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Blue Jackets News & Rumors: Werenski, Jenner, Trouba & MoreNo matter how you slice it, the Chicago Cubs were one of the most disappointing teams of 2024. Improved play in the second half enabled a winning record and a second-place finish in the NL Central, but the Cubs finished six games out of a wild-card spot and a whopping 10 games behind the rival Brewers. At this time a year ago — before our collective focus shifted to star players such as Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto — the baseball industry was in shock following the Cubs’ ultra-aggressive maneuver to hire manager Craig Counsell away from Milwaukee with a five-year, $40 million deal, the largest contract ever given to a big-league skipper. That Milwaukee then ran away with the division while the Cubs were stuck in the mud for much of Counsell’s first season at the helm only made Chicago’s uninspiring campaign that much more frustrating. The Cubs have not reached the postseason since Jed Hoyer assumed the top front office role after Theo Epstein departed following the 2020 season, and they haven't won a postseason game since 2017. Considering the talent on the roster and the massive commitment made to Counsell, such shortcomings can be tolerated for only so much longer. This organization must find a way to reestablish itself as a legitimate contender in the National League, and quickly. Here are the five biggest questions facing the Cubs this winter. “Anytime a really good player decides to stay with you, that's good news,” Hoyer this month after Bellinger’s decision to pass on another round of free agency and pick up his player option to stay with the Cubs for $27.5 million in 2025. “It mostly just gives us clarity,” he added. “Now we know what our roster looks like, and now we can go about building a team. Before that, there was some uncertainty.” Hoyer’s sentiment is reasonable on its face and an understandable one to share publicly. But there are two issues. For one, Bellinger’s second season in Chicago brought into question just how good of a player he actually is. Bellinger practically reinvented himself as a hitter in his first year with the Cubs in 2023, drastically cutting down on his strikeouts in favor of a more high-contact approach. While he kept the strikeouts down in 2024, he provided far less power, with his SLG% dropping nearly 100 points, bringing his overall offensive contributions closer to league average. Arguably more pressing here is Bellinger’s fit defensively, as the two positions he has been known for playing brilliantly in his career — first base and center field — are occupied in Chicago by two ascendant core pieces in Michael Busch and Pete Crow-Armstrong. That means Bellinger currently projects as Chicago’s every-day right fielder, with Seiya Suzuki shifting to more of a primary DH role. While Suzuki’s bat is certainly good enough to produce like a high-level DH, Bellinger — especially at his salary — as strictly a right fielder is notably less appealing, particularly if his power production remains middling at best. Combine these two factors, and it’s unsurprising that Ken Rosenthal earlier this week that the Cubs are trying to trade Bellinger but are having a tough time doing so, due to both his uncertain outlook as a hitter and his contract status. Bellinger has another player option for $25M in 2026 that he could pick up next winter if he delivers another mediocre campaign, so committing to two more years of this lesser version of him is probably a tough pill for potential suitors to swallow. All of this might keep his trade value at a suboptimal level, to the point that dealing him away isn’t worth more than moving forward with him as the every-day right fielder and hoping he rediscovers some power production. Another way to look at Bellinger’s decision to opt in is how it might’ve impacted Chicago’s willingness to spend in free agency this winter. Which brings us to our next question ... On a recent , ESPN insider Jeff Passan mentioned that the sense in the industry is that the Cubs to be playing in the deepest waters of free agency this winter. Whether that is directly related to having Bellinger back in the fold at a significant salary number is undetermined, but even with Bellinger, the Cubs’ payroll is currently well below $200 million, — nowhere near the $241 million competitive balance tax line that most big-market behemoths have flirted with or blasted past in recent years. There is unquestionably room for another big-ticket addition in Chicago without needing to pay the luxury tax, if ownership demonstrates an appetite for it, but it remains to be seen if such an appetite exists. Early indications out of Boston — another massive market that has been more conservative with spending in recent years — portray a Red Sox team after several consecutive underwhelming seasons. One could argue that the Cubs should be acting in a similar fashion, considering their roster and recent history, but that’s not exactly the tone we’ve seen thus far. However, we’re still in the earliest stages of the offseason, and things can change quickly. If the Cubs are going to spend more than we currently anticipate, it seems likely that something will be done to address the pitching staff. On that note ... Should the Cubs’ brass wake up someday soon with the ambition to chase , a pursuit of Corbin Burnes, Max Fried or Blake Snell would make plenty of sense — not to mention a run at Roki Sasaki, . But the Cubs proved last year with the smash-hit signing of Shota Imanaga that they can strike gold in the second tier of starting pitchers as well. In that realm, Sean Manaea and Nick Pivetta come with qualifying offers attached, but each offers substantial upside and won’t cost nine figures. The same goes for Walker Buehler, who could be a nice gamble on a shorter-term deal. Chicago also feels like an excellent landing spot for Shane Bieber, even if he won’t be ready to help right away next season. The bullpen is another avenue for the Cubs to make a significant splash in free agency. Chicago made a nifty trade with Cleveland earlier this week, dealing 20-year-old outfield prospect Alfonsin Rosario to acquire right-hander Eli Morgan, who was quietly excellent when called upon as one of the less-heralded members of the elite Guardians bullpen. Morgan will help, but there’s plenty more room for upgrades in this bullpen. Perhaps the Cubs stay away from top-tier starting pitchers in free agency and instead focus on landing one of the elite relief arms available, such as Tanner Scott, Jeff Hoffman or Clay Holmes. The bullpen market is also stocked with veteran types who could fortify this unit; Blake Treinen, Kirby Yates or even Kenley Jansen come to mind. The Cubs wouldn’t have to break the bank to land these types of arms and could realistically also add a mid-tier starter to seriously strengthen the entire pitching staff. With so much of the position-player group seemingly set — and with more help on the way — there’s no excuse for Chicago not to make several meaningful additions on the mound this winter. Let’s turn our attention back to the offensive side of things and contemplate the infield. The surprise acquisition of Isaac Paredes at the 2024 trade deadline made an already crowded depth chart even more difficult to project moving forward and prompted some intriguing possibilities entering this offseason. That would’ve been true even if Paredes had raked for the Cubs post-trade, but that’s practically the opposite of what happened, as he didn’t perform anywhere close to his potential in the second half. Still, Paredes is under team control through 2027, and it’s not like the Cubs got him for free; trading for him seemed to signal a real intention for him to be the third baseman in Chicago for the foreseeable future. Enter Matt Shaw. The Cubs’ first-round pick in 2023 out of the University of Maryland had a marvelous season in the minors, reaching Triple-A and excelling in 35 games to finish the season before he starred with Team USA in the Premier12 tournament. A shortstop in college, Shaw bounced around the infield in his first pro season but took the majority of his reps at third base, a position that seemed open in Chicago ... until Paredes was acquired. We don’t know if Shaw is ready to contribute on Opening Day, but it’s not difficult to imagine a big spring training from the talented infielder creating pressure for him to crack the Cubs' roster out of camp. But where will he play? This is a good problem to have on paper, but it becomes more complicated if Paredes doesn’t bounce back. With Busch entrenched at first base after a strong rookie season and Swanson locked in at shortstop for the long haul, second baseman Nico Hoerner becomes an interesting character here as well. Hoerner is under team control for two more seasons and provides outstanding defense but a bat that has plateaued around league-average. If the Cubs deem Shaw ready sooner rather than later, might they consider dealing Hoerner to make room for Shaw at second? It’s awfully difficult to determine whether that’s a sensible strategy without knowing just how big-league-ready Shaw is or what version of Paredes the Cubs will get in 2025, but it’s certainly a path worth exploring — especially if teams are willing to pay a substantial price for Hoerner. Shaw isn’t the only prospect in the upper levels of Chicago’s system who could make a difference in the big leagues in the near future. As if the infield picture weren’t jam-packed enough, second baseman James Triantos — a wonderful defender with strong contact skills and plus wheels on the basepaths — also reached Triple-A in 2024 and could play his way into consideration next summer. Third baseman Cam Smith, Chicago’s first-round pick this past summer out of Florida State, collected more total bases and finished the season in Double-A. He could be ready far sooner than anyone expected. Catcher Moises Ballesteros had a monster breakout season as a 20-year-old, hitting his way to Triple-A and finishing with a strong few weeks in the Arizona Fall League. But the recent acquisition of catcher Matt Thaiss from the Angels suggests that the Cubs might not be ready to lean on Ballesteros as the backup to incumbent Miguel Amaya too quickly, though it’s possible that his bat forces the issue at some point in 2025. Outfielder Owen Caissie was added to the 40-man roster this week and has massive raw power that was on display over a full season in Triple-A in 2024, but he’ll need to iron out some significant strikeout issues before getting the call to Chicago. Super-athletic 22-year-old Kevin Alcantara made his debut in the Cubs' outfield last summer after a much shorter stint in Triple-A, but he too will need to make more consistent contact to be considered a viable option in the short term. Caissie’s and Alcantara’s paths to playing time would’ve been much clearer had Bellinger opted out, but now each will need to prove his worth over a longer period of time in Triple-A to warrant consistent run at the big-league level. Not all of these players will end up making an impact in Chicago. But their proximity to the big leagues and prospect cachet are worth monitoring as the Cubs sort out their roster for 2025, especially in the context of possible trades this winter and next summer.
Vermilion is on the map, and Coach William DiFucci played a big role in it. After winning the Division IV Northwest District Coach of the Year, the Vermilion grad was recognized by the Ohio Prep Sports Media Association (OPSMA) as the Division IV co-Coach of the Year on Dec. 10. “(Putting Vermilion on the map) was kind of my belief when I was fortunate enough to land this job of a head coach for Vermilion,” he said. “Being an alum, being with this program as a player and as a coach, it means the world to me.” He is one of three coaches to win the award. The others were Lutheran East’s Desean Washington and Matt Landcaster from Indian Valley. Indian Valley won the Division IV state championship. “The surprises keep coming,” he said. “When I saw (The Morning Journal’s announcement), I was in a coaches’ chat and my phone was blowing me up telling me, ‘Congratulations,’ and that it was well-deserved. It is an honor.” Alongside DiFucci were his players who were named Division IV All-Ohio. They were Aaron Mathis (second team), Cohen Mooney (third), Chad Ellis and Beau Benesch. “This was not 100% on me,” DiFucci said. “We have to get a good staff and have kids buy into the program. I think we have done a great job here of doing just that.” This was a group that paved the way for DiFucci’s coaching tenure. All but one, Ellis, were seniors. After Vermilion went 0-10 in his first season, the Class of 2025 led the charge for a historic senior season. The Sailors had a nine-win season for the first time since 1998. They knocked down a host of barriers they were not able to accomplish prior, like defeating Huron for the first time in over a half-century. Vermilion won, 13-10. Vermilion started its season 4-0 and concluded the regular season 8-2 (3-1 in SBC-Bay). The Sailors had a dominant rushing attack that had over 2,300 rushing yards and scored over 30 touchdowns. The Sailors earned the opportunity to play in the conference championship game. Although it lost to D-V powerhouse Milan Edison, 17-0, Vermilion earned a home playoff game as the No. 8 seed. This was a first in school history. Not only did it host a home playoff game, it also defeated No. 9 seed River Valley, 37-21, in that D-IV, Region 14 first-round game. Vermilion’s season came to an end in the next round against Sandusky Perkins (48-7), which eventually became the D-IV state runner-up.The US tech giant said it now supported 550,000 jobs in the UK through direct employment, its supply chain and the economy around its App Store – with app developers having earned nearly £9 billion since it launched in 2008. Apple said its engineering teams were carrying out critical work on the firm’s biggest services, including key technology within Apple Intelligence, the iPhone maker’s suite of generative AI-powered tools which are expected to launch in the UK for the first time this week. Elsewhere, the firm said its growing TV empire, spearheaded by its Apple TV+ streaming service and production arm, had also helped boost its investment in the UK with Apple TV+ production in this country tripling in the last two years, the company said. Chief executive Tim Cook said: “We’ve been serving customers in the UK for more than 40 years, and we’re proud of our deep connection with communities across this country. “We’re thrilled to be growing our Apple teams here, and to keep supporting the extraordinary innovators, creators, and entrepreneurs who are pushing the boundaries of technology in so many ways.” The Chancellor Rachel Reeves said companies such as Apple were “intrinsic” to the UK’s prosperity by boosting jobs. “This government is laser focused on creating the right conditions for growth to help put more money in people’s pockets. “That’s what underpins the Plan for Change and is what has driven £63 billion worth of inward investment in the UK through our first international investment summit. “Companies like Apple are intrinsic to the success of our nation’s prosperity – helping deliver jobs, innovative technology, and boost infrastructure.”
A lucky Oz Lotto player has won an entire jackpot but is yet to claim their . or signup to continue reading The , 1, 29, 20, 23, 34, 46, 39 with the supplementary numbers 42, 43, 24, were drawn on December 10. Oz Lotto officials know the winning ticket was bought in South Australia at an SA Lotteries outlet in the state's Mid-North Region. "If the elusive player had registered their ticket to The Lott Members Club, officials from The Lott would have reached out to them tonight to confirm the life-changing news," the Lott said. "Instead, the ticket was unregistered, so officials are eagerly waiting for the ticketholder to check their entry and make contact to start the prize claim process." The jackpot is the second-biggest win to land in South Australia in 2024 after an Adelaide man pocketed a $150 million Powerball prize in May. "We can't wait for them to discover this winning news! Just imagine how $50 million might change your plans for Christmas and the year ahead," the Lott spokesperson Matt Hart said. "There are 50 million reasons why all South Australian players who had an entry in tonight's draw should check their tickets as soon as possible. "If you discover you're holding the division one winning entry, hold on tight to that ticket and phone 131 868 as soon as possible so that we can start the prize claim process!" Anna Houlahan reports on crime and social issues affecting regional and remote Australia in her role as national crime reporter at Australian Community Media (ACM). She was ACM’s Trainee of the Year in 2023 and, aside from reporting on crime, has travelled the country as a journalist for Explore Travel Magazine. Reach out with news or updates to anna.houlahan@austcommunitymedia.com.au Anna Houlahan reports on crime and social issues affecting regional and remote Australia in her role as national crime reporter at Australian Community Media (ACM). She was ACM’s Trainee of the Year in 2023 and, aside from reporting on crime, has travelled the country as a journalist for Explore Travel Magazine. Reach out with news or updates to anna.houlahan@austcommunitymedia.com.au DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. TWICE WEEKLY Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. WEEKLY Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. TWICE WEEKLY Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily! Advertisement AdvertisementSocial activist Baba Adhav ended his hunger strike after Uddhav Thackeray promised to intensify efforts for fair elections. Adhav had raised concerns about assembly poll results and money power PUNE: Social activist Baba Adhav on Saturday withdrew his hunger strike to safeguard constitutional pinciples after Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray promised him to scale up agitation for a fair election procedure. Earlier, Adhav had raised doubts over the fairness of assembly poll results and criticised govt for the excessive use of money power in the presence of NCP chief Ajit Pawar. Pawar, who also visited Mahatma Phule Wada to urge Adhav to call off his hunger strike, defended the use of EVMs and criticised the opposition for raising doubts over the election outcome. "Before the assembly poll, the Lok Sabha election was held, in which MVA won 31 seats, while our alliance managed to secure only 17 seats. At that time, we did not raise any doubt against EVMs and accepted the mandate. Now, if the people of the state changed their mind and voted in favour of Mahayuti, is it our fault?" he said.
LEWISTON, N.Y. (AP) — Jaeden Marshall scored 21 points as Niagara beat Le Moyne 88-69 on Sunday. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * LEWISTON, N.Y. (AP) — Jaeden Marshall scored 21 points as Niagara beat Le Moyne 88-69 on Sunday. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? LEWISTON, N.Y. (AP) — Jaeden Marshall scored 21 points as Niagara beat Le Moyne 88-69 on Sunday. Marshall shot 5 for 8 (4 for 6 from 3-point range) and 7 of 8 from the free-throw line for the Purple Eagles (6-7). Justice Smith added 15 points while going 6 of 12 from the floor, including 1 for 3 from 3-point range, and 2 for 3 from the line and had five rebounds. Zion Russell shot 4 for 7, including 3 for 3 from beyond the arc to finish with 11 points. AJ Dancier finished with 17 points and four steals for the Dolphins (5-10). Le Moyne also got 11 points and 10 rebounds from Ocypher Owens. Dwayne Koroma had nine points and six rebounds. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. AdvertisementStockNews.com upgraded shares of First Commonwealth Financial ( NYSE:FCF – Free Report ) from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report report published on Wednesday. Separately, Piper Sandler dropped their price objective on shares of First Commonwealth Financial from $17.00 to $16.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, October 31st. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, First Commonwealth Financial presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $17.30. Get Our Latest Stock Report on First Commonwealth Financial First Commonwealth Financial Stock Performance First Commonwealth Financial ( NYSE:FCF – Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 29th. The bank reported $0.31 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.36 by ($0.05). The company had revenue of $121.21 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $119.47 million. First Commonwealth Financial had a net margin of 21.87% and a return on equity of 11.19%. First Commonwealth Financial’s revenue for the quarter was down 1.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.39 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that First Commonwealth Financial will post 1.4 EPS for the current fiscal year. First Commonwealth Financial Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 22nd. Stockholders of record on Friday, November 8th were paid a dividend of $0.13 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, November 8th. This represents a $0.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.76%. First Commonwealth Financial’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 35.14%. Insider Buying and Selling In other news, EVP Michael P. Mccuen bought 2,919 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, September 23rd. The shares were acquired at an average price of $16.99 per share, with a total value of $49,593.81. Following the completion of the acquisition, the executive vice president now directly owns 57,623 shares in the company, valued at approximately $979,014.77. The trade was a 5.34 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink . Corporate insiders own 1.97% of the company’s stock. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. CWM LLC increased its position in First Commonwealth Financial by 451.1% during the 2nd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 1,995 shares of the bank’s stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 1,633 shares during the period. Farther Finance Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of First Commonwealth Financial by 2,572.6% in the third quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 1,657 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 1,595 shares in the last quarter. Quest Partners LLC acquired a new position in First Commonwealth Financial during the second quarter worth $34,000. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB purchased a new position in First Commonwealth Financial in the third quarter worth $46,000. Finally, Innealta Capital LLC acquired a new stake in First Commonwealth Financial in the second quarter valued at $51,000. 72.58% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. About First Commonwealth Financial ( Get Free Report ) First Commonwealth Financial Corporation, a financial holding company, provides various consumer and commercial banking services in the United States. Its consumer services include personal checking accounts, interest-earning checking accounts, savings and health savings accounts, insured money market accounts, debit cards, investment certificates, fixed and variable rate certificates of deposit, mortgage loans, secured and unsecured installment loans, construction and real estate loans, safe deposit facilities, credit cards, credit lines with overdraft checking protection, IRA accounts, and automated teller machine (atm) services, as well as internet, mobile, and telephone banking services. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for First Commonwealth Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for First Commonwealth Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
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EDUCATION | GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS When Massachusetts voters decided to ditch the state's standardized tests as a high school graduation requirement on Election Day, they joined a trend that has steadily chipped away at the use of high-stakes tests over the past two decades. The vote on the ballot question leaves only seven states with mandatory graduation exams, a number that could soon shrink further. A backlash to standardized tests has been fueled by complaints they take up too much classroom time and questions about how well they measure readiness for college or careers. It gained steam in recent years with concerns about equity and learning setbacks during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Massachusetts, a teachers union led the campaign against the graduation requirement, arguing it was keeping too many students from receiving a diploma and weighing too heavily on choices about school curriculum. The other side received backing from prominent business leaders including former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and state officials including Gov. Maura Healey, a Democrat. "We shouldn't have different expectations for students depending on which ZIP code they live in," Healey said. "We should have a uniformity to our expectations and they should be high for our students and our families." The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System tests are given in mathematics, science and technology, and English. The ballot question didn't end the tests, which are also used for assessing student progress. But passing them will no longer be required for a diploma. About 1% of high school seniors in Massachusetts, roughly 700 students, are denied a diploma each year because they failed the MCAS despite meeting other requirements. Most are English language learners or students with disabilities. Other states could abandon similar tests In the mid-2000s, a high of 27 states required students to pass an exam to graduate, according to the National Education Association, the nation's largest teachers union. The states that still have them, for now, are New York, Florida, Louisiana, Ohio, New Jersey, Texas and Virginia. In New York, state officials this month proposed a timeline to phase out exit exam requirements as part of an overhaul of graduation standards. Students would still take Regents exams in math, English, science and social studies, but beginning in the 202728 school year, passing scores would no longer be required for a diploma. The plan would give students alternatives like community service or capstone projects to demonstrate proficiency. Earlier this year, the Florida Senate passed a bill that would remove testing requirements for high school graduation, but the push stalled in the House. In New Jersey, a bill to end the state's graduation exam passed the state Assembly last year but then failed to pass the Senate. In Ohio, students must pass tests in reading, writing, mathematics, science and social studies to graduate. Louisiana also requires students to pass a test and is the only state without an appeals process. In Texas, students must pass end-of-course assessments in algebra, English, biology and U.S. history. Debate continues over how to measure readiness Harry Feder, executive director of FairTest, which opposes the use of tests as graduation requirements, said it makes sense to shift away from the tests he calls a "cheap and easy way" to conduct education. "What we want out of high school grads isn't measured very well by a standardized test," he said, including whether students are critical thinkers, problem solvers or able to collaborate. Critics say easing the graduation requirement will result in lower standards. "The vote against the MCAS is yet another sign of the overwhelming power of the teachers unions in blue states, and will turn Massachusetts diplomas into nothing but participation trophies," said Michael Petrilli, president of the right-leaning Fordham Institute. Financial support for the elimination of the Massachusetts test requirement largely came from teachers unions, including the Massachusetts Teachers Association, which contributed millions in direct and in-kind donations, and the NEA, which donated at least $500,000. On the other side, Bloomberg contributed $2.5 million to the campaign in favor of keeping the requirement. Massachusetts Teachers Association President Max Page and Vice President Deb McCarthy said teachers have been speaking out against the requirement for more than a decade. "Students who were passing their courses were being denied diplomas because of this requirement," they said. "Educators were forced to narrow the curriculum in order to teach to the high-stakes test." Ultimately, Massachusetts voters approved getting rid of the MCAS as a graduation requirement by a margin of 59% to 41%. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Ballybofey and Stranorlar Historical Society launches bumper ‘Annual’ next weekNone
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FARGO, N.D. (AP) — Cam Miller threw three touchdown passes, ran for another and second-seeded North Dakota State blew past a 14-point deficit to beat 15th-seeded Abilene Christian 51-31 on Saturday in the second round of the FCS playoffs. The Bison (11-2), in the FCS playoffs for a 15th straight season and winner of nine FCS titles, will host seventh-seeded Mercer in the quarterfinals. Abilene Christian (9-5) took a 17-3 lead on a 13-yard TD pass from Maverick McIvor to J.J. Henry, a 90-yard run by Sam Hicks and a Ritse Vaes 29-yard field goal early in the second quarter. The Bison then took over, starting with Jackson Williams' 100-yard kickoff return to start a run of 31 consecutive points, 17 coming in the second quarter for a 20-17 halftime lead. The scoring streak ended when Nehemiah Martinez’s 53-yard return helped set up Hicks’ 3-yard score to get the Wildcats within 34-24. But the Bison matched that TD on their ensuing drive on Miller’s 36-yard connection with Bryce Lance to cap their 21-point third quarter. Again, the Wildcats got within 10 early in the fourth quarter on Rovaughn Banks Jr.’s 2-yard TD run. But NDSU’s Marcus Gulley returned an interception 37 yards to the ACU 9 and the Crosa kicked a field goal and Logan Kopp followed with a 31-yard pick-6. Miller was 20 of 29 for 274 yards passing. McIvor threw for 153 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. Hicks ran for 153 yards on 16 carries. ACU, champion of the United Athletic Conference, was in its first FCS playoffs since joining the classification in 2013, and beat Northern Arizona in its first-round game. Crosa has made his 262nd career PAT to pass NDSU's Cam Pederson (2015-18) and set an FCS record. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football . Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25
Wisconsin Republicans sue to resolve conflict of when Electoral College votes must be cast for TrumpThe Columbus Blue Jackets are finally back home after their five-game road trip that saw them go through Chicago and then Western Canada. They bookended wins in Chicago and Winnipeg and suffered losses in Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. This week in News and Rumors, we start with some good news that one of the Blue Jackets’ players was able to share while on the road trip. Werenski Makes Four Nations The rosters for the Four Nations Tournament was recently revealed. Team USA announced that Zach Werenski made their roster. The story of how Werenski found out was quite good. “We had a team dinner at Martini after our Carolina game,” Werenski said. “The restaurant I think closes at 11. We walked in right at 11 and Billy (Bill Guerin) was sitting there with Chris Kelleher at the bar. So me and my fiance went over and talked to him for a bit. I was kind of nervous. I wasn’t sure if I had made the team or not yet. I was just talking to him about the season. Then we went to the back room, sat down and then Ollie came in. And he said when he walked in, Billy grabbed him and said, can you grab Z’s fiance again?” “So then I kind of had a feeling when I was walking back out there. We’re going back out there like something’s up. It’s either going to be yes you made it or hey we’re going in a different direction. Then he was like guys, I forgot my wallet. I just want to see if you guys would buy, pay for our bill. I’m still kind of nervous. I don’t know what to say. My fiance right away was like, if you put him on Team USA, we’ll buy your dinner.” “In my mind, I was like don’t say that, but she doesn’t care. She was just having fun and Billy loved it. And he’s like well yeah because you’re buying because he’s in. Then it was a whirlwind. It was a cool moment. I gave him a hug. I gave my fiance a hug. Then we got back to our table and we asked the server to go get his bill for us to pay for it. By the time we asked the server, he was already gone. So I do owe him a dinner.” Flyers coach John Tortorella said on Tuesday morning that Werenski is “having a hell of a year.” At over a point per game offensively while outscoring the opposition when on the ice, he’s in the Norris Trophy conversation. He has done everything asked of him and then some to earn this opportunity. It’s nice to see it noticed at the national level too. Jenner Skating Tuesday morning in the Blue Jackets’ locker room brought an interesting sight. Captain Boone Jenner was in his jersey on his way out to the Ice Haus to get a skate in. It marked the first time to my knowledge Jenner had skated since his injury in training camp. Thanks to a fan comment, they mentioned Jenner started skating previously. It’s an encouraging sign as he starts his road to an eventual return. So this is good news. That is captain Boone Jenner. First time on the ice since the injury as far as I know. A great first step. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/QuMxyP3WOO We’re still nowhere close to Jenner playing in a game. The skate he did on Tuesday was on his own after the optional was done. Can he get back before the Stadium Series game on March 1? In a perfect world, everyone would love that. But the fact he has started skating is as good of news as anyone could have hoped for given the surgery and the severity of his injury. If there’s anyone who could get back as soon as possible against the odds, it’s Jenner. Lesson in Trouba Situation The Jacob Trouba situation with the New York Rangers has finally come to a conclusion. In the end, it was the Anaheim Ducks that acquired him. GM Don Waddell went on the Donnie & Dhali show in Vancouver last week and admitted the Blue Jackets were in on Trouba. At that time, Waddell said he didn’t know how things would end up. After the trade went down, multiple reports said that Trouba woudn’t waive his no-trade clause to come to the Blue Jackets. That was within his right to do especially considering the circumstances. But what should we take away from this situation? The lesson is that Waddell won’t wait around if a situation comes up that could improve the team. It’s not often players like Trouba become available. His physical presence would have been welcomed on the Blue Jackets. Although this didn’t work out, Waddell showed everyone that not only would he get involved in a particular situation, they’d have the framework together to make a deal. Had Trouba waived, he would have been a Blue Jacket. That should awaken everyone on the Blue Jackets. If they want to keep their spot, especially those lower in the lineup, Waddell will not hesitate to make a move. He did that already with Dante Fabbro. Now he’s on the top pair with Werenski. If another Trouba-like situation arises, don’t be surprised to see Waddell and the Blue Jackets trying to make something work. Side Dishes This article first appeared on The Hockey Writers and was syndicated with permission.
Her vacation romance told her they’d ‘stay in touch.’ She assumed she’d never hear from him again