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CLEVLEAND — Shane Bieber's comeback with Cleveland has double meaning. The former Cy Young winner re-signed with the Guardians on Wednesday, a reunion that seemed unlikely when he became a free agent. However, the 29-year-old Bieber decided to stay with the AL Central champions after making just two starts in 2024 before undergoing Tommy John surgery. Bieber agreed last week to a one-year, $14 million contract. The deal includes a $16 million player option for 2026. It seemed like a long shot that Bieber, who is 62-32 with a 3.22 ERA in 132 starts, would return to Cleveland. He had turned down long-term offers in the past from the club, and it was expected he would sign with another contender, likely one on the West Coast. But the California native has a special connection with the Guardians, who selected him in the fourth round of the 2016 draft. Bieber, who won the AL Cy Young in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, threw only 12 innings last season before lingering issues with his elbow forced him to have surgery. He is expected to join Cleveland's rotation at some point in 2025. A two-time All-Star, Bieber was named MVP of the midsummer event in 2019 when it was held in Cleveland. He has the highest strikeout ratio per nine innings (10.2) and third-highest winning percentage (.660) in the franchise's 124-year history. Bieber is one of just three Cleveland pitchers to start five season openers, joining Stan Coveleski (1917-21) and Corey Kluber (2015-19). While Bieber had some elbow issues in the past, he didn't show any issues before being shut down. He struck out 11 in six scoreless innings against Oakland on March 28, and followed that up with six more shutout innings at Seattle on April 2. DALLAS — Pitchers again dominated the big league phase of the Rule 5 draft at the winter meetings, comprising 11 of the 15 unprotected players who were picked Wednesday. The 121-loss Chicago White Sox had the first pick and selected 24-year-old right-hander Shane Smith from the Milwaukee Brewers organization. Smith was an undrafted free agent out of Wake Forest when he was signed by Milwaukee in July 2021. The 6-foot-4, 235-pounder has gone 13-7 with a 2.69 ERA and 203 strikeouts over 157 innings in 19 starts and 54 relief appearances over three minor league seasons. There were 14 teams who made picks in the major league portion of the Rule 5 draft of players left off 40-man rosters after several minor league seasons. Only Atlanta made two selections, after making none since 2017. Atlanta chose right-hander Anderson Pilar from the Miami Marlins with the 11th pick, and then took infielder Christian Cairo from the Cleveland Guardians with the 15th and final pick in the MLB portion. The 26-year-old Pilar was original signed by Colorado as a minor league free agent in 2015 and has pitched in 213 minor league games that included 17 starts. He is 28-20 with a 2.86 ERA. Teams pay $100,000 to take a player in the major league portion. The players must stay on the big league roster all of next season or clear waivers and be offered back to their original organization for $50,000. Six of the 10 players selected during the Rule 5 draft last December — five of them right-handed pitchers — remained last season with organization that selected them. Two of the four position players taken Wednesday by other teams came from the Detroit Tigers organization: catcher Liam Hicks and third baseman Gage Workman. Miami drafted second after Colorado passed making a selection, and took Hicks. Workman was taken by the Chicago Cubs with the 10th pick. Baltimore lost two right-handed pitchers on back-to-back picks, Juan Nunez to San Diego with the 12th pick before Connor Thomas went to Milwaukee. DALLAS — Tom Hamilton, who has called Cleveland games on the radio for 35 seasons, won the Hall of Fame’s Ford C. Frick Award for excellence in broadcasting on Wednesday. Hamilton, 70, joined the team's broadcast in 1990, when he was with Herb Score in the booth and part of the coverage of their World Series appearances in 1995 and 1997. Hamilton became the voice of the franchise when Score retired after that second World Series. Hamilton will be honored during the Hall of Fame’s induction weekend from July 25-28 in Cooperstown, New York. He was selected the hall's Frick Award 16-member committee as the 49th winner. There were 10 finalists on this year's ballot, whose main contributions came as local and national voices and whose careers began after, or extended into, the Wild Card era. The other nine were Skip Caray, Rene Cardenas, Gary Cohen, Jacques Doucet, Ernie Johnson Sr., Mike Krukow, Duane Kuiper, Dave Sims and John Sterling. DALLAS — The Texas Rangers acquired slugging corner infielder Jake Burger from the Miami Marlins on Wednesday in a trade for three minor league players. Burger hit .250 with 29 home runs and 76 RBIs in 137 games for the Marlins last season, with 150 strikeouts in 535 at-bats with 31 walks. He started 59 games at third base and made 50 starts at first. Five days of service time short of being eligible for salary arbitration this offseason, he will be eligible next winter and can become a free agent after the 2028 World Series. Miami got infielders Max Acosta and Echedry Vargas and left-handed pitcher Brayan Mendoza. The acquisition of Burger comes about a month after the Rangers hired former Marlins manager Skip Schumaker as a senior adviser for baseball operations. Luis Urueta, Miami's bench coach the past two seasons, also was added recently to manager Bruce Bochy's on-field coaching staff for 2025. BRIEFLY WHITE SOX: Mike Tauchman is switching sides in Chicago. The White Sox announced a $1.95 million, one-year contract for the outfielder. Tauchman, 34, grew up in Palatine, Illinois, about 35 miles northwest of Chicago, and played college ball for Bradley in Peoria, Illinois. He spent the previous two seasons with the Cubs. TRADE: All-Star left-hander Garrett Crochet was acquired by the Boston Red Sox from the Chicago White Sox for four prospects. Catcher Kyle Teel, infielder Chase Meidroth, right-hander Wikelman Gonzalez and outfielder Braden Montgomery are headed to Chicago.Embargo date: from 00.01 a.m., Tuesday 3rd December 2024 Renew commitment to high ethical standards, report on local financial governance reform argues English councils seeking to restore trust in how they spend council taxpayers' money should recommit to the Nolan principles underpinning high standards in public life, a report published today by the think-tank Localis has advised. In a new report entitled “Present Tense: renewing and reforming local financial governance towards long-term resilience and sustainability”, Localis acknowledges the severe challenges faced by councils since the abolition in 2010 of regulator the Audit Commission and straitened local finance settlements but argues improved governance will be essential to ensuring attempts by the new government to rebuild local public finances are effective. Among principal recommendations aimed at councils, the report calls for a shift towards long-term financial planning in line with multi-year settlements anticipated in next spring's Comprehensive Review, and for local authorities to create organisational cultures that embrace challenge and criticism and hold town hall leaders accountable. This process would be achieved, the paper suggests, by: In their recommendations to central government, the report authors call for a national body or set of local bodies to oversee the local audit system by setting standards, managing contracts, maintaining quality of audit as well as overseeing the strategic functions of local authorities. A further key recommendation is for central government to provide a framework for local government that establishes a clear definition of good governance and outlines the different roles and responsibilities of local government – effectively moving away from the current centralised approach to council financing and empowering local authorities to manage their finances strategically. Other recommendations in the study include a call to give councils more resources to clear the backlog of audits and also to recruit and retain experienced governance officers by working with professional organisations. Localis chief executive, Jonathan Werran, said:“In renewing governance, the task for local authorities – to focus on meeting their statutory obligations and pursuing innovative governance strategies without compromising their core functions – is extremely challenging. “Many councils are already actively engaged in reform and organisational development to respond to the challenges we identified and many of the recommendations are drawn from this best practice. “However, there is still work to be done in universalising a reformist mindset in the sector and ensuring that an ethos of public service, combined with long-term, strategic thinking, guides local decision-making and service provision everywhere in England.” Localis senior researcher, Callin McLinden, said:“Local authorities continue to face unprecedented financial challenges, exacerbated by years of austerity and outdated funding models reliant on central government grants. “Our report, Present Tense, reveals an alarming erosion of governance capacity, undermining councils' ability to manage finances, oversee contracts, and plan effectively. “It calls for urgent reform to create a more accountable, transport, and sustainable system of local government finance that empowers councils to deliver for their communities. “Collaboration between the government and local authorities will prove absolutely vital to rebuilding trust and ensuring resilient local finances in the long-term.” Guy Clifton, Local Government Value for Money Director, Grant Thornton UK LLP , said:“As auditors of local government we recognise the diagnoses set out in this report. “Whilst high profile governance failures at some councils should not reflect on the sector as a whole, these failures are a symptom of the need to renew the system of governance. “All councils continue to operate in an environment of increasing complexity, uncertainty and volatility. “The report provides an important contribution to the changes needed to improve decision making, scrutiny and the stewardship of public finances nationally.” Simon Christian, Local Government Consulting Director, Grant Thornton UK LLP , said:“Now is a time for renewal in governance in the local government sector. “The systems of oversight and scrutiny need to be improved both nationally and within local councils as, if the financial challenges ahead for the sector are to be met, robust and effective governance is essential.” ENDS Press enquiries: Nuala Cudmore, Communications Manager, Localis (Mobile) 07510 691149 / (Email) ... Notes to Editors: Localis is an independent think-tank dedicated to issues related to politics, public service reform and localism. We carry out innovative research, hold events and facilitate an ever-growing network of members to stimulate and challenge the current orthodoxy of the governance of the UK. 'X' @Localis Bluesky bsky About Grant Thornton UK LLP Grant Thornton is one of the world's leading organisations of independent assurance, tax and advisory firms. We are an adviser that delivers technical expertise and a personal, proactive and agile service that goes beyond. The UK member firm is part of a global network that employs 62,000 people in over 140 countries. The UK Grant Thornton member firm is led by over 200 partners and employs over 5,500 of the profession's brightest minds. We are a business adviser that celebrates fresh thinking and diverse perspectives to bring you proactive insights and a service you can trust. Grant Thornton UK LLP has been working with local authorities and other public sector clients for over 30 years. We have over 500 public sector specialists and over 200 local government clients in the UK. We are the leading provider of external audit services to local government. Our blend of consultancy, advisory and assurance expertise, including our deep analytical capabilities, means that we are a leading advisor to councils, supporting them in managing their current and future challenges and opportunities. Find out more at @GrantThorntonUK Key report recommendations In renewing governance, the task for local authorities – to focus on meeting their statutory obligations and pursuing innovative governance strategies without compromising their core functions – is extremely challenging. It must be acknowledged that the stripping out of funding has played a major role in the baleful proliferation of governance issues, and that ultimately local government must reckon with the cost of providing vital local services whilst also engaging in placemaking. However, increased funding alone will not solve all of the challenges facing local government. Improved governance is essential to ensuring that additional funds are used wisely and effectively. Across the sector, many councils are already actively engaged in reform and organisational development to respond to the many challenges identified in this report. Many of the recommendations below are drawn from this best practice. However, there is still work to be done in universalising a reformist mindset across the sector, and ensuring that the ethos of public service combined with long-term, strategic thinking guides local decision-making and service provision everywhere in England. Some specific recommendations for local government are listed below: The government should look to shift from a centralised, adversarial approach to overseeing local government to a collaborative model, empowering local authorities to make financial decisions based on local needs and priorities. Furthermore, central government should actively support and respect local decision-making on certain matters as a principle of subsidiarity, recognising the expertise and great potential of local authorities to manage their finances and services. It is also important that government implements more stable and long-term policies at the level of place. The provision of multi-year funding settlements is a positive start in this direction but the real test will be in the formulation and application of the forthcoming reforms to devolution and economic strategy. Central government also needs to improve communication with local authorities and work with sector-led, intermediary professional and stakeholder bodies to provide clearer guidance on its priorities. Some specific policy recommendations for central government are listed below: MENAFN02122024004644010603ID1108948851 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
CLEVLEAND — Shane Bieber's comeback with Cleveland has double meaning. The former Cy Young winner re-signed with the Guardians on Wednesday, a reunion that seemed unlikely when he became a free agent. However, the 29-year-old Bieber decided to stay with the AL Central champions after making just two starts in 2024 before undergoing Tommy John surgery. Bieber agreed last week to a one-year, $14 million contract. The deal includes a $16 million player option for 2026. It seemed like a long shot that Bieber, who is 62-32 with a 3.22 ERA in 132 starts, would return to Cleveland. He had turned down long-term offers in the past from the club, and it was expected he would sign with another contender, likely one on the West Coast. But the California native has a special connection with the Guardians, who selected him in the fourth round of the 2016 draft. Bieber, who won the AL Cy Young in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, threw only 12 innings last season before lingering issues with his elbow forced him to have surgery. He is expected to join Cleveland's rotation at some point in 2025. A two-time All-Star, Bieber was named MVP of the midsummer event in 2019 when it was held in Cleveland. He has the highest strikeout ratio per nine innings (10.2) and third-highest winning percentage (.660) in the franchise's 124-year history. Bieber is one of just three Cleveland pitchers to start five season openers, joining Stan Coveleski (1917-21) and Corey Kluber (2015-19). While Bieber had some elbow issues in the past, he didn't show any issues before being shut down. He struck out 11 in six scoreless innings against Oakland on March 28, and followed that up with six more shutout innings at Seattle on April 2. DALLAS — Pitchers again dominated the big league phase of the Rule 5 draft at the winter meetings, comprising 11 of the 15 unprotected players who were picked Wednesday. The 121-loss Chicago White Sox had the first pick and selected 24-year-old right-hander Shane Smith from the Milwaukee Brewers organization. Smith was an undrafted free agent out of Wake Forest when he was signed by Milwaukee in July 2021. The 6-foot-4, 235-pounder has gone 13-7 with a 2.69 ERA and 203 strikeouts over 157 innings in 19 starts and 54 relief appearances over three minor league seasons. There were 14 teams who made picks in the major league portion of the Rule 5 draft of players left off 40-man rosters after several minor league seasons. Only Atlanta made two selections, after making none since 2017. Atlanta chose right-hander Anderson Pilar from the Miami Marlins with the 11th pick, and then took infielder Christian Cairo from the Cleveland Guardians with the 15th and final pick in the MLB portion. The 26-year-old Pilar was original signed by Colorado as a minor league free agent in 2015 and has pitched in 213 minor league games that included 17 starts. He is 28-20 with a 2.86 ERA. Teams pay $100,000 to take a player in the major league portion. The players must stay on the big league roster all of next season or clear waivers and be offered back to their original organization for $50,000. Six of the 10 players selected during the Rule 5 draft last December — five of them right-handed pitchers — remained last season with organization that selected them. Two of the four position players taken Wednesday by other teams came from the Detroit Tigers organization: catcher Liam Hicks and third baseman Gage Workman. Miami drafted second after Colorado passed making a selection, and took Hicks. Workman was taken by the Chicago Cubs with the 10th pick. Baltimore lost two right-handed pitchers on back-to-back picks, Juan Nunez to San Diego with the 12th pick before Connor Thomas went to Milwaukee. DALLAS — Tom Hamilton, who has called Cleveland games on the radio for 35 seasons, won the Hall of Fame’s Ford C. Frick Award for excellence in broadcasting on Wednesday. Hamilton, 70, joined the team's broadcast in 1990, when he was with Herb Score in the booth and part of the coverage of their World Series appearances in 1995 and 1997. Hamilton became the voice of the franchise when Score retired after that second World Series. Hamilton will be honored during the Hall of Fame’s induction weekend from July 25-28 in Cooperstown, New York. He was selected the hall's Frick Award 16-member committee as the 49th winner. There were 10 finalists on this year's ballot, whose main contributions came as local and national voices and whose careers began after, or extended into, the Wild Card era. The other nine were Skip Caray, Rene Cardenas, Gary Cohen, Jacques Doucet, Ernie Johnson Sr., Mike Krukow, Duane Kuiper, Dave Sims and John Sterling. DALLAS — The Texas Rangers acquired slugging corner infielder Jake Burger from the Miami Marlins on Wednesday in a trade for three minor league players. Burger hit .250 with 29 home runs and 76 RBIs in 137 games for the Marlins last season, with 150 strikeouts in 535 at-bats with 31 walks. He started 59 games at third base and made 50 starts at first. Five days of service time short of being eligible for salary arbitration this offseason, he will be eligible next winter and can become a free agent after the 2028 World Series. Miami got infielders Max Acosta and Echedry Vargas and left-handed pitcher Brayan Mendoza. The acquisition of Burger comes about a month after the Rangers hired former Marlins manager Skip Schumaker as a senior adviser for baseball operations. Luis Urueta, Miami's bench coach the past two seasons, also was added recently to manager Bruce Bochy's on-field coaching staff for 2025. BRIEFLY WHITE SOX: Mike Tauchman is switching sides in Chicago. The White Sox announced a $1.95 million, one-year contract for the outfielder. Tauchman, 34, grew up in Palatine, Illinois, about 35 miles northwest of Chicago, and played college ball for Bradley in Peoria, Illinois. He spent the previous two seasons with the Cubs. TRADE: All-Star left-hander Garrett Crochet was acquired by the Boston Red Sox from the Chicago White Sox for four prospects. Catcher Kyle Teel, infielder Chase Meidroth, right-hander Wikelman Gonzalez and outfielder Braden Montgomery are headed to Chicago. Get local news delivered to your inbox!There are several strong matchups on Monday in college basketball play, including the Memphis Tigers taking on the UConn Huskies — that’s one of the two games our computer model likes in terms of picks against the spread. Watch men’s college basketball, other live sports and more on Fubo. What is Fubo? Fubo is a streaming service that gives you access to your favorite live sports and shows on demand. Use our link to sign up for a free trial. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER .Tech giant Apple has rolled out a major update today — and there are some mind-blowing new features on offer. Apple Intelligence is now available for users in Australia and New Zealand with the release of iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2 and macOS Sequoia 15.2. The update will transform iPhones, iPads and Macs. The artificial intelligence update means Aussie users can now remove distracting objects from images with Clean Up, explore creative new ways to express themselves visually with Image Playground, create emojis for any situation with Genmoji and make their writing even more dynamic with Writing Tools. “Building on Apple Intelligence, users with an iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro can now instantly learn more about their surroundings with visual intelligence with Camera Control,” a spokeswoman for Apple said. The changes come into effect today. “And now with ChatGPT integrated into Writing Tools and Siri, users can tap into ChatGPT’s expertise without having to switch between apps, helping them get things done faster and easier than ever before.” The move, first announced in June, marks Apple’s most significant push into generative artificial intelligence, as the company aims to compete with rivals Google and Samsung, who have already integrated similar AI features into their Android-operated devices. Since OpenAI launched ChatGPT in 2022, Apple has been seeking to persuade doubters on its AI strategy, after Microsoft and Google rolled out products in rapid-fire succession. Apple is initially rolling out the new AI functions to six English-speaking countries including the United States, Australia, Canada, and Britain. The company plans to add support for 11 more languages throughout the year, starting with an April software update. Here are some of the coolest features of the new AI update: Turn your ideas into images The Image Playground experience allows users to easily create fun and unique images, with concepts like themes, costumes, accessories and places. Users can add their own text descriptions, and can even create images in the likeness of a family member or friend using photos from their photo library. Image Playground generates images in distinct styles, including Animation — a modern, 3D-animated look — and Illustration, which offers images with simple shapes, clear lines and colourblocking. The experience is integrated into Messages, making it easier than ever to create images for conversations. Get instant info on anything you see A new visual intelligence experience builds on Apple Intelligence and helps users learn about objects and places instantly. Visual intelligence can summarise and copy text, translate text between languages, detect phone numbers or email addresses with the option to add to contacts and more. Apple CEO Tim Cook. Picture: Nic Coury / AFP Camera Control also allows users to search Google so they can see where they can buy an item, or benefit from ChatGPT’s problem-solving skills to ask for an explanation about a complex diagram, such as from class notes. ChatGPT on iPhone Apple is enabling ChatGPT access in Siri and Writing Tools experiences within iOS, iPadOS and macOS, allowing users to access its expertise — as well as its image- and document-understanding capabilities — without needing to jump between applications. With the ChatGPT integration, Siri can suggest a user access ChatGPT for certain requests, and Siri can provide the response directly. With Compose, users can ask ChatGPT to generate content for anything they are writing about from the systemwide Writing Tools. They can also use ChatGPT’s image-generation capabilities to add images alongside their written content. Create your own emojis Apple has created a new tool called Genmoji. By simply typing a description into the emoji keyboard, a Genmoji will appear, including multiple versions to choose from. With images from their photo library, users can take Genmoji even further by creating one that is inspired by a friend or family member. Personalised Genmoji can be customised with accessories, like a hat or sunglasses, and can reflect themes or activities to make them even more personal and unique. Just like emoji, Genmoji can be added inline to messages, or shared as a sticker or reaction in a Tapback. Users can create their own unique emoji with Genmoji, making conversations with family and friends more fun and playful. Look out for the new features. Smart Script Arguably one of the coolest new features is called Smart Script — which transforms your handwritten notes into fluid, flexible, and easy-to-read text, making note-taking smoother than ever. There’s also something called Image Wand which means users can quickly create images in their note using the written or visual context already captured within the note. Image Wand transforms a rough sketch into a polished image by simply circling it. Users can even circle empty space within a note, and Image Wand will gather context from the surrounding area — using on-device generative models to analyse the handwritten or typed text — to create a relevant image that complements the note and makes it more visual. Users can create images with the Animation, Illustration and an additional Sketch style in Image Wand. With Image Wand, users can transform a rough sketch into a polished image by simply circling it. Clean up photos This new feature automatically detects and removes distracting background objects in photos — like someone who annoyingly photobombed your holiday snap — leaving the subject untouched. There’s also been an upgrade to the Memories feature that now gives users the ability to create the movies they want to see by simply typing a description. Using language and image understanding, Apple Intelligence will pick out the best photos and videos based on a user’s description, craft a storyline with chapters based on themes identified from the photos, and arrange them into a movie with its own narrative arc. Originally published as Big change to iPhones starts today Smartphone Don't miss out on the headlines from Smartphone. Followed categories will be added to My News. Join the conversation Add your comment to this story To join the conversation, please log in. Don't have an account? Register Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout More related stories Smartphone Photo proves you should sell your iPhone now On a family trip in the city for the Christmas markets, I tried a little experiment. And it proved that this is the best phone on the market. Read more Smartphone ‘Shock’: Every phone owner must see this We performed a variety of tests on different types of smartphones to uncover a huge truth, and you need to see the results for yourself. Read more
49ers look to maintain 'urgency' against rival RamsFORESTVILLE, Calif. (AP) — A major storm moving through Northern California on Thursday toppled trees and dropped heavy snow and record rain after damaging homes, killing two people and knocking out power to hundreds of thousands in the Pacific Northwest. Forecasters warned that the risk of flash flooding and rockslides would continue, and scores of flights were canceled at San Francisco's airport. In Washington, more than 320,000 people — most of them in the Seattle area — were still without power as crews worked to clear streets of electrical lines, fallen branches and debris. Utility officials said the outages, which began Tuesday, could last into Saturday. Meanwhile on the East Coast, where rare wildfires have raged, New York and New Jersey welcomed much-needed rain that could ease the fire danger for the rest of the year. The National Weather Service extended a flood watch into Saturday for areas north of San Francisco as the region was inundated by the strongest atmospheric river — a long plume of moisture that forms over an ocean and flows through the sky over land — this season. The system roared ashore Tuesday as a “bomb cyclone,” unleashing fierce winds . Communities in Washington opened warming centers offering free internet and device charging. A number of medical clinics closed because of power outages. “I’ve been here since the mid-’80s. I haven’t seen anything like this,” said Trish Bloor, who serves on the city of Issaquah’s Human Resources Commission, as she surveyed damaged homes. Up to 16 inches (about 41 centimeters) of rain was forecast in southwestern Oregon and California's northern counties through Friday. The Sonoma County Airport, in the wine country north of San Francisco, received 6.92 inches (17.5 centimeters) Wednesday, breaking a record dating to 1998. In nearby Forestville, one person was hurt when a tree fell on a house. Small landslides were reported across the North Bay region, including one on State Route 281 on Wednesday that caused a car crash, according to Marc Chenard, a weather service meteorologist. Rain slowed somewhat, but “persistent heavy rain will enter the picture again by Friday morning,” the weather service's San Francisco office said on the social platform X. “We are not done!” Dangerous flash flooding, rockslides and debris flows were possible, especially where hillsides were loosened by recent wildfires, officials warned. Scott Rowe, a hydrologist with the weather service in Sacramento, said that so far the ground has been able to absorb the rain in California's Butte and Tehama counties, where the Park Fire burned over the summer. “It’s not necessarily how much rain falls; it’s how fast the rain falls,” Rowe said. Northern Mendocino and southern Humboldt counties received between 4 and 8 inches (10 and 20 centimeters) of rain in the last 48 hours, and similar amounts were expected over the next 48 hours, forecasters said. Wind gusts could top 50 mph (80 kph). The storm system, which first hit the Pacific Northwest on Tuesday, reached the status of “ bomb cyclone ,” which occurs when a cyclone intensifies rapidly. A winter storm watch was in place for the northern Sierra Nevada above 3,500 feet (1,066 meters), with 15 inches (38 centimeters) of snow possible over two days. Wind gusts could top 75 mph (121 kph) in mountain areas, forecasters said. Sugar Bowl Resort, north of Lake Tahoe near Donner Summit, picked up a foot (30 centimeters) of snow overnight, marketing manager Maggie Eshbaugh said Thursday. She said the resort will welcome skiers and boarders on Friday, the earliest opening date in 20 years. “And then we’re going to get another whopping of another foot or so on Saturday, so this is fantastic,” she said. Another popular resort, Palisades Tahoe, is also opening Friday, five days ahead of schedule, according to its website. The storm already dumped more than a foot of snow along the Cascades in Oregon by Wednesday night, according to the weather service. Forecasters warned of blizzard and whiteout conditions and nearly impossible travel at pass level. Falling trees struck homes and littered roads across western Washington, killing at least two people. A woman in Lynnwood was killed when a large tree fell on a homeless encampment, and another in Bellevue died when a tree fell on a home. More than a dozen schools closed in the Seattle area Wednesday, and some opted to extend the closures through Thursday. In Enumclaw, east of Seattle, residents were cleaning up after their town clocked the highest winds in the state Tuesday night: 74 mph (119 kph). Resident Sophie Keene said the powerful gusts caused transformers to blow out around town. “Things were exploding, like, everywhere,” Keene told the Seattle Times. “Like the transformers over by the park. One blew big, it looked like fireworks just going off.” Ben Gibbard, lead singer of the indie rock bands Death Cab for Cutie and Postal Service, drove from his Seattle neighborhood Thursday morning to the woods of Tiger Mountain for his regular weekday run, but there were too many trees blocking the trail. “We didn’t get hit that hard in the city,” he said. “I just didn’t assume it would be this kind of situation out here. Obviously you feel the most for people who had their homes partially destroyed by this.” In California, there were reports of more than 20,000 power outages on Thursday. Only 50 vehicles per hour were allowed through part of northbound Interstate 5 from 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Redding to 21 miles (34 kilometers) south of Yreka due to snow, according to California's Department of Transportation. Transportation officials also shut down a two-mile (3.2 kilometer) stretch of the famed Avenue of the Giants, a scenic drive named for its towering coast redwoods, due to flooding. About 150 flights were delayed and another two dozen were canceled early Thursday at San Francisco International Airport after hundreds of delays and dozens of cancelations the previous day, according to tracking service FlightAware. Parched areas of the Northeast got a much-needed shot of precipitation Thursday, providing a bit of respite in a region plagued by wildfires and dwindling water supplies. More than 2 inches (5 centimeters) of rain was expected by Saturday morning in areas north of New York City, with snow mixed in at higher elevations. “Any rainfall is going to be significant at this point,” said Brian Ciemnecki, a weather service meteorologist in New York City, where the first drought warning in 22 years was issued this week. “Is it going to break the drought? No, we’re going to need more rain than that.” Har reported from San Francisco, and Weber from Los Angeles. Associated Press writers Hallie Golden and Gene Johnson in Seattle; Martha Bellisle in Issaquah, Washington; Sarah Brumfield in Washington, D.C.; and Michael Hill in Albany, New York, contributed.Martin & Company Announces Strategic Technology, Finance, and Marketing Executive Hires Headed Into 2025
ICC issues arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel’s defence ministerArticle content Steve Bannon says he knew Donald Trump would be re-elected because his former fellow inmates think the former U.S. president is a rebel. Recommended Videos It’s not easy to win a tough crowd but it appears behind bars, Trump is the man. “Number one, they think he’s gangster,” Bannon told the U.K. Times . “Number two, they just admire him as a gladiator.” Trump’s longtime ally was released one week before the Nov. 5 election after serving a four-month sentence for spurning the since-defunct House Jan. 6 Committee’s subpoena for testimony and documents. The 71-year-old said he spent his time behind bars educating his fellow inmates, predominantly Black and Hispanic men who appeared to support Trump. “I just taught capital markets and everything like that,” Bannon told the publication. He noted the irony: “I’m here for insurrection, and I’m teaching civics.” When he began serving his sentence in July, Bannon called himself a “political prisoner,” adding that he was “proud” to serve time after standing up Attorney General Merrick Garland and a “corrupt” Justice Department. RECOMMENDED VIDEO With Trump returning to the White House next month, Bannon said he believes that the Make America Great Again faction still has work to do in rooting out Republicans who haven’t particularly warmed to the movement. “We are so close,” he told the Times . “We just need to see this through.” Bannon added that MAGA could continue ruling for years if Trump succeeds in getting his agenda through in his next term. “If we deliver now, it’s upon us. They’ve given President Trump that,” the former White House chief strategist said. “If he delivers on the economics of this ... we’re going to govern for 50 years. It’s all there for us to lose,” he declared. “We have to institutionalize the populist nationalist revolution in this country, and you only do that by seizing the institutions, purging them, reforming them and remaking them in the image and likeness of the American people, the working men and women in this country.” Bannon, however, insisted that he’s neither a conservative nor a Republican but, rather, a nativist who wants to put America first and keep the country out of foreign wars. “The term Republican and Democrat is irrelevant,” Bannon argued. “They’re old categorizations that don’t matter. You’re either a populist nationalist or a global elitist.”