dragon slot game To pitch a ‘My Turn’ guest column, email jdalessio@news-gazette.com . To subscribe, click here. To submit a letter to the editor, click here. Want to purchase today’s print edition? Here’s a map of single-copy locations. Sign up for our daily newsletter here ‘Tis the season for best-of, worst-of and other assorted year-end honors, including our annual callout for Person of the Year nominees. Picking up where we left off in Tuesday’s Town Hall section, here’s the case 10 other community members made for their choices. Emily Van Duyn EMILY VAN DUYN, associate professor of communication, University of Illinois “Yet again, this year’s presidential election featured high voter turnout and a contentious political atmosphere. It was also a difficult one for the sanctity of voting as conspiracies of voter fraud called into question the legitimacy of the voting process and as threats of violence against polling locations across the country aimed to depress voter turnout. “Yet POLL WORKERS — average citizens from both sides of the aisle volunteering their time — showed up to handle the equally mundane but important task of counting us all. “As we enter into a new presidential administration in the coming year that will bring its fair share of fear and uncertainty, the presence and perseverance of poll workers in this year’s election despite partisan efforts to dissuade them, reminds me that democracy isn’t dictated by the people at the top, it’s both created and continued by all of us.” Jeffrey and Lauren Brokish LAUREN BROKISH, owner, Central Illinois Bakehouse, Martinelli’s Market, Pekara Bistro and Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery “ LISA MICELE has been a steady and compassionate guide for students and families in our community for years. As the college counselor at Uni High and Academy High, she brings not only her expertise but also a genuine warmth that makes such a difference during what can be a stressful time for students. “My daughter, who is graduating this year, has been so fortunate to have Lisa by her side, offering guidance and encouragement every step of the way. She truly cares about each student and goes out of her way to support them, making the college process feel manageable and even exciting. Lisa Micele “What makes Lisa even more special is how deeply she connects with people. When my husband Jeffrey walked into her office, over 20 years after she had been his counselor, she remembered him instantly. That kind of care and attention is just who Lisa is — someone who leaves a lasting impact on everyone she meets. ”Her kindness, wisdom and dedication to helping students and their families are incredible, and she has touched so many lives in our community. Lisa is truly one of a kind, and we’re so lucky to have her.” Alejandra Aguero ALEJANDRA AGUERO, Champaign-based government administrator, Illinois Department of Employment Security “Every single day that I’ve had a meal this year, my thoughts lingered not just on the taste of asparagus, per se, but on the hands that brought it to my plate. The hands of the AGRICULTURAL WORKERS OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY . “This wasn’t an easy year for anyone, and the challenges faced by those who work the land often go unseen. From the unpredictable weather patterns that threatened crops to the long hours under the relentless summer sun, these individuals faced a daily grind that demands both physical strength and unwavering dedication. They are the backbone of our local food system, the unsung heroes who ensure we have access to fresh, healthy produce. “I think of the early mornings they spend in the fields, the dew still clinging to the rows of vegetables. I imagine the careful hands that harvest each tomato, ensuring it’s perfectly ripe and ready for market. I picture the backbreaking work of tending to fields of lettuce and spinach, the foundation of countless summer salads. Every crisp leaf, every juicy bite, is a testament to their labor. “This spring, summer and fall, I strolled through farmers’ markets, admiring the vibrant colors and enticing aromas and considered the journey each piece of produce, herb and flower had taken. It’s a journey that begins with the tireless efforts of agricultural workers, who plant, nurture and harvest the food that nourishes our community. “I’ve made a conscious effort to appreciate the hard work that goes into every meal. Every time I enjoy a salad bursting with fresh greens, a roasted poblano pepper or those first precious spears of asparagus, I’m reminded of the dedication and resilience of the agricultural workers in Champaign County. They are the true stewards of our land, the providers of our sustenance and the embodiment of selfless service. “Therefore, I wholeheartedly nominate the agricultural workers of Champaign County for recognition for their selfless work in 2024. Their tireless efforts, often performed under challenging conditions, provide us with the essential sustenance that nourishes our bodies and connects us to the land. They deserve our deepest gratitude and recognition for their vital contributions to our community. ”They are the reason we can enjoy tasty meals that bring friends and family members together, allowing us to enjoy cultural holidays and other celebrations that involve fresh produce from the farm to the kitchen or grill and finally to the table. My utmost admiration and respect goes out to the farm worker.” Mia Hernandez MIA HERNANDEZ, attorney, Webber & Thies “My choice is University of Illinois Chancellor ROBERT J. JONES . Chancellor Jones is a trailblazer and, under his leadership over the past eight-plus years, UIUC has launched numerous notable advances including, but not limited to, establishment of: “Carle Illinois College of Medicine: First engineering-based medical school in the world. “Illinois Commitment: Free tuition program for any Illinois resident whose family income is below $75,000. “Largest philanthropic campaign in UIUC’s history: $2.7 billion, including two of the largest private gifts ever received. UI Chancellor Robert Jones interacts with students. “The creation of the Siebel School of Computing and Data Science and Siebel Center for Design. “Recently, it was publicly announced that Chancellor Jones would step down as UIUC chancellor at the end of the current academic year. Chancellor Jones’ leadership has been invaluable to UIUC and the community at large. It is my hope that his successor will positively build upon his momentum and legacy.” Stu and Susan Meacham STU MEACHAM, chief operating officer, Cozad Asset Management “Given the time of the year, my thoughts aren’t directed to anyone of ‘significance to the world.’ In fact, I don’t expect many will even know the person I’m about to describe. “But first, I must say at this stage of my life, my thoughts are more focused on the next generation who will lead, and hopefully, love people into becoming all that they were intended to be. So this year I happened to meet a young African American, GABE CARTER , a former high school shot putter from Indiana and recent college graduate who has made quite an impression in the short time I’ve known him. “In August he started in a resident’s program at church, where he is provided lodging and a monthly stipend while he receives a holistic education as he considers a life in ministry. Gabe relates to everyone — from every tribe and nation. He drives high school graduates being trained up in the trades to and from work. He hosts breakfast at his home for a gap-year discipleship group of high school graduate students taking a year off before heading to college. “Wherever he is, there are always people around him, looking up to him. In just living in our town for one-third of the year, two college graduates have already asked Gabe to baptize them. “Gabe’s servant-leadership embodied by his boldness, gentleness, reliability, self-control and maturity beyond his years are something to behold — and remindful of how each one of us should see everyone as a child of God.” Kathryn Williams KATHRYN WILLIAMS, director, OLLI at Illinois “My vote is not a single individual but all the LOCAL MUSICIANS who keep live music readily available in this area. “Whether performing at festivals, in bars, at Krannert, in the streets, in parks, or simply playing music together with friends at the mall, in back yards or around a piano, local musicians make this great community a very special and joyful place to live and are most worthy of recognition and celebration.” Peggy Prichard DANA SCHAUMBURG, community relations coordinator, Eastern Illinois Foodbank “I would vote for PEGGY FRASCA PRICHARD . Peggy is a dedicated community leader, who recently retired but continues to devote time to important causes in the Champaign-Urbana area. “She positively has impacted others through her work with Braver Angels, a group that allows conservatives and liberals to get past the destructive stereotypes so we can have civil conversations about real issues that lead to productive problem-solving. Dana Schaumburg “She also volunteers through other community organizations and recently became a member of the Rotary Club of Champaign, where she can expand her involvement in the community. “I consider her a mentor and a friend, and her ability to work with many different groups focused on providing positive outcomes is an inspiration to me.” Alexei Navalny SARAH ZEHR GANTZ, UI senior assistant vice president for academic initiatives and policies “I would vote for ALEXEI NAVALNY . It takes a lot of courage to stand up for what you believe in when you live in a place where you risk your health, your safety and your life by doing so. Unfortunately, Navalny lost all three, but it did not stop him. Sarah Zehr Gantz “I remember thinking that after he was poisoned in 2020 that he would probably have to continue his campaign from afar. But he returned, knowing fully that he would likely be arrested and suffer in retaliation for his actions. I am pretty sure I would not be brave enough to go back. “Despite his suffering and the tragic loss of his life, he did manage to communicate his message loudly and clearly to the world. That is an example of a true leader.” Angi Franklin DAN DITCHFIELD, executive agent and owner, Horace Mann Dan Ditchfield “I’d like to nominate ANGI FRANKLIN , assistant superintendent of human resources for the Urbana school district. She’s an awesome person, and pours everything she has into the employees and children of the district. We are very lucky to have her in our community.” Tami Adams MEGAN WOLF, senior director of development, UI College of LAS “ TAMI ADAMS would be my choice. As executive director of Campus Middle School for Girls, she has created a community of strong, independent young women that provides an accelerated curriculum in a nurturing environment. “Because of Tami’s leadership, CMS is a place where girls’ strengths are celebrated and amplified, and their challenges are met with compassion and support. Megan Wolf “In addition to her role as executive director, Tami is a skilled teacher who develops enthusiasm for math among her students. Tami’s dedication to her teachers and students is felt throughout the school and woven into the fabric of CMS. ”She is known by her students to be thoughtful and caring, and she challenges students to be the best version of themselves.”Uwill Founder & CEO Michael London Named Innovator in Healthcare

JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. ( NYSE:JKS – Get Free Report ) shares dropped 3.1% during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as low as $25.56 and last traded at $25.74. Approximately 133,909 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 88% from the average daily volume of 1,082,477 shares. The stock had previously closed at $26.57. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several brokerages recently commented on JKS. The Goldman Sachs Group reduced their price objective on shares of JinkoSolar from $21.00 to $18.00 and set a “sell” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, September 3rd. StockNews.com upgraded JinkoSolar from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 18th. Roth Mkm lowered their target price on JinkoSolar from $25.00 to $20.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, September 4th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price target on JinkoSolar from $36.00 to $65.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, December 5th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, JinkoSolar has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $31.33. Read Our Latest Research Report on JinkoSolar JinkoSolar Price Performance Hedge Funds Weigh In On JinkoSolar Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Signaturefd LLC grew its holdings in JinkoSolar by 108.0% in the 3rd quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 1,246 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $33,000 after buying an additional 647 shares during the period. Barclays PLC increased its position in JinkoSolar by 30.2% during the third quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 2,318 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $62,000 after purchasing an additional 537 shares during the last quarter. Headlands Technologies LLC raised its stake in JinkoSolar by 607.7% during the second quarter. Headlands Technologies LLC now owns 4,048 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $84,000 after purchasing an additional 3,476 shares during the period. Banque Cantonale Vaudoise boosted its holdings in shares of JinkoSolar by 198.1% in the 3rd quarter. Banque Cantonale Vaudoise now owns 7,923 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $212,000 after purchasing an additional 5,265 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Daiwa Securities Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of JinkoSolar by 15.8% during the 3rd quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. now owns 8,800 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $236,000 after buying an additional 1,200 shares during the period. 35.82% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About JinkoSolar ( Get Free Report ) JinkoSolar Holding Co, Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, development, production, and marketing of photovoltaic products. The company offers solar modules, silicon wafers, solar cells, recovered silicon materials, and silicon ingots. It also provides solar system integration services; solar power generation and solar system EPC services; and energy storage system, as well as undertakes solar power projects. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for JinkoSolar Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for JinkoSolar and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .This afternoon, the big story with the Canadiens was Jakub Dobes . The goalie, making his NHL debut, had the heavy task of facing the Florida Panthers in his first appearance in the show . With Cayden Primeau no longer in the organization’s good graces (and officially placed on waivers at 2 PM), the task of backing up Samuel Montembeault (at least in the short term) fell to Dobes. And how did Dobes respond in his first test? With nothing less than a shutout , making 34 saves against the reigning champions. Jakub Dobes gets his first NHL shutout in his NHL debut vs. the defending champs What a day for the kid pic.twitter.com/2dKAjZiGeh — B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) December 28, 2024 Of course, we must be cautious before thinking he is already the savior. It was a very encouraging start for Dobes, but we shouldn’t fall into the Ryan Poehling syndrome either. That said, for the occasion, let’s be positive: the young goalie looked like a confident guy in front of his net, something the Canadiens have not often obtained from their backup goalie this season. At the very least, we can agree on one thing: Dobes has today won a game that Cayden Primeau would never have won. And that’s exactly what the team needs from its backup goalie. However, even though Dobes is the story of the day, there are other aspects of the game that intrigued me. Here’s what I take away from this 4-0 victory over the Panthers: 1. Dobes has proven to be a valuable acquisition, but what we notice is that the three guys who joined the Canadiens in December have all improved the team. Patrik Laine is scoring goals in abundance on the power play, Alexandre Carrier is the stabilizing presence the team’s blue line needed, and Dobes gives confidence to the guys in front of him. This means that suddenly, the team is winning more and more games. With Jakub Dobes’ performance against the Panthers, Benoît assures us that it makes all the difference in the world in a locker room when a goalie GETS the job done! pic.twitter.com/pWz4I9vD1R — L’Antichambre (@Antichambre) December 28, 2024 2. Jake Evans has now scored a goal in each of his last four games. Once again today, he hit the target with a beautiful goal. He is having an exceptional season... and as he will become a free agent in a few months, he is playing like a guy who is going to land a nice lucrative contract. Short-handed goal for Montreal! Scored by Jake Evans with 02:41 remaining in the 2nd period. Florida: 0 Montreal: 3 #MTLvsFLA #TimeToHunt #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/iW6ZKeJrZT — NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) December 28, 2024 3. Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook really needed a game like today’s. Seeing the former score two goals and the latter get his first two assists of the season will do them good. If they can build on that and have a strong finish to the season, CH wouldn’t say no. 4. By defeating the Panthers today, CH secured its fourth victory of the season against a team on track for the playoffs. To be in the famous mix, that is something that will need to improve. This victory is the fourth for the @CanadiensMTL against a playoff team since the start of the season. @TVASports — Renaud Lavoie (@renlavoietva) December 28, 2024 A victory that will do wonders for the team and demonstrates that this new version of the Canadiens can win games against top teams, even when Samuel Montembeault rests. I look forward to seeing what it will yield tomorrow against the Lightning. In a nutshell – Jakub Dobes felt at home at the Bell Centre. “It was crazy! We felt at home with the OLÉ OLÉ at the end” -Jakub Dobes pic.twitter.com/sB1rbw3Fcz — RDS (@RDSca) December 28, 2024 – Nice moment at Place Bell. We are proud! The whole crew! So proud @Lil_Doby44 pic.twitter.com/R7YxoHmDEK — Rocket de Laval (@RocketLaval) December 28, 2024 – Interesting. All forwards on CH played 16, 17, or 18 shifts today. Only 2m45 separate the ice time of the most used forward from the least used forward today. #Balance — Maxime Truman (@MaximeTruman) December 28, 2024 – He was due. The last time Kirby Dach had a 2 goal game was November 9th 2022 vs Vancouver pic.twitter.com/L05odSY1ZK — HFTV (@HFTVSports) December 28, 2024 – Transaction in the NHL. TRADE: We’ve acquired forward Ondrej Pavel and a 2027 3rd round pick from Colorado in exchange for forward Juuso Parssinen and a 2026 7th round pick. Full details » https://t.co/Mk2giiqbLA pic.twitter.com/E20f8EoxLm — Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) December 28, 2024 – Things are going well for La Victoire. La Victoire wins its game against the Frost from Minnesota. A 4th victory for Montreal in 5 games! pic.twitter.com/PLQYFApsow — Radio-Canada Sports (@RC_Sports) December 28, 2024 This article first appeared on Dose.ca and was syndicated with permission.First-of-its-kind AI module that runs for months on coin cell battery unveiled

NEW YORK — He’s one of the most famous corporate leaders in the world, delivering products embraced by billions. But the haters give companies like Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta Platforms something to worry about. In an era when online anger and social tensions are increasingly directed at the businesses that consumers count on, Meta last year spent $24.4 million on guards, alarms and other measures to keep Zuckerberg and the company’s former chief operating officer safe. Some high-profile chief executives surround themselves with security. But the fatal shooting this week of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson while he walked alone on a New York City sidewalk has put a spotlight on the widely varied approaches companies take in protecting their leaders against threats. Thompson had no personal security and appeared unaware of the shooter lurking before he was gunned down. And today’s political, economic and technological climate is only going to make the job of evaluating threats against executives and taking action to protect them even more difficult, experts say. “We are better today at collecting signals. I’m not sure we’re any better at making sense of the signals we collect,” said Fred Burton of Ontic, a provider of threat management software for companies. After Thompson’s shooting, Burton said, “I’ve been on the phone all day with some organizations asking for consultation, saying, ’Am I doing enough?’” Since the killing, some health insurers have taken steps to safeguard their executives and rank-and-file workers. Medica, a Minnesota-based nonprofit healthcare firm, said Friday that it was temporarily closing its six offices for security reasons and would have its employees work from home. “Although we have received no specific threats related to our campuses, our office buildings will be temporarily closed out of an abundance of caution,” the company said in a statement. A Medica spokesman said the company had also removed biographical information about its executives from its website as a precaution. UnitedHealth Group, parent of the insurer Thompson led, removed photos of its top executives from its website hours after the shooting, later removing their names and biographies. But well before the attack, some of the biggest U.S. companies, particularly those in the tech sector, were spending heavily on personal and residential security for their top executives. Meta, whose businesses include Facebook and Instagram, reported the highest spending on personal security for top executives last year, filings culled by research firm Equilar show. Zuckerberg “is synonymous with Meta and, as a result, negative sentiment regarding our company is directly associated with, and often transferred to, Mr. Zuckerberg,” the Menlo Park, California, company explained earlier this year in an annual shareholder disclosure. At Apple, the world’s largest tech company by stock valuation, CEO Tim Cook was tormented by a stalker who sent him sexually provocative emails and even showed up outside his Silicon Valley home at one point before the company’s security team successfully took legal action against her in 2022. Cook is regularly accompanied by security personnel when he appears in public. Still, the $820,000 the company allotted last year to protect top executives is a fraction of what other tech giants spent for CEO security. Just over a quarter of the companies in the Fortune 500 reported spending money to protect their CEOs and other top executives. Of those that did, the median payment for personal security doubled over the last three years to about $98,000. In many companies, investor meetings like the one UnitedHealthcare’s Thompson was walking to when he was shot are viewed as very risky because details on the location and who will be speaking are highly publicized. “It gives people an opportunity to arrive well in advance and take a look at the room, take a look at how people would probably come and go out of a location,” said Dave Komendat, president of DSKomendat Risk Management Services, which is based in the Seattle area. Some firms respond by beefing up security. For example, tech companies routinely require everyone attending a major event, such as Apple’s annual unveiling of the next iPhone or a shareholder meeting, to go through airport-style security checkpoints before entering. Others forgo in-person meetings with shareholders. Government health insurance provider Centene Corp. joined that group Thursday, citing the UnitedHealthcare executive’s death in announcing that its upcoming investor day will be held online, rather than in person as originally planned. “But there are also company cultures that really frown on that and want their leaders to be accessible to people, accessible to shareholders, employees,” Komendat said. Depending on the company, such an approach may make sense. Many top executives are little known to the public, operating in industries and locations that make them far less prone to public exposure and to threats. “Determining the need for and appropriate level of an executive-level protection program is specific to each organization,” said David Johnston, vice president of asset protection and retail operations at the National Retail Federation. “These safeguards should also include the constant monitoring of potential threats and the ability to adapt to maintain the appropriate level of security and safety.” Some organizations have a protective intelligence group that uses digital tools such as machine learning or artificial intelligence to comb through online comments to detect threats not only on social media platforms such as X but also on the dark web, Komendat said. They look for what’s being said about the company, its employees and its leadership to uncover risks. “There are always threats directed towards senior leaders at companies. Many of them are not credible,” Komendat said. “The question always is trying to determine what is a real threat versus what is someone just venting with no intent to take any additional action.” Burton, a former special agent with the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service, points out that despite the current climate, there is little in the way of organized groups that target companies. Today, one of the primary worries are loners whose rantings online are fed by others who are like-minded. It’s up to corporate security analysts to zero in on such dialogue and decide whether or not it represents a real threat. And CEOs aren’t the only targets of disgruntled customers. In the U.S., there were 525 workplace fatalities due to assault in 2022, according to the National Safety Council. Industries including healthcare, education and service providers are more prone to violence than others, and taxi drivers are more than 20 times more likely to be murdered on the job than other workers, the group said. But the ambush of UnitedHealthcare’s Thompson this week is bound to get some CEOs second-guessing. “What invariably happens at moments like this in time is you will get additional ears listening” to security professionals seeking money to beef up executive protection, Burton said. “Because I can guarantee you there’s not a CEO in America who’s not aware of this incident.” Geller, Bussewitz and Liedtke write for the Associated Press.The Vikings will officially be without cornerback Stephon Gilmore for Sunday’s noon game against the Falcons. Gilmore left the Vikings' win over the Cardinals with a left hamstring strain and has not practiced this week. The Vikings will have Byron Murphy Jr. , Shaq Griffin and Fabian Moreau as their top three cornerback options with Gilmore absent. “It was always something that fingers crossed just in case maybe if he can get a limited day, he’d possibly be available, but he’s right on schedule where we probably thought he would be, and we’ll see what next week looks like,” Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said Friday of Gilmore. Kicker Will Reichard and long snapper Andrew DePaola are questionable. Both returned to practice this week after missing four games on injured reserve and were full participants all three days of practice. They would need to be activated from injured reserve to play Sunday. Sign up for the Access Vikings newsletter O’Connell said decisions on Reichard and DePaola will be made later Friday, as corresponding roster moves have to be made by Saturday afternoon to return them to the active roster. The Vikings already released long snapper Jake McQuaide , DePaola’s replacement; kicker Parker Romo is preparing for the same fate . Four other players were left questionable by O’Connell after Friday’s practice: outside linebacker Patrick Jones II (knee), defensive lineman Harrison Phillips (back), offensive guard Dalton Risner (back) and outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel (thigh). Jones, Phillips and Van Ginkel were all limited in Friday’s practice. O’Connell said he was unsure if Risner’s back issue was related to one he had earlier in the season. Risner, who was a full participant Friday, told the Minnesota Star-Tribune he expects to play. Safety Jay Ward , who missed last game with an elbow injury, was a full participant Friday and will be available against the Falcons. Tight end Josh Oliver , who has missed the last two games, will also be back after being a full participant in practice all week. Jefferson stockpiling jokes Asked abo the biggest thing he learned from former Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins , who visits Sunday with the Falcons , wide receiver Justin Jefferson had a surprising answer. “There’s a lot of jokes I learned from Kirk,” Jefferson said Thursday. “It’s always great to have a quarterback you can joke around with and be yourself with.” He also hit on the expected — work ethic being what it all boiled down to — but the jokes became a sticking point. Jefferson alluded to the jokes being for generations older than him, but said that he’s holding on to them for potential use when his delivery will be more believable. “I want it to be later on when I get older and I can come on here and tell y’all the joke, and then it’s really gonna be funny,” Jefferson said. “Me telling you all right now, it’s not gonna be funny. Kirk’s gotta tell you all himself.” Vikings add tackle to practice squad The Vikings signed offensive tackle Coy Cronk to their practice squad Friday. This is his second stint with the team, having also spent time on the practice squad in 2023. Cronk’s most recent stop was with the Falcons practice squad this October. He’s also been with the Jaguars; he was elevated to their active roster five times during the 2022 season and appeared in all five games. Cronk joined the league as an undrafted free agent, signing with the Packers in 2021. The Vikings also placed offensive guard Henry Byrd on the practice squad injured reserve. For sale: Van Ginkel shirts T-shirts featuring edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel will be for sale Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium. All proceeds will go toward Van Ginkel’s flood relief in his hometown, Rock Valley, Iowa, where recovery efforts are ongoing after severe storms in June. The Vikings announced that one of their sponsors, Minnesota-based Land O’Lakes, will match the proceeds in a donation. Van Ginkel’s wife, Sam, had a message for fans on Friday morning. “Shirts are only available in person at the stadium on Sunday,” Sam Van Ginkel wrote on social media. “Please do not fall for all of the links being posted on here. They are scams. Until you see something from us or the Vikings, do NOT buy online.” Star Tribune writer Andrew Krammer contributed to this report.

As the holidays approach and millions plan to travel back home for Christmas or Hanukkah snowy, rainy, and even icy weather may cause some delays. On the east coast a large portion of the region from the central Appalachians to New England will see “light to occasionally moderate” snow on Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. On Tuesday morning parts of New Jersey, New York City, Philadelphia and Boston, saw some snowfall , which is set to end by Tuesday afternoon. Temperatures in the mid-Atlantic region will rise above freezing following a days-long cold snap, Forbes reported. Meanwhile in the south on Christmas Eve parts of eastern Texas, Arkansas and southern Missouri will get thunderstorms and rainfall that could exceed one inch in some parts through Wednesday morning, according to the National Weather Service. Snow and rain storms threaten millions as record-setting Christmas travel begins One dead after 'catastrophic' storm hits California coast as collapsing pier plunges into ocean Luckily, the rest of the country is set to have pleasant weather leading up to Christmas. The National Weather Service said temperatures for much of the country will be above average for December. On Christmas Day parts of the south and Midwest will experience rain showers and some t-storms, from the lower Mississippi Valley to the Ohio Valley, the Weather Channel reported. Isolated severe thunderstorms are possible as well, but locally heavy downpours and wet roads appear to be the main travel concern in those areas. In the west a windy, wet storm will move into the Pacific Northwest and far northwest California Christmas afternoon and Christmas night. Some local flash flooding is possible, particularly in far northwest California and southwest Oregon, according to the Weather Channel. For those flying there are potential airport weather delays in Seattle, Salt Lake City, Houston and New Orleans for Christmas Day. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are expected to bring significant weather disruptions that could affect travel. The light snow and freezing rain could cause delays in In the Northeast, particularly in the New York City Tri-state to parts of New England, according to The Weather Channel. While the rain and thunderstorms in the south are expected to impact roads. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) lifted a nationwide ground stop for American Airlines and its subsidiaries, after the airline was forced to delay numerous flights nationwide due to "technical issues" on Tuesday morning. In a statement, American Airlines said: "A vendor technology issue briefly affected flights this morning. That issue has been resolved and flights have resumed." Passengers faced delays of up to 90 minutes, with some flights returning to their gates. This comes on one of the busiest days for travel of the season with 40 million people estimated to fly this Christmas season, according to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). DAILY NEWSLETTER: Sign up here to get the latest news and updates from the Mirror US straight to your inbox with our FREE newsletter.EAM Jaishankar, foreign secretary engage with Biden admin, team Trump

Heavy travel day starts with brief grounding of all American Airlines flightsNone

In this rapidly growing digital era, development for cloud computing disaster recovery, a revolutionary approach combining artificial intelligence with Kubernetes container orchestration has achieved remarkable system reliability and cost efficiency improvements. The research, published in the International Journal of Computer Engineering and Technology by Varun Tamminedi , demonstrates significant advancements in protecting cloud infrastructure from failures and outages in modern computing environments. Smart Systems, Faster Recovery The innovative framework leverages deep learning-based predictive analytics and automated recovery mechanisms to enhance system resilience. By implementing intelligent resource optimization algorithms, the system achieved a 73% reduction in Recovery Time Objective (RTO). It maintained Recovery Point Objective (RPO) under 10 seconds for critical workloads, ensuring maximum business continuity for enterprises. Preventing Failures Before They Happen The hybrid AI approach, combining supervised and unsupervised learning techniques, demonstrated 89% accuracy in failure prediction with a 15-minute warning window. This predictive capability, coupled with automated response mechanisms, resulted in a 94% reduction in false positive failure predictions and a 78% increase in successful automated recoveries across distributed systems. Cost-Effective Innovation The implementation resulted in a 45% reduction in operational costs over 12 months through reduced manual intervention requirements. The system demonstrated particular effectiveness in financial services, healthcare systems, and e-commerce platforms where minimal downtime is crucial. These cost savings were achieved while maintaining superior performance and reliability standards across all deployment scenarios. Self-Learning and Adaptation The framework's self-learning capabilities improved continuously over time, adapting to new patterns and potential threats. The multi-layered architecture combines real-time monitoring with dynamic resource allocation, ensuring optimal performance even during recovery operations. It maintains an impressive 99.999% system uptime across all test scenarios. Advanced Anomaly Detection The system employs sophisticated isolation forests, autoencoders, and Long-Short-Term Memory networks to process real-time metrics and identify potential system anomalies. The continuous learning mechanism ensures detection accuracy improves over time, adapting to new patterns and emerging threats in complex cloud environments. Resource Management Excellence The framework implements a multi-objective optimization approach balancing recovery speed with resource efficiency. This dynamic allocation system considers both current system state and predicted future demands, ensuring optimal resource utilization during operations and recovery scenarios across distributed clusters. Testing and Validation The system's effectiveness was validated through comprehensive testing across three geographically distributed Kubernetes clusters operating on different cloud providers. The testing environment included microservices-based applications with varying resource requirements and traffic patterns, providing realistic disaster scenarios and recovery metrics. Performance Impact For different workload types, improvements were consistently high across various services: database services and file storage showed 77.1% improvement, web applications achieved 76.7% enhancement, and streaming services demonstrated 75.9% better performance than traditional approaches. Future-Ready Infrastructure The testing environment incorporates simulated failure injection mechanisms to validate system resilience under various conditions. The architecture's base layer consists of Kubernetes infrastructure, including master and worker nodes, while the middle layer implements AI processing units and data collectors. The top layer comprises the intelligent decision-making system and user interface. Training and Implementation The framework employs distributed TensorFlow implementations for model training and inference, synchronizing model updates across clusters using a federated learning approach. Each Kubernetes cluster is monitored by dedicated AI agents that collect and process metrics in real-time. The system incorporates redundant AI processing units to ensure continuous operation during partial system failures. In conclusion, as Varun Tamminedi reported in his research, the system represents a significant advancement in cloud infrastructure resilience. While implementation requires expertise in AI and Kubernetes, the benefits of improved recovery times and enhanced predictive capabilities substantially outweigh these limitations. The framework's success in reducing downtime and operational costs while improving system reliability marks a significant milestone in cloud computing disaster recovery.EU stocks close higher on thin volumes ahead of Christmas

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BRISTOL, Tenn. — Bristol Motor Speedway and Major League Baseball officials described interest as high for the first two day of general public ticket sales for the Speedway Classic ’25. Neither Speedway Motorsports nor MLB gives out official sales figures or how close they are to selling out the game between the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds on Aug. 2, 2025 at the track nicknamed the "Last Great Colosseum." Prior to Thursday, tickets were only available to BMS, Braves and Reds season-ticket holders. BMS President Jerry Caldwell commented on a strong start to ticket sales. “We are very excited the response from the pre-sale to going on sale to the public yesterday,” Caldwell said during a Friday afternoon phone call. “It goes to the excitement around the game that this will be one of those events like ‘Battle at Bristol’ which will be talked about for years to come, an historic event you want to be a part of.” Major League Baseball also doesn’t share details about ticket sales, but MLB Senior Vice President of Communications Matt Bourne said, “I can share that interest is high as fans are demonstrating their enthusiasm about this special event.” It promises to deliver a unique experience with the first regular-season Major League Baseball game in the state of Tennessee and the first-ever held at a NASCAR track. On Thursday, the track unveiled a MLB Speedway Classic Countdown Clock to count down the days, hours and minutes until the first pitch is thrown. It is placed next to the It’s Bristol Baby! Monument at the speedway’s North entrance. Ticketmaster is the primary ticket sales and distribution outlet for the event. A wide variety of packages with different price points are available. Secondary outlets like Vivid Seats, StubHub and SeatGeek are also offering seats and parking for the event. Tickets to the game itself on Ticketmaster range from $58.65 in the Earnhardt Terrace to $937 for field level. There is a limit of eight tickets per person. On Location, the official hospitality provider of the Speedway Classic, has packages with infield seating available. The $595 per person package includes a game ticket, an exclusive pre-game party with food, drinks, games and entertainment. Fans must closely look at these packages as there are significant charges for upgrades like infield seating. The Grand Slam Package includes two nights of accommodations at the Hilton Garden Inn, Bristol, pre-game field access, on-field photo opportunity, a commemorative gift and round-trip transportation to and from the speedway. It ranges from $1,990 to the most expensive package over $3,500. Grandstand seats for the Battle at Bristol football game between Tennessee and Virginia Tech at BMS ranged between $40 and $80 in 2016. StubHub.com had tickets listed as high as $800. Grandstand seats sold out in June for the Sept. 10 game. Then as now, BMS officials warned of scams. When the football game sold out, some tickets were made available on ebay and Craigslist. However, the speedway only vouched for those which came from a ticket resale website created by BMS and Ticketmaster. Big Help and Big Events Major League Baseball announced earlier in the week that $50,000 of ticket sales would be donated to support Appalachian Service Project and Mountain Ways for Hurricane Helene relief. MLB recently made a $1 million contribution to the American Red Cross in relief efforts for Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Caldwell talked about BMS being the home of big events. In addition to hosting two marquee NASCAR race weekends, BMS has hosted the “Country Thunder” music festival which has brought in such popular acts as Morgan Wallen, Cody Johnson, Brooks & Dunn and Jelly Roll. “Racing will obviously remain our core business, but we are the home of big events,” Caldwell said. “It’s one thing to have a facility to host it. But, more important you have to have a team which can adapt and execute big events which some might call crazy ideas.” Caldwell mentioned how the talents of the MLB and Speedway Motorsports marketing teams have meshed well together. Earlier in the week, Cincinnati Reds Hall of Famer Sean Casey talked about the excitement he’s seen in both the MLB and NASCAR communities. “What an unbelievable opportunity for baseball and NASCAR to come together and also bring new fans in,” Casey said. “For baseball to be able to bring their game to Bristol, this is an incredible place, ‘The Last Great Colosseum,’ to bring some new fans to each sport.” Stay Informed: Subscribe to Our Newsletter Today