The cost of affordable housing: Does it pencil out? There is not enough affordable housing in the United States. For every 100 extremely low income households, there are only 29 adequate, affordable, and available rental units. That means two parents who both work minimum-wage jobs might wait years to find a safe, affordable place to live with their two kids. https://apps.urban.org/features/cost-of-affordable-housing/ Rising Construction Costs' Affordable Housing Impacts Despite the shortage of affordable housing units nationwide, many developers are working hard to create new units in heavily undersupplied markets. However, rises in construction costs have made the situation difficult for many contractors: The Associated General Contractors of America pegged increases at 21.4% from March 2021 to March 2022. And that figure excludes increases to labor costs, owing to a severe labor shortage in the construction industry. https://www.hud.loans/hud-loans-blog/2022/4/28/rising-construction-costs-affordable-housing-impacts Should Government Build and Finance Affordable Housing? “Supply-side” solutions like public housing and LIHTC may seem good on paper, but are flawed in practice https://catalyst.independent.org/2020/10/31/government-affordable-housing/ Switzerland Considers Banning Electric Vehicle Use Amid Energy Crisis Facing an energy crisis this winter, Switzerland has developed a four-step plan to curb blackouts that includes banning the use of electric vehicles for non-essential trips. Since the country relies on imports during the winter months from countries that are facing energy shortfalls of their own, Switzerland developed an emergency response plan to address the risk of blackout that includes two tiers—emergency and crisis—with levels of restrictions within each.  https://townhall.com/tipsheet/leahbarkoukis/2022/12/05/switzerland-evs-n2616731 El Salvador deploys thousands of troops to combat gangs El Salvador President Nayib Bukele has deployed 10,000 security forces to confront the threat from gangs in a suburb of the capital, San Salvador. Soldiers and security agents surrounded the municipality of Soyapango on Saturday to remove gang members in the area, according to a statement issued by the presidency. “8,500 soldiers and 1,500 agents have surrounded the city, while police teams and the army are tasked with extricating one by one all gang members still there,” Bukele said on Twitter. https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/03/el-salvador-deploys-thousands-of-troops-to-combat-gangs/ About Derek Derek Hunter is a radio host, columnist and the author of “Outrage, Inc.: How the Liberal Mob Ruined Science, Journalism, and Hollywood." He has worked at the Heritage Foundation as a health policy analyst; worked on Capitol Hill as a press secretary in the U.S. Senate, and was federal affairs manager at Americans for Tax Reform, focusing on tech, education, and judicial policy. In 2009, Derek was recruited by Tucker Carlson and Neil Patel to help start The Daily Caller, where he was managing editor. https://derekahunter.com/about-derek/ ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOjFwZpX-2I

Wyoming Sheriff Uses Billboard To Attract Denver Cops After City Defunded Police Laramie County Sheriff Brian Kozak put up a billboard in Denver to attract cops who may be "frustrated" after that city defunded its police by $8.4 million. The billboard also emphasizes that breaking the law is still illegal in Wyoming. A Wyoming sheriff is trying to recruit deputies by posting a billboard in Denver, Colorado. “Work in Wyoming where breaking the law is STILL ILLEGAL & cops are still funded,” reads a billboard the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office placed near downtown Denver. https://cowboystatedaily.com/2024/05/13/wyoming-sheriff-uses-billboard-to-attract-frustrated-denver-cops/ Why British pubs are closing, and how we can save them Campaigners are calling for action to stop the trickle of pub closures turning into a flood. An average of 18 pubs a week are shutting down, according to research by Camra (Campaign for Real Ale), which puts much of the blame on a “triple whammy” tax burden. Rising business rates, which have also struck retailers on the high street, have combined with VAT and “one of the highest rates of beer duty across Europe” to put pub landlords under a strain they are finding it difficult to withstand, Camra says. https://inews.co.uk/news/uk/british-pubs-closing-how-we-can-save-them-138877 Pubs closure warning: 'My energy bill went to £35,000 from £13,000' Pubs across the UK will be forced to close due to energy costs soaring by as much as 300%, brewery bosses have said. Leaders of six of the country's largest breweries have called for "immediate government intervention" on sky-high energy bills this winter. The landlord of one pub in Essex told the BBC that his energy costs had risen from about £13,000 a year to £35,000. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-62688692 Why Biden might be happy to debate Trump in June In the span of four hours on Wednesday, a plan to hold two presidential debates between Joe Biden and Donald Trump went from rumour to reality. While some details still need to be hammered out, it appears the Democratic and Republican candidates will face off twice, on 27 June and 10 September. Usually the debates are in September and October. Mr Trump, who has for months been calling for a debate "anytime, anywhere", got what he wanted. Mr Biden, meanwhile, got to set the terms of their meetings. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-69023014 Jon Stewart drags Mary Trump on ‘The Daily Show’ after calling host ‘danger to democracy’ Jon Stewart dragged Mary Trump on Monday’s episode of “The Daily Show” after the former president’s niece called the TV host a “danger to democracy” after returning to the late-night talk show after a nine-year hiatus. Stewart kicked off his return to the hosting chair by taking aim at both Joe Biden and Donald Trump’s ages as part of a 20-minute dialogue on the 11 p.m. Comedy Central show. https://nypost.com/2024/02/20/us-news/jon-stewart-ridicules-mary-trump-on-the-daily-show/ Oregon drivers are now allowed to pump their own fuel after the state lifted a ban dating back to 1951 All gas stations in Oregon can now allow customers to pump their own gas under a new law signed Friday, lifting a ban on self-service in the state dating back to 1951. The new law, House Bill 2426, signed Friday by Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek went into effect immediately, leaving New Jersey as the only state in the US where service station customers can’t pump their own fuel. https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/06/us/oregon-drivers-pump-own-fuel-law/index.html ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5seDXyFipbM