What happened on Sunday, 17 August 2025
Senate, Northern Mariana Legislative Sessions, Northern Mariana Islands
Acting Director Sgt. Wally Villegomez told the Senate committee that Tinian’s Department of Public Safety is understaffed and needs funding for 10 additional officers, a travel allocation and support for an academy/cadet pipeline aided by Workforce Investment Agency funding.
Senate, Northern Mariana Legislative Sessions, Northern Mariana Islands
Department of Commerce resident director Susan Perez told senators she has seven positions (two previously funded by tobacco revenue) and warned that revolving funds and tobacco allocations must remain intact for FY26 operations.
2025 Senate Committees, Senate, Legislative, Texas
The Senate Special Committee on Congressional Redistricting voted 6-3 to report Senate Bill 4 to the full Senate after a day of testimony opposing a mid‑decade redrawing of Texas congressional districts. Supporters say the map is legal and more compact; opponents say it dilutes votes of Black, Latino and Asian communities.
General Government Operations and Appropriations , Legislative, Guam
The Committee of the Whole reviewed FY2026 appropriations for Guam’s seven charter academies and kept funding at the FY2025 level, including last year’s supplemental, while rejecting new student cap increases due to no identified new funding.
Ferguson-florissant R-II, School Districts, Missouri
Superintendent Howard Fields, Florissant Mayor Tim Lowry and Police Chief Troy Doyle each offered brief welcome remarks marking the 2025–26 school year; no policy actions or votes were taken during these remarks.
Bethel Park City, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
At the Sept. 8 Bethel Park council meeting the library director, police chief, fire assistant chief and the mayor reported upcoming events, community programs and volunteer opportunities; community organizations promoted fundraisers and volunteer efforts.
Senate, Northern Mariana Legislative Sessions, Northern Mariana Islands
The Department of Lands and Natural Resources told senators much of the $250,000 federal funding for marine patrols was managed from Saipan and the department urged clarification of how funds and permit proceeds are accounted and routed to Tinian operations.
General Government Operations and Appropriations , Legislative, Guam
OFB reported the FY2026 University of Guam appropriation embeds a $5.7 million FY25 supplemental; the budget moves a $1.6 million cultural repository line from UOG to the Department of Tomorrow Affairs (DTA). Senators questioned tracking of the repository and Healthy Futures Fund allocations.
General Government Operations and Appropriations , Legislative, Guam
An amendment to the budget allocating additional FY25 unobligated general‑fund revenue increased the Guam Cancer Trust Fund by $583,000 (a $500,000 amendment plus an $83,000 amendment to the amendment); the measures passed on the floor after debate and personal testimony.
Rowlett City, Texas
City Manager David Hall presented the proposed Fiscal Year 2026 budget to the City Council on Monday, Aug. 11, outlining roughly $70 million in general-fund expenditures, projected revenues just under $71 million and a proposed beginning general-fund reserve of $34 million.
General Government Operations and Appropriations , Legislative, Guam
Lawmakers queried OFB about the Guam Commission for Educator Certification’s FY26 status‑quo appropriation of $296,271 from the Guam Educational Facilities Fund; the commission had requested $372,401 and warned staffing and newly hired executive‑director costs may not be covered by status‑quo funding.
Senate, Northern Mariana Legislative Sessions, Northern Mariana Islands
Department of Community and Cultural Affairs officials told senators vehicle maintenance, communications and interrupted pay increases are undermining program delivery and staff morale; they said many programs rely on federal grant streams and that disparities in WGIs (withholding/graded increases) leave locally‑funded employees behind.
Bethel Park City, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Council accepted the resignation of zoning hearing board Chairman Steven Reagan and appointed Michael Gray to the board and Hannah Durza as an alternate; both appointments were unanimous and include specified term end dates.
Bethel Park City, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
At its Sept. 8 meeting the Bethel Park Borough Council unanimously accepted a resignation, made two zoning-board appointments and approved a package of ordinances, contracts and a grant application, including ordinances to prohibit certain waterfowl pets and to regulate vehicle parking on public streets.
Senate, Northern Mariana Legislative Sessions, Northern Mariana Islands
Tinian officials asked the Senate Fiscal Affairs Committee to increase operational funding for the mayor’s office, restore hotel-occupancy allocations, allow full reprogramming of municipal lapses, and require assessment of the developer’s tax on DoD-related work to address infrastructure impacts from military build-up.
Alamance County, North Carolina
County commissioners presented certificates to Junior Police Academy graduates and heard from program leaders that the four‑week academy focuses on discipline, respect and community skills; staff and presenters said the program is collaborative across multiple local law‑enforcement agencies.
General Government Operations and Appropriations , Legislative, Guam
Guam Memorial Hospital Authority officials told the Committee of the Whole they face an estimated $28.2 million operating gap for FY2026, growing accounts payable and recurring IT failures that delayed billing. Senators urged amendments to close the gap and pressed hospital leaders on staffing, travel-nurse costs and deferred capital projects.
Alamance County, North Carolina
Planning staff presented a draft land-use map and rural preservation ordinance that would raise minimum lot sizes in much of the county; commissioners heard extended public comment both for mill-village preservation and against proposals that would increase minimum rural lot sizes to 2–5 acres.
Alamance County, North Carolina
The board unanimously approved a resolution to swap county-owned property on South Third Street for a roughly 2.5-acre parcel owned by a developer; the exchange is conditioned on the developer completing site work and the county estimates $5 million to construct the station and staff two ambulances initially.