5 minutes

Fati ynë ushtron ndikimin e tij mbi ne edhe kur ne nuk e kemi kuptuar natyrën e tij: e ardhmja jonë përcakton ligjet e të sotmes sonë Friedrich Nietzsche, filozof gjerman

Fati ynë ushtron ndikimin e tij mbi ne edhe kur ne nuk e kemi kuptuar natyrën e tij: e ardhmja jonë përcakton ligjet e të sotmes sonë Friedrich Nietzsche, filozof gjerman
6 minutes

Impulsado por SQM, el texto reúne cien relatos sobre las tradiciones y leyendas del poblado pampino, y fue presentado en una ceremonia que reunió a más de 200 personas, que también contó con una representación teatral a cargo de la compañía de teatro Alma Reina. Este artículo María Elena celebra su centenario con un libro que rescata 100 historias de la última oficina salitrera habitada fue publicado originalmente en El Diario de Antofagasta.

Impulsado por SQM, el texto reúne cien relatos sobre las tradiciones y leyendas del poblado pampino, y fue presentado en una ceremonia que reunió a más de 200 personas, que también contó con una representación teatral a cargo de la compañía de teatro Alma Reina. Este artículo María Elena celebra su centenario con un libro que rescata 100 historias de la última oficina salitrera habitada fue publicado originalmente en El Diario de Antofagasta.
6 minutes
Ընկերությունը զարգացնում է նաև առցանց վաճառքի ուղղությունը
Ընկերությունը զարգացնում է նաև առցանց վաճառքի ուղղությունը
15 minutes
Раней прэзыдэнт Украіны заяўляў пра тое, што ягоныя войскі гатовыя «дэ-факта» закрыць неба над Расеяй.
Раней прэзыдэнт Украіны заяўляў пра тое, што ягоныя войскі гатовыя «дэ-факта» закрыць неба над Расеяй.
15 minutes
La Ciudad/Festival de las Ideas recibió cientos de millones de pesos en las administraciones morenistas, incluida de la de Alejandro Armenta. La entrada La 4T poblana también pagó millones a Salinas Pliego aparece primero en LADO B.
La Ciudad/Festival de las Ideas recibió cientos de millones de pesos en las administraciones morenistas, incluida de la de Alejandro Armenta. La entrada La 4T poblana también pagó millones a Salinas Pliego aparece primero en LADO B.
15 minutes

த.வெ.க. நூறு நாள் ஆட்சி: சாதனையல்ல, வேதனை! | தோழர் வெற்றிவேல்செழியன் நன்றி: சமயம் செய்திகள் காணொளியைப் பாருங்கள்! பகிருங்கள்!! சமூக வலைத்தளங்களில் வினவை பின்தொடருங்கள்: WhatsApp, X (Twitter), Facebook, YouTube, Telegram, Instagram, Threads

த.வெ.க. நூறு நாள் ஆட்சி: சாதனையல்ல, வேதனை! | தோழர் வெற்றிவேல்செழியன் நன்றி: சமயம் செய்திகள் காணொளியைப் பாருங்கள்! பகிருங்கள்!! சமூக வலைத்தளங்களில் வினவை பின்தொடருங்கள்: WhatsApp, X (Twitter), Facebook, YouTube, Telegram, Instagram, Threads
16 minutes
The Kentucky Court of Appeals has temporarily blocked child welfare officials from removing a one-year-old girl from foster parents and returning her to the mother who was accused of attempting to harm the girl as a newborn. The order, issued late Friday by Judge Sara Walter Combs, followed a flurry of activity last week in […]
16 minutes
The Kentucky Court of Appeals has temporarily blocked child welfare officials from removing a one-year-old girl from foster parents and returning her to the mother who was accused of attempting to harm the girl as a newborn. The order, issued late Friday by Judge Sara Walter Combs, followed a flurry of activity last week in […]
16 minutes
(The Center Square) - At least $2 million in Washington taxpayer dollars have gone to Flock Safety’s automated license plate reader cameras. The result: vandalism, cancelled contracts and fewer successful car thefts? In recent weeks, anti-surveillance vandalism has forced dozens of Washington jurisdictions to rethink or defend their agreements with the Atlanta-based company, which has enticed governments across the country with their artificial intelligence-powered, crime-fighting technology. Police say the cameras have helped prevent and solve crimes from theft to homicide. Before the City of Redmond cancelled its contract with Flock in July, Police Chief Darrell Lowe told a skeptical council on March 10 that the camera system allowed them to close cases 38% faster and improved stolen vehicle recovery by 72%. Meanwhile, Flock has reported more than 10,000 solved missing persons cases nationwide in 2025 and boasts several law enforcement success stories on their website. Agencies using Flock in Washington have online transparency portals, but few police departments are tracking crime-related results from the cameras in a way that’s readily available to the public. One exception is Everett, which publishes recurring Flock reports with outcome metrics and a comparison to its prior three-year stolen-vehicle average. A new state law requires agencies using Flock to report to the Attorney General's Office starting in December 2027, but it's unclear how much crime-related data will be included. Ultimately, it may not matter how well the technology works to prevent and solve crime. At least eight cities in Washington — Olympia, Auburn, Shoreline, Redmond, Mountlake Terrace, Lynnwood, Edmonds, Snohomish — have either turned off their cameras indefinitely, ended their contracts or cut ties with Flock in response to the backlash. How are agencies paying for Flock? The Center Square has confirmed jurisdictions in Washington have spent at least $2 million on Flock technology — it’s a conservative number, considering some agreements and annual costs are unconfirmed or ongoing. Most of this money comes from state vehicle fees and local taxes. The Washington Auto Theft Prevention Authority, a state grant program funded through vehicle-related fees, is the most common funding source cited by Washington cities, usually paired with a city general-fund match or a separate state or federal grant. That financing is creating complications. Grant agreements can require repayment if a city cancels a Flock contract early, while breaking Flock contracts may induce liability for the remaining term — a situation Lynnwood and Mountlake Terrace have faced. And cities that say their cameras are inactive may still be under contract, such as Redmond was for several months. To launch the program in Redmond, the City used $7,500 from its general fund, and was awarded nearly $95,000 from the Department of Commerce as well as $44,100 from the Washington Auto Theft Prevention Authority. Ending the contract did not create additional financial obligation for the city, Council President Melissa Stuart said, and the state is not asking them to return any of the grant dollars. In addition to contract costs, Washington cities and counties have paid more than $300,000 in public-records settlements for failing to release Flock camera images. The state has since excluded these images from most public records requests. Does Flock help prevent and solve crime? Police departments across Washington say the technology works. Everett’s Flock reports show a 67.81% drop in stolen vehicles this year compared with the previous three-year average, with about 100 vehicles stolen in 2026 and 68 recovered as of July. Spokane County says Flock data helped recover 88 stolen vehicles, 23 stolen plates and nine missing persons, and contributed to 150 arrests between January 2023 and May 2024. Yakima police say the system has supported 688 investigations to date — 392 stolen-vehicle recoveries, along with cases spanning hit-and-runs, assaults, robberies, fraud and 11 homicides. Smaller departments describe similar results. In Auburn, officers used a Flock camera to track a domestic violence suspect's vehicle through the city, allowing them to box in the car before he could flee. Enumclaw's police chief, Tim Floyd, credits the department's eight cameras with helping crack three major cases, including tracking a suspect wanted for five murders in Oregon. In Chelan County, Sheriff Mike Morrison has said the department's 12 cameras have aided stolen-vehicle and missing-persons cases and helped locate a murder suspect passing through Leavenworth. Individual incidents show how the system is used in practice. In Tukwila, an alert on a stolen vehicle tied to a recent homicide led officers to a pursuit that ended in a crash near the Seattle city line with two suspects detained and no injuries reported. In Liberty Lake, a Flock reader helped deputies match a vehicle description to a hiking-trail assault suspect; he was arrested on foot the next day and charged with second-degree assault. The technology isn't without guardrails. State regulations limit how license-plate data can be shared and stored and explicitly bar its use for immigration enforcement — restrictions that followed revelations that the system's default settings had previously shared data with federal agencies. The data-sharing controversy As part of a national “DeFlock” movement, Washingtonians have rallied on social media and damaged cameras in cities such as Covington, Yakima and Ellensburg, while DeFlock Snohomish County and other internet campaigns have urged council members to turn off and divest from the cameras. Much of Washingtonians’ anger against Flock sparked amid revelations that federal and out-of-state agencies have accessed data from these cameras, including for immigration and abortion-related investigations, as part of Flock’s “National Lookup" tool. At least eight Washington law enforcement agencies enabled direct data-sharing with the U.S. Border Patrol at some point in 2025, according to a report from the University of Washington Center for Human Rights. Federal agents had some form of network access to at least 18 Washington agencies. The City of Auburn, which has since cancelled its Flock contract, was among the agencies where Border Patrol appeared on approved-user lists the department says it never authorized. Many Washington cities have since adjusted their data sharing and temporarily suspended camera use to comply with the Driver Privacy Act, a new state law meant to address these and other surveillance concerns. Among other rules, the law bans automated license plate reader use for civil immigration enforcement, tracking constitutionally-protected activity, and data collection near sensitive locations like schools and reproductive health clinics — a restriction the ACLU of Washington says is unique compared to similar laws from other states. However, the law also permits data-sharing among in-state agencies and expands camera use to gross misdemeanors. Before Redmond ended its Flock contract, Police Chief Lowe emphasized that data searches were password-protected and audited to prevent violations of local and state policy. “We know who searched what, when,” he told the council on March 10. Flock has also rolled out a series of changes, including automatic keyword blocks on immigration- and reproductive-health-related searches as well as more data sharing controls. In August, the company cut default data retention to seven days — for new clients only — and added further data search protections, like lock codes and unusual search flags. Flock hired the security firm Bishop Fox to audit the platform, with results expected this month. The national ACLU has questioned how much the changes amount to. In a recent statement, the organization called most of them "a thinly veiled PR attempt" offering "largely hollow security promises.” Many jurisdictions remain in Flock limbo. The City of Renton has decided to cover its cameras while it decides what to do. As public agencies change or reconsider their agreements, working Flock cameras may still exist across Washington through private contracts with businesses or homeowners associations.
(The Center Square) - At least $2 million in Washington taxpayer dollars have gone to Flock Safety’s automated license plate reader cameras. The result: vandalism, cancelled contracts and fewer successful car thefts? In recent weeks, anti-surveillance vandalism has forced dozens of Washington jurisdictions to rethink or defend their agreements with the Atlanta-based company, which has enticed governments across the country with their artificial intelligence-powered, crime-fighting technology. Police say the cameras have helped prevent and solve crimes from theft to homicide. Before the City of Redmond cancelled its contract with Flock in July, Police Chief Darrell Lowe told a skeptical council on March 10 that the camera system allowed them to close cases 38% faster and improved stolen vehicle recovery by 72%. Meanwhile, Flock has reported more than 10,000 solved missing persons cases nationwide in 2025 and boasts several law enforcement success stories on their website. Agencies using Flock in Washington have online transparency portals, but few police departments are tracking crime-related results from the cameras in a way that’s readily available to the public. One exception is Everett, which publishes recurring Flock reports with outcome metrics and a comparison to its prior three-year stolen-vehicle average. A new state law requires agencies using Flock to report to the Attorney General's Office starting in December 2027, but it's unclear how much crime-related data will be included. Ultimately, it may not matter how well the technology works to prevent and solve crime. At least eight cities in Washington — Olympia, Auburn, Shoreline, Redmond, Mountlake Terrace, Lynnwood, Edmonds, Snohomish — have either turned off their cameras indefinitely, ended their contracts or cut ties with Flock in response to the backlash. How are agencies paying for Flock? The Center Square has confirmed jurisdictions in Washington have spent at least $2 million on Flock technology — it’s a conservative number, considering some agreements and annual costs are unconfirmed or ongoing. Most of this money comes from state vehicle fees and local taxes. The Washington Auto Theft Prevention Authority, a state grant program funded through vehicle-related fees, is the most common funding source cited by Washington cities, usually paired with a city general-fund match or a separate state or federal grant. That financing is creating complications. Grant agreements can require repayment if a city cancels a Flock contract early, while breaking Flock contracts may induce liability for the remaining term — a situation Lynnwood and Mountlake Terrace have faced. And cities that say their cameras are inactive may still be under contract, such as Redmond was for several months. To launch the program in Redmond, the City used $7,500 from its general fund, and was awarded nearly $95,000 from the Department of Commerce as well as $44,100 from the Washington Auto Theft Prevention Authority. Ending the contract did not create additional financial obligation for the city, Council President Melissa Stuart said, and the state is not asking them to return any of the grant dollars. In addition to contract costs, Washington cities and counties have paid more than $300,000 in public-records settlements for failing to release Flock camera images. The state has since excluded these images from most public records requests. Does Flock help prevent and solve crime? Police departments across Washington say the technology works. Everett’s Flock reports show a 67.81% drop in stolen vehicles this year compared with the previous three-year average, with about 100 vehicles stolen in 2026 and 68 recovered as of July. Spokane County says Flock data helped recover 88 stolen vehicles, 23 stolen plates and nine missing persons, and contributed to 150 arrests between January 2023 and May 2024. Yakima police say the system has supported 688 investigations to date — 392 stolen-vehicle recoveries, along with cases spanning hit-and-runs, assaults, robberies, fraud and 11 homicides. Smaller departments describe similar results. In Auburn, officers used a Flock camera to track a domestic violence suspect's vehicle through the city, allowing them to box in the car before he could flee. Enumclaw's police chief, Tim Floyd, credits the department's eight cameras with helping crack three major cases, including tracking a suspect wanted for five murders in Oregon. In Chelan County, Sheriff Mike Morrison has said the department's 12 cameras have aided stolen-vehicle and missing-persons cases and helped locate a murder suspect passing through Leavenworth. Individual incidents show how the system is used in practice. In Tukwila, an alert on a stolen vehicle tied to a recent homicide led officers to a pursuit that ended in a crash near the Seattle city line with two suspects detained and no injuries reported. In Liberty Lake, a Flock reader helped deputies match a vehicle description to a hiking-trail assault suspect; he was arrested on foot the next day and charged with second-degree assault. The technology isn't without guardrails. State regulations limit how license-plate data can be shared and stored and explicitly bar its use for immigration enforcement — restrictions that followed revelations that the system's default settings had previously shared data with federal agencies. The data-sharing controversy As part of a national “DeFlock” movement, Washingtonians have rallied on social media and damaged cameras in cities such as Covington, Yakima and Ellensburg, while DeFlock Snohomish County and other internet campaigns have urged council members to turn off and divest from the cameras. Much of Washingtonians’ anger against Flock sparked amid revelations that federal and out-of-state agencies have accessed data from these cameras, including for immigration and abortion-related investigations, as part of Flock’s “National Lookup" tool. At least eight Washington law enforcement agencies enabled direct data-sharing with the U.S. Border Patrol at some point in 2025, according to a report from the University of Washington Center for Human Rights. Federal agents had some form of network access to at least 18 Washington agencies. The City of Auburn, which has since cancelled its Flock contract, was among the agencies where Border Patrol appeared on approved-user lists the department says it never authorized. Many Washington cities have since adjusted their data sharing and temporarily suspended camera use to comply with the Driver Privacy Act, a new state law meant to address these and other surveillance concerns. Among other rules, the law bans automated license plate reader use for civil immigration enforcement, tracking constitutionally-protected activity, and data collection near sensitive locations like schools and reproductive health clinics — a restriction the ACLU of Washington says is unique compared to similar laws from other states. However, the law also permits data-sharing among in-state agencies and expands camera use to gross misdemeanors. Before Redmond ended its Flock contract, Police Chief Lowe emphasized that data searches were password-protected and audited to prevent violations of local and state policy. “We know who searched what, when,” he told the council on March 10. Flock has also rolled out a series of changes, including automatic keyword blocks on immigration- and reproductive-health-related searches as well as more data sharing controls. In August, the company cut default data retention to seven days — for new clients only — and added further data search protections, like lock codes and unusual search flags. Flock hired the security firm Bishop Fox to audit the platform, with results expected this month. The national ACLU has questioned how much the changes amount to. In a recent statement, the organization called most of them "a thinly veiled PR attempt" offering "largely hollow security promises.” Many jurisdictions remain in Flock limbo. The City of Renton has decided to cover its cameras while it decides what to do. As public agencies change or reconsider their agreements, working Flock cameras may still exist across Washington through private contracts with businesses or homeowners associations.
16 minutes
(The Center Square) – According to the Illinois Department’s 2026 Labor Day Report, the agency collected nearly $3.9 million in back wages for workers and more than $1.4 million in penalties from employers during the past year. IDOL had a total budget appropriation of $23.9 million for fiscal year 2025. 5,800+ POUNDS OF CANNABIS SEIZED DURING TRAFFIC STOP The LaSalle County State’s Attorney’s Office has charged two men with cannabis trafficking after state police seized more than 5,800 pounds of suspected cannabis and cannabis products during a traffic stop on Interstate 80. Mahmoud B. Bazrouk, 41, of Norridge, Illinois and Haed O. Samham, 45, of Harwood Heights, Illinois were arrested on Friday after an Illinois state trooper stopped the semi trailer they were driving on eastbound I-80 near LaSalle. MAN CHARGED WITH AI-GENERATED CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE MATERIAL A Des Plaines man has been charged with possession of AI-generated child sexual abuse material and possession of child sexual abuse material. The Cook County Sheriff’s Office said investigators found that Adam Bakker, 44, downloaded child pornography and used AI to alter some of those images. A forensic search of Bakker’s desktop computer allegedly found more than 70 files of child sexual abuse material. POLL: STUDENT’S MAJOR SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BEFORE LOAN APPROVAL A majority of American voters agree that a student’s chosen major or field of study should be considered before approving federal student loans, according to a new poll. The Center Square Voters’ Voice Poll found that 54% of respondents totally agree that a student’s chosen major or field of study should be among the factors, while 31% totally disagree. Student loan debt remains significant nationwide, with the federal student loan portfolio reaching approximately $1.8 trillion. Esther Wickham contributed to this story
(The Center Square) – According to the Illinois Department’s 2026 Labor Day Report, the agency collected nearly $3.9 million in back wages for workers and more than $1.4 million in penalties from employers during the past year. IDOL had a total budget appropriation of $23.9 million for fiscal year 2025. 5,800+ POUNDS OF CANNABIS SEIZED DURING TRAFFIC STOP The LaSalle County State’s Attorney’s Office has charged two men with cannabis trafficking after state police seized more than 5,800 pounds of suspected cannabis and cannabis products during a traffic stop on Interstate 80. Mahmoud B. Bazrouk, 41, of Norridge, Illinois and Haed O. Samham, 45, of Harwood Heights, Illinois were arrested on Friday after an Illinois state trooper stopped the semi trailer they were driving on eastbound I-80 near LaSalle. MAN CHARGED WITH AI-GENERATED CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE MATERIAL A Des Plaines man has been charged with possession of AI-generated child sexual abuse material and possession of child sexual abuse material. The Cook County Sheriff’s Office said investigators found that Adam Bakker, 44, downloaded child pornography and used AI to alter some of those images. A forensic search of Bakker’s desktop computer allegedly found more than 70 files of child sexual abuse material. POLL: STUDENT’S MAJOR SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BEFORE LOAN APPROVAL A majority of American voters agree that a student’s chosen major or field of study should be considered before approving federal student loans, according to a new poll. The Center Square Voters’ Voice Poll found that 54% of respondents totally agree that a student’s chosen major or field of study should be among the factors, while 31% totally disagree. Student loan debt remains significant nationwide, with the federal student loan portfolio reaching approximately $1.8 trillion. Esther Wickham contributed to this story
16 minutes
(The Center Square) – The 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center occurs as a political battle rages in Congress over government surveillance powers enacted after the deadly event that killed 2,996 people. At stake is Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, enacted in 2008 to retroactively justify the federal government secretly gathering personal electronic communications between U.S. and Afghan citizens years after 9/11. On paper, FISA Section 702 allows federal intelligence agencies to conduct warrantless electronic surveillance on foreign nationals of suspicion. In practice, however, the electronic data of American citizens – including emails, text messages, and phone calls – are routinely collected as well. Not only can intelligence agencies store that data for up to five years, but intelligence agents can and do routinely search that data without obtaining a warrant, known as “backdoor searches.” Declassified government documents and a report from the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board show that federal intelligence agencies have performed millions of “backdoor” searches over the span of decades, including 57,000 in 2023 alone. In one of the most infamous known cases, FBI agents scoured the data of 19,000 donors to a congressional campaign. Tens of thousands of American protestors or those simply suspected of “civil unrest” have also had their communications spied upon, government reports show. The issue is particularly pressing now, as rapid advancements in AI make Americans’ privacy even more vulnerable than when Section 702 was enacted in 2008. Federal agents can simply feed the data into an AI model and effectively create dossiers on innocent U.S. citizens, a process that would normally take enormous amounts of time and money. Though the U.S. Intelligence Community and the Department of Justice have previously claimed they aren’t using AI in FISA databases, they have failed to answer lawmakers’ requests for proof. The issue proved so divisive that Congress failed to renew congressional authorization of Section 702 after a bipartisan group of lawmakers tanked an extension over demands for reforms. Government surveillance and data collection activities can still continue without interruption through March 2027, however. That’s because the FISA Court approves year-long certifications for Section 702, which remain in effect even if the underlying authority has expired. For now, communications providers are still legally required to assist the federal government with Section 702 surveillance and turn over targets’ communications. Congressional leaders in both parties and both chambers have historically been hesitant to implement reforms. Notable reformatory legislation like the Amash–Conyers Amendment in 2014 and Rep. Andy Biggs’, R-Ariz., bill in 2024 failed on the House floor after leadership opposed it. But Congress fails to ban federal agencies from searching Americans’ data without a warrant, as well as prohibit the government from purchasing citizens’ personal data from data brokers, civil rights watchdogs warn it could permanently kill privacy rights. “If the government is purchasing our data and our location data and they can use artificial intelligence to create these kinds of profiles, then there is no privacy,” Don Bell, policy counsel at The Constitution Project at the Project On Government Oversight, previously told The Center Square. “They can reach into our lives in the most invasive way possible, and they can do it at scale,” he added. “Entire communities can be surveilled, entire groups of people.”
(The Center Square) – The 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center occurs as a political battle rages in Congress over government surveillance powers enacted after the deadly event that killed 2,996 people. At stake is Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, enacted in 2008 to retroactively justify the federal government secretly gathering personal electronic communications between U.S. and Afghan citizens years after 9/11. On paper, FISA Section 702 allows federal intelligence agencies to conduct warrantless electronic surveillance on foreign nationals of suspicion. In practice, however, the electronic data of American citizens – including emails, text messages, and phone calls – are routinely collected as well. Not only can intelligence agencies store that data for up to five years, but intelligence agents can and do routinely search that data without obtaining a warrant, known as “backdoor searches.” Declassified government documents and a report from the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board show that federal intelligence agencies have performed millions of “backdoor” searches over the span of decades, including 57,000 in 2023 alone. In one of the most infamous known cases, FBI agents scoured the data of 19,000 donors to a congressional campaign. Tens of thousands of American protestors or those simply suspected of “civil unrest” have also had their communications spied upon, government reports show. The issue is particularly pressing now, as rapid advancements in AI make Americans’ privacy even more vulnerable than when Section 702 was enacted in 2008. Federal agents can simply feed the data into an AI model and effectively create dossiers on innocent U.S. citizens, a process that would normally take enormous amounts of time and money. Though the U.S. Intelligence Community and the Department of Justice have previously claimed they aren’t using AI in FISA databases, they have failed to answer lawmakers’ requests for proof. The issue proved so divisive that Congress failed to renew congressional authorization of Section 702 after a bipartisan group of lawmakers tanked an extension over demands for reforms. Government surveillance and data collection activities can still continue without interruption through March 2027, however. That’s because the FISA Court approves year-long certifications for Section 702, which remain in effect even if the underlying authority has expired. For now, communications providers are still legally required to assist the federal government with Section 702 surveillance and turn over targets’ communications. Congressional leaders in both parties and both chambers have historically been hesitant to implement reforms. Notable reformatory legislation like the Amash–Conyers Amendment in 2014 and Rep. Andy Biggs’, R-Ariz., bill in 2024 failed on the House floor after leadership opposed it. But Congress fails to ban federal agencies from searching Americans’ data without a warrant, as well as prohibit the government from purchasing citizens’ personal data from data brokers, civil rights watchdogs warn it could permanently kill privacy rights. “If the government is purchasing our data and our location data and they can use artificial intelligence to create these kinds of profiles, then there is no privacy,” Don Bell, policy counsel at The Constitution Project at the Project On Government Oversight, previously told The Center Square. “They can reach into our lives in the most invasive way possible, and they can do it at scale,” he added. “Entire communities can be surveilled, entire groups of people.”
16 minutes
(The Center Square) - The nonprofit Los Angeles Opera Company (LA Opera) has reported accepting more than $27 million in government grants over the past decade while spending roughly $33 million on executive compensation, according to data from IRS tax returns. Another executive received more than $7 million through LA Opera’s contract with his production company, plus personal-use housing and first-class travel. Free money has become a familiar refrain for the nonprofit after reporting at least $1 million in government grants in eight out of the last ten years. Audited financial statements show the nonprofit received $2.45 million in taxpayer-funded grants during the most recently-reported fiscal year. President and CEO Christopher Koelsch received $974,878 in compensation plus $26,200 in “other compensation” during the fiscal year ending June 2025, putting his total reported compensation just over $1 million from LA Opera. But his high salary was hardly a solo performance. Executive Vice President and Chief Strategic Officer John Nuckols was paid nearly $511,000. Vice President of Artistic Planning Rupert Hemmings received more than $353,000. Vice President Diane Rhodes Bergman was paid nearly $315,000. One year earlier, Koelsch received more than $1.2 million. The organization as a whole reported $3.7 million in executive compensation that year and another $3 million the following year. According to LA Opera’s tax returns, the organization has also provided first-class travel and "housing allowance(s) or residence(s) for personal use," including for LA Opera Music Director James Conlon. Although Conlon is technically paid $0.00 by the nonprofit, he has received approximately $7,283,697 in compensation through LA Opera’s contract with Amadeus Music Productions over the past decade. General Director Plácido Domingo also received first-class travel until tax year 2019. Domingo resigned that year during a sexual harassment investigation. For years, government funding and high salaries have prompted a predictable chorus of criticism. Watchdog groups question why taxpayers should subsidize art institutions that “cater to the tastes and interests of cultural elites” when they are already capable of raising tens of millions of dollars from private donors. “Taxpayers should not be robbing bus drivers and plumbers to pay strapped actors and photographers,” said Tom Schatz, president of Citizens Against Government Waste, via press release. “Markets, not government, can and should decide Americans’ appropriate level of arts consumption.” The nonpartisan Cato Institute has described taxpayer spending on opera houses and museums as a “fundamentally unfair transfer of wealth from the lower classes up,” arguing lower-income people are not interested in the kind of entertainment they’ve been forced to support. Ryan Bourne, an economist at the Cato Institute, published a paper on the topic in 2025. “If art is popular, it doesn’t need a subsidy — it thrives on its own,” he wrote. "What inspires one person may bore or offend another. There’s no proof these supposed benefits boost public welfare or productivity — and no good reason taxpayers should be forced to fund art they don’t value.” LA Opera Communications Director Marlene Meraz did not respond to multiple requests from The Center Square for comment on the nonprofit’s receiving of government funds and large compensation packages. According to its tax filings, LA Opera promised to provide copies of its governing documents, tax exemption letters, and conflict of interest forms upon request. The nonprofit has not done so despite a request from The Center Square. Behind the curtain Los Angeles County’s Arts & Culture Organizational Grant Program allows nonprofits of any size to apply for taxpayer money. Its largest category — “OGP 4” — is specifically for nonprofits with an annual budget of $15 million or more. LA Opera received an $86,200 county grant for the 2025-2026 grant cycle. A review by The Center Square has found Los Angeles County does not consider whether a nonprofit actually needs help from taxpayers to be able to afford its projects. Instead, applications are scored “by a peer review panel that reflects the diversity of the region” on a 100-point rubric that looks at five criteria. The scoring system awards a maximum of 35 points for the organization’s “artistic quality,” 15 points for “managerial excellence,” 20 points for the quality of the “project plan,” five points for the quality of the “project evaluation,” and 25 points for addressing “community needs.” “Managerial excellence” is defined by the organization’s ability to effectively raise money from diverse sources. The nonprofit is also rewarded for having large cash reserves or endowments, according to the guidelines. In other words, nonprofits are more likely to receive taxpayer money if the organization has already demonstrated an ability to raise large sums of money from private donors. LA Opera appears to be exceptional at raising money. Its latest audited statements show the nonprofit reported nearly $29.7 million from foundations, corporations, and individuals during the fiscal year ending June 2025. LA Opera finished the year with $89 million in net assets. California has taken a different approach in several of its newest grant programs. The California Arts Council's “General Operating Support” grant program limits the spending of taxpayer dollars to organizations with an annual revenue of $1.5 million or less. Another grant program called “Impact Projects” requires an annual revenue below $3 million. LA Opera would be way too large to qualify for either of those grants. It reported more than $50 million in revenue on its latest tax return. Los Angeles County is also more likely to award taxpayer money to a nonprofit with a $15-plus million budget if it takes steps to “to integrate and reflect the values of cultural equity and inclusion (CEII), highlighting any progress or efforts made over the last two or more years.” The county offers a free CEII workshop for applicants who “need help to prepare for this requirement.” Los Angeles County does not appear to consider the high salaries of nonprofit executives before awarding taxpayer dollars, according to the scoring criteria. COVID subsidies hit high notes A large portion of LA Opera’s government assistance came after the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the nonprofit’s auditors, LA Opera received a $4.1 million Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan in April 2020 and another $2 million in March 2021. Both loans were ultimately forgiven. LA Opera accounted for the forgiven loans as government grants. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) also awarded LA Opera a $7.6 million Shuttered Venue Operators Grant in 2021. The SBA has not responded to a request for comment. More recently, LA Opera's auditors reported $1.37 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) during the fiscal year ending June 2025. The nonprofit also reported receiving $660,570 in FEMA grants the year before. Although the payments continued for years after the pandemic ended, LA Opera’s auditors indicated the FEMA money was a reimbursement for COVID-related expenses incurred in earlier years. FEMA took years to finish reviewing and approving reimbursement for some of LA Opera's pandemic-era expenses. FEMA has not responded to a request for comment.
(The Center Square) - The nonprofit Los Angeles Opera Company (LA Opera) has reported accepting more than $27 million in government grants over the past decade while spending roughly $33 million on executive compensation, according to data from IRS tax returns. Another executive received more than $7 million through LA Opera’s contract with his production company, plus personal-use housing and first-class travel. Free money has become a familiar refrain for the nonprofit after reporting at least $1 million in government grants in eight out of the last ten years. Audited financial statements show the nonprofit received $2.45 million in taxpayer-funded grants during the most recently-reported fiscal year. President and CEO Christopher Koelsch received $974,878 in compensation plus $26,200 in “other compensation” during the fiscal year ending June 2025, putting his total reported compensation just over $1 million from LA Opera. But his high salary was hardly a solo performance. Executive Vice President and Chief Strategic Officer John Nuckols was paid nearly $511,000. Vice President of Artistic Planning Rupert Hemmings received more than $353,000. Vice President Diane Rhodes Bergman was paid nearly $315,000. One year earlier, Koelsch received more than $1.2 million. The organization as a whole reported $3.7 million in executive compensation that year and another $3 million the following year. According to LA Opera’s tax returns, the organization has also provided first-class travel and "housing allowance(s) or residence(s) for personal use," including for LA Opera Music Director James Conlon. Although Conlon is technically paid $0.00 by the nonprofit, he has received approximately $7,283,697 in compensation through LA Opera’s contract with Amadeus Music Productions over the past decade. General Director Plácido Domingo also received first-class travel until tax year 2019. Domingo resigned that year during a sexual harassment investigation. For years, government funding and high salaries have prompted a predictable chorus of criticism. Watchdog groups question why taxpayers should subsidize art institutions that “cater to the tastes and interests of cultural elites” when they are already capable of raising tens of millions of dollars from private donors. “Taxpayers should not be robbing bus drivers and plumbers to pay strapped actors and photographers,” said Tom Schatz, president of Citizens Against Government Waste, via press release. “Markets, not government, can and should decide Americans’ appropriate level of arts consumption.” The nonpartisan Cato Institute has described taxpayer spending on opera houses and museums as a “fundamentally unfair transfer of wealth from the lower classes up,” arguing lower-income people are not interested in the kind of entertainment they’ve been forced to support. Ryan Bourne, an economist at the Cato Institute, published a paper on the topic in 2025. “If art is popular, it doesn’t need a subsidy — it thrives on its own,” he wrote. "What inspires one person may bore or offend another. There’s no proof these supposed benefits boost public welfare or productivity — and no good reason taxpayers should be forced to fund art they don’t value.” LA Opera Communications Director Marlene Meraz did not respond to multiple requests from The Center Square for comment on the nonprofit’s receiving of government funds and large compensation packages. According to its tax filings, LA Opera promised to provide copies of its governing documents, tax exemption letters, and conflict of interest forms upon request. The nonprofit has not done so despite a request from The Center Square. Behind the curtain Los Angeles County’s Arts & Culture Organizational Grant Program allows nonprofits of any size to apply for taxpayer money. Its largest category — “OGP 4” — is specifically for nonprofits with an annual budget of $15 million or more. LA Opera received an $86,200 county grant for the 2025-2026 grant cycle. A review by The Center Square has found Los Angeles County does not consider whether a nonprofit actually needs help from taxpayers to be able to afford its projects. Instead, applications are scored “by a peer review panel that reflects the diversity of the region” on a 100-point rubric that looks at five criteria. The scoring system awards a maximum of 35 points for the organization’s “artistic quality,” 15 points for “managerial excellence,” 20 points for the quality of the “project plan,” five points for the quality of the “project evaluation,” and 25 points for addressing “community needs.” “Managerial excellence” is defined by the organization’s ability to effectively raise money from diverse sources. The nonprofit is also rewarded for having large cash reserves or endowments, according to the guidelines. In other words, nonprofits are more likely to receive taxpayer money if the organization has already demonstrated an ability to raise large sums of money from private donors. LA Opera appears to be exceptional at raising money. Its latest audited statements show the nonprofit reported nearly $29.7 million from foundations, corporations, and individuals during the fiscal year ending June 2025. LA Opera finished the year with $89 million in net assets. California has taken a different approach in several of its newest grant programs. The California Arts Council's “General Operating Support” grant program limits the spending of taxpayer dollars to organizations with an annual revenue of $1.5 million or less. Another grant program called “Impact Projects” requires an annual revenue below $3 million. LA Opera would be way too large to qualify for either of those grants. It reported more than $50 million in revenue on its latest tax return. Los Angeles County is also more likely to award taxpayer money to a nonprofit with a $15-plus million budget if it takes steps to “to integrate and reflect the values of cultural equity and inclusion (CEII), highlighting any progress or efforts made over the last two or more years.” The county offers a free CEII workshop for applicants who “need help to prepare for this requirement.” Los Angeles County does not appear to consider the high salaries of nonprofit executives before awarding taxpayer dollars, according to the scoring criteria. COVID subsidies hit high notes A large portion of LA Opera’s government assistance came after the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the nonprofit’s auditors, LA Opera received a $4.1 million Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan in April 2020 and another $2 million in March 2021. Both loans were ultimately forgiven. LA Opera accounted for the forgiven loans as government grants. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) also awarded LA Opera a $7.6 million Shuttered Venue Operators Grant in 2021. The SBA has not responded to a request for comment. More recently, LA Opera's auditors reported $1.37 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) during the fiscal year ending June 2025. The nonprofit also reported receiving $660,570 in FEMA grants the year before. Although the payments continued for years after the pandemic ended, LA Opera’s auditors indicated the FEMA money was a reimbursement for COVID-related expenses incurred in earlier years. FEMA took years to finish reviewing and approving reimbursement for some of LA Opera's pandemic-era expenses. FEMA has not responded to a request for comment.
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