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Stormont minister Maurice Morrow told an official he would not raise the issue with the Northern Ireland Executive, despite similar measures being considered in England and Wales. A file on planning arrangements for the jubilee celebrations reveals a series of civil service correspondences on how Northern Ireland would mark the occasion. It includes a letter sent on January 11 2001 from an official in the Office of the First Minister/Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) to the Department of Social Development, advising that a committee had been set up in London to consider a programme of celebrations. The correspondence says: “One of the issues the committee is currently considering is the possibility of deregulating liquor licensing laws during the golden jubilee celebrations on the same lines as the arrangements made for the millennium. “It is felt that the golden jubilee bank holiday on Monday 3 June 2002 is likely to be an occasion on which many public houses and similar licensed premises would wish to stay open beyond normal closing time.” The letter said a paper had been prepared on the issue of extending opening hours. It adds: “You will note that paragraph seven of the paper indicates that the devolved administrations ‘would need to consider deregulation separately within their own jurisdictions’. “I thought that you would wish to be aware that this issue is receiving active consideration for England and Wales and to consider whether anything needs to be done for Northern Ireland.” Some months later a “progress report” was sent between officials in OFMDFM, which again raised the issue of licensing laws. It says: “I spoke to Gordon Gibson, DSD, about Terry Smith’s letter of 12 January 2001 about licensing laws: the matter was put to their minister Maurice Morrow (DUP) who indicated that he would not be asking the NIE (Northern Ireland Executive) to approve any change to current licensing laws in NI to allow for either 24 hour opening (as at the millennium) nor a blanket approval for extended opening hours as is being considered in GB. “In both cases, primary legislation would be required here and would necessitate consultation and the minister has ruled out any consultation process.” The correspondence says individual licensees could still apply for an extension to opening hours on an ad hoc basis, adding “there the matter rests”. It goes on: “DSD await further pronouncements from the Home Office and Gibson and I have agreed to notify each other of any developments we become aware of and he will copy me to any (existing) relevant papers. “Ministers may well come under pressure in due course for a relaxation and/or parity with GB.” The document concludes “That’s it so far...making haste slowly?” Emails sent between officials in the department the same month said that lord lieutenants in Northern Ireland had been approached about local events to mark the jubilee. One message says: “Lord lieutenants have not shown any enthusiasm for encouraging GJ celebrations at a local level. “Lady Carswell in particular believes that it would be difficult for LLs to encourage such activities without appearing political.”Jimmy Carter's legacy remembered in Central Illinois and beyond

Jimmy Carter, 39th US president, Nobel winner, dies at 100A founding member of the Village People and long-time critic of Donald Trump’s use of the group’s song YMCA is changing his tune and says he would now consider performing the 70s anthem at the president-elect’s upcoming inauguration. Victor Willis told Fox & Friends First that he would also allow the president-elect to continue using the song at events. “I decided to allow the president-elect’s continued use of YMCA because he seems to genuinely, genuinely like the song, and so many other artists were stopping him from using their music,” Willis told Fox Thursday. Willis had for years demanded that Trump stop using the song, which is widely regarded as a popular gay anthem often performed by the distinctively outfitted Village People , an odd choice for a man opposed to the LGBTQ community. Willis added: “I decided to contact BMI [Broadcast Music, Inc.] and told them not to terminate his political use license because he seemed to be bringing so much joy to the American people with his use of YMCA .” Trump’s wooden dance moves to the song have gone viral across social media and even prompted responses in the world of sports. Willis sang and co-wrote the tune, and now says Trump’s use of it has contributed to it hitting the sales charts again 46 years after its initial release. The founding member of the Village People previously condemned Trump’s use of the song as well as Macho Man. He earlier said that the group would prefer the song be “kept out of politics.” But YMCA’s comeback has led some to speculate that the band may perform at Trump’s inauguration in January. “If you were to ask me today if the Village People would perform at the inauguration, I would probably say not because we’d be concerned about endorsement” of Trump, Willis told Fox. “However, because the president-elect has done so much for YMCA and brought so much joy to so many people, the song has actually gone back to number one [in sales], and it’s still number one today, so if he were to ask the Village People to perform the song live for him, we’d have to seriously consider it,” he added. He noted: “The financial benefits have been great ... YMCA is estimated to have grossed several million dollars since the President Elect’s continued use of the song. Therefore, I’m glad I allowed the President Elect’s continued use of YMCA ., And I thank him for choosing to use my song.” Willis has rejected the notion that the song is a gay anthem. He urged those thinking the song isn’t intended as straight to “get their minds out of the gutter.” “Come January 2025, my wife will start suing each and every news organization that falsely refers to YMCA , either in their headlines or alluded to in the base of the story, that YMCA is somehow a gay anthem because such notion is based solely on the song’s lyrics alluding to elicit [sic] activity for which it does not,” he declared on Facebook. The song’s lyrics refer to young men new in a city heading to the YMCA gym and rooming to “hang out with all the boys” and “do whatever you feel.” But Willis argued on Facebook that the line “you can hang out with all the boys” is “simply 1970s Black slang for Black guys hanging out together for sports, gambling or whatever. There’s nothing gay about that,” he insisted. But, he added: “I don’t mind that gays think of YMCA as their anthem.”Anti-fraud efforts meet real-world test during ACA enrollment period

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Affordable housing providers across the nation just caught a break in their uphill battle to stay afloat. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has introduced a critical update to its Operating Cost Adjustment Factors (OCAFs) under the Section 8 program. This tweak, announced via a Federal Register Notice , is the latest step in combating spiraling operational costs—particularly skyrocketing insurance premiums—and aims to protect the nation’s affordable housing stock while stabilizing rent for low-income families. The stakes? Huge. Insurance costs for HUD-assisted multifamily properties have nearly doubled in just the last five years, with even sharper increases in coastal regions. Rising expenses for energy, labor, and maintenance are only adding fuel to the fire, putting property managers in an impossible bind—cover higher costs or risk compromising the quality and availability of affordable housing. HUD’s action is set to help thousands of property owners avoid a no-win scenario while ensuring residents’ access to safe, quality homes. “Our new adjustment factors will help families and affordable housing providers keep up with increasing housing costs,” said HUD Agency Head Adrianne Todman. “I’ve heard directly from property owners struggling to maintain affordable rents while keeping pace with skyrocketing operating expenses. This is an effort to turn the tide.” Here’s why this matters. HUD’s OCAFs establish the allowable yearly cost adjustments for multifamily housing projects with project-based assistance contracts under the Section 8 program. These factors vary by state and territory and are tailored to reflect changing market realities—higher energy costs, labor demands, and, most critically, explosion-like increases in insurance premiums. By ensuring these cost adjustments are more attuned to actual market conditions, HUD is giving housing providers the breathing room they desperately need to protect their operations without sacrificing affordability for tenants. For families dependent on Section 8 housing, this policy brings a rare sense of stability in an era of unpredictability. “The escalating cost of property expenses and insurance is a growing concern for families and affordable housing providers across the country,” said Julia R. Gordon, Assistant Secretary for Housing and Federal Housing Commissioner. “The new OCAFs represent a significant policy response by HUD and the Biden-Harris Administration to address these ongoing challenges.” The role of insurance in affordable housing is often overlooked—until disaster strikes. Multifamily property owners are tasked with maintaining comprehensive insurance coverage, which safeguards properties and communities in the event of extreme weather or unexpected catastrophes. But as climate risks intensify and insurance premiums soar, the financial balancing act becomes untenable. Coastal areas have been hit particularly hard. Properties along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, already vulnerable to hurricanes and flooding, have seen insurance costs spike more than any other regions. This increase doesn’t just threaten operations; it jeopardizes the homes of countless families who have no alternatives. HUD has been ramping up efforts to address this crisis head-on. Earlier this year, the department revised multifamily insurance deductibles to ease the burden of wind and storm insurance premiums, providing crucial relief while maintaining adequate coverage requirements. HUD also convened an unprecedented summit in July 2024, bringing together insurance leaders, policymakers, and community stakeholders to hammer out actionable solutions. This OCAF adjustment is just one part of HUD’s broader strategy to tackle rising housing costs head-on. A standout initiative is the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP), launched in 2023 and now surpassing $1.1 billion in funding. This program supports energy-efficient and climate-resilient improvements to HUD-assisted properties, reducing damage from disasters and cutting operational costs over the long term. Stronger, greener housing isn’t just a trend—it’s a necessity in today’s volatile climate. These updates also align with the Biden-Harris Administration’s affordable housing agenda, which prioritizes expanding the housing supply, reducing costs, and improving resilience, especially in underserved and disaster-prone communities. This OCAF overhaul builds upon decades of HUD policy under the Multifamily Assisted Housing Reform and Affordability Act of 1997. But unlike static rules of the past, this update reflects real-world challenges that property owners and managers now face. The new OCAFs go into effect for eligible properties with contract anniversary dates starting February 11, 2025. For many housing providers, these changes can’t come soon enough. They represent a necessary step forward in preserving not only individual housing contracts but the sustainability of the entire affordable housing ecosystem. And while this update is promising, it raises a key question for future discourse—how do we balance the rising costs of property operations with the urgent need to expand access to affordable housing? HUD’s bold moves show the agency is willing to meet the challenge head-on, but with insurance rates still climbing and the impacts of climate change intensifying, sustainable solutions will require coordinated effort across federal, state, and private sectors. For now, however, the update offers a clear signal to property owners, tenants, and advocates alike: HUD is listening. Affordable housing is not just a policy goal—it’s a promise. And this promise is being backed with updated tools and targeted action to ensure it remains within reach for millions. HUD’s message is unmistakable—affordable housing is too crucial to falter, and the federal government is prepared to do whatever it takes to stabilize this foundation for American families. The clock is ticking. For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN .