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RandySF's JournalMunicipal election filing begins Monday, Village of Simpson has new election cycle
Filing for the 2025 municipal elections in Pitt County begins Monday, but one municipality is sitting out this year’s election.
The Village of Simpson will now hold its elections on even-numbered years, starting in 2026.
The change was approved with the adoption of House Bill 3, which changed election procedures for multiple elected bodies, including making the Pitt County Board of Education a partisan body starting in 2026.
The Village of Simpson, like a majority of North Carolina municipalities, has held its elections on odd-numbered years.
https://www.reflector.com/news/local/municipal-election-filing-begins-monday-village-of-simpson-has-new-election-cycle/article_b53c7294-f0fd-4c5b-8e90-c8a1671f956c.html
Spokane County voters to decide on four tax measures in August election
Aquifer Protection Area
The first proposal on the August ballot, which may also impact the most taxpayers, would renew and expand the county’s Aquifer Protection Area. State law allows areas to establish APAs, with fees tied to water use and sewage disposal, costing a home in Spokane around $30 annually.
City of Spokane Valley
Spokane Valley is asking voters to approve the first general sales tax increase since it officially incorporated as a city in 2003. The .01% tax hike would cost consumers a dime for every $100 spent to fund ten new police officers, following recommendations to hire about 30 in 2023.
Fire District 8
Spokane County Fire Protection District No. 8 is asking voters to approve a 21-cent levy lid lift to restore a rate of 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value since 2000. Voters passed the lid lift in April, but the district encountered a filing error that required it to rerun the bid in August.
Fire District 13
Spokane County Fire Protection District No. 13 is asking voters to renew its emergency medical services levy. Taxpayers approved the current levy in 2009, which is set to expire at the end of 2025. If approved, this would retain the rate of 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value.
https://www.everettpost.com/local-news/spokane-county-voters-to-decide-on-four-tax-measures-in-august-election
Councilman Hassan Ahmad seeking re-election
DEARBORN HEIGHTS – Having been first elected in 2020, Councilman Hassan Ahmad is hoping to retain his seat on the council.
Ahmad is a proud husband and father of three children and has been a resident for nearly 20 years.
“This city has become more than just a place I live in,” he said. “It’s home.”
With an engineering degree from Oakland University, Ahmad also has a masters in business administration from the University of Phoenix and has spent the last two decades in the real estate industry where he currently works as an associate broker at RE/MAX Leading Edge. Ahmad also serves as the President of the Dearborn Area Board of Realtors, serves on the Michigan Board of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons, and volunteers with local nonprofits such as LAHC, Dearborn Heights Fireman’s Burn Drive, Michigan Veterans Foundation, and Habitat for Humanity.
https://arabamericannews.com/2025/07/04/councilman-hassan-ahmad-seeking-re-election/
Former Greene sheriff Picou seeks return to office
CARROLLTON — A former Greene County sheriff plans to try to return to the office next year.
Ben Picou announced he will seek the Democratic nomination for sheriff in the spring primary about a week after Chief Deputy Cale Hoesman said he will be running as a Republican for the office.
Current Sheriff Rob McMillen plans to retire at the end of his term in 2026.
Picou, 77, served as Greene County sheriff from 1974 to 1982, and served as Randolph County Sheriff from 1990-98.
https://www.myjournalcourier.com/news/article/ben-picou-greene-county-sheriff-illinois-20421391.php
KY-05: Democrat who says he stands for 'underdogs' will be one in quest to unseat Hal Rogers
Prestonsburg attorney Ned Pillersdorf is hoping to unseat longtime Republican U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers next year.
Pillersdorf was scheduled to formally announce his candidacy at the Rosenberg Square in the Floyd County seat Friday afternoon, but he spoke with the Kentucky Lantern earlier this week about his plans. Pillersdorf, a Democrat, said his decision to run stems mostly from Rogers’ support for the sweeping GOP megabill that includes cuts to social safety net programs on which many people in the district depend.
Rogers, of Somerset, has represented Kentucky’s 5th Congressional District for nearly 45 years. The region includes much of Appalachian Kentucky.
The congressional district is also one of the nation’s poorest and one of the most dependent on Medicaid. Almost half of the constituents in the district — 44% — rely on the state-federal program to pay for their health care and it has been critical to sustaining hospital services in Eastern Kentucky.
https://kentuckylantern.com/2025/07/04/eastern-kentucky-attorney-known-for-representing-underdogs-hopes-to-unseat-hal-rogers/
UFC confirms Trump's plan to host a fight at White House in 2026
The UFC plans to host a fight card on the White House grounds, a spokesperson for the promotion confirmed to NBC News on Friday. Further details were not available, but President Donald Trump said he would like it as part of a celebration honoring America’s 250th birthday on July 4, 2026.
“We’re going to have a UFC fight on the grounds of the White House,” Trump said in Des Moines, Iowa, on Thursday. “We have a lot of land there.”
He said he expects the card to include a title fight in front of 20,000 to 25,000 people.
“Every one of our national parks, battlefields and historic sites are going to have special events in honor of America 250. And I even think we’re going to have a UFC fight,” Trump said.
https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/mixed-martial-arts/ufc-trump-white-house-fight-card-2026-rcna216982
NY-GOV, NY-17: Lawler (R) nears decision on NY governor bid
Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) said during a cable news appearance Friday that he is nearing his decision on whether he will launch a gubernatorial bid to challenge New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D).
“Are you running for governor of New York, yes or no?” CNN host Dana Bash asked Lawler, who represents New York’s 17th Congressional District.
“As we are out of time — I will be making a decision in the next few weeks,” Lawler responded.
Lawler, who represents a battleground district in the House, previously said he would make a decision by June. He is not the only House GOP lawmaker seriously considering unseating Hochul, who was elected governor in November 2022.
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5385602-mike-lawler-weighs-new-york-governor-bid/
Mystics' Lucy Olsen delivers career-high performance vs Minnesota Lynx
After receiving substantially higher minutes in recent games for the Washington Mystics (8-9), former Iowa women's basketball star guard Lucy Olsen showcased her skills Thursday night vs. the Minnesota Lynx (15-2) in Minneapolis, Minn., as the rookie recorded the best performance of her young career.
Olsen, who was selected by Washington in the 2nd round (No. 23 overall) after spending her senior year with the Iowa Hawkeyes, has started her career primarily coming off the bench. Due to recent injuries to Mystics' starters, she has been able to get more playing time and capitalize on her opportunities.
While Olsen was not listed as a starter against Minnesota on Thursday, she was the Mystics' leading scorer with a career-high 19 points on an efficient 7-for-10 from the field, 1-for-2 from 3-point territory, and 4-for-4 from the free-throw line in 17 minutes off the bench. In addition to her scoring, Olsen collected three assists and one rebound.
Unfortunately for the Mystics, the team ultimately dropped the contest by a score of 92-75 as the only other players to score in the double-digits were forwards Aaliyah Edwards (15 points) and Shakira Austin (10 points). Making work even harder, the Lynx came into the game hungry to pick themselves off the floor after getting humbled by the Indiana Fever in the WNBA Commissioner's Cup final on Tuesday night.
https://hawkeyeswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/hawkeyes/womens-basketball/2025/07/04/mystics-vs-lynx-lucy-olsen-career-high-points-stats/84467376007/
'Freeze the rent' dominated the Democratic mayoral primary. This year, tenants are staring down a rent hike.
Tenants in New York City’s roughly 1 million rent-stabilized apartments are likely to see a rent hike next year, after an appointed board votes tonight to approve an increase within ranges starting at 1.75% for one-year leases and 3.75% for two-year leases.
But in the close background of that vote will be the calls for a rent freeze that have dominated the Democratic mayoral primary – and which became a central plank of Zohran Mamdani’s campaign.
Though Mamdani’s victory became clear Tuesday and Adams kicked off his reelection bid two days later, Monday’s vote by the city’s Rent Guidelines Board will offer a salient opportunity to see the two campaigns in stark contrast.
Mayor Eric Adams, who opted to run for reelection as an independent rather than in the Democratic primary, has overseen rent increases for stabilized tenants in every year of his mayoralty. (The mayor doesn’t directly decide on rent hikes but has the power to appoint members of the board and indirect influence over the vote.)
https://www.cityandstateny.com/policy/2025/06/freeze-rent-dominated-democratic-mayoral-primary-year-tenants-are-staring-down-rent-hike/406399/?oref=csny-homepage-river
Cuomo's wealthy donor base splintering as he mulls independent NYC mayoral run
As Andrew Cuomo considers whether he can drum up support for an independent run for mayor in November’s general election, the wealthy donors who backed his primary bid are splintering.
Some have declared they’re sticking with him despite his 12-point loss in the Democratic primary, while others are now throwing their weight behind Mayor Adams and encouraging the former governor to remove himself from consideration.
Cuomo’s run was in large part fueled by a super PAC called Fix the City that raised a record-breaking $25 million from the likes of Michael Bloomberg and Bill Ackman in his support.
The PAC’s direction remains undecided after Mamdani won the Democratic primary by double-digit points in the third round of ranked-choice voting. Another pillar of support for Cuomo — organized labor — has also drifted towards Mamdani, who rallied alongside the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council and building workers union 32BJ on Wednesday.
https://www.nydailynews.com/2025/07/03/cuomos-wealthy-donor-base-splintering-as-he-mulls-independent-nyc-mayoral-run/
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