Category: News
Thursday night storms set January rainfall record; Rockford sets heat record
Several rounds of gusty rainstorms that flooded Chicago-area streets and viaducts on Thursday night also set city rainfall records, while both Chicago and Rockford saw record warmth before some residents even had a chance to take down their Christmas trees, according to the National Weather Service.
[3:16 PM CST Friday, January 9]
Last night featured unusually heavy rainfall (for January standards), flooding, strong winds, and record warm temperatures. More information about last night’s weather can be found on this web page: https://t.co/CTwIruzwmZ. #ILwx #INwx pic.twitter.com/UcD85HfaNk
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) January 9, 2026
On Friday, weather service meteorologists announced that the 1.92 inches of rain recorded at O’Hare International Airport, the official climate station for Chicago, surpassed the Jan. 8, 1935, rainfall record of 1.18 inches, making it the third-rainiest January day in history.
They added that the 60-degree temperature observed at O’Hare at midnight also tied the city’s daily high temperature for Jan. 9, originally set back in 1880. Before Thursday, the weather service stated the last time Chicago had observed a 60-degree temperature in January was on Jan. 29, 2013.
Meanwhile, Rockford’s 59-degree high on Thursday broke their Jan. 8 temperature record previously set at 55 in 1965, while Friday’s 58-degree high broke the previous high of 56.
While weather service officials called the large rainfall, high winds and warm temperatures unusual for January — a month where hearty residents are often preparing for deep cold and snowfall — data suggests the city observes a 60-degree day in January about once every four to six years, on average.
The torrential downpours on Thursday triggered both a flood advisory and flash flood warnings across the city and suburbs.
The city’s Department of Streets and Sanitation responded to 96 separate tree emergencies overnight, according to a department spokesperson. Streets and San, along with the transportation and water departments, responded to flooded viaducts, using street sweepers to clear them.
Even Google’s Founders Have Had Enough Of California, And Are Saying Adios
Even Google’s Founders Have Had Enough Of California, And Are Saying Adios
Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin quietly began unwinding portions of their financial empires in California in the days leading up to Christmas, according to corporate filings reviewed by The New York Times, as progressive lawmakers consider a proposed billionaire wealth tax. This development confirms our earlier note that California is on an accelerated path toward self-destruction.
Here are the new details from NYT’s report that further confirm our previous reporting:
In the 10 days before Christmas, an entity connected to Mr. Brin, 52, terminated or moved 15 California limited liability companies that oversee some of his business interests and investments out of the state, according to documents seen by The New York Times. Seven of the companies — including those that appear to manage one of Mr. Brin’s superyachts and his interest in a private air terminal at San Jose’s international airport — were converted into Nevada entities.
Mr. Brin is joining Mr. Page, 52, in reducing his California presence. More than 45 California limited liability companies associated with Mr. Page filed documents last month to either become inactive or move out of the state, according to state records. A trust with ties to Mr. Page also purchased a $71.9 million mansion in Miami’s Coconut Grove neighborhood this week, according to a deed seen by The Times.
Another entity jointly managed by Mr. Brin and Mr. Page moved out of California and to Nevada on Christmas Eve, according to a filing seen by The Times.
The shrinking financial footprints of both Google founders in the state (plagued with an continued exodus) coincide with a proposed California ballot initiative backed by the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West (S.E.I.U.-U.H.W), which would impose a one-time 5% tax on the assets of residents worth more than $1 billion, applied retroactively to those living in the stateJose’s Jan. 1.
Bill Ackman said it best on X, “California is on a path to self-destruction. Hollywood is already toast, and now the most productive entrepreneurs will leave, taking their tax revenues and job creation elsewhere.”
California is on a path to self-destruction. Hollywood is already toast and now the most productive entrepreneurs will leave taking their tax revenues and job creation elsewhere.
And then the Democrats highlight @CAgovernor Newsom as a great leader. Crazy. https://t.co/bFyLhARrNn
— Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) December 27, 2025
Even Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn and a Democratic mega-donor who funds questionable left-wing causes, called out S.E.I.U.-U.H.W’s proposed billionaire tax. He wrote on X that this is a “horrendous idea” that might force tech founders and executives to flee the state.
“The proposed CA wealth tax is badly designed in so many ways that a simple social post cannot cover all of the massive flaws. One well-documented example is the horrendous idea to tax illiquid stock in the proposal. Poorly designed taxes incentivize avoidance, capital flight, and distortions that ultimately raise less revenue,” Hoffman wrote on X earlier this week.
Rep. Khanna reached out to me to discuss the proposed California wealth tax; and while I am against the proposed tax, I’m always open to dialogue with our elected leaders.
The proposed CA wealth tax is badly designed in so many ways that a simple social post cannot cover all of…
— Reid Hoffman (@reidhoffman) January 7, 2026
Elon Musk was among the earliest high-profile billionaires to leave California, citing high taxes and radical left-wing state leadership.
Tyler Durden
Fri, 01/09/2026 – 21:30
Dolphins inician su reestructuración contratando a Jon-Eric Sullivan como gerente general
Por ALANIS THAMES
MIAMI GARDENS, Florida, EE.UU. (AP) — Jon-Eric Sullivan acordó unirse a los Dolphins como gerente general y como la piedra angular en la reestructuración de la organización de Miami, tras haber sido ejecutivo de los Packers de Green Bay.
Sullivan, vicepresidente de personal de jugadores de los Packers, completó una entrevista en persona esta semana con los Dolphins, quienes se perfilaban para contratar rápidamente a un nuevo gerente general después de separarse de Chris Grier durante la temporada.
“¡Qué honor increíble es servir como gerente general de los Dolphins de Miami, una organización con historia, tradición y gran orgullo!”, exclamó Sullivan en un comunicado emitido por los Dolphins el viernes por la noche. “Quiero expresar mi gratitud a Stephen Ross (el dueño) y su familia por esta oportunidad excepcional y la confianza que han depositado en mí”.
El quarterback Troy Aikman, miembro del Salón de la Fama, estuvo involucrado en la contratación.
Sullivan pasó 22 temporadas con los Packers de Green Bay, comenzando como pasante de scouting en 2003 antes de obtener un puesto de tiempo completo en el departamento de operaciones deportivas en 2004. En 2022, fue nombrado vicepresidente de personal de jugadores.
Es hijo de Jerry Sullivan, un entrenador de la NFL y universitario de larga trayectoria que coordinó a los receptores de Miami en 2004.
“Jon-Eric aporta una visión clara de cómo construir y dirigir un equipo de fútbol americano, basada en su propia experiencia en una organización ganadora”, expresó Ross en un comunicado. “A medida que avanzamos en nuestro proceso de búsqueda, se hizo innegable el respeto que Jon-Eric tiene en toda la liga como evaluador de talento, líder y hombre de integridad”.
La primera tarea de Sullivan será encontrar un nuevo entrenador en jefe. Mike McDaniel fue despedido el jueves después de cuatro temporadas tras una campaña de 7-10 en la que los Dolphins se perdieron los playoffs por segundo año consecutivo.
“Ahora, mientras avanzamos, construiremos un equipo de fútbol americano que sea resiliente, físico y fuerte”, dijo Sullivan en el comunicado. “Competiremos sin importar las circunstancias, con el objetivo final de competir por campeonatos de división y Super Bowls”.
Sullivan también necesitará comenzar una reconstrucción de la plantilla de Miami y decidir qué hacer con el quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, quien fue relegado a la banca en los últimos tres partidos de la temporada debido a un mal desempeño.
Tagovailoa lanzó para 2.660 yardas con 20 touchdowns la temporada pasada, pero mostró un marcado declive en precisión y movilidad después de firmar una extensión contractual de cuatro años por 212,4 millones de dólares en julio de 2024.
Terminó segundo en la NFL con 15 intercepciones, lo cual fue un récord personal.
Tagovailoa tiene garantizados 54 millones para 2026, y los Dolphins incurrirían en impactos significativos en el tope salarial al liberarlo. Desprenderse de él el próximo año resultaría en un cargo de 99 millones en el tope salarial muerto. Si el movimiento se designa como una liberación posterior al 1 de junio, esos cargos se dividen en dos años, con 67,4 millones asignados al tope de 2026 y 31,8 millones en 2027.
Sullivan no debería tener problemas para darle la vuelta a la franquicia de Miami.
Supervisó los departamentos de scouting universitario y profesional de Green Bay en su rol anterior, trabajando con el GM de los Packers, Brian Gutekunst, y el entrenador Matt LaFleur. Los Packers han llegado a los playoffs en tres de las últimas cuatro temporadas mientras reestructuraban su plantilla a través del draft, la agencia libre y los canjes.
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Deportes en español AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Juez bloquea orden de Trump en demanda de Oregon y Washington sobre voto por correo
Por GENE JOHNSON
SEATTLE (AP) — Un juez federal bloqueó el viernes la aplicación de la mayor parte de la orden ejecutiva del presidente Donald Trump sobre elecciones contra los estados de Washington y Oregon, que realizan voto por correo, en el último golpe a los intentos de Trump por exigir prueba documental de ciudadanía para votar y requerir que todas las boletas sean recibidas a más tardar el día de las elecciones.
El juez de Distrito federal John H. Chun, en Seattle, determinó que esos requisitos excedían la autoridad del presidente, siguiendo fallos similares en un caso de Massachusetts presentado por 19 estados y en un caso de Washington, D.C., entablado por grupos demócratas y de derechos civiles.
La orden ejecutiva, emitida en marzo, incluía nuevos requisitos para que las personas proporcionaran prueba documental de ciudadanía al registrarse para votar y la exigencia de que todas las boletas enviadas por correo fueran recibidas a más tardar el día de las elecciones. También ponía en riesgo la financiación federal de los estados si los funcionarios electorales no cumplían con la orden.
Funcionarios en Oregon y Washington, que aceptan boletas siempre y cuando el matasellos tenga a más tardar la fecha del día de las elecciones, dijeron que eso podría privar a miles de personas de su derecho al voto. Durante las elecciones generales de 2024, los funcionarios en Washington contaron casi 120.000 boletas que fueron recibidas después del día de las elecciones pero mataselladas para ese día. Los funcionarios de Oregon recibieron casi 14.000 de esas boletas.
El juez determinó que las medidas de Trump violaban la separación de poderes. La Constitución otorga al Congreso y a los estados la autoridad para regular las elecciones federales, señaló.
Oregon y Washington dijeron que demandaron por separado de otros estados porque, como estados exclusivamente de voto por correo, enfrentaban daños particulares por la orden ejecutiva.
Trump y otros republicanos han promovido la idea de que un gran número de personas que no eran ciudadanos de Estados Unidos podrían estar votando. Sin embargo, el voto por parte de no ciudadanos es raro y, cuando son atrapados, pueden enfrentar cargos por delitos graves y ser deportados.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Meritocracy Vs. Credentialocracy
Meritocracy Vs. Credentialocracy
Authored by Steven Kritz via the Brownstone Institute,
It is generally acknowledged that the Baby Boom generation (of which I am a member) has been the most successful, socioeconomically speaking, in the history of this planet, and the prospects for the generations following to match or surpass us are not looking good. As a confirmation of the disparity, I recently read that while Baby Boomers make up approximately 20% of the current US population, they possess more than 50% of the wealth.
In speaking with others of my generation, I have come to realize that very few Baby Boomers have even a modicum of insight as to how that success happened. The typical pabulum that I get from my peers is that they got their education and worked hard, implying that it should be no different for the younger generations.
To be fair, I can see several historical and sociological factors that would lead Boomers to think this way. First of all, many of our parents pounded into our heads from an early age that going to college was the key to success. Some things just don’t change from generation to generation! In fact, when Boomers entered the work force en masse during the 1970s, we were the largest new worker cohort in the history of the country, and approximately 30% of us had a college degree, up from, at most, 10% for previous generations.
However, despite our educational advantages, the 1970s was a disastrous time economically for everyone, but especially for those entering the workforce, and those permanently leaving the workforce, due to retirement or disability. We were plagued by two recessions, two huge oil shocks, and stagflation. Engineering as a career was absolutely dead. Add the extremely challenging geopolitical environment both at home and abroad, and we experienced an era when it was virtually impossible to get ahead solely through one’s education and hard work.
I was able to sidestep much of this, at least socioeconomically speaking, even though my dad had suddenly and unexpectedly died at the age of 42 in mid-December 1969. That’s because I spent the first three years of the 1970s finishing college, the next four years in medical school, and the final three years of the decade as an Internal Medicine resident. In those days, the cost of living, including college and medical school could be handled without too much difficulty, and the pay as a medical resident was sufficient for me to have a very nice apartment in Brooklyn, while also being able to save some money. As such, I didn’t enter the “real” workforce until the middle of 1980.
The timing for me was near perfect! Beginning in the middle of 1982, the greatest economic boom in history launched, and due to significant gains in the areas of racial equality and women’s rights, all groups participated. In fact, every quintile of household income set a record in all but two or three years of this boom, peaking in 1999.
Given that the 1980s and 1990s were in the wheelhouse of every Baby Boomer’s working career, I could see where the attitude would be that getting an education and working hard would lead to success. Extrapolating this thinking to the younger generations, it would make sense for Boomers to believe that the younger generations, having an even higher percentage with a college degree, just need to keep working hard and they will also achieve the same level of success. However, there are several major flaws in this thought process.
Some of it stems from the fact that the Boomers were the first “me” generation. It resulted in an inability to see the world from other than a personal bubble that was easily filled with nonsense. One of the things that has been completely missed by the Boomers is that Gen X, which is currently in its peak earnings years, has not, and never will catch up to the Boomers in terms of wealth accumulation.
Carrying this train of thought further, one might ask the following questions: (1) Are Boomers smarter than the generations that followed? I’d say no, except for people born between 2005 and 2020, who were permanently damaged by the Covid response. The extent of the damage won’t be known for another decade or two, since that cohort has not entered the workforce as yet. (2) Did the Boomers work harder than the generations that followed?
While every generation believes that the younger generations are overrun by lazy bastards, it’s not true. The reason for this misconception is that the tools available to each successive generation to help them work more effectively (and generate more wealth) evolve from generation to generation.
In order to explain the success of the Boomers, one has to look at the economic environment within which each generation lived during its working lives. The wealth creation of the 1980s and 1990s was not because Boomers were so great; it was because we operated in an economic environment that was conducive to success at a level that had never been seen before. That economic environment can be described in one word: Reaganomics.
Very recently, the word meritocracy has come back in vogue. What I can state with near certainty is that the era when meritocracy reached its zenith in this country was during the 1980s and 1990s, and it was largely due to an economic environment that promoted it. Since the end of the 20th century, those favorable conditions haven’t existed, other than during the years 2018 and 2019.
From the foregoing, it should be clear that most Boomers put the cart before the horse when it comes to explaining our generation’s success…and our children are paying a heavy price for this lack of insight. What has been particularly difficult for Millennials is that their childhood occurred during the greatest economic boom ever, only to enter the workforce beginning in 2000, when everything changed, and not for the better.
Having not been taught the real reason why the Boomers succeeded, the younger generations do not understand (and actively resist) the efforts by the Trump administration to reestablish the economic environment of the 1980s and 1990s. The only taste of it occurred in 2018 and 2019, when household incomes in every quintile finally broke through the records previously set in 1999, but it was overshadowed by the Covid disaster, which distorted everything.
As mentioned earlier, the term meritocracy has been resurrected, but what is really being put forward is credentialocracy. They are not the same. If they were, the younger generations would be doing just fine, socioeconomically speaking. We live in a country where having more initials after one’s name imputes greater intelligence, superior level of achievement, and higher ethical standing. More than anything, the disaster known as the Covid response taught us otherwise, in that the best and the brightest made everything much worse than it would have been had we done absolutely nothing. Unfortunately, this lesson has not penetrated most peoples’ personal bubble; at least not yet.
To make matters worse, our so-called educational system has cheapened the value of a credential, while charging higher and higher tuition to obtain it. In fact, our educational system rewards teachers, not for how well the students they teach perform, but by how many post-graduate credits and degrees the teacher obtains.
To me, this credentialing madness reached the height of perversity and insanity when it became clear that the CDC’s recommendations for protecting children’s health with regard to school closings, social distancing, masking, and “vaccine” mandates were dictated to the head of the CDC, Rochelle Walensky (who has MD and MPH credentials) by Randi Weingarten, head of the largest teachers’ union (who has a JD credential). This is backwards, and tremendous damage has been done. Want more? Despite the fact that uptake of the Covid shots has dropped to around 5%, it is my observation that among the highly educated, uptake is several times higher. Are the best and the brightest in the process of self-immolation?
Clearly, we need to decouple meritocracy from credentialocracy, and we must return to a state in which meritocracy can flourish. This will require unlearning the progressive garbage that’s replaced critical thinking over the past 55+ years, and an economic environment that fosters individual initiative. Otherwise, we’re done, and you might as well stick a fork in us now.
Steven Kritz, MD is a retired physician, who has been in the healthcare field for 50 years. He graduated from SUNY Downstate Medical School and completed IM Residency at Kings County Hospital. This was followed by almost 40 years of healthcare experience, including 19 years of direct patient care in a rural setting as a Board Certified Internist; 17 years of clinical research at a private-not-for-profit healthcare agency; and over 35 years of involvement in public health, and health systems infrastructure and administration activities. He retired 5 years ago, and became a member of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at the agency where he had done clinical research, where he has been IRB Chair for the past 3 years.
Tyler Durden
Fri, 01/09/2026 – 21:00
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/meritocracy-vs-credentialocracy
Organizadores olímpicos, 100% seguros de que la NHL jugará en Milán-Cortina pese a demoras en arena
Por DANIELLA MATAR
MILÁN (AP) — Los organizadores olímpicos están “100%” seguros de que la NHL no se retirará de los Juegos de Milán-Cortina, donde la nueva arena de hockey sobre hielo está lista. O casi.
Los retrasos en la construcción y otras preocupaciones en torno del Estadio de Hockey sobre Hielo Santagiulia han acaparado titulares durante semanas antes de que la NHL regrese a los Juegos Olímpicos de Invierno por primera vez desde 2014 y el torneo femenino comience el 5 de febrero.
La NHL ha expresado su preocupación por la construcción y la calidad de la superficie de hielo. El mes pasado, el subcomisionado de la NHL, Bill Daly, dijo en Winnipeg que la liga no enviaría a sus jugadores si hubiera alguna preocupación por la seguridad.
El viernes, se preguntó a Andrea Francisi, el director de operaciones de los juegos de Milán-Cortina, cuán seguro estaba de que los jugadores de la NHL participarían. Su respuesta fue: “100%”.
El director de deportes del COI, Pierre Ducrey, compartió sus sentimientos.
“Estoy casi seguro de que estarán aquí y va a ser extremadamente emocionante”, dijo Ducrey. “Estamos muy emocionados de que regresen tras 12 años. Hubo mucho trabajo de muchas personas para asegurarse de que esto suceda.
“Así que sí, tendrán a los jugadores de la NHL aquí en febrero y va a ser increíble.”
Se espera que la NHL emita un comunicado al final de su visita al nuevo estadio. Una delegación se presentaría en un esperado evento de prueba durante los próximos tres días.
El primer partido del evento —las finales de liga y copa de la temporada nacional— se retrasó brevemente para arreglar lo que los organizadores dijeron que era un pequeño agujero en el hielo.
Un portavoz del comité organizador de Milán-Cortina dijo a The Associated Press que el maestro del hielo —Don Moffatt, quien trabaja para el Avalanche de Colorado— estaba contento con la superficie y les aseguró que esto era un hecho completamente normal que puede ocurrir la primera vez que se patina sobre el hielo.
Florian Wieser, quien jugó en el partido, publicó en las redes sociales: “Era un pequeño agujero que se arregló en cinco minutos. El hielo estaba realmente bien, me sorprendió lo bueno que estaba y sólo mejorará.”
El evento de prueba original programado para diciembre no se llevó a cabo debido a los retrasos en la construcción. El programado para este fin de semana se realiza a menos de un mes de la competencia femenina.
El viernes, el estadio estaba evidentemente lejos de completarse, al menos en un sentido cosmético.
Faltaban asientos y había muchas láminas de plástico. Pero los organizadores dijeron que esos eran solo “los toques finales.”
“Los próximos dos días serán realmente muy importantes porque nos permitirán, teniendo tres partidos al día, probar exactamente los días como serán en los Juegos Olímpicos”, dijo Francisi.
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Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deporte
Jon-Eric Sullivan leaving Green Bay Packers front office to become Miami Dolphins general manager
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Jon-Eric Sullivan has agreed to join the Dolphins as their general manager, making the former Green Bay Packers executive the first key piece in Miami’s organizational reboot.
Sullivan, the Packers vice president of player personnel, completed an in-person interview this week with the Dolphins, who were expected to move swiftly in hiring a new general manager after parting ways with longtime GM Chris Grier during the season.
“What an incredible honor it is to serve as general manager of the Miami Dolphins, an organization of history, tradition and great pride,” Sullivan said in a statement released by the Dolphins on Friday night. “I want to express my gratitude to (owner) Stephen Ross and his family for this exceptional opportunity and the belief they’ve placed in me to lead this storied franchise forward.”
Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman was involved in the hiring.
Sullivan spent 22 seasons with the Packers, beginning as a scouting intern in 2003 before earning a full-time position with the team’s football operations department in 2004. In 2022, he was named vice president of player personnel.
He is the son of Jerry Sullivan, a longtime NFL and college coach who was Miami’s receivers coach in 2004.
“Jon-Eric brings a clear vision for how to build and run a football team, founded upon his own experience at a winning organization,” Ross said in a statement. “As we went through our search process, it became undeniable the respect Jon-Eric has across the league as a talent evaluator, leader and man of integrity.”
Sullivan’s first task will be finding a new head coach. Mike McDaniel was fired Thursday after four seasons following a 7-10 campaign in which the Dolphins missed the playoffs for the second straight year.
The Dolphins have been linked to former Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh, though the organization has reportedly not yet heavily pursued him. Other potential candidates who have a connection with Sullivan include Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley; Mike McCarthy, who coached the Packers for more than a decade; and Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile, The Packers’ linebackers coach in 2024. Campanile also coached Dolphins linebackers from 2020-23.
“Now, as we forge ahead, we will build a football team that is resilient, physical and tough,” Sullivan said in the statement. “We will compete no matter the circumstances, with the ultimate goal of competing for division championships and Super Bowls.”
Sullivan will also need to begin a rebuild of Miami’s roster and figure out what to do with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who was benched the final three games of the season because of poor play.
Tagovailoa threw for 2,660 yards with 20 touchdowns last season but showed a stark decline in accuracy and mobility after signing a four-year, $212.4 million extension in July 2024. He finished second in the NFL with 15 interceptions, which was a career high.
Tagovailoa is guaranteed $54 million for 2026, and the Dolphins would incur significant hits to the salary cap by releasing him. Releasing him next year would result in a $99 million dead cap charge. If the move is designated as a post-June 1 release, those charges are split over two years, with $67.4 million allocated to the 2026 cap and $31.8 million in 2027.
With a new GM, little cap space and an incoming new head coach, the Dolphins are embarking on another rebuild after gutting their roster in 2019 and stockpiling draft picks.
But Sullivan should have no trouble turning the Dolphins franchise around.
He oversaw the Packers’ college and pro scouting departments in his previous role, working with GM Brian Gutekunst and coach Matt LaFleur. The Packers have reached the playoffs in three of the last four seasons while retooling their roster through the draft, free agency and trades.
The Packers signed cornerback Keisean Nixon in 2022 and safety Xavier McKinney in 2024 through free agency. Both have since combined for three first-team All-Pro honors and a Pro Bowl selection. The team also acquired defensive lineman Micah Parsons in a blockbuster trade with the Dallas Cowboys ahead of the 2025 season. Sullivan was also involved in the Packers’ selection of quarterback Jordan Love in 2020.
The Packers are set to face the Chicago Bears in a wild-card game Saturday at Soldier Field.
Sullivan, a Gardner-Webb University graduate, was a college wide receiver there and at South Carolina. He worked a few years in the corporate world before joining the Packers staff.
AP reporter Tim Reynolds contributed.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/09/green-bay-packers-jon-eric-sullivan-miami-dolphins-gm/
Venezuela’s Methane Problem Looms Over Trump’s Oil Revival Plan
Venezuela’s Methane Problem Looms Over Trump’s Oil Revival Plan
President Trump’s push to revive Venezuela’s oil sector is colliding with a major technical obstacle: vast methane leaks from crumbling infrastructure that could scare off large international investors, according to Bloomberg.
Satellite monitoring shows huge plumes of methane rising from abandoned rigs, corroded pipelines and aging facilities across the country. Those emissions signal both lost revenue and deep operational problems — conditions that tend to deter major oil companies. As Clayton Nash of Tegre Corp. put it, “That’s one way that you’re going to know that you’ve got facilities that are not operated well.”
Each year Venezuela wastes about 13 billion cubic meters of natural gas through flaring, venting and leaks, roughly $1.4 billion in potential revenue. About a quarter of its total gas output escapes into the atmosphere — the highest rate globally and nearly ten times the world average. The scale of those leaks reflects decades of neglect, theft and underinvestment, leaving what remains of the system fragile and costly to repair.
Bloomberg writes that those realities complicate Trump’s effort to draw fresh capital. The White House is bringing U.S. oil executives to Washington on Friday to advance that plan, with the core message expected to be: “Do it for our country.” Yet analysts warn that political instability and Venezuela’s history of seizing foreign assets may keep major companies on the sidelines.
“We anticipate that large, publicly traded US and European majors will remain hesitant given their checkered history in the region,” said Quentin Peyle of Kayrros SA. “Instead, investment will likely come from smaller operators with a higher risk appetite.”
That shift carries its own risks. Smaller firms often lack the capital and incentives needed to modernize operations and control emissions at scale. Even if leaks are reduced, Deborah Gordon of RMI cautioned that “Venezuela’s fields will not only need an overhaul but also require careful operational management and oversight long into the future,” adding that the country’s extra-heavy crude would remain a major source of CO₂.
Restoring production near Venezuela’s former peak of almost 4 million barrels per day could require about $100 billion over the next decade. And the true condition of the infrastructure may remain hidden until output increases. As Nash warned, “You’re not going to find out how bad things are until you ramp up production.”
Tyler Durden
Fri, 01/09/2026 – 20:30
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/venezuelas-methane-problem-looms-over-trumps-oil-revival-plan
Astro mexicano Hirving “Chucky” Lozano no regresará a San Diego tras conflictiva campaña en la MLS
Por GREG BEACHAM
Hirving “Chucky” Lozano no regresará a San Diego FC para una segunda temporada.
El director deportivo del club Tyler Heaps dijo a los periodistas el viernes que está trabajando en la salida de Lozano, el atacante de 30 años que llegó a ser pilar de la selección mexicana y que se unió al equipo de expansión de la MLS para su temporada inaugural en 2025 como su primer jugador designado.
Lozano anotó nueve goles en 27 apariciones durante la temporada regular y agregó dos tantos en la postemporada de la MLS, pero también fue relegado al banquillo al final de la campaña tras un altercado en el vestuario de San Diego.
San Diego terminó en la cima de la Conferencia Oeste durante la temporada regular, estableciendo récords de la MLS en cuanto a victorias y puntos por un equipo de expansión, antes de perder 3-1 ante Vancouver en la final de conferencia.
Lozano anotando el único gol de San Diego en ese cotejo.
“Hemos comunicado a Hirving y a sus representantes que no será parte de los planes deportivos en el futuro”, dijo Heaps. “Ésa no fue una decisión que se tomó a la ligera. Fue algo que se discutió bien desde los propietarios hasta la dirigencia, pasando por mí y (el entrenador) Mikey (Varas), y se ha comunicado al resto del grupo. Así que estamos trabajando con él y sus representantes para encontrar la mejor solución y el mejor entorno para él en el futuro”.
Lozano dejó el PSV Eindhoven en Holanda para firmar un contrato de cuatro años con San Diego. Ganó 7.633.333 dólares la temporada pasada, ocupando el quinto lugar entre todos los jugadores de la MLS y complicando una posible transferencia.
Heaps dijo que las características de Lozano dentro del estilo de juego deseado por San Diego fue un factor en la ruptura. Aunque el “Chucky” tuvo momentos de éxito, el extremo danés Anders Dreyer emergió como el mejor jugador de San Diego y el punto focal ofensivo, anotando 19 goles y ganando honores en el Mejor Once de la MLS como el novato del año de la liga.
Lozano destacó en ocasiones en el estilo de juego de posesión de Varas, pero no fue incluido en la lista para dos partidos de final de temporada en medio de versiones del altercado en el vestuario de San Diego. Lozano se disculpó vagamente por sus acciones en las redes sociales, diciendo que estaba “orgulloso de ser parte del viaje del club por muchos años más”.
Pero el mexicano regresó a la plantilla principalmente como suplente durante la postemporada, y ahora el club sigue adelante sin un jugador atractivo en sus intentos de ganar a la gran población mexicoestadounidense de San Diego.
“No hay un momento específico que se pueda señalar”, dijo Heaps cuando se le preguntó si el altercado en el vestuario afectó la decisión del club. “Fue más una decisión completamente colectiva que tomamos en nombre del grupo. Estamos mirando no sólo el éxito a corto plazo, sino también a largo plazo en cómo se construye este club para el futuro”.
Se espera que Lozano sea parte de la convocatoria de México para su Copa del Mundo en casa este verano, pero probablemente tendrá que encontrar un club rápidamente a fin de ganar el ritmo necesario para contribuir.
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Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
West Dundee plans to build new police station on cleared Spring Hill Mall land
The West Dundee Village Board is moving forward with plans to build a new police station on a portion of the former Spring Hill Mall property.
At their meeting Monday, board members approved a $130,000 contract with Itasca-based Williams Architects to put together plans for the building, which will cost an estimated $20 million to $25 million, according to Village Manager Joe Cavallaro said.
It will require four or five acres of land, he said, and it’s likely the village will sell bonds to pay for construction. Money from the village’s tax increment finance district, which includes the former mall property, would repay the debt.
Two sites inside of what had been the mall’s ring road are under consideration for the station, according to village documents.
One is slightly northeast of the Jewel-Osco store on Main Street/Route 72 and the other is west of the LA Fitness and slightly southwest of the Olive Garden and Red Lobster restaurants off Route 31.
“This project will help set the stage for future development as its physical construction will determine several primary infrastructure needs for the redevelopment of the property, such as street locations and new water and sewer mains, which will effectively set the table for future redevelopment,” Cavallaro said.
The new station is meant to be an integral part of a broader plan for the now-cleared mall site, he said. Village officials envision a mixed-use development that will include office, commercial, residential and multifamily components as well as municipal, governmental and educational uses, he said.
This would be the first new project for the mall land. The mall opened in October 1980 and closed in March 2024.
West Dundee started buying up already-closed mall anchor stores in 2023 and ultimately purchased most of the mall for about $10 million. Demolition of the buildings cost about $3.8 million.
“Our vision is that the (West Dundee) property will be developed in a more traditional grid fashion, with walkability, public open spaces and amenities designed to attract people to live, work and congregate in the area,” Cavallaro said. “Entertainment uses will be a targeted component of the redevelopment, complementing the existing (movie) theater and restaurant uses already in the area.”
A new police station is needed because the department has outgrown the 40-year-old building it now shares with the fire department on Route 31 near Strom Drive.
“West Dundee currently has 24 police officers and expects to grow to approximately 30 officers as the population approaches 10,000 within the next decade,” Cavallaro said.
The village covers about four square miles and, based on a recently conducted special census, has a population of 8,372 residents, he said. With the development of the mall property, the village’s population could climb as high as 11,000, he said.
As for the new station, a village document indicates the building will be about 34,500 square feet with at least two above-ground floors and a basement.
“The newly constructed police facility is expected to include the requisite space for full-service police operations, employee support, evidence and property management, equipment storage, officer firearms/scenario/tactics and classroom training,” the document said. “The new facility is expected to have an adjacent secure parking garage space for police vehicles and an area of surface parking for police business visitors.”
Cavallaro said Williams Architects are expected to submit their design sometime this summer, with groundbreaking anticipated for 2027. The police department would remain at 55 S. 8th St. until the new building is ready to be occupied, he said.
Mike Danahey is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/09/dundee-police-station-spring-mal/
