Governor Peter Shumlin announced Friday a plan to achieve $12 million in General Fund savings in Fiscal Year 2012 without imposing pay cuts or layoffs of existing state workers.The administration will implement an immediate hiring freeze across state government. All requests to fill vacant positions will require specific approval of the office of the Secretary of Administration.In addition, the Governor said Administration Secretary Jeb Spaulding will work with the State Employee unions and the Legislature to enact the following savings beginning July 1:A voluntary reduced work week for state employees, allowing them to opt for a shorter work week, subject to management approval, while still ensuring overall departmental quality service levels. Employees would not lose health benefits under the arrangement. A conservative estimate of savings from this step is $2 million in General Funds.Savings in the health insurance plans for active and retired state employees intended to save money for both employees and the employer (state government). A conservative estimate of savings from this step is $2 million in General Funds.Savings in the state’s cost of supporting retirement plans for employees; savings along the lines of those garnered in the Teachers Retirement System that were passed last year. The savings will likely be a combination of benefit recalibration and contributions. Our estimate of savings from this step is $2 million in General Funds.Savings from the state’s personal services contracts of 2 percent. According to the state’s annual workforce report, Personal services contracts have escalated from 727 contracts valued at $110 million in 2003 to 1,570 contracts in 2009 valued at $237 million. By sharpening our pencils and managing those contracts aggressively, the 2 percent savings target will garner $2 million or more.‘Closing the projected $150 budget gap in the next fiscal year and bringing Vermont’s budget into a long term sustainable balance will require further streamlining in state government,’ the Governor said. ‘I am determined to do this without further layoffs of employees or across the board pay cuts with no compensating offset.’Gov. Shumlin said he expects at least half of the vacated positions to generate a savings of $4 million to $5 million in the General Fund, with a total savings for the full proposal of about $12 million in Fiscal Year 2012.‘The Administration has the ability to reallocate vacancies across state government and we will use this authority to fill positions where most needed, while achieving savings through management and technology efficiencies and adjusting agency and departmental budgets accordingly,’ Gov. Shumlin said.The projected total General Fund savings from this package is a minimum of $12 million in General Funds. Total savings from all fund sources will be more than $25 million. Source: Shumlin’s office. 1.10.2011
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RBC limits future lending for coal plant development, Arctic oil projects
FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailPrint分享The Canadian Press:Canada’s largest bank is putting new restrictions on lending to some fossil fuel developments.In a policy released Friday, RBC says it won’t lend money to new coal-fired power generators, thermal coal mines or coal mines that require mountaintop removal. The policy will apply to new investments and not the bank’s current investment portfolio.The bank says it won’t lend to new clients that get more than 60 per cent of their revenue from thermal coal or coal-fired power generation. It will lend to new clients that get some revenue from those industries if they can show they’re moving away from coal or reducing their greenhouse gas emissions.Financing Arctic oil exploration will have to be approved by a special committee and no financing will be provided to oil drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, “due to its particular ecological and social significance and vulnerability,” said [bank spokesman Andrew] Block.RBC is believed to be the first Canadian bank to join its international peers in backing away from the refuge.[Bob Weber]More: RBC announces new restrictions on financing coal, oil developments RBC limits future lending for coal plant development, Arctic oil projects
Outdoor Updates: Georgia preserves 2,000-acres for critically endangered species habitat
The National Park Service is in the process of expanding recreation opportunities on public lands that are currently inaccessible behind private land holdings. Nudged by a law called the John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act, the NPS is asking the public for suggestions on which parcels of land should be opened up to the public. There are over 200,000 cases of Lyme disease reported every year. If the disease is caught early it can be cured with antibiotics. Without treatment, those affected can experience joint pain and stiffness, severe headaches, heart palpitations and facial palsy. Human testing of shot to prevent Lyme disease is coming soon The Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the Open Space Institute announced two land acquisitions in southeast Georgia on Wednesday. The first property secures important habitat for the restoration of rare species, including the extremely rare plant, the hairy rattleweed, and the Georgia state reptile, the gopher tortoise. The other parcel of land will be added to the Moody Forest Wildlife Management Area and will protect wildlife habitat along the Altamaha River. Georgia DNR is working to make both parcels of land open to public recreation sometime in 2020. National Park Service looks to expand public access to inaccessible land Though January 4 the public is invited to weigh in on the topic. Suggested parcels must meet the following requirements: Photo by Florida Fish and Wildlife of Gopher Tortoise To submit your comment visit the NPS website comment section. Include the location of the parcel you are suggesting, including its total acreage and the reason the land is currently restricted. Georgia preserves 2,000-acres for critically endangered species habitat Must be managed by the NPSMust be at least 640 contiguous acresMust have significantly restricted or no public accessPotential for public access and the likelihood of resolving the absence of public access are also criteria for consideration A group of researchers in Massachusetts are developing an anti-Lyme shot that would protect against the tick-borne illness for several months at a time. MassBiologics reports that manufacturing the anti-Lyme antibodies is going well and that testing of the safety of the shot should begin on humans in mid-2020. MassBiologics is not the only company working to develop a way to prevent humans from contracting Lyme disease. A French company is also testing a new vaccine that could be available in four or five years. 
The regulations on business accounts
Or rather, the lack thereof. The NAFCU Regulatory Compliance Team regularly gets asked whether federal regulations apply to business deposit accounts.Most consumer protection rules do not apply to deposit accounts held by a business. It is important to understand that a business-purpose account can be held by a legal entity, such as an LLC or a corporation, or by individuals operating a business themselves as a sole proprietorship. Understanding whether the individuals or a legal entity own the account can be important to determining the applicability of a rule, as well as the credit union’s ability to open the account under field of membership considerations and its share insurance coverage.Further, it is important to understand that even if an account is not covered by the scope of a rule, a credit union may contractually obligate itself to treat the account as if it were covered due to the language in its agreements. Some credit unions make a risk-based business decision to use the same documentation for all accounts, rather than establishing parallel processes and paperwork for business accounts. Each credit union needs to make its own decision on the topic, but educated decisions are best. So let’s talk about what rules do and do not apply to accounts held by businesses. continue reading » ShareShareSharePrintMailGooglePinterestDiggRedditStumbleuponDeliciousBufferTumblr
Campaign Donations Reflect the Sharp Split in Congress Among Republicans
Sign up for our COVID-19 newsletter to stay up-to-date on the latest coronavirus news throughout New York By Derek Willis, ProPublicaThis story was co-published with The Daily Beast.The Republican split that defines this year’s presidential campaign has been on display in Congress for years, with the most conservative wing battling party leaders on issues from spending to immigration.A ProPublica analysis of campaign donations highlights just how profound this gap has become in the House of Representatives.The analysis shows that the Republican leadership, including Speaker Paul Ryan and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, raises money from a vastly different set of political action committees than members further to the right. In fact, the donor bases for Ryan and McCarthy are actually more similar to some Democrats than to their colleagues in the main conservative grouping, the Freedom Caucus.The fundraising disparity stokes the divisive atmosphere in Congress, reinforcing policy differences and sometimes affecting the outcome of legislation in surprising ways.For example, when a Republican-backed plan to ease a campaign finance rule evaporated in Congress, it was the most conservative GOP lawmakers in the House who joined with liberal Democrats to get it killed. Related stories: For more of ProPublica’s coverage of politics and lobbying, check out our ongoing series, The Breakdown. The provision, which died in December, was initiated by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and was included in a must-pass spending bill. It would have eliminated caps on the money a national party committee can spend in coordination with a candidate.The caps were originally meant to reduce the amount of outside cash flowing directly to advocacy for a particular candidate. Those in favor of lifting the restrictions say they are outmoded in the increasingly wild world of campaign finance and effectively give less-accountable outside groups like super PACs more influence than traditional parties.Many Democrats argued that eliminating the caps would have opened the spigot to even more big money in politics. For conservatives, the reason to oppose the McConnell plan was different: It might have helped Republican leaders quash internal dissenters.With a bigger campaign war chest raised from donors who support mainstream Republicans, the party would find it easier to select and back its favored House candidates. “The McConnell rider provides preferential treatment to the Washington establishment,” the Conservative Action Project, a group led by former Attorney General Edwin Meese, wrote in appealing to like-minded lawmakers to fight the measure.The differences in donor bases affect other policy debates, said Dave Brat of Virginia, a Freedom Caucus member who defeated then-Majority Leader Eric Cantor in the 2014 primary and went on to take his seat. For instance, he said, conservatives lost their fight to defund the U.S. Export-Import Bank last year in part because the companies that benefit from the bank won over Republicans and Democrats who received campaign contributions from those firms.The disparity is “a huge deal,” Brat said.ProPublica’s analysis used a calculation called cosine similarity to compare each House members’ donors to others; two members with an identical set of donors would receive a score of 1, while two with no PAC donors in common would get a score of 0.The degree of similarity between Ryan’s 2014 PAC donors and those of Freedom Caucus members Justin Amash of Michigan and Ted Yoho of Florida was close to nil: 0.03 and 0.16. Tim Huelskamp, a Kansas Republican who lost his seat on the House Agriculture Committee in 2012 for his votes against leadership, had few PAC donors in common with Ryan (a score of 0.15) or any other House colleague in 2014: his highest score was 0.3, with fellow Kansan Mike Pompeo.PAC donors to House Majority Leader McCarthy, of California, were more like Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer’s (0.53 score) than they were those of Ohio Republican Jim Jordan, who heads the Freedom Caucus (0.31).The gap between the leadership and insurgents has widened since 2008. That year, McCarthy’s PAC donors were more similar to those of Michele Bachmann, the former Minnesota congresswoman who founded the House’s Tea Party caucus, than they were to PACs that gave to then-Majority Leader Cantor or then-Speaker John Boehner. By the end of 2014, the gulf between McCarthy and the conservatives was much wider: all House GOP leaders, and even 11House Democrats, had PAC donors more similar to McCarthy’s than any member of the Freedom Caucus.var pymParent = new pym.Parent(‘rankings-iframe’, ‘https://projects.propublica.org/graphics/donor-differences?layout=embed’, {});Source: ProPublica analysis of Federal Election Commission data.Credit: Sisi Wei and Derek Willis.The donors that typically back House leaders are large corporate PACs with broad interests before Congress. They include the Automotive Free Trade International PAC, which represents American dealers of foreign car manufacturers. The PAC gives hundreds of thousands of dollars to Republican candidates, of which just $11,500 went to three dozen Freedom Caucus members during the 2014 cycle. On the other hand, none of the leaders received contributions from the Citizens United Political Victory Fund, which is one of the top overall donors to Freedom Caucus members.The two factions do have some PAC donors in common, such as the Koch Industries PAC, which gave $201,500 to 36 members of the House Freedom Caucus identified by the Pew Research Center during the last election. The KochPAC gave more than $1.4 million to Republican House candidates, including its leaders.But even in cases where the same PAC backs both camps, the amounts are often lopsided, with less money going to Freedom Caucus members, many of who are relatively junior lawmakers. The Home Depot PAC, for example, gave the maximum $10,000 to scores of lawmakers’ campaigns in 2014; only one of them, Barry Loudermilk of Georgia, where Home Depot has its headquarters, is a Freedom Caucus member. Other members of the Freedom Caucus received donations from the PAC, but not for the maximum amount.Stephen Holmes, a spokesman for Home Depot, said many factors go into the company’s PAC giving, but caucus membership wasn’t one of them.The failure of McConnell’s plan to lift the caps on party spending shows how the source of lawmakers’ contributions influences their votes. Republicans generally have voted in favor of looser rules on raising and spending campaign money, especially since the passage of the 2002 McCain-Feingold law that banned national parties from collecting unlimited contributions. Rick Hasen, a University of California-Irvine law professor who studies campaign finance and elections, said it’s notable that the Freedom Caucus pushed to preserve the party restrictions.“Sometimes,” Hasen said, “self-interest can trump ideology.” ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for their newsletter.
Letters to the Editor for Sunday, Aug. 18
Categories: Letters to the Editor, OpinionAction is needed to secure city hillsideWhile I was walking on Nott Terrace recently, I noticed where there was a mudslide a few months ago. It’s extremely fortunate that no one was killed, although it was scary enough for the man who was trapped inside of a house for a while.It seems that an upper ridge continues all the way down to the gas station where another mudslide occurred years ago.There was one fatality at that time and so may disasters these days in other part of the country; high winds, flash floods, hurricanes, fires, tornadoes, etc.We’ve been lucky so far in Schenectady. But all I can imagine is if a heavy downpour of rain over a week or so might saturate the ground and end up collapsing that ridge all the way down to that same gas station. This would involve Veeder Avenue and Millard Street.In addition, New York state has a moderate risk for earthquakes. If one or more faults happened to shift at the same time as the saturated ground gave way, who knows how widespread the damage and possible fatalities there would be.Some of the apartment buildings on Veeder and Millard would surely crash down and in turn block the fire station so that immediate help would be impossible. There are also apartments on the other side of Veeder and Millard that could be affected too, a harsh way to renovate them.Lorene HuntleySchenectadyUrge McConnell to stop mass carnageThe recent mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton represent a national tragedy and a national disgrace.The FBI defines a “mass shooting” as an event resulting in four or more deaths. Data shows that thus far in 2019, there have been 20 mass shootings in our country. The data also supports the observation that mass shootings occur more frequently in America than in other countries.Assault weapons and high-capacity magazines are frequently used in mass shootings. Over the past decade, the five deadliest mass shooting incidents in America all involved the use of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines: Las Vegas, Nev.; Orlando, Fla.; Newtown, Conn.; Sutherland Springs, Texas; and, Parkland, Fla. A study of mass shooting incidents between 1981 and 2017 found that assault rifles accounted for 86 percent of the 501 fatalities reported in 44 mass shooting incidents. An analysis of mass shootings from 2009 to 2017 revealed that of the incidents with known magazine capacity data, 58 percent involved firearms with high-capacity magazines.Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has stalled two modest gun control bills that were passed by the House more than six months ago. McConnell has consistently benefited from NRA funding and has consistently blocked any attempts to limit access to firearms. Unless sustained pressure is applied, McConnell will continue to side with the NRA. It’s our moral duty to apply this pressure. Write to McConnell and ask him to pass legislation to stop the carnage.Don SteinerSchenectadyVote Republican to rescue us from DemsWhile we have a record high stock market and low unemployment, that means a sound Social Security and Medicare.It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to tell you how to vote in 2020. Since he House of Representatives changed to Democratic control, President Trump and this country haven’t been able to go forward.Meanwhile any rogue country could launch a missile while we are entertaining meaningless investigations. If I were Trump, I would file charges of treason on all involved on stopping the wall to secure our borders and those who seek to unseat the president. Members of Congress are paid to do the people’s will to keep this country secure and safe and to represent all Americans, regardless of color, race or nationality. Any new bills are supposed to be voted for by the people, not Washington, D.C. Who are they to think for us, when we’re saying no to gun control, abortion, same-sex marriage, and our faith?New York state is guilty of the same thing. This governor wants to dictate to us and defy the president of the United States and the Constitution. Do these elected officials think they’re above the law or better than us? All these investigations by Mueller and Congress are to cover up the laws that were broken by Obama and Clinton. Congress is stalling so President Trump can’t complete his agenda. In 2020, we have to reelect the president and take back Congress to go forward and keep Americans working. It’s all up to us.Claude Rizzicone, Jr.SchenectadyMore from The Daily Gazette:EDITORIAL: Thruway tax unfair to working motoristsFoss: Should main downtown branch of the Schenectady County Public Library reopen?EDITORIAL: Urgent: Today is the last day to complete the censusEDITORIAL: Find a way to get family members into nursing homesEDITORIAL: Beware of voter intimidation
This luxurious Fairfield home has hit the market
91 Brisbane Corso, Fairfield.Luba Malecky and her family have lived at this stunning riverside property for the past five years and she says her favourite feature of the home is definitely the views, looking to dual reaches of the Brisbane River. 91 Brisbane Corso, Fairfield.“It’s a perfect adult’s retreat — I love escaping up there to read a book.”The main bedroom’s ensuite is another relaxing sanctuary to be, with its luxury spa bath, twin vanities and dual showers.Other features of the residence include a modern kitchen with European appliances, a large laundry, triple garage and ducted airconditioning. HM Inspections: By appointment For sale: $3.4 million +Agent: Vern Gilbert, Plum PropertyTel: 3871 1424, 0400 221 967 91 Brisbane Corso, Fairfield.More from newsMould, age, not enough to stop 17 bidders fighting for this home2 hours agoBuyers ‘crazy’ not to take govt freebies, says 28-yr-old investor2 hours agoVacant land and a big old fig tree to the left of the property also give the residence plenty of privacy — another bonus for potential buyers now that the Malecky’s are downsizing and the house at 91 Brisbane Corso, Fairfield is on the market.“Not only are our views across the river so expansive because we aren’t blocked in, but we can’t see into other people’s homes and they can’t see into ours,” Mrs Malecky said.The house has a concrete construction and is set over two spacious levels on an 820sq m block. 91 Brisbane Corso, Fairfield.Entry is via an atrium, with high vaulted glass windows, a flowing floorplan and neutral colour schemes giving the residence a resort-style ambience. It has five bedrooms, a study, media room and open-plan living spaces that extend to a patio and deck and beyond to a private pontoon, jetty and slipway.All of the bedrooms have ensuites, which Mrs Malecky described as fabulous for families with older children and a feature her two daughters loved, with four of the bedrooms also including walk-in wardrobes.“The main bedroom is to die for,” she said. “It faces the river and has a balcony to take advantage of the views, and it also includes a lounge area with enough space for a small fridge and coffee machine. 91 Brisbane Corso, Fairfield.“I absolutely love taking in the outlooks from the rear patio and our bedroom, especially at night when the sun is setting,” Mrs Malecky said.“It’s beautiful and so peaceful, sitting there with your feet up, glass in hand, watching the changing colours of the sunset across the water.”
Property’s ‘exceptional design’ spurs $1.42m sale
Inside 9 Rugby St, Coorparoo“Buyers loved the open layout,” he said. The home at 9 Rugby St, CoorparooMr Burley said that he had more than 120 people come through the property, most of which were young families who loved the style and feel of the home. 9 Rugby St, CoorparooThis brand new home sold prior to auction for $1,420,000. Inside 9 Rugby St, Coorparoo“It’s exactly what everyone is looking for in a home right now.“Indoor/outdoor living is very popular. “People are wanting homes with good separation.“There’s open living downstairs that opens straight onto the backyard, and it has generous-sized bedrooms upstairs with additional living space – this home packages that so well. “It is an exceptionally well designed home.”According to CoreLogic data, the median sale price for a home in Coorparoo is $863,125.
9 Rugby St, CoorparooMarketing agent Phil Burley of Place Real Estate, Bulimba said the sale of 9 Rugby St, Coorparoo was an impressive sale for the street. The home at 9 Rugby St, CoorparooMore from newsCrowd expected as mega estate goes under the hammer7 Aug 2020Hard work, resourcefulness and $17k bring old Ipswich home back to life20 Apr 2020“The price is very indicative of the market in the area,” he said.“You can be sure that a good family home in an inner-city Brisbane suburb is going to sell at a great price.”
These are the Qld suburbs where homes sold within a week in 2018
Lutwyche is one of Queensland’s fastest selling suburbs. Photo: Lachie Millard.“This suburb is perfectly priced for buyers who want all the benefits of neighbouring suburbs Albion, Wilston and Windsor, but don’t want or can’t afford the higher price tag,” Ms Mercorella said.“This suburb is more than $200,000 cheaper than its high-priced neighbours. “The Lutwyche Shopping Centre is currently undergoing a massive renovation and redevelopment and once completed this will drive the popularity of this suburb even more.” REIQ chief executive Antonia Mercorella. Photo: Claudia Baxter.REIQ chief executive Antonia Mercorella said the state’s housing market was presenting an “unbeatable buying opportunity” and savvy buyers were acting quickly to snap up a good bargain.“These suburbs are great examples of buyers knowing what they want and going after it,” Ms Mercorella said. “These suburbs are highly desirable and they tick all the boxes for buyers who clearly know the market well and can spot a bargain.” More from newsParks and wildlife the new lust-haves post coronavirus15 hours agoNoosa’s best beachfront penthouse is about to hit the market15 hours agoThis house at 136 Stoneleigh St, Lutwyche, is for sale. Kathryn Farren is selling her home in Lutwyche, which is one of Queensland’s fastest selling suburbs. Image: AAP/Josh Woning.QUEENSLAND’S housing market is presenting “unbeatable” buying opportunities, with savvy home hunters snapping up properties in some parts of the state within a week of being listed for sale.The top five fastest selling suburbs in the state in 2018 have been revealed and the regional city of Mackay tops the list, according to research by the Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ). Mackay is the fastest selling suburb in Queensland, according to the REIQ. Image: Rob Maccoll.Lutwyche in Brisbane’s inner north also makes the list, along with the south Brisbane suburb of Stretton, the Ipswich suburb of Dinmore and the Sunshine Coast suburb of Rosemount.Houses in all of these suburbs reached a contract of sale in just six days on average — significantly faster than the Brisbane median of 32 days on market. 
Homes like this in Mackay are selling like hot cakes. Pic supplied.Ms Mercorella said the regional city of Mackay was “heating up” as residents returned to the area for employment.The median house price in Mackay has grown a staggering 11.8 per cent to $285,000.“With the lowest unemployment in the state, of just 3.5 per cent, it’s clear that jobs are driving this property surge,” she said.“It’s good news for an area that has generally struggled through the resources downturn. “We’re now seeing a market firmly in recovery.”Just 5km from the CBD and with a median house price of $743,000, the inner-city suburb of Lutwyche is flanked by the desirable pockets of Wilston and Windsor and close to top schools and train stations, so it’s no wonder houses there sell in just six days on average. This house at 136 Stoneleigh St, Lutwyche, is for sale.Brisbane couple Paul Tenney and Kathryn Farren have just put their renovated, Federation era home in Lutwyche on the market.The property at 136 Stoneleigh Street, which is being marketed by Craig Lea of McGrath Estate Agents – Wilston, is on an elevated 627 sqm block with five bedrooms and two bathrooms.The dual living arrangement on both levels allows for a passive income, with the possibility of renting out the downstairs floor. Inside the house at 136 Stoneleigh St, Lutwyche.Mr Tenney said Lutwyche was “ a sleepy, little suburb” when they bought the house 24 years ago, but it had changed dramatically.“It was full of big, old, grand Queenslanders and we were looking for a Queenslander close to the city,” Mr Tenney said.“We love being so close to the city, the access in and out of Lutwyche is fantastic, and it has all the things we want — lots of good food, public transport.” Ms Mercorella said one way to help a home sell faster was for vendors to have realistic sale price expectations.“We always advise sellers to think carefully when setting their sale price,” she said.“If you get it right, your property will sell and will sell quickly. “This doesn’t mean you’ve set the price too low, this means you’ve set the price exactly right and buyers who have been looking for a while know that this is a good opportunity.”Research by CoreLogic reveals a majority of properties in Brisbane have consistently sold for less than the original list price. Over the past three months, 65.7 per cent of properties sold for less than the original list price compared to only 28.8 per cent selling in excess of the list price. Vendors are discounting their asking prices by an average of 5.7 per cent in order to make a sale.CoreLogic senior research analyst Cameron Kusher said that highlighted the importance of setting an appropriate asking price on a listed property and allowing some room for negotiation.“Finding the right balance can be a fine art,” Mr Kusher wrote.“Although the list price is often (not always) known, a sale is a negotiation and as this data shows very few properties actually sell for the original list price.”THE 5 FASTEST SELLING SUBURBS OF 2018 IN QUEENSLAND1. MACKAY— Mackay is the fastest-selling suburb in the state, reaching a contract of sale in just six days— The annual median house price increased 11.8 per cent in Mackay to a median of $285,000 in August 2018— A total of 26 sales settled in the city over the past 12 months— Mackay offers affordable housing close to a region reporting booming economic activity-The city has a jobless rate of 3.5 per cent, which is the smallest lowest in the state.2. LUTWYCHE— Lutwyche is an inner-city suburb, located 5km from Brisbane’s CBD— It has an annual median house price of $743,000— It is much cheaper than the neighbouring suburbs of Grange ($960,000) and Gordon Park ($857,500) — Lutwyche is also located in proximity to Wooloowin and Albion train stations, favouring an easy commute to the CBD.3. DINMORE— Dinmore in Ipswich is the state’s third fastest selling suburb, with an annual median house price of $265,000— It is located about 20km from Ipswich’s CBD, but offers rail services— Dinmore is the most affordable option on the list of the fastest-selling suburbs4. ROSEMOUNT— Rosemount on the Sunshine Coast has a median house price of $595,000, according to CoreLogic— It is a neighbouring suburb to Nambour ($390,000) and Pacific Paradise ($465,000) — The suburb is popular for the coastal and rural lifestyles it provides.5. STRETTON— Stretton is about 17km from Brisbane’s CBD— It has a median house price of $839,500, according to CoreLogic— According to the 2016 Census, 32.3 per cent of residents have Chinese ancestries compared to 2.1 per cent in Queensland and 3.9 per cent in Australia— Stretton is the most expensive option on the list of the fastest-selling suburbs.(Source: REIQ, excluding suburbs with less than 20 sales for the 12 months to August 2018)
6th District challengers lineup
Fortville, In. — U.S. Air Force Reserve veteran Stephen MacKenzie has announced his intention to run on the Republican ticket for the congressional seat in Indiana’s 6th District.“I’m running for Congress because we need true conservatives representing Hoosiers in Washington D.C.,” the Fortville resident said in a statement. “As your next 6th District Congressman, I will always defend the Second Amendment, support limited government and term limits, and promote fiscal responsibility. I’m a pro-life Christian with strong family values and I believe that economic growth and tax reform are keys to helping all of us live the American Dream.”The Fortville native says he is a “conservative outsider” and direct descendent of William Brewster- one of the original Mayflower pilgrims. “As a direct descendant of William Brewster, one of the original Mayflower pilgrims, and having been raised in a patriotic family, I have felt compelled to preserve and protect the freedoms that were secured by the sacrifices of our forefathers’, said MacKenzie.The field for the May primary on the Republican side includes state senator Mike Crider from Greenfield and Muncie business owner Jonathan Lamb.Reports also indicate Luke Messer for Senate statewide campaign finance chairman and brother of Vice President Mike Pence, Greg could consider a run for the seat as well. Pence the earliest he’ll make the decision is the end of September.The Democrat field includes Rising Sun attorney Lane Siekman, Greensburg attorney Jim Pruett and Muncie Matters Alliance founder Jeannine Lee-Lake.