8k8 777 Buffalo Sabres (11-10-2, in the Atlantic Division) vs. New York Islanders (8-10-6, in the Metropolitan Division) Elmont, New York; Saturday, 7:30 p.m. EST BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Islanders -130, Sabres +110; over/under is 5.5 BOTTOM LINE: The New York Islanders take on the Buffalo Sabres as losers of three straight games. New York has gone 3-5-2 in home games and 8-10-6 overall. The Islanders have gone 6-1-1 in games they score one or more power-play goals. Buffalo is 5-4-1 in road games and 11-10-2 overall. The Sabres have a 4-7-1 record in games their opponents commit fewer penalties. Saturday's game is the second time these teams match up this season. The Islanders won the previous meeting 4-3. Simon Holmstrom scored two goals in the victory. TOP PERFORMERS: Kyle Palmieri has 10 goals and nine assists for the Islanders. Brock Nelson has five goals and five assists over the last 10 games. Tage Thompson has 11 goals and seven assists for the Sabres. Rasmus Dahlin has five goals and five assists over the past 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Islanders: 2-4-4, averaging 2.7 goals, 4.6 assists, 2.4 penalties and 5.1 penalty minutes while giving up three goals per game. Sabres: 6-3-1, averaging three goals, 4.7 assists, 4.3 penalties and 8.9 penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game. INJURIES: Islanders: None listed. Sabres: None listed. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar . The Associated PressDid Ariana Grande really make millions more than Cynthia Erivo for ‘Wicked’?Some tech industry leaders are pushing the incoming Trump administration to increase visas for highly skilled workers from other nations. Related Articles National Politics | Trump threat to immigrant health care tempered by economic hopes National Politics | In states that ban abortion, social safety net programs often fail families National Politics | Trump vows to pursue executions after Biden commutes most of federal death row National Politics | Elon Musk’s preschool is the next step in his anti-woke education dreams National Politics | Trump’s picks for top health jobs not just team of rivals but ‘team of opponents’ The heart of the argument is, for America to remain competitive, the country needs to expand the number of skilled visas it gives out. The previous Trump administration did not increase the skilled visa program, instead clamping down on visas for students and educated workers, increasing denial rates. Not everyone in corporate America thinks the skilled worker program is great. Former workers at IT company Cognizant recently won a federal class-action lawsuit that said the company favored Indian employees over Americans from 2013 to 2022. A Bloomberg investigation found Cognizant, and other similar outsourcing companies, mainly used its skilled work visas for lower-level positions. Workers alleged Cognizant preferred Indian workers because they could be paid less and were more willing to accept inconvenient or less-favorable assignments. Question: Should the U.S. increase immigration levels for highly skilled workers? Economists Caroline Freund, UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy YES: Innovation is our superpower and it relies on people. Sourcing talent from 8 billion people in the world instead of 330 million here makes sense. Nearly half our Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children. Growing them also relies on expanding our skilled workforce. The cap on skilled-worker visas has hardly changed since the computer age started. With AI on the horizon, attracting and building talent is more important than ever. Kelly Cunningham, San Diego Institute for Economic Research YES: After years of openly allowing millions of undocumented entrants into the country, why is there controversy over legally increasing somewhat the number having desirable skills? Undocumented immigration significantly impacts lower skill level jobs and wages competing with domestic workers at every skill level. Why should special cases be made against those having higher skills? Could they just not walk across the border anyway, why make it more inconvenient to those with desirable skills? James Hamilton, UC San Diego YES: Knowledge and technology are key drivers of the U.S. economy. Students come from all over the world to learn at U.S. universities, and their spending contributed $50 billion to U.S. exports last year. Technological advantage is what keeps us ahead of the rest of the world. Highly skilled immigrants contribute much more in taxes than they receive in public benefits. The skills immigrants bring to America can make us all better off. Norm Miller, University of San Diego YES: According to Forbes, the majority of billion-dollar startups were founded by foreigners. I’ve interviewed dozens of data analysts and programmers from Berkeley, UCSD, USD and a few other schools and 75% of them are foreign. There simply are not enough American graduates to fill the AI and data mining related jobs now exploding in the U.S. If we wish to remain a competitive economy, we need highly skilled and bright immigrants to come here and stay. David Ely, San Diego State University YES: Being able to employ highly skilled workers from a larger pool of candidates would strengthen the competitiveness of U.S. companies by increasing their capacity to perform research and innovate. This would boost the country’s economic output. Skilled workers from other nations that cannot remain in the U.S. will find jobs working for foreign rivals. The demand for H-1B visas far exceeds the current cap of 85,000, demonstrating a need to modify this program. Executives Phil Blair, Manpower YES: Every country needs skilled workers, at all levels, to grow its economy. We should take advantage of the opportunity these workers provide our employers who need these skills. It should be blended into our immigration policies allowing for both short and long term visas. Gary London, London Moeder Advisors YES: San Diego is a premiere example of how highly skilled workers from around the globe enrich a community and its regional economy. Of course Visa levels need to be increased. But let’s go further. Tie visas and immigration with a provision that those who are admitted and educated at a U.S. university be incentivized, or even required, to be employed in the U.S. in exchange for their admittance. Bob Rauch, R.A. Rauch & Associates NO: While attracting high-skilled immigrants can fill critical gaps in sectors like technology, health care and advanced manufacturing, increasing high-skilled immigration could displace American workers and drive down wages in certain industries. There are already many qualified American workers available for some of these jobs. We should balance the need for specialized skills with the impact on the domestic workforce. I believe we can begin to increase the number of visas after a careful review of abuse. Austin Neudecker, Weave Growth YES: We should expand skilled visas to drive innovation and economic growth. Individuals who perform high-skilled work in labor-restricted industries or graduate from respected colleges with relevant degrees should be prioritized for naturalization. We depend on immigration for GDP growth, tax revenue, research, and so much more. Despite the abhorrent rhetoric and curtailing of visas in the first term, I hope the incoming administration can be persuaded to enact positive changes to a clearly flawed system. Chris Van Gorder, Scripps Health YES: But it should be based upon need, not politics. There are several industries that have or could have skilled workforce shortages, especially if the next administration tightens immigration as promised and expected. Over the years, there have been nursing shortages that have been met partially by trained and skilled nurses from other countries. The physician shortage is expected to get worse in the years to come. So, this visa program may very well be needed. Jamie Moraga, Franklin Revere NO: While skilled immigration could boost our economy and competitiveness, the U.S. should prioritize developing our domestic workforce. Hiring foreign nationals in sensitive industries or government-related work, especially in advanced technology or defense, raises security concerns. A balanced approach could involve targeted increases in non-sensitive high-demand fields coupled with investment in domestic STEM education and training programs. This could address immediate needs while strengthening the long-term STEM capabilities of the American workforce. Not participating this week: Alan Gin, University of San DiegoHaney Hong, San Diego County Taxpayers AssociationRay Major, economist Have an idea for an Econometer question? Email me at phillip.molnar@sduniontribune.com . Follow me on Threads: @phillip020

The expanded Big Ten is poised to be a major player in this season's College Football Playoff. The 18-team conference had three of the top-four teams in the AP poll this week — No. 1 Oregon, No. 2 Ohio State and No. 4 Penn State. A one-loss Indiana team is ranked 10th but is still very much a contender to make the playoff, given how many Southeastern Conference teams have three defeats or more. Indiana's rise has been perhaps the Big Ten's biggest story this season. Much of the spotlight was on newcomers Oregon, Southern California, UCLA and Washington, but aside from the top-ranked Ducks, that foursome has struggled to impress. Meanwhile, the Hoosiers won their first 10 games under new coach Curt Cignetti before losing at Ohio State last weekend. Oregon beat Ohio State 32-31 back in October, and if the Buckeyes beat rival Michigan this weekend, they'll earn a rematch with the Ducks for the Big Ten title. And it's entirely possible another matchup between those two teams awaits in the CFP. Dillon Gabriel has quarterbacked Oregon to an unbeaten record, throwing for 3,066 yards and 22 touchdowns in 11 games. But don't overlook Iowa's Kaleb Johnson and his 21 rushing TDs, and quarterback Kurtis Rourke has been a big part of Indiana's improvement. Penn State's Abdul Carter has eight sacks and two forced fumbles and could be one of the top edge rushers drafted this year. Oregon (11-0, 8-0), Ohio State (10-1, 7-1), Penn State (10-1, 7-1), Indiana (10-1, 7-1), Illinois (8-3, 5-3), Iowa (7-4, 5-3), Michigan (6-5, 4-4), Minnesota (6-5, 4-4), Washington (6-5, 4-4), Southern California (6-5, 4-5), Nebraska (6-5, 3-5) and Rutgers (6-5, 3-5) have already reached the six-win mark for bowl eligibility. Michigan State (5-6, 3-5) and Wisconsin (5-6, 3-5) can join them. There may not be many firings in general at the top level of college football. The prospect of sharing revenue with athletes in the future might lead schools to be more judicious about shedding one coach and hiring a new one. Who should be most worried in the Big Ten? Well, Lincoln Riley is struggling to stay above .500 in his third season at USC. Purdue is 1-10, but coach Ryan Walters is only in his second season. Maryland's Mike Locksley has been there six years and his Terrapins are 4-7, but this was his first real step backward after guiding the team to three straight bowl wins. Cignetti has shown it is possible for a coaching change to push a previously moribund program to some impressive heights in a short amount of time — but the improvement has been more incremental at Michigan State following Jonathan Smith's arrival. Sherrone Moore wasn't a completely unknown commodity at Michigan after he won some massive games in place of a suspended Jim Harbaugh last year. But in his first season completely at the helm, the Wolverines have declined significantly following their national title a season ago. The Big Ten is home to one of the most dynamic freshmen in the country in Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith. He has 52 catches for 899 yards and nine touchdowns. Highly touted quarterback Dylan Raiola has teamed up with fellow freshman Jacory Barney (49 catches) to lead Nebraska to bowl eligibility. Ohio State is on track to land the Big Ten's top class, according to 247 Sports, but the big news recently was quarterback Bryce Underwood flipping from LSU to Michigan. If the Wolverines do in fact keep Underwood in his home state, that would be a big development for Moore. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Believe it or not, Cowboys might have hope yet after chaotic win at Washington

The UN nuclear watchdog's board of governors passed a resolution chiding Iran's poor cooperation with the agency after hours of heated exchanges, diplomats told AFP late on Thursday, a move Tehran called "politically motivated". The censure motion brought by Britain, France, Germany and the United States at the International Atomic Energy Agency's 35-nation board follows a similar one in June. But it comes as tensions run high over Iran's atomic programme, with critics fearing that Tehran is attempting to develop a nuclear weapon -- a claim the Islamic Republic has repeatedly denied. The resolution -- which China, Russia and Burkina Faso voted against -- was carried by 19 votes in favour, with 12 abstentions and Venezuela not participating, two diplomats told AFP. Ahead of the vote on Thursday night, the United States and its European allies sought to rally support for their resolution by denouncing Iran. In its national statement to the board, Washington said that Tehran's nuclear activities are "deeply troubling". London, Paris and Berlin in a joint statement drew attention to the "threat" Iran's nuclear programme posed "to international security", stressing that it now had enough highly enriched uranium for four nuclear weapons. In a first reaction after the vote, Iran's ambassador to the IAEA, Mohsen Naziri Asl, told AFP that the resolution was "politically motivated", citing its "low support" compared to previous censures. The confidential resolution seen by AFP says it is "essential and urgent" for Iran to "act to fulfil its legal obligations". The text also calls on Tehran to provide "technically credible explanations" for the presence of uranium particles found at two undeclared locations in Iran. Moreover, Western powers are asking for a "comprehensive report" to be issued by the IAEA on Iran's nuclear efforts "at the latest" by spring 2025. Since 2021, Tehran has significantly decreased its cooperation with the agency by deactivating surveillance devices to monitor the nuclear programme and barring UN inspectors. At the same time, Iran has rapidly ramped up its nuclear activities, including by increasing its stockpiles of enriched uranium. That has heightened fears that Tehran might be seeking to develop a nuclear weapon, which it denies. The resolution comes just as IAEA head Rafael Grossi returned from a trip to Tehran last week, where he appeared to have made headway. During the visit, Iran agreed to an IAEA demand to cap its sensitive stock of near weapons-grade uranium enriched up to 60 percent purity. "This is a concrete step in the right direction," Grossi told reporters Wednesday, saying it was "the first time" Iran had made such a commitment since it started breaking away from its obligations under the nuclear deal. The landmark 2015 deal -- which curbed Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief -- fell apart three years later after the unilateral withdrawal by the United States under then-president Donald Trump. In retaliation, Tehran began gradually rolling back some of its commitments by increasing its uranium stockpiles and enriching beyond the 3.67 percent purity -- enough for nuclear power stations -- permitted under the deal. Although symbolic in nature at this stage, the censure motion is designed to raise diplomatic pressure on Iran. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Thursday the censure "will disrupt" interactions with the agency, but stressed Tehran would remain keen to cooperate. Earlier, Araghchi had warned of a "proportionate" response by Iran if the board passes the resolution. According to Heloise Fayet, a researcher at the French Institute of International Relations, the resolution has the potential to "harm Rafael Grossi's efforts". "But Western powers are frustrated by the lack of effectiveness of his diplomatic manoeuvres and are looking for firmer solutions," she told AFP. On Wednesday, Grossi said he could "not exclude" that Iran's commitment to cap enrichment might falter "as a result of further developments". Foreign policy expert Rahman Ghahremanpour said Tehran might retaliate to the new censure by "increasing the enrichment levels". But he does not expect any drastic "strategic measures" as Iran does not want to "aggravate tensions" before Trump returns to the White House. pdm-anb-kym/giv

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Rhett Dryburgh had no choice but to say goodbye to the “love of his life”, Semaphore eatery, Sarah’s Sister’s Sustainable Cafe. The devastated business owner is still coming to terms with the closure of his much-loved vegan venue, which he had operated for four years but had served the local community for almost five decades. “It’s been incredibly tough, we’ve just been hanging on by our fingertips and unfortunately we just haven’t been able to make it through to the new year,” Mr Dryburgh, 25, said. “It’s been very upsetting to close what you have been working on. It’s the love of our life. You don’t get up and work everyday unless you love it.” Mr Dryburgh took over the cafe during the pandemic and battled through some tough times, but said the current cost-of-living crisis, coupled with rising business expenses, left him with no option but to close the doors permanently on December 7. “It was really out of our hands by the end. It was purely a financial decision, unfortunately it was just not viable anymore,” he said. SCROLL DOWN FOR THE LIST OF 2024 CLOSURES Operating expenses, including energy and food costs, rent and insurance premiums, had skyrocketed in the last couple of years, Mr Dryburgh said. He said the cafe’s electricity and gas bill had risen 100 per cent up to $12,000 per annum. “It’s just a ridiculous cost increase and we just couldn’t take it anymore,” Mr Dryburgh said. “We can’t keep passing on the price increases to the customers because we love them and we can’t keep expecting them to foot the bill.” Rhett Dryburgh at his former hospitality venue, Sarah's Sister's Sustainable Cafe in Semaphore. Picture: Rhett Dryburgh A dish from Sarah's Sister's Sustainable Cafe. Picture: Rhett Dryburgh Mr Dryburgh’s story has been mirrored across the state’s hospitality industry in 2024, with a string of venues, from cafes and restaurants to bars and clubs, shutting their doors for good. These include longstanding institutions such as Cardone’s at Jetty Rd , Glenelg, and Martini’s on the Parade , in Norwood, to newer establishments like My Lover Cindi , on Pirie St, burger bar chain Cheffy Chelby’s and Port Adelaide nightclub Confession . Confession owner Shane Hryhorec, who closed his disability-friendly nightclub in April, said people were spending less on a night out than ever before. “We had one night and it was a free event and a third of the people in the room weren’t paying for anything at all,” Mr Hryhorec said. “There was a significant drop on the per head spend – about a 40 per cent reduction across three years. It’s sad because people just have less places to go, less live entertainment venues and less options.” Confession owner Shane Hryhorec. Picture: Supplied Mr Hryhorec said the dire situation facing hospitality business owners would only get worse, before it gets better. “I’m seeing a lot of businesses open and they last three months,” he said. “I hate to not be positive but I do think the next 12 months will be the same, potentially worse.” Publican Simone Douglas was forced to close the doors on her city cafe, The dob on King William , in May. She still operates the Duke of Brunswick Hotel and the Port Admiral Hotel at Port Adelaide. “You never want to admit failure but when you’ve thrown everything at it and you’re still losing money, you just have to call it quits,” Ms Douglas said. “Everyone is just a bit exhausted. We love the industry but it’s been a very tough year and we’ve had to dig in hard, just to stay open.” The gap between large and small venues will only widen in the future, Ms Douglas said. “There’s going to be a much bigger divide between those large-scale footprint operators, and those smaller cafes and bars, as owners look to increase profitability,” she said. “The industry isn’t going anywhere but it’s going to have to evolve and change.” Simone Douglas, owner of the Duke of Brunswick. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Morgan Sette Mr Hryhorec called on the state government to “do more” to support hospitality businesses, including easy-to-apply for grants, similar to those offered during the pandemic. “I think that would go a long way, because once businesses close, they stay closed,” he said. Mr Dryburgh said it’s going to be a “rough summer” for hospitality operators and urged people to support local businesses if they can. “If businesses can make it through to the new year, I have some hope and optimism that we could see some improvement in the second half of 2025,” he said. “And an interest-rate cut from the RBA would be a nice present for everyone.” Australian Hotels Association SA chief executive Anna Moeller said there had been a “perfect storm” of economic crises that had hit the hospitality in the wake of Covid – cost of living, which affected the number of patrons coming through their doors, and cost-of-operating that had seen their bills for facilities, insurance and ingredients skyrocket. “There’s all these fixed costs that they just can’t change,” said Ms Moeller, who also blamed “overwhelming” regulations and “red tape”. “I think it was that perfect storm that has seen the industry have an unnaturally high number of closures.” WHERE ARE THEY NOW: LIFE AFTER HOSPO AHA chief executive Anna Moeller. Picture: Supplied Ms Moeller said skills and labour shortages were further devastating hotels and restaurant owners, who were struggling to fill vital roles, particularly chefs and cooks. “It is incredibly bad,” she said. “There are some places that cannot open their kitchen every day because they cannot get a cook or a chef. There are regional areas that have got FIFO workers that are cooks and chefs – FIFO is no longer just mining, it’s hospitality.” She said caps on migration and overseas students and the perception that hospitality was a “job that you did before you started your career” were also recruitment hurdles. Ms Moeller said the death knell for some restaurants and cafes was the fact that costs deferred during Covid – such as rent and insurance – were now coming due and struggling business owners could not afford them. “It was like this cliff that they were rapidly approaching,” she said. “Once the Covid era ended and people could operate again, all of those debts fell due. We could see the cliff coming and we were saying our second wave of Covid won’t be sickness, it will be the closure of all these businesses that lived through but then once everything becomes due ... it is disastrous.” 11 VENUES WE LOVED AND LOST IN 2024 Cardone’s Jetty Rd, Glenelg Cardone's Seafood and Grill Restaurant at Jetty Road, Glenelg, closed this year. Picture: File After 24 years operating in the same location, owner-operator Nick Cardone was left with no choice but to shut down his restaurant in March , due to the ongoing impact of the pandemic combined with rising business costs. Owner Nick Cardone with comedian Barry Humphries at Cardone's. Picture: File “It really saddens me. This is my life. Day in, day out. I don’t remember having three days off in a row for a very, very long time,” Mr Cardone told The Advertiser at the time. “I get emotional about it. I still can’t believe it’s actually closed. It’s really taken a toll on me, it’s been very emotional and overwhelming to be honest. “As disappointing as it is, it’s a sign of the times.” Enzo’s Ristorante Port Rd, Hindmarsh The Fazzari family closed their restaurant Enzo's on Port Road after 25 years this year. (Back) Natalie, Matt, Anthony and Alex. (Front) Teresa and Enzo Fazzari. Picture: Tom Huntley One of Adelaide’s most iconic Italian restaurants, Enzo’s Ristorante, finally closed its doors in May after 25 years. The building’s lease was up and the venue’s owners, Enzo and Teresa Fazzari, decided it was the right time to hang up the apron. Teresa and Enzo Fazzari owners of Enzo's Ristorante which closed this year. Picture Mark Brake “I’ve got very mixed emotions. Sadness in a way, humbled by the response and proud to have achieved 25 years in this restaurant,” said chef Mr Fazzari, 69. Enzo’s has won multiple awards, including Excellence in Formal Italian Dining in 2017 and 2019 in SA, and was the one of the first Australia restaurants to be awarded the Ospitalita Italiana accreditation by the Italian Government for its authentic Italian dining experience. Martini’s on the Parade The Parade, Norwood Chef and owner Larry Piscioneri closed down his acclaimed Italian restaurant Martini’s on the Parade. Larry Piscioneri at Martini’s on the Parade. Owner and executive chef Larry Piscioneri said the current “uncertain economic climate” left him with little choice but to sell the business after almost two decades . “It’s the right call to make,” he told The Advertiser. Mr Piscioneri, 54, said consumer spending had been well down due to the cost of living crisis, and he estimated trade at Martini had fallen almost 50 per cent in the year leading up to its closure in May. Business costs had also surged, he said. Italian restaurant Martini’s on the Parade. Picture: File “It’s been frustrating to run a business in the last four years. It’s had its highs and lows. The last year has been the hardest,” he said. “I have so many loyal customers ... but people just don’t have the money to spend on dining out, and the cost of everything has gone up. “It’s very hard to turn a profit in this climate.” Fire and Vine Bevington Rd, Glenunga Inaugural head chef Jamie Bennie and owner George Melissourgos at Fire and Vine. Picture: Matt Loxton Succeeding a dining institution like Cork & Cleaver was never going to be easy but this new restaurant barely got off the ground. Owner George Melissourgos closed his steak and seafood eatery in June , nine months after he opened , and just a fortnight after a less-than-flattering SA Weekend review . The review, by respected Adelaide food writer Simon Wilkinson, described lengthy service delays, including an hour wait for entrees. A chicken dish at Fire and Vine in Glenunga. Picture: Matt Loxton Mr Melissourgos told The Advertiser staff recruitment was an “ongoing” issue for the venue. “We are trying to find good, reliable, consistent staff that we can rely on and have on-call if we need them. That’s the biggest thing,” he said at the time. Paddy Barry’s Gilles St, Adelaide Paddy's Barry on Gilles St. Picture: Facebook The pressures of running a small business while raising a young family led to Jimmy Barry closing his popular city coffee spot . Mr Barry, who took over the cafe formerly known as Sibling in 2021, said it wasn’t an easy decision but “ultimately, family comes first”. Paddy's Barry owner James Barry at his former Adelaide cafe. Picture: Facebook “After three incredible years, it brings sadness and relief to say we’re shutting our doors in the coming months. A decision that wasn’t easy to make,” he explained in a post on social media. “Ultimately, family comes first and I want to be the best dad, partner, son, brother and friend I possibly can. With the pressure of small business, I’m finding it hard to be present.” Known for brewing some of Adelaide’s best coffee, the cafe nestled in Adelaide’s south and named after the owner’s grandad was a hit with locals for years. North Adelaide Burger Bar O’Connell St, North Adelaide North Adelaide Burger Bar has closed its doors for good. Picture: File Late night eats in North Adelaide will never be the same. The home of the original AB meal, and a staple of SA’s fast food history for over seven decades, this legendary burger bar shut up shop for good in June . North Adelaide Burger Bar. Picture: File Its owners announced their decision on social media, revealing that “the current financial climate, rising costs of running the business and increased utility expenses” had made it impossible for them to continue trading. The post said the tough decision had been made despite their “best efforts” to keep the burger bar’s storied legacy alive. Cheffy Chelby’s Morphett Vale and Hallett Cove Michelle Lowe at her Cheffy Chelby’s venue in Port Noarlunga. Picture: Tom Huntley Owner-operator Michelle Lowe pulled the pin on her award-winning chain of breakfast burger bars in April, citing rising costs and customers’ reticence to spend for her devastating decision. It came after she was forced to close her flagship Port Noarlunga eatery when the building it was located in was declared derelict and unsafe by the local council in February 2023. Ms Lowe said customers simply weren’t spending as much money as in the past – and the figures no longer added up, with soaring food costs meaning a small coffee should practically cost up to $8. “I’ve taken too many hits. It’s like I’m playing Mortal Kombat and I keep getting killed,” said Ms Lowe, a chef, who launched the business after losing her job at the start of the pandemic. Folklore Cafe Mundy St, Port Adelaide Anika Harvey at Folklore Cafe in Port Adelaide. Picture: Tom Huntley This community favourite overlooking the Port Adelaide River shut its doors permanently in Februar y after almost 10 years of trading. “It’s with a very heavy heart that I have decided to close Folklore Cafe,” owner Anika Havey said in an emotional Facebook post. “It’s been an incredible nine years and I feel very lucky to have been here for this long.” The popular cafe served a range of dishes made from local and sustainable produce. Ms Havey explained how difficult it was to reach the decision after making strong connections in the community. Terroir Auburn Main N Rd, Auburn, Clare Valley Dan Moss and Annika Parish at Terroir Auburn. Picture: File Owners Dan Moss and Annika Parish said the “extremely volatile and uncertain economic future” of the country was a big factor in their decision to close their award-winning restaurant in May . In an emotional social media post, the couple said political leaders had yet to “fully recognise” the serious issues crippling the state’s hospitality industry. Kingfish starter at Terroir Auburn. Picture: Supplied “We are just simply not willing to carry any debt into the rest of the year, and risk our young family’s future on a game that is impossible to win for small business owners in 2024. “We won’t be the only ones making this decision this year. Brilliant and very talented operators will be faced with this choice also, and we hope they have the courage to make the right business decision for their families.” Mr Moss has since joined nearby Skillogalee Estate as their executive head chef . My Lover Cindi Pirie St, Adelaide Owner Rachel Hosking at My Lover Cindi. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe The venue hosted a farewell weekend at the end of May, with its owner-operators Rachel Hosking and Kate Toone saying the “exorbitant costs” of running a nightclub left them with no other choice but to pull the pin . “All good things must come to an end. The simple answer is that maintaining the exorbitant costs of a night-time venue has been near impossible for the whole three years and finally at this point we can no longer continue,” they said in a social media post. It came a few months are they told followers they were facing “extreme” venue challenge s in a “vulnerable” Facebook post urging locals to help them “turn things around” by heading out and buying tickets to events if they could. Ponyboy Murray Bridge The yoghurt shop and cafe founded by members of Murray Bridge’s horse-racing community started with a gallop in 2022. But just weeks before Christmas, they announced they were at the finish line . “We put our heart and soul into Ponyboy but unfortunately we couldn’t make it work,” the Ponyboy team said at the time. “There’s no doubt it’s a challenging period for many in the community and we definitely felt that as a small business, particularly in the last 12 months.” In a post to Facebook, Ponyboy thanked patrons, saying the business had “loved being a part of the Murray Bridge community” and appreciated the support of its “lovely customers”. More Coverage Hospo hell continues as one of SA’s best-known burger bars shuts shop George Yankovich Hospo hell: Brutal conditions force popular venues to continue closing Tara Miko Originally published as The South Australia hospitality closures that rocked the state in 2024 SA News Don't miss out on the headlines from SA News. Followed categories will be added to My News. Join the conversation Add your comment to this story To join the conversation, please log in. Don't have an account? Register Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout More related stories SA News ‘I can’t believe it’: Homeless no more for Hayden and his dogs It’s been seven years since Hayden Patterson had a home and now with years on his feet in the streets, he can finally lay down safe in a place to call his own. 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WASHINGTON ― President-elect Donald Trump said Friday he will work to end daylight saving time , putting his weight behind a long-debated effort that would require congressional action. Trump announced his push to make standard time year-round ‒ ending semi-annual time changes ‒ in a post on his social media site Truth Social . "The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldn’t!" Trump wrote . "Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation." The U.S. is currently in standard time ‒ which moved the clocks back an hour on Nov. 3, resulting in early December sunsets that are often the subject of complaints. The nation is set to spring forward to daylight saving time again on March 9 of next year. Although getting rid of daylight saving time would keep the strikingly early winter evenings, the move would mean no more time changes, which some call their biggest annoyance. Tech entrepreneurs Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who are set to lead a Trump administration effort aimed at cutting government costs and improving efficiency, had signaled their support for scrapping daylight saving time. "Looks like the people want to abolish the annoying time changes," Musk wrote in a post last month on X. All but two states observe daylight saving time. (Under the Uniform Time Act of 1966, states can opt out of DST.) Yet even among those who want to scrap time changes, there's a debate whether daylight saving time or standard time should be the one to go. More: Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy outline plan for 'large-scale firings' in federal workforce under Trump In 2022, the Senate approved bipartisan legislation on unanimous consent to make daylight standard time permanent ‒ and keep the later sunsets ‒ but it stalled in the House. The bill was co-sponsored by Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., a Trump ally and the incoming president's nominee for secretary of state. Health experts say time changes disrupt the body's circadian rhythm and release hormones. But most oppose keeping daylight saving time permanent, citing evidence that springing forward an hour in March is harder on us than falling back in November. "The medical and scientific communities are unified ... that permanent standard time is better for human health," said Erik Herzog, a professor of biology and neuroscience at Washington University in St. Louis and the former president of the Society for Research on Biological Rhythms. Polling suggests Americans favor Trump's idea of getting rid of daylight saving time. About 43% want year-round standard time, 32% want permanent daylight saving time and 25% want to stick with the status quo, an October 2021 Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found. For now and for the near future at least, most Americans will keep going through the jarring time changes that come around twice a year. The U.S. tried year-round daylight saving time once before. That came in 1974 under President Richard Nixon. Just a few months into the experiment, Congress acted to go back to standard time after complaints of children going to school in the dark on winter mornings. Contributing: Jeanine SantucciPresident-elect Donald Trump will return to power next year with a raft of technological tools at his disposal that would help deliver his campaign promise of cracking down on immigration — among them, surveillance and artificial intelligence technology that the Biden administration already uses to help make crucial decisions in tracking, detaining and ultimately deporting immigrants lacking permanent legal status. While immigration officials have used the tech for years, an October letter from the Department of Homeland Security obtained exclusively by The Associated Press details how those tools — some of them powered by AI — help make life-altering decisions for immigrants, including whether they should be detained or surveilled. One algorithm, for example, ranks immigrants with a “Hurricane Score,” ranging from 1-5, to assess whether someone will “abscond” from the agency's supervision. The letter, sent by DHS Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer Eric Hysen to the immigrant rights group Just Futures Law, revealed that the score calculates the potential risk that an immigrant — with a pending case — will fail to check in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. The algorithm relies on several factors, he said, including an immigrant’s number of violations and length of time in the program, and whether the person has a travel document. Hysen wrote that ICE officers consider the score, among other information, when making decisions about an immigrant’s case. “The Hurricane Score does not make decisions on detention, deportation, or surveillance; instead, it is used to inform human decision-making,” Hysen wrote. Also included in the government’s tool kit is a mobile app called SmartLINK that uses facial matching and can track an immigrant’s specific location. Nearly 200,000 people without legal status who are in removal proceedings are enrolled in the Alternatives to Detention program, under which certain immigrants can live in the U.S. while their immigration cases are pending. In exchange, SmartLINK and GPS trackers used by ICE rigorously surveil them and their movements. The phone application draws on facial matching technology and geolocation data, which has been used before to find and arrest those using the app. Just Futures Law wrote to Hysen earlier this year, questioning the fairness of using an algorithm to assess whether someone is a flight risk and raising concerns over how much data SmartLINK collects. Such AI systems, which score or screen people, are used widely but remain largely unregulated even though some have been found to discriminate on race, gender or other protected traits. DHS said in an email that it is committed to ensuring that its use of AI is transparent and safeguards privacy and civil rights while avoiding biases. The agency said it is working to implement the Biden administration’s requirements on using AI , but Hysen said in his letter that security officials may waive those requirements for certain uses. Trump has publicly vowed to repeal Biden's AI policy when he returns to the White House in January. “DHS uses AI to assist our personnel in their work, but DHS does not use the outputs of AI systems as the sole basis for any law enforcement action or denial of benefits,” a spokesperson for DHS told the AP. Trump has not revealed how he plans to carry out his promised deportation of an estimated 11 million people living in the country illegally. Although he has proposed invoking wartime powers, as well as military involvement, the plan would face major logistical challenges — such as where to keep those who have been detained and how to find people spread across the country — that AI-powered surveillance tools could potentially address. Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for Trump, did not answer questions about how they plan to use DHS’ tech, but said in a statement that “President Trump will marshal every federal and state power necessary to institute the largest deportation operation” in American history. Over 100 civil society groups sent a letter on Friday urging the Office of Management and Budget to require DHS to comply with the Biden administration’s guidelines. OMB did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Just Futures Law’s executive director, Paromita Shah, said if immigrants are scored as flight risks, they are more likely to remain in detention, "limiting their ability to prepare a defense in their case in immigration court, which is already difficult enough as it is.” SmartLINK, part of the Intensive Supervision Appearance Program, is run by BI Inc., a subsidiary of the private prison company The GEO Group. The GEO Group also contracts with ICE to run detention centers. ICE is tight-lipped about how it uses SmartLINK’s location feature to find and arrest immigrants. Still, public records show that during Trump’s first term in 2018, Manassas, Virginia-based employees of BI Inc. relayed immigrants’ GPS locations to federal authorities, who then arrested over 40 people. In a report last year to address privacy issues and concerns, DHS said that the mobile app includes security features that “prohibit access to information on the participant’s mobile device, with the exception of location data points when the app is open.” But the report notes that there remains a risk that data collected from people "may be misused for unauthorized persistent monitoring.” Such information could also be stored in other ICE and DHS databases and used for other DHS mission purposes, the report said. On investor calls earlier this month, private prison companies were clear-eyed about the opportunities ahead. The GEO Group’s executive chairman George Christopher Zoley said that he expects the incoming Trump administration to “take a much more aggressive approach regarding border security as well as interior enforcement and to request additional funding from Congress to achieve these goals.” “In GEO’s ISAP program, we can scale up from the present 182,500 participants to several hundreds of thousands, or even millions of participants,” Zoley said. That same day, the head of another private prison company told investors he would be watching closely to see how the new administration may change immigrant monitoring programs. “It’s an opportunity for multiple vendors to engage ICE about the program going forward and think about creative and innovative solutions to not only get better outcomes, but also scale up the program as necessary,” Damon Hininger, CEO of the private prison company CoreCivic Inc. said on an earnings call. GEO did not respond to requests for comment. In a statement, CoreCivic said that it has played “a valued but limited role in America’s immigration system” for both Democrats and Republicans for over 40 years.

The Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball team has gotten off to a fast start this season in more ways than one. The No. 16 Bearcats have raced to a 5-0 record while outscoring their opponents by more than 31 points per game, with just one team (Northern Kentucky) coming within 16 points. Cincinnati is averaging a robust 87 points per game with one of the more efficient offenses in college basketball. Cincinnati will look to continue that hot streak when it plays host to Alabama State in nonconference action Wednesday evening. Cincinnati has punished opposing defenses in a variety of ways this season. Despite being the No. 14 offense in the nation in Ken Pomeroy's efficiency ratings, the Bearcats aren't among the nation's leaders in pace. Still, they take advantage of those opportunities when they are there. "Us playing fast is something we want to do," Cincinnati forward Dillon Mitchell said. "When I was being recruited here, that was something Coach (Wes) Miller wanted to do. "There could be games where we're not making shots or something is off, but one thing is we're gonna push the ball, play hard and play fast. That's something he preaches. We'll be in shape and get rebounds." Mitchell is fresh off a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds in Cincinnati's 81-58 road win at Georgia Tech Saturday. He is one of four Bearcats to average double figures in scoring this season. That balance was on display once again against the Yellow Jackets, with Connor Hickman and Jizzle James also scoring 14 points each and Simas Lukosius contributing 12 points. In that game, Cincinnati sank 51.6 percent of its shots while regularly getting out into transition with 16 fastbreak points, while winning the rebounding battle 36-29. "Any time you get a road win over a quality, Power 4 team, you're gonna feel good about it," Miller said. "I was pleased with our effort." Lukosius is scoring 16.6 points per game, while James is at 14.0 points, followed by Mitchell at 12.4, while he also grabs a team-best 8.6 rebounds. Alabama State (3-3) has a tough task ahead, especially when considering its 97-78 loss at Akron Sunday, which ended a three-game winning streak. The Hornets allowed the Zips to shoot 46.4 percent from the field and were 53-32 in the rebounding battle. Alabama State gave up a season high in points, after playing the likes of LSU and UNLV earlier this season. Akron standout Nate Johnson lit up Alabama State for 25 points, as the game got away from the Hornets in the second half to keep them winless in true road games. Alabama leading scorers CJ Hines and TJ Madlock still got theirs against Akron, scoring 19 and 17 points, respectively. They were joined in double figures by reserve Tyler Mack (18 points), but recent history says they'll need more help to keep up with the Bearcats. Hines leads the Hornets with 15.7 points per game, while Madlock contributes 14.5 points. In previous Akron Basketball Classic wins last week against Omaha and Lamar, Alabama State featured at least four double-digit scorers in each game. --Field Level Media1 2 Chandrapur: Lloyds Metals and Engineers Ltd, in partnership with Lloyds Infinity Foundation, on Thursday launched two fully equipped ambulances as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. The ambulances, classified as Type B and Type C, aim to provide critical medical transport and emergency care to underserved communities, aligning with the foundation's mission of improving healthcare access and quality of life. These ambulances will ensure 24x7 availability for emergencies, bridging healthcare gaps in the area. The inaugural ceremony held in Ghugus was presided over by sub-divisional officer Jernath Chandra, alongside other key dignitaries including district civil surgeon Dr Mahadev Chincholkar. Company representatives emphasised their commitment to societal welfare. Senior vice-president of company Prashant Puri highlighted the ethos of ‘service to humanity' in is address. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , Location Guesser and Mini Crossword .

Program helps lower costs for home buyers, renters That didn’t take long. During its Nov. 14 meeting, Tekamah City Council used up a second round of funding for LB 840 housing grants. The grants sought by David Self and Susie Robison were the fourth and fifth in a second round of funding where the city makes $100,000 available in up to five grants for home repairs. Self sought funding for a second house he is building near 17th and M Streets. He previously was approved for funding on the first house during the first tranche of grants. Self told the council the program is a big help with his projects because it helps reduce costs for the eventual buyer. He said he is working with Three Rivers Housing Development Corp., an area non-profit, to market both houses to first-time buyers. “This could open doors for a lot of people,” he said. Robison sought funds for the house she owns at 409 N. 13th Street. She said she bought the home 15 months ago through a foreclosure and expects to have it back on the market by Dec. 1. The intent of the program is to help lower building or repair costs for property owners. Under the terms of the program, developers can be reimbursed for up to $20,000 for any repairs they make. Repairs to an owner-occupied home are not eligible for the funds. Receipts must be provided to the city and the facility will be checked by the city building inspector to make sure the work submitted was actually done before the reimbursement is made. The program allows developers to recoup some of their costs with the possibility that they reinvest the money in another project. The program was started at the request of the LB 840 Citizens Review Committee which was looking for ways to use the 840 funds, collected by a half-cent sales tax on goods sold in the city, to help upgrade the housing stock. Housing improvement is one of the goals of the LB 840 economic development plan approved by city voters in 2018. The LB 840 program is slated to expire in 2028 unless it is renewed by voters. In other business Nov. 14, the council: —Approved moving to a level-funded health insurance plan for city employees. The move is expected to save the city 14 percent on its health insurance premiums. Essentially, the city’s premium money is split into three pots: one for administrative costs, one for claims and one for what is called a stop-loss. She said the money paid into the claims fund will never be exceeded. Any overage will be paid by the insurance company and likely recouped by a higher premium the following year. On the flip side, if the city doesn’t spend all of its claims money, it could possibly get some of its premium money back. Although the deductible employees pay goes up, the out of packet maximum they face goes down. Estimates show the city saving roughly $6,000 per month in health insurance premiums. —Directed City Attorney Matt Munderloh to drafting a resolution restructuring the demolition fee charged by the city. Building Inspector George Hill said the matter came to light during the demolition of the former Tiger Bowl building. Hill said contractors believe the fee is “way too low.” Currently, the fee to demolish a building is $30, regardless of the size of the building. Hill suggested a three-level fee structure. Anything under 480 square feet, about the size of a two-car garage, would remain at $30. Anything between 480 and 5,500 square feet would see a fee of $110. The fee for anything over 5,500 square feet would increase to $250. The council was expected to revisit the matter at its Nov. 25 meeting. The council also tabled a request to develop an ordinance addressing the use of electric motor bikes in the city. Mayor Jane Walford said the change is not aimed electric bikes that also can be pedal powered. “These are more like electric dirt bikes.” “Kids are using them on the streets,” council member Kelly Adamson-Weeces said. “They aren’t recognized by the state as street legal, but we don’t have an ordinance to back up enforcement.” Munderloh asked to table the matter so he can gather more information. “If the intent is to pass an ordinance to conform with the law, you should,” he said. “If it’s already shown in state law, you can enforce it whether you have an ordinance or not.”NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street is set to break more records Monday as U.S. stocks rise to add to last week’s gains. The S&P 500 was 0.2% higher, as of 3 p.m. Eastern time, and sitting just below its all-time high set two weeks ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 397 points, or 0.9%, to its own record set on Friday, while the Nasdaq composite was 0.1% higher. Treasury yields also eased in the bond market amid what some analysts called a “Bessent bounce” after President-elect Donald Trump said he wants Scott Bessent , a hedge fund manager, to be his Treasury Secretary. Bessent has argued for reducing the U.S. government’s deficit, which is how much more it spends than it takes in through tax and other revenue. Such an approach could soothe worries on Wall Street that Trump’s policies may lead to a much bigger deficit, which in turn would put upward pressure on Treasury yields. After climbing above 4.44% immediately after Trump’s election, the yield on the 10-year Treasury fell back to 4.26% Monday and down from 4.41% late Friday. That’s a notable move, and lower yields help make it cheaper for all kinds of companies and households to borrow money. They also give a boost to prices for stocks and other investments. That helped stocks of smaller companies lead the way, and the Russell 2000 index of smaller stocks jumped 2%. It’s set to top its all-time high, which was set three years ago. Smaller companies can feel bigger boosts from lower borrowing costs because of the need of many to borrow to grow. The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks the market’s expectations for what the Federal Reserve will do with overnight interest rates, also eased sharply. The Fed began cutting its main interest rate just a couple months ago from a two-decade high, hoping to keep the job market humming after bringing high inflation nearly all the way down to its 2% target. But immediately after Trump’s victory, traders had reduced bets for how many cuts the Fed may deliver next year. They were worried Trump's preference for lower tax rates and higher spending on the border would balloon the national debt. . A report coming on Wednesday could influence how much the Fed may cut rates. Economists expect it to show that an underlying inflation trend the Fed prefers to use accelerated to 2.8% last month from 2.7% in September. Higher inflation would make the Fed more reluctant to cut rates as deeply or as quickly as it would otherwise. Goldman Sachs economist David Mericle expects that to slow by the end of next year to 2.4%, but he said inflation would be even lower if not for expected tariff increases on imports from China and autos favored by Trump. In the stock market, Bath & Body Works jumped 19.1% after delivering stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The seller of personal care products and home fragrances also raised its financial forecasts for the full year, even though it still sees a “volatile retail environment” and a shorter holiday shopping season this year. Much focus has been on how resilient U.S. shoppers can remain, given high prices across the economy and still-high interest rates. Last week, two major retailers sent mixed messages. Target tumbled after giving a dour forecast for the holiday shopping season. It followed Walmart , which gave a much more encouraging outlook. Another big retailer, Macy’s, said Monday its sales for the latest quarter were in line with its expectations, but it will delay the release of its full financial results. It found a single employee had intentionally hid up to $154 million in delivery expenses, and it needs more time to complete its investigation. Macy’s stock fell 2.9%. Among the market's leaders were several companies related to the housing industry. Monday's drop in Treasury yields could translate into easier mortgage rates, which could spur activity for housing. Builders FirstSource, a supplier or building materials, rose 6.2%. Homebuilders, D.R. Horton, PulteGroup and Lennar all rose at least 5.8%. In stock markets abroad, indexes moved modestly across much of Europe after finishing mixed in Asia. In the crypto market, bitcoin was trading around $96,800 after threatening to hit $100,000 late last week for the first time. AP Business Writer Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.If your last week of the year is anything like mine, it's all about munching on those Christmas leftovers while watching the Boxing Day Test and wading through the big pile of books Santa generously dropped down the chimney. Subscribe now for unlimited access . Login or signup to continue reading All articles from our website & app The digital version of Today's Paper Breaking news alerts direct to your inbox Interactive Crosswords, Sudoku and Trivia All articles from the other regional websites in your area Continue This year, the tome that made the biggest thud as it landed under our Christmas tree was Australian Lustre: Places, spaces and things by Trent Mitchell. It's one of those books you can dip in and out of, like between a few lazy laps at Manuka Pool or body surfs at Broulee. And it's not because it has standalone chapters - rather because it's a photographic record of that annual holiday tradition for many: the road trip. However, Australian Lustre isn't a compilation of glossy, set-up shots that have been photoshopped to fill tourist brochures, cram influencers Instagram feeds or adorn those calendars that you scored for Christmas and are now already 50 per cent off at the mall. No, this is Australia through Trent Mitchell's eyes. And dare I say it, it's the real Australia. Photographer Trent Mitchell loves the ocean, but his latest book Australian Lustre he takes the reader on a road trip around Australia. Picture by Trent Mitchell Australian Lustre features more than 300 photographs of places Trent visited as kid or wanted to; and has since (re)visited on hundreds of road trips as an adult. Trent's insatiable ache for the road trip dates to Christmas holidays as a kid when his parents would load the family wagon and drive up the NSW coast to caravan parks. View + 6 Photos His wonderfully evocative memory of the Budgewoi caravan park on the Central Coast, published in the foreword, suggests he should write more to accompany his photos. "The caravan park was wedged between an enormous open sharky beach and a smelly stagnant lake that gave you pelican itch. Across the water, a power station loomed as the centrepiece to our sunset view. The air was thick with salt, glazing everything with a distinctive coastal patina. Most things would decay in the elements. Bikes and barbecues tended to go first. The hard sun and open space didn't help, yet the heat was perfect for fish and chips, bare feet and ice cream." Those childhood summers left an indelible impact on Trent. "During these never-ending holidays our family existed in a quintessentially Australian world, and the experiences were etched deep into the corners of my subconscious, truly informing the curiosity and passion that I carry with me on the road now," he reveals. Trent admits he pines for those simple summer days and loves pointing his camera to the past, "holding onto those cherished slices of time in hope to infuse the reflections and feelings into pictures". And boy does he do it well, leading us on a nostalgic journey through the holidays of not only his own childhood, but, if you grew up in Australia in the mid-to-late-1900s, probably yours too. His take on Big Things sums up his idiosyncratic style. Goulburn's Big Merino appears at its best angle - some kids gathered, gawking questionably at its posterior. Meanwhile, he captures the Big Prawn poking its garish head over the roof of a three-bedroom brick veneer house in a Ballina cul-de-sac on bin day. You won't see this view of Ballina's Big Prawn in the tourist brochures. Picture by Trent Mitchell "I'm always looking for an interesting point of view or something that has an unexpected look to it. With the prawn I was seeing how far away I could go with it still standing out without all the clutter around it," he explains. While Trent has a real zeal for outback outposts such as Coober Pedy - he admits he could "publish a whole book on that town" - plenty of coastal shots made their way into the book too, including former Gold Coast motels in various states of (dis)repair. He also has a thing about out-of-place Hills Hoists. Those with beach views, those adorned with just a Santa hat, a piece of tinsel and a pair of undies, to those abandoned in a parched desert landscape. Hills Hoist in Coober Pedy, South Australia. Picture by Trent Mitchell Trent says that when he arrives somewhere, "he wanders the backstreets to see what makes a place tick, not just drive down the main street - I go into the back streets, am curious, what's around that corner, check out all sorts of nooks and crannies." No doubt, that's how an unbalanced skateboarder attempting tricks in a deserted Aldi loading bay and a discarded giant yellow smiling golf ball abandoned in someone's driveway also ended up in the book. Fore! The things you see in people's driveways. Palm Beach, Queensland. Picture by Trent Mitchell While some road trips result in more Kodak moments than others, given he is on the road so much, sometimes Trent just happens to be in the right place and at the right time, such as when he visited the Big Koala at Dadswells Bridge in Victoria. "I was trying to work out how to best photograph it, when suddenly a caravan pulled up with the slogan 'home amongst the gum trees' splashed across its tailgate," he muses, adding, "It was perfect." The Big (Giant) Koala at Dadswells Bridge, Victoria. Picture by Trent Mitchell Trent is currently planning a six-month lap of the country for later this year with his own young family to add to Australian Lustre for a second edition. "It's easy photographing, as I don't have to plan anything," he says adding, "I just do it." Mmm. Sounds a bit like my next week relaxing on the couch. Australian Lustre: Places, spaces and things by Trent Mitchell quickly sold out. Picture by supplied. Although only published a month ago, Trent's book has already sold out, but he does have a waitlist for reprints and future editions. trentmitchell.com Long live the Desert Wave In this corresponding column last year, I wrote about the apparent demise of the "desert wave" - that friendly wave exchanged between passing motorists on country roads. Since then, I've received a constant stream of correspondence from readers reporting that, at least in remote areas, the wave is alive and well. "We recently did a trip from Canberra to Alice Springs, via Broken Hill, and back via the South Australian peninsulas," Marica Denman says. "We waved to everybody, and most waved back." Peter Longhurst, of Cooma, who has travelled "most of Australia over the past 17 years with a camper trailer on many dirt roads", confirms "the desert wave is still alive in all outback areas of the country". "Travelling with a camper trailer for 15 years and now a caravan, the wave between these drivers still exists, along with ute drivers with swags," reports Peter, adding, "the only drivers that do not wave are generally motorhome drivers". "I can only assume that they have rented their motorhomes and therefore think they are above the humble van and trailer travellers," he says. Meanwhile, Brian Macdonald, of Cook, suspects the desert wave is dying "because the closing speed between two vehicles is now over 200kmh meaning drivers are more intent on avoiding a head-on collision than acknowledging the other driver." Is the friendly desert wave still alive and well? Picture by Tim the Yowie Man That said, Brian believes you have a much higher chance of receiving a return wave if you are driving a similar vehicle. "I drive a VW van and often exchange the V (or peace) sign when with other VWs." Similarly, Maureen Bell reveals drivers of old Peugeots have a secret signal. "We wave, beep or flick high beam at other drivers of Pugs," reports Maureen, adding, "perhaps it's the attraction of membership of a minority." WHERE ON THE SOUTH COAST? Recognise this landmark building circa 1910? Picture supplied Rating: Medium-Hard Clue: Yes, it's still there. Not far from a beach pool. How to enter: Email your guess along with your name and address to tym@iinet.net.au The first correct email received after 10am, Saturday, December 28, wins a double pass to Dendy, the Home of Quality Cinema . Did you recognise this south coast beach? Picture by J Asche Last week: Congratulations to Judi Power Thomson, of Ainslie, who was first to identify last week's photo as Merry Beach, near Kioloa, taken from near the Snapper Point walking track. Judi just beat several readers including Gwenyth Bray, of Curtin; Ann Smith, of Curtin, and Ian Boyd, of Croobyar (near Milton), to the last prize for 2024. I'd love to see a rephotograph of the same spot now, so if you are near Merry Beach this summer, and happen to take a photo, please send it to me at the address at the end of this column. Penguin or Horseshoe: you decide Steve Leahy was perplexed by the "think outside 'the penguin" clue that accompanied the photo of Jerrabomberra Waterhole recently in this column's photo quiz. When I explained to Steve the clue related to the ACT border resembling a penguin (Jerrabomberra being in NSW), he was equally bemused. "I always thought the ACT looked like a kookaburra," he asserts. Steve has a point - there's a resemblance to both creatures. Did You Know: If former surveyor-general Charles Scrivener had his way we may have ended up with a horseshoe-shaped border that included the Queanbeyan and Molonglo River catchments instead of the Gudgenby, Naas and Paddys River catchments. The ACT was initially proposed to be a horseshoe shape, that included the Queanbeyan and Molonglo River catchments. Picture supplied Season's Greetings to all readers. Thank you for all the letters, emails and photos submitted throughout the year. As is tradition, this column won't be taking a break over the holiday season, so keep sending in those reports of quirky, mysterious and unusual sightings. CONTACT TIM: Email: tym@iinet.net.au or Twitter: @TimYowie or write c/- The Canberra Times , GPO Box 606, Civic, ACT, 2601 Share Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Email Copy Tim the Yowie Man Tim the Yowie Man is a Canberra Times columnist, and an intrepid adventurer, mystery investigator, and cryptonaturalist. Tim the Yowie Man is a Canberra Times columnist, and an intrepid adventurer, mystery investigator, and cryptonaturalist. More from Canberra More details revealed of Geocon's plans for the Phillip Pool redevelopment 26m ago No comment s Trump wins the election and now liberals can't stand to watch the news 26m ago No comment s Voters across the world are resentful and angry and are lashing out 26m ago No comment s Red tape and fine print won't make the world a better place for not for profits 26m ago No comment s When a heartbreaking Christmas tradition was about to fall apart, the community stepped up 26m ago No comment s Thought that friendly 'Desert Wave' was dead? Not quite yet 26m ago Newsletters & Alerts View all DAILY Your morning news Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. Loading... WEEKDAYS The lunch break Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. Loading... DAILY Sport The latest news, results & expert analysis. Loading... 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Kam Jones scored 20 points and dished with 10 assists to lead the No. 10 Marquette Golden Eagles to a 94-62 victory over the visiting Western Carolina on Saturday afternoon in Milwaukee. Jones added six rebounds for Marquette (8-0), which is off to its best start since winning 10 straight to begin the 2011-12 campaign that ended with a Sweet 16 appearance. Ben Gold added 12 points, while Stevie Mitchell scored 10 and had three steals. David Joplin, Caedin Hamilton and Royce Parham each netted nine points for the Golden Eagles. The Catamounts (2-4) were led by Bernard Pelote's 13 points and eight boards. Jamar Livingston chipped in 10 points and CJ Hyland bundled five points with five rebounds and six assists. Marquette controlled most of the game, thanks largely to 51.4 percent shooting and 21 takeaways. The Golden Eagles built a 16-point lead in the first half before Western Carolina clawed within 37-28 with 3:55 left. Marquette responded with a 12-2 run to take a 49-30 advantage into the break, its largest lead of the game to that point. The game quickly got out of hand from there, with the Golden Eagles eventually scoring 11 straight points to push its lead to 81-45 with 7:15 remaining. Marquette finished with 26 points off of Catamount turnovers and hit 14 of 40 shots (35.0 percent) from 3-point range. The win wasn't all smooth sailing for the Golden Eagles, who lost backup guard Zaide Lowery to an apparent left knee injury. Lowery was helped off the court and into the locker room by his teammates with 1:36 left in the game. Saturday's game was a final tune-up for Marquette, which has three challenging games coming up against No. 5 Iowa State, No. 15 Wisconsin and Dayton before Big East conference play begins Dec. 18. --Field Level MediaSOLON, Ohio , Nov. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Tarkett, a global leader in innovative and sustainable flooring solutions, recently led the renovation of the Niles Township Respite Center near Chicago, Illinois . The initiative was part of the company's charitable giving program, Tarkett Cares , which encourages employees to share their time, talents and corporate flooring donations with local communities where the company operates. While planning Design Days 2024, an annual, three-day interior design show in Chicago , the Tarkett team wanted to find a way to contribute to their host city in a new way. "Instead of focusing on one-off customer giveaways, we wanted to invest in something that could create lasting value for the community that hosts our industry each year," said Roxane Spears , vice president of sustainability for Tarkett. Spears contacted Lisa Kaplan , a Chicago -area resident and former commercial flooring professional, who directed her to the Niles Township Respite Center as a place in need. Located in Skokie, Illinois , the Niles Township Respite Center provides relief to residents facing housing and food insecurities. The space offers access to showers, laundry facilities, a clothing closet, food pantry and more. "The Respite Center's efforts to serve community members struggling with housing and food insecurity align perfectly with Tarkett's commitment to social equity and the Tarkett Cares program," Spears said. "While the center operates on a tight budget, it does so much to help so many. If we can support the center's work by providing cleaner, safer spaces for people as they work through challenging circumstances—that's the impact we want to make." With a deep knowledge of how thoughtfully designed interiors and healthy materials can contribute to better indoor air quality and an overall sense of well-being, the team updated the center's flooring with third-party certified products featuring soothing patterns and colors that would help everyone at the center feel more at home and at peace. Tarkett donated new floors (including the costs of labor for installation) for a quiet room, multi-purpose room, entryway and stairs. The team's enthusiasm for the project spread to other local contractors; FloorsMD provided installation services and their president, Michelle DeLuco , served as an onsite coordinator throughout the project. Tarkett's ethos® carpet tile was installed in the quiet room. ethos is Cradle to Cradle Certified® Silver and has a non-PVC backing that can be recycled back into itself. Contour LVT, which can be recycled into auto mats when taken back through Tarkett's ReStart® take-back and recycling program, was installed in the entryway and multi-purpose room. Coordinating Johnsonite® stair treads were also added to enhance safety and durability. After seeing the newly installed floors, DeLuco felt energized and determined to find a way to go a little further. The project scope grew to include a room expansion, ceiling height adjustment, fresh coat of paint and additional carpet tile for four offices that had suffered flood damage. The additional flooring materials and labor were covered by Tarkett and FloorsMD. ECI and its Executive Construction Foundation, Maxxon and Aspen Commercial Painting also contributed to the expanded project scope. The Respite Center was not charged for any portion of the renovation. "The center had such good bones and was already doing tremendous work for the community. It was very heart-pleasing to see what impact we could make with just a little bit of elbow grease and a group of people who cared," DeLuco said. Ruth Orme-Johnson , a social worker for the Respite Center, said the renovations drastically improved the energy of the space. "It was just wonderful to know that we're giving our clients the kind of calm, positive and inviting environment that we really have always wanted to. You can just feel everyone relax a little bit," Orme-Johnson said. "Our new floor, our new space has been such a gift in terms of being welcoming to everybody. It's also helped me feel proud of the work I do. The space allows the people we help believe they're capable and have the agency to take those steps that will have a positive impact on their lives long term." Mike Isaacs , public relations outreach coordinator for Niles Township Government, said the impact of the renovation exceeded everyone's expectations. "It's been really inspiring," he said. "Our gratitude is forevermore, that's for sure." In addition to corporate giving, the global Tarkett Cares program empowers employees to donate two days of volunteer activity each year. Globally, Tarkett employees have volunteered 3,800 days and contributed to over 900 community initiatives between 2017 and 2023. Take a virtual tour of the renovated Niles Township Respite Center. About Tarkett With a 140-year history, Tarkett is a worldwide leader in innovative and durable flooring and sports surface solutions, generating net sales of 3.4 billion euros in 2023. The Group has around 12,000 employees, 23 R&D centres, 8 recycling centres, and 34 production sites. Tarkett designs and manufactures solutions for hospitals, schools, housing, hotels, offices, shops, and sports fields, serving customers in more than 100 countries. To build "The Way to Better Floors", the Group is committed to the circular economy and sustainable development, in line with its Tarkett Human-Conscious Design ® approach. Tarkett is listed on the Euronext-regulated market (compartment B, ISIN: FR0004188670, ticker: TKTT). www.tarkett-group.com Every Step Matters For years, Tarkett has raised the sustainability standards of the flooring industry. The company designs floors with transparency you can trust as it creates healthy impacts on indoor spaces and protects our air, water, soil, and every living thing. Tarkett's ReStart ® take-back and recycling program will either repurpose or recycle every type of flooring from any manufacturer. Its near-term science-based carbon emissions reduction targets have been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and are fully aligned with the Paris Climate Agreement objective to limit global warming by 1.5 degrees Celsius. For more information, visit commercial.tarkett.com/sustainability . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tarkett-leads-effort-to-renovate-chicago-area-respite-center-as-part-of-tarkett-cares-program-302315799.html SOURCE Tarkett USA , Inc.An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalition