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The Dallas Cowboys ruled out right guard Zack Martin and cornerback Trevon Diggs with injuries on Saturday, one day prior to a road game against the Washington Commanders. Martin has been dealing with ankle and shoulder injuries and didn't practice at all this week before initially being listed as doubtful to play on Friday. He also physically struggled during Monday night's loss to the Houston Texans. Martin, who turned 34 on Wednesday, has started all 162 games played in 11 seasons with the Cowboys. He's a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and a seven-time first-team All-Pro. Diggs has been dealing with groin and knee injuries. He was listed as questionable on Friday before being downgraded Saturday. Diggs, 26, has 37 tackles and two interceptions in 10 games this season. The two-time Pro Bowl pick led the NFL with 11 picks in 2021 and has 20 in 57 games. The Cowboys elected not to activate receiver Brandin Cooks (knee) for the game. He returned to practice earlier this week and he was listed as questionable on Friday. Dallas activated offensive tackle Chuma Edoga (toe) and defensive end Marshawn Kneeland (knee) off injured reserve Saturday, placed safety Markquese Bell (shoulder) on IR and released defensive end KJ Henry. Tight end Jake Ferguson (concussion) was previously ruled out. Tight end Princeton Fant was elevated from the practice squad to replace him. Cornerback Kemon Hall also was elevated from the practice squad. --Field Level MediaTop Vacuum Cleaners for Easy and Efficient Home Cleaning
A wanted man when he took a dive down a chimney to evade police with a search warrant. or signup to continue reading The man, 33-year-old Robert Langlais from Fall River in Massachusetts, got wedged in the narrow passage forcing firefighters to pull apart the chimney's brickwork to retrieve him on December 10. "Due to his , Langlais was transported to a local hospital out of precaution and was medically cleared," Fall River Police Department said. Footage of police executing a search warrant at the Fall River home was released showing two suspects on the roof attempting to evade officers. One suspect escaped on foot by jumping from the house's roof to a parked car and police received a tip that the second suspect had hidden in the chimney. Mr Langlais was arrested over drug possession and multiple charges from outstanding warrants, Fall River Police said. Police said the tricky arrest was "proof that going down chimneys is really best left to the expert, Santa". Anna Houlahan reports on crime and social issues affecting regional and remote Australia in her role as national crime reporter at Australian Community Media (ACM). She was ACM’s Trainee of the Year in 2023 and, aside from reporting on crime, has travelled the country as a journalist for Explore Travel Magazine. Reach out with news or updates to anna.houlahan@austcommunitymedia.com.au Anna Houlahan reports on crime and social issues affecting regional and remote Australia in her role as national crime reporter at Australian Community Media (ACM). She was ACM’s Trainee of the Year in 2023 and, aside from reporting on crime, has travelled the country as a journalist for Explore Travel Magazine. Reach out with news or updates to anna.houlahan@austcommunitymedia.com.au DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. TWICE WEEKLY Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. WEEKLY Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. TWICE WEEKLY Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily! Advertisement AdvertisementRwanda launches agriculture strategy to build resilient, sustainable agri-food systemsDemocrat Bob Casey concedes to Republican David McCormick in Pennsylvania Senate contest
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The dismissal of a class-action lawsuit over rules governing the cross-border live bee trade is casting a spotlight on political division within Canada’s beekeeping community. A federal judge has ruled against awarding commercial beekeepers damages from a decades-old partial ban on shipping live honeybees across the Canada-U.S. border, which is in place out of concerns that could bring in aggressive pests and diseases. Beekeepers from Western Canada involved in the suit claim the government’s risk assessments that inform the tight restrictions are hurting their businesses and are blown out of proportion. Michael Paradis of Paradis Honey Ltd., a seven-generation family beekeeping business based in Girouxville, Alta., and one of the representative plaintiffs in the case, said he’s disappointed with the ruling, saying it puts beekeepers in a “dangerous position” since the industry is already in crisis mode. “Canada does not have enough bees and cannot replenish its own stock at all,” he said. “It’s going to mean a lot more hardship for the industry if we cannot get access to the U.S. bees.” Beekeepers were slammed during the COVID-19 pandemic, when fewer airline flights made it harder to import bees and they suffered a nightmare year of winter losses in 2022. Manitoba commercial beekeeper Brent Ash, one of the witnesses in the case, said the ruling will hamper the industry, and makes it especially tough for apiaries in colder parts of the country like the Prairies, where most of Canada’s beekeepers are located. “Climate makes the regional divide difficult to keep those bugs alive over the course of the winter,” he said, noting honeybees are not native to North America. But Steve Moore, president of the Ontario Beekeepers’ Association, said his group worries about the risks of accidentally bringing in antibiotic resistant mites, the import of Africanized honeybees commonly known as killer bees, and a small hive beetle that’s capable of damaging colonies. “In Ontario here, we feel quite strongly that we don’t want to take the risk of it becoming even more challenging if some of these new and emerging threats come into the country in packages,” he said. But he empathizes with the plaintiffs. “When we go into our apiaries, we get stung by our bees. When we come home, we might be stung by a low honey price, stung by rising cost of production or stung by high overwintering losses, with the threat of new and emerging pathogens. So, we’re all facing the same challenges and it’s a challenging time to be a beekeeper,” he said. Even though a ban on U.S. live bee imports expired in 2006, Ottawa has not issued permits for the live worker bee boxes to be brought over the border since. The plaintiffs argued Ottawa owes them duty of care — and hundreds of millions in damages. The judge disagreed. “There is no duty of care owed and no negligence,” Justice Cecily Strickland wrote in a lengthy ruling, adding the plaintiffs failed to establish that Ottawa hurt their businesses. The case has a long history, dating back to a court filing from 2012, and was only certified as a class action in 2017. The problem is even older. Headlines from the 1980s screamed about fears that deadly infectious mites from U.S. states could level Canadian bee populations. Risks to bee health have only compounded since then. A 2003 risk assessment by the regulator found that importing queen bees was less risky, since they are easier to inspect. So, Canada allows imports of queen bees and their worker-bee attendants from the U.S., Chile, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Italy and Malta. “Bee packages carry a higher risk of disease introduction because they are shipped with the contents of their hive, which may include mites, parasites and bacteria,” said a statement from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency that welcomed the judge’s ruling. Canada does, however, also allow imports of worker bee packages from Italy, Chile, Australia and New Zealand, which sent Canada some 69,364 kgs of packaged bees in 2023, according to statistics from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. But importing from these countries also dramatically drives up import costs due to transportation. One of the plaintiffs, John Gibeau, wrote to CFIA a decade ago complaining that importing more than 1,200 packages for $170,000 would have cost half that if he could have purchased them from California instead. Gibeau said he wasn’t ready to comment since he hasn’t yet digested the ruling. Paradis said the larger issue for him than cost, though, is the quality of the bee stock and the timing of when shipments arrive. “We are looking at bees in the U.S. that are spring bees — young, invigorated bees,” he said, adding that gives them longer lifespans in Canada. While he was disappointed, Paradis said one of the main reasons for the lawsuit was to “bring CFIA to the table and to actually have some discussions” on the import ban, something he said has only happened recently. Canada’s honeybee pollination is estimated to contribute $3.18 billion directly to the economy, but that rises to $7 billion a year when canola pollination is factored in. Canada has some 794,341 beehives.Demolition began last week on the old visitor center at the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument near Crow Agency. The battlefield was recently awarded a construction contract to replace the 73-year-old visitor center. The National Park Service is coordinating with the park's associated tribes and stakeholders to develop interpretive exhibits that better tell the complex stories surrounding the landscape, site and people. The nearly $14 million project is funded by the Centennial Challenge program and donations through the National Park Foundation (NPF), including a lead grant from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust. The new 9,000-square-foot building will be constructed on the footprint of the old visitor center. Nomlaki Technologies LLC, based in West Sacramento, California, is a 100% tribally owned company of members of the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians. The new building will provide prominent views of the battlefield and will feature a roof deck, an improved parking area, accessible walkways, and enhanced visitor amenities to accommodate increased visitor use. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
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GRAND FORKS — Archives Coffee House will be closing Dec. 13, and the new lessee, Sandi Luck, owner of Bully Brew Coffee House and Board Room Coffee & Taphouse, will be converting the space into a Board Room at UND. "Kyle (Thorson) does such a good job over there, so there's not a whole lot I have to do (to prepare for reopening)," Luck told the Herald of the upcoming transition. ADVERTISEMENT In the eight and-a-half years since Thorson took ownership of Archives, he shaped a business that focused on more than just profit, he wrote in a Monday, Nov. 18, press release. "I built a space that was founded on uplifting the community, while creating an atmosphere of welcome and hospitality for all," Thorson said. "I am so proud of everything that Archives has been a part of over the past eight years, and I’m grateful to all the customers and employees who shared my values and made Archives a great addition to Grand Forks and UND." Discussions about closure began in the early fall, and the choice was made based on factors like finances and a necessary change in pace, he told the Herald. "It's been great to grow as a small business leader, and also learn a little bit about corporate America and where there are similarities and differences," Thorson said. "It's just a time for me to really sit down and reflect. 'What does Kyle need?' and 'Where else do I want to show up?' I still care a lot about Grand Forks — and I'm not planning on leaving." He lets go of Archives with a heavy heart, especially considering patron reactions on social media, where they've been sharing memories and recounting how important Archives has been for them, Thorson said. "It did matter," he said. "It was a space that was so incredibly important for people, and I struggle with leaving that behind, but ... I'm hopeful that that space will transform and continue to be a place that's welcoming." Over the years, Archives has hosted many different events, groups and causes, from open mic nights hosted by UND's English department to fairy bingo for Grand Forks Pride. ADVERTISEMENT As a founding member of the city's Pride committee, it was always nice to have that space for events, he said. And as an LGBTQ+ business owner, Thorson believes his presence has had an impact. "I'm one of the few LGBT (business) owners in town," he said. "That representation is important to folks." He said Luck does great work with the community, and trusts that the space will always have an element of hospitality. Luck confirmed that the Board Room at UND will operate in a very similar, community-based way, to the existing Board Room. "We do pop-ups, we do vendor events, we do lots of community activities," she said. "So we'll continue to do that at (the university) location." Before Archives' doors close Dec. 13, there are a few remaining events on the schedule, including jazz duo performances, a panel discussion and film showing for World AIDS Day and the fourth-annual holiday market. More information is available on the Archives Facebook page. ADVERTISEMENT Board Room at UND Luck will take over the space on Dec. 15, and in the following weeks, it will be transformed into a Board Room at UND, modeled after the existing Board Room located at 4571 S. Washington St. Bully Brew has eight locations throughout North Dakota and Minnesota. Luck had been wanting to expand the Board Room brand for a while, and is still looking at additional opportunities, including in Fargo, she said. Stepping into this space on campus was a natural progression for Luck and her brand, because she graduated from UND and worked as a professor in the marketing department until approximately two years ago, when she transitioned to focusing fully on her businesses. Bully Brew is the official coffee roaster for the university. The business carries a medium roast "Hawks Blend" and dark roast "UND Champions," which is specifically hockey themed. "I'm near and dear to UND," Luck said. The space will have similarities to a coffee house, but will stay open later than those establishments traditionally do. Hours of operation will be 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday — unless an event warrants extended hours. Among the menu offerings will be various shareable boards, such as charcuterie and breakfast boards as well as beer and wine boards. There will also be sandwiches, flatbreads and soups. ADVERTISEMENT "(It will be) very similar to what Kyle is doing already," Luck said. "So I don't think that will be much of a surprise for the customers and students." The space will be repainted to match the Board Room's signature colors, which include coffee tones, pink and black. The Board Room is a well-accepted brand, she said, because it's centered around comfort and community, but her favorite part is that there's no pressure. "You can go there and one person can have a coffee, and the other person can have a beer," Luck said. "Nobody's judging anybody, and you're comfortable. It feels good." She hopes to have some soft openings at the Board Room at UND the week before students come back in early January, so that employees can get comfortable with the recipes and process. "We're pretty excited about it," Luck said. "I have a great team that is excited to grow. Bully Brew has been open for 14 years, and I've been doing coffee for 17 years. So I'm not new to this. I love businesses, and I love being an entrepreneur and I'm really excited to just be back at UND."NoneIntel and AMD PCs are finally getting Copilot+ features, including Recall
Cowboys G Zack Martin, CB Trevon Diggs out vs. CommandersIt took just a minute for Gov. Glenn Youngkin and his partner from Feed More's “Wednesday A-Team” volunteer group to plate two dozen portions of a baked macaroni and cheese dish on Wednesday’s shipment for Meals on Wheels programs from the Northern Neck to Southside Virginia. And the trays to be filled kept coming, along with the pans full of food. “The line doesn’t stop,” Feed More volunteer Brenda Johnson said, allowing that the governor did all right for a newcomer to the nonprofit dedicated to relieving hunger in Central Virginia. He, she and the two volunteers plating broccoli, the man dishing out tomato salad and the woman shifting the steady flow of packaged meals onto a trolley to be wheeled into a freezer before they were to be loaded on some of Feed More’s trucks, were playing key roles in an intricate chain. It brings donations from supermarkets, food processors and individuals across the region to people in need in a region that stretches from just west of Williamsburg to just south of Fredericksburg to just east of Charlottesville and then down to the North Carolina state line. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin volunteers with nonprofit group Feed More in Henrico County, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. “The logistics here are just amazing,” Youngkin said. Feed More’s new Henrico County facility includes a warehouse that can stack pallets on five levels — this makes for faster flow of food, since the old warehouse on Rhoadmiller Street in Richmond could only handle two levels. That meant a lot of taking down pallets, taking a few items off and then repacking and replacing them, CEO Doug Pick said. Now Feed More’s warehouse crew can pack smaller pallets, targeting food for specific destinations on separate pallets. “We’re three times more efficient,” Pick said. But the real heart of the operation — which moves food through about 255 agencies, most of which goes for people who face a sudden food emergency, such as no money for groceries after a big medical or auto insurance bill — is its volunteers, he said. About 200 a day show up to cook, pack and ship food. “During the holiday season, food insecurity, which is already a worry, becomes even more of an issue,” Youngkin said. “It’s so important for people to volunteer,” he continued “During emergencies, like Hurricane Helene, that’s what we see Virginians do.” Dave Ress (804) 649-6948 dress@timesdispatch.com Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.Strong data protection is vital for economic growth
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture and President of 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Abdulrahman Alfadley emphasized that Saudi Arabia’s environmental efforts are founded on strategic, methodical planning, culminating in elevating the level of ambition in the goals of the Saudi Green Initiative, which include rehabilitating 40 million hectares of degraded land, equivalent to planting 10 billion trees. He said that over 250,000 hectares have been rehabilitated to date, and more than 115 million trees will be planted by the end of this year. The minister made the remarks during a panel discussion titled "Leadership in climate action and sustainable development” at the International Exhibition and Forum for Afforestation Technologies, held as part of COP16. During the panel discussion, Saudi Arabia’s environmental objectives, initiatives, and strategies, as well as its global roadmap for environmental action and the achievements of the Saudi Green and Middle East Green Initiatives were discussed. Alfadley said that the Kingdom launched a global initiative during its presidency of the Group of Twenty (G20) Summit in 2020 to rehabilitate degraded lands, alongside the Middle East Green Initiative to plant 50 billion trees. The country also developed action plans and mechanisms, including water conservation measures and availability of seeds to meet afforestation targets. He emphasized the importance of the Kingdom's food security strategy, aiming to reduce food waste from 33 percent to 15 percent by 2030, pointing out that the agricultural sector, which accounts for 14 percent of carbon emissions, could significantly reduce emissions by halving food waste and loss. He also indicated that the Kingdom increased its water recycling in agriculture from 500,000 cubic meters to 2 million cubic meters, targeting 90 percent reuse of treated water to promote sustainability and mitigate environmental impacts. The minister highlighted the Kingdom's commitment to the circular economy, waste recycling, and resource preservation, pointing out that Saudi Arabia has successfully eliminated fuel burning for water production, previously consuming around 300,000 barrels per day and, starting next year, the practice will cease entirely. He said that the Kingdom’s water management strategy includes maintaining an annual water budget of 25 billion cubic meters, equivalent to Egypt's Nile River share, while optimizing agricultural crop selection based on water usage. The minister added that the Kingdom has identified 11 strategic crops for local production and established the Saudi Agricultural and Livestock Investment Company (SALIC) to invest in agriculture abroad and enhance global food supplies. These measures have saved approximately 10 billion cubic meters of water annually and set safe water extraction limits until 2030. As part of the Kingdom’s water management policies, he indicated that desalinated water constitutes 65 percent of Saudi Arabia's drinking water supply, and the cost of water production has decreased to one-third of 2016 levels. Treated water is also utilized in afforestation to achieve the Saudi Green Initiative’s goals. The minister emphasized the pivotal role of the private sector, with a 50 percent contribution to afforestation achievements, adding that environmental organizations and green associations in Saudi Arabia have grown 25-fold, further supporting the initiative. He indicated that the Kingdom aims to designate 30 percent of its land and marine areas as protected zones by 2030, surpassing international commitments by more than 18 months. < Previous Page Next Page >
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Trump offers support for dockworkers union by saying ports shouldn't install more automated systemsMIAMI — Dozens of luxury beachfront condos and hotels in Surfside, Bal Harbour, Miami Beach and Sunny Isles are sinking into the ground at rates that were “unexpected,” with nearly 70% of the buildings in northern and central Sunny Isles affected, research by the University of Miami found. The study, published Friday night, identified a total of 35 buildings that have sunk by as much as three inches between 2016 and 2023, including the iconic Surf Club Towers and Faena Hotel, the Porsche Design Tower, The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Trump Tower III and Trump International Beach Resorts. Together, the high rises accommodate tens of thousands of residents and tourists. Some have more than 300 units, including penthouses that cost millions of dollars. “Almost all the buildings at the coast itself, they’re subsiding,” Falk Amelung, a geophysicist at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric and Earth Science and the study’s senior author, told the Miami Herald. “It’s a lot.” Preliminary data also shows signs that some buildings along the coasts of Broward and Palm Beach are sinking, too. Experts called the study a “game changer” that raises a host of questions about development on vulnerable barrier islands. For starters, experts said, this could be a sign that rising sea levels, caused by the continued emission of greenhouse gases, is accelerating the erosion of the limestone on which South Florida is built. “It’s probably a much larger problem than we know,” Paul Chinowsky, a professor of civil engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder, told the Herald. Initially, researchers looked at satellite images that can measure fractions of an inch of subsidence to determine whether the phenomenon had occurred leading up to the collapse of Champlain Towers in Surfside, the 2021 catastrophe that killed 98 people and led to laws calling for structural reviews of older condos across the state. The researchers did not see any signs of settlement before the collapse “indicating that settlement was not the cause of collapse,” according to a statement. Instead, they saw subsidence at nearby beachside buildings both north and south of it. Surprising findings “What was surprising is that it was there at all. So we didn’t believe it at the beginning,” Amelung said, explaining that his team checked several sources that confirmed the initial data. “And then we thought, we have to investigate it,” he said. In total, they found subsidence ranging between roughly 0.8 and just over 3 inches, mostly in Sunny Isles Beach, Surfside, and at two buildings in Miami Beach – the Faena Hotel and L’atelier condo – and one in Bal Harbour. It’s unclear what the implications are or whether the slow sinking could lead to long-term damage, but several experts told the Herald that the study raises questions that require further research as well as a thorough on-site inspection. “These findings raise additional question which require further investigation,” Gregor Eberli, a geoscience professor and co-author of the study, which was published Friday in the journal Earth and Space Science, said in a statement. Lead author Farzaneh Aziz Zanjani pointed to the need for “ongoing monitoring and a deeper understanding of the long-term implications for these structures.” Though the vast majority of affected buildings were constructed years or decades before the satellite images were taken, it is common for buildings to subside a handful of inches during and shortly after construction — a natural effect as the weight of the building compresses the soil underneath. And sinking doesn’t necessarily create structural issues. “As long as it’s even, everything’s fine,” Chinowsky said, placing his hands next to each other, “the problems start when you start doing this,” he said, then moving one hand down faster than the other. But such uneven sinking, known as differential subsidence, can cause significant damage to buildings, he said. “That’s where you can get structural damage,” he said. More research is needed to determine whether the buildings are sinking evenly or not. An uncertain impact “Sometimes it can be dangerous, sometimes not – it will have to be evaluated,” said Shimon Wdowinski, a geophysicist at Florida International University, told the Herald. Wdowinski worked on a different 2020 study that showed that the land surrounding the Champlain Towers – not the buildings themselves – had been subsiding back in the nineties, though that alone couldn’t have led to the collapse. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has yet to release a final report on the cause but a Herald investigation pointed to design and construction flaws as well as decades of maintenance issues. For the 35 buildings shown to be sinking in the University of Miami’s study, he said, the next step is to check the integrity and design plans. “If there is differential subsidence, it could cause structural damage, and it would need immediate attention,” he said. Cracks in walls, utilities that are breaking, or doors and windows that don’t shut as easily as they used to are all signs of differential subsidence, said Hota GangaRao, a professor of civil engineering and the director of the constructed facilities center at West Virginia University. “In some extreme scenarios, the buildings at some point sink much more dramatically with time,” he said. If that subsidence is differential, “then it is very, very serious,” GangaRao said. Cities react to study Larisa Svechin, the mayor of Sunny Isles Beach, where more than 20 buildings are affected, said that “my priority is the safety of our residents.” Contacted by the Herald Saturday afternoon, she said she was not aware of any structural issues but called an immediate meeting with the city manager. Following that meeting, she said that all required building inspections are up to date and that “the law also requires inspection records to be posted online and shared with residents.” Charles Burkett, the mayor of Surfside, told the Miami Herald that he had not heard of the study nor was he aware of any subsidence of buildings. “I’d like to know if it’s unsafe,” he said on Saturday, adding that he will “review [the study] in due time.” Other officials could not be reached immediately, and several of the affected buildings contacted by the Herald said that management would not be available for comment before Monday. Some settlement appears to have started right around the time when the construction of new buildings nearby began, and when vibration might have caused layers of sand to compress further – just like shaking ground coffee in a tin will make room for more. The pumping of groundwater that seeps into construction sites could also cause sand layers to shift and rearrange. Though there appears to be a strong link to nearby construction for some buildings, it is unlikely to be the only explanation for the 35 sinking buildings, as some settlement had started before any construction began nearby, and it persisted after construction ended, the researchers found. “There’s no sign that it’s stopping,” Amelung said of the settlement. The possible climate connection Experts also pointed to the impact the emission of fossil fuels and the resulting warming of the climate is having on the overall stability of Miami-Dade’s barrier islands. For one, rising sea levels are now encroaching on sand and limestone underneath our feet. That could lead to the corrosion of the pillars on which high-rises stand – a serious issue, GangaRao said, though if that’s the case “there may be a way to salvage these buildings,” by fixing the foundation. Stronger waves, fresh water dumped by heavier rainfalls and more sunny-day flooding could also add to the erosion of the limestone that all of South Florida is built on, Chinowsky said. Already a soft rock that is riddled with holes and air pockets, further erosion could destabilize the base of most constructions, Chinowsky said, comparing it to “standing on sand, and someone came with a spoon and started taking the sand out.” “I would expect that they would see this all throughout the barrier islands and on into the main coastline – wherever there is limestone, basically,” he said. “That’s what makes the whole South Florida area so unique, because of that porous rock, the limestone, all that action is happening where you can’t see it, and that’s why it’s never accounted for to this level,” he said. Here is the full list of buildings identified as experiencing between roughly 0.8 and just over 3 inches of subsidence between 2016 - 2023: Regalia, Ocean II, Residences by Armani Casa, Ocean III, Marenas Beach Resort, Millennium Condominiums, Porsche Design Tower, Bentley Residence Development site, Trump International Beach Resort, Aqualina Resort and Residences on the Beach, The Mansions at Aqualina, Pinnacle, Chateau Beach Residences, Double Tree Resort and Spa, Sole Mia A Noble House Resort. Also: Florida Ocean Club, Ocean Four Condominium, Muse residences, Jade Ocean Condos, Jade Beach Condos, Jade Signature Condominium, Kings Point Imperial Condo, Trump Tower III, The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Oceana Bal Harbour, Fendi Chateau, Marbella Condominium, Waverly, Carlisle on the Ocean, Residence Inn by Mariott, Luxury Condo Cabarete, The Surf Club North Tower, The Surf Club Hotel Tower, The Surf Club South Tower, Arte Residence, 87 Park Tower, L’atelier Condominium, Faena House ©2024 Miami Herald. Visit at miamiherald.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
NIFT 2025 entrance test registration begins; apply at exams.nta.ac.inArticle content Ross Skov says his 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor reminds him of a rough and ready toy Tonka truck he played with as a kid. Nostalgic as that is, the Tonka toy resemblance was not the reason the Calgarian bought his Raptor. He’d been driving a 2007 F-150 XLT , but as he approached retirement he wanted to upgrade and get a truck he would enjoy and last him for years to come. “I set the benchmark high and went for a Raptor,” he says, but as easy as that sounds, it took many months of consideration before Skov decided to purchase his Raptor new from Metro Ford in Calgary. He took delivery in March of 2017. “I research everything extensively,” Skov says, and adds, “It usually takes me two or three years before I make a decision, and I’d looked at these Raptors for years before pulling the trigger on this one – this was not an impulse buy.” A fourth generation Albertan, Skov says pickups were simply part of his family’s lifestyle. His dad worked in the auto industry, and Skov says he was exposed to trucks built by GM, Ford and Dodge. At 18, he bought a 1972 GMC Sierra Grande Camper Special. It wasn’t his favourite, but GMC trucks were what he continued to drive daily, with a few other makes sprinkled in for variety. That brought him to his ’07 Ford, and then the pursuit of a Raptor. At the time he purchased, Skov was not able to spec out his Raptor build. “Basically, I had to take what I could get,” he says. But he’s certainly not disappointed. His truck is fully loaded, with front and rear locking differentials, front and rear proximity sensors, heated and cooled seats, heated steering wheel and carbon fibre inserts in the interior trim. It has a higher-end Sony stereo and a trailer tow package with brake controller. His Raptor is finished in a colour Ford calls Avalanche, while the interior is black leather. New for 2017, Skov’s Raptor is the second-generation high-performance off-road truck Ford built. From 2010 to 2014, Ford offered the first-generation Raptor, based on the F-150 but with upgraded Fox suspension, improved chassis and body modifications such as different grille and extended fenders. Then, in 2017, Ford launched a new F-150 Raptor. The automaker made it lighter and put a new twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6 capable of 450 horsepower and 510 lbs-ft of torque under the hood. A 10-speed automatic transmission handles that power. Raptors are serious off-road trucks, and Skov has always enjoyed getting off the beaten path. He also tows with his trucks, and currently pulls a 22-foot travel trailer. “We’ve towed with the Raptor all over,” he says, “from Oregon to California, Arizona and Utah. We’ll tow down, set up camp, and go explore in the truck.” He also enjoys his Raptor for how it handles both rough stuff and asphalt. “Most daily driver trucks are not great for off-road adventures,” he says. “But the Raptor is really nice when driving on or off-road.” Further to his Tonka toy analogy, he appreciates how his Raptor presents itself as, “All purpose, with no bling – everything is there for a reason, either to protect the vehicle or make it easier to get in. Even the exhaust pipes are cool as they tuck up under the rear bumper.” Skov is six-feet tall and has no trouble getting in and out of the truck, and neither does his wife. He says all grab handles are in the right spot, and the rear doors open generously when loading groceries or the family’s two Yorkie terriers. “It’s a trick ride inside,” he says. “There’s a lot of information available in the instrument panel, and it’s beneficial to read the manual and take the Ford courses.” The course is the Raptor Assault training school hosted by Ford in Tooele, Utah. “You use one of their Raptors and you get a coach,” Skov explains. “And they coach you through hill climb, hill descent, rock crawl – you experience it all in their trucks and it builds confidence in doing the same in your own.” He attended Raptor Assault in 2017, and then in 2024 went to the inaugural Raptor Rally for F-150, Bronco and Ranger Raptor owners near Fairfield, Utah. At the Raptor Rally, Skov was coached to do it all again, but this time in his own truck. One of his favourite experiences was the sand event, where he was taught how to get his Raptor up on the deep sand and then plane along. Even after all the hard use his Raptor’s seen, which now has more than 100,000 kilometres on the odometer, he says interior fit and finish remains excellent, and overall “quality and construction is fantastic.” Driver and passenger comfort is also above par, he says. The seats are very supportive, and both are capable of multi power adjustments. Of the EcoBoost engine, he’s impressed. “It’s more motor than that truck needs, in my opinion, and it gets really good fuel economy,” he says. “I’ll get 14 to 15 miles per gallon when towing,” he adds. “And that 10-speed is something else, it’s never in the wrong gear and always in the right power range.” His enthusiasm continues, “The ride is comfortable under all conditions, the brakes are good – I’m still on my original pads – and overall utility is great.” An abundance of tie down points in the 5.5-foot box allow Skov to haul snowmobiles and motorcycles . It’s also hauled dirt and gravel, and furniture, all with ease. When pulling their trailer, Skov says while being cognizant he is towing, the truck makes it easy to forget there is something behind the Raptor. The truck is quiet, and the exhaust sound is not unpleasant. Skov plans to keep his Ford a very long time, and adds, “Yes, I’m a fan of the Raptor — I’m a huge fan.” What another Raptor owner is saying Ross Skov’s appreciation for the Raptor is not unique. On the FordRaptorForum.com , in March 2017 after taking delivery of a Raptor, a buyer who’d never even sat in one said: “Some things you just don’t know until you see it and drive it. I’m talking about things like seat comfort, visibility, ergonomics etc. Well, I’m pleased to say that in my opinion the truck excels in all of these areas. About 12 hours after taking delivery, I embarked on a 23-hour drive from TX to CA. I had a travel companion with me, so we were able trade off driving and resting. We pushed through and only stopped for meals and gas. The long trip home gave me a good sense of ergonomics and seat comfort, and I couldn’t be happier.” The same owner ended his post with, “Bottom line – I seriously love this truck. It’s really the perfect truck in my opinion. It’s comfortable, capable, and SO good to look at. I’m literally looking for reasons to drive places. In fact, I’m going to go see if my wife needs anything from the store...” Sign up for our newsletter Blind-Spot Monitor and follow our social channels on X , Tiktok and LinkedIn to stay up to date on the latest automotive news, reviews, car culture, and vehicle shopping advice.
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