Category: News
Column: Park Forest honors 31 people, organizations for making a difference
I have often called Park Forest a “village different” in that at times the village often connects with residents in unusual ways.
For some years, under the guidance of Evelyn Randle, the village’s community relations manager, the village has paid attention to the people who pay attention to the village through a local “Oscar” ceremony.
This year, some 31 individuals and institutions were honored in 10 categories last Saturday in a ceremony in Freedom Hall.
Between Penny and I, we touched hands, bumped fists and shared ideas with almost all of the 2026 notables. This time around, however, we were part of the Making a Difference list, sort of, as members of the Tuesday morning free food pop-up led by honoree Barb Dorman, as we dole out provisions each Tuesday at the First Baptist Church.
Not all honorees were present, but all had had a list of accomplishments read about them.
Evelyn got it right. You heard some words of praise about you at a ceremony in honor of you.
It was over in fewer than two hours, but we must confess there was an aura of an unspoken “well done,” heard in the hall. Park Forest has problems to solve, but there seems to be an unbreakable bond that unites the people of the community.
Deer-ly beloved
On a now typical frosty evening late last week, Beth Brecher was about to walk out of her back door onto Central Park intending to feed the birds. Instead, she saw through the picture window a startled male deer who was probably foraging for seeds dropped from her bird feeder.
It was the second time in three days this handsome antlered creature and Beth observed each other at close range. The first time, Mr. Stag was accompanied by three sleek does.
These deer are nighttime foragers who might live in the Sauk Trail Woods Forest Preserve east of Western Avenue. Their expeditions into Park Forest are made possible by a wide open pathway underneath those electrical wires which stretch along an east-west route through the center of town, just north of an easy feeding ground in Central Park and points west.
At night, it seems the only danger to these animals would be a speeding car along Western Avenue. We have witnessed cars slowing to the speed limit as these animals lope against traffic.
At times we hear nighttime tales of hungry deer grazing on twigs, buds, leaves and flower bulbs.
Beth Brecher spotted this startled male deer this month ouside her picture window on Central Park in Park Forest, likely foraging for seeds dropped from her bird feeder. (Beth Brecher)
It was, said Beth Brecher, both a startling experience. Except for a twitch or two of its hind legs, the deer “posed” for a photo before darting away.
As good fortune would have it, the same day she “shot” the deer, she managed to snap a photo of a black squirrel. At one time, an uncommon sight in the area, this newcomer to the village was part of a general migration of critters, caused in part by obvious climate change, or haven’t you noticed.
Case in point. Once If you wanted to view an eagle, the closest location would be Starved Rock State Park, some 70 miles from here. These days, we have seen an eagle swooping around at the Matteson Auto Mall.
Times change.
Brrrrr!
Cold enough for you?
More than 60 years ago, while working my way along a rickety journalistic treadmill, I, along with Penny and our first born, were surviving in Roswell, New Mexico, when in January a massive cold wave hit the community. The local weatherman stuck a wet finger out the door and prophesied “16 below.”
At the time, our car was a shiny red 1960 Chevrolet Corvair, the car with the remarkable slogan of “unsafe at any speed,” which we stored in a shed in back of our rented house. Our neighbor told us that we would not have a problem starting the car the next morning if we plugged in a corded light bulb and placed it next to motor. It worked.
These days we have a car that does most of the thinking for the driver. Bells, buttons, beeps and lights keep us enveloped in a blanket of electronic safety and comfort.
We don’t need a stinking light bulb, we thought.
Alas, we got going that day by a AAA agent who did not use a light bulb.
Jerry Shnay is a freelance columnist for the Daily Southtown.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/26/column-park-forest-honors-making-a-difference/
Key Events This Week: Fed, Central Banks Gallore, Earnings Avalanche
Key Events This Week: Fed, Central Banks Gallore, Earnings Avalanche
With the year still not yet four weeks old, it’s already been a constant firehose of news volatility, even as market volatility has remained relatively contained, DB’s Jim Reid writes this morning. Consider: we’ve moved from Venezuela to Japan, via Iran and Greenland, with a range of other themes running in the background. These now include President Trump on Saturday threatening 100% tariffs on Canada if China strikes a trade deal with them, and the odds of another US government shutdown after January 30th (Friday) jumping on Polymarket from 8% on Friday to 78% this morning. This followed Senate Democratic leader Schumer warning that they will block the spending package unless Republicans defund Homeland Security after a Border Patrol shooting at a protest in Minnesota on Saturday linked to the immigration crackdown.
If that weren’t enough, Rick Rieder’s odds of becoming the next Fed Chair surged from around 33% as Europe closed on Friday to over 60% at one point over the weekend, before settling at 47% this morning. The perception in markets is that he would be more market friendly than the previous front runner, Kevin Warsh, who is now trading at 29% on Polymarket. He was at 65% last Monday. Finally in the UK, Andy Burnham was yesterday blocked by the ruling Labour Party from contesting an imminent by-election. Burnham is seen as a potential challenger to PM Starmer with lots of party support. Gilts may see some relative relief this morning as Burnham had said last September that the UK needs to “get beyond being in hock to the bond markets”.
With all this going on it’s perhaps no wonder that Gold (+8.52%) was within two-tenths of a percent of its best week since 2008, marginally behind one week in 2020. It’s up another +1.7% this morning and has flown past $5000 for the first time. However the Dollar has just had its worst week for 8 months, falling against all its peers, and has continued to weaken this morning.
So there are plenty of balls in the air right now, but the one perhaps most urgently needing careful handling is Japan. On Friday afternoon in Europe, ZeroHedge broke news that the New York Fed had conducted a “rate check” on USD/JPY on behalf of the US Treasury. This morning, the Japanese yen is around +1%, trading at ~154 against the dollar, marking its strongest position since November. Various official have refused to confirm or deny overnight any intervention so far. 2yr JGBs are around +3bps higher with 10yr and 30yr yields -1bps and flat respectively while the Nikkei is -1.90% due to the strong Yen since Friday.
With all that in mind, let’s take a look at the coming week.
The main event this week will be the Fed’s decision on Wednesday with the main focus not on the likely unchanged Fed Funds rate but on what Powell says about a variety of things in the presser (more below). The Bank of Canada meet the same day with Sweden’s Riksbank meeting on Thursday, with both also expected to be on hold. Finally, the ECB will publish its monthly consumer expectations survey on Friday.
In terms of data, the US sees durable goods (today), consumer confidence (tomorrow) and PPI (Friday).
In Europe preliminary January CPI for countries including German and Spain are released, alongside Q4 GDP for the main economies all on Friday. The German Ifo is out today.
Over in Asia, a likely busy week of news flow for Japan is bookended with a big data dump on Friday featuring the Tokyo CPI, consumer confidence, retail sales and industrial production. The Lower House election campaign begins tomorrow ahead of the 8 February vote. Other notable indicators due in the region include December industrial profits in China tomorrow and Q4 CPI in Australia on Wednesday.
Rounding out with corporate earnings, an important week is ahead featuring results from four Magnificent 7 stocks – Microsoft, Meta and Tesla on Wednesday and Apple on Thursday. The four make up 16% of the S&P 500 by market cap, with the overall list of firms reporting this week totaling 32% of aggregate capitalization. Other tech highlights include ASML, Samsung, IBM and SAP. The focus will also be on defense firms RTX, Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin. On Friday, big oil firms Exxon and Chevron will also report. In Europe, highlights also include LVMH, Roche and Sanofi.
Previewing Wednesday’s FOMC meeting, DB economists expect the Federal Reserve to leave policy unchanged while striking a slightly firmer tone on the underlying economic backdrop. Although the usual focus would be on the policy outlook, circumstances this time mean that Chair Powell’s press conference is likely to dwell heavily on non-economic matters. Questions will inevitably surface around the recent DoJ subpoena, the situation involving Governor Cook, and the broader issue of future Fed leadership. Powell will probably lean on the themes of his recorded statement from 11 January, emphasizing the importance of institutional independence and resisting political pressure — a message he is unlikely to dilute given the current environment.
On the policy statement itself, expect the Fed to upgrade its description of growth from the previous “moderate pace” to something closer to a “solid pace,” consistent with Vice Chair Jefferson’s comments on 16 January. They also expect the Committee to acknowledge a somewhat steadier labor market, reflecting the more recent data flow available since the November meeting. Inflation is trickier: with core PCE still running at 2.8% year on year into November, progress has been limited, and the Committee may simply reiterate that inflation remains “somewhat elevated,” echoing Jefferson’s framing of recent developments.
Where the statement may shift most meaningfully is the second paragraph. Over the past several meetings, the Fed has justified its easing bias by pointing to rising labor market risks. Given the more balanced labor picture and the lack of discernible improvement on inflation, DB economists believe the Committee may drop its explicit reference to labor market deterioration and revert to the more neutral line that it remains attentive to risks on both sides of the mandate — while stopping short of last year’s language that risks were “roughly balanced.”
Taken together, Wednesday’s decision and press conference should reinforce the idea that policy is now within the Fed’s estimated range of neutral and that the Committee is well placed to respond in either direction if incoming data justify a move. Nearly all voters are likely to endorse that message, though Governor Miran will likely dissent in favour of additional easing.
Day-by-day calendar of events:
Monday January 26
Data: US November and October Chicago Fed national activity index, November durable goods orders, January Dallas Fed manufacturing activity, Japan December PPI services, Germany January Ifo survey
Central banks: ECB’s Nagel and Kocher speak
Earnings: FANUC, Ryanair, Epiroc
Auctions: US 2-yr Notes ($69bn)
Tuesday January 27
Data: US January Conference Board consumer confidence index, Dallas Fed services activity, Richmond Fed manufacturing index, business conditions, November FHFA house price index, China December industrial profits, France January consumer confidence, EU27 December new car registrations
Central banks: ECB’s Nagel speaks
Earnings: LVMH, UnitedHealth, RTX, Boeing, Texas Instruments, NextEra Energy, Union Pacific, HCA Healthcare, Atlas Copco, Northrop Grumman, UPS, General Motors, Sandvik AB, Kimberly-Clark
Auctions: US 5-yr Notes ($70bn)
Other: the EU-India summit
Wednesday January 28
Data: Germany February GfK consumer confidence, Italy January economic sentiment, Australia Q4 CPI
Central banks: Fed’s decision, BoC’s decision, BoJ’s minutes of the December monetary policy meeting, ECB’s Elderson and Schnabel speak
Earnings: Microsoft, Meta, Tesla, ASML, Lam Research, IBM, Amphenol, GE Vernova, Danaher, AT&T, ServiceNow, Starbucks, Advantest, General Dynamics, Corning, Volvo AB , Lonza, Kia, MSCI
Auctions: US 2-yr FRN ($30bn)
Thursday January 29
Data: US November trade balance, factory orders, wholesale trade sales, initial jobless claims, Japan January consumer confidence index, France Q4 total jobseekers, Italy November industrial sales, December hourly wages, Eurozone January economic confidence, December M3, Canada November international merchandise trade, Sweden Q4 GDP indicator
Central banks: Riksbank decision, ECB’s Cipollone speaks
Earnings: Apple, Visa, Samsung Electronics, Mastercard, SK hynix, Roche, Caterpillar, SAP, Thermo Fisher Scientific, KLA, Blackstone, Hitachi, Honeywell, ABB Ltd, Stryker, Lockheed Martin, Parker-Hannifin, Sanofi, Comcast, Altria, Keyence, ING, Lloyds Banking, Hyundai Motor, Sandisk, L3Harris Technologies, Norfolk Southern, Swedbank, Nokia, Givaudan
Auctions: US 7-yr Notes ($44bn)
Friday January 30
Data: Tokyo CPI, December jobless rate, job-to-applicant ratio, retail sales, industrial production, US December PPI, January MNI Chicago PMI, UK January Lloyds Business Barometer, December net consumer credit, M4, Japan December housing starts, Germany January CPI, unemployment claims rate, Q4 GDP, December import price index, France Q4 GDP, private sector payrolls, December consumer spending, PPI, Italy Q4 GDP, December unemployment rate, PPI, Eurozone Q4 GDP, December unemployment rate, Canada November GDP
Central banks: Fed’s Musalem speaks, ECB December consumer expectations survey
Earnings: Exxon Mobil, Chevron, American Express, Verizon, Sumitomo Mitsui, Regeneron, Colgate-Palmolive
Finally, looking at just the US, the key economic data releases this week are the durable goods report on Monday and the producer price index on Friday. The January FOMC meeting is on Wednesday. The post-meeting statement will be released at 2:00 PM ET, followed by Chair Powell’s press conference at 2:30 PM.
Monday, January 26
08:30 AM Durable goods orders, November preliminary (GS +5.0%, consensus +4.0%, last -2.2%); Durable goods orders ex-transportation, November preliminary (GS +0.3%, consensus +0.3%, last +0.1%); Core capital goods orders, November preliminary (GS +0.3%, consensus +0.3%, last +0.5%); Core capital goods shipments, November preliminary (GS +0.4%, consensus +0.2%, last +0.8%): We estimate that durable goods orders rebounded 5% in the preliminary November report (month-over-month, seasonally adjusted), reflecting an increase in commercial aircraft orders. We forecast a 0.3% increase in core capital goods orders and a 0.4% increase in core capital goods shipments—the latter reflecting the increase in orders in the prior month.
Tuesday, January 27
09:00 AM S&P Case-Shiller home price index, November (GS +0.2%, consensus +0.2%, last +0.3%)
10:00 AM Conference Board consumer confidence, January (GS 90.5, consensus 90.0, last 89.1)
Wednesday, January 28
There are no major data releases scheduled.
02:00 PM FOMC statement, January 27-28 meeting: As discussed in our FOMC preview, this January meeting is likely to be uneventful, with no change to the fed funds rate, only minor changes to the statement, and few hints about the future policy path. Chair Powell is likely to emphasize that the FOMC has just delivered three cuts that should help to stabilize the labor market and is well positioned for now while it assesses their impact.
Thursday, January 29
08:30 AM Nonfarm productivity, Q3 final (GS +4.9%, consensus +4.9%, last +4.9%); Unit labor costs, Q3 final (GS -1.9%, consensus -1.9%, last -1.9%)
08:30 AM Initial jobless claims, week ended January 24 (GS 200k, consensus 205k, last 200k); Continuing jobless claims, week ended January 17 (consensus 1,850k, last 1,849k)
08:30 AM Trade balance, November (GS -$37.0bn, consensus -$44.2bn, last -$29.4bn); We forecast that the US trade deficit widened by $7.6bn to $37.0bn in November, reflecting a decline in gold exports and an increase in imports of computers and electronic products from Taiwan.
10:00 AM Factory orders, November (GS +2.4%, consensus +1.6%, last -1.3%)
Friday, January 30
08:30 AM PPI final demand, December (GS +0.2%, consensus +0.2%, last +0.2%); PPI ex-food and energy, December (GS +0.2%, consensus +0.3%, last flat); PPI ex-food, energy, and trade, December (GS +0.3%, consensus +0.2%, last +0.2%)
Source: DB, Goldman
Tyler Durden
Mon, 01/26/2026 – 10:45
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/key-events-week-fed-central-banks-gallore-earnings-avalanche
Qatar invertirá en sector eléctrico de Líbano y ayudará a retornar refugiados sirios
Por BASSEM MROUE y KAREEM CHEHAYEB
BEIRUT (AP) — Qatar anunció el lunes inversiones en Líbano por valor de cientos de millones de dólares para mejorar el sector eléctrico de la atribulada nación y para continuar apoyando a las fuerzas armadas libanesas y el retorno de refugiados sirios.
El ministro de Estado para Asuntos Exteriores de Qatar, Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, anunció las inversiones del Fondo de Qatar para el Desarrollo tras reunirse con el primer ministro Nawaf Salam y el presidente Joseph Aoun en Beirut.
Líbano ha estado mejorando sus relaciones con los países del golfo ricos en petróleo tras años de tensiones por la amplia influencia que el grupo político-militar Hezbollah tenía en la pequeña nación. Hezbollah fue debilitado por una guerra de 14 meses con Israel, y el grupo respaldado por Irán recientemente llamó a Arabia Saudí a abrir una nueva era en las relaciones.
Durante años, Qatar ha sido visto como un país amigo de Líbano y un mediador en crisis políticas nacionales e internacionales. Doha también es un socio en los consorcios para la exploración de gas en alta mar de Líbano.
Líbano, desde finales de 2019, ha estado en una crisis fiscal histórica tras décadas de corrupción y mala gestión por parte de la clase gobernante del país.
Al-Khulaifi anunció que Qatar otorgará una subvención de 40 millones de dólares al sector eléctrico y otros 360 millones de dólares para proyectos en el sector que, según se dijo, beneficiarán a 1,5 millones de personas.
Qatar ha intentado en el pasado mejorar el sector eléctrico de Líbano, sin éxito. Esta vez, el presidente de Líbano, quien fue elegido el año pasado, y un primer ministro recién nombrado han prometido luchar contra la corrupción.
La empresa estatal de electricidad de Líbano es una de las mayores fuentes de deuda del país, perdiendo alrededor de 40.000 millones de dólares en las últimas décadas con una abultada nómina y una infraestructura obsoleta. La empresa proporciona solo unas pocas horas de electricidad cada día, y el Estado hasta hace un año había tomado anticipos del Banco Central cuando se agotaba el combustible diésel.
La mayoría de los hogares y negocios en Líbano dependen de generadores privados altamente costosos que son una de las principales causas de contaminación en la nación mediterránea.
El funcionario qatarí declaró que su país ayudará con el retorno de los refugiados sirios desde Líbano, comenzando con el retorno de 100.000 personas a un costo inicial de 20 millones de dólares. Al-Khulaifi indicó que a los refugiados se les garantizará una vivienda adecuada además de pagos que cubran su alimentación y medicinas durante tres meses.
Agregó que el gobierno sirio, que tiene relaciones cercanas con Qatar, facilitará el retorno.
El ministro de Asuntos Sociales de Líbano, Haneen Sayed, apuntó a principios de este mes que medio millón de refugiados sirios regresaron a casa en 2025.
El conflicto en Siria desplazó a la mitad de la población del país antes de la guerra, que era de 23 millones, durante 14 años. Líbano acogió a unos 1,5 millones de refugiados, que en un momento representaron aproximadamente una cuarta parte de sus seis millones de habitantes, con muchos entrando de contrabando a través de la frontera y no registrados con la ONU.
Al-Khulaifi añadió que Qatar continuará su apoyo al ejército libanés al considerar que “esta institución es la base para la seguridad y estabilidad en el país”.
___________________________________
Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
BlackRock Credit Fund Hit With 19% Markdown As Loans Go Bad
BlackRock Credit Fund Hit With 19% Markdown As Loans Go Bad
BlackRock TCP Capital Corp., a publicly traded private-credit fund structured as a business development company, filed an 8-K with the SEC late Friday afternoon, disclosing a 19% markdown in net asset value as troubled loans weighed on performance. The move marks one of the first major private credit signal woes of the new year.
The credit fund told investors in the 8-K filing that NAV fell from $8.71 as of Sept. 30 to $7.05 to $7.09, or about a 19% markdown.
“This decline is primarily driven by issuer-specific developments during the quarter,” the fund said.
For a simpler translation: borrower-level stress intensified, loans deteriorated, and expected recovery values collapsed.
According to Bloomberg, the credit fund “has struggled in part because of its exposure to e-commerce aggregators — companies that buy and manage Amazon.com Inc. sellers — as well as troubled home improvement company Renovo Home Partners, which has filed for bankruptcy with plans to liquidate.”
A TCPC fact sheet published Sept. 30 shows the fund holds 83% first-lien exposure across software, internet software and services, financial services, and other professional services.
Analyst coverage of TCPC is overwhelmingly negative.
There are zero “buy” recommendations among analysts tracked by Bloomberg, with three “hold” ratings and one “sell.” The average 12-month price target stands at $6.50.
Shares of TCPC dropped 8.2% in after-hours trading on Friday following the filing.
Over a longer timeframe, the stock has slid back to COVID-era lows and remains locked in a multi-year bear market.
We’ve been closely tracking private credit markets, observing bumps along the way, to determine whether the cycle is beginning to show early signs of systemic risk or simply reflecting a normal credit downturn. While credit conditions have remained benign for an extended period, several emerging warning signs have begun to surface, which we have highlighted:
“There’s No Emergency Here”: Blue Owl CEO Says As Private Credit Provider Abandons Merger Plan
We’re “At The Beginning Of The Credit Destruction Cycle”; Ed Dowd Warns
Regional Banks Crash As More Credit “Cockroaches” Emerge
As a reminder, last fall, JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon warned, “When you see one cockroach, there are probably more.”
However, not everyone sees a crisis coming, despite the surge in supply.
We recently quoted Jeff Eason, Head of IG Credit at Citadel Securities, who says the market is in the early stages of a robust Capital Markets cycle, driven by Credit Expansion, fueling two themes:
M&A activity and broad corporate re-leveraging and
Growth in AI CapEx with debt usage becoming necessary/attractive to fund the mega cycle.
Jeffrey Gundlach has recently called out private lenders for making “garbage loans” and warned the next financial crisis will be in private credit.
Moody’s Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi told CNBC that private credit is “lightly regulated, less transparent, opaque, and it’s growing really fast, which doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a problem in the financial system, but it is a necessary condition for one.”
The rumblings in private credit raise deeper questions about the soundness of the broader financial system and whether the Trump economy, with incoming tailwinds from data-center, power grid buildouts, and re-manufacturing trends, can withstand potential stress in credit markets.
Tyler Durden
Mon, 01/26/2026 – 10:25
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/blackrock-credit-fund-hit-19-markdown-loans-go-bad
“The Discombobulator”: Trump Admits Secret Weapon Used In US Operation To Capture Maduro
“The Discombobulator”: Trump Admits Secret Weapon Used In US Operation To Capture Maduro
Authored by Aldgra Fredly via The Epoch Times,
President Donald Trump has revealed that U.S. forces used a secret weapon to disable Venezuelan military equipment in the Jan. 3 operation that resulted in the arrest of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
“The Discombobulator. I’m not allowed to talk about it,” Trump said in an interview with the New York Post published on Jan. 24.
Trump said the weapon disabled Venezuelan equipment during the operation, enabling U.S. forces to capture Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, from their residence in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas.
“They never got their rockets off. They had Russian and Chinese rockets, and they never got one off. We came in, they pressed buttons, and nothing worked. They were all set for us,” he said.
The president did not explain how the weapon worked or how it was deployed.
This comment from the president fits with the alleged eye-witness account, as we previously posted:
Security Guard: At one point, they launched something—I don’t know how to describe it… it was like a very intense sound wave. Suddenly I felt like my head was exploding from the inside. We all started bleeding from the nose. Some were vomiting blood. We fell to the ground, unable to move.
In a Fox News interview aired on Jan. 3, Trump said the special operations forces who conducted the raid “rehearsed and practiced like nobody’s ever seen,” and had built a model version of the location they operated in. He said Maduro “was in a house that was more like a fortress than a house.”
“It had steel doors. It had what they call the safety space, where it’s, you know, solid steel all around,” Trump told the news outlet.
“He didn’t get that space closed. He was trying to get into it, but he got bum rushed so fast that he didn’t get into that. We were prepared.”
At least 32 Cuban officers deployed to assist Maduro in Venezuela were killed in the U.S. attack, according to the Cuban government, which has denounced the operation.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Jan. 4 that Maduro’s internal security apparatus was “entirely controlled by Cubans.”
“The ones who have sort of colonized, at least inside the regime, are Cubans. It was Cubans who guarded Maduro. He was not guarded by Venezuelan bodyguards,” Rubio said.
Following Maduro’s ouster, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was appointed interim leader by Venezuela’s Supreme Court and was sworn in on Jan. 5.
Trump warned Rodríguez after the U.S. operation that her fate could be worse than Maduro’s—who is facing drug and arms-related charges in the United States—if she fails to “do what’s right.”
Venezuela’s interim government has freed hundreds of political detainees to demonstrate its “broad intention to seek peace,” with more than 100 political detainees released on Jan. 25, according to Alfredo Romero, director of Caracas-based advocacy group Foro Penal.
Maduro and his wife pleaded not guilty to all U.S. charges on Jan. 5.
Tyler Durden
Mon, 01/26/2026 – 10:05
Business news: Smoke alarm donation and PNW names new business dean
Pratt Industries donates 100 alarms
Pratt Industries’ Mill Division in Valparaiso has donated 100 carbon monoxide alarms to the Valparaiso Fire Department to support fire safety efforts, according to a release.
The donated alarms will be distributed through the Valparaiso Fire Department’s Out to Alarm Valpo program to ensure residents have working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in their homes. Through the program, VFD provides and installs smoke and CO alarms free of charge for any resident within the City of Valparaiso or Center Township during home safety visits, the release said. Residents interested in scheduling a free home safety visit can sign up at ValparaisoFire.org by clicking “Request Smoke Alarm.”
Pratt Industries’ Valparaiso plant donated 100 carbon monoxide alarms to the Valparaiso Fire Department to help improve safety throughout the community. Pictured, from left, are Travis Horsch, Patrick Biancardi, Allison Kloss and Don Edgecomb of Pratt Industries with Tim Stites of the Valparaiso Fire Department. (Photo provided by City of Valparaiso)
Influential Women nominations open
Nominations are now open for the 15th Influential Women awards, a release said.
Sponsored by the Northwest Indiana Influential Women Association, the area’s most influential women will be recognized during the annual banquet and awards ceremony. Nomination deadline is Feb. 16.
Nominations are welcomed by individuals themselves or from members of the public. From the nominations, a list of finalists will be announced, the release said. During the organization’s Sept. 24 banquet, finalists will be honored with a medallion. In 2025, 258 finalists were selected from 517 nominees across 13 industries, including: Arts, Business, Construction/Manufacturing, Economic Development/Government, Education, Finance, Healthcare, Law, Marketing/Media, Nonprofit, Real Estate, Service/Tourism, and STEM, the release said.
At the banquet, two winners from the list of finalists, one Up-and-Coming and one Influential Women, will be named in each of the 13 industries. Nominations are free and can be made by visiting NWIIWA.org.
Franciscan leader to head state association
The Indiana Hospital Association has named Dr. Jim Callaghan its board chair for 2026. Callaghan serves as executive vice president and chief operating officer of Franciscan Alliance Inc., a not-for-profit organization operating 12 hospitals in Indiana and south suburban Chicago.
Callaghan becomes the first physician to serve as IHA board chair in 80 years, a release said. He is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and the American Academy of Family Physicians. Callaghan, the release said, has been with Franciscan for more than 25 years.
Construction Safety award nominations open
An annual awards banquet to celebrate construction excellence and safety is returning to Merrillville, where builders and project owners will gather in May to recognize last year’s achievements, according to a release.
The Northwest Indiana Business RoundTable and the Construction Advancement Foundation partner each year to honor the region’s top performers during the event. NWIBRT’s awards focus on safety performances, while the CAF awards highlight the best in contractor and project outcomes, the release said.
Those who would like to review criteria, fill out an application and submit entries for all awards at this year’s event can do so on the NWIBRT’s Awards Banquet page. Applications are open through Feb. 16. Visit NWIBRT.org.
Chesterton alumni honored
The Chesterton High School Alumni Association has announced the recipients of the 2025 CHS Alumni Association Hall of Fame award. The recipients were recently recognized and presented with plaques by the
CHS Alumni Association, a release said.
The 2025 Alumni Association Hall of Fame recipients are: Jack Campbell, retired Chesterton teacher and coach; Fotini Pahos, retired CHS instructional aide; Jeff Van Drie, retired Chesterton High School principal; and Katie Thomas, CHS Class of 2016, a current Duneland teacher and assistant girls soccer coach.
PNW announces new College of Business dean
Purdue University Northwest has announced that after a national search David G. Taylor will serve as the Teddy Jacobi Dean of the PNW Collegeof Business, effective July 1, according to a release.
Taylor currently serves as dean of the Jack Welch College of Business and Technology at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut, where he also holds a faculty appointment as a professor of Marketing.
In his role at PNW, Taylor will oversee academic programs, faculty and operations in Managerial Studies, Quantitative Business Studies and the White Lodging School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, the
release said.
New hires join accounting firm
CLH, CPAs & Consultants in Michigan City recently added two new staffers, according to a release.
Seth Stemper was hired as a staff accountant and Rowan Pruim came on board as an associate to the firm, the release said.
Stemper brings a background in retail customer service to CLH, applying that experience to support the firm’s clients in the areas of service, sales, inventory management and business operations. Pruim brings her prior experience in public accounting to CLH. In her new role, she offers a detail-oriented approach to accounting support for clients, including updating records, reconciling accounts and preparing documents and reports, the release said.
Stemper earned a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Purdue University Northwest and is a member of the Indiana CPA Society. Pruim is currently working toward a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Purdue University Northwest.
Hermanos empresarios acusados de tráfico sexual en Nueva York
Por MICHAEL R. SISAK y LARRY NEUMEISTER
NUEVA YORK (AP) — Los hermanos operaban en el brillo y glamour de los Hamptons y South Beach. Dos de ellos eran corredores de bienes raíces de alto nivel apodados “The A Team”. El tercero fue a la escuela de derecho y dirigía la empresa de seguridad privada de su familia, que atiende a jefes de Estado y a los ricos y famosos.
Frecuentaban clubes nocturnos, navegaban en yates y volaban en jets privados. Uno vivía junto a celebridades y magnates corporativos en la Fila de los Multimillonarios de Manhattan. Los otros tenían mansiones frente al mar en Miami.
Pero detrás de su fachada lujosa y peripatética, los fiscales dicen que Tal, Oren y Alon Alexander eran depredadores que agredieron sexualmente, traficaron y violaron a docenas de mujeres desde 2008 hasta 2021, a menudo después de incapacitarlas con drogas y, a veces, grabando sus crímenes en video.
Los hermanos conocían víctimas en clubes nocturnos, fiestas y aplicaciones de citas, y reclutaban a otras para viajes a lugares lujosos, pagando sus vuelos y alojamiento en hoteles de alta gama o alquileres vacacionales de lujo antes de drogarlas y violarlas, según fiscales. En total, docenas de mujeres los han acusado de mala conducta.
Ahora, los hermanos —Tal, de 39 años, y los gemelos Alon y Oren, de 38— enfrentan un ajuste de cuentas que los fiscales dicen se gestó durante más de una década: un juicio por tráfico sexual que podría llevarlos a prisión por el resto de sus vidas.
Las declaraciones de apertura están programadas para el martes en un tribunal federal en Manhattan, después de que se retrasaran un día debido a la fuerte nevada del fin de semana en Nueva York.
Oren y Tal Alexander, los corredores de bienes raíces que se especializaban en propiedades de alto nivel en Miami, Nueva York y Los Ángeles, se han declarado inocentes, junto con su hermano Alon, quien se graduó de la New York Law School antes de asumir su puesto en la empresa de seguridad.
Los tres han estado detenidos sin fianza desde sus arrestos en diciembre de 2024. Fueron acusados meses después de que varias mujeres presentaran demandas alegando conducta sexual inapropiada.
Un portavoz de los Hermanos Alexander declaró que “niegan categóricamente que alguien haya sido drogado, agredido o coaccionado, y el gobierno no ha presentado ninguna evidencia física, registros médicos, quejas contemporáneas o pruebas objetivas para establecer esas afirmaciones”.
“Este caso destaca una preocupación más amplia sobre cómo se está aplicando el estatuto federal de tráfico sexual”, indicó el portavoz, Juda Engelmayer. “El Congreso promulgó esa ley para abordar la fuerza, la coerción y la explotación; no para criminalizar retroactivamente las relaciones consensuales entre adultos a través de inferencias o narrativas”.
“Como la defensa ha dicho consistentemente, acusaciones no son pruebas”, agregó Engelmayer.
Los abogados de los hermanos han prometido mostrar al jurado de seis hombres y seis mujeres que los fiscales han mal interpretado encuentros románticos y sexuales inocentes, retratándolos como actividad criminal a través de una hábil abogacía.
El abogado de Oren Alexander, Marc Agnifilo, ha dicho que la defensa planea demostrar que los testigos han mentido al gobierno y que su testimonio no puede ser confiable.
La jueza Valerie E. Caproni, quien presidirá el juicio, ha rechazado las solicitudes de la defensa para desestimar los cargos o enviar el caso a un tribunal estatal. Los abogados de los Alexander sostienen que las acusaciones se asemejan más a denuncias sobre violaciones en citas románticas, que por lo general se procesan en tribunales estatales, pero Caproni no estuvo de acuerdo.
“Eso representa mal la naturaleza de los cargos”, escribió la jueza.
Agnifilo ha dicho que el jurado escuchará evidencia de sexo grupal, tríos y promiscuidad. Durante la selección del jurado la semana pasada, se hicieron preguntas a los posibles jurados relacionadas con la actividad sexual y los delitos sexuales.
“El caso trata sobre sexo y sexualidad”, señaló Agnifilo, quien representó a Sean “Diddy” Combs el año pasado cuando el magnate del hip-hop fue absuelto de cargos de tráfico sexual y conspiración de crimen organizado, pero condenado por cargos menores relacionados con la prostitución.
En documentos judiciales, los abogados de los hermanos Alexander escribieron que entre los acusadores hay evidencia “que socava casi todos los aspectos de las narrativas de las presuntas víctimas”.
Los fiscales han dicho que su evidencia mostrará que los hermanos “han actuado con aparente impunidad, violando a mujeres por la fuerza siempre que querían hacerlo”.
___________________________________
Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Carney Cracks: Canada Has ‘No Intention’ Of Pursuing Free Trade Deal With China After Trump Threatens 100% Tariffs
Carney Cracks: Canada Has ‘No Intention’ Of Pursuing Free Trade Deal With China After Trump Threatens 100% Tariffs
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada has “no intention” of pursuing a free trade deal with China, after Donald Trump threatened to slap a 100% tariff on Canadian exports if Ottawa “makes a deal” with Beijing.
To review: right before Davos, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney returned from a trip to Beijing and announced a new 5-point ‘strategic partnership’ to ‘diversify our trade partnerships.’ The agreements included slashing tariffs on Chinese EV imports from 100 percent to 6.1 percent for the first 49,000 units, in exchange for China cutting tariffs on Canadian canola from 85 percent to 15 percent until at least the end of the year. Other exports, including Canadian canola meal, lobsters, crabs, and peas will also not be subject to Chinese anti-discrimination tariffs until at least the end of 2026.
A week later, Carney told the global elite at Davos resort that the “rules-based order” established by the United States and its allies following WW2 was fraying amid the current rivalry between China and America, so the “middle powers must act together because if we’re not on the table, we’re on the menu.”
Carney said that for their survival, nations should no longer “go along to get along” with Trump.
This flew up Donald Trump’s ass sideways, who issued a response on Truth Social Saturday:
“If Governor Carney thinks he is going to make Canada a ‘Drop Off Port’ for China to send goods and products into the United States, he is sorely mistaken. China will eat Canada alive, completely devour it, including the destruction of their businesses, social fabric, and general way of life,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social on the morning of Jan. 24.
“If Canada makes a deal with China, it will immediately be hit with a 100% Tariff against all Canadian goods and products coming into the U.S.A. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Trump’s reference to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney as “Governor” marks a return to the relations the U.S. president had with Carney’s predecessor, former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, using the title to reflect his view that Canada should be part of the United States.
Meanwhile, on the sidelines of the WEF, Trump said that “Canada gets a lot of freebies from us. By the way, they should be grateful also, but they’re not,” adding, “Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent echoed Trump’s comments on Sunday, telling ABC News that America could not “let Canada become an opening that the Chinese pour their cheap goods into the U.S.”
Carney ‘Clarifies’
So on Sunday, Carney told reporters that Canada respects its obligations under the Canada-US-Mexico trade agreement (CUSMA / USMCA), and will not pursue a free trade agreement without notifying the other two parties.
“What we have done with China is to rectify some issues that have developed in the last couple of years,” adding that the deal was “entirely consistent with CUSMA,” he said.
Trump notably raised tariffs on Canadian goods from 25% to 35% in August 2025.
Tyler Durden
Mon, 01/26/2026 – 09:45
Filipinas alarmada por intercambios con China sobre disputa territorial
Por JIM GOMEZ
MANILA, Filipinas (AP) — Filipinas comunicó a China el lunes que está alarmada por los intercambios acalorados con diplomáticos chinos en Manila sobre la añeja disputa territorial por el mar al sur de China.
El Departamento de Asuntos Exteriores en Manila dijo, sin dar más detalles, que “hizo firmes representaciones al embajador chino y a la embajada de China transmitiendo serias preocupaciones por la escalada de intercambios públicos”.
Advirtió que los intercambios contundentes y de represalia con Beijing podrían “desviar innecesariamente el espacio diplomático necesario para gestionar las tensiones en el ámbito marítimo”, pero, no obstante, expresó su apoyo a los funcionarios filipinos, incluidos algunos senadores, que han defendido los intereses territoriales de su país en el mar del sur de China.
El Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores en Beijing dijo la semana pasada que convocó al embajador filipino Jaime FlorCruz para protestar por las declaraciones del portavoz de la guardia costera filipina, el comodoro Jay Tarriela, uno de los críticos más vocales de las acciones cada vez más asertivas de China en las aguas en disputa.
China reclama prácticamente toda la vía fluvial, una ruta clave del comercio global, a pesar de un fallo de arbitraje de 2016 que invalidó las amplias reclamaciones de Beijing basadas en la Convención de Naciones Unidas sobre el Derecho del Mar de 1982. Beijing no participó en el arbitraje, que fue iniciado por Filipinas en 2013 tras una confrontación territorial, y continúa desafiando la decisión.
Vietnam, Malasia, Brunei y Taiwán también han estado involucrados en los enfrentamientos territoriales.
Las confrontaciones en alta mar entre China y Filipinas han aumentado, particularmente en los últimos años. A diferencia de otros reclamantes, el gobierno filipino ha condenado abiertamente las crecientes acciones asertivas de China en las aguas en disputa y ha publicado videos e imágenes del uso de potentes cañones de agua y maniobras de bloqueo peligrosas por parte de las fuerzas chinas.
“Reiteramos nuestras declaraciones anteriores afirmando el apoyo a nuestros funcionarios para que desempeñen sus deberes legales en defensa de la soberanía, los derechos soberanos y la jurisdicción de Filipinas”, dijo la cancillería filipina. “Sus opiniones, así como las de voces en desacuerdo, son una parte ineludible de la robusta pluralidad de ideas que animan nuestra sociedad democrática”.
La embajada de China ha protestado por las declaraciones de Tarriela, quien, según dijo, ha “persistido en exagerar los problemas marítimos, confundir el bien y el mal, tergiversar los hechos, incitar a la confrontación, engañar a la opinión pública, socavar los intereses y la dignidad nacionales de China, impactar la confianza mutua”.
“Rechazo firmemente sus opiniones ignorantes y arrogantes”, dijo el portavoz adjunto de la embajada china, Guo Wei, sobre Tarriela en una declaración reciente.
Tarriela respondió reprendiendo a Guo Wei en una publicación en redes sociales.
“Estoy empezando a pensar que disfrutas usar las redes sociales aquí en Filipinas porque no tienes tal libertad en tu país”, escribió.
La senadora filipina Risa Hontiveros dijo el lunes que los diplomáticos chinos han violado la Convención de Viena sobre Relaciones Diplomáticas cuando censuraron públicamente e intentaron restringir las opiniones y críticas de los funcionarios filipinos en su propio país.
Hontiveros también dijo que la embajada de China era “un mal invitado” en Filipinas.
En una crítica a Hontiveros, la misión diplomática china en Manila dijo recientemente que no tiene intención de silenciar a nadie en el país, pero respondería a cualquier intento de “difamar” a China y sus líderes.
“¿Realmente estás defendiendo el interés de Filipinas y los filipinos? ¿O simplemente estás persiguiendo tus propios beneficios políticos?”, preguntó la embajada de China a Hontiveros, quien ha sido vista como una posible contendiente en las elecciones presidenciales y vicepresidenciales de 2028.
________
Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Steve Reaven’s high school boys basketball rankings and player of the week for Lake County
Wauconda and Deerfield move up, Grant returns, and Round Lake’s Jaquan Jamerson is the player of the week.
TOP 10
With records through Sunday and previous rankings in parentheses.
1. Warren 17-2 (1)
Jaxson Davis scores 28 points in the North Suburban Conference leader’s loss to Benet in a rematch of the 2025 Class 4A state championship game.
2. Waukegan 16-5 (2)
With 44 points between them, Carter Newsome and Jaali Love score two-thirds of the Bulldogs’ points in an NSC win over Lake Zurich.
3. Wauconda 16-5 (4)
Austin Carlsen contributes 22 points, seven rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks in the Northern Lake County Conference leader’s win over North Chicago.
4. Stevenson 15-6 (3)
Donny Williams continues his seasonlong scoring surge with 22 points in the Patriots’ loss to Prospect.
5. Deerfield 14-8 (7)
Tommy Donahue’s presence is felt in the Warriors’ win over Grayslake Central as he logs his first extended minutes since suffering an injury on Jan. 6.
6. Grayslake Central 15-7 (5)
Carson Woods has been consistent all season for the Rams, averaging 11.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists.
7. Lakes 11-8 (6)
Aidan Hopkins, the only senior starter for the Eagles, consistently leads their effort on the glass and often guards the opponent’s top scorer.
8. Libertyville 10-7 (8)
Bryce Wegrzyn posts 23 points and nine rebounds in the Wildcats’ win over Rolling Meadows.
9. Vernon Hills 15-7 (9)
Graham Lis hits five 3-pointers to score a team-high 15 points in the Cougars’ Central Suburban North win over Highland Park.
10. Grant 8-10 (NR)
Damarrion Smith and Darnell “DJ” Stitts pace the Bulldogs in back-to-back conference wins over Round Lake and Grayslake North.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Round Lake junior guard Jaquan Jamerson averages 23.0 points on 56% shooting, 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists in three games, with a high of 29 points in a Northern Lake County Conference win over Antioch.
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter.
