646jili com BLOOMINGTON — The two largest school districts in McLean County are exploring a 1% sales tax to help pay for needed building projects and potentially reduce property tax burdens, officials said. The plan, which could put the question before voters as soon as the April election, surfaced as school boards for McLean County Unit 5 and Bloomington District 87 discussed preliminary tax levies for the coming fiscal year during separate meetings Wednesday night. While both districts' proposals call for lower tax rates, officials acknowledged many people will face higher property tax bills because of the rising value of their homes. District 87 Superintendent David Mouser said the County Schools Facility Occupation Tax would add a small percentage on every sale in the county to help fund school districts for facilities, mental health resources for students and safety and security. Mouser That is "a 1% tax that is then put on prepared food, tangible personal items (and) retail items. It includes online purchases, now, that it did not in the past," he said. However, the tax would not affect groceries, unprepared food, over-the-counter medication and most farm equipment. That question, if approved by the school districts housing the majority of students in McLean County, would be put to voters in the upcoming April election. For Unit 5, the resolution must come before the board during its December meeting or during a special meeting in early January to appear on the April ballot. Mouser told the school board Wednesday, a large portion of the money spent in McLean County, upwards of 40%, "is spent by folks that do not live in McLean County that can thereby offset the cost for facilities, safety, security and mental health services for our students." As property values and property taxes increase for county residents, such a tax could alleviate the pressure on county residents, Mouser said. "The other thing that you can do with the 1% sales tax, the County Facility Sales Tax, is you can abate property taxes," Mouser said. Unit 5, meanwhile, is evaluating the sales tax as a possible revenue stream to cover more than $70 million in infrastructure and maintenance projects over the next 15 years. In September, district officials gave a presentation on the current infrastructure needs of district facilities. Over the next five years, the district estimated more than $50 million in work to the schools' roofs, running tracks, fire alarm systems, geothermal systems, heating equipment, cooling towers and chillers. Another $13.6 million in projects is anticipated between 2030 and 2034, and another $7.8 million is estimated between 2035 and 2039. One of the most urgent projects is a $10 million roof replacement at Chiddix Junior High that must be completed this summer. If approved, the tax is estimated to generate between $16 million and $20 million annually for Unit 5, officials said. McLean County would allocate the sales tax revenue to the Regional Office of Education, which would distribute the funds across each school district in the county based on enrollment. The sales tax was one of several funding mechanisms the board discussed on Wednesday. Other options could be grant funding or the issuance of building or working cash bonds. Board member Amy Roser said since the district doesn't have $50 million, it should be mindful of consequences of any revenue source. Roser "If it doesn't come from (the sales tax) where we can take every dollar that we get and put it directly to a project, it's going to have to come from one of those other sources, and a majority of those other sources have interest involved," Roser said. Cooperative resolution For a referendum to be included on the April ballot, Unit 5 and enough school districts to represent a majority of the total enrollment of McLean County would have to pass a resolution, said Mark Jontry, regional superintendent for the Regional Office of Education 17. His office oversees the school districts in Livingston, Logan, DeWitt and McLean counties. "The way the statute reads, school boards that represent 50.1%, or the majority, of K-12 students residing in the county can pass a board resolution," he told The Pantagraph on Thursday. That resolution would then go to his office where they would prepare the ballot's language, Jontry said. "Once I verify that enough boards have passed it ... then I file the ballot initiative with the clerk and the Bloomington Election Commission for the consolidated April election," he said. Jontry said, because Unit 5 has more than 50.1% of total student population of McLean County, its Board of Education needs to pass the resolution for the tax question to have a chance in April. According the Illinois Department of Revenue, any funding received through this tax "is to be used exclusively for 'school facility purposes' in that county as defined in the County School Facility Occupation Tax Law." The statute was "subsequently amended almost 10 years ago with a slight expansion to include ... safety and security as well as mental health services," Jontry said, noting this includes school resource officers, school psychologists and school social workers. "The language in the ballot question actually specifically denotes those areas," he said. Based on the Department of Revenue's figures for sales within McLean County, $29-30 million would be divided amongst school districts countywide, Jontry said. "It would have a significant impact on their ability to maintain their facilities. ... I have two other counties that currently have (the tax) — Livingston and Logan — they have realized a lot of benefit to maintain their facilities without having to touch their (Operations and Maintenance funds)," Jontry said. Asking less, but receiving more For the past several years, property values in the county have increased because of multiple reasons, including companies like Rivian Automotive and Ferrero establishing long-term homes in the Twin Cities. District leaders said they hope the sales tax can help to offset the increased property values. "Your homes are worth more," said Michael Cornale, District 87's chief facilities and financial officer. "And we are asking less by (tax) rate of you all. It may not end up being less dollars, but we are asking less rate." For the 2025-26 school year, Cornale advised the board to approve a tax levy that would generate between $52 and $56 million, keeping the property tax rate for homeowners in the district below 5.1%. Michael Cornale, chief financial and facilities officer for Bloomington District 87, delivers a presentation on the 2025-2026 tax levy at the regular board meeting on Nov. 20, 2024. School districts have no influence on the equalized assessed value (EAV) of properties in their townships, Cornale said. That belongs to township officials. The Bloomington Township Tax Assessor is projecting an increase of 8.95% in EAV, but, because of potential assessment challenges from property owners, Cornale said he conservatively estimates that number closer to 7.75%. "Here's the truth: if (property owners') home value were to stay the same as it did from the year prior, they would see relief," Cornale said. "I'm not ... necessarily sure that everybody will see the same home value." According to Cornale's calculations, if the value of property were to remain stagnant, the owner of a $225,000 home would pay $52.72 less than they had the previous year. But the value is estimated to increase. But if that same property owner experienced EAV growth of 8.95%, they could pay about $290 more than they did the previous year. "The EAV is a component that you all (the school board), we all (administration) have no ability to change. There is nothing we can do in this room to change what that EAV is," Cornale said. "That comes from our township assessor. He gives me that number to start working from. So that number is set in stone, and then we work backwards." Before the start of every fiscal year, the county's school districts use a calculated assessed value tax rate from the county and township assessors to determine a requested amount of funds from taxpayers, Cornale said. "When I levy, I levy for dollars ... because we ultimately don't know what that certified EAV will be," he said. In the interest of fiscal responsibility, Cornale said he uses a conservative estimate of that rate to calculate the levy he provides to the county. "We're going to do our part as a community member to give some relief as we can. I think it's a fiscally responsible thing to do," he said. Unit 5 estimated a $163.4 million property tax levy, a roughly 9.2% increase over the 2023 tax year. As a result, a truth in taxation hearing must be held before the levy can be approved. However, the district is estimating a tax rate reduction from $5.29 per $100 of assessed value to $5.07 per $100. The owner of a $225,000 home who experienced a 10.63% increase in value in 2024 would see a $239 increase to Unit 5's portion of their property tax bill. Unit 5 Chief Financial Officer Marty Hickman said this will be the first year the district will take advantage of the increased tax rate for its education fund that was approved by referendum in 2023 . Hickman As a result, the levy for the education fund increased from $76.3 million in 2023 to about $109 million in 2024. The district also saw a significant reduction to its levy for debt service after paying off building bonds. The levy amount for debt service dropped from roughly $37 million to about $13.6 million. Local officials from the community and college as well as with the company joined together Thursday at Country Financial headquarters, 1701 Towanda Avenue, in Bloomington, to announce the mile-long trail project which will be called the Country Financial Trail at Heartland and extend the Constitution Trail. Photo Credit: Artazum / Shutterstock Despite many economic experts’ worst fears early in the COVID-19 pandemic, state and local government budgets have proven resilient over the last two years. With much of the economy shut down or hobbled as a result of the pandemic, forecasters initially worried that states and localities would collect substantially lower amounts of sales and income tax and face major budget shortfalls as a result. But behind falling unemployment, rising wages, and strong consumer spending, income and sales taxes have produced stronger-than-expected revenues since the initial shock of the pandemic. One factor that has helped protect state and especially local revenues over this period is property taxes, which are taxes levied on real property like land and buildings or certain forms of personal property. Property taxes tend to be more stable over time because property values are less susceptible to economic volatility than income and sales tax. Depending on when taxes are assessed, it could take years for any significant changes in property values to become apparent in a government’s tax collections. This certainly helped keep property tax revenues steady during the pandemic—and for some communities, collections could potentially grow in coming years due to the skyrocketing values of residential real estate. Property taxes’ stability could help continue to protect state and local budgets if the U.S. is headed toward a recession in the near future. Property tax collections represent 16.6% of state and local general tax revenues, which makes it the largest form of “ own-source ” revenue generated by states and localities, ahead of individual income (12.9%) and general sales taxes (12.5%). And among all revenue sources, property tax trails only intergovernmental funds (22%), which comprises funds transferred from one government to another (most frequently federal to state or local) through grants, loans, and other agreements. However, the overall mix of state and local revenue sources looks different across the U.S. Each state and local government offers a unique collection of revenue sources that weights income, sales, property, and other taxes differently. For example, nine states have no state income tax , while five have no state sales tax. Others have caps on property tax rates or restrictions around how property valuations are conducted that limit the amount of revenue from property taxes . This means that individuals’ specific tax burdens will look different depending on what state and local tax laws are in place where they live. Property tax collections across the states show these differences in action. At the low end, only 6.9% of general tax revenue collected in Alabama comes from property tax, while at the high end, property tax is 36.5% of general tax revenue in New Hampshire. New Hampshire stands out in part because the state has neither an income nor a sales tax, so many services are funded at the local level through property taxes. Many of the other locations highly dependent on property taxes are nearby Northeastern states including New Jersey, Maine, and Connecticut. The data used in this analysis is from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances . To determine the states that collect the most property tax revenue, researchers at Porch calculated property tax revenue as a share of total general tax revenue. In the event of a tie, the state with the greater annual property tax revenue per capita was ranked higher. Here are the states that collect the most property tax revenue. Photo Credit: Mihai_Andritoiu / Shutterstock Photo Credit: John S. Quinn / Shutterstock Photo Credit: Henryk Sadura / Shutterstock Photo Credit: Jacob Boomsma / Shutterstock Photo Credit: Ingus Kruklitis / Shutterstock Photo Credit: Shawn Dorsey / Shutterstock Photo Credit: Christian Delbert / Shutterstock Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock Photo Credit: f11photo / Shutterstock Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock Photo Credit: nektofadeev / Shutterstock Photo Credit: f11photo / Shutterstock Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock Photo Credit: RaulCano / Shutterstock Contact D. Jack Alkire at (309)820-3275. Twitter: @d_jack_alkire Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. General Assignment Reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Government Reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.TOKYO (AP) — Troops surround South Korea's parliament overnight when the president declares martial law. He accuses pro-North Korean forces of plotting to overthrow one of the world’s most vibrant democracies. Lawmakers voice outrage and vote to end the declaration, and the president lifts the decree before daybreak. President Yoon Suk Yeol spread fear and confusion through South Korea overnight by issuing his sudden edict late Tuesday, the first martial law declaration since more than four decades ago when the country was controlled by a dictatorship. The declaration, the rushed vote by lawmakers to overturn it and the president's lifting of martial law soon afterward were moments of high drama for an unpopular leader who has struggled with political deadlock in an opposition-dominated parliament and scandals involving him and his wife. While there was no direct evidence presented, Yoon raised the specter of North Korea as a destabilizing force. Yoon has long maintained that a hard line against the North is the only way to stop Pyongyang from following through on its nuclear threats against Seoul. Amid the surreal scenes of troops massing around parliament, here are some things to know as this story unfolds: Immediately after Yoon's declaration the military chief called in key commanders for talks. South Korean troops set up barricades and then made their way into parliament. The leader of the main opposition, which controls parliament, ordered lawmakers to return to the building, where they eventually voted to lift the declaration of martial law. Yoon lifted the martial law decree around 4:30 a.m. during a Cabinet meeting. Yoon's declaration had been accompanied by an accusation that the opposition was engaged in “anti-state activities plotting rebellion.” But he did not explain what that means, and provided no specific evidence. The vague statement is reminiscent of the heavy-handed tactics of the South Korean dictatorships that ended in the late 1980s. A series of strongmen repeatedly invoked North Korea when struggling to control domestic dissidents and political opponents. The opposition lambasted Yoon's move as un-democratic. Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, who narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 presidential election, called Yoon’s announcement “illegal and unconstitutional.” But the sudden declaration was also opposed by the leader of Yoon's own conservative party, Han Dong-hoon, who called the decision “wrong” and vowed to “stop it with the people.” “The people will block the president’s anti-constitutional step. The military must be on the side of the public in any case. Let’s resolutely oppose it,” Kim Dong Yeon, the opposition party governor of Gyeonggi province, which surrounds Seoul, wrote on X. Average South Koreans were in shock. Social media was flooded with messages expressing surprise and worry over Yoon’s announcement. “Martial law? I thought it was deepfake content, but is it really a martial law decree?,” one X user wrote. “I first thought about a war with North Korea when he said he would impose a martial law,” another X user wrote. There were quick claims that the emergency declaration was linked to Yoon’s political struggles. His approval rating has dropped, and he has had little success in getting his policies adopted by a parliament that has been controlled by the opposition since he took over in 2022. Conservatives have said the opposition moves are political revenge for investigations into the opposition leader, who is seen as the favorite for the next presidential election in 2027. Just this month, Yoon denied wrongdoing in an influence-peddling scandal involving him and his wife. The claims have battered his approval ratings and fueled attacks by his rivals. The scandal centers on claims that Yoon and first lady Kim Keon Hee exerted inappropriate influence on the conservative ruling People Power Party to pick a certain candidate to run for a parliamentary by-election in 2022 at the request of Myung Tae-kyun, an election broker and founder of a polling agency who conducted free opinion surveys for Yoon before he became president . Yoon has said he did nothing inappropriate. South Korea became a democracy only in the late 1980s, and military intervention in civilian affairs is still a touchy subject. During the dictatorships that emerged as the country rebuilt from the destruction of the 1950-53 Korean War, leaders occasionally proclaimed martial law that allowed them to station combat soldiers, tanks and armored vehicles on streets or in public places to prevent anti-government demonstrations. Such scenes are unimaginable for many today. The dictator Park Chung-hee, who ruled South Korea for nearly 20 years before he was assassinated by his spy chief in 1979, led several thousand troops into Seoul in the early hours of May 16, 1961, in the country’s first successful coup. During his rule, he occasionally proclaimed martial law to crack down on protests and jail critics. Less than two months after Park Chung-hee’s death, Maj. Gen. Chun Doo-hwan led tanks and troops into Seoul in December 1979 in the country’s second successful coup. The next year, he orchestrated a brutal military crackdown on a pro-democracy uprising in the southern city of Gwangju, killing at least 200 people. In the summer of 1987, massive street protests forced Chun’s government to accept direct presidential elections. His army buddy Roh Tae-woo, who had joined Chun’s 1979 coup, won the election held later in 1987 thanks largely to divided votes among liberal opposition candidates. AP writers Kim Tong-hyung and Hyung-jin Kim contributed to this story.

Jacqueline N. Hernandez Kicks Off Book Signing Tour For 'Entrepreneurial Empire - Master The Leap: From Hustling Dreams To Empire Realities.'Inside the Gaetz ethics report, a trove of new details alleging payments for sex and drug use

A new report says Canada needs to rethink its approach to health care to help manage rising costs as people age. CSA Group, an organization that helps policymakers develop standards around health and safety, says health care currently costs about $12,000 per year for each person 65 years and older, compared to $2,700 for each person younger than 65. Today’s report says seniors make up about 18 per cent of Canada’s population but account for about 45 per cent of health-care spending by provincial and territorial governments. The group projects costs will continue to increase significantly, with seniors making up 22 per cent of the Canadian population by 2040. Jordann Thirgood, manager of CSA Group’s public policy centre, says that will coincide with more retirees and therefore less income tax revenue to pay for health costs. Thirgood says governments need to put more resources into illness prevention, including addressing factors such as housing, mental health and loneliness, which affect people’s overall health as they age. “The Canadian health-care system is often described as a ‘sickness treatment’ or ‘illness treatment’ system, (where) our public health-care system is primarily focused on doctors and hospitals,” she said in an interview Tuesday. That means “less focus on preventive care, wellness, and increasingly urgent needs in uninsured areas such as mental health,” says the report, which is called Aging Canada 2040: Policy Implications of Demographic Change. Thirgood said focusing on social determinants of health and addressing people’s health needs over the course of their lives to help them age well is critical to reducing illness and the associated health-care costs. She said that can have a big impact on improving people’s overall health as they age. ”There’s strong evidence that correlates social isolation and loneliness with serious health risk,” Thirgood said. “Research shows that (it) is similar to or even exceeding risks such as smoking, obesity and physical inactivity.” Homelessness is another factor that puts people at higher risk of chronic illness, she said — and many seniors are affected. ”We are increasingly seeing older adults that are unhoused as a result of increasing cost (and) financial insecurity,” Thirgood said. “Given ... the context of the housing crisis, I think we can imagine that that’s going to remain an urgent issue for the years to come.”

G7 foreign ministers push for Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire in final G7 of Biden administrationS.Sudan's Kiir holds urgent talks over shootout at ex-spy chief's homeThe large mysterious drones reported flying over parts of New Jersey in recent weeks appear to avoid detection by traditional methods, like helicopters and radio, according to a state lawmaker briefed Wednesday by the Department of Homeland Security. In a post on the social media platform X, Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia described the drones as up to 6 feet in diameter and sometimes traveling with their lights switched off. The Morris County Republican was among several state and local lawmakers who met with state police and Homeland Security officials to discuss the spate of sightings that range from the New York City area through New Jersey, westward into parts of Pennsylvania, including over Philadelphia. The devices do not appear to be being flown by hobbyists, Fantasia wrote. Dozens of mysterious nighttime flights started last month and have raised growing concern among residents and officials. Part of the worry stems from the flying objects initially being spotted near the Picatinny Arsenal, a U.S. military research and manufacturing facility; and over President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster. Drones are legal in New Jersey for recreational and commercial use, but they are subject to local and Federal Aviation Administration regulations and flight restrictions. Operators must be FAA certified. Most, but not all, of the drones spotted in New Jersey were larger than those typically used by hobbyists. The number of sightings has increased in recent days, though officials say many of the objects seen may have been planes rather than drones. It’s also possible that a single drone has been reported more than once. Gov. Phil Murphy and law enforcement officials have stressed that the drones don’t appear to threaten public safety. The FBI has been investigating and has asked residents to share any videos, photos or other information they may have. Two Republican Jersey Shore-area congressmen, U.S. Reps. Chris Smith and Jeff Van Drew, have called on the military to shoot down the drones. However, Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told reporters Wednesday that “our initial assessment here is that these are not drones or activities coming from a foreign entity or adversary.” Many municipal lawmakers have called for more restrictions on who is entitled to fly the unmanned devices. At least one state lawmaker proposed a temporary ban on drone flights in the state. “This is something we’re taking deadly seriously. I don’t blame people for being frustrated,” Murphy said earlier this week. A spokesman for the Democratic governor said he did not attend Wednesday’s meeting. Republican Assemblyman Erik Peterson, whose district includes parts of the state where the drones have been reported, said he also attended Wednesday’s meeting at a state police facility in West Trenton. The session lasted for about 90 minutes. Peterson said DHS officials were generous with their time, but appeared dismissive of some concerns, saying not all the sightings reported have been confirmed to involve drones. So who or what is behind the flying objects? Where are they coming from? What are they doing? “My understanding is they have no clue,” Peterson said. A message seeking comment was left with the Department of Homeland Security. Most of the drones have been spotted along coastal areas and some were recently reported flying over a large reservoir in Clinton. Sightings also have been reported in neighboring states. James Edwards, of Succasunna, New Jersey, said he has seen a few drones flying over his neighborhood since last month. “It raises concern mainly because there’s so much that’s unknown,” Edwards said Wednesday. “There are lots of people spouting off about various conspiracies that they believe are in play here, but that only adds fuel to the fire unnecessarily. We need to wait and see what is really happening here, not let fear of the unknown overtake us.”

GRAIL Announces Inducement Grants Under NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635(c)(4)

Sen. Mitch McConnell said Thursday he will lead a subcommittee overseeing defense spending as he carves out new roles once he relinquishes his long-running post as Senate Republican leader. The Kentucky Republican revealed he will assume the chairmanship of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. The role dovetails with his constant message that America needs a bulked-up military to deter threats from adversaries such as Russia, Iran and China. The transition comes as McConnell is ending his role as the longest-serving Senate leader in history, just as Republicans prepare to take majority control of the chamber after big gains in this month's election. Republicans elected South Dakota Sen. John Thune , a top deputy to McConnell, as the next Senate majority leader. McConnell, 82, said Thursday he will assume the subcommittee chairmanship at a critical time. “America’s national security interests face the gravest array of threats since the Second World War," the senator said in a statement. “At this critical moment, a new Senate Republican majority has a responsibility to secure the future of U.S. leadership and primacy.” McConnell frequently evokes Ronald Reagan’s mantra of “peace through strength” when discussing foreign policy risks and how the U.S. should respond. McConnell's stance could clash with President-elect Donald Trump’s “America First” doctrine on foreign affairs. McConnell worked with Trump on a tax cuts package and the appointment of conservative judges — including three justices to the nine-member Supreme Court — during Trump's first term as president. Fighting back against isolationism within his own party, McConnell has championed sending weapons and other aid to Ukraine as it fends off Russia’s invasion. McConnell said Thursday he's also set to become chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, which is often a more low-key panel at the center of big issues, both at the Capitol and in the country. The committee oversees the administration of the Senate side of the building, including during inaugurations. But it also puts McConnnell at the center of weighty topics, namely federal elections and voting rights as well as the procedures of the Senate, including the debate around the filibuster. McConnell said the committee will have important work in the coming two years. “Defending the Senate as an institution and protecting the right to political speech in our elections remain among my longest-standing priorities,” he said. There had been considerable speculation about what roles McConnell would take after stepping down as Republican leader. He has two years left in his current Senate term and has not signaled whether he will run for reelection in Kentucky in 2026. McConnell has been a prolific appropriator for the Bluegrass State, a role he’s well positioned to continue.Trump's hush money dismissal motion invokes Hunter Biden pardon

MIT Unveils Revolutionary AI Tech for Predicting Flood Impact in Houston Using Satellite Wizardry

Penn condemns professor’s support for alumnus charged with killing CEO - The Daily Pennsylvanian

Teenager dies after 'falling from motorbike'President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers urge judge to toss his hush money convictionFG, Brazil sign pact to boost agribusiness

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — Alex Ovechkin has not missed many games during his two decades in the NHL with the Washington Capitals, and that remarkable durability is one reason why he is fast-approaching Wayne Gretzky's career goals record. The Capitals had lost 33 of their 59 games without Ovechkin in the lineup during his first 19 seasons, including 23 of 36 over the past decade. In stark contrast to that, they've won six of nine since the 39-year-old captain was sidelined by a broken left fibula — a testament to a roster built not only to help him break the record but prepare the organization for the post-Ovechkin era. “Ovi, he’s a legend, he’s special, he’s always going to probably lead the team in goals and we’re a better team with him, but we’re also a team where I think we’re not necessarily maybe relying on one or two players to win games,” said center Lars Eller, who rejoined the team in a trade from Pittsburgh a month ago. “We have four pretty strong lines, three D pairs and two good goalies. We don’t depend on one or two individuals, and I think that’s the strength of the team.” Depth fortified by the additions of centers Dylan Strome , Pierre-Luc Dubois and Eller, wingers Andrew Mangiapane , Brandon Duhaime and Taylor Raddysh, defensemen Jakob Chychrun, Matt Roy and Rasmus Sandin and goaltenders Charlie Lindgren and Logan Thompson over the past few years has been the key to remaining a playoff contender. Longtime general manager Brian MacLellan, who after the most recent makeover this past summer handed day-to-day duties to Chris Patrick and moved upstairs as president of hockey operations, excelled in keeping Washington's winning window open with Ovechkin in the second-to-last year of his contract. Veteran defenseman John Carlson said the infusion of talent “really lit a fire under everybody.” The Capitals led the Eastern Conference when Ovechkin got injured Nov. 18, and they remain atop the East more than three weeks into his absence. Fourteen players have scored a goal during this stretch, including six wins and an overtime defeat since losing the first two without him. “We’re a deep group,” said right winger Tom Wilson, the team's leading scorer during this stretch with nine points on five goals and four assists who expects to continue playing with a shield protecting his face after breaking a small bone in the sinus cavity area on the left side. "Everybody’s kind of stepping up on any given night. It’s a real group effort, and I think guys are really playing for each other.” Carlson, who along with Ovechkin, Wilson and now Eller upon return are the only players left from Washington's 2018 Stanley Cup championship team, also sees it as a case of younger teammates taking advantage of this chance. “There’s the colossal emptiness of it, but there’s also a lot of opportunity for guys who would never otherwise be there when he’s on this team,” Carlson said. “When someone goes down, it’s obviously always kind of a rallying thing where guys need to step up, guys need to fill in and play bigger roles and play more minutes. But I think the way that our team’s built is depth, and that’s been our strength this year is kind of contributions from everybody.” Ovechkin led all players with 15 goals when he went down, and the Capitals were the high-scoring team in the league at 4.33 goals a game. They still are, down just a tick to an average of 4.04, and their 16 goals from defensemen are a big reason for that after ranking second-last in blue line production last season. “We’re playing to our structure and doing what we want to do out there,” said Chychrun, who has eight points in nine games as part of an impressive start to his contract year. “We’ve got a D corps where everybody’s a really good player on that back end and can play in all situations and two-way guys and guys who have contributed offensively throughout their career.” Another major defense is second-year coach Spencer Carbery , who acknowledged the structure and playing standard as a good place to start but pointed the credit to veteran leaders like Carlson, Strome, Wilson and Nic Dowd for shepherding the Capitals through Ovechkin-less hockey. “They don’t go around the room and go, ‘Hey, we’ve got to do more, guys,’” Carbery said. “They don’t announce it, but what they do is they think about it and go: ‘OK, we’re missing him. I’ve got to step my game up and I need to bring more.’ And that’s not just on the ice, on the power play, on 5 on 6 when we’re defending a lead. It’s not just the Xs and Os. It’s in the locker room. It’s energy in practice. It’s all the things that he brings every day when he’s in the lineup and when he’s practicing.” Ovechkin skated before practice Wednesday and got an assist from longtime running mate Nicklas Backstrom, who stepped away 13 months ago because of a lingering hip injury. Carlson quipped, “I think Ovi wanted someone with a little more skill passing him the rock out there.” The day is coming soon when Ovechkin returns to team drills and then game action. The Capitals are doing more than stay afloat without him, but they'll welcome him back with open arms the moment he's ready. As Eller said, “Obviously I think we’re even better when he’s in the lineup.” ___ AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press

AP Trending SummaryBrief at 4:53 p.m. ESTAs one of the world's premier superstar athletes, LeBron James often finds himself on the receiving end of criticism over his views on basketball, life, and the world of politics. MMA star Colby Covington became the most recent public figure to call him out and even went viral for calling James a "f***ing scumbag." “I wanna ask LeBron, what does he mean by ‘There’s no party like a Diddy party’? Not only that, but I wanna ask how many Diddy parties he's been to," said Covington on media day . "LeBron you’re a f***ing scumbag and I hope you get locked up in the same cell with Diddy." LeBron James has managed to avoid any serious controversies after 21 years in the NBA but his political views often incite anger in some of his biggest critics -- even if it wasn't meant to be controversial. In the case of Colby Covington, he's been a longtime hater of LeBron James and has gone to great lengths to try and smear his legacy. In the past, Colby has called LeBron a coward, a communist, and even a " Chinese finger puppet ." He's been vocal about his hatred for the King and about how he uses tricks to enhance his reputation. In this latest quote, Colby is seemingly exposing LeBron for his apparent (and unconfirmed) connection to Diddy, who was recently arrested on sex trafficking charges. Diddy's infamous parties have become legendary in the community and anyone associated with them has been branded as partially complicit in his behavior. LeBron doesn't have any personal connection to Diddy but he may have admitted to going to one of his parties in a resurfaced video that has gone viral online. Seemingly, many stars have attended the "Diddy" parties over the years, which may or may not have included illegal sex acts. If James were ever caught participating in something like that, his entire reputation would essentially be shot and the image he's worked so hard to build over the past 20 years will almost immediately be washed away. Fortunately for James, that comment is the only connection he has to Diddy but it's still enough for some (like Colby Covington) to use it against LeBron's legacy. As arguably LeBron's biggest hater, this won't be the last we hear from Covington on this subject but he shouldn't expect to get any response from LeBron. At this stage of his career, James has accomplished far too much to let one man's petty hatred get under his skin. Instead, this season, LeBron is keeping his head down and taking care of business one game at a time. For those he can't win over with his superior work ethic, he'll win over with his sheer dominance on the court. But James doesn't really care either way because the only validation he needs is from himself. With averages of 23.0 points, 9.1 assists, and 8.0 rebounds per game this season, LeBron is defying Father Time with every game and he's setting a new standard for individual greatness in the modern era. In the meantime, he's also giving back to his community, supporting his family by helping them achieve their dreams and growing his empire in business and entertainment. At this point, it's no wonder why LeBron is unphased by all the hate and why he lets people like Colby Covington go off on his name with no response. This article first appeared on Fadeaway World and was syndicated with permission.

Investigation closed on Jason Kelce's phone incident at Penn StateFall is the best time to think about cooking soup. Here’s 5 recipes you’ll want to try