Community housing group in Southgate talks in regional forum

Mind the Gap: Six Tips to Assess Your Healthcare Coverage Before the New YearIn a landmark decision, the Chamber of Deputies of , has passed new legislation aimed at online gambling and minimizing its on minors. Up until this point, San Juan was one of the in the country that did not have any specific regulations related to online gambling, leading to rising addiction rates. The legislation responds to growing concerns over the of online gaming operations and their impact on the region’s youth. It combines elements from three draft bills, uniting efforts to establish a for the promotion, awareness, and prevention of gambling addiction among children and youth with to govern online gambling. These new regulations provide tools to authorities to combat operations and address effectively. San Juan will also launch a Provincial Program to about the dangers of gambling addiction, with a special focus on the need to safeguard where gambling harm can quickly spread. Deputy pointed out alarming statistics, showing of those aged between 18-24 admitted to engaging in online gambling. of regular players spend three or more hours daily on gambling platforms, while a of young players were spending money set aside for necessities, pooled resources with friends, or even sold personal belongings to finance their gambling. Local government representatives warned of the risks associated with the of online gambling, fueled by the expansion of technology and easy internet access. They noted how online betting sites remained freely available to San Juan youths, generating an . Many such operators lack adequate player protection safeguards, exacerbating the issue. The law also aims to reframe toward gambling by promoting healthier forms of entertainment and emphasizing the role of in preventing addiction. Lawmakers encouraged families, schools, and other organizations to in educating and guiding the youth away from such adverse behaviors. This legislation represents a for San Juan in addressing a . However, other similar jurisdictions have demonstrated that a is only useful with proper enforcement. It will be up to the region’s government to ensure operators comply with these new guidelines and help curb rising gambling harm rates.

Black Friday shopping certainly looks different now than it did in the past. There’s no more waiting in lines in the middle of the night to save some money. Now, AI tools are available at your fingertips to help you with your holiday shopping. Technology is making shopping for deals even easier, and many times you don't even have to leave your couch. "It is kind of sad I do miss the old getting up at 4:00 in the morning and standing in line,” said shopper Jennifer Turner. “There was just kind of something fun about that." Black Friday may have fewer lines and less chaos than it used to, but now there's technology to help you save time and money on your shopping. "They can get all the stuff they need days in advance, not to worry about those, Black Friday crowds anymore,” said Walmart regional manager Matt Goans. “They can order it the same day and have it delivered same day or within the next day. It's that convenient now." AI is making it even easier to do your holiday shopping this year. With Google Lens, you can scan any product you're looking at in the store and it will bring up a list of how much the item costs at other stores. It makes it easy to compare prices quickly on your phone before you buy. The vice president for Google Shopping told Good Morning America the number one thing people think about when shopping during the holidays is the price. Google Lens lets shoppers know about the best time and place to buy. All you need is the Google app to utilize the feature. I put it to the test at Walmart this week. I scanned a "Moana 2" toy with Google Lens. It instantly brought up the same toy and its prices at Walmart, the Disney store, Amazon and Target. The holidays are full of joy, but of course, it can also come with some stress, like when it comes to deciding what gifts to get for everyone on your list. Walmart now has AI tools to help with that, too. "If you're looking for that gift, for that certain someone, you can use the Walmart app, and there's an AI-generated search tool you can use,” Goans said. “So if you're looking for like your grandkids or your kids or your aunt or uncle, you're not sure what to get them, a compiled list available on Walmart app to look at what those popular gifts may be." Walmart said its new AI features are transforming the holiday shopping experience. This year you can spend more time with your loved ones, and less time searching for deals, so you don't waste your money. "Don't Waste Your Money" is a registered trademark of Scripps Media, Inc. ("Scripps"). Follow John: Follow Taylor: For more consumer news and money saving advice, go to www.dontwasteyourmoney.comFrom Maui to the Caribbean, Thanksgiving tournaments a beloved part of college basketball

CorVel Announces Three-For-One Forward Stock Split and Authorized Share Increase

NoneThe US says it pushed retraction of a famine warning for north Gaza. Aid groups express concern.

Stock indexes closed mixed on Wall Street at the end of a rare bumpy week. The S&P 500 ended little changed Friday. The benchmark index reached its latest in a string of records a week ago. It lost ground for the week following three weeks of gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.2%. The Nasdaq composite edged up 0.1%. Broadcom surged after the semiconductor company beat Wall Street’s profit targets and gave a glowing forecast, highlighting its artificial intelligence products. RH, formerly known as Restoration Hardware, surged after raising its revenue forecast. Treasury yields rose in the bond market. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. Stocks slipped in afternoon trading Friday as Wall Street closes out a rare bumpy week. The S&P 500 was up by less than 0.1% and is on track for a loss for the week after three straight weekly gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 58 points, or 0.1% to 43,856 as of 3 p.m. Eastern time. The Nasdaq rose 0.1% and is hovering around its record. Broadcom surged 24.9% for the biggest gain in the S&P 500 after the semiconductor company beat Wall Street’s profit targets and gave a glowing forecast, highlighting its artificial intelligence products. The company also raised its dividend. The company's big gain helped cushion the market's broader fall. Pricey stock values for technology companies like Broadcom give the sector more weight in pushing the market higher or lower. Artificial intelligence technology has been a focal point for the technology sector and the overall stock market over the last year. Tech companies, and Wall Street, expect demand for AI to continue driving growth for semiconductor and other technology companies. Even so, some big tech stocks were in the red Friday. Nvidia slid 2.6%, Meta Platforms dropped 1.7% and Netflix was down 0.7%. Furniture and housewares company RH, formerly known as Restoration Hardware, surged 14.2% after raising its forecast for revenue growth for the year. Wall Street's rally stalled this week amid mixed economic reports and ahead of the Federal Reserve's last meeting of the year. The central bank will meet next week and is widely expected to cut interest rates for a third time since September. Expectations of a series of rate cuts has driven the S&P 500 to 57 all-time highs so far this year . The Fed has been lowering its benchmark interest rate following an aggressive rate hiking policy that was meant to tame inflation. It raised rates from near-zero in early 2022 to a two-decade high by the middle of 2023. Inflation eased under pressure from higher interest rates, nearly to the central bank's 2% target. The economy, including consumer spending and employment, held strong despite the squeeze from inflation and high borrowing costs. A slowing job market, though, has helped push a long-awaited reversal of the Fed's policy. Inflation rates have been warming up slightly over the last few months. A report on consumer prices this week showed an increase to 2.7% in November from 2.6% in October. The Fed's preferred measure of inflation, the personal consumption expenditures index, will be released next week. Wall Street expects it to show a 2.5% rise in November, up from 2.3% in October. The economy, though, remains solid heading into 2025 as consumers continue spending and employment remains healthy, said Gregory Daco, chief economist at EY. “Still, the outlook is clouded by unusually high uncertainty surrounding regulatory, immigration, trade and tax policy,” he said. Treasury yields edged higher. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.40% from 4.34% late Thursday. European markets slipped. Britain's FTSE 100 fell 0.1%. Britain’s economy unexpectedly shrank by 0.1% month-on-month in October, following a 0.1% decline in September, according to data from the Office for National Statistics. Asian markets closed mostly lower. Damian J. Troise And Alex Veiga, The Associated Press

The Friday college basketball slate is stacked and Underdog Fantasy promo code BETFPB guarantees a 50% deposit bonus up to $1,000 to all new customers. Wager on college basketball props for all available games including: Simply register using our Underdog Fantasy promo code BETFPB , then make an initial deposit. That investment will be matched 50% of the way up to $1,000. If you seek an alternative to sportsbooks or you aren't in a legal betting state, Underdog is for you. It's widely available and offers the chance to combine multiple Higher or Lower (Over/Under) picks into a single entry, just like a parlay. Underdog also has live props throughout the game. Registering by clicking one of our links or entering Underdog Fantasy promo code BETFPB while signing up means qualifying for a bonus up to $1,000 once you register and make an initial deposit, which Underdog matches 50% of the way. 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Oregon and Ohio State will revisit their 32-31 classic on Oct. 12 if the Buckeyes beat Michigan on Saturday. Georgia beat Texas 30-15 on Oct. 19, and they will have a rematch if the Longhorns beat Texas A&M on Saturday. How do we sell these matchups in terms of the College Football Playoff bracket? Honestly, we're not sure, and that is reflected in our Week 14 Bowl Projections. For now, we are picking Oregon and Texas to win those games. Look at our bracket . That means the SEC loser – Georgia – would fall to the No. 8 seed, where a win would earn a matchup against Oregon – the No. 1 overall seed in the bracket. That is not a favorable draw for either team. The SEC winner – Texas – would have a favorable draw as the No. 2 seed, but not as good as Ohio State – which could face No. 12 Boise State and No. 4 Arizona State – in either order depending on how those projected conference champions are seeded. The Buckeyes have the best draw of any of these teams, and it exposes the true value of conference championship games and the need to just seed these teams 1-12 the proper way. In the end, we think some combination of Oregon, Ohio State, Texas and Georgia will be the championship game, and perhaps Notre Dame gets in the way. MORE: SEC title game scenarios | Big 12 | Big Ten | ACC The third set of College Football Playoff rankings will be unveiled Tuesday. Sporting News will have weekly bowl projections leading up to the unveiling of the first 12-team playoff field on Dec. 8. The first round of the new CFP will have one game on Friday, Dec. 20, and three on Saturday, Dec. 21. The quarterfinals will be played at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl (Dec. 31), Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl (Jan. 1), Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential (Jan. 1) and Allstate Sugar Bowl (Jan. 1). The semifinals will be played at the Capital One Orange Bowl (Jan. 9) and Cotton Bowl Classic (Jan. 10). The CFP national championship is Jan. 20 in Atlanta. Here are our bowl projections for Week 14. College football bowl predictions 2024 There are 35 bowls involving FBS teams outside the College Football Playoff this season. A look at our projections for those matchups: DATE BOWL MATCHUP Dec. 14 Camellia Bowl Ohio vs. James Madison Dec. 17 Boca Raton Bowl Arkansas State vs. South Florida Dec. 18 Scooter's Coffee Frisco Bowl Louisiana vs. Liberty Dec. 18 LA Bowl Hosted by Gronk UNLV vs. Kansas State Dec. 19 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Marshall vs. Jacksonville State Dec. 20 Staffdna Cure Bowl East Carolina vs. Coastal Carolina Dec. 20 Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl UConn vs. Florida Dec. 23 Myrtle Beach Bowl Miami, Ohio vs. South Alabama Dec. 23 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Toledo vs. San Jose State Dec. 24 Hawaii Bowl North Texas vs. Colorado State Dec. 26 Detroit Bowl Western Michigan vs. Rutgers Dec. 26 Guaranteed Rate Bowl Oklahoma vs. Virginia Tech Dec. 26 68 Ventures Bowl Georgia Southern vs. Buffalo Dec. 27 Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl Army vs. Arkansas Dec. 27 Birmingham Bowl Kansas vs. Vanderbilt Dec. 27 Autozone Liberty Bowl TCU vs. LSU Dec. 27 SDS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl Colorado vs. Minnesota Dec. 27 DirecTV Holiday Bowl Cal vs. Texas Tech Dec. 28 Wasabi Fenway Bowl Tulane vs. Syracuse Dec. 28 Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl North Carolina vs. Nebraska Dec. 28 Isleta New Mexico Bowl Western Kentucky vs. New Mexico Dec. 28 Pop-Tarts Bowl Pitt vs. Baylor Dec. 28 Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl presented by Gin & Juice Northern Illinois vs. Fresno State Dec. 28 Go Bowling Military Bowl Navy vs. Boston College Dec. 28 Valero Alamo Bowl Washington State vs. BYU Dec. 28 Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl Memphis vs. Washington Dec. 30 Transperfect Music City Bowl Duke vs. Missouri Dec. 31 Reliaquest Bowl Michigan vs. Texas A&M Dec. 31 Tony The Tiger Sun Bowl Georgia Tech vs. USC Dec. 31 Cheez-It Citrus Bowl Illinois vs. Alabama Dec. 31 Texas Bowl Iowa State vs. Ole Miss Jan. 2 Taxslayer Gator Bowl Louisville vs. South Carolina Jan. 3 Servpro First Responder Bowl UTSA vs. Texas State Jan. 3 Duke's Mayo Bowl Clemson vs. Iowa Jan. 4 Bahamas Bowl Bowling Green vs. Sam Houston College Football Playoff first-round predictions A look at the four College Football Playoff first-round matchups for the 2024-25 season. Those first-round games will be played on campus: DATE BOWL MATCHUP Dec. 20 First-Round CFP game No. 11 SMU at No. 6 Penn State Dec. 21 First-Round CFP game No. 9 Indiana at No. 8 Georgia Dec. 21 First-Round CFP game No. 12 Boise State at No. 5 Ohio State Dec. 21 First-Round CFP game No. 10 Tennessee at No. 7 Notre Dame The best matchup would be Tennessee at Notre Dame. Those schools have split eight previous meetings and have not played since a home-and-home the Irish swept in 2004-05. Georgia would be the lone SEC school to host a playoff game in this scenario, and if they win the SEC championship game then Texas would be in that spot. They can compare schedules with Indiana. Boise State (41.2 ppg.) and SMU (39.3 ppg.) rank in the top six in scoring offense this season. How would they fare at hostile 100,000-plus venues at Ohio Stadium and Beaver Stadium? College Football Playoff quarterfinal predictions A look at the College Football Playoff quarterfinal matchups for the 2024-25 season. Those games will be played at the traditional New Year's Day Six bowl sites: DATE BOWL MATCHUP Dec. 31 Vrbo Fiesta Bowl (quarterfinal) No. 4 Arizona State vs. No. 5 Ohio State Jan. 1 Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl (quarterfinal) No. 3 Miami vs. No. 6 Penn State Jan. 1 Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential (quarterfinal) No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 8 Georgia Jan. 1 Allstate Sugar Bowl (quarterfinal) No. 2 Texas vs. No. 7 Notre Dame Ignore the seeding and just look at the field. Would an eight-team playoff be better? The Sun Devils and Hurricanes would be underdogs against Big Ten teams, and that matchup between Oregon and Georgia was our pick for the CFP championship game in Week 1 1. College Football Playoff semifinal predictions A look at the College Football Playoff semifinal matchups for the 2024-25 season. Those games will be played at the traditional New Year's Day Six bowl sites: DATE BOWL MATCHUP Jan. 9 Capital One Orange Bowl (semifinal) No. 2 Texas vs. No. 6 Penn State Jan. 10 Cotton Bowl Classic (semifinal) No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 5 Ohio State Three Big Ten teams in the semifinals? A potential three-match between the Ducks and Buckeyes? That is in the cards in this week's projection. We considered picking Notre Dame against Texas, and we would not be surprised if the Irish could make it two straight victories against SEC teams. The Longhorns are the only team among these four that played in the four-team College Football Playoff last season. Would they take advantage of the close-to-home atmosphere at the Cotton Bowl? College Football Playoff championship pick A look at the College Football Playoff championship matchup for the 2024-25 season. That game is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 20 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. DATE BOWL MATCHUP Jan. 20 CFP National championship No. 2 Texas vs. No. 5 Ohio State Yes, we have changed our CFP championship pick the last four weeks. Some of that is dictated on how those matchups are playing out each week. The Buckeyes have been the constant the last three weeks, and they could lose the Big Ten championship game and we still see them making this run. Ditto for Texas. Quinn Ewers – who played one year at Ohio State – would be the focus of this matchup, which would be a blue-blooded classic befitting of the first 12-team championship game.Stuart Pearce has quipped Trent Alexander-Arnold will be 'asking for a new contract' after Conor Bradley's performance against Real Madrid. Liverpool 's current first choice right back Alexander-Arnold has been heavily linked with signing for Los Blancos, with the Reds academy product in the final year of his contract. However, it was his young deputy Bradley that will have stunned his suitors on Wednesday. talkSPORT's commentator for the game, ex-England defender Pearce, said live from Anfield: “With Trent Alexander-Arnold sitting on the bench at the moment, he must be thinking to himself, I might just knock on the manager's door and say, please, have you got a contract for me? "Because you've got someone who's been absolutely outstanding tonight, he's been brilliant. "He's dealt with [Kylian] Mbappe, he's got forward, he's assisted goals, he's been everything.” As well as keeping former Reds target and World Cup winner Mbappe quiet, the 21-year-old's stats from the game speak volumes too. The former Bolton loanee won more possession (9), more duels (8), more fouls (3), made the most tackles (4) and most assists (1) of any other player on the pitch. No player in the Champions League has recorded higher figures across those categories in a match this season. His crunching challenge on Mbappe quickly went viral on social media. Fans were in love with his performance, with one writing on X: "Conor Bradley came out here tonight and told Trent to go to Madrid." Another wrote: "Mbappe has gone from living in Monaco, to living in Paris, to living in Madrid, and now Conor Bradley’s pocket." A third said: "Conor Bradley needs to calm it. Real Madrid will leave Anfield wanting to sign him." Bradley went down with five minutes to go with the medical team coming on to attend to him. Joe Gomez swiftly replaced him and the youngster received a warm reception from his manager Arne Slot. Speaking to TNT Sports, Rio Ferdinand asked Slot about how impressed he has been by the club's young players this season, and how important they are to the squad. To which he said: "They are. People always say, and I have to agree with them, that if you are coming through the academy, you know what it means for the fans, even more than the ones that come from different countries. "It's special for the fans, but also for the club, that if they play on this stage against the reigning champions and they all do so well. "We talk about Caoimhin [Kelleher], but also, you'll agree with me that Conor [Bradley] was really strong and Curtis [Jones] was really strong as well. "It's nice for everyone to see, but it's not the way I pick my players or I select my team, they are cheap options as well which is also helpful with all these contract situations we have!" Bradley has made 11 appearances for the club this season. His time has been mostly restricted to coming off the bench, collecting 424 minutes of game time in total. He has started both of Liverpool's Carabao Cup wins, the 3-2 win over Southampton last weekend and Wednesday's Champions League clash. In total, Bradley has already made 39 appearances for the Reds, scoring once and grabbing seven assists. He also lifted the Carabao Cup last term after his role from the quarter-finals onwards. Just two years ago Bradley was playing on loan for Bolton, now he's starring in the Champions League. Alexander-Arnold, meanwhile, has won the Champions League and Premier League amongst other honours in his glittering Anfield career. He remained on the bench as Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo fired Liverpool to a 2-0 victory, while Mbappe and Mohamed Salah both missed penalties. But should the Reds star leave for Madrid this summer, Bradley's showing on Wednesday suggests Slot has an excellent successor waiting in the wings.

Three American citizens imprisoned for years by China have been released and are returning to the United States, the White House said Wednesday, announcing a diplomatic agreement with Beijing in the final months of the Biden administration. The three are Mark Swidan, Kai Li and John Leung, all of whom had been designated by the U.S. government as wrongfully detained by China. Swidan had been facing a death sentence on drug charges while Li and Leung were imprisoned on espionage charges. “Soon they will return and be reunited with their families for the first time in many years,” the White House said in a statement. The release comes just two months after China freed David Lin, a Christian pastor from California who had spent nearly 20 years behind bars after being convicted of contract fraud. U.S.-China relations have been roiled for years over major disagreements between the world’s two largest economies on trade, human rights, the production of fentanyl precursors, security issues that include espionage and hacking, China’s aggressiveness toward Taiwan and its smaller neighbors in the South China Sea, and Beijing’s support for Russia’s military-industrial sector. The release of Americans deemed wrongfully detained in China has been a top agenda item in each conversation between the U.S. and China, and Wednesday’s development suggests a willingness by Beijing to engage with the outgoing Democratic administration before Republican President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January. Trump took significant actions against China on trade and diplomacy during his first term. He has pledged to continue those policies in his second term, leading to unease among many who fear that an all-out trade war will greatly affect the international economy and could spur potential Chinese military action against Taiwan. Still, the two countries have maintained a dialogue that has included a partial restoration of military-to-military contacts. President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met this month to discuss potential improvements. In a separate but related move, the State Department on Wednesday lowered its travel warning to China to “level two,” advising U.S. citizens to “exercise increased caution” from the norm when traveling to the mainland. The alert had previously been at “level three,” telling Americans they should “reconsider travel” to China in part because of the “risk of wrongful detention” of Americans. The new alert removes that wording but retains a warning that the Chinese government “arbitrarily enforces local laws, including exit bans on U.S. citizens and citizens of other countries, without fair and transparent process under the law.” The Biden administration had raised the cases of the detained Americans with China in multiple meetings over the past several years, including this month when Biden spoke to Xi on during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Peru. Politico was first to report the men’s release, which it said was part of a prisoner swap with the U.S. The White House did not immediately confirm that any Chinese citizens had been returned home. Li, a Chinese immigrant who started an export business in the U.S., was detained in September 2016 after flying into Shanghai. He was placed under surveillance, interrogated without a lawyer and accused of providing state secrets to the FBI. A U.N. working group called his 10-year prison sentence arbitrary and his family said the charges were politically motivated. Leung was sentenced last year to life in prison on spying charges. He was detained in 2021, by the local bureau of China’s counterintelligence agency in the southeastern city of Suzhou after China had closed its borders and imposed tight domestic travel restrictions and social controls to fight the spread of COVID-19. After Leung's sentencing, the U.S. recommended — though without citing specific cases — that Americans reconsider traveling to China because of arbitrary law enforcement and exit bans and the risk of wrongful detentions. Swidan had been jailed for 12 years on a drug charge and, along with Li and Leung, had considered by the State Department to be wrongfully detained.

Lea Miller-Tooley hopped off a call to welcome the Baylor women’s basketball team to the Atlantis resort in the Bahamas, where 80-degree temperatures made it easy for the Bears to settle in on Paradise Island a week before Thanksgiving. About 5,000 miles west of the Caribbean nation, similar climes awaited Maui Invitational men's teams in Hawaii. They’ve often been greeted with leis, the traditional Hawaiian welcome of friendship. College basketball teams and fans look forward to this time of the year. The holiday week tournaments feature buzzworthy matchups and all-day TV coverage, sure, but there is a familiarity about them as they help ward off the November chill. For four decades, these sandy-beach getaways filled with basketball have become a beloved mainstay of the sport itself. “When you see (ESPN’s) ‘Feast Week’ of college basketball on TV, when you see the Battle 4 Atlantis on TV, you know college basketball is back,” said Miller-Tooley, the founder and organizer of the Battle 4 Atlantis men's and women's tournaments. “Because it’s a saturated time of the year with the NFL, college football and the NBA. But when you see these gorgeous events in these beautiful places, you realize, ‘Wow, hoops are back, let’s get excited.’” The Great Alaska Shootout was the trend-setting multiple-team event (MTE) nearly five decades ago. The brainchild of late Alaska-Anchorage coach Bob Rachal sought to raise his program’s profile by bringing in national-power programs, which could take advantage of NCAA rules allowing them to exceed the maximum allotment of regular-season games if they played the three-game tournament outside the contiguous 48 states. The first edition, named the Sea Wolf Classic, saw N.C. State beat Louisville 72-66 for the title on Nov. 26, 1978. The Maui Invitational followed in November 1984, borne from the buzz of NAIA program Chaminade’s shocking upset of top-ranked Virginia and 7-foot-4 star Ralph Sampson in Hawaii two years earlier. Events kept coming, with warm-weather locales getting in on the action. The Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Cancun Challenge in Mexico. The Cayman Islands Classic. The Jamaica Classic. The Myrtle Beach Invitational joining the Charleston Classic in South Carolina. Numerous tournaments in Florida. Some events have faded away like the Puerto Rico Tipoff and the Great Alaska Shootout, the latter in 2017 amid event competition and schools opting for warm-weather locales. Notre Dame takes on Chaminade during the first half of a 2017 game in Lahaina, Hawaii. Miller-Tooley’s push to build an MTE for Atlantis began as a December 2010 doubleheader with Georgia Tech beating Richmond and Virginia Tech beating Mississippi State in a prove-it moment for a tournament’s viability. It also required changing NCAA legislation to permit MTEs in the Bahamas. Approval came in March 2011; the first eight-team Atlantis men’s tournament followed in November. That tournament quickly earned marquee status with big-name fields, with Atlantis champions Villanova (2017) and Virginia (2018) later winning that season’s NCAA title. Games run in a ballroom-turned-arena at the resort, where players also check out massive swimming pools, water slides and inner-tube rapids surrounded by palm trees and the Atlantic Ocean. “It’s just the value of getting your passport stamped, that will never get old,” Miller-Tooley said. “Watching some of these kids, this may be their first and last time – and staff and families – that they ever travel outside the United States. ... You can see through these kids’ eyes that it’s really an unbelievable experience.” ACC Network analyst Luke Hancock knows that firsthand. His Louisville team finished second at Atlantis in 2012 and won that year’s later-vacated NCAA title, with Hancock as the Final Four's most outstanding player. “I remember (then-coach Rick Pitino) saying something to the effect of: ‘Some of you guys might never get this opportunity again. We’re staying in this unbelievable place, you’re doing it with people you love,’” Hancock said. “It was a business trip for us there at Thanksgiving, but he definitely had a tone of ‘We’ve got to enjoy this as well.’” Maui offers similar vibes, though 2024 could be a little different as Lahaina recovers from deadly 2023 wildfires that forced the event's relocation last year. North Carolina assistant coach Sean May played for the Tar Heels’ Maui winner in 2004 and was part of UNC’s staff for the 2016 champion, with both teams later winning the NCAA title. May said “you just feel the peacefulness” of the area — even while focusing on games — and savors memories of the team taking a boat out on the Pacific Ocean after title runs under now-retired Hall of Famer Roy Williams. “Teams like us, Dukes, UConns – you want to go to places that are very well-run,” May said. “Maui, Lea Miller with her group at the Battle 4 Atlantis, that’s what drives teams to come back because you know you’re going to get standard A-quality of not only the preparation but the tournament with the way it’s run. Everything is top-notch. And I think that brings guys back year after year.” That’s why Colorado coach Tad Boyle is so excited for the Buffaloes’ first Maui appearance since 2009. “We’ve been trying to get in the tournament since I got here,” said Boyle, now in his 15th season. And of course, that warm-weather setting sure doesn’t hurt. “If you talk about the Marquettes of the world, St. John’s, Providence – they don’t want that cold weather,” said NBA and college TV analyst Terrence Oglesby, who played for Clemson in the 2007 San Juan Invitational in Puerto Rico. “They’re going to have to deal with that all January and February. You might as well get a taste of what the sun feels like.” Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo argues a call during the first half of a Nov. 16 game against Bowling Green in East Lansing, Michigan. Mi zzo is making his fourth trip to Maui. The men’s Baha Mar Championship in Nassau, Bahamas, got things rolling last week with No. 11 Tennessee routing No. 13 Baylor for the title. The week ahead could boast matchups befitting the Final Four, with teams having two weeks of action since any opening-night hiccups. “It’s a special kickoff to the college basketball season,” Oglesby said. “It’s just without the rust.” On the women’s side, Atlantis began its fourth eight-team women’s tournament Saturday with No. 16 North Carolina and No. 18 Baylor, while the nearby Baha Mar resort follows with two four-team women’s brackets that include No. 2 UConn, No. 7 LSU, No. 17 Mississippi and No. 20 N.C. State. Then come the men’s headliners. The Maui Invitational turns 40 as it opens Monday back in Lahaina. It features second-ranked and two-time reigning national champion UConn, No. 4 Auburn, No. 5 Iowa State and No. 10 North Carolina. The Battle 4 Atlantis opens its 13th men’s tournament Wednesday, topped by No. 3 Gonzaga, No. 16 Indiana and No. 17 Arizona. Michigan State Hall of Famer Tom Izzo is making his fourth trip to Maui, where he debuted as Jud Heathcote’s successor at the 1995 tournament. Izzo's Spartans have twice competed at Atlantis, last in 2021. “They’re important because they give you something in November or December that is exciting,” Izzo said. Any drawbacks? “It’s a 10-hour flight,” he said of Hawaii. Mike Tyson, left, slaps Jake Paul during a weigh-in ahead of their heavyweight bout, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Irving, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) In this image taken with a slow shutter speed, Spain's tennis player Rafael Nadal serves during a training session at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) A fan takes a picture of the moon prior to a qualifying soccer match for the FIFA World Cup 2026 between Uruguay and Colombia in Montevideo, Uruguay, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Santiago Mazzarovich) Rasmus Højgaard of Denmark reacts after missing a shot on the 18th hole in the final round of World Tour Golf Championship in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri) Taylor Fritz of the United States reacts during the final match of the ATP World Tour Finals against Italy's Jannik Sinner at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Tolbert (1) fails to pull in a pass against Atlanta Falcons cornerback Dee Alford (20) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/ Brynn Anderson) Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love, top right, scores a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears in Chicago, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) India's Tilak Varma jumps in the air as he celebrates after scoring a century during the third T20 International cricket match between South Africa and India, at Centurion Park in Centurion, South Africa, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski warms up before facing the Seattle Kraken in an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Kansas State players run onto the field before an NCAA college football game against Arizona State Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) A fan rapped in an Uruguay flag arrives to the stands for a qualifying soccer match against Colombia for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Montevideo, Uruguay, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico) People practice folding a giant United States flag before an NFL football game between the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Brazil's Marquinhos attempts to stop the sprinklers that were turned on during a FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying soccer match against Venezuela at Monumental stadium in Maturin, Venezuela, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) Dallas Stars center Mavrik Bourque, right, attempts to score while Minnesota Wild right wing Ryan Hartman (38) and Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson (32) keep the puck out of the net during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt) Mike Tyson, left, fights Jake Paul during their heavyweight boxing match, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Italy goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario misses the third goal during the Nations League soccer match between Italy and France, at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno) Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki (88) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders during the second half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) President-elect Donald Trump attends UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Slovakia's Rebecca Sramkova hits a return against Danielle Collins, of the United States, during a tennis match at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Malaga, southern Spain. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) St. John's guard RJ Luis Jr. (12) falls after driving to the basket during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against New Mexico, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith) England's Anthony Gordon celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between England and the Republic of Ireland at Wembley stadium in London, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver DJ Turner, right, tackles Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington, left, on a punt return during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) UConn's Paige Bueckers (5) battles North Carolina's Laila Hull, right, for a loose ball during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Greensboro, N.C., Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown) Georgia's Georges Mikautadze celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the UEFA Nations League, group B1 soccer match between Georgia and Ukraine at the AdjaraBet Arena in Batumi, Georgia, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Tamuna Kulumbegashvili) Fans argue in stands during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between France and Israel at the Stade de France stadium in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Thursday Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Katie Taylor, left, lands a right to Amanda Serrano during their undisputed super lightweight title bout, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Get local news delivered to your inbox!From Maui to the Caribbean, Thanksgiving tournaments a beloved part of college basketball