spin slots Suspect in UnitedHealthcare CEO killing charged with murder in New York, court records showHOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 01: Sportscaster Greg Gumbel is interviewed prior to the 2016 NCAA Men's Final Four at NRG Stadium on April 1, 2016 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) LOS ANGELES - Legendary sportscaster Greg Gumbel has died at the age of 78. According to a statement released by Gumbel’s family via CBS Sports, the longtime broadcaster had been battling cancer. Below is a statement released by Gumbel’s family: Gumbel was often the face and the voice of NFL games and during college basketball's March Madness tournaments. You may have heard his voice when he did the play-by-play broadcast of NFL games or may have seen his face when he was a studio host during college basketball's annual Selection Sunday shows. Gumbel made history in 2001 by becoming the first Black announcer in the Super Bowl. Greg Gumbel was the older brother of fellow sportscaster Bryant Gumbel, who was the host of "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" on HBO. The Source: This report used information provided by CBS Sports.

A look at some of the key business events and economic indicators upcoming next week. LAYOFFS UPDATE The Labor Department issues its weekly tally of new unemployment benefit claims on Thursday. The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits held steady two weeks ago to a seasonally adjusted 219,000. Weekly applications for jobless benefits are considered a proxy for layoffs. Initial jobless benefit claims, weekly, seasonally adjusted: Nov. 15: 215,000 Nov. 22: 215,000 Nov. 29: 225,000 Dec. 6: 242,000 Dec. 13: 220,000 Dec. 20: 219,000 Source: FactSet KICKING OFF 2025 Also Thursday, U.S. financial markets re-open for the first trading day of 2025. U.S. stocks could be hard pressed to duplicate 2024's gains, especially the S & P 500, which was pushed to 57 all-time highs by a growing economy and a trio of Federal Reserve interest rate cuts. Big Tech, bitcoin and gold also look like big winners. MORTGAGE RATES Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac on Thursday delivers its weekly snapshot of average U.S. home loan rates. Last week, the average rate on a 30-year mortgage rose to 6.85%. Elevated mortgage rates and rising home prices have sidelined many would-be homebuyers and put home sales on track for their worst year since 1995. Average rate on the benchmark 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage, weekly: Nov. 21: 6.84 Nov. 27: 6.81 Dec. 5: 6.69 Dec. 12: 6.60 Dec. 19: 6.72 Dec. 26: 6.85 Source: Freddie Mac

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bears hoped the first in-season head coaching change in the founding NFL franchise’s history would be the parachute a free-falling team needed. Turns out, the issues go beyond that. A listless showing in a on Sunday stretched their losing streak to seven — and counting — in their first game since . “I believe in the people,” Brown said Monday. “I think it’s all about the guys we have in the locker room, the coaches that we have. I understand our mentality and our approach going forward. As I said at the beginning, we don’t have cowards in the locker room. We don’t have cowards in our coaching staff. Regardless of circumstance we will come to battle every single day.” The Bears (4-9) sure didn’t show much fight Sunday in a loss that was as embarrassing as any. It ensured they will finish with a non-winning record for the 12th time in 14 seasons. They were outgained 319-4 in the first half for the ninth-largest discrepancy since 1991 and trailed 24-0 at the break. They managed one first down while punting on their first five possessions. Chicago set a season high for points allowed and matched its second-worst total by giving up 452 yards. It all added up to the Bears’ most lopsided loss since a 41-10 blowout at Kansas City in Week 3 last season. It obviously wasn’t what they envisioned when they decided to buck their own history and fire Eberflus on Nov. 29. The tipping point came at , when Chicago ran out of time for a potential tying field goal despite having one timeout remaining, just the latest in a string of bad late-game decisions. Beyond that, there are clearly issues with the roster. Though , it’s fair to wonder if a few more losses like this would change those plans. The last-place Bears’ next two games are against the top two teams in the NFC North, with a Monday night game at Minnesota (11-2) followed by a home game against division-leading Detroit (12-1). Chicago then hosts NFC West leader Seattle (8-5) before the season finale at Green Bay (9-4). What’s working It’s hard to say anything worked when the Bears were so thoroughly dominated. What needs help Offensive line. The Bears were once again dominated in the trenches and allowed rookie Caleb Williams to get sacked seven times, bringing his league-leading total to 56. It’s the most for a Chicago quarterback since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. Yes, Williams hangs onto the ball too long at times. But too often, the blockers aren’t giving him enough time. They’re not creating holes for the running backs, either. Things were particularly bad against San Francisco. And that was against a defense missing the injured Nick Bosa. Stock up LB T.J. Edwards. The veteran recorded Chicago’s lone sack and his second of the season to go with two tackles for loss. He led the team with 10 tackles. Stock down Williams. The No. 1 overall draft pick completed 17 of 34 passes for 134 yards with two late touchdowns to Rome Odunze. Though he played his seventh straight game without an interception, he lost a fumble. In the first three games with Brown calling plays after former offensive coordinator Shane Waldron was fired, Williams was 75 of 117 for 827 yards with five touchdowns, no interceptions and a rating of 99.2. Injuries Brown had no update on returner DeAndre Carter (hamstring) and RB Travis Homer (head) after they left Sunday’s game. Key number 20 — The defense allowed nine plays of 20 yards or more, the most against Chicago in the past nine seasons. Next steps The Bears have a tough task trying to right themselves at Minnesota. The Vikings have won six straight, including an overtime victory at Soldier Field in Week 12, after Chicago scored 11 points in the final 22 seconds of regulation. ___ AP NFL:

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Tyrese Hunter scored 17 of his 26 points after halftime to lead Memphis to a 99-97 overtime win against two-time defending national champion and second-ranked UConn on Monday in the first round of the Maui Invitational . Hunter shot 7 of 10 from 3-point range for the Tigers (5-0), who were 12 of 22 from beyond at the arc as a team. PJ Haggerty had 22 points and five assists, Colby Rogers had 19 points and Dain Dainja scored 14. Tarris Reed Jr. had 22 points and 11 rebounds off the bench for the Huskies (4-1). Alex Karaban had 19 points and six assists, and Jaylin Stewart scored 16. Memphis led by as many as 13 with about four minutes left in regulation, but UConn chipped away and eventually tied it on Solo Ball’s 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds remaining. Memphis: The Tigers ranked second nationally in field goal percentage going into the game and shot it at a 54.7% clip. UConn: The Huskies saw their string of 17 consecutive wins dating back to February come to an end. The teams were tied at 92 with less than a minute remaining in overtime when UConn coach Dan Hurley was assessed a technical foul for his displeasure with an over-the-back call against Liam McNeeley. PJ Carter hit four straight free throws — two for the tech and the other pair for the personal foul — to give Memphis a 96-92 lead with 40.3 seconds to play. UConn had three players foul out. Memphis attempted 40 free throws and made 29 of them. Memphis will play the winner of Colorado-Michigan State on Tuesday in the second round of the invitational. UConn will play the loser of that game in the consolation bracket. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball . Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.It’s almost a new year, and that means it’s almost time for a bevy of new state laws to go into effect. For the 2023-24 legislative session that just wrapped up (each session spans two years) Gov. Gavin Newsom signed 1,017 bills into law, according to Chris Micheli, a veteran Sacramento lobbyist. That’s a tick more than one-fifth of t he 4,821 bills introduced over that two-year span . Most of the new laws are slated to kick in on Jan. 1. From new parking rules to health care coverage and more, here is a quick look at just 10 of those new laws: Cannabis cafes Local jurisdictions could give the green light to permit certain cannabis retailers to prepare and sell drinks and food that do not contain cannabis. The law, signed by the governor in late September , also allows the retailers to host ticketed live events on the premises. The idea is to pave the way for a version of Amsterdam-style cannabis cafes, where people can use cannabis with others while also consuming coffee, sandwiches and live music, for example. The new law “will allow cannabis retailers to diversify their business and move away from the struggling and limited dispensary model,” Assemblymember Matt Haney, a San Francisco Democrat who championed the effort in the legislature, said in a news release . Newsom vetoed similar legislation last year over concerns from public health advocates. This bill included additional provisions meant to reduce health risk, including letting employees wear employer-provided masks and allowing local governments to require filtration and ventilation systems to prevent smoke from permeating nearby buildings. Child content creators Minors who make money by producing online content should get some extra financial protection as a result of two bills the governor signed this year. One expands the Coogan Act , a longtime California law that requires parents to open a trust and set aside at least 15% of their child actor’s gross earnings. The new rules have been expanded to include “kidfluencers” — or, as the bill describes them, “child influences in paid online content or internet websites, social networks and social media” — as part of the creative or artistic services that would trigger a Coogan trust account. Another extends those financial protections to children who appear in vlogs, or video blogs. Sen. Steve Padilla, D-San Diego, noted the Coogan Act covers children under contract — not necessarily children who appear in their parents’ online content. This new law requires content creators to set aside a percentage of total gross earnings in a trust for the child (to be accessed when they become an adult) if the minor is in at least 30% of their content within a month. Education Several education bills were signed into law this year, ranging from rules to protect young people from being outed against their will to rules that require elementary schools to offer free menstruation products . Other new laws cover what is taught in the classroom, including a bipartisan measure that ensures students are being taught accurately how Native Americans in California were treated during the Gold Rush era and the Spanish colonization of California. “Classroom instruction about the Mission and Gold Rush periods fails to include the loss of life, enslavement, starvation, illness and violence inflicted upon California Native American people during those times,” said Assemblymember James Ramos, D-San Bernardino. “These historical omissions from the curriculum are misleading.” California public schools also will be required to teach Mendez v. Westminster , a landmark court case involving an Orange County family and local school districts that helped bring about the end of segregation laws in local schools around the country. E-bikes Selling a device, often called a “tuning kit,” that can modify the speed capability of an electric bicycle so that it is no longer defined as an e-bike will be prohibited . California law already has speed guidelines for e-bikes. For example, a Class 1 bike has a motor that kicks in when a rider is pedaling and tops out at 20 mph; a Class 3 motor is meant to stop at 28 mph, and those bikes include speedometers. Modifying the speed of e-bikes is already illegal and unsafe, Assemblymember Diane Dixon, R-Newport Beach, said in an analysis of her bill. The new law specifically bans the sale of products that can make the alterations. Eviction notices Tenants soon will have more time to respond to an eviction notice. California law originally dictated that a landlord could not file an eviction lawsuit until after serving their tenant with a three-day notice — which excludes Saturdays, Sundays and judicial holidays — to pay. Tenants then had five days after they were served to file their defense in court. If they failed to do so, a judge could award a default judgment to the landlord. The new law doubles those five day-windows to 10 days. Responding to eviction lawsuits is not necessarily a simple feat, supporters of the new law have argued , particularly for people struggling to pay their rent. Tenants need to obtain hard-to-find legal aid or an expensive attorney to complete their defense filing accurately, and then they have to find the means to travel to the courthouse. Fertility treatment Certain insurers must cover fertility treatments, including in vitro fertilization, in 2025. This law, which won’t take effect until July 2025 , will require large group health care service plans to cover up to three oocyte (egg) retrievals. It also prohibits health care service plans from imposing different conditions or coverage limitations on fertility medications or services. Sen. Caroline Manjivar, D-San Fernando Valley, said her bill being signed into law is “a triumph for the many Californians who have been denied a path toward family-building because of the financial barriers that come with fertility treatment, their relationship status or are blatantly discriminated against as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.” Medical debt Medical debt will no longer be shared with credit reporting agencies , meaning that debt will not show up on credit reports. That said, medical debts still must be paid. In her analysis of the bill Sen. Monique Limón, D-Santa Barbara, noted that the new rules doesn’t forgive medical debt or restrict the collection of it. Instead, she said, the new rules are meant to help “lift the credit scores of people who have been inaccurately and unfairly saddled with medical debts on their credit reports, opening opportunities for access to healthier financial products, better housing and more employment opportunities.” Online subscriptions A new law may make it easier to opt out of pesky automatic subscription renewals. Companies will now have to obtain the “express affirmative consent” to automatically renew subscriptions entered into after July 1, 2025. Consumers also will need to be sent annual reminders about automatic renewals, what the charges are, and information about how to cancel the service. Parking near crosswalks Think you’ve finally found an open parking spot? If it’s within 20 feet of any marked or unmarked crosswalk, then you may want to find a new spot. Starting in 2025, motorists could be ticketed for parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk — even if there is no sign posted. The no-parking zone decreases to 15 feet if there is a curb extension present, the law says. Newsom OK’d this law in 2023 — the bill is part of the two-year legislative session that ended in 2024 — and technically it already is in effect. However, the law only allowed jurisdictions to begin ticketing offenders starting Jan. 1, 2025. Youth in residential facilities Residential treatment facilities (also called short-term residential therapeutic programs) that provide services for minors, must report certain information to the child, their parent or guardian, and California’s Department of Social Services when seclusion or restraints are used. These facilities are allowed to use seclusion or restraints when staff believe the patient may be a danger to themselves or others, said Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, who championed this law. The new law mandates that children must be informed of their rights — including the right to contact state social service workers and the California Office of the Foster Care Ombudsperson — within one day of seclusion or restraints being used. Those minors also must be given an oral and written description of the incident, including who approved the disciplinary actions and the rationale behind them. That written information must be given to Dept. of Social Services within seven days, leaving it up to the state to review and determine if any laws were potentially violated by using seclusion and restraints, therefore warranting an investigation. Beginning in 2026, the department will need to publicly post information about these incidents, so parents and guardians can be better informed about where they send their children. The effort to bring more transparency to what punishments are used in youth residential facilities was championed by actress and activist Paris Hilton, who has detailed the “continuous torture” she faced while attending a boarding school as a teenager. Hilton has championed similar laws in other states related to what’s been dubbed the troubled teen industry as well as at the federal level . “For too long, these facilities have operated without adequate oversight, leaving vulnerable youth at risk,” said Hilton. “After being abused in a California facility in my teens, it is validating to see California taking a stand to protect our youth, and I hope our state is the standard for transparency and accountability in these facilities moving forward.”

Posted: Friday, December 27, 2024. 2:39 pm CST. By Aaron Humes: Joshua Hall, 20, of San Antonio Village, Corozal District, remains missing. His family have increased the reward for information on his disappearance to $5,000. A family member wrote on social media today: “Our nephew is still at lost (sic). Please help the family share this post. We need our Josh back home to his family. We pray and hang on to hope, that we can find him with life.” The writer added, “I’m lost for words and all I can do is hope and pray. To all those families who loose their loved ones, I feel you! Pls share!!! God bless.” Hall was last seen on December 23 at 8:30 a.m., wearing a green shirt with lizard picture on the chest and black cargo pants, as well as black Nike flip-flops. He had left home on a pink bike with a basket attachment en route to the Corozal Town police station to sign in for the day. Records confirmed his signature at 8:58 am but officers on shift were not able to confirm his exit from the station or verify what he was wearing. His whereabouts thereafter are unknown. Family members say he was recently released from jail and was awaiting the birth of his baby daughter, and while he does not have a cellular SIM card he has social media and is not known to simply disappear and not check in. The family is asking for anyone who might have seen Joshua or know where he is to contact any of these numbers: 632-5603, 656-0635, 615-5851, 663- 5094 ‎and 610-6094 (Missing person Belize), or contact the nearest police station. Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Belize ~ We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages. Your content is delivered instantly to thousands of users in Belize and abroad! Contact us at mаrkеtіng@brеаkіngbеlіzеnеwѕ.соm or call us at 501-612-0315. © 2024, BreakingBelizeNews.com. Content is copyrighted and requires written permission for reprinting in online or print media. Theft of content without permission/payment is punishable by law.

Baylor’s Norchad Omier was named the Big 12 Men’s Basketball Player of the Week Monday. Omier turned in a couple of powerful performances in the Bears’ action at the Baha Mar Championship in the Bahamas. He averaged 23 points and 10 rebounds per game as the Bears split games with St. John’s and Tennessee. Baylor Basketball (M): Highlights vs. St. John's | November 21, 2024 // via BaylorAthletics on YouTube Omier made the Baha Mar all-tournament team. The senior forward is the NCAA’s active leader in double-doubles, increasing that mark to 72 in the Bahamas. Omier transferred to Baylor from Miami over the offseason. Omier and the 17th-ranked Bears (4-2) will return to the court against New Orleans at 1 p.m. Wednesday from the Foster Pavilion. Be the first to knowAn online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalition

Director of National Intelligence (DNI) designee Tulsi Gabbard began her charm offensive with key senators on Monday — and got a boost from hundreds of veterans while seeking to allay concerns about her views on Syria in the wake of the Assad regime’s collapse . More than 250 veterans — including current members of Congress and former federal officials — signed an open letter endorsing her for the DNI position to coordinate between the government’s 17 intelligence agencies. “While most Americans know Tulsi as a fearless and principled Congresswoman who stood up to entrenched political systems, we know her as a fellow veteran — one whose worldview was forged through the crucible of serving in combat zones and a lifelong devotion to service,” the veterans wrote in the letter published Monday. Prominent veterans such as Reps. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.); Brian Mast (R-Fla.), who is set to helm the House Foreign Affairs Committee; former acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller and others had signed the letter, which was first reported by Fox News . “Tulsi’s life exemplifies a rare blend of selflessness, courage, and leadership — qualities desperately needed to reform and strengthen our intelligence community,” the letter added. Despite an onslaught from Democrats and media pundits, Gabbard, 43, was “hitting the ground running better than [Pete] Hegseth” in responding to detractors, one Senate GOP aide observed to The Post, while adding that both are expected to have the necessary votes for confirmation. Only four Republicans in the upper chamber would have to join with every Democrat and independent to tank a nominee. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a veteran who had expressed skepticism about Hegseth being tapped as Pentagon boss, praised Gabbard as a “strong and proven leader” following their meeting earlier Monday. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), who is generally one of the more hawkish voices within the Senate GOP, declared Monday that “I expect our Republican Senate is going to confirm all of President Trump’s nominees.” There’s also been some speculation that Gabbard could get some support from across the aisle, including from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Politico reported . Last month, when President-elect Donald Trump unveiled Gabbard as his pick for the DNI post, he quickly ignited controversy over her track record on Syria. While serving in the House, Gabbard had met with former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in early 2017 during a trip to the war-torn country . Assad was toppled Saturday evening, elevating the issue as Gabbard jockeys to lock down support in the upper chamber. At the time of her meeting with Assad, Gabbard stressed the need for dialogue between the two countries, and subsequently castigated US strikes on Syria under the Trump administration in response to alleged chemical weapon deployments there. Gabbard also openly questioned the legitimacy of allegations from the intelligence community that the former Assad regime was responsible for the chemical attack. All this has led to criticisms from figures like former National Security Adviser John Bolton who have characterized her as an Assad apologist. However, she has also denounced Assad as a “brutal dictator.” In comments that were recently resurfaced about the fracas, Sanders posted on X in October 2019: “Tulsi Gabbard has put her life on the line to defend this country. People can disagree on issues, but it is outrageous for anyone to suggest that Tulsi is a foreign asset.” Gabbard smiled and ignored questions from reporters while on Capitol Hill Monday regarding her track record on Syria. She is widely expected to be framing her encounter with Assad in the context of her opposition to so-called “endless wars,” something that was at the forefront of her failed 2020 bid in the Democratic primary for president. In October, she revealed that she had shifted her party affiliation to Republican at a Trump rally in Greensboro, NC, after having endorsed the 45th president two months before. Several Republicans previously indicated that they have a great number of questions for Gabbard. “We’ll have lots of questions. She met with Bashar Assad. We’ll want to know what the purpose was,” Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) told CNN last month after Gabbard was announced as Trump’s pick. But so far no one in the Senate GOP Conference has publicly opposed her. Potential swing votes such as outgoing Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), as well as Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), have been largely tight-lipped on her selection. Overall, many of her skeptics such as House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner (R-Ohio), who will not have to vote to confirm her, have refrained being too critical towards her. “I obviously differ a great deal in a number of areas with both her judgment and her background and experience, but what I do trust is the Senate process,” Turner told CBS News’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday.Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save NORTH WILDWOOD — A settlement proposal could resolve a complicated tangle of disputes between the city and the state Department of Environmental Protection and spell the end of the Lou Booth Amphitheater on Second Avenue. The tiny outdoor theater, the site of summer concerts and church services, would be removed and the spot made to match the dunes that surround it, under the proposed agreement. It also could cost the city $1.7 million. City Council members expect to vote on the agreement in December. “It’s essentially ready to go,” said Mayor Patrick Rosenello, who supports the wide-reaching settlement. In an interview Monday, he said the deal would resolve a multimillion-dollar series of fines levied by the DEP against North Wildwood, and a $20 million lawsuit filed by the city against the state. It also will mean progress for a long-delayed federal beach project that will include North Wildwood and allow the completion of a seawall the city sees as a vital component of storm protection. Not too late! Voting closes at noon for The Press Football Player of the Week What does Spirit Airlines' bankruptcy mean for Atlantic City International Airport? Galloway Township gymnastics center co-owner charged with sexually assaulting minor Galloway man gets 3 years in Ocean City fatal crash Offshore wind company to buy vacant 1.5-acre Atlantic City lot for $1 million Ocean City introduces new fees on rentals Jersey Shore restaurants shift gears to survive in offseason Jake Blum's 2-point conversion in OT propels Mainland Regional to second straight state final Prosecutor still determined to find whoever is responsible for West Atlantic City killings High school football scoreboard: Friday's semifinal winners, plus Saturday updates Chicken Bone Beach foundation to purchase Atlantic City's Dante Hall with NJEDA grant Want a piece of Gillian's Wonderland? This Burlington County antique shop has tons of them. Iconic Avalon properties on the market for $7.4 million South Jersey first grader assaulted by teacher during bus trip, lawsuit alleges South Jersey student talks about her yearlong suspension as others adjust to school elsewhere: 'It was a hard lesson' The areas that the settlement proposal does not specifically resolve, he said, it lays out a pathway toward progress. Rosenello said the agreement could make his city much safer for future storms. “It creates a clearer path to generational shore protection,” Rosenello said. “At the end of the day, that really is the top priority for the city and, I think, for the governor.” Gov. Phil Murphy was in North Wildwood in late spring and helped push through an emergency beach replenishment, funded through the Department of Transportation’s division of Maritime Resources rather than the DEP as is more typical for beach projects. North Wildwood has allowed cabanas and tents back on the beach after a ban was enacted earlier this year to conserve space on the beach during an emergency replenishment project. According to Rosenello, Murphy pushed hard at that time to resolve the ongoing dispute between the DEP and the city, but it took months to reach the current settlement agreement in a series of disputes that had appeared to be worsening each year. Rosenello described the multiple issues between the state and city, and over future beach projects, as a “many-headed beast,” but said he believes all parties want to ensure shore protection. Murphy is a Democrat. Rosenello is a Republican, in a town that has long had a Republican-majority government. A spokesperson for the DEP declined to comment, indicating there would likely be no comment until the proposal is approved. That was set to happen at a November meeting, but the vote was delayed. Rosenello expects it to pass next month without an issue. The resolution as posted to the city’s website cites the significant erosion of North Wildwood’s beaches over the past two decades, when the city went from having one of the healthiest beaches to one of the most endangered. Before the state project this year, the city was looking at a series of new rules to manage a dwindling beach. In some sections of the community, there was no beach at all during high tides, with water up to the seawall. Much of the dispute between North Wildwood and the DEP related to those beaches, and the lengths North Wildwood went to protect them. For years, the city would truck sand in from farther south on the island it shares with Wildwood and Wildwood Crest, until the beaches eroded to the point that the trucks could no longer pass. In some instances, the DEP alleged, seawalls were installed and other measures taken without needed state authorizations. Rosenello had consistently responded that he has a responsibility to protect residents and visitors and their property, including holding back storm surges. In North Wildwood, officials say they got everything they wanted from an emergency state project to rebuild badly eroded beaches before the July 4 holiday. Mayor Pat Rosenello said the work saved summer. In October 2022, the DEP sought an injunction in court to keep the city from any further work on shore protection. Help was on the horizon, in the form of an island-wide federal beach project similar to the dredging work that has taken place in other shore towns. But that horizon kept receding, with the project on the drawing board for a decade as the needed easements and permits were secured. Now, Rosenello hopes that work could take place in 2025, potentially solving his town’s erosion woes in the long term. It is primarily a federal project, but the settlement calls for $1 million contributed by the city, to join a state and federal share. Rosenello said the estimated total cost is close to $25 million just for the North Wildwood portion. The city also will have to contribute $700,000 to a state fund related to water pollution as part of the settlement, he said. Rosenello believes the city will get more than it gives, with an expected $7 million state grant and $10 million in federal money joining about $2 million in city funds to complete a seawall in compliance with state standards. Rosenello also celebrated a separate development: the approval to use sand from the shoals in Hereford Inlet for beach replenishment, which he believes will greatly simplify the replenishment process in the federal project. As the settlement has been discussed in the communities of the Wildwoods, many residents have focused on plans for the amphitheater, named for a well-known and well-loved figure in the community. Many commenters on social media blasted what they see as overreach by the state government and cited happy memories of events at the small theater. Rosenello said city officials are looking for other options to host the events that took place at the amphitheater, but so far nowhere is a perfect fit. But he added the amphitheater is in “very, very poor condition” and that there were significant challenges to repairing it, primarily with its location. Sand has started flowing onto the beaches of North Wildwood with the start this week of a state and city replenishment project aimed at rebuilding some of the most eroded beaches in New Jersey. The work would have required a permit under the state’s Coastal Area Facilities Review Act, and the site is within the setbacks for both dunes and wetlands. He added the city has not been able to find documentation of permits from when the theater was first constructed decades ago. “It was becoming very, very difficult, almost to the point of it not making sense anymore,” Rosenello said. While at times the rhetoric between the city and the DEP appeared heated, Rosenello believes the settlement will allow all parties to work together going forward. “I don’t have any hard feelings. I don’t think it’s personal on any level,” he said. “I think it was some very different perspectives on many issues." Rosenello Contact Bill Barlow: 609-272-7290 bbarlow@pressofac.com Twitter @jerseynews_bill Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Author email {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.Opelousas High quarterback Zack Malveaux, right, and Da’Shaun Ford, middle, continue to lead the Tigers' offensive attack. Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save For the sixth time over the past two postseasons, the Opelousas Tigers are taking the show on the road in the football state playoffs. Coach Jimmy Zachery's team is 5-0 in those games, which include four upsets of higher seeds during the 2023 run to the state crown. Then last week, the No. 14-seeded Tigers took down No. 3 Jennings 30-19 in the Division II nonselect regional round. "We're playing decently," said Zachery, whose 8-3 Tigers travel to No. 6 Plaquemine in the state quarterfinals on Friday. "But it's never enough for the coach." The Tigers, who defeated district rival Cecilia to win last year's title, have won seven straight games since a 1-3 start that included close losses to Alexandria (11-0) and Teurlings Catholic (10-1) and a road loss at Zachary High where quarterback Zack Malveaux exited the game early. "No doubt about it," Zachery said. "Our non-district schedule got us ready by playing the Zacharys of the world and facing the doggone Teurlings Catholic's of the world." Under the new LHSAA playoff rules, the higher seed hosts every round. Although the Tigers would love to play a home game, Zachery says they're comfortable as road warriors. "I'm not going to lie. We're better on the road," he admitted. "It's something we're used to. The guys understand what's at stake, whether we're on the road or at home." Plaquemine (11-1), which has won 11 straight games since a 49-14 loss to Zachary in Week 1, eliminated No. 27 Grant and No. 11 Northwest, which reached the 2023 semifinals. Green Devils quarterback Nico Victorian passed for 1,570 yards during the regular season with 23 touchdowns and four interceptions. Tailback Tyrese Mosby was sixth in the state in rushing (159-1,762 yards, 27 TDs). "They're really good," Zachery said of the Green Devils, who scored at least 48 points in seven wins. "No. 14 (sophomore John Walker) is a good receiver. They have good skill players. Defensively, they're big up front with athletes on the back end." Opelousas will counter with size and speed of its own. The Tigers' defense, headlined by Jacobian Ardoin, Jonathan Ford, Travis Esprit, Kylen Young and Jaylon Breaux, was able to neutralize Jennings' running attack. Tailback D'Shaun Ford ran for over 265 yards against Jennings, Zachery said. The 6-foot-0, 220-pound senior also gained over 200 yards in a one-point district win over Cecilia. "Offensively, we had a few miscues," Zachery said. "We turned the ball over three times. But the offensive line opened holes for Ford. He had two touchdowns." The winner will face the No. 22 Cecilia/No. 7 North DeSoto winner in the semifinals. "There's nobody left who isn't good," Zachery said. "We can't take (Plaquemine) lightly. They're in their hometown. (Mosby) runs downhill and breaks tackles. The quarterback can scramble and throw it a country mile."

Ana Navarro to Whoopi Goldberg: We Have to 'Panic' over Trump — We Should Tell 'People to Prepare'

Ex-Pixar Staffers Decry ‘Win or Lose’ Trans Storyline Being Scrapped: “Can’t Tell You How Much I Cried”Vancouver, BC, Dec. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FOBI AI Inc. (FOBI:TSXV) (FOBIF:OTCQB) (“ Fobi ” or the “ Company ”) announces that it has applied to its principal regulator, the British Columbia Securities Commission (“ BCSC ”), for a partial revocation order (the “ Partial Revocation Order ”) of the ongoing failure-to-file cease trade order (“ FFCTO ”) ordered by the BCSC on November 1, 2024, in order to complete a non-brokered private placement offering (the “ Proposed Offering ”) of 56,114,400 units of the Company (the “ Units ”) to a single subscriber (the “ Subscriber ”) at a price per Unit of US$0.04 for aggregate gross proceeds of US$2,244,576 on a prospectus exempt basis. Each Unit is comprised of one common share in the capital of the Company (a “ Unit Share ”) and one common share purchase warrant (a “ Unit Warrant ”), each of which is exercisable for the purchase of one additional common share in the capital of the Company at a price of US$0.06 per share for a period of two years from the date of the closing of the Proposed Offering. The proceeds from the Proposed Offering will be used to file the outstanding continuous disclosure documents of the Company, cover essential expenses, and subsequently apply for a full revocation of the FFCTO within a reasonable time, among other things. The Company intends to use the proceeds of the Proposed Offering as described in the table below. Notes: 1.Includes certain amounts payable in U.S. dollars converted to CAD using Bank of Canada exchange rate of 1 USD to 1.4386 CAD on December 24, 2024. 2.US$100,000 converted to CAD using Bank of Canada exchange rate of 1 USD to 1.4386 CAD on December 24, 2024. 3.Based on proceeds of US$2,244,576 using Bank of Canada exchange rate of 1 USD to 1.4386 CAD on December 24, 2024. On closing of the Proposed Offering, the Subscriber is anticipated to hold 19.99% of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company. The applicable disclosure required under National Instrument 62-103 – The Early Warning System and Related Take Over Bid and Insider Reporting Issues will be included in the press release of the Company announcing the closing of the Proposed Offering. The exercise by the Subscriber of Unit Warrants will be prohibited if such exercise would result in the Subscriber holding 20.0% or more of the issued and outstanding voting securities of the Company. Completion of the Proposed Offering remains conditional on the grant of the Partial Revocation Order by the BCSC, approval of the Proposed Offering by the TSX Venture Exchange (“ TSXV ”), and the execution of a subscription agreement, among other things. The Company anticipates filing (i) audited annual financial statements, management’s discussion and analysis, and related certifications for the year ended June 30, 2024 (“ Annual Filings ”), within 45 days of the closing of the Proposed Offering and (ii) interim financial statements, management’s discussion and analysis, and related certifications for the three months ended September 30, 2024, including certifications thereto (“ Interim Filings ”), within 15 days of the filing of the Annual Filings, at which time the Company intends to apply for a full revocation of the FFCTO. About Fobi Founded in 2017 in Vancouver, Canada, Fobi is a leading AI and data intelligence company that provides businesses with real-time applications to digitally transform and future-proof their organizations. Fobi enables businesses to action, leverage, and monetize their customer data by powering personalized and data-driven customer experiences, and drives digital sustainability by eliminating the need for paper and reducing unnecessary plastic waste at scale. Fobi works with some of the largest global organizations across retail & CPG, insurance, sports & entertainment, casino gaming, and more. Fobi is a recognized technology and data intelligence leader across North America and Europe, and is the largest data aggregator in Canada's hospitality & tourism industry. For more information, please contact: Forward Looking Statements/Information: This news release contains certain statements which constitute forward-looking statements or information, including statements regarding the terms of the Proposed Offering, the Partial Revocation Order, the intended use of the proceeds of the Proposed Offering, the time to complete the Annual Filings and Interim Filings, and other statements characterized by words such as “anticipates,” “may,” “can,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “projects,” “targets,” “intends,” “likely,” “will,” “should,” “to be”, “potential” and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions “may”, “should” or “will” occur . Such forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond the Company’s control, including, without limitation, market competition, the impact of general economic and industry conditions, competition, stock market volatility, BCSC and TSXV approval conditions, and the ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources. Although the Company believes that the expectations in its forward-looking statements are reasonable, they are based on factors and assumptions concerning future events which may prove to be inaccurate. Those factors and assumptions are based upon currently available information. Such forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could influence actual results or events and cause actual results or events to differ materially from those stated, anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information are the following: Fobi not receiving approval of the TSXV with respect to any future issuances of securities as required; and changes to volatile exchange rates, market conditions, market competition and other economic and market factors. This forward-looking information may be affected by risks and uncertainties in the business of the Company and market conditions. As such, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, as no assurance can be provided as to future plans, operations, and results, levels of activity or achievements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and, except as required by applicable law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking statements contained in this document are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative. There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to achieve all or any of its proposed objectives. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Liz Truss has accused senior corporate and media executives of being part of the “Blob” that is responsible for the British economy “stagnating”. In an interview for a Wall Street Journal documentary, the former prime minister went further in her criticism of those she believed thwarted her ambitions for a low-tax, high-growth economy. She said it was not just the Bank of England, Treasury officials and the Office for Budget Responsibility that had been responsible for undermining her attempt to reform Britain’s economic model — but opinion-formers more generally. “I think the Blob describes (something) wider than just the government,” she told the programme. “It’s a groupthink shared by senior media executives, senior corporate executives (and) civil servants. Wouldn’t it be better if experts andDonald Trump Calls On Feds To Either Explain The Mystery Drones Or Shoot Them Down