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Street art pops up throughout Paris, adding some Olympic color to major landmarks
Read full article: Street art pops up throughout Paris, adding some Olympic color to major landmarksParis is getting a colorful splash of Olympic creative spirit with nearly 30 vibrant street art pieces, popping up at bustling metro stations and airports and in front of city hall.
Report: Differences between gay and straight spouses disappear after legalization of gay marriage
Read full article: Report: Differences between gay and straight spouses disappear after legalization of gay marriageSame-sex spouses were typically younger and were more likely to be employed than those in opposite-sex marriages, although many of those differences disappeared after the legalization of gay marriage in 2015.
Real Madrid celebrates another Champions League title with its fans on streets of Spanish capital
Read full article: Real Madrid celebrates another Champions League title with its fans on streets of Spanish capitalFor the second time in three seasons Real Madrid has been celebrating a Champions League title with its fans on the streets of the Spanish capital.
NYC's rat-hating mayor, Eric Adams, is once again ticketed for rats at his Brooklyn property
Read full article: NYC's rat-hating mayor, Eric Adams, is once again ticketed for rats at his Brooklyn propertyNew York Cityโs rat-hating mayor has once again been ticketed for a rat infestation at his Brooklyn property.
Black immigrant rally in NYC raises awareness about racial, religious and language inequities
Read full article: Black immigrant rally in NYC raises awareness about racial, religious and language inequitiesBlack immigrants have turned out in the hundreds across from a City Hall, drawing attention to racial inequities in the cityโs shelter and immigrant support systems.
As conflict worsens in eastern Congo, 2 armed groups pledge to respect civilians
Read full article: As conflict worsens in eastern Congo, 2 armed groups pledge to respect civiliansRepresentatives of two armed groups in Congo signed solemn pledges this week to both their violence-wracked country and the wider world: We will do better to respect and protect civilians.
San Francisco apologizes to Black residents for decades of racist policies
Read full article: San Francisco apologizes to Black residents for decades of racist policiesSupervisors in San Francisco have formally apologized to African Americans and their descendants for the cityโs role in perpetuating racism and discrimination.
Parisians vote to hit SUVs with eye-popping parking costs in latest green drive before Olympics
Read full article: Parisians vote to hit SUVs with eye-popping parking costs in latest green drive before OlympicsParisians have voted to muscle SUVs off the French capitalโs streets by making them much more expensive to park starting next September.
NYC mayor vetoes bills banning solitary confinement in jails and expanding reporting of police stops
Read full article: NYC mayor vetoes bills banning solitary confinement in jails and expanding reporting of police stopsNew York Cityโs mayor has vetoed bills aimed at banning solitary confinement in city jails and requiring more transparency in police encounters with civilians.
New York City is suing charter bus companies for transporting migrants from Texas
Read full article: New York City is suing charter bus companies for transporting migrants from TexasNew York City is suing more than a dozen charter bus companies for their role in Texas Gov. Greg Abbottโs operation to send tens of thousands of migrants to urban areas.
Paris City Hall plaza draws holiday visitors and migrant families seeking shelter as Olympics nears
Read full article: Paris City Hall plaza draws holiday visitors and migrant families seeking shelter as Olympics nearsThe forecourt of Paris City Hall sparkles with activity this holiday season, including a Christmas market and huge signs advertising the 2024 Olympics.
Migrant families rally for end to New Yorkโs new 60-day limits on shelter stays
Read full article: Migrant families rally for end to New Yorkโs new 60-day limits on shelter staysMigrant families and their advocates marched outside New York City Hall on Tuesday to demand Mayor Eric Adams end his plan to limit the number of days newly arrived immigrants can remain in city-run shelters.
Jill Stein launches a long-shot Green Party presidential campaign, bringing back memories of 2016
Read full article: Jill Stein launches a long-shot Green Party presidential campaign, bringing back memories of 2016Environmental activist Jill Stein is launching another long-shot Green Party bid for the presidency.
Russia says it has foiled a major Ukraine drone attack as concerns grow over Kyiv's weapons supplies
Read full article: Russia says it has foiled a major Ukraine drone attack as concerns grow over Kyiv's weapons suppliesRussia says its air defenses shot down 31 Ukrainian drones in a nighttime attack on border regions.
Supporters of reparations for Black residents urge San Francisco to push forward
Read full article: Supporters of reparations for Black residents urge San Francisco to push forwardMore than 200 people rallied outside San Francisco's City Hall to urge supervisors to act on reparations for Black residents.
NYC mayor wants more aid from the Biden administration to offset $12B in costs for housing migrants
Read full article: NYC mayor wants more aid from the Biden administration to offset $12B in costs for housing migrantsWith thousands of migrants still arriving in New York City, Mayor Eric Adams is renewing his appeal to the federal government to help the city avert a budgetary crisis as expenses mount.
Atlanta project decried as 'Cop Cityโ gets funding approval from City Council
Read full article: Atlanta project decried as 'Cop Cityโ gets funding approval from City CouncilThe Atlanta City Council has approved funding for the construction of a proposed police and firefighter training center, rejecting the pleas of hundreds of activists who packed City Hall and spoke for hours in fierce opposition to the project they decry as โCop City.โ.
'Stop Cop City' activists pack Atlanta City Hall ahead of crucial vote
Read full article: 'Stop Cop City' activists pack Atlanta City Hall ahead of crucial voteHundreds of activists are at Atlantaโs City Hall ahead of a council vote over whether to approve tens of millions in public funding for a police and firefighter training center.
California reparations task force dives into what is owed
Read full article: California reparations task force dives into what is owedCalifornia's first-in-the-nation task force studying reparations for Black residents is meeting in Oakland to discuss potential eligibility requirements and what form reparations could take.
Suspect in Paul Pelosi attack indicted on federal charge
Read full article: Suspect in Paul Pelosi attack indicted on federal chargeA man already in custody in last monthโs attack on the husband of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of assault and attempted kidnapping.
Suspect in assault at Pelosi home had posted about QAnon
Read full article: Suspect in assault at Pelosi home had posted about QAnonThe man accused of breaking into House Speaker Nancy Pelosiโs home and severely beating her husband with a hammer appears to have made racist and often rambling posts online, including some that questioned the results of the 2020 election, defended Donald Trump and echoed QAnon conspiracy theories.
'Gladiator' actor Russell Crowe feted in Rome
Read full article: 'Gladiator' actor Russell Crowe feted in RomeRussell Crowe, who won a best actor Academy Award for portraying a gladiator in the 2000 film of the same name, is being feted by the city of Rome, home to the Colosseum where real gladiators clashed before thousands of spectators through the time of the Roman Empire.
Promote the Vote appeals board decision to Michigan Supreme Court in ballot bid
Read full article: Promote the Vote appeals board decision to Michigan Supreme Court in ballot bidThose leading the Promote the Vote 2022 ballot initiative in Michigan have filed an appeal with the state supreme court after a board declined to certify their proposal for the November ballot.
Detroit makes โWorldโs 50 Greatest Placesโ list
Read full article: Detroit makes โWorldโs 50 Greatest Placesโ listOver the years, the City of Detroit has been on the kind of national list a city doesnโt want to be on, but Monday night, Time Magazine is naming Detroit one of the Worldโs Greatest Places to visit this year. The city made Time Magazineโs โWorldโs 50 Greatest Placesโ list, which ranked the top 50 international destinations to explore.
Effort to expand voter access in Michigan takes major step towards Nov. ballot
Read full article: Effort to expand voter access in Michigan takes major step towards Nov. ballotAn effort to lock certain voting rights in the Michigan Constitution has taken a major step toward the fall ballot, eclipsing a rival campaign led by Republicans to limit absentee voting and add other restrictions.
Board to assess fraud claims within GOP campaigns for Michigan governor: Hereโs what that means
Read full article: Board to assess fraud claims within GOP campaigns for Michigan governor: Hereโs what that meansThe Michigan Board of State Canvassers is set to meet this week to determine who will appear on the ballot for the 2022 gubernatorial primary election in August after five GOP candidates reportedly failed to submit enough nominating signatures.
Supreme Court rules against Boston in Christian flag case
Read full article: Supreme Court rules against Boston in Christian flag caseA unanimous Supreme Court has ruled that Boston violated the free speech rights of a conservative activist when it refused his request to fly a Christian flag on a flagpole outside City Hall.
San Francisco reports big increase in anti-Asian hate crimes
Read full article: San Francisco reports big increase in anti-Asian hate crimesSan Francisco's police department has released preliminary figures showing a 567% increase in reported hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders from the previous year.
France pushes vaccination campaign as virus cases increase
Read full article: France pushes vaccination campaign as virus cases increaseAuthorities in France want to accelerate vaccinations against the coronavirus before Christmas as infections surge and more people with COVID-19 seek medical attention.
Morning Briefing Aug. 31, 2021: Michigan GOP move to โtightenโ voting laws, tips for boosting kidsโ immune systems amid delta variant spread
Read full article: Morning Briefing Aug. 31, 2021: Michigan GOP move to โtightenโ voting laws, tips for boosting kidsโ immune systems amid delta variant spreadHere are this morning's top stories.
Two artworks chosen for display in London's Trafalgar Square
Read full article: Two artworks chosen for display in London's Trafalgar SquareA sculpture symbolizing Britainโs complex colonial ties and an artwork featuring the faces of 850 transgender people are set to go on display in Trafalgar Square, one of Londonโs highest-profile venues for public art.
San Jose to require gun owners to carry liability insurance
Read full article: San Jose to require gun owners to carry liability insuranceSan Jose officials have passed the first law in the country that requires gun owners to carry liability insurance and pay a fee to cover taxpayersโ costs associated with gun violence.
Faith, political leaders unite in rally against antisemitism
Read full article: Faith, political leaders unite in rally against antisemitismFaith leaders, celebrities and lawmakers across the political spectrum are condemning a rise in antisemitic incidents around the world triggered by the recent conflict between Israel and Gazaโs militant Hamas rulers.
Police say 1 arrested in attack on Jewish men in Los Angeles
Read full article: Police say 1 arrested in attack on Jewish men in Los AngelesLos Angeles police have announced the arrest of a suspect in an alleged attack by a pro-Palestinian group on Jewish men outside a restaurant earlier in the week.
Portland mayor seeks $2 million to stem rampant gun violence
Read full article: Portland mayor seeks $2 million to stem rampant gun violence(AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer, File)PORTLAND, Ore. โ The mayor of Portland, Oregon, announced Thursday he would seek $2 million in one-time funding for police, other agencies and outreach programs to try to stem rampant gun violence in the city. The move by Mayor Ted Wheeler represents an about-face after city leaders in June voted to cut nearly $16 million from the police budget, reductions that included the elimination of a gun violence reduction unit. During an hour-long news conference Thursday, Wheeler, activists, faith leaders and community members reiterated that in order to solve the problem of gun violence, the community must work together. Wheeler said the tactic is not the same as the now-eliminated Gun Violence Reduction Team and would be more transparent. Wheeler said he supports the ideas, beginning with asking City Council to appropriate $2 million in one-time fiuds from the cityโs reserve stability contingency account created last fall, to address gun violence.
Food fight: Meat-free school meals spark furor in France
Read full article: Food fight: Meat-free school meals spark furor in FranceFILE - In this Jan.18, 2019 file photo, French President Emmanuel Macron meets pupils as he visits a school canteen in Saint-Sozy, southwestern France. With a meatless four-course meal that Lyon City Hall says will be quicker and easier to serve to children who must be kept socially distanced while eating lunch to avoid coronavirus infections. With more local elections expected later this year, the arguing over Lyon's school meals offered a foretaste of broader political battles to come. Lyon City Hall said serving the same meal to all children, instead of offering them their usual meat and meat-free options, would shorten the time they take for lunch. City Hall said it also opted for meat-free meals because they suit all children, including those who habitually don't eat meats for religious, dietary or other reasons.
Ann Arbor city hall extends building closure through February
Read full article: Ann Arbor city hall extends building closure through FebruaryANN ARBOR, Mich. โ Larcom City Hall will remain closed through February, according to an updated notice from the City of Ann Arbor. The building, which houses various city offices, will stay closed until February 21 per an extended state order by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Larcom City Hall has been closed since Nov. 18, 2020, and non-essential operations have been moved online due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Schedule a city building, trade and rental inspection by calling 734-794-6263 or sending an email to building@a2gov.org. Some services, including safety and emergency operations, waste and recycling pickup schedules, as well as drinking and wastewater, have not been impacted by the closure.
Southfield MLK Task Force hosts peace parade, virtual program
Read full article: Southfield MLK Task Force hosts peace parade, virtual programSOUTHFIELD, Mich. โ Around the country, people are paying tribute to the late Martin Luther King Jr. Yvette Ware-Devaull helped organize the event. โI want people to think about peace,โ Yvette Ware-Devaull said. If you ask anyone at Southfieldโs Justice Now, the Martin Luther King Jr. car parade had to happen. The parade went through neighborhoods and parked at City Hall where Kingโs message and legacy was celebrated.
VIRUS TODAY: Health experts warn against holiday gatherings
Read full article: VIRUS TODAY: Health experts warn against holiday gatheringsWith some Americans now paying the price for what they did over Thanksgiving, health officials are warning people begging them, even not to make the same mistake during the Christmas and New Year's season. Andrew Cuomo has ended indoor dining indefinitely in New York City as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations climb. As of Monday, only takeout orders and outdoor dining will be allowed in one of the worldโs great cuisine capitals. THE NUMBERS: Deaths in the U.S. have climbed to almost 2,260 per day on average, about equal to the peak seen in mid-April. ___Find APโs full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic
Larcom City Hall in Ann Arbor extends closure through Dec. 20
Read full article: Larcom City Hall in Ann Arbor extends closure through Dec. 20ANN ARBOR, Mich. โ Larcom City Hall will remain closed through Dec 20, according to a new announcement from the city of Ann Arbor. Read: Michigan COVID restrictions extended through Dec. 20: What to knowThe city hall building closed for non-essential services on Nov. 18. City services including safety and emergency operations, waste and recycling pickup schedules, as well as drinking and wastewater, have not been impacted by the closure. Residents can pay parking tickets, water bills and property taxes, and apply for permits online as non-essential city services are being conducted remotely. Winter property taxes, due in December, can be paid online, by mail, at several Ann Arbor area banks or at the Ann Street dropbox.
Students return to NYC schools once more after virus closure
Read full article: Students return to NYC schools once more after virus closurePublic schools reopened for in-school learning Monday after being closed since mid-November. Public school doors reopened for preschool students and children in kindergarten through fifth grade whose parents chose a mix of in-school and remote learning. Overall, the city counts about 1 million public school students; most have opted to learn from home this fall. Masks and social distancing are required at all city schools. About 190,000 students were eligible to return to school buildings starting Monday.
Gibraltar extends closure of city facilities due to increase in COVID-19 cases
Read full article: Gibraltar extends closure of city facilities due to increase in COVID-19 casesGIBRALTAR, Mich. โ All city facilities in Gibraltar will be closed to the public until Dec. 9 at 8 a.m. due to an increase in COVID-19 cases. Officials said residents can make water and sewer payments by placing them in the dropbox or paid online. If you need assistance from City Hall you can call 734-676-3900. If youโre experiencing an emergency you should contact 911. If youโre not having an emergency but still need to contact police you can call 734-676-1022.
Ann Arborโs Larcom City Hall to close Wednesday
Read full article: Ann Arborโs Larcom City Hall to close WednesdayANN ARBOR โ The city of Ann Arbor will be closing Larcom City Hall on Wednesday in compliance with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services' latest emergency order to slow the spread of COVID-19. Per the MDHHS order, City Hall will be closed through Dec. 8 and all non-essential operations will be conducted remotely. The closure of City Hall will not impact critical services such as police, fire, emergency operations, drinking water, waste water or waste and recycling pickup schedules. Ann Arbor parks updatesBuhr and Veterans ice arenas are closed. The Ann Arbor Farmers Market is still open.
City of Sterling Heights announces changes in response to new COVID-19 restrictions
Read full article: City of Sterling Heights announces changes in response to new COVID-19 restrictionsSTERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. โ The city of Sterling Heights will be making building, amenity, service and programming closures starting on Wednesday and lasting at least through Jan. 3, 2021. Sterling Heights has a website (click here) where residents can pay bills and more. โ3-week pauseโ: Michigan announces stricter COVID rules: What to knowFirst responders will still be available to respond to all emergencies. Residents experiencing a non-emergency can call the Sterling Heights Police Department non-emergency line at 586-446-2800. Right now, the safety of our residents and employees must be our top concern,โ said Sterling Heights Mayor Michael Taylor.
Huntington Woods city buildings to close to public due to COVID-19
Read full article: Huntington Woods city buildings to close to public due to COVID-19HUNTINGTON WOODS, Mich. โ All Huntington Woods city buildings will be closed to the public beginning on Wednesday. The closures include City Hall, the Public Works office and the Public Safety Department. The library and Gillham Recreation Center will also remain closed to the public. The city will evaluate when to reopen in three weeks. Residents can use drop boxes to pay water and tax bills.
City employees in Warren to work remotely unless they are absolutely needed at City Hall
Read full article: City employees in Warren to work remotely unless they are absolutely needed at City HallFollowing Whitmerโs announcement, Warren Mayor Jim Fouts reactivated the cityโs remote work plans. Whitmer hopes Michiganders โdouble down so we can avoid a stay-home orderโMost employees will be working from home unless they are โabsolutely neededโ at City Hall. Most employees will be working from home and those that work inside will be required to wear a mask, social distance, and sanitize while in City Hall. City Hall will be closed to the public until further notice,โ Fouts said in a statement. Warren City Hall will be closed to the public until further notice.
Warren City Hall closes amid spike in cases of COVID-19
Read full article: Warren City Hall closes amid spike in cases of COVID-19WARREN, Mich. โ The city of Warren shut down City Hall due to the amount of COVID-19 cases within the building. Warren Mayor Jim Fouts made the decision on Sunday night to close the building. The mayor considers City Hall a coronavirus hotspot. Between City Hall, the police department and the court at least 23 city employees have tested positive for COVID-19. A department head in City Hall, a usually otherwise health man in his 50โฒs is hospitalized.
Long wait for Hawaii vote spurs call for more voter centers
Read full article: Long wait for Hawaii vote spurs call for more voter centersFILE - In this Nov. 3, 2020, file photo, a long line of people waiting to vote stretches around City Hall on Election Day, in Honolulu. Voter advocates say Hawaii should set up more voter service centers after a last-minute surge of voter interest led to hours-long lines for in-person voting on Election Day even as the state shifted to a vote-by-mail system for casting ballots. Overall, the stateโs vote-by-mail election appears to have been a big success, leading to record numbers of voters participating. The law also gives voters the option to vote in person at voter service centers, where people may also register to vote or get help with casting a ballot. Ma said people waited between two to four hours on Tuesday at the two voter centers on Oahu, an island with about 549,000 registered voters.
New this week: 'This Is Us,' Baby Yoda, 'The Craft' redone
Read full article: New this week: 'This Is Us,' Baby Yoda, 'The Craft' redone(NBC via AP)Hereโs a collection curated by The Associated Pressโ entertainment journalists of whatโs arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week. MOVIESโ Many things will be different about Halloween this year, but the annual rush of horror films is much the same. It stars Sope Dirisu and Wunmi Mosaku as a Sudanese refugee couple finding new horrors in life in England. But Neon, the โParasiteโ distributor, last week put a restored version into theaters and on Tuesday brings it to VOD. One is Natalie Margolin โThe Party Hop,โ which she wrote during quarantine in one week in early April.
Masked pope, faith leaders pray for peace and pandemic's end
Read full article: Masked pope, faith leaders pray for peace and pandemic's endPope Francis lights a candle for peace during an inter-religious ceremony for peace in the square outside Rome's City Hall, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2020 (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)ROME โ A masked Pope Francis welcomed religious leaders to a socially-distanced interfaith peace prayer Tuesday, appealing for a unified international effort to work for peace and an end to the coronavirus pandemic. โThe pandemic is reminding us that we are blood brothers and sisters,โ they said in a joint appeal issued at the end of the service. For weeks, Francis has shunned facemasks in his public and private audiences despite a surge in COVID-19 cases across Italy and even inside Vatican City. The service was organized by the Rome-based SantโEgidio Community, which each year organizes an interfaith peace prayer in the spirit of the first one of its kind, celebrated by St. John Paul II in Assisi in 1986. In the past week 11 Swiss Guards and a resident of the hotel where Francis lives have tested positive.
Alexie, Pilkey books among most 'challenged' of past decade
Read full article: Alexie, Pilkey books among most 'challenged' of past decadeFILE - In this Oct. 10, 2016 file photo, author and filmmaker Sherman Alexie appears at a celebration of Indigenous Peoples' Day at Seattle's City Hall. Alexie is included in a list of authors who wrote books that were among the 100 most subjected to censorship efforts over the past decade, as compiled by the American Library Association. All wrote books that were among the 100 most subjected to censorship efforts over the past decade, as compiled by the American Library Association. The association does not formally count the number of times books are actually removed from a library shelf or from a school reading list. โThere are actually two lines of objections to the Anne Frank diary,โ Caldwell-Stone says.
Taylor residents hold protest outside City Hall over corruption probe
Read full article: Taylor residents hold protest outside City Hall over corruption probeTaylor residents hold protest outside City Hall over corruption probePublished: August 19, 2020, 7:05 amProtest organizers want the City Council to do more about the mayor's alleged illegal behavior.
Detroit City Council staffer killed in apparent murder-suicide
Read full article: Detroit City Council staffer killed in apparent murder-suicideDETROIT โ Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and others in city hall are mourning the loss of a beloved staffer. Deandree Watson was killed in Westland during an apparent murder-suicide over the weekend. Watson worked as a policy analyst in the office of Detroit City Councilman James Tate. Our dear friend and colleague will forever be missed.โโI am shocked and deeply saddened by the passing of DeAndree Watson. I extend my deepest condolences to DeAndreeโs family, friends, Councilman James Tate, Detroit City Council and his many colleagues at the City of Detroit,โ Duggan wrote in a Facebook post.
Historical statues that have come down in recent months: A list
Read full article: Historical statues that have come down in recent months: A listStatues that have stood for years -- and in some cases, decades -- have been top of mind all across the country as protests take place following the deaths of George Floyd and Rayshard Brooks.
Highland Park City Hall, 30th District Court closed due to building problems
Read full article: Highland Park City Hall, 30th District Court closed due to building problemsPublished: January 8, 2020, 8:43 am Updated: January 9, 2020, 6:14 amHIGHLAND PARK, Mich. โ The Highland Park City Hall and 30th District Court are closed Wednesday due to building problems. City officials said rescheduled court dates will be posted on the front door of the City Hall. Officials also said they expect this problem to be fixed by Thursday. UPDATE: Highland Park City Hall to be closed Thursday due to building problem
These Realistic-Looking Hooded Figures Are Freaking Out People in California
Read full article: These Realistic-Looking Hooded Figures Are Freaking Out People in CaliforniaResidents of Laguna Beach, California, have mixed feelings about five, hooded statues that appeared outside City Hall this week. The figures are part of a public artwork called The Caretakers by Mark Jenkins and Sandra Fernandez, and their realistic look has some people complaining. The five figures are dressed in gray sweatshirts with hoods pulled over their faces and khaki pants. The characters faces are covered from the sun, city officials wrote on Facebook. The artist did a good job, everyone is talking about it, exactly the point, another user wrote.
Emergency declared in Roseville after flash floods damage homes, City Hall
Read full article: Emergency declared in Roseville after flash floods damage homes, City HallROSEVILLE, Mich. - The mayor of Roseville has declared an emergency after flash floods over the weekend left basements flooded and caused significant damage to the City Hall. On Monday, residents had to clean out flooded basements, as did officials at City Hall. Even the basement at Roseville City Hall was underwater. Upstairs, the mayor, manager and others decided to declare a state of emergency, hoping the state will approve emergency funds for residents. All the voting machines were in the basement of Roseville City Hall.
Carry a big stick
Read full article: Carry a big stickDETROIT โ Theodore Roosevelt is credited with most famously using a West African proverb "speak softly and carry a big stick. That is where the big stick comes in. In that case the emergency manager would recommend the governor pull the trigger on a Chapter 9 Municipal Bankruptcy. He knows he needs that big stick to show the mayor and council he is serious. If it doesn't he still has his big stick; an emergency manager and a Chapter 9.