Unions, business unite to unlock housing supply for essential workers

Business News

Unions NSW/Business NSW/McKell InstituteUnions NSW and Business NSW have formed a rare alliance to back a groundbreaking proposal to establish new housing on latent, unused Crown land, allowing essential workers to access affordable homes without the burden of land costs.The innovative solution is part of a comprehensive submission to the Essential Worker Housing Inquiry.Mark Morey, Secretary of Unions NSW, said: “This proposal offers a lifeline to the nurses, teachers, firefighters and police who are priced out of the communities they serve. By allowing essential workers to buy homes on unused publicly owned land, we’re not just addressing the housing crisis – we’re investing in the future of our vital public services.”Business NSW Executive Director, David Harding, said: “For too long, our essential workers have been forced to choose between serving their community and having a secure, affordable place to live. This plan offers a practical pathway to long term home security for those who form the backbone of our society.”The submission outlines seven key recommendations designed to make housing more affordable for essential workers, with the Crown land trust proposal standing out as a potential game-changer. Ed Cavanough, CEO of the McKell Institute, said bold solutions were needed: “This is not just a housing crisis – it’s a community crisis. When our essential workers live more than 90 minutes from work they turn up exhausted and demoralised. They deserve better.”The housing affordability crisis has reached critical levels, with Sydney’s combined weekly rents rising by almost 60% since 2020, from $519 to $829. This surge, coupled with record-low vacancy rates, has created a desperate situation for many essential workers.As well as establishing new essential worker housing on Crown land, the McKell report recommends expanding inclusionary zoning, ensuring a portion of new residential developments is reserved for essential workers, and providing loan guarantees to encourage investment in essential worker housing. The submission also calls for an expansion of the Shared Equity Home Buyer Helper program and doubling the portfolio of the Teacher Housing Authority by 2030. These interventions are intended to provide immediate relief while setting the groundwork for long-term improvements in housing accessibility for essential workers.The submission warns that without intervention, the state risks losing essential workers, while also emphasising the impact on local economies and productivity. Source & references /Public Release.

90s horror movie star looks unrecognisable 25 years after film left audiences ‘vomiting’ in the cinema

Arts & Culture, Film & TV

A STAR of an iconic horror movie looks worlds away from his film debut – 25 years on from starring in a movie that had fans ‘vomiting’ in the cinemas.Michael C. Williams found fame back in 1999 when he was signed up to play one of the leading parts in the terrifying movie. 4Michael C. Williams looks worlds away from his time in The Blair Witch ProjectCredit: Instagram4The actor (right) was one of the three ‘missing’ stars in the iconic movieCredit: Getty4The movie became a box office success in 1999Credit: RexThe Blair Witch Project had its viewers rattled back in the late 90s thanks to its scary content and unique way of being filmed and produced in order to give off the effect the movie was a real recording from a handheld camera.Michael played a ‘fictionalised’ version of himself in order to tie-in with the movie’s marketing campaign of the film being about real people who had gone missing or died.25 years on from the release of the film and Michael looks worlds away from his time on the big-screen.Once sporting a freshly-shaven look, he now sports a grey-bearded face after ditching his acting career in favour of a more ‘normal’ role.Read More on Horror MoviesFor those who have yet to see the horror classic, the movie will be aired in all of its glory on BBC One at 11:50pm.It comes amid reports that the movie’s distributor is working on a reboot after setting the wheels in motion by securing a deal with horror movie giant Blumhouse Productions.Michael failed to replicate the success of his time in The Blair Witch Project with other roles and soon switched career’s to become a qualified guidance counsellor in a school in the States.At the time of the movie’s cinema release in 1999, audiences were left being sick in the cinema as a result of the “motion sickness” gained through watching the movie filmed on handheld cameras.There were reports of cinemagoers vomiting and collapsing whilst watching the film in Atlanta and Dallas with US cinemas soon forced to place up warning signs for those brave enough to purchase a ticket.Controversy followed for Michael and his co-stars after the film’s release after they felt they were underpaid for their contributions to the movie after it became a runaway success.Movie ‘The Woods’ turns out to be secret follow up to Blair Witch ProjectHaving initially been made on a tiny $60,000 budget, the film’s total costs went on to become closer to the $250,000 mark after post-production was accounted for.However, it soon blew that figure out of the water when it raked in a humongous $250 million at the box office – leading it to become one of the most successful independent films of all time.Michael – along with his two co-stars Heather Donahue and Joshua Lenoard – were each paid $1,000 to both star and record the film on handheld devices.Forbes went on to estimate that the trio’s total earnings in the aftermath of the film’s release would not have totalled more than $375,000 with most of that money being related to other settlements as opposed to profits of its success.The publication claims that had the actors been paid in accordance with their original contract agreements, it is likely they would have pocketed the equivalent of $2.5 million for their work.The magazine further adds that production companies on the film were able to conceal the full earnings thanks to “classic Hollywood accounting”.4The actor was paid just $1,000 for his roleCredit: Instagram

Things to do in the Loveland area on Sunday: Judas Priest concert, used book sale, art studio tour

Arts & Culture, Books

TodayJudas Priest: 7:30 p.m., Blue Arena, 5290 Arena Circle, Loveland. The heavy metal band is on its Invincible Shield tour. Tickets $49.50 to $149.95, treventscomplex.com/blue-arena.
Friends of the Loveland Public Library Used Book Sale: 11 a.m.-3 p.m., McKee Building at The Ranch, 5260 Arena Circle, Loveland. With books in a variety of genres, along with DVDs, CDs and vinyl records. Everything will be priced by the bag, $5 for a standard-sized plastic grocery store bag. friendsofthelovelandlibrary.org.
Loveland Art Studio Tour: 11 a.m.-5 p.m., at various artist studios around Loveland. Artists at 18 locations will be represented on the tour. Free; download a map and directory or an app at lovelandartstudiotour.com.
Fall Open House: 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Wilderness Art Quarry, 4412 W. Eisenhower Blvd., Loveland. Fall-themed photo ops, games, kids crafts and more. Free, facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564310742797.
Texas Hold’em: 6-7:15 p.m., Boise Tavern, 1475 N. Boise Ave., No. 4, Loveland. Free, rockymountainpokervenues.com.
Karaoke: 9 p.m.-12:30 a.m., Monroe’s Lounge, 5542 E. U.S. 34, Loveland. 970-667-7810, monroeslounge.net.
Pumpkins on Parade:  6-9 p.m., Gardens at Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave., Fort Collins. A fun-for-all-ages celebration of Halloween and the harvest, featuring hundreds of pumpkins and gourds arranged across The Gardens. There will be multiple entrance times per night. Non-scary costumes are encouraged for the family-friendly event, which is candy-free as part of the Teal Pumpkin Project. $12 for ages 12-plus, $8 for ages 5-11 and free for ages 4 and under, available online or at the entrance;  fcgov.com/gardens.
Debut Theatre Company — “The Fall of the House of Usher”: 1-3 p.m., Lincoln Center Magnolia Theatre, 417 W. Magnolia, Fort Collins. The production is a children’s adaptation of the classic tale by Edgar Allan Poe. $10, 970-221-6730, lctix.com.
New Horizons Band Clarinet Ensemble: 10 a.m., First United Methodist Church, 533 N. Grant Ave., Loveland. Free, sites.google.com/site/northerncoloradonhb/home.
​League of Women Voters of Larimer County Ballot Forum: 1:30 p.m., Northside Aztlan Center, 112 E Willow St., Fort Collins. Simultaneous English-Spanish translation will be available. Free, tinyurl.com/LWVLCissuesforum.
Docomomo and Historic Larimer County Walking Tour of Mid-Century Modern Structures: 1-3 p.m., in the 100 block of West Magnolia Street, Fort Collins. The tour will be led by HLC president, Ron Sladek, and will look at the history and architecture of several mid-century modern buildings in downtown Fort Collins from Mulberry Street to Mountain Avenue. Meet up by the parking lot of the former Wells Fargo building, just north of the Lucky’s parking lot, in the area of the alley on Magnolia Street, halfway between South College Avenue and Mason Street. Free. register at eventbrite.com.
“Beer for Breakfast”: 2 p.m., Windsor Community Playhouse, 561 E. Garden Drive, Unit A, Windsor.  Four middle-aged buddies reunite for a “guys’ weekend”complete with old music and cheap beer, out to prove they’ve still got it, so they are going to party like it’s 1979. $22, 970-674-1790, windsor-community-playhouse.ticketleap.com.
Howl-o-Ween:  2-6 p.m., Centennial Village Museum, 1475 A St., Greeley. A family-friendly event is an opportunity for families to wear their spookiest or silliest costumes and trick or treat at various structures on the 8-acre facility. Wagon rides available. $4 per person, ages 3 and older. Children 2 and under are free with an adult, 970-350-9220, GreeleyMuseums.com.
Upcoming
Visit with the Thompson School District Board of Education: 6-7:30 p.m. Monday, School District Administration Building, 800 S. Taft Ave., Loveland. The community can meet board members, learn more about district initiatives, ask questions and provide feedback. Spanish interpretation and child care (ages 3-10) will be available. Reserve a child care slot at tsd.org/forum-childcare.

2 Navy aviators are declared dead after a fighter jet crashed in Washington

Technology

Two crew members who were missing following the crash of a fighter jet in mountainous terrain in Washington during a routine training flight have been declared dead, the U.S. Navy said Sunday.Video above: Fighter jets in Fort SmithThe EA-18G Growler jet from the Electronic Attack Squadron crashed east of Mount Rainier on Tuesday afternoon, according to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. Search teams, including a U.S. Navy MH-60S helicopter, launched from the air station to try to find the crew and crash site.Army Special Forces soldiers trained in mountaineering, high-angle rescue and technical communications were brought in to reach the wreckage, which was located Wednesday by an aerial crew resting at about 6,000 feet (1,828 meters) in a remote, steep and heavily wooded area east of Mount Rainier, officials said.The aviators’ names won’t be released until a day after their next of kin have been notified, the Navy said in a statement Sunday, adding that search and rescue efforts have shifted into a long-term salvage and recovery operation as the cause of the crash is still being investigated.“It is with a heavy heart that we share the loss of two beloved Zappers,” said Cmdr. Timothy Warburton, commanding officer of the aviators’ Electronic Attack Squadron. “Our priority right now is taking care of the families of our fallen aviators. … We are grateful for the ongoing teamwork to safely recover the deceased.”Locating the missing crew members “as quickly and as safely as possible” had been top priority, Capt. David Ganci, commander, Electronic Attack Wing, U.S. Pacific Fleet, said Thursday.The EA-18G Growler is similar to the F/A-18F Super Hornet and includes sophisticated electronic warfare devices. Most of the Growler squadrons are based at Whidbey Island. One squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan.The “Zappers” were recently deployed on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. The search took place near Mount Rainier, a towering active volcano that is blanketed in snowfields and glaciers year-round.The first production of the Growler was delivered to Whidbey Island in 2008. In the past 15 years, the Growler has operated around the globe supporting major actions, the Navy said. The plane seats a pilot in front and an electronics operator behind them.“The EA-18G Growler aircraft we fly represents the most advanced technology in airborne Electronic Attack and stands as the Navy’s first line of defense in hostile environments,” the Navy says on its website. Each aircraft costs about $67 million.Military aircraft training exercises can be dangerous and sometimes result in crashes, injuries and deaths.In May, an F-35 fighter jet on its way from Texas to Edwards Air Force Base near Los Angeles crashed after the pilot stopped to refuel in New Mexico. The pilot was the only person on board in that case and was taken to a hospital with serious injuries.Last year, eight U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command service members were killed when a CV-22B Osprey aircraft they were flying in crashed off the coast of Japan.——Associated Press writer Jesse Bedayn contributed to this report from Denver.

MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK, Wash. — Two crew members who were missing following the crash of a fighter jet in mountainous terrain in Washington during a routine training flight have been declared dead, the U.S. Navy said Sunday.Video above: Fighter jets in Fort Smith

One of the last Navajo Code Talkers from World War II dies at 107

US & Canada

WASHINGTON —  Indigenous Peoples Day and Columbus Day observed Monday Some Americans this week celebrated Christopher Columbus’ October 1492 landing in the Western Hemisphere while others marked the alternative Indigenous Peoples’ Day commemorating the exploitation that began with Columbus’ arrival, which ultimately led to widespread displacement, violence, disease and enslavement. The U.N. Committee on Non-Governmental…