DL Open Thread: Tuesday, December 31, 2024
While there are still great reporters plying their craft at legacy media outlets like the NYTimes and Washington Post, I find that the consistently-best outlets for the stories I like to cover and that our readers like to read are coming from non-corporate media. If you value their work as much as I do, you may want to consider a donation before the Fiscal Year ends. Most, if not all, are tax-deductible. Here:
If I missed any deserving recipients, let us know.
Speaking of Spotlight Delaware, Nick Stonesifer is on the Meyer Veto story:
(Councilwoman Dee) Durham, who has been one of the main proponents of the bill, said in an interview that she’s disappointed with the decision, and called affordable housing arguments by developers “a red herring.”
She pointed to different exemptions in the bill for affordable housing projects like moderately priced dwelling units and homes built using low-income housing tax credits.
Additionally, she said the denial of the ordinance doesn’t do much to help county residents already footing the bill with their taxes.
“It’s not really benefiting anyone except for the developers and the more wealthy people that are coming into the state and buying high-end houses,” Durham said.
Dave Carter added an interesting note:
“I felt like it is another prejudicial slap in the face to southern New Castle County by an outgoing county executive,” Carter said.
He noted whenever there is talk of regulation on development, it becomes a question about how it will impact affordable housing.
According to Carter, county code says the ordinance needs to be periodically updated. By rejecting the update, Carter said Meyer is “thumbing his nose at the law.”
“If you’re a governor-elect, you take the oath of office, you should follow the law,” Carter said. “Matt Meyer needs to follow the law or get the hell out of politics.”
Well, then.
The Washington Post ‘What’s Out, What’s In’ List. My fave?
Out: Pasteurized Milk.
In: Bird Flu.
I also liked:
Out: $3 Gas.
In: Fart Walks. (Y’know, I could walk to and from my nearest Wawa–if I wanted to…)
YMMV.
Rethugs Taking Themselves Hostages–Over Debt Ceiling. Watch ’em squirm:
Going back more than a decade now, Republicans have regularly used the debt ceiling as hostage-taking exercise, risking national default and credit downgrades in a performative effort to look like budget hawks, or what they imagine budget hawks would look like. Because Republicans will start next year in control of both chambers of Congress and the White House, there are no hostages to take except themselves. Couple that with their initial 217-215 margin in the House — barely a vote to spare — and there’s plenty of opportunity for inflicting Republican-on-Republican pain.
Whether or not the debt ceiling ultimately gets raised is entirely within Republicans’ control, yet the potential for a fight still looms — a realization that may well be the source of Trump’s recent ire that a debt ceiling reckoning will come due in the first half of 2025.
In: Goat Killing. Out: Remorse. The rough-and-tumble world of 4-H:
A Texas teenager has been charged with animal cruelty after she was accused of using pesticide to poison and kill a rival’s competition show goat.
Authorities allege that Aubrey Vanlandingham, 17, used a drench gun to force-feed toxic pesticide to the goat, named Willie, at a barn at the Vista Ridge high school in Cedar Park in October.
According to an arrest affidavit obtained by multiple outlets, Vanlandingham reportedly confessed to deliberately poisoning the animal, an act that was captured on CCTV footage.
Vanlandingham confessed to police that she deliberately poisoned the goat because she believed the animal’s owner was “a cheater”, according to the affidavit. She reportedly said it was her second attempt to kill the goat.
Hmmm, Texas goats named Willie have always been tough to kill. Wonder if this goat was happily munching on some choice cannabis before his fateful demise…
Happy New Year, everybody! I’ll be drinking right up ’til midnight, at which point a Dry January awaits. Actually looking forward to it.
What do you want to talk about?
Appreciate your voice, El Som.
Meyer also vetoed the Sierra Club rep.’s dubbed “Affordable Living” ordinance for new construction net zero energy mandates.
Marcus Henry ostensibly is hot to enact both of these initiatives and Meyer knew that….so what could this governor-elect have gained by the “delay” with a veto if the votes don’t change and an additional yes from Valerie George who was absent on December 10th? Did he really need to signal his developer lobby? No. Did some not voting members promise a no?
Monique Johns, I am looking at you.
It’s worth a drive into the big city January 14th to make in person commentary and bear witness.
Significant omission from your nonprofit journalism list: Delaware Public Media.
I’ll add it, and the link…
My bad.