Telstra Group Limited ( OTCMKTS:TLGPY – Get Free Report ) was the recipient of a significant decline in short interest in the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totalling 26,600 shares, a decline of 46.0% from the November 30th total of 49,300 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 125,900 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.2 days. Telstra Group Stock Down 0.7 % Shares of OTCMKTS:TLGPY opened at $12.59 on Friday. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $12.79 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $12.91. Telstra Group has a 52 week low of $11.19 and a 52 week high of $13.90. Telstra Group Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Telstra Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Telstra Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter . Powerful spotlights Wednesday night dance to the music on top of Jason Mills’ home at 74 Warren Road in Monmouth. The lights have prompted questions and speculation from residents miles away. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal MONMOUTH — It’s not unusual, some evenings, for people to pull to the side of the road, get out of their cars and just start dancing in the street in front of Jason Mills’ house on Warren Road. “We’ve had people out there singing at the top of their lungs, too,” says Mills, “and it’s just fun and funny. We really enjoy seeing people out there.” These spontaneous displays of singing and dancing aren’t the work of lunatics. They are among the many who stop in front of Mills’ house in the early evenings to enjoy the elaborate Christmas light show going on there. And when we say “elaborate,” we really mean it. We’re talking 18,000 LED lights flickering, flashing and kind of dancing along in exotic ways in sync with the music. We’re talking computer controlled projectors beaming images onto the windows, where exotic swirls of light move in every imaginable way. Every once in while, you’ll see the ghostly image of a guitarist jamming along to the music of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra on Mills’ front door. The lights spin and throb and pulsate in such a wild variety of ways, it’s mesmerizing. The experience is almost psychedelic. It is, without question, hypnotic. Sheets of LED bulbs change with the music at Jason Mills’ home in Monmouth. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal And there are four moving spotlights atop Mills’ roof, as well. They shoot out beams of light and move every which way based on the music. The light dances playfully on whatever sky cover there happens to be that night, and people have reported seeing this phenomena as far away as Turner and Greene, Lewiston, Auburn and Poland, in some cases attributing it to UFOs or the northern lights. When it comes to his Christmas light show, Mills, an assistance chief with the Monmouth Fire Department, does not mess around. His show is carefully curated through computer software that allows him to adjust the timing of every bulb and get every flash and flicker in line with the beat of the holiday season songs on his playlist. This is not traditional Christmas decorating. The display is all encompassing. From the great spotlights on the roof to the animated Christmas trees and candy canes on the front lawn, Mills has used the latest in lighting technology to present one of the grandest displays one will find in the region. It’s a lot of work and none of it is cheap: The spotlights alone run about $1,000 apiece and the LED lights were at one time selling for about a buck a bulb. Yet, Mills has been doing this for years and his officially named Monmouth Lights show gets wilder with each new Christmas season. Jason Mills stands Wednesday night in front of his home at 74 Warren Road in Monmouth., where his ever-evolving light display is attracting people from across the region. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal “Inspiration for my light show came from a few places,” says Mills, in a way that is both modest and alive with childlike enthusiasm. “When I was a kid, my grandmother had an amazing Christmas light display every year and I see this as my way of carrying on that piece of her legacy. I am also a big fan of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and started going to their concerts around 20 years ago. The lighting at those concerts is a show of its own and, as a bit of a tech geek, it garnered my interest immediately. So in 2012 I started Monmouth Lights with a few strings of traditional Christmas lights and some controllers that I put together. I had a couple different songs each year and we would see a handful of cars each night stop by. We did that for three or four years before work got in the way.” Things went along at that tempo for a few years. Then Mills stepped things up a notch or three. “In 2019, we moved to our current house and I started looking into smart lighting options,” Mills says. “I built a few small controllers and played around with some LED strips before stumbling across some information about connecting them into a Christmas light show. That’s all it took to throw me back into the hobby and I started putting together a small show. We didn’t expect a lot of visitors, but that was 2020 and a lot of normal Christmas events and traditions weren’t happening that year, so we had more than we anticipated and we ended up causing a few traffic problems.” Mills lives on a pretty quiet stretch of Warren Road. In order for someone to cause traffic problems there, people would have to be coming from miles around to see the show. That’s exactly what happened, and the show draws even more interest these days now that it’s bigger and brighter and more intense than ever. Viewers watching the light show from their cars can tune their radios to 91.7 FM to hear the music while the lights dance. The closer Christmas gets, the more Christmas music is being added to the playlist. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal The popularity of Mills’ light show got a boost recently thanks to a bunch of threads on social media where people — including Sun Journal photographer Russ Dillingham — reported seeing lights in the sky in far-flung places like the wilds of Turner. Some folks thought it was Elon Musk’s Starlink they were seeing up there in the heavens. Others thought UFOs were making regular stops to the area. When it was finally sorted out, many made the drive out to lonely Warren Road to have an up-close look at Mills’ fancy display. By then, Mills already had a pretty good following. There is rarely a time between 4:30 and 9 p.m. that at least one vehicle isn’t stopped in front of his house to enjoy the show — which takes an amazing 22 minutes to cycle from start to finish before beginning all over again. Mills gets help from his wife and two daughters, both with the setup and the computer controls. “My oldest daughter is just in high school,” Mills says. “Now she’s kind of getting into computer programming and stuff, so she’s starting to learn how to program the songs so she can pick some of her favorites and make some light shows from them.” The light show at the Monmouth home of Jason Mills includes thousands of LED lights, projects, spotlights and even a collection box for families to drop off their letters to Santa. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal Mills adds new songs to the mix every week. Right now, there’s a little bit of everything in there, but as it gets closer to the holiday, Mills will switch over to Christmas music exclusively. He also gets a little help from Maine Equipment Rental, which partners with Mills and made it possible for him to work safely and with a little bit of a break on his own costs. Mills said he’s never considered asking for help from the public to pay for his setup. He does this for them and all he wants is for families viewing the show to have a good time. Families can drop off letters to Santa and watch the light show choreographed by computer to an ever-changing playlist of music. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal “We do this show for the community,” Mills says, “and there is never a charge to come and see it. We do have a Santa’s mailbox where families can drop their letters to Santa and we will get them to the North Pole. If they include a return address, we do our best to make sure they get a personal replay.” Some folks will leave donations in a box at the roadside, but Mills gives 100% of anything collected to local youth STEM and arts programs, including Monmouth VEX Robotics and the Monmouth Community Players’ kids program. The show runs nightly and Mills plans to keep the display going until the new year. Those who stop to take in the grand show can tune their radios to 91.7 FM to hear the music or they can download the PulseMesh app on their phones. In spite of the breathtaking magnitude of his light show, Mills doesn’t consider himself any kind of local king of Christmas displays. In fact, he says that some spectacular light shows at nearby homes — on Small Road and on Hallowell Road in Litchfield — make it so that the drive to the area is three times as special for those out to enjoy Christmas decorations in the area. You can find more information about Mills’ work at the Facebook group Monmouth Lights , but take it from us. This is the kind of Christmas decoration that has to be seen to be believed. We invite you to add your comments. We encourage a thoughtful exchange of ideas and information on this website. By joining the conversation, you are agreeing to our commenting policy and terms of use . More information is found on our FAQs . You can modify your screen name here . Comments are managed by our staff during regular business hours Monday through Friday as well as limited hours on Saturday and Sunday. Comments held for moderation outside of those hours may take longer to approve. Please sign into your Press Herald account to participate in conversations below. If you do not have an account, you can register or subscribe . Questions? Please see our FAQs . Your commenting screen name has been updated. Send questions/comments to the editors. « Previous

What to consider when exchanging currencyLebanon is closing all its land border crossings with Syria except for a main one that links Beirut with the Syrian capital Damascus, the General Security Directorate said Friday. The decision came hours after an Israeli airstrike damaged a border crossing in northern Lebanon just days after it was reopened. Separately, Jordan’s interior minister said the Naseeb border crossing with Syria had been closed because of the security situation on the Syrian side. He spoke after Syrian opposition activists said insurgents had captured the main border crossing with Jordan, forcing the Syrian authorities to leave. Separately, Israel’s military said it planned to reinforce its positions in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights and near the border with Syria. Israel said it was “monitoring developments and is prepared for all scenarios, offensive and defensive alike.” Meanwhile, Syrian insurgents entered the central towns of Rastan and Talbiseh early Friday just north of the central city of Homs, bringing them closer Syria’s third largest city, an opposition war monitor and pro-government media both reported. The breakthrough came a day after jihiadi-led opposition fighters captured the central city of Hama , Syria’s fourth largest. In other developments, a Hamas official said international mediators have resumed negotiations with the Palestinian militant group and Israel over a ceasefire in Gaza, and he was hopeful a deal to end the 14-month war is within reach. Israel's war against Hamas has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced 90% of the population of 2.3 million, often multiple times. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel in October 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 people hostage . Israel’s blistering retaliatory offensive has killed at least 44,500 Palestinians , more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were combatants. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. Here's the Latest: CAIRO — Israel said Friday that “thousands of food packages and sacks of flour” were delivered to the isolated northernmost reaches of Gaza, where hunger experts warn famine could be underway. The delivery would mark one of the first successful convoys to the area, which is besieged by Israeli troops that have mounted a fierce offensive in Gaza’s north since early October. COGAT, the Israeli military agency that controls the border crossings into Gaza, said the aid was delivered to the town of Beit Hanoun. Israeli authorities did not publicly say who delivered the aid, and did not provide details on the exact amount of aid involved. COGAT released photos of flatbed trucks driving past rubble, some carrying what appeared to be 25-kilogram (55 pound) sacks of aid and others with cargo covered under tarps. The U.N. has struggled to deliver aid to the area in recent weeks. Alia Zaki, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, told The Associated Press that nearly no food has entered the area for two months, and that the agency’s daily requests to enter the area have been denied by Israel. Of two missions that have been approved since Oct. 6, Zaki said, only two trucks of aid were delivered to a shelter that Israeli soldiers ordered to evacuate soon after and then burned. The situation in northern Gaza has prompted hunger experts to warn that famine is either near or may already be underway. BEIRUT — A Kurdish-led force in Syria that's backed by the United States says it has taken positions along the border with Iraq, replacing Syrian government forces. The move by the Syrian Democratic Forces to capture areas on the west bank of the Euphrates River is likely to cut the land line that links Iran with the Mediterranean coast. The SDF said in a statement that its fighters were deployed in the eastern city of Deir el-Zour and west of the Euphrates for the safety of civilians. “Our primary objective is to protect our security and the security of our people,” it said about the deployment. SDF spokesman Farhad Shami told The Associated Press that their fighters are not in control of the Boukamal border crossing with Iraq. Rami Abdurrahman of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said Iran-backed fighters have evacuated the border crossing point of Boukamal and the SDF is expected to control it later. The Boukamal border crossing has been a main supply line for Iran-backed fighters, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah, who had opened the corridor that links Iran with the Mediterranean in 2017. The developments come as jihadi-led insurgents in northwestern Syria have made stunning advances over the past week that have so far met little resistance from government troops. KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — Crowds of displaced Palestinians, some carrying cooking pots and crying children, gathered at an aid kitchen in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis on Friday, but many left with nothing. “The food ran out,” said Adel Mohammad, who was hoping to get a meal of rice – the only food being served — for his children. “At night they wake up hungry.” After the kitchen shut down, children used their hands to scoop bits of rice left in large empty cooking pots. The World Food Program has warned that the humanitarian response in Gaza is “nearing collapse as famine looms.” The U.N. agency says Israeli restrictions on aid deliveries, along with the breakdown of law and order in Gaza, has made it difficult for aid convoys to reach displaced Palestinians. Concerns are growing with the onset of another winter of war. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, many displaced repeatedly by Israeli attacks, are living in tent camps, reliant on international aid. Experts have already warned of famine in northern Gaza, which Israeli forces have almost completely isolated since early October. BEIRUT -- Lebanon’s General Security Directorate said Friday the country is closing all land border crossing with Syria except for a main one that links Beirut with the Syrian capital Damascus. The decision by the security agency in charge of border crossings came hours after an Israeli airstrike damaged the Arida border crossing with Syria in north Lebanon, days after it was reopened. “Border crossings will be closed until further notice for the safety of travelers,” the agency said in a statement posted on X. It said that the only border crossing that will be kept open is Masnaa in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley. Lebanon’s state news agency said Friday the airstrike on the Arida crossing caused heavy material damage and cut the road. The Israeli military said fighter jets attacked the border crossing between Lebanon and Syria, adding that they were used to transfer munitions for Lebanon’s Hezbollah group. BEIRUT - Syrian opposition activists say insurgents have captured a main border crossing with Jordan forcing Syrian authorities to leave it. Shortly afterward, Jordan’s Interior Minister al-Frayeh said the Naseeb border crossing with Syria had been closed because of the security situation on the Syrian side. Opposition activists posted videos online showing people storming the border crossing with Jordan, which was in rebel hands until government forces regained control of it in 2018. Ahmad al-Masalmeh, an opposition activist based in France who covers events in southern Syria, told The Associated Press that local gunmen have captured the Naseeb crossing as well as several other areas in the southern province of Daraa where the uprising against President Bashar Assad began in March 2011. Syrian troops have evacuated checkpoints in several areas including the villages of Inkhil, Nawa and Jassem, he added. JERUSALEM — Israel’s military said on Friday that it planned to reinforce its forces stationed in the Golan Heights and near the border with Syria, where civil war has reignited between the government and rebel groups. The Israeli military said in a statement that it was “monitoring developments and is prepared for all scenarios, offensive and defensive alike.” After 13 years of civil war, Syrian insurgents are gaining ground, first taking cities in the country’s north and on Friday entering cities in central Syria. It comes as rebel groups mount new challenges to Russia- and Iran-backed Syrian forces, including in Aleppo, the country’s largest city. Since Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has intermittently struck areas in Syria seen as strongholds of Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group it is at war with in Lebanon. The advances of the Syrian insurgents adds new instability on Israel’s northern border, two months after it invaded neighboring Lebanon. Israel’s defense minister and military chief of staff met to discuss the situation Thursday. Israeli media reported there is concern in the country’s security establishment that the rebels would advance until they reached the Golan Heights, territory occupied by Israel, gaining control of Syrian weapons stockpiles along the way. Writing in the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahoronoth Friday, veteran military correspondent Ron Ben-Yishai wrote that Israel may “prefer” to destroy the weapons storehouses so they won’t fall into the hands of the rebels. Israel seized control of the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war. Syria has constantly accused Israel of launching attacks against it from territory it occupies in the Golan Heights. Israel has frequently struck Syria over the years. BEIRUT — Syrian insurgents entered two central towns early Friday just north of the central city of Homs, bringing them closer Syria’s third largest city, an opposition war monitor and pro-government media both reported. The break into Rastan and Talbiseh came a day after opposition gunmen captured the central city of Hama , Syria’s fourth largest, after the Syrian army said it withdrew to avoid fighting inside the city and spare the lives of civilians. The insurgents, led by the jihadi Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have said that they will march to Homs and Damascus, President Bashar Assad’s seat of power. The city of Homs, parts of which were controlled by insurgents until 2014, is a major intersection point between the capital, Damascus, and Syria’s coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus where Assad enjoys wide support. Homs province is Syria’s largest in size and borders Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan. Insurgents are now 5 kilometers (3 miles) away from Homs, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor. “The battle of Homs is the mother of all battles and will decide who will rule Syria,” said Rami Abdurrahman, the Observatory’s chief. MANAMA, Bahrain — Iran said Friday it conducted a successful space launch, the latest for its program the West alleges improves Tehran’s ballistic missile technology. Iran conducted the launch using its Simorgh program , a satellite-carrying rocket that had had a series of failed launches, at Iran’s Imam Khomeini Spaceport in rural Semnan province. That’s the site of Iran’s civilian space program. The Simorgh carried what Iran described as an “orbital propulsion system,” as well as two research systems to a 400-kilometer (250-mile) orbit above the Earth. A system that could change the orbit of a spacecraft would allow Iran to geo-synchronize the orbits of its satellites. Tehran has long sought that ability. Iran also put the payload of the Simorgh at 300 kilograms (660 pounds), heavier than its previous successful launches. There was no immediate independent confirmation the launch was successful. The U.S. military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The announcement comes as heightened tensions grip the wider Middle East over Israel’s continued war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip and as an uneasy ceasefire holds in Lebanon. MELBOURNE, Australia — Arsonists extensively damaged a Melbourne synagogue on Friday in what Australia’s prime minister condemned as an antisemitic attack on Australian values. The blaze in the Adass Israel Synagogue is an escalation in targeted attacks in Australia since the war began between Israel and Hamas last year. Cars and buildings have been vandalized and torched around Australia in protests inspired by the war. A witness who had come to the synagogue to pray saw two masked men spreading a liquid accelerant with brooms inside the building at 4:10 a.m., officials said. About 60 firefighters with 17 fire trucks responded to the blaze, which police said caused extensive damage. Investigators have yet to identify a motive, but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese blamed antisemitism. “This was a shocking incident to be unequivocally condemned. There is no place in Australia for an outrage such as this,” Albanese told reporters. “To attack a place of worship is an attack on Australian values. To attack a synagogue is an act of antisemitism, is attacking the right that all Australians should have to practice their faith in peace and security,” he added. ISTANBUL — A Hamas official says international mediators have resumed negotiating with the militant group and Israel over a ceasefire in Gaza, and that he was hopeful a deal to end the 14-month war was within reach. Ceasefire negotiations were halted last month when Qatar suspended talks with mediators from Egypt and the United States because of frustration over a lack of progress between Israel and Hamas. But there has been a “reactivation” of efforts in recent days to end the fighting, release hostages from Gaza and free Palestinian prisoners in Israel, according to Bassem Naim, an official in Hamas’ political bureau who spoke with The Associated Press in Turkey on Thursday. Another official familiar with the talks confirmed the return of Qatari mediators. The official spoke Thursday on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the negotiations with the media. Since the talks broke down, there have been significant shifts in the global and regional landscape. Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential election, and a ceasefire was declared last week between Israel and Hamas ally Hezbollah in Lebanon. Trump is a staunch supporter of Israel, but Naim said he believes the incoming administration could “affect the situation positively” given that Trump had made halting wars in the region part of his campaign platform. Trump this week called for the release of all hostages held in Gaza by the time he takes office on Jan. 20, saying there would be “hell to pay” if that doesn’t happen. WASHINGTON -- Three U.S. service members were being evaluated for potential traumatic brain injuries following an attack near a base in eastern Syria this week, Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Thursday. Ryder said U.S. Central Command is still evaluating who was behind the attack near Mission Support Site Euphrates, which prompted the U.S. to conduct counter strikes on Tuesday. At the time, the Pentagon said rockets and mortars had landed in the vicinity of the base. The U.S. has about 900 troops in Syria to conduct missions to counter the Islamic Stage group. By Lolita Baldor

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Saquon Barkley tops 2,000 yards rushing and moves within 100 of Dickerson's record PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Saquon Barkley became the ninth running back in NFL history to top 2,000 yards rushing in a season, reaching the milestone with a 23-yard run in the fourth quarter against the Dallas Cowboys. That rush gave Barkley 2,005 yards with one game left and left him exactly 100 yards from Eric Dickerson’s record of 2,105, set in 1984 for the Los Angeles Rams. Barkley could potentially top the record in next week’s finale against the New York Giants. However, that game will be mostly meaningless for the Eagles, who could opt to rest Barkley to protect him from injury ahead of the playoffs. Bills clinch the AFC's No. 2 seed with a 40-14 rout of the undisciplined Jets ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score and the Buffalo Bills clinched the AFC’s No. 2 seed with a 40-14 rout of the New York Jets. The Bills put the game away by capitalizing on two Jets turnovers and scoring three touchdowns over a 5:01 span in the closing minutes of the third quarter. Buffalo’s defense forced three takeaways overall and sacked Aaron Rodgers four times, including a 2-yard loss for a safety in the second quarter. The five-time defending AFC East champion Bills improved to 13-3 to match a franchise single-season record. Saquon Barkley tops 2,000 yards rushing as Eagles beat Cowboys 41-7 to clinch NFC East PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Saquon Barkley rushed for 167 yards to top 2,000 on the season, backup quarterback Kenny Pickett ran and threw for scores before departing with injured ribs, and the Philadelphia Eagles clinched the NFC East title by routing the Dallas Cowboys 41-7. Barkley has 2,005 yards and needs 101 in next week’s mostly meaningless regular-season finale to top Eric Dickerson and his 2,105 yards for the Los Angeles Rams in 1984. The Eagles led 24-7 in the third quarter when Pickett was drilled by defensive end Micah Parsons, ending his first start in place of the concussed Jalen Hurts. Penn State coach James Franklin says Nick Saban should be college football's commissioner SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Penn State coach James Franklin believes college football needs a commissioner and he even has a candidate in mind: former Alabama coach Nick Saban. Franklin made the suggestion Sunday at Penn State’s College Football Playoff quarterfinals media day ahead of the Fiesta Bowl. The sixth-seeded Nittany Lions are preparing for their game against No. 3 seed Boise State on Tuesday. The veteran coach was responding to a question about Penn State’s backup quarterback situation after Beau Pribula transferred to Missouri before the playoff. Pribula’s decision highlighted some of the frustrating aspects of a new college football world in the Name, Image and Likeness era and the transfer portal, forcing players to make tough decisions at inopportune times. Mayfield throws 5 TD passes and Bucs keep playoff, NFC South hopes alive with 48-14 rout of Panthers TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Baker Mayfield threw for 359 yards and five touchdowns to help the Tampa Bay Buccaneers keep their division and playoff hopes alive with a 48-14 rout of the Carolina Panthers. The team’s fifth win in the past six weeks nudged the first-place Bucs a half-game ahead of Atlanta for the best record in the NFC South at 9-7. The Falcons played on the road later Sunday night at Washington. Atlanta holds the tiebreaker in the division race and can end Tampa Bay’s three-year reign as NFC South champions by beating the Commanders and winning again next week at home against the last-place Panthers. Lakers send D'Angelo Russell to Nets in trade for Dorian Finney-Smith, Shake Milton LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers have traded guard D’Angelo Russell to the Brooklyn Nets for forward Dorian Finney-Smith and guard Shake Milton. The Lakers also sent forward Maxwell Lewis and three second-round draft picks to Brooklyn. Russell averaged a career-low 12.4 points per game for the Lakers this season in a diminished role under new coach JJ Redick. Finney-Smith is a steady 3-and-D wing who fills an obvious need for the Lakers. Russell is being traded by the Lakers to the Nets for the second time in his career. He also made the move in 2017. LeBron James at 40: A milestone birthday arrives Monday for the NBA's all-time scoring leader When LeBron James broke another NBA record earlier this month, the one for most regular-season minutes played in a career, his Los Angeles Lakers teammates handled the moment in typical locker room fashion. They made fun of him. Dubbed The Kid from Akron, with a limitless future, James is now the 40-year-old from Los Angeles with wisps of gray in his beard, his milestone birthday coming Monday, one that will make him the first player in NBA history to play in his teens, 20s, 30s and 40s. He has stood and excelled in the spotlight his entire career. Rising Sun Devils: Arizona State looks to pull off another big surprise at the Peach Bowl ATLANTA (AP) — As they prepare for Arizona State’s biggest game in nearly three decades, the guys who made it happen aren’t the least bit surprised to be rated a nearly two-touchdown underdog in the College Football Playoff. That’s a familiar position for the Sun Devils. They've been an underdog most of the season. Of the eight teams still vying for a national championship, there’s no bigger surprise than 11-2 Arizona State. The Sun Devils went 3-9 a year ago and were picked to finish dead last in their first season in the Big 12 Conference. Now, they're getting ready to face Texas in the Peach Bowl quarterfinal game on New Year’s Day. Penn State's polarizing QB Drew Allar puts critics on mute and keeps winning games SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Even when Penn State quarterback Drew Allar gets some praise, it’s usually a backhanded compliment. They say he’s a good game manager and stays within himself, or that he doesn’t try to do too much. They mention he might not be flashy, but he gives the team a chance to win. And here’s the thing about Penn State since Allar stepped under center: The Nittany Lions have won games. A lot of them. Sometimes that’s hard to remember considering the lukewarm reception he often gets from fans. The polarizing Allar has another chance to quiet his critics on Tuesday, when Penn State plays Boise State in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals at the Fiesta Bowl. Feels like 1979: Nottingham Forest moves into 2nd place behind rampant Liverpool in Premier League The Premier League table is starting to have a 1979 kind of feel to it with Liverpool at the top of the standings and Nottingham Forest in second place as the closest challenger. Liverpool padded its lead with a 5-0 rout of West Ham on Sunday while upstart Nottingham Forest climbed into second place by beating Everton 2-0 to continue its surprising push for a Champions League place. Manchester City marked Pep Guardiola's 500th game in charge by beating Leicester 2-0 but is still 14 points behind Liverpool having played a game more.

The Atlanta Falcons re-signed linebacker Rashaan Evans to the practice squad on Tuesday. Evans played in two games for the Falcons earlier this season and received one defensive snap and five on special teams. He was on the roster Weeks 9-15 before being released Dec. 21. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Stacker examined Census of Agriculture data from the Department of Agriculture to see which states produce the most Christmas trees. Click for more. States that produce the most Christmas trees