinions as a public service. The content does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Oil City News or its
Green signs bill to restrict corporate political spending
Green signs bill to restrict corporate political spending
How greater spending on preventive health can promote economic growth
For European states, promoting both the health and economic wellbeing of their populations could be a valuable source of economic growth in coming years
5 Must-Read Analyst Questions From AMC Entertainment’s Q1 Earnings Call
AMC Entertainment’s first quarter saw a positive market response, driven by significant year-over-year revenue growth and improved operating margins. Management attributed this performance to a stronger box office environment, particularly across North America and Europe, as well as disciplined cost control and enhancements in the guest experience. CEO Adam Aron highlighted the impact of expanded premium screens, improved per patron spending, and the continued success of loyalty programs. Notabl
Chartbook 449: Voldemort on Threadneedle street. The Bank of England and the "haunted house" of English politics.
Imagine the scene: In some Harry Potter version of 21st-century London, a group of deathless UK Treasury officials gathered from across the last century huddle over warm pints and glasses of Chardonnay. Around the table there are officials from the 1920s, the 1930s, the 1970s, 2022 and today. Inevitably, in May 2026, the subject of conversation is the disintegration of the current Labour government. Despite its huge majority in parliament, it has been reduced to tatters by catastrophic local election result. These exposed the fact that rather than having a government with a clear popular majority, the UK is like most other modern societies divided into 5 segments each of which commands between 26 and 16 percent of the vote. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the leadership at Nos 10 and 11 Downing Street - where the Prime Minister and the Chancellor (Treasury Secretary) work - seem paralyzed. They are caught between mounting discontent over unfairness and the cost of living, and tough fiscal strictures that push them into making unpopular spending decisions. In the London pub, the Treasury officials from across the ages, can barely hide their satisfaction at the latest display of democratic politics caught in the vice-grip of financial logic. “Remember the mur d’argent and the banker’s ramp?” “Just like yesterday!” There are smirks around the table. Then the representative of 2026 pipes up: “One thing you have to say about the current lot (referring to the latest hapless Labour government), you don’t have to teach them about the bond market!” There is a murmur of ascent from the Treasury Mandarins. The trauma of the fiscal crisis of September-October 2022 sits deep. Back then, in the final stages of Tory decay, a ‘mini budget’ that challenged fiscal orthodoxy led to a brief but fierce panic in one of the oldest government bond markets in the world (aka gilt market). Now all you have to do is to mention the “bond market” to hush debate. [ Paul Mason@paulmasonnews In the name of public service, and as ex-economics editor of BBC Newsnight, I offer to do a zoom call, tonight, with any Labour MP who wants to understand why bond markets do not "fall into line" with governments. 1/ 3:57 PM · May 12, 2026 · 466K Views 224 Replies · 674 Reposts · 3.93K Likes ](https://x.com/paulmasonnews/status/2054229532404519082?s=20) “And the funny thing is”, the young man in the huddle continues, “they don’t even want to talk about … ”. There is a sudden hush. Significant looks are exchanged around the table. About? One of the senior figures puts down his glass with a decisive “clink”. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has entered their thoughts. Meanwhile, a few miles away in a grubby pub in Bloomsbury, two conspirators from the camp of Critical Macrofinance huddle over cans of low-alcohol IPA. They look at each other and blurt out loud: “The Bank!” “Everyone in the bloody Labour party is talking about the bond market. But why aren’t they even mentioning … the Bank of England!?” “Why is no one talking about Voldemort?” In Paul Mason’s blogpost, after much chest-thumping about basic fiscal logic, the basic point about the Bank of England is buried in the fine print at #3 in his list of suggestions as to what a radical Labour government might actually be able to do! [ Conflict & Democracy Down with the bond market! Down with gravity! It may seem unfair to focus on Labour MP Paula Barker for her off-the-cuff assertion that the bond market would have to “fall in line” with Andy Burnham, should he replace Keir Starmer as prime minister. But Burnham himself told the New Statesman that Labour had to “get beyond this thing of being in hock to the bond markets… Read more 2 days ago · 100 likes · 3 comments · Paul Mason ](https://htsf.substack.com/p/down-with-the-bond-market-down-with?utm_source=substack&utm_campaign=post_embed&utm_medium=web) Back in Bloomsbury they shake their heads and ask: “Didn’t we learn anything from the Eurozone crisis?” Meanwhile, as if summoned to the conversation by some higher force, the “pink pages” announce: “The days of ultra-cheap government borrowing have come to an end” and Martin “Whizzard” Wolf publishes the graph of the season Look at the UK in 2026, perilously positioned on the upper edge of the pack. No wonder no one in London needs any lessons about the “bond market”. But, look again. Imagine how they feel in Rome. What is London’s nightmare in 2026? The nightmare is that you end up like Italy in the early 2010s during the Eurozone crisis. Once comfortably situated in the middle of the pack, watching with horror as your ten-year yields explode to 7 percent and “spreads” become a national nightmare. One of the largest economies in Europe, a founding member of the euro, stigmatized. But the message of the Italian experience is ambiguous. After all, the stigma didn’t last. In 2026, Italy borrows at rates lower not only than the UK but the US. The US, which, as everyone knows, enjoys the “exorbitant privilege” of being the issuer of reserve, safe asets. What kind of magic is this? How did Italy, in the space of fifteen years, go from being good, to bad and back again? Which brings us back to our dissident friends in their Bloombury boozer and their memories of the Eurozone crisis. Italy never was Britain - with its ongoing fiscal deficits. Without interest payments, on primary balance, from 2000 to 2020 Italy ran a tight fiscal ship. Even in 2008 it barely went into deficit and when it was being put on the rack in the early 20210s its primary surplus matched that of austere Germany. So, what happened? How did it end up stigmatized? Of course Italian politics didn’t help. Berlusconi was at the helm and he had legal issues. But amongst friends in the Bloomsbury pub, Berlusconi is a sideshow, the name we whisper to each other is “Trichet”. From 2004 to 2011 the ECB was headed by Jean-Claude Trichet, ex of the French Treasury, more German than the Germans. After 2009 as the news of the Greek fiscal disaster broke, the European bond markets wento into panic mode and Trichet began a brutal game of cat and mouse. Between 2009 and 2011, Trichet intervened in the bond market to help, only when he thought he had compliance with austerity. When he thought they were uncooperative, he withdrew. In the summer of 2011, he even made direct suggestions to his Italian counterparts in Rome, as to how Italy should be governed. It was this cat and mouse game that drove the bond markets crazy and exposed Italy to a violent squeeze. When Mario Draghi took over the ECB at the end of 2011 and declared “whatever it takes”, the pressure on Italy, gradually eased. It is that starring role that has made Draghi into the towering figure in European politics that he remains today. So now you see why voices in London hush when it comes to the Bank of England. “The bond market” isn’t an irresistible objective force like the weather or an avalanche. It can appear like that. But that depends on the way it is being handled, or not handled by the central bank. Which is why the silence about the Bank of England in London right now is so significant. If you think this all sounds a bit fishy, coming from a left-liberal Keynesian like myself, well, let me introduce you to Robin Brooks, who, to put it mildly, plays on a different quidditch team to me. Here, from the position of a fiscal hawk is Robin’s celebratory account of the Bank of England’s role since 2022; In October 2022, at the height of the bond market blow-up in the UK, something incredible happened. Governor Andrew Bailey told British pension funds the Bank of England would end its support program for the country’s fragile gilt market, drawing a line under how much help the central bank was willing to give to exposed pension funds and - implicitly - the government. By the end of that week, Kwasi Kwarteng - the finance minister - had resigned. Prime Minister Liz Truss would soon follow. This episode is so incredible because it contrasts with what happened in the Euro zone earlier that year. Bond markets in Spain and Italy were under pressure amid high inflation and rising interest rates. In the middle of this, Mario Draghi - Italy’s Prime Minister - resigned, compounding pressure on bond markets of high-debt countries on the Euro periphery. Unlike the Bank of England, the ECB caved. It bought Italian and Spanish government bonds in an effort to cap yields and introduced a new tool that signaled to markets it might do such caps more frequently going forward. Faced with pressure on bond markets, the ECB capitulated to political pressure from high-debt countries like Italy and Spain. The Bank of England stood its ground and toppled the Truss government. This kind of thing has long-lasting consequences. It means markets price a higher probability of yield caps in the Euro zone, which keeps Italian and Spanish yields artificially low, while markets feel free to push up UK yields without fear of central bank intervention. As I flagged in yesterday’s post, this means you really can’t compare UK yields to those of other high-debt countries. The UK looks worse, but only because its central bank isn’t interfering with markets. There’s more to this than just that 2022 episode. The Bank of England has also been much more aggressive in its quantitative tightening (QT) than other central banks. If one motivation for quantitative easing (QE) is to lower bond yields - especially longer-dated ones - then it stands to reason QT pushes yields up. The left chart above shows a four-quarter moving average of UK government debt issuance (black line) in percent of GDP and which sectors absorb this issuance, including the Bank of England (blue bars). The right chart above compares the Bank of England’s accumulation or run-off of government bonds (blue line) with that of other central banks, where this blue line is the same as the blue bars in the left chart. The Bank of England was quicker and more aggressive than other central banks in downsizing its bond holdings, so UK yields will have risen more than elsewhere also for this reason, not just because of Governor Andrew Bailey’s remarks in October 2022. Back in October 2025, after a conversation in New York with friends in British politics, my sense of dysphoria was such that I raised the issue of the Bank of England openly in the FT Since 2008, the UK has slid into a deep economic and political predicament. Growth has stagnated to a degree far worse even than in the 1970s. The Tory leadership’s wager on the Brexit referendum spectacularly backfired, leaving the UK isolated from Europe and at the mercy of its special relationship with the US, many of whose political class regard the UK as a basket case. After years of austerity, the Labour party lurched to the left and then back to the centre. The Tory party has been eclipsed by the populist nationalism of Reform. Any British government should be worrying first and foremost about how to restart growth. Instead, Keir Starmer is beset by shades of the gilt market panic triggered by the Liz Truss government in 2022. The debt level is higher than in recent years, but there is no cause for panic. UK debt is at far from critical levels and of long duration. Whether you want to “take back control” or launch progressive economic policy, a democracy dogged by fear of bond market vigilantes is unhealthy. In a country that is a monetary sovereign, this climate points to one thing: a disconnect between the government and the central bank. Since 1997, the independence of the Bank of England has become a sacred cow. But independence is what you make of it. And in the wake of the gilt market crisis of September 2022, relations between the Bank of England and the UK government need a reset. In normal times, there is no doubt that an inflation-targeting independent central bank can serve a country well. But since 2008, the UK and other advanced economies have not had the luxury of such simple problems. To their credit, central bankers around the world have not stood on orthodoxy. After 2008, the US Federal Reserve rescued the global banking system and, through quantitative easing, it stabilised the Treasury market in the face of huge deficits. In Europe, things were trickier. Both the Bank of England under Mervyn King and Jean-Claude Trichet’s European Central Bank played cat and mouse with national governments. This was a high stakes wager that between 2010 and 2012 escalated bond market tension and triggered a disastrous turn to austerity. Shaken by the impact of those shocks, their successors, Mark Carney and Mario Draghi adopted a more protective stance (assuming you were not the government of Greece). Recall that Draghi’s legendary slogan, “Whatever it takes”, was uttered to face down the City of London’s bond vigilantes. In 2015, Draghi launched QE — financial repression by another name. In 2016, Carney used the authority of the Bank of England to stabilise markets following the vote for Brexit, an exemplary demonstration of how central banks can underpin democratic choice, even when those choices are wrong headed. All these were independent central bankers steeped in the best practice of the 1990s, who recognised that historic crises demanded radical action. It was the price surge of 2021-2023 that poisoned the atmosphere. Though the shock came mainly from the supply side, central banks ended up in the dock. Nowhere more so than in the UK. The Bank of England reacted with aggressive normalisation. Faced with a cost of living crisis, the governor called for workers to accept real wage cuts. In early 2022, as gas prices were at record levels and Russia’s army was poised to invade Ukraine, the Bank adopted a stringent programme of quantitative tightening, elevating interest rates. When the Truss government got itself in trouble, the Bank took almost a week to come to the rescue. Rather than enacting a charade of normality, it is time to recognise that in 2025 the UK faces a period of historic transition. To meet this challenge, what is needed is a new concordat with the Bank. This should not ignore inflationary pressures or the long-run trajectory of debt, but should affirm the priority of reviving investment-led growth. One could follow Donald Trump in demanding interest rate cuts. The Bank could shadow the ECB in its commitment to capping Eurozone yields. But the top priority should be to lay the ghost of September 2022. The Bank’s slowing of QT last month was a concession. An immediate and complete end would send the right signal. Such a concordat will not by itself restore sanity to politics, solve the housing problem or rebuild the NHS. But it would help to lift the fear of bond market crisis, which is paralysing the effort by democratic politicians to answer the fundamental questions facing the nation. Now, that call for a new concordat between government and Bank of Englands seems more urgent than ever. The problem is that in October 2025, Starmer still had some authority. Today the government is in tatters. And when you are the “under the harrow” - to echo a phrase of Montagu Norman’s from the 1920s - it is the worst possible time to consider institutional change. To make general arguments at a time of crisis can only seem like special pleading rather than a general argument for long-term change. The same, unfortunately, is also true for the other basic institutional reform that Britain urgently needs i.e. the abolition of the out-dated first past the post electoral system and its replacement by a moderated form of proportional representation. And thirdly - whilst we are saying the quiet parts out loud - Britain needs to reopen the question of EU membership. What the local election results of 2026 show is that this remains a key issue. And what they also show is that there is a clear majority that would favor a return. Until these basic features of Britain’s political economy are addressed the country will carry on its politics as though in a haunted house, governed by governments that lack actual majorities, conjuring up false constraints whilst ignoring the real ones. This one is for DG and MI. I love writing the newsletter. If you enjoy it too and fancy buying me a coffee once a month, you know what to do. Click below! Subscribe
California legislators kill new spending programs and blame Trump for funding cuts
The biannual ‘suspense file’ hearing is the Legislature’s most efficient tool for killing costly or controversial proposals without fanfare
When will the Eastern Conference Final start? NHL gives two options for Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are still waiting to find out who they'll play in the Eastern Conference Final, but for now, the NHL has released two options, depending on when the the series between the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres finishes.
Opinion | Time to ban utilities’ political spending, lower costs for Michiganders
Utility political spending doesn’t just stop good policies from becoming law. It's also an offensive weapon that’s used to push detrimental policies, broadly opposed by a majority of Michiganders and legislators in both parties, over the finish line.
What Americans quietly stopped buying in April
Shoppers pulled back on spending in April as higher gas prices fueled by the Iran war meant less money left over for some nonessentials like clothing and furniture. Retail sales rose 0.5% in April, a slowdown from the revised growth level of 1.6% in March, according to Commerce Department data released Thursday. March marked the […]
Chase Koch on His Family’s Future Political Spending: ‘A Very Clear and High Bar Where We Get Involved and Where We Don't’
Chase Koch, heir to the vast Koch network that pumps millions into Republican campaigns, grants a rare interview to TIME
The Real Brokerage, Genesco, and Sphere Entertainment Shares Plummet, What You Need To Know
A number of stocks fell in the afternoon session after Brent crude surged, erasing the brief oil relief from the previous week as consumer sentiment hit a record low, sparking concerns that shoppers will cut back on non-essential spending.
UofL aims to fix college sports spending, but it's missing best answer
University of Louisville administrators spoke to the Knight Commission on how to fix college sports' financial model. They're missing the best answer.
Allegheny County Board of Health to vote on paid parental leave
Hundreds of thousands of workers in Allegheny County may soon be eligible for paid parental leave — depending on a vote Wednesday evening at the...
Vast majority support $1.8B state spending plan in our reader survey
Nearly 200 readers sent in their thoughts about lawmakers' $1.8 billion compromise, with more than three-quarters saying lawmakers should pass it.
Here’s a First Look at the New Google Fitbit Air
The Google Fitbit Air was announced last week and immediately went up for pre-order with a ship date at around May 26. It costs either $99 or $129 depending on which version you want, is a...
Alibaba's AI Business Is Booming, But Its Profits Basically Disappeared
Cloud revenue surged 38% and AI income hit a new record, but aggressive spending on delivery and infrastructure wiped out core earnings
Anthropic tops OpenAI in business AI adoption for the first time
Anthropic surpassed OpenAI in AI business spending, according to Ramp's AI Index, marking a significant shift in AI adoption for the Claude creator.
Amazon's New Prime Business and Amazon Business Credit Cards, Powered by U.S. Bank and Mastercard®, Are Now Available with Enhanced Rewards and Flexible Financing
New cards built for modern businesses—featuring dynamic rewards and industry-leading benefits with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees Amazon today launched the new Prime Business Card and Amazon Business Card, bringing together the Amazon rewards business customers love with powerful new benefits to help businesses make the most of their spending on Amazon. These cards, issued by U.S. Bank as part of the Mastercard® network, offer rewards wherever customers are shopping, access to fle
Lane Kiffin vs. Lincoln Riley, can Penn State top 2025 Iowa State and Nebraska’s NIL case
Plus, is Josh Heupel's seat at Tennessee starting to warm? And college sports' spending problem.
Las Vegas tourism agency approves spending up to $464M on marketing city
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority board of directors approved extensions and updates to five contracts, emphasizing the need for speed, flexibility and scale in promoting the destinat...
What to know about Hawaiʻi's efforts to limit corporate donations in politics
Lawmakers in Hawaiʻi have passed a measure that's headed to the governor that would redefine corporations in a way that precludes spending on elections.
Nvidia Is Spending Big On its Supply Chain | AI & Business for May 12
Plus, OpenAI’s employee payouts and tech’s growing unemployment
Political spending groups want to influence Fresno elections. Whom do they support?
“There is a lot more interest in our political outcomes than maybe we would expect there to be,” said a local government expert.
Asia Pacific to Lead Global Business-Travel Spending in 2026
Asia Pacific is set to be the world’s largest business-travel market in 2026, according to a new forecast, with the surge seen driven by the region’s expanding manufacturing and trade activity.
Post-pandemic allowances for telehealth claims have not triggered runaway healthcare spending
If Congress doesn’t act soon, CMS’s flexible funding of telemedicine visits—a temporary holdover from the COVID era—will dry up next year. A new study may help persuade fiscally cautious representatives not to let that happen
Crew Relaxes Before Busy Week of Science, Dragon Arrival, and Spacewalk Preps
The next cargo mission to resupply the International Space Station, SpaceX CRS-34, is slated for launch at 7:16 p.m. on Tuesday, May 12, from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, weather pending.
Medicare’s miss on Alzheimer’s drug spending
Far fewer seniors than expected are taking costly Alzheimer's drugs.
Trump Endorses Feeble Way to Lower Gas Prices
President Trump has endorsed suspending the federal gas tax, which won’t do much to solve the problem he created when he started the Iran war.
Trump Clears Way for More Beef Imports, Aiming to Bring Down Record-High Prices
The administration is suspending tariff-rate quotas on all beef-exporting nations; beef prices have climbed steadily since Trump took office.
Boothbay Harbor businesses ready for tourism season
A report released late last month by the Maine Office of Tourism showed visits statewide were down 4.4% in 2025, although direct tourism spending exceeded $9 billion, a record high.
UNC Health plans new community hospital in Wilmington
UNC Health announced plans to build a new community hospital in New Hanover County, pending state regulatory approval.
UNC Health plans Wilmington hospital
UNC Health plans to create a community hospital on a 62-acre proposed site in New Hanover County, pending regulatory approvals, according to an announcement Monday morning. “Planned for the southeast corner of South 17th Street and Shipyard Boulevard, the site was selected for its accessibility and its geographic infill capacity in serving a rapidly growing region,” according to the release. “This project marks a significant step forward in UNC Health’s commitment to improving access to primary care and specialty care closer to home.” Officials said the proposed hospital would offer a range of specialties, including emergency care, cardiology, oncology, OBGYN and more. While the not-for-profit, state-owned health system’s officials are planning the hospital, the proposal still requires state approval through North Carolina’s certificate of need (CON) process before it can become a reality. UNC Health is targeting an opening date of 2030, the release stated, and “will continue to engage openly with local community leaders and residents and share updates as plans evolve and progress is made towards achieving CON approval.” The state’s CON law requires healthcare providers to obtain a CON from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services before developing or offering what the department’s website dubs “a new institutional health service.” The term encompasses a wide range of facilities, including hospitals. The news of UNC Health’s Wilmington plans follows the recent addition of Ernie Bovio to UNC Health. Bovio, who had served as president of the Novant Health Coastal Region since 2024, became regional president of UNC Health’s Southeast Coastal Region in April. “This is an important first step in our commitment to ensuring that families in Wilmington and the surrounding areas have access to the high-quality, compassionate care they deserve – right here at home,” Bovio stated in the release. “As I’ve listened to my own neighbors and community members across the region, I’ve heard a clear message: Wilmington is ready for more choice in healthcare – and UNC Health is ready to deliver it.” According to the release, Wilmington Health – one of the largest independent, physician-owned practices in Southeastern North Carolina – also supports the project, and its providers are expected to participate on the medical staff of the new facility. “Wilmington Health has served this community for more than 50 years, and we know firsthand that our patients are interested in choice,” stated Jeff James, CEO of Wilmington Health, in the release. “We strongly support UNC Health’s plan to bring a new community hospital to our region – closing critical gaps in specialty care and ensuring families across our region have options to access the services they need, right here at home.”
Telemedicine has not led to increased use of medical care or higher health care costs, new UCLA-led research finds
Use of telemedicine has not significantly increased visits and medical spending across all payer types.
KFF Health Tracking Poll: Public Views on Foreign Aid and Global Health Spending
This poll finds that less than half of the public now wants the U.S. to play at least a major role in improving the health of people in developing countries. When asked about the administration’s changes to foreign aid and global health, more people perceive a negative impact than a positive one.
Carolina’s Cap Comparison: Wide Receivers
How much money are the Panthers spending on wide receivers compared to the rest of the NFL?
Popular North Carolina sausage brand pausing production; USDA cites health violations
WRAL News has learned that Neese's Sausage in Greensboro has been shut down and will pause operations. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the shutdown is over pending health violations and a lack of USDA inspectors.
Column: America’s broken politics are dragging it down a fiscal black hole
Restoring fiscal control demands a comprehensive plan to raise taxes and cut entitlement spending substantially, Bloomberg Opinion columnist Clive Crook writes.
RDU travel surge for graduations, Mother's Day boosts Triangle businesses
One of the busiest travel stretches of the year at Raleigh-Durham International Airport is bringing a surge of visitors -- and spending -- to the Triangle.
Chicago Teachers Union wants $8.5 million dues hike to fund politics
“Has your brand become toxic?” This was a pointed question from WGN Political Editor Tahman Bradley, posed to Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates in a recent interview. Her immediate response: “I don’t understand the question.” When pressed, Gates added, “The Chicago Teachers Union is not a political party, it is a labor union.” But internal union documents show CTU leadership is trying to skim $8.5 million more from teacher paychecks explicitly for politics, while trying to silence union members critical of Gates’ leadership. Under the proposed dues hike, Chicago teachers would see up to $800 more per year flow from their paychecks to union coffers. The union already takes in more than $40 million a year, mostly from dues. And it spends less than 18 cents of every dollar on teacher representation. The No. 1 reason for the proposed dues hike? Politics. “We must win a majority of the first 21 person fully elected school board in November,” reads the first point in CTU’s member FAQ document.1 This directly contradicts CTU’s promise to members about how leadership uses dues money. The official CTU handbook tells members that the union does not use dues money for politics, so if they are interested in funding political activity, they should consider voluntary donations to CTU’s political action committee. “Our dues are not used for political purposes,” according to the handbook. “So our PAC relies on extra contributions from our members to support progressive candidates and to impact elected officials at the city, county and state levels.” This kind of double-speak is one reason members are concerned about another constitutional change slipped into the dues hike vote, which will take place on May 20-21: an attempt to stop members from holding the union accountable. A proposed amendment to the union constitution tries to place limits on when members may bring a lawsuit against the union for violating members’ rights.2 This provision is clearly a response to members’ lawsuit against union leadership regarding Gates’ years-long refusal to publish audited financial statements. The judge in that case has repeatedly denied the union’s attempts to dismiss it. Teachers opposed to these changes have been circulating this flier, urging members to vote no. What will CTU members get in return for millions of dollars in additional dues? If the 2024 school board elections are any indication—not much. CTU leadership’s record on school board races may not inspire confidence among members. A Chicago Policy Center analysis of a dozen affiliated PACs found CTU spent nearly $2.9 million on school board races in 2024. Of that spending, more than $2.1 million (75%) went to losing candidates. And while CTU-backed candidates lost six of the nine competitive seats overall, they fared worse in their biggest-spending races, losing five of six contests in which the union and its affiliates put up more than $250,000 for their candidate. The Chicago school board elections take place Nov. 3.3 Is another $8.5 million enough to clean up a toxic reputation? Not likely. Update on federal tax credit scholarship: Last week, Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said she plans to opt into the federal tax credit scholarship program. If Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker follows suit, Illinois could unlock $1 billion in donor money statewide for both public- and private-school students. If Illinois does not opt in, that money will flow to other states. The Last Ward reported in February on how Illinois Democrats could unlock at least $100 million in new resources for Chicago public-school students by opting in. Update on the investigation into how Chicagoans learned about a meeting to hike their property taxes: The Last Ward reported in January on an absurd, taxpayer-funded investigation into how local media learned of a planned Chicago school board meeting to hike the district’s property tax levy. That investigation is now complete. Lawyers interviewed two dozen witnesses, and found nothing. Update on Illinois’ muni debt crisis: My colleague Joe Tabor last week published a must-read piece in Crain’s Chicago Business about how Illinois recently rejected south suburban Harvey’s request to be designated a “distressed city.” The saga shows why the state must implement a better structure to assist insolvent local governments, including allowing for the option to pursue debt relief via Chapter 9 bankruptcy. The Last Ward reported in October on how Harvey is tipping the first domino in Illinois’ municipal debt crisis. Mincing Rascals: I joined the Mincing Rascals podcast to discuss the SAFE-T Act, the millionaires tax, and more. My “green light” recommendation: Force Majeure (2014). 1 Notably, the No. 2 reason cited is “resources to fund a state-wide millionaires tax campaign in order to fully fund the state’s school funding formula.” The constitutional amendment necessary to implement a progressive income tax in Illinois recently died in the Illinois House, meaning this question would not appear on the ballot until 2028 at the earliest. 2 There is seemingly no single-subject rule for CTU constitutional amendments. So members only get one vote on the full package. One cannot vote “yes” on the dues hike and “no” on the restriction of members’ rights, for example. 3 Illinois law grants far too much power over local government to unelected officials like Gates. State lawmakers should fix that.
Editorial: Economy, health headline session
The story of the 2026 Legislature is one of making difficult spending and taxing decisions, which meant that proposals to add new spending to the balance sheet were a heavier lift.
Aaron Rodgers, Steelers Not Meeting Yet Despite Recent Reports
Amid conversations with the Pittsburgh Steelers over his impending return to the team, quarterback Aaron Rodgers has reportedly been in Pittsburgh to negotiate.
Business Lookahead: Trump on Tour
STORY: From Trump's trip to China, to a slew of new U.S. data releases, these are the stories to watch in business and finance in the coming week. :: Trump goes to Beijing U.S. President Donald Trump visits Beijing on Thursday and Friday.It will be his first visit to China in eight years.He'll try to lock in the trade truce agreed to in October in South Korea, and avoid a rerun of the tit-for-tat tariff battle that he set off a year ago.Fresh trade data should offer a reality check on whether a protectionist White House has managed to dent Americans' appetite for Chinese-made goods.:: Saudi Aramco posts resultsThe world's biggest exporter of crude oil, Saudi Aramco, reports first-quarter results on Sunday.The numbers are expected to show the pain from the more than two-month-old Iran war.This comes as efforts to end the conflict appeared to stall after the U.S. and Iran traded fire in recent days, with some of the biggest flare-ups in fighting in and around the Strait of Hormuz since a ceasefire began a month ago.:: U.S. economic dataA bunch of new data should give a clearer view of inflation in the U.S.Tuesday's April consumer price index is expected to rise 0.6% according to a Reuters poll.Prices at the pump are likely to loom large in the numbers.Producer price data for April on Wednesday is another inflation checkpoint after the Fed’s last meeting exposed a more hawkish tilt among some policymakers who are increasingly uneasy about price pressures.And retail sales figures on Thursday should show whether higher gas prices and other costs are starting to bite into household spending.
Americans say there’s too much money in politics — and it’s driving election outcomes
As campaign spending hits record highs, voters across parties question how deeply money shapes elections.
Immortal snail meme turned into desktop game where you only get one life
Don’t Touch The Snail, developed by PlasticBagHandMan drops a snail onto your desktop as it slithers closer to your cursor with impending doom.
Central Ohio businesses prepare for Mother’s Day rush as spending expected to hit record high
Proposed NC constitutional amendment would ban corporate political spending
A North Carolina lawmaker wants voters to decide whether corporations should be allowed to spend money to influence elections in the state.
Colorado governor signs $47 billion budget in which ‘nobody won’
Gov. Jared Polis on Friday officially signed a $46.87 billion spending plan for the Colorado state government in the next fiscal year. His signature is the culmination of months of work by legislators, who resorted to cuts, transfers and other mechanisms to balance the 2026-27 budget amid a deficit of more than $1 billion. That […]
Colorado House advances 5% gaming fee bill to support youth mental health services
Colorado lawmakers on Thursday approved a bill that would place a 5% fee on certain in‑game purchases in children’s online games, aiming to create a funding stream for youth mental health services. Supporters say the measure would hold gaming platforms accountable for design features that can contribute to anxiety, depression, and compulsive spending in kids, […]
‘People are not passive’: Newsom and top California Democrats move behind the scenes in governor’s race
California Democratic leaders have shifted their strategy to prevent their party from being locked out of the governor’s race: Instead of thinking about consolidating the field, they have turned to behind-the-scenes operations and political spending aimed at tamping down Republicans and building up Democratic turnout.
Shift4 Payments CEO on how business is involving amid rising global risks
Shift4 Payments CEO Taylor Lauber discusses the state of the fintech and payments space, and whether customers are pulling back on spending overall amid inflation and other economic pressures.
Scientists discover a new way to prevent gum disease without killing good bacteria
Scientists have uncovered a surprising way to influence the bacteria living in our mouths — not by killing them, but by interrupting how they “talk” to each other. Researchers found that dental plaque bacteria use chemical signals to coordinate growth, and by blocking those signals, they were able to encourage healthier bacteria while reducing disease-linked microbes tied to gum disease. Even more intriguing, the bacterial conversations changed depending on oxygen levels above and below the gums, revealing an entirely new layer of complexity inside the mouth.
Microsoft internal document shows buyout offers to US employees
Microsoft offered buyouts to thousands of US employees to cut costs amid AI infrastructure spending plans. The offers include cash and insurance.
Delaware Health Care Spending Grows to $11.3 Billion, Significantly Exceeding Target - State of Delaware News
Per capita health care spending in Delaware increased to $11.3 billion dollars in calendar year 2024, an increase of about 8.7% compared to 2023.
Texas council says more resources needed to address complaints against behavioral health providers
The agency that oversees behavioral health and social work providers has about 1,000 "pending" complaints against providers — hundreds more than it has received in previous years. Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council leadership told lawmakers it may need support from the state to handle the volume.
$17K feasibility study will gauge what family entertainment can strike it big in New Bern
NEW BERN, Craven County — New Bern leaders are looking into what kind of family entertainment could work in the city long-term.The city is spending $17,000 on a
War, energy and politics hamper Eastern Europe's efforts to keep deficits in check
The Romanian government's political implosion this week in a no-confidence vote has cast a shadow over a region grappling with rising debt, defence spending and energy costs that are unsettling investors and ratings agencies alike.
JD Sports warns Iran war could hit consumer spending and raise prices
Retail group with 4,800 stores worldwide expects drop in profits this year amid ‘muted market’
Not cutting sports: Oxford Hills budget proposal includes no increase in spending
Oxford Hills says it was able to preserve all sports in the budget, but because of a reduction in state funding, taxes would go up under the budget proposal.
Carolina’s Cap Comparison: Running Backs
How much money are the Panthers spending on running backs compared to the rest of the NFL?
Balance of power in influencer marketing shifts toward platforms
EMARKETER forecasts that brand spending to boost creator posts is on track to overtake the amount spent on the sponsored content itself.
Infineon Sales Forecast Beats as AI Boosts Power Chip Business
Infineon Technologies AG forecast revenue that beat analysts’ expectations in the current quarter as the German chipmaker benefits from a spending boom on artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Trump largely succeeds in upending Indiana state Senate over redistricting
President Trump had backed challengers to Indiana state senators who voted against his redistricting plan — and on Tuesday, most of them won.
Treble winners Maxwell and McDaniel make Reds return
Cliftonville confirm Northern Ireland internationals Danielle Maxwell and Louise McDaniel have returned to the club after spending last season at Burnley.
The Cost of AI Is Going Up | AI & Business for May 5
Plus, AI’s drug-discovery challenge, the capital-spending craze and Meta’s borrowing
Scientists Discovered Wave Wakes Where They Shouldn’t Be—Upending a 140-Year-Old Theory
There’s a connection between wave types that scientists once thought were fundamentally different.
Contributor: How the waste in healthcare drives the U.S. debt
About half of U.S. healthcare spending yields no added health benefit. Taxpayers foot much of that bill.
Hon Hai Sales Grow 30% With Expansion of AI Server Business
Key Nvidia Corp. partner Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. reported a 29.7% increase in April revenue, underscoring persistently strong spending on hardware essential for AI.
Big business strikes back against new hope for corporate spending ban in Nevada elections
Plus: Huge ad spending in the AG's race, a look at self-funded campaigns and the number of votes cast so far.
Conscious spending can unlock greener science
This Greening Chemistry column explores how to find savings in the lab and the false economy of buying supplies on sale
Honey has been used as medicine for centuries – does it really work?
It is appealing to think something as simple as honey could cure a cold or prevent hay fever, but is there evidence to back up honey’s health benefits? Columnist Alice Klein finds that it has legitimate medicinal uses, depending on the type of honey you’ve got
Yankees announcer John Sterling passes away at 87
The sports world is mourning the loss of one of its most iconic voices. Longtime New York Yankees radio voice John Sterling has passed away at the age of 87. Sterling stepped into the Yankees broadcast booth in 1989 after spending much of the 1980s calling games in Atlanta for the Hawks and Braves. He…
Opinion | This Is the Biggest Culprit for High Health Care Spending
Prices at hospitals have grown faster than prices in virtually any other sector of the economy.
Cleo Fields, other House candidates ask to join to lawsuit over Louisiana suspending election
U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields has asked a judge to join a lawsuit challenging Gov. Jeff Landry’s suspension of congressional primaries in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling declaring Louisiana’s U.S. House map unconstitutional.
US attorney doesn’t rule out continuing to investigate Federal Reserve Chair Powell
US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said Sunday that she may reopen a criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, depending on what an inspector general’s probe uncovers over building renovations at the Federal Reserve.
🗞️Today's front pages: Possible title-winning Sunday for Barça
Barça’s victory over Osasuna leaves everything now pending what happens today between Espanyol and Real Madrid.There is no other topic in the national sports press. Today, Barça can be crowned LaL...
Inside Democratic Fundraiser ActBlue’s Big Spending and Internal Drama
The group faces investigations from the Justice Department and congressional Republicans six months before the 2026 midterms.
Blazers reportedly expected to pursue Giannis Antetokounmpo, but an impending rule change makes things harder
Antetokounmpo's fate in Milwaukee has not yet been settled: he'll either re-sign or the Bucks will trade him
Inside the complex, secretive business of buying ube, the internet’s new favorite food
A global hunt for ube, whose signature violet hue has taken over social media, is upending a precarious supply chain in Asia.
Race tightens between cybersecurity pros in healthcare and cyber bad guys everywhere
Frustratingly to hospital leadership, the upward trajectory in attacks and harms is happening despite healthcare’s striving—and spending—to be more proactive with defensive measures.
Times Opinion: Corporations spend big in Florida politics
Before Florida's legislative session began in January, corporations, political committees and lobbyists showered the accounts of some of the state's most influential lawmakers with a fresh $14 million in a single day.
Michigan League of Conservation Voters calls out utilities for $156K+ in political campaign spending
MI League of Conservation Voters calls out utilities for $156K+ in political campaign spending
Atrium Health set to acquire WakeMed, pending Monday vote
WRAL News has learned that Charlotte-based Atrium Health is set to acquire WakeMed, and Wake County commissioners will vote on the measure on Monday.
US lawmakers vote to cut science spending—but reject Trump’s sweeping reductions
A draft bill would preserve NASA’s overall funding but downsize the National Science Foundation’s budget by 20 percent.
Sports betting industry spending big on Kentucky House GOP primaries
Sports betting companies are funding a PAC that is spending large sums to support Kentucky GOP lawmakers in their primary, despite their votes against legalizing the industry.