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To subscribe, click here. CHICAGO — Pat Bryant saw former Illinois wide receiver Brandon Lloyd on the sideline at Wrigley Field before Saturday’s game against Northwestern. Bryant knew the significance of Lloyd’s presence for Illinois’ regular season finale. The senior wide receiver entered the game just one score shy of tying Lloyd and David Williams’ single-season record for touchdown catches. “He contacted us early in the week and said he’d love to come recognize Pat when he broke the record,” Illinois coach Bret Bielema said. “He didn’t say if. He said when he broke the record. It was a pretty cool moment for greatness to recognize greatness.” Lloyd’s trip wasn’t for naught. Bryant hauled in an early third-quarter pass from Luke Altmyer across the middle of the field and weaved his way through the Northwestern defense for a 43-yard touchdown. His 10th of the season, matching Lloyd (2001) and David Williams (1985) for the program’s single-season record. “He was cold; he was jumping up and down,” Bryant said of seeing Lloyd on the sideline before the game. “I was like, ‘Alright, bet. I’m going to give him a show so he’s not too cold for too long.’” Bryant finished Illinois’ 38-29 win against Northwestern with four catches for 70 yards, including his 43-yard touchdown. That puts the Jacksonville, Fla., native jus 16 yards shy of a 1,000-yard season. Enough to get a game ball after the win — hand delivered by Lloyd. “That was a special moment,” Bryant said. “He had a great career — not only here, but at the next level as well. Just a baller recognizing a baller.” Bryant’s touchdown catch was actually a busted play. The original play call was to target Zakhari Franklin in the slot against a Northwestern linebacker. A different look from the Wildcats had Altmyer having to improvise before ultimately finding Bryant downfield. “He wasn’t really open either,” Altmyer said. “Pat just made an instinctive play where he turned and spun out the back side. None of it would have happened without my protection up front. They gave me all day back there. ... Glad I could just put it in his area. He did the rest.” Altmyer didn’t know, in the moment, that Bryant’s touchdown catch tied the program’s single-season record. “He didn’t talk about it once, to be honest with you,” the Illinois quarterback said. “That just speaks to the character and guy he is. A lot of guys would be like, ‘I need one more. I need this, that and the other.’ He just wanted to win. That speaks to the unity and brotherhood and love we all have. We don’t care about statistics or whatever it may be. That’s why we’re in the position that we’re in.” Whether Bryant will get the opportunity to break his time with Lloyd and Williams is unclear. Illinois, of course, will play in a bowl game. Whether Bryant plays or not is the question. “I’m soaking this in right now,” Bryant said. “I’ll probably know in a couple weeks. I’m just celebrating this win, come back on Monday, go over the film and fix the things that need to be fixed.” *** Saturday’s win against Northwestern meant Illinois returned to Champaign from Chicago with the Land of Lincoln Trophy. What was a rather empty trophy case in the Illini’s locker room in the Smith Center is a bit fuller now with the Hat joining the Cannon. This is the first time Illinois has beaten both Northwestern and Purdue in the same season since 2010. “Just walking by you don’t really see much in there,” Bryant said of the trophy case. “It’s kind of heart wrecking. Knowing it’s my last season getting both trophies back in the trophy case was very, very huge. I feel like the young guys will begin to understand as they get a little older what it means to win these rivalry games. To get both of those trophies back in my senior year, being a leader and a captain of this team, is very special.” *** Time of possession favored Northwestern in Saturday’s game. The Wildcats had the ball for 34 1/2 minutes compared to Illinois’ 25 1/2. They also out-gained the Illini 442 yards to 382 yards. And still lost by 10. Four takeaways by the Illinois defense — three interceptions and a fumble recovery — made a difference. So did the Illini holding Northwestern to just six points in the first half despite an even wider gap in time of possession. “I think we definitely left some stuff out there,” Illinois safety Matthew Bailey said. “We didn’t play the complete game that we wanted to play as a defense I don’t think. At least from my point of view. The biggest thing about that is not letting them in the end zone. They can be on the field all the way down, but if you hold them to the very end — a bend, don’t break type mentality — you can do good things. Even though they did have the ball and they were driving down the field, guys did a good job of not letting them in the end zone.” *** Xavier Scott, Mac Resetich and Torrie Cox Jr. all had interceptions off one of Northwestern’s quarterback duo of Jack Lausch and Ryan Boe. It was Bailey who ultimately fell on Boe’s fumble after Illinois linebacker Malachi Hood got it out on a strip sack. Not that Bailey was the first on the turnover scene. That was defensive lineman TeRah Edwards, who tried for the scoop and score only to kick the ball toward the sideline instead. Then Edwards shoved Cox aside to still try and recover the fumble only for Bailey to secure the loose ball. “(Edwards) didn’t say anything to me after, but it was a funny moment for sure,” Bailey said. So did the Illinois safety snake the fumble recovery? “Kind of,” Bailey continued with a big smile. “Just a little bit, but obviously we’ve got to get the ball back.” *** Hood finished Saturday’s game with two sacks and two forced fumbles. The redshirt sophomore, who missed all of the 2023 season after tearing his Achilles in training camp, has gone from playing in a single package defensively against Michigan last month to getting significant snaps at linebacker beyond Illinois’ third-down “turbo” package. “It was pretty surreal, but at the same time we work for moments like these,” Hood said. “Coach believed in me. Preparation meant opportunity and it equaled success. I’m happy, but I’m not surprised.” Hood’s expanded role is not one he would have expected three-plus months ago heading into this season. The Plainfield native was quick to credit his coaches — namely linebackers coach Archie McDaniel. “This season has been kind of a blur,” Hood said. “I kind of came in thinking I would just do special teams, and he really believed in me. He and our graduate assistant Grant Morgan have really helped me out through this process and gave me the confidence I can play and can play at a high level.” *** The temperature at kickoff Saturday in Chicago was well below freezing. Even further below if you went by the “feels like” temperature that barely cracked double digits. Everyone had their own way of dealing with the cold. “It’s the first time I’ve worn socks, I think, since Russell Wilson’s wedding if I’m not mistaken,” Bielema said. “I don’t wear socks very often, but I threw them on (Saturday). My little toes were numb when I walked in the building.” “I’m a Florida boy,” Bryant added. “I won’t lie to you. I took a little pre-workout before the game. It had me warm for about a quarter, but once it wore off you just get out there and run around a little bit and get your blood flowing. “Try to stay on that bench as long as possible and keep the guys close and tight. But it’s football. You play football in any weather. You’ve just got to go out there and embrace it if you love the game.”
The president of the Manitoba Teachers’ Society won’t seek re-election following a first term marked by infighting and low morale across the union’s operational ranks. Shortly after the final bell rang for winter break, Nathan Martindale took to social media to announce he will carry out his two-year appointment that ends in the spring and step away from labour relations after that. “After many conversations with my family and deep reflection on their needs, I have made the decision to not run for a second term as MTS president,” he wrote in a post uploaded to Facebook Friday. Martindale, a special education resource teacher in Winnipeg, has spent the last 12 years in full-time union roles. Since the turn of the century, all of his predecessors — including former presidents James Bedford, Norm Gould, Paul Olsen, Pat Isaak, Brian Ardern and Jan Speelman — have served two consecutive terms. Bedford told the Free Press he does not know details, aside from surface-level ones, but his friend and former colleague’s departure, as well as other recent high-profile exits from MTS, suggests “something’s gone badly off the rails.” Between 2011 and 2017, Martindale represented colleagues in the Winnipeg Teachers’ Association. He later joined the union’s governing board better known as “PX” — internal shorthand for the MTS provincial executive. “I have often been required to be out of town, as well as attend numerous evening and weekend obligations, all of which have taken me away from my family,” he wrote on his personal social media page. “With the ongoing needs of my family, including supporting my child with Type 1 diabetes, I know it is now time to prioritize being present for them.” Martindale first assumed an interim president role on Feb. 24, 2023 — the day of Bedford’s mid-term retirement — before he won an internal election that spring. Per union bylaws, PX members are each elected to serve a two-year appointment. The president and vice-president are eligible for re-election for one additional term. Other members can serve up to three consecutive terms. Martindale was not made available for an interview on the subject. His office indicated the union leader is not taking any reporter calls over the holidays. Among many congratulatory comments and messages of thanks that users made on his post, Bedford wrote that it was an honour to work alongside Martindale. His original comment — which has since been edited — also stated, “It is unfortunate that you will likely be replaced by someone less caring, less experienced, and less dedicated to representing all members.” It was liked by a number of union representatives, including Jonathan Waite from the Seine River Teachers’ Association, PX member Sean Giesbrecht and Chris Darazsi, president of the local in the River East Transcona School Division. Lise Legal, president of the Pembina Trails Teachers’ Association, replied with a demand for Bedford’s “beyond disrespectful” sentence be deleted. The public exchange was made against the backdrop of a third-party probe into the union’s embattled headquarters on Portage Avenue. Bedford said he made the comment out of frustration that his “extraordinarily dedicated” successor is leaving and “a great team” is falling part. The union’s work environment became “highly political” during his tenure from 2019 to 2023, he added. MTS hired a consulting firm at the start of the school year to investigate workplace culture, harassment and morale concerns raised by staff members who are in charge of servicing more than 16,600 public school teachers. Three different people have assumed the executive director role — the non-partisan counterpart to Martindale, and senior leader in charge of managing members of Teamsters Local Union 979 — over the last 13 months. Teamsters Canada spokesman Christopher Monette, who has been critical of MTS leaders for failing to provide a harassment-free work environment and viewing staff as “adversaries,” declined to weigh in on internal politics Monday. “MTS has made efforts over the past months to address workplace concerns. While encouraging, we believe it is too early to provide a final assessment and will reserve further comments for now,” Monette said in an email. He noted that Teamsters continues to pursue outstanding grievances related to workplace issues that will be brought to an arbitrator in the new year. Martindale’s lengthy social media post touted negotiating the first provincewide collective agreement for teachers, navigating the classroom complexities of the COVID-19 pandemic and joining the Manitoba Federation of Labour as highlights during his time at MTS. He also acknowledged the union’s success in “slamming the door” on Bill 64, controversial Progressive Conservative proposed legislation that sought to eliminate Manitoba’s elected school boards in 2021. maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.caKey Trends in the Marine Engine Controller Market with Insights from U-flex, West Marine, ComAp, Lewmar, Spinlock, Glendinning Marine, Smartgen (Zhengzhou) Technology Co., Kobelt
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The morning of Sept. 5, 1972, began like any other for producer Geoffrey Mason and his ABC Sports team in Munich: another day of capturing the "thrill of victory and the agony of defeat" at the Summer Olympic Games. But as dawn broke, the control room received word that something was terribly wrong. Details emerged. Members of the Palestinian militant group Black September had taken 11 Israeli athletes hostage, demanding the release of hundreds of prisoners held in their country's jails. Inside the cramped ABC control room, instead of covering athletic triumphs, members of the ABC Sports team suddenly found themselves reporting on a life-or-death crisis playing out in real time a few hundred meters away, as the world watched in horror. "At one point, the doors of the control room busted open and the German police came in, armed with machine guns, and told us to turn the camera off," Mason, now 84 and the only surviving member of the core ABC team, recalled on a recent afternoon over Zoom from his home in Naples, Florida. "That was a seminal moment because we realized what we were doing was having real impact." Hours later, the situation reached a tragic climax when a failed rescue attempt at a nearby airfield led to the deaths of all the hostages , along with five of the attackers and a West German police officer. Now, more than 50 years later, the gripping period thriller "September 5" (in limited release Dec. 13, nationwide Jan. 17) brings these tense moments — the first time a terrorist attack had ever been covered on live TV around the world — back to life. While earlier films like the Oscar-winning 1999 documentary "One Day in September" and Steven Spielberg's 2005 "Munich" have chronicled the events from a broader perspective, director Tim Fehlbaum confines the entire story to the claustrophobic control room, with John Magaro and Peter Sarsgaard heading up the ensemble cast as Mason and ABC Sports president Roone Arledge, respectively, as the ABC team grapples with unprecedented ethical dilemmas and technical hurdles under intense pressure. "I liked the challenge of telling the story just from that room with the cameras as the only eye to the outside world," says the Swiss-born Fehlbaum, who previously helmed the 2021 sci-fi thriller "Tides." "I would never compare myself with Hitchcock, but it's almost like 'Rear Window.' Ultimately, it became a movie about the power of images." "September 5," which has earned strong buzz since its back-to-back premieres at the Venice and Telluride film festivals, has only become more timely in the wake of last year's Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks on Israel that sparked the ongoing war in Gaza. But the film itself steers clear of overt politics, focusing instead on the media's role in covering real-time crises and shaping public perception. "That [Israeli-Palestinian] situation has been going on since 1948 and, you could argue, for thousands of years before that," says Magaro. "This is a story about the media and our responsibility as citizens in how we consume it. Is showing violence on TV helping us make better decisions as voters? I don't know the answer to that, but maybe the film can open up discussions with people who are in different camps." Amid escalating conflict in the Middle East and heightened political sensitivities, it remains to be seen how audiences will receive a film that revisits a tragedy that still haunts many today. (Families of the slain Israeli athletes reached a deal in 2022 for $28 million in compensation from the German government, which acknowledged its failures in handling the crisis.) Some might welcome the film's nuanced look at the responsibilities of the media, while others may find it difficult to separate its historical focus from the emotionally charged realities of the current moment. While "September 5" has assumed new, and not entirely welcome, resonance since Oct. 7, its meticulous production was years in the making. Fehlbaum, who co-wrote the script with Moritz Binder and Alex David, relied heavily on the insights and recollections of Mason, who played a crucial role as a consultant. "As we began to re-create the story, I would be reminded of things that I hadn't thought of in years," says Mason, who arranged for Fehlbaum and Magaro to spend time in a CBS control room for research. "At the time, there were so many things happening at once out of nowhere, we didn't really have time to think, 'I wonder how we're doing with this?' We knew the trust we had in each other and we knew how to cover events live. We were just doing what we were hired to do: Tell stories not about ice skates or about baseball bats but about human beings." Shooting in Munich near where the actual events took place, Fehlbaum, inspired by claustrophobic films like Wolfgang Petersen's 1981 submarine drama "Das Boot," sought to maintain an atmosphere of gritty verisimilitude on the set. "A lot of times in period movies, the clothes look pressed and everything is very clean," says Sarsgaard. "We were drenched in sweat the entire time. There was never enough sweat for Tim. The lived-in clothing, the ashtrays — it all creates a physical reality." In their dedication to authenticity, Fehlbaum and his production team sourced period-accurate equipment from old television stations and collectors, much of it still working, to re-create the analog control-room setup as faithfully as possible. Adding to the documentary-style realism, the film weaves in actual footage from the ABC broadcast that day, to which Mason helped secure the rights shortly before filming began. "I had always said to the producers, 'I'm not going to do the movie if you can't license the footage,'" Fehlbaum says. As "September 5" was in postproduction, the Oct. 7 attacks reignited the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, adding an unexpected relevance to the film. Though the events it depicts took place more than a half-century ago, Sarsgaard anticipates that some moviegoers will bring their own feelings about the current situation in the Middle East to the theater. "You can't control how people are going to react to things," he says. "I can't anticipate how the audience will feel about this tragic situation," Fehlbaum says. "On the other hand, the conflict was never solved. It has just tragically escalated again. But we chose to focus on the media's perspective, and the film is a reflection on how we consume these stories." For Mason, it took time to fully grasp the significance of what his team had accomplished that day. "Whether it was on a mountainside in Innsbruck or in a figure skating hall in Hungary, we knew how to tell stories about people, good and bad, and that's what we did — and as it turns out, we did it well," he says. "Since that day, I have been filled with an immense pride about how well we used the resources we had, under Arledge's guidance, and what positive impact it had on the level of coverage of live events, sports or news, in our industry." In the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, after nearly 21 hours of nonstop, adrenaline-fueled broadcasting, Mason and his ABC colleague Don Ohlmeyer returned to the Sheraton Munich hotel, where they were staying in adjoining rooms. "We built ourselves a giant cocktail, sat on the side of the bed and cried like babies," Mason remembers. "It was the first time we were able to touch that emotion. We'd been too busy telling the story to feel it." ©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC Copyright 2024 Tribune Content Agency. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Canadians' confidence in a strengthening economy has taken a hit since president-elect Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential election Nov. 5 , according to new polling data from Nanos. There are now almost four times as many Canadians who think the economy is likely to get weaker in the next six months, rather than stronger, the Weekly Bloomberg Nanos Canadian Confidence Index found. One month ago, about twice as many Canadians thought the economy would get weaker within six months, rather than stronger, according to Nanos' research. Trump on Nov. 25 threatened to slap a 25-per-cent tariff on all imports from Canada and from Mexico until those countries stemmed what he said is a tide of drugs and illegal immigrants coming into the U.S. – something that no doubt added to chilled consumer confidence, according to Nanos' chief data scientist Nik Nanos. Nanos surveyed 1,000 Canadians in months leading up to Dec. 6, with its survey dropping 250 responses each month and adding 250 new ones to create a rolling total. Its index for expectations dropped below 50 per cent for the first time in about a year, and was at 48.69, as of Dec. 6. That is nearing the year low of 46.03, one year ago . Concerns about jobs are on the rise, and are becoming more significant than are fears of inflation or housing, Nanos said. Nanos separately tracks what the company calls a pocketbook index, which is based on perceptions of personal finances and job security. When that index is mixed with the expectations index, it creates what the company calls an economic mood index. The newest measure for that index is 51.54 out of 100 Canada-wide. British Columbians have a slightly more sour economic mood than do counterparts in the rest of Canada, given their score of 50.3 out of 100, according to Nanos. The finding that British Columbians are feeling less confident than other Canadians about their economic futures conforms with what other surveys have found. B.C. small-business owners are the least confident in Canada that their ventures will perform better in the next three months, according to a Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) survey conducted in October for a November report . Their responses determined that they were also the second least confident in Canada that their businesses will perform better in 12 months than they are today, according to the survey. Only Newfoundland-based small-business owners in October said that they were less confident than counterparts B.C. for that year-ahead outlook. What makes the low confidence about economic improvement within 12 months most striking is that B.C.’s small-business confidence rate for one year in the future has historically, on average, been No. 1 among provinces, B.C.-based CFIB policy analyst Emily Boston told BIV. “It's not just the comparison over time, it's comparison to where we are relative to other provinces in Canada,” she said. [email protected] @GlenKorstrom glenkorstrom.bsky.socialWASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump's pick for intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard faced fresh scrutiny Monday on Capitol Hill about her proximity to Russian-ally Syria amid the sudden collapse of that country's hardline Assad rule. Gabbard ignored shouted questions about her 2017 visit to war-torn Syria as she ducked into one of several private meetings with senators who are being asked to confirm Trump's unusual nominees . But the Democrat-turned-Republican Army National Reserve lieutenant colonel delivered a statement in which she reiterated her support for Trump's America First approach to national security and a more limited U.S. military footprint overseas. “I want to address the issue that’s in the headlines right now: I stand in full support and wholeheartedly agree with the statements that President Trump has made over these last few days with regards to the developments in Syria,” Gabbard said exiting a Senate meeting. The incoming president’s Cabinet and top administrative choices are dividing his Republican allies and drawing concern , if not full opposition, from Democrats and others. Not just Gabbard, but other Trump nominees including Pentagon pick Pete Hegseth, were back at the Capitol ahead of what is expected to be volatile confirmation hearings next year. The incoming president is working to put his team in place for an ambitious agenda of mass immigrant deportations, firing federal workers and rollbacks of U.S. support for Ukraine and NATO allies. “We’re going to sit down and visit, that’s what this is all about,” said Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., as he welcomed Gabbard into his office. Meanwhile, Defense Secretary pick Hegseth appeared to be picking up support from once-skeptical senators, the former Army National Guard major denying sexual misconduct allegations and pledging not to drink alcohol if he is confirmed. The president-elect's choice to lead the FBI, Kash Patel , who has written extensively about locking up Trump's foes and proposed dismantling the Federal Bureau of Investigation, launched his first visits with senators Monday. “I expect our Republican Senate is going to confirm all of President Trump’s nominees,” said Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., on social media. Despite widespread concern about the nominees' qualifications and demeanors for the jobs that are among the highest positions in the U.S. government, Trump's team is portraying the criticism against them as nothing more than political smears and innuendo. Showing that concern, Nearly 100 former senior U.S. diplomats and intelligence and national security officials have urged Senate leaders to schedule closed-door hearings to allow for a full review of the government’s files on Gabbard. Trump's allies have described the criticisms of Hegseth in particular as similar to those lodged against Brett Kavanaugh, the former president's Supreme Court nominee who denied a sexual assault allegation and went on to be confirmed during Trump's first term in office. Said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., about Hegseth: “Anonymous accusations are trying to destroy reputations again. We saw this with Kavanaugh. I won’t stand for it.” One widely watched Republican, Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, herself a former Army National Guard lieutenant colonel and sexual assault survivor who had been criticized by Trump allies for her cool reception to Hegseth, appeared more open to him after their follow-up meeting Monday. “I appreciate Pete Hegseth’s responsiveness and respect for the process,” Ernst said in a statement. Ernst said that following “encouraging conversations,” he had committed to selecting a senior official who will "prioritize and strengthen my work to prevent sexual assault within the ranks. As I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources.” Ernst also had praise for Patel — “He shares my passion for shaking up federal agencies" — and for Gabbard. Once a rising Democratic star, Gabbard, who represented Hawaii in Congress, arrived a decade ago in Washington, her surfboard in tow, a new generation of potential leaders. She ran unsuccessfully for president in 2020. But Gabbard abruptly left the party and briefly became an independent before joining with Trump's 2024 campaign as one of his enthusiasts, in large part over his disdain for U.S. involvement overseas and opposition to helping Ukraine battle Russia. Her visit to Syria to meet with then-President Bashar Assad around the time of Trump's first inauguration during the country's bloody civil war stunned her former colleagues and the Washington national security establishment. The U.S. had severed diplomatic relations with Syria. Her visit was seen by some as legitimizing a brutal leader who was accused of war crimes. Gabbard has defended the trip, saying it's important to open dialogue, but critics hear in her commentary echoes of Russia-fueled talking points. Assad fled to Moscow over the weekend after Islamist rebels overtook Syria in a surprise attack, ending his family's five decades of rule. She said her own views have been shaped by “my multiple deployments and seeing firsthand the cost of war and the threat of Islamist terrorism.” Gabbard said, “It's one of the many reasons why I appreciate President Trump’s leadership and his election, where he is fully committed, as he has said over and over, to bring about an end to wars.” Last week, the nearly 100 former officials, who served in both Democratic and Republican administrations, said in the letter to Senate leaders they were “alarmed” by the choice of Gabbard to oversee all 18 U.S. intelligence agencies. They said her past actions “call into question her ability to deliver unbiased intelligence briefings to the President, Congress, and to the entire national security apparatus.” The Office of the Director of National Intelligence was created after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks to coordinate the nation’s intelligence agencies and act as the president’s main intelligence adviser. Associated Press writer Stephen Groves contributed to this report.
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