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Joe Burrow arrives in garish outfit ahead of a special never been done before Monday Night Football broadcastCharlotte 39, FAU 27Jimmy Carter had the longest post-presidency of anyone to hold the office, and one of the most active. Here is a look back at his life. — Jimmy Carter was born on Oct. 1 to Earl and Lillian Carter in the small town of Plains, Georgia. — Earl Carter bought a 350-acre farm 3 miles from Plains in the tiny community of Archery. The Carter family lived in a house on the farm without running water or electricity. — He graduated from Plains High School and enrolled at Georgia Southwestern College in Americus. — He transferred to Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. — Carter’s boyhood dream of being in the Navy becomes a reality as he is appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. — He received his naval commission and on July 7 married Rosalynn Smith of Plains. They moved to Norfolk, Virginia. — Carter’s three sons are born, Jack in 1947, Chip in 1950 and Jeff in 1952. — Carter is elected to the Georgia State Senate and serves two terms. — Carter’s father died and he cut his naval career short to save the family farm. Due to a limited income, Jimmy, Rosalynn and their three sons moved into Public Housing Apartment 9A in Plains. — He ran for governor, but lost. — Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter’s fourth child, Amy, is born. — He ran for governor again and won the election, becoming Georgia’s 76th governor on Jan. 12. — Carter announced his candidacy for president. — Carter was elected 39th president on Nov. 2, narrowly defeating incumbent Gerald Ford. — U.S. and the Peoples’ Republic of China establish full diplomatic relations. President Carter negotiates and mediates an accord between Egypt and Israel at Camp David. — The Department of Education is formed. Iranian radicals overrun the U.S. Embassy and seize American hostages. The Strategic Arms Limitations Treaty is signed. — On March 21, Carter announces that the U.S. will boycott the Olympic Games scheduled in Moscow. A rescue attempt to get American hostages out of Iran is unsuccessful. Carter was defeated in his bid for a second term as president by Ronald Reagan in November. — President Carter continues to negotiate the release of the American hostages in Iran. Minutes before his term as president is over, the hostages are released. — Carter became a distinguished professor at Emory University in Atlanta, and founded The Carter Center. The nonpartisan and nonprofit center addresses national and international issues of public policy. — Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter volunteer one week a year for Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit organization that helps needy people in the United States and in other countries renovate and build homes, until 2020. He also taught Sunday school in the Maranatha Baptist Church of Plains from the mid-’80s until 2020. — Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. — Carter announced in August he had been diagnosed with melanoma that spread to his brain. — He said in March that he no longer needed cancer treatment. — Carter dies at 100 years old.
Following the death of former president Jimmy Carter on Sunday, Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank released a statement expressing his heartfelt condolences to the Carter family. Blank called Carter a friend and role model. “I am deeply saddened by the loss of my dear friend and role model, President Jimmy Carter,” Blank wrote. “He was a great American, a proud Georgian and an inspirational global humanitarian. “He lived his life with great civic responsibility and took it upon himself to be the change he wished to see amongst others. On behalf of my family and our family of businesses, we send a heartfelt message of condolence to his loved ones.” Carter, who won the 1976 presidential election, entered home hospice care in Plains, Georgia in February 2023 after a series of hospital stays. In October, Carter celebrated his 100th birthday. His grandson, Jason Carter, spoke out at the time about the blessing living so long was. “Not everybody gets 100 years on this earth, and when somebody does, and when they use that time to do so much good for so many people, it’s worth celebrating,” Jason Carter, chair of The Carter Center governing board, said in an interview, per the Associated Press . “These last few months, 19 months, now that he’s been in hospice, it’s been a chance for our family to reflect and then for the rest of the country and the world to really reflect on him. That’s been a really gratifying time.” Blank also heaped praise on president Carter for the man he was. “President Carter’s kind and uniting spirit touched so many lives,” Blank’s statement read. “He was a man of deep faith, and did everything with principal and grace, doing things the right way for the right reasons. “We first met at The Home Depot, and I will remember him as an enthusiastic do-it-yourselfer who was willing to roll up his own sleeves to build homes for others. He was also an avid sports fan of our Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United teams.” But where Blank was the most thankful was for Carter’s service to his country, in numerous ways, including in political office. “But mostly, I will remember President Carter as my friend, a guiding light and someone who served humanity day in and day out – a quality he exhibited daily throughout his remarkable life. We will be forever indebted to President Carter for his honorable service as a Navy officer, his tireless diplomatic efforts, his dedicated philanthropic work, and his caring leadership as Georgia’s governor and then as leader of the free world. “I join with the city of Atlanta, the state of Georgia, and a grieving nation in mourning the loss of one of the world’s most compassionate souls. I will miss him dearly.” This article first appeared on 5 GOATs and was syndicated with permission.
Social media mourns death of Jimmy Carter
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Jao Ituka led Jacksonville State over East Carolina on Thursday night with 18 points off of the bench in an 86-78 victory. Ituka shot 5 for 10 (2 for 6 from 3-point range) and 6 of 8 from the free-throw line for the Gamecocks (4-1). Jaron Pierre Jr. added 16 points while shooting 4 of 10 from the field and 7 for 11 from the line while he also had six rebounds and six assists. Michael Houge had 15 points and shot 6 of 11 from the field and 3 of 3 from the free-throw line. RJ Felton led the Pirates (4-1) in scoring, finishing with 20 points, seven rebounds and three blocks. C.J. Walker added 20 points and seven rebounds for East Carolina. Yann Farell also had 12 points. Ituka scored 10 points in the first half and Jacksonville State went into halftime trailing 39-37. Jacksonville State used a 13-2 second-half run to take the lead at 71-66 with 3:52 remaining. Houge scored 12 second-half points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .A businesswoman whose handmade mugs have been shared by influencers such as Molly-Mae and Stacey Solomon, said "mum-guilt" is one of her biggest challenges. Mollie Warrington, from Cardiff, started her business plan while pregnant and launched Naetive Studio while on maternity leave in 2022. Academic Dr Lauren Josie Thomas said women often faced added barriers, including pressure to be "a rockstar working mum who can handle it all". Business Wales said it was committed to supporting female entrepreneurs to start and grow businesses. After settling for an insurance job after university, it was only when the pandemic hit that Mollie, 30, had the time to settle on a business idea. "I had eight weeks of being at home not allowed to leave the house. I was watching influencers and they'd always have a cup, but no-one was sharing the cup. "[I thought] I'm going to make a cup worth talking about," she said. The interior design graduate had always wanted to create something of her own, and when she got pregnant, she saw it as the opportunity to take the leap. "I used the nine months that I was pregnant to plan what I was going to do with my maternity leave, and then saved every month then so that I could be OK in maternity leave. "I just knew then, I'm going to have a pottery business," she added. The business owner said she made sure she did not put any pressure on herself, but as soon as her baby, Rio, settled into a routine, she began making mugs. "I'd have the monitor next to me and he'd cry or he'd start moving, so I'd go see him, and then he would go back to sleep. "I would then go back to my little mug and carry on pinching it," she described. The mum-of-one would make about 15 mugs a week when the business launched in July 2022, with small drops that would sell out in minutes. Now she has a team of 12, making 400 custom orders a week and is, stocked in shops such as Anthropologie. Part of her growth has been driven by producing mugs for influencers in the hope they might share them, with former Love Island star Molly-Mae Hague doing just that. "I didn't actually plan what was going to happen if she shared, and she did share, and we had like 40,000 people on the website and at that point I didn't have anything to sell," she laughed. Mollie said she learned from that experience. She needed to expand her manufacturing, and now runs two units to cope with any extra demand. She said the process had not been without its obstacles. "There's enough pressure. Mum guilt is one of my biggest challenges, even when it rains, I feel guilty, and I can't control the weather," she said For anyone thinking of starting a business while on paid leave from their job, experts suggest checking the terms of their contract. Dr Lauren Josie Thomas from the University of South Wales has spent the last year working with the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) researching women and leadership in Wales, and what barriers they were facing. "A lot of challenges that entrepreneurs face are exactly the same, except those women are leading a business and potentially trying to grow it without some of the traditional support you might find in the workplace," she added. The academic cited childcare as a major barrier for women, as well as the pressure to "have it all". "To be someone's partner, someone's mother and be present in a business, and making good decisions when even one of those things requires 100% of you. It's near impossible," she added. She pointed to how much funding female-led businesses were given compared with men. The British Business Bank Equity Tracker Report 2023 found female founders were less likely to secure funding for their businesses, and faced gender bias. Dr Thomas added, anecdotally, she knew of women who had "taken off their wedding ring", or removed their "lockdown social media", to hide their family life from potential investors. Data from Longitudinal Small Business Survey 2023, run by the UK government's Department for Business and Trade, showed 16% of small and medium sized enterprises (SME) employers in Wales reported being women-led. Business Wales said it was committed to supporting a culture of entrepreneurship and supporting female entrepreneurs to start and grow businesses. The service has supported 3,995 start-ups led by female entrepreneurs since 2016, which is 55% of all businesses supported. "Business Wales has also helped 6,499 existing female-led businesses with their development and growth plans over the same time - which is 46.8% of all businesses supported," a spokesperson added.
It’s that odd time of year between Christmas and New Year’s where it is easy to lose track of what day it is, what year it is, if you have to work tomorrow and other basics that are so cut and dried the other 51 weeks of the year. Maybe that explains the Minnesota Wild seemingly losing track of where they were and what they were doing for some critical minutes on Sunday, as things slipped away in a 3-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators. ADVERTISEMENT The Wild grabbed an early lead but could not add to it, as Josh Norris netted the game-winner for the Senators on a third-period power play, snapping a two-game Ottawa losing streak. Claude Giroux hit an empty-net goal in the final minute for the visitors. Freddie Gaudreau supplied the only offense for the Wild with a first-period goal. They got 33 saves from goalie Filip Gustavsson, but saw their two-game winning streak and all of the good feelings they had collected with last Friday’s come-from-behind win in Dallas disappear. The Wild’s struggling penalty kill had gone 3 for 3 versus the Stars, and killed a penalty midway through the third, only to see team captain Jared Spurgeon head to the box just seconds later. On their second consecutive man advantage, Norris popped a quick shot over Gustavsson’s left shoulder to give the visitors their first lead with 7:18 remaining in regulation. The Wild were being outshot and outplayed late in the first when Declan Chisholm caught a pass from Marcus Foligno and ripped a long-range shot that Gaudreau deflected into the upper right corner. It was just the seventh goal of the season for Gaudreau and his first since he had the only bright spot in a 7-1 home loss to Edmonton on Dec. 12. It was also the 50th goal of Gaudreau’s career. The Senators began the middle period with a strong push and forged a tie when Ridly Greig grabbed a puck that came hard off the end boards and slipped it past Gustavsson with less than two minutes gone in the second. Ottawa outshot the Wild 11-0 in the opening five minutes of the period. Ottawa goalie Leevi Merilainen, making just his third start of the season, finished with 30 saves in the game and got some assistance from the goalposts, as Matt Boldy’s deflected shot in the first period and power-play shots by Mats Zuccarello and Spurgeon all struck the iron. In the final seconds of the middle frame, another Boldy shot hit the crossbar. The Wild at least kept the home crowd engaged, moving the puck well on the power play, and via fisticuffs when fourth-liner Ben Jones and Senators winger Noah Gregor exchanged blows late in the second. ADVERTISEMENT Wild star forward Kirill Kaprizov missed his second consecutive game and third of the season with a lower-body injury. Team officials have listed him as day-to-day and are hopeful for his return soon. The Wild close out 2024 with a New Year’s Eve home game at 7 p.m. versus Nashville. ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .
WASHINGTON — Amnesty International is appealing to President Joe Biden to use his final weeks in office to “rectify a case of injustice” by releasing 80-year-old Native American rights activist Leonard Peltier from prison. “As a matter of humanity, mercy, and human rights, you should grant clemency and release Leonard Peltier,” reads a Wednesday letter to Biden from Paul O’Brien, executive director of Amnesty International USA. “This would not only allow Peltier to be home with his family and community for his last years, but it would also help mend the fractured relationship between Native Americans and the U.S. government, which could be forever part of your legacy,” said O’Brien. A White House spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. Here’s a copy of O’Brien’s letter, which also calls on Biden to take actions like closing the Guantanamo Bay detention center and changing course in response to the Israel-Gaza war. Peltier, who is nearly blind and struggles to walk, has been in prison for almost 50 years. He is widely considered to be America’s longest-serving political prisoner . The U.S. government convicted him for murdering two FBI agents in a 1975 shoot-out on Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. But his trial was carried out with unbelievable misconduct: The FBI threatened and coerced witnesses into lying. Federal prosecutors hid evidence that exonerated Peltier. A juror admitted on Day 2 of the trial that she was biased against Native American people, but she was kept on anyway. The government’s case fell apart after these revelations, so it abruptly revised its charges against Peltier to aiding and abetting whoever did kill those agents — entirely on the grounds that he was one of dozens of people present when the shoot-out took place. The FBI and U.S. attorney’s office later admitted they never did figure out who killed those agents. There was never evidence that Peltier committed a crime. In his letter to the president, O’Brien raised concerns about Peltier’s health — he has diabetes and an aortic aneurysm — amid the ongoing unfairness of his imprisonment. Peltier was hospitalized in July after his diabetes reportedly caused him to “develop open wounds and tissue death on his toes and feet.” He was hospitalized again in October. “No one should be imprisoned after a trial riddled with uncertainty about its fairness,” O’Brien wrote, “and keeping him locked behind bars does not serve justice.” Members of Congress , U.S. senators , Indigenous rights groups , Hollywood celebrities and international human rights leaders including Pope Francis and Nelson Mandela have called for Peltier’s release over the decades. The main reason he’s still in prison, if not the only reason, is because of staunch opposition from the FBI. But the bureau’s stated reasons for opposing Peltier’s release are full of holes, outdated and remarkably easy to disprove . “The FBI remains resolute against the commutation of Leonard Peltier’s sentence for murdering FBI Special Agents Jack Coler and Ronald Williams at South Dakota’s Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in 1975,” the bureau asserted to HuffPost in a 2022 statement. “We must never forget or put aside that Peltier intentionally and mercilessly murdered these two young men and has never expressed remorse for his ruthless actions.” Don't let this be the end of the free press. The free press is under attack — and America's future hangs in the balance. As other newsrooms bow to political pressure, HuffPost is not backing down. Would you help us keep our news free for all? We can't do it without you. Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you. Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you. Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all. Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages. The FBI still has not publicly addressed the key context of that 1975 shoot-out, either: The FBI itself was intentionally fueling tensions on that reservation as part of a covert campaign to suppress the activities of the American Indian Movement, or AIM, a grassroots movement for Indigenous rights. Peltier was an active AIM member and an FBI target. Biden has authority to unilaterally release Peltier before he leaves office. Presidents historically announce batches of clemencies at the ends of years, and particularly at the ends of their terms. Biden wouldn’t even have to formally pardon the Native American elder; he could simply grant Peltier clemency, which would allow him to live out his final years at home with his family in South Dakota without the U.S. government simultaneously conceding it was wrong to imprison him. HuffPost spoke to Peltier in a rare interview in May 2022. Asked what he would say to Biden if he had a few minutes alone with him, he said his message would be simple. “I’m not guilty of this shooting. I’m not guilty,” Peltier said. “I would like to go home to spend what years I have left with my great-grandkids and my people.” Related From Our PartnerConservative leader Pierre Poilievre actually danced in the House of Commons today, as jabs were made at NDP leader Jagmeet Singh. Poilievre was again trying to get an election on the books, with another non-confidence vote in the House. This time, Poilievre’s motion focused on previous words from Singh, who said he had “ripped up” his supply and confidence agreement with the Liberal government. “The NDP leader continues to hold Canada hostage with his game of hokey pokey to secure his pension,” said Conservative Barrie-Innisfil MP John Brassard. “First, he put himself in a coalition with the Liberals, then he took himself out, ripping up the agreement while shaking his fist all about, now he’s put himself back in — taping the agreement together, turning himself around.” The House of Commons camera then panned wide to show Poilievre, who appeared to start singing and dancing to the “Hokey Pokey” tune. Following a few more comments, the official vote was taken, shortly before 3:30 p.m. Members of the Conservative Party and Bloc Québécois in attendance voted in favour of the non-confidence vote. Members of the Liberals and some NDP and Green Party also voted against the motion. The motion was defeated 180-152. Following the vote, Poilievre stood up to admonish Singh for walking in during the vote. “Mr. Speaker, you went out of your way to point out before the vote that members are not allowed to come and go during the vote,” Poilievre said. “I note the NDP leader came in right in the middle of the vote, having missed the fact the vote was on his own words. Call him to order.” “Indeed, the fault is mine as speaker for not making it clear for the purposes of electronic voting, there is a possibility as all members know, they are able to come in for the purposes of electronic voting,” Speaker of the House Greg Fergus said. Following that vote, Singh tried to get a permanent goods and services tax (GST) rebate approved, applying to more household items, such as internet, and applying to all Canadians, including seniors. His motion read: “That, given that Canadians are facing an affordability crisis and need more than temporary relief, the government’s $250 Working Canadians Rebate would exclude many workers and other Canadians who need it the most, the 2021 Conservative Party platform included a one-time GST holiday, the House call on the government to: permanently remove the GST from essential goods, including home heating, grocery meals, internet and mobile phone bills, diapers and kids’ clothes; expand the rebate to include all adults whose income is under the threshold and did not earn employment income in 2023, so that people like recent graduates trying to enter the workforce, retired seniors, people with disabilities, injured workers, workers on parental leave and long-term sick leave, and others in need are included; and pay for that measure by putting in place an excess profit tax targeting the largest and most profitable corporations.” That motion was also defeated, 303 to 28. In late November, a GST/HST tax break was approved, with Canadians saving the tax on a handful of items starting Dec. 14. A proposal to provide a separate $250 rebate to who earned less than $150,000 in 2023 is still a proposal that has not made its way to vote yet. Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our and . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google and apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our .
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The Government will block new incinerators if they do not help meet environmental objectives under rules unveiled on Monday. Developers will have to show that their project either helps reduce the amount of non-recyclable waste going to landfill, or replaces an older, less efficient incinerator. The move forms part of the Government’s drive to increase recycling rates, which have held at about 45% of household waste since 2015. Environment minister Mary Creagh said: “For far too long, the nation has seen its recycling rates stagnate and relied on burning household waste, rather than supporting communities to keep resources in use for longer. “That ends today, with clear conditions for new energy from waste plants – they must be efficient and support net zero and our economic growth mission, before they can get the backing needed to be built.” Developers will also have to ensure their incinerators are ready for carbon capture technology, and demonstrate how the heat they produce can be used to help cut heating bills for households. The Government expects that its “crackdown” on new incinerators will mean only a limited number are built, while still reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill and enabling the country to process the waste it produces. The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said the country was almost at the point where it had enough waste facilities to handle non-recyclable rubbish, and so had limited need for new incinerators. But the proposals stop short of the plans included in the Conservatives’ 2024 manifesto, which committed to a complete ban on new incinerators due to their “impact on local communities” and declining demand as recycling increased.India's exports to Australia surge 14% since ECTA, trade momentum strong
To the victor goes the spoils and House Speaker Sherman Packard, R-Londonderry, now has a comfortable, partisan advantage in all policy committees thanks to the voters who swelled Republican ranks by 20 seats last Nov. 5. For the past two years, Packard, 74, had to sweat it out over at the Legislative Office Building as 24 panels slogged through nearly 2,000 bills. The closest House majority in more than 150 years — starting out at 201-199 — compelled Packard in 2023 to equalize the membership on all committees but one in charge of the budget. As a result, hundreds of bills came onto the House floor “without recommendation,” because House Democrats and Republicans on committees were evenly divided and hopelessly deadlocked on key questions. Only cooperation with then-House Democratic Leader Matt Wilhelm allowed Packard to complete the agenda without all-night sessions; dozens of conflicted issues were simply dropped “on the table” and died with the close of each year. To keep the peace, Packard in 2023 had named four, more moderate House Democrats to serve as committee vice chairs. As it happened among that quartet, only Claremont Democratic Rep. John Cloutier was back; Manchester Rep. Jeff Goley retired, Manchester Rep. Ben Baroody lost his seat and Manchester Rep. Pat Long moved on to snag the Senate seat that Manchester Democrat Lou D’Allesandro was vacating. With a 221-177 split (with one Republican-turned-independent and one Democrat having moved and declining to take her seat), Packard has at least a two-vote majority on all 26 committees with a three-seat edge on the all-important House Finance Committee that crafts the two-year spending plan. Packard created one new panel on education and made permanent a special committee on housing. Only Republicans hold the top two posts on every committee. This change also meant new House Democratic Leader Alexis Simpson had fewer seats to fill. For the past two years, there were 10 Democrats on the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee; going forward there will be only seven. Simpson added to this panel newly-elected Rep. Buzz Scherr, D-Portsmouth, who for decades taught law at the University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law. As a stakeholder, Scherr helped write some of the state’s seminal legislation on this topic like in 2019 when lawmakers passed bail reform and repealed the state’s death penalty. Simpson removed from this panel Rep. Jonah Wheeler, D-Portsmouth, who on occasion opposed the party’s position on the House floor on controversial social policies. Wheeler got a seat on the House Environment and Agriculture Committee and his local colleague, 13-term Rep. Peter Leishman, also D-Peterborough, objected. “As far as I can tell, he’s the only one who wanted to stay and got bounced and people from both parties on that committee tell me he was an invaluable resource,” Leishman said. Simpson said in a statement she had a difficult job to do and did it fairly to maximize all the assets in her caucus. For his part, the only Republican chairman still in the House who is not returning to take back his or her committee gavel was five-term Rep. Len Turcotte, R-Barrington, who had run the House Municipal and County Government Committee. Turcotte opposed Packard’s bid for a third term last month and got more than 40% of the vote in a closed-door GOP caucus, according to sources. Turcotte was moved to a seat on the Legislative Administration Committee, a pretty sleepy outpost that in 2024 took up only two dozen bills with four that became law, three of them dealing with study committees and task forces. On Organization Day earlier this month, Rep. Kim Rice, R-Hudson, intended to oppose Packard but, at the last minute, she endorsed him. Rice got a seat on the House Children and Family Law Committee, a panel she had chaired until she decided in 2022 to take two years off. Packard split an overworked House Education Committee into two, one to deal with education funding bills, the other with policy and administration. To underscore its importance, Packard dispatched four House conservatives to serve on the education aid panel, all who serve on other committees including Rep. Jim Kofalt, R-Wilton, who recently took on a new “adviser” role with the speaker. The other three are all experienced House budget writers: Vice Chairman Dan McGuire, R-Epsom, former Vice Chair Keith Erf, R-Weare, and Rep. Dan Popovici-Muller, R-Windham. Simpson tapped six-term Rep. David Luneau, D-Hopkinton, to lead the loyal opposition on this committee. For many sessions, Luneau has played a part in education aid rewrites along with Education Funding Chairman Rick Ladd, R-Haverhill. In the 2024 campaign, Packard vowed if reelected that he would lean more into ensuing the adoption of the GOP conservative agenda from parental rights and more bail reform to further tax cuts and lean budgeting. In that vein, Packard has promoted 16 House GOP conservative members as new vice chairs of committees. There’s little doubt all will get marching orders to serve as the speaker’s eyes and ears on the policy front. These include Reps. John Potucek, R-Derry, on House Commerce, Jordan Ulery, R-Hudson, on House Ways and Means, Kristin Noble, R-Bedford, on Education Policy, Barbara Comtois, R-Barnstead, on Environment and Agriculture, Dennis Mannion, R-Salem, on House Judiciary, Lino Avellani, R-Wakefield, on House Labor and Lisa Mazur, R-Goffstown, on House Health and Human Services.