Category: Security

MGM Resorts International expects to lose $100 million in cash flow as a result of a nine-day cyberattack and told customers the company would offer free identity protection and credit monitoring services to individuals indicating their information was impacted.

The announcement Thursday was the first time MGM acknowledged the incident as a cyberattack, although the company made earlier references to working with the FBI.

The estimated loss reported in a new Securities and Exchange Commission filing and a letter to MGM customers signed by CEO Bill Hornbuckle issued Thursday said the incident did not result in a compromise of any customer bank account numbers or payment card information.

“We do understand that the criminal actors obtained certain personal information belonging to some customers who transacted with us prior to March 2019,” Hornbuckle’s letter to customers said.

“This includes name, contact information, gender, date of birth, and driver’s license number. The types of impacted information varied by individual. We also believe a more limited number of Social Security numbers and passport numbers were obtained. We have no evidence that the criminal actors have used this data to commit identity theft or account fraud.”

Hornbuckle apologized for the outcome and thanked employees for their resilience during the nine days since Sept. 10 that the attack took down computer systems and crippled operations from the MGM app enabling guests to enter their hotel rooms to slot machine payouts and company email.

Hornbuckle said a dedicated telephone call center has been established for customers with concerns. The toll-free number is 800-621-9437, Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., or Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding major U.S. holidays. Callers are asked to reference engagement number B105892 when calling. The company also has set up a webpage at www.mgmresorts.com/importantinformation.

The SEC filing indicated MGM’s third-quarter financial results would be negatively impacted, but that there would be minimal impact in the fourth quarter, particularly for its Las Vegas operations. The company is expected to release third-quarter earnings information in late October or early November. The filing said the company doesn’t expect there to be a material effect on its financial condition and results of operations for the year.

“Specifically, the company estimates a negative impact from the cybersecurity issue in September of approximately $100 million to adjusted property EBITDAR (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortisation, and restructuring or rent costs) for the Las Vegas Strip resorts and regional operations, collectively,” the SEC filing said. “While the company experienced impacts to occupancy due to the availability of bookings through the company’s website and mobile applications, it was mostly contained to the month of September which was 88 percent (compared to 93 percent in the prior year period).”

The reason the company isn’t expecting longer term financial damage is that it is anticipating a huge fourth quarter, thanks to the company’s proximity to events around the Nov. 16-18 Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix race on the Strip.

“The company believes it is well-positioned to have a strong fourth quarter, with record results expected in November primarily driven by Formula 1. The company is further forecasting occupancy to be 93 percent in October (compared to 94 percent in the prior-year period) and to fully rebound in November for the Las Vegas Strip resorts.”

MGM said in the SEC filing that it spent less than $10 million in the third quarter on expenses related to the cyberattack, which consisted of technology consulting services, legal fees and expenses of other third-party advisers.

“Although the company currently believes that its cybersecurity insurance will be sufficient to cover the financial impact to its business as a result of the operational disruptions, the one-time expenses described above and future expenses, the full scope of the costs and related impacts of this issue has not been determined,” the filing stated. “Based on the ongoing investigation, the company believes that the unauthorized third-party activity is contained at this time.”

Las Vegas-based gaming industry analyst John DeCree of CBRE Equity Research said he was encouraged by the news and said in a report to investors Thursday that MGM’s outlook is favorable.

“MGM currently believes its cybersecurity insurance will cover all financial impacts, including business interruption and one-time expenses incurred as well as future potential expenses,” DeCree’s note to investors said.

“However, it could take several quarters for MGM to be reimbursed by its insurance carriers. We view the third quarter and fourth quarter impact as one-time in nature, with a future cash offset from insurance proceeds,” he said. “Given the strong occupancy in October and favorable outlook for November, we still expect no long-term impact on the business.”

___

© 2023 Las Vegas Review-Journal

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The official X, formerly Twitter, account for the Prime Minister of Israel shared graphic images of babies who were murdered and burned by Hamas terrorists during the deadly attacks over the weekend.

“Here are some of the photos Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu showed to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Warning: These are horrifying photos of babies murdered and burned by the Hamas monsters. Hamas is inhuman. Hamas is ISIS,” the Prime Minister’s account stated.

WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES

Reports coming out of Israel include horrifying accounts of Israeli soldiers finding raped women, families burned alive and babies beheaded. Many X users have questioned the veracity of such reports.

Ben Shapiro, an Orthodox Jew and popular American podcast host, slammed those who’ve questioned reports of children being burned, mutilated and killed.

“You wanted pictorial proof of dead Jewish babies? Here it is, you pathetic Jew-haters. Israel will minimize civilian casualties. But Israel will not allow the pieces of human shit who did this to live. Every ounce of blood spilled in Gaza is on Hamas,” Shapiro posted on X.

During a roundtable with Jewish Community Leaders on Wednesday, President Joe Biden appeared to confirm that Hamas beheaded Jewish babies during the attacks.

READ MORE: Jewish kids told to hide identity in UK as antisemitic incidents skyrocket: Report

“And — and I believe Israel is doing everything in its power to — to pull the country together, stay on the same page, and we’re going to do everything in our power to make sure Israel succeeds and, God willing, to bring home those Americans who are in harm’s way,” Biden said, adding, “I mean, I — I’ve been doing this a long time.  I never really thought that I would see and have confirmed pictures of terrorists beheading children.  I never thought I’d ever — anyway.”

The White House later walked back Biden’s comments, saying the president never actually saw photos of babies beheaded by Hamas, according to The Washington Post.

Cenk Uygur, the founder of The Young Turks and a progressive commentator, announced his intent to run for the U.S. presidency against incumbent President Joe Biden despite not being eligible by law.

Uygur, an immigrant from Turkey, fervently believes that the “natural born citizen” clause in the U.S. Constitution will not stand in his way for the 2024 Democratic Party nomination, according to The Daily Wire.

During a conversation with Semafor, Uygur confidently predicted a “slam dunk” win if the debate over his eligibility reached the U.S. Supreme Court. “I’m tired of 25 million Americans having this albatross around their neck,” he passionately remarked, suggesting that the legal challenge was one of the motivations for his decision to run for president.

Uygur made a previous bid for political office in 2020, running for a U.S. House seat left open by former Rep. Katie Hill (D-Calif.). While eligibility for congressional positions differs from the presidency, Uygur’s current campaign has sparked significant debate.

Article II, Section 1, Clause 5 of the Constitution clearly states, “No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President.”

Uygur’s campaign announcement quickly generated backlash on social media. Talk radio host Larry O’Connor and former congressional candidate Robby Starbuck were among those who raised concerns on social media.

Responding to Uygur’s campaign donation page, Starbuck noted, “You weren’t born here so you aren’t even allowed to run for president yet you’re taking donations under the premise that you are? Sounds like fraud Cenk! Not a smart move.”

READ MORE: Video: Top Democrat considering third-party 2024 prez run; spoil Trump or Biden

Uygur’s campaign is not the first time the “natural born” requirement for running for president has been discussed. Hollywood actor and former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger recently commented on his own presidential aspirations, which are hampered by his Austrian birth.

During a June interview, Schwarzenegger said “of course” he would run for president if he met the “natural born” requirement.

“I see so clearly how I could win that that election,” he said.

Uygur’s announcement comes just after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. withdrew from the Democrat Party’s nomination race and announced his intention to run as an independent candidate.

“Yes, I’m running against Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination,” Uygur tweeted. “Joe Biden is down 24 points on the economy. He has no ability to make up that kind of ground on the most important issue. We need a new candidate now!”

Yes, I’m running against Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination. Joe Biden is down 24 points on the economy. He has no ability to make up that kind of ground on the most important issue. We need a new candidate now! https://t.co/JdRkmvU9Cy

— Cenk Uygur (@cenkuygur) October 12, 2023

This news article was partially created with the assistance of artificial intelligence and edited and fact-checked by a human editor.

In the aftermath of the tragic attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israel, antisemitic incidents in the United Kingdom have reportedly surged by a staggering 300%.

According to Fox News, the rise in antisemitic incidents has propelled schools to caution their Jewish students about revealing their identities, underscoring growing security concerns among the British Jewish community.

The tragic impact of the violence against the Jewish people was observed in the United Kingdom when two alumni of the Jewish Free School in London lost their lives in the Hamas onslaught last Saturday.

According to The Independent, at least one school has since advised parents to discourage their children from wearing uniform jackets which could label them as Jewish. Male students have also been encouraged to wear baseball caps over traditional head coverings.

The school’s top priority, as quoted by the administrators, is to “ensure the safe passage of students between home and school and to make sure that this school is set up to care for our children during the school day.”

READ MORE: Report: Hamas calls for global Jihad, invasion of Israel, attack Jews worldwide on Oct. 13

Statistics from Community Security Trust (CST), a U.K. group dedicated to Jewish security, show a worrying trend. Between October 7 and 10, the group recorded 89 antisemitic incidents, a sharp increase from the 21 incidents reported during the same period in 2022, marking a 324% spike.

Author J.K. Rowling amplified the situation by shedding light on the fears of a London-based parent who mentioned a school advisory that encouraged Jewish students to disguise their identities.

Rowling tweeted, “We said ‘never again.’ The U.K. was a safe haven. Now, after the biggest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, British Jewish children are being advised to hide their identities as they walk to school, for their own safety. There should be mass outrage that this is necessary.”

We said ‘never again.’ The UK was a safe haven. Now, after the biggest massacre of Jews since the holocaust, British Jewish children are being advised to hide their identities as they walk to school, for their own safety. There should be mass outrage that this is necessary. pic.twitter.com/T8J4B6MSGe

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) October 12, 2023

While pro-Palestinian demonstrations have been witnessed both in the U.K. and U.S., with some protesters supporting Hamas and celebrating the tragic deaths in Israel, U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has stressed the U.K.’s unwavering support for Israel.

This sentiment was echoed by Dr. Sara Nachshen, a concerned Jewish parent, who said, “I sincerely hope Rishi Sunak honors his pledge to stand with Israel and protect British Jews.”

This news article was partially created with the assistance of artificial intelligence and edited and fact-checked by a human editor.

U.S. Central Command announced the arrival of A-10 Thunderbolt IIs in the Middle East region Thursday as a show of U.S. military strength and support for Israel.

“The 354th Fighter Squadron and their A-10 Thunderbolt IIs arrived in the region to support the U.S.’s increased posture,” U.S. Central Command stated on X, formerly Twitter. “These aircraft are in addition to the A-10s from the 75th Fighter Squadron already in the region.”

The 354th Fighter Squadron and their A-10 Thunderbolt IIs arrived in the region to support the U.S.’s increased posture. These aircraft are in addition to the A-10s from the 75th Fighter Squadron already in the region. pic.twitter.com/h3LhEwyeJ4

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) October 12, 2023

The A-10 Thunderbolt IIs are in addition to the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group that arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea on Tuesday. A press release by CENTCOM explained that the aircraft carrier and strike group are meant to “deter any actor seeking to escalate the situation or widen this war.”

CENTCOM noted that the U.S. military forces in the region included the USS Gerald R. Ford with eight attacks and support aircraft squadrons, the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Thomas Hudner, USS Carney, USS Ramage, USS Roosevelt, and the Ticonderoga class guided missile cruiser USS Normandy.

READ MORE: Elon Musk makes all Tesla Superchargers free in Israel

CENTCOM added that the deployment of U.S. Air Force A-10s, F-15s, and F-16s in the region will increase the “posture” of the U.S. military.

“The arrival of these highly capable forces to the region is a strong signal of deterrence should any actor hostile to Israel consider trying to take advantage of this situation,” General Michael “Erik” Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command, said.

“The arrival of these highly capable forces to the region is a strong signal of deterrence should any actor hostile to Israel consider trying to take advantage of this situation,” said General Michael “Erik” Kurilla, commander, U.S. Central Command. pic.twitter.com/fQhjW8UAVt

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) October 10, 2023

Prior to the USS Gerald R. Ford arriving in the region, CENTCOM issued a statement reaffirming the commitment of the United States to Israel and its partners in the Middle East. CENTCOM made it clear that in addition to the military resources being deployed in the Middle East, the United States “maintains ready forces globally to further reinforce this posture if required.”

“USCENTCOM stands firmly with our Israeli and regional partners to address the risks of any party seeking to expand the conflict,” Kurilla stated.

Floyd Mayweather, a famous U.S. boxer, is sending his private jet full of crucial supplies to Israel as the nation continues to recover and respond to the devastating terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas.

According to TMZ Sports, Mayweather is working with a relief organization in Israel to arrange for “Air Mayweather” to be sent to Israel this weekend to deliver the aid.

TMZ Sports reported that Mayweather’s aid to Israel will include items such as food, water, and bulletproof vests for both the Israel Defense Forces and civilians. The pilots of “Air Mayweather” will be Chris Javier, AJ Ramey, Freeman Blakney and Sam Kniskern.

READ MORE: Madonna, Natalie Portman, other celebs react to Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel

The American boxing legend uploaded a post on Instagram earlier this week, sharing his thoughts on the current situation in Israel and the ongoing violence in the Middle East. Alongside a photo of himself in Jerusalem, Mayweather confirmed his support for the Jewish people on Instagram.

“I stand with Israel against the Hamas terrorists. Hamas do not represent the people of Palestine but are a terrorist group that are attacking innocent lives!” he wrote. “I stand for all humans and wish for the safe return of all Americans and Israelis and any human that were kidnapped as hostages during these horrific war crimes. This is not a time for politics. This is a time for safety, first and foremost. God Bless America. God Bless Israel. God Bless Human Kind!”

Floyd Mayweather on Instagram:

“I stand with Israel against the Hamas terrorists. Hamas do not represent the people of Palestine but are a terrorist group that are attacking innocent lives!” pic.twitter.com/CHAo4q6MxX

— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) October 11, 2023

In a second Instagram post featuring a photo of a clenched fist with the colors and star of the Israeli flag, Mayweather stated, “I stand with Israel and Jews all around the world. I condemn antisemitism at all cost. I stand for Peace. I stand for Human Rights! Terrorism Is Never The Answer.”

According to TMZ Sports, Mayweather’s provision of aid to the nation of Israel is not the only time the iconic boxer has used his platform and financial resources to help those in need of aid during tragedies. During the summer fires in Maui, Mayweather reportedly helped provide food, shelter and transportation for 70 families.

The countdown to Halloween has begun. And with it comes a very important question: What should my dog’s costume be? Soon enough, stores will start running out of the best Halloween costumes, leaving many to take to online shopping or even a DIY approach.

So if you plan on dressing your fur baby up for Halloween, you’d better get started now.

Here are five great Halloween dog costumes, ranging from the heroic to the adorable:

Ghostbusters

If you’re worried about ghosts nabbing you on Halloween, let your four legged pal be your hero, After all, if you have a ghost encounter, who you gonna call? Available for $24.99 at PetSmart.

Sully from ‘Monsters Inc.’

Sure, Sully took his job way to seriously and tormented children, but by the end of the movie he turned into a big softie. The Sully fleece is perfect for your little monster. Available for $24.99 at PetSmart.

Minnie Mouse

This Minnie Mouse costume is also available for cats (good luck with that). If your dog doesn’t like the full dress, you can buy the adorable bow by itself. The full costume is available for $24.99 while the bow and ear bundle is $19.99.

Sarah Sanderson from ‘Hocus Pocus’

With Hocus Pocus available for streaming on Hulu, and a Hocus Pocus 3 in the works, PetSmart has costumes for all three Sanderson sisters. Sarah is available for $30.99, Mary is for $36.99, and Winifred is $36.99.

Tinkerbell

The Tinkerbell costume is available for both dogs and cats for $24.99.

___

© 2023 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Christmas is a colorful time for many, with bright lights, neon tinsel, and many ornaments lining the branches of a Christmas tree. However, some military personnel are spending their holidays overseas.

Every year, Military Missions in Lexington sends thousands of Care Packages to military personnel deployed overseas. Each package contains snacks, hygiene products, socks, and entertainment items, as well as cards and personal letters of support.

This endeavor is possible through volunteer efforts, such as fundraisers, collection drives, letter-writing campaigns, and care package assembly events.

While Military Missions sends packages year-round, there are local operations in place to give those serving in the military a cheerful holiday package.

According to Curator Phillip Seyfrit, the Battle of Richmond Visitors Center is holding its “Wrap It Up” campaign until Oct. 26.

“Remember when you were a kid and all of the brightly wrapped presents under the tree in colorful Christmas paper? You can instill that feeling in our military personnel by donating new rolls of Christmas wrapping paper during the Battle of Richmond’s “Wrap It Up” campaign!” he said.

He explained that anyone can bring new rolls of wrapping paper to the Battle of Richmond Visitors Center before Thursday, Oct. 26, to have them donated to Military Missions in Lexington for their Christmas season care packages for the military.

“Any paper will do, but the brighter the better,” Seyfrit remarked.

The Battle of Richmond Visitor Center is located at 101 Battlefield Memorial Highway (US 421) just south of Richmond. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Seyfrit confirmed that donations may be left on one of the benches on the front porch after hours.

For more information regarding the “Wrap It Up” campaign or other Battle of Richmond activities, call the Battle of Richmond Visitors Center at 859-624-0013 during normal business hours.

For more information, please call 859-624-0013.

___

(c) 2023 the Richmond Register

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

At 90 years old, Hilda Chavera has found a new purpose in life: tenant organizing.

A Minneapolis resident for 50 years, Chavera said she has seen her city change, with many of her neighbors struggling to stay in their homes.

“People can’t afford their rent. They are getting kicked out of their homes. They feel like they aren’t being heard,” Chavera told Stateline. She began organizing during the pandemic in 2020 with advocacy organizing group United Renters for Justice. “I may not live much longer to see anything change, but I want the younger generation to not feel like they need to choose between a place to live and what to eat.”

In the decade preceding the COVID-19 pandemic, Minnesota-based tenant advocates lobbied state lawmakers for a slew of rental protections, but those efforts were unsuccessful.

This spring, however, the newly Democratic-controlled legislature passed roughly 15 laws in a session advocates described as the most substantial change to the state’s tenant-landlord laws in a century. The measures include the right to legal counsel for tenants in public housing who face eviction, limits on the scope of landlords’ eviction powers and more transparency on required tenant fees.

“Prior to this session, several [Minnesota cities] all enacted their own local pre-eviction notice protections because the state was taking so long,” said Eric Hauge, executive director of HOME Line, a Minnesota-based tenant advocacy group.

“With these bills, the state legislature finally caught up to the tenant organizing that was happening in our cities.”

Tenant advocates told Stateline that the tenor of tenants’ rights movements has shifted over the past three years. Prior to the pandemic, battles at the statehouse often revolved around repairs and substandard housing. Now, those debates are more likely to center on affordability and keeping people in their homes.

Rents are rising — the average U.S. rent rose 18% between 2017 and 2022.

The end result for many cash-strapped renters is evictions.

Talking to peers

As the number of renters rises in the U.S. — 46 million, or more than a third of U.S. households, are renters — organizers pushing for renters’ rights are finding more of their own among the ranks of state legislatures across the country.

Hauge said he’s seen more lawmakers talking about or even campaigning on their experiences as renters. An analysis by the news organization New York Focus found that in New York’s legislative body, Democratic lawmakers who rent are far more likely to back tenant protections than those who own their homes.

“An influencing factor in all this — as compared to five, 10 years ago — is that there are definitely an increased number of state legislators who are currently renters or who have significantly more lived experience renting their homes,” Hauge told Stateline.

Historically, renters have been underrepresented in all levels of government; research suggests that imbalance has resulted in policies that overwhelmingly favor homeowners.

Alexandra Alvarado, director of education and marketing for the American Apartment Owners Association, an industry group, agreed that the advancement in renters’ protections in some states has altered the landlord-tenant dynamic.

“As we become more of a renter nation … what comes with that is renters are asking for more rights, and that’s not a bad thing,” Alvarado said in an interview. “And landlords may have to concede that they no longer have the upper hand.”

Mixed success

In September, roughly 200 Michigan renters flocked to the Michigan capitol in Lansing. William Lawrence, a lead organizer for the Rent Is Too Damn High coalition, said organizers see a “perfect storm” for passage of pro-tenant legislation and repeal the state’s ban on rent control.

For the first time since 1984, Democrats have held the governor’s office and both houses of the Michigan legislature. According to the Michigan Association of United Ways, 26% of households in the state make too much to qualify for federal benefits but struggle to afford basic needs. A large portion of their income is going to rent, as wages have stagnated.

“We know as renters this is our chance to demand change and meaningful rental housing reform,” Lawrence told Stateline. “When you see 200 people chanting the same thing and experiencing the same thing, what better time than now to pass renter protections in our state.”

But these movements have seen setbacks and met resistance.

A proposed bill to repeal the state’s ban on rent control, which has been in place since 1988, would alleviate rent burden for Michigan renters in cities such as Detroit and Ann Arbor, advocates say.

If that measure doesn’t pass, Lawrence said it would be a “wasted opportunity” given the makeup of the government.

“I think there are politicos [in the legislature] that think that this doesn’t have a snowball’s chance of repealing this preemption. But rent control is on everybody’s lips,” he said. “People are talking about rent control, and it’s very clear that renters really want rent control. It’s up to our lawmakers to represent those demands.”

The bill is currently in committee in the House.

Rent control has faced resistance in many legislatures this year. And measures to require that landlords have legitimate reasons to evict someone, often called “just cause” eviction protections, were floated in a few states this legislative cycle, with no success.

Those included Connecticut, Maryland and New York, all states with Democrats controlling both legislative chambers and the governor’s mansion.

“People may think that just because we have Democratic majority in the statehouse and the governorship, then the state is tenant- and renter-friendly. That’s not the case,” said Luke Melonakos-Harrison, an organizer with the Connecticut Tenants Union. “There’s no guarantee we’ll get the protections we need to keep renters in their home passed.”

In other states, New Mexico’s Democratic-controlled government did not pass a repeal of the state’s rent control ban.

And in deep-blue California, a bill to prohibit landlords from using criminal background checks as part of the tenant screening process never made it out of a Senate committee.

The California Apartment Association classified that bill and other “crime-free housing” bills floated in the legislative session as harmful. Alvarado, of the American Apartment Owners Association, said landlords “want data and information to make decisions that could prevent evictions in the future.”

“If landlords can’t use eviction records or criminal history, then what else are landlords supposed to base the risky decision on who to rent to?” she said.

California already has rent control and just cause eviction laws on the books, but lawmakers closed loopholes in those laws.

In September, they passed a bill that seeks to close a loophole in existing law that has allowed landlords to circumvent the state’s rent cap by forcing out current tenants and brining in newer tenants at higher rents. The bill is awaiting Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature.

Red states take action

Meanwhile, several GOP-dominated states went in the opposite direction, enacting laws scaling back tenant protections.

Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill preventing local rent control and superseding tenants’ rights measures that were passed in counties such as Miami-Dade and Pinellas.

Texas, meanwhile, passed a sweeping law prohibiting cities from enacting eviction protections along with any other local ordinances not expressly permitted by the state.

However, a state judge ruled the bill unconstitutional before it was set to take effect this month. The Texas attorney general’s office filed a notice to appeal the decision, arguing that the law should still take effect.

Austin landlord Victoria Wilson told Stateline that eviction powers are a “necessary” measure to counteract non-payment of rent. Still, she said, they shouldn’t be abused by landlords — nor strictly regulated by government or the courts.

Republicans in Oklahoma aimed to pass an anti-retaliation bill protecting tenants from vindictive landlords — one of the few states where such practice is legal — but it was unsuccessful.

And a Georgia bill with bipartisan support that would have required landlords to ensure rental properties are “fit for human habitation” upon signing a lease failed to pass.

Moving forward in Minnesota

When asked by Stateline what housing policies he wished Minnesota’s Democratic trifecta would consider, Republican state Sen. Eric Lucero, who sits on the Senate housing committee, touted “free market” housing policies that exist in Republican-controlled Montana and Democratic-controlled Vermont and Washington state.

He told Stateline that the new Democratic-backed laws in his state tilt the tenant-landlord dynamic out of balance.

“An equilibrium exists in state law balancing and protecting rights and responsibilities of both tenants and housing providers, yet the Democrat majority continues to actively ignore testimony and experiences shared by those on the housing providers’ and builders’ side of the equilibrium,” Lucero said.

To ensure enforcement of its new protections in 2024, Hauge, of HOME Line, said the group is hosting workshops over the next few months with both tenants and landlords to help them learn about the laws.

“A law isn’t effective without compliance. We know there are landlords that do follow the law and want to continue to follow the law,” he said. “We want to make sure we answer their questions, as well as empower renters on these changes, before they take shape.”

___

© 2023 States Newsroom

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

PG&E is facing the prospect of a state penalty and fines in connection with a huge and destructive wildfire that the utility caused in Northern California, regulators said Monday.

The state Public Utilities Commission is eyeing a $45 million penalty against PG&E due to the utility’s role in causing the Dixie Fire that scorched portions of five California counties in 2021.

The Dixie Fire cost $1.15 billion and roared through sections of Plumas, Butte, Lassen, Shasta, and Tehama counties.

The wildfire began under a PG&E transmission line near State Route 70 and Cresta Dam after a rotting tree fell onto the utility’s power lines.

The Dixie blaze erupted in the Feather River Canyon not far from the origin of a fatal blaze in 2018 known as the Camp Fire.

The PUC proposed a penalty with three components:

— $40 million penalty for capital expenditures to transition records to an electronic format.

— $2.5 million payment to California indigenous tribes affected by the blaze.

— $2.5 million fine paid into the state’s general treasury.

“We accept CAL FIRE’s finding that a tree falling into our powerline caused the fire. However, PG&E believes we acted as a prudent operator,” a PG&E spokesperson said in a comment emailed to this news organization. “There is no evidence that PG&E consciously and willfully disregarded a known risk with regard to the ignition of the Dixie Fire.”

The Dixie Fire destroyed more than 1,300 buildings. One firefighter was killed in the battle to contain and control the blaze.

The five-member state PUC is slated to consider the proposed settlement at a Nov. 16 voting meeting.

PUC staffers said PG&E customers won’t have to bear the cost of the penalty through higher monthly bills.

“PG&E would pay a $45 million shareholder-funded penalty” under the proposal issued on Monday by the PUC’s enforcement staff, the regulators stated.

___

© #YR@ MediaNews Group, Inc

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.