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A recount is expected after Democrat Adrian Cortes defeated Republican Brad Benton by just 172 votes in Clark County’s 18th Senate District.

Cortes, a Battle Ground city council member, won 42,053 votes, or 50.1 percent, to Benton’s 41,881, or 49.9 percent, making him the first Democratic candidate to win a seat in the heavily Republican 18th District in more than two decades. The district’s incumbent, Republican Sen. Ann Rivers, is retiring at the end of the year and is not seeking reflection.

Washington state election law requires a machine recount if the two candidates are separated by less than 2,000 votes, or 0.5 percent of the vote, and a hand recount if the margin of victory is less than 150 votes, or 0.25 percent of the vote. The only recount this year will be in the 18th Senate District.

Democrats also gained seats in the House of Representatives when Addison Richards defeated Republican Jesse Young, a former state representative, in the 26th District (Gig Harbor). The district’s incumbent, Spencer Hutchinson (R), did not seek re-election. The Democrats, who have a perennial majority, will have a 59-39 House majority and a 30-19 Senate majority in the legislature next year. Meanwhile, in the Supreme Court race, Sal Mungia, who received the support of Gov.

Jay Inslee and other top Democratic officials, as well as eight of the nine incumbent justices, defeated Republican Dave Larson by less than 1 percent, or about 20,000 votes. Mungia will replace retiring Justice Susan Owens.

President-elect Donald Trump is preparing an executive order to expel all transgender soldiers from the U.S. military, the British daily The Times reported on the 25th (local time), citing multiple U.S. Department of Defence sources.

According to the sources, the executive order could be announced on January 20th of next year, when President-elect Trump is inaugurated as president. According to the executive order being prepared, President-elect Trump plans to discharge active-duty transgender soldiers currently serving in the U.S. military if he deems them unfit for military service due to medical conditions or other reasons. Transgender people will also be banned from newly enlisting in the military.

President-elect Trump has fiercely criticized the so-called “woke” culture promoted by some high-ranking officers in the U.S. military, claiming that they are more interested in diversity than in the military’s combat power. Fox News host Pete Hegseth, who was nominated as the Secretary of Defence in Trump’s second term, also completely agrees with Trump’s position, criticizing the military’s support of transgender soldiers as an example of “trans madness” and insisting that “weak and feminine” leadership should be eradicated from the military.

In 2017, President-elect Trump issued an executive order similarly banning transgender people from serving in the military during his first term. Then-Democratic President Joe Biden signed an executive order allowing transgender people to serve in the military immediately after taking office, reversing this measure. Unlike his first term, when he only banned transgender people from enlisting and allowed transgender soldiers already serving to remain in the military, President-elect Trump plans to expel all transgender soldiers already serving from the military.

Accordingly, under a second Trump administration, transgender soldiers could lose their positions even if they have served for decades, according to sources in the Department of Defence. They also expressed concern that if the estimated 15,000 active-duty transgender soldiers are forced to leave the military, the shortage of troops in the U.S. military, which is already struggling to recruit, could worsen. “These people will be forced out of the military at a time when the military is already unable to recruit enough soldiers,” a source familiar with the matter said, adding that among the U.S. military branches, “only the Marine Corps is meeting its recruitment goals, and some of those affected by this policy are in very high-ranking positions.”

The Pentagon says it is difficult to calculate the exact number of transgender soldiers currently serving due to privacy restrictions, but U.S. civic groups and media outlets estimate that there are about 15,000. The Times reported that in 2021, when the Biden administration allowed transgender service again, about 2,200 soldiers were diagnosed with gender dysphoria (a condition in which they feel they were born as a gender other than their biological sex), and that at least several thousand more transgender soldiers are currently serving.

The Times reported that active-duty transgender service members and civic groups supporting diversity in the military opposed President-elect Trump’s plan to expel transgender soldiers, saying that the plan to expel more than 10,000 soldiers at once could harm the competitiveness of the U.S. military.

“Given that the military was 41,000 soldiers short of its recruiting goal last year, abruptly separating more than 15,000 soldiers would add administrative burden to combat units, undermine unit cohesion and exacerbate the skills gap,” said Rachel Brenneman, executive director of the Modern Soldier Association of America, a group that supports LGBTQ service members.

Paulo Batista, a transgender military analyst who serves in the Navy, said the ban means that transgender service members in the military “are in positions from the highest officers to the lowest ranks,” and that “if you kick one of us out, other people have to take over, and it could take months or years to fill those positions.”

A Northern Virginia family driving their RV to Luray Caverns took the Express Lane to avoid traffic on Route 66. They expected to be charged a toll but were surprised to find they were charged $550.

At first, they thought it was a mistake, but they contacted the authorities, who told them the toll was fair, and they vowed never to use the Express Lane in an RV again.

Signs at the entrance to the 66 Express read, “Higher Tolls for Larger Vehicles.” However, most people do not know how much more they are being charged.

The rates are divided into nine levels depending on the size of the vehicle, with small trucks or RV vans being charged three times more, large trucks or RV buses being charged four to six times more, and larger trailers being charged up to eight times more. In other words, if a regular passenger vehicle is charged $80, an RV bus is charged $320 to $480.

The Washington Korean Community Service Centre (Jin-ah Kim) will hold an ’emergency first aid experience training’ with the Howard County Fire and Rescue Team.

The training will be held for one hour from 11:00 AM on Saturday, the 16th at the James Roby Public Safety Training Centre in Marriottsville. The training will cover CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), how to deal with airway obstruction (choking due to foreign bodies), and how to use an AED (automated external defibrillator). Participants will learn the ability to confidently provide CPR assistance until the paramedics arrive in the event of sudden cardiac arrest.

The target audience is youth aged 12 years or older, and those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult guardian.

All participants on the day of the event will receive a certificate from KCSC, and a $10 gift certificate will also be given after a 10-minute vaccine training session. For inquiries, call (240) 780-2326hyberg@kcscgw.org

The area where apartment rents increased the most in the Washington metro area was Laurel, Maryland, followed by Oakton and Annandale, Virginia, which also saw large increases.

Local media outlet Annandale Today reported on the 30th that real estate information provider Redfin analysed apartment rent data for September in metro areas across the country and found this. According to the report, the area where apartment rents in the Washington metro area rose the most year-over-year was Laurel, Maryland, which jumped by a whopping 23.2%, followed by Oakton, Virginia (19.1%) and Annandale (18.8%).

According to Apartment.com, an apartment information site, the median rent in the Annandale area is $1,984 as of September, while the rent for a one-bedroom apartment at Vistas of Annandale went up from $1,948 last year to $2,048, and the rent for a one-bedroom apartment at Parliament Apartments jumped from $1,923 to $2,585.

In addition, the rent for a one-bedroom apartment at Fairmont Gardens is advertised as $1,452 per month for a 15-month contract, or $1,699 per month for a 12-month contract. Meanwhile, the Washington area showed the largest rent increase in the nation with a 12% increase in rent over the past year, followed by Virginia Beach (11.3%) and Baltimore (10.6%).

According to experts, the reason for the sharp increase in rents in the Washington metro area is believed to be a strong local economy, income growth, and rising housing prices.

A woman who was a former military doctor and currently works for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Manassas, Virginia, shot and killed her husband.

According to police, at around 2:29 p.m. on the 21st, a report was received that a man had been shot at a house in the 9200 block of Brinkley Lane in Manassas. When they responded, they found the man dead, and the suspect was arrested at the scene and taken to the county jail. The circumstances of the incident are currently under investigation.

The media outlet Potomac Local reported that according to a business networking site, the suspect is Latoya Crabbe (34), who served as an officer at a military base in Rockville, Maryland and has been working at the FDA since May of last year.

The New Jersey State Treasurer began the ANCHOR property tax relief program on the 10th of October. According to the state treasurer, more than 900,000 beneficiaries who chose to receive their payments by bank deposit have received their payments since that day. Also, about 100,000 beneficiaries who chose to receive their refunds by paper check have received their checks by mail.

The state treasurer said that the first payment was made and that these are taxpayers who received benefits last year and were automatically enrolled this year. The treasurer added that payments will continue to be made weekly going forward.

The Anchor Program is available to homeowners who

▲ reside in a New Jersey home as of October 1, 2021,

▲ pay property taxes in 2021, and ▲ have an annual income of less than $250,000 in 2021.

The rebate will be $1,500 for those with an annual income of less than $150,000 ($1,750 for those 65 or older) and $1,000 for those with an annual income of $150,000 to $250,000 ($1,250 for those 65 or older). Renters who are eligible are

▲ New Jersey residents

▲ resided in New Jersey as of October 1, 2020,

▲ tenants who pay legal rent

▲ have an income of less than $150,000 in 2021.

Renters who meet the requirements will receive $450 ($700 for those 65 or older). If you haven’t applied for a rebate yet, you can apply until November 30. You must have the ID number and PIN number, etc., included in the mail that provides instructions on how to apply for a new application delivered to each household, to apply.

If you do not know the information, you can receive the ID number and PIN number by going to the state government website (anchor.nj.gov) and going through the identity verification process through the ‘ID.me’ service.

Starting October 15, Medicare Advantage renewal period begins. During this time, you can compare your current plan with the plans announced by Sharo and, if necessary, switch to a better plan.

We spoke to John Kim Insurance, which has been handling Medicare insurance in Northern California for the past 20 years, about the major changes this year. There will be significant changes in 2025, both in the Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan (D-SNP) and in the prescription drug sector.

The scope of D-SNP (Medicare and Medi-Cal) benefits will be expanded, with a significantly increased monthly income limit of $1,752 for singles and $2,372 for couples, and no asset limit. Therefore, it will be a good opportunity for those who are burdened with Medicare Part B premiums.

The coverage gap, known as the donut hole, will be eliminated by setting a $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket expenses for beneficiaries, even if they are not Medi-Cal beneficiaries. In other words, once a beneficiary’s out-of-pocket expenses reach $2,000, the initial coverage phase will be over, and the beneficiary will reach a catastrophic level where they will not pay anything.

Currently, if you sign up for additional insurance such as Part C, there is no deductible or the initial coverage amount, which is equivalent to 25%, is significantly reduced. For example, there is no or very low copayment for Tier 1 and Tier 2 prescription drugs. Also, starting in 2025, Part D insurers must offer all enrolees the option to pay their share of the cost (including deductible, copayment, and copayment) in monthly instalments over the plan year, rather than paying the full amount at the time of service (e.g., at the pharmacy).

This program is available to all enrolees, but it may be more beneficial for those who have a high out-of-pocket cost early in the plan year. Since Medicare insurance, including Medicare Advantage Insurance, offers a variety of options depending on each enrolee’s situation, it is important to discuss it directly with your agent, said John Kim.

Mayor Adams of New York City and other Korean American mainstream society leaders gathered to promote the excellence of Korean culture to mainstream American society and once again show off the power and status of Korean Americans.

The ’40th Korean Parade’, which was suspended for four years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and held again after five years, was held splendidly on the 5th, filling the section from 38th to 27th Streets on America Avenue (6th Avenue) in Manhattan with the largest wave of Koreans ever in the clear autumn weather.

Hosted by the New York Korean Association and organized by the New York Hankook Ilbo, the parade, which started at noon that day, featured 18 colourful floats reminiscent of autumn foliage and the spirited music of a percussion band, while around 200 participating teams from various sectors of the Korean community, including local Korean associations, economic organizations, cultural and artistic organizations, veterans’ groups, sports organizations, and Korean schools, created a spectacular show for about two hours.

In particular, the participation of many leaders in mainstream Korean-American society, including New York City Mayor Eric Adams as the grand marshal, Federal Representatives Grace Meng and Tom Suozzi, New York State Representatives Ron Kim, Grace Lee, and Edward Brunstein, New York City Council Members Linda Lee, Julie Warn, and Keith Powers, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levin, Palisades Park City Council Member Jason Kim, and Fort Lee City Council Member Peter Suh, fully demonstrated the elevated status of the Korean community.

On this day particularly, the Korean Parade featured a flower float submitted by the Seoul Economic Promotion Agency under the Seoul Metropolitan Government, as well as invited Korean traditional culture and art performance teams, which performed the quintessence of traditional culture such as Jindo Bukchum, Hallyangmu, Buchaechum, Jangguchum, and 12-step Sangmodolligi, receiving praise from New Yorkers lining the street. In addition, dance performances, K-pop performances, Korean traditional dance, children’s choir performances, and taekwondo demonstrations were held throughout the parade, livening up the audience.

On this day, tens of thousands of New Yorkers, including Koreans, whites, Hispanics, Asians, and blacks, flocked to the Avenue of the Americas to cheer, showing that the Korean Parade has firmly established itself as a festival symbolizing New York, encompassing all multi-ethnic communities beyond the Korean community.

The first public opinion poll conducted a little over a year before the Virginia gubernatorial election predicts a close race, with the Democratic and Republican candidates tied 39 to 39. According to a survey of 1,000 Virginia adults conducted by the University of Mary Washington (UMW) Center for Leadership and Media Studies from the 3rd to the 9th, Republican Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, who is running for governor, was tied at 39%, followed by Democratic Representative Abigail Spanberger at 39%. The remaining 22% said they had not yet decided on a candidate to support.

Democratic candidate Spanberger has represented Virginia’s 7th District in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2019 but has given up on seeking re-election this year to focus on the gubernatorial election next year.

On the Republican side, Virginia’s first black female lieutenant governor, Earl-Sears, was the first to register as a candidate and begin her campaign earlier this month, but Attorney General Jason Miyares is also being mentioned as another candidate. Therefore, this poll also looked at it as a two-way race between Democrat Spanberger and Republican Miyares, and the Democrats are narrowly ahead, 40 to 39. Minister Miyares has not yet announced her intention to run, and Gov.

Glenn Youngkin cannot run again due to term limits in Virginia. Meanwhile, many Virginians responded that Democratic President Joe Biden’s state administration is going in the wrong direction, with 37% approving and 53% disapproving, but they gave Gov. Youngkin a better evaluation than the federal government, with 46% approving and 34% disapproving.

The UMW poll predicted, “The Virginia election, which will be held following the presidential election, will be influenced by the presidential election results, but regardless, it is expected to be a very interesting election.” “Since it was a close race that was often mentioned as a swing state, the gubernatorial election next year will also be a hot topic with the emergence of potential candidates who have not yet been revealed.”