Trump Nominates Former Sen. Kelly Loeffler for Small Business Administrator
It will be a merry Christmas once again for local high school students looking to attend Somerset Community College thanks to the Somerset-Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce’s Holiday Auction. Auction committee co-chair Kathy Sears confirmed to the Commonwealth Journal this week that a total of more than $36,500 was raised to fund scholarships for local students this year. An in-person auction — which included live bidding with auctioneer Matt Ford and a silent auction — was held at The Center for Rural Development on Tuesday, December 3 during this month’s Chamber of Commerce membership luncheon. Additional bidding continued that week however on the Ford Brothers Inc. Auctioneers website, ending on Friday, December 6 at 4 p.m. That auction contained around 75 items, to go along with the collection of items auctioned off at The Center, numbering over 100, for both the live and silent auctions. The online auction contained a number of coveted items, from big tickets to stocking stuffers, including a trailer from Gatormade, televisions, gift cards, tools, Pulaski County Park cabin rentals, and Christmas decor, as well as much more. This year’s event puts the Chamber Holiday Auction at having raised around $270,000 over its existence; SCC partnered with the Chamber regarding the scholarships around a decade and a half ago and 122 have been given out to date, with another seven or eight likely this year. “The support from the chamber and community has been incredible,” stated Dr. Carey Castle, President and CEO of SCC. “Each year, we see this auction grow, and it’s amazing to see the commitment everyone has to investing in our students at SCC. We are deeply grateful to everyone who donated, bid, and contributed to the event’s success.” Bobby Clue, Executive Director of the Somerset-Pulaski Chamber of Commerce, said that the 15th annual Holiday Auction was an “overwhelming success” and expressed gratitude to the support of local businesses, residents and partners. “Thanks to the generosity of those who donated and bid. We’ve not only raised vital funds for local scholarships, but we’ve also brought our community closer together during this special time of year,” said Clue. “The outpouring of enthusiasm and participation demonstrates the strength of our local economy and the spirit of collaboration that makes Lake Cumberland such a wonderful place to live and work.” The goal of the Holiday Auction committee, co-chaired by Sears and Beverly Withers, was to raise $30,000 this year, after having done $34,000 last year, so that goal was successfully cleared. “I have about 20 people on my committee,” Sears told the Commonwealth Journal. ”My committee members do a wonderful job. Everything is donated by businesses, small and large. We have large ticket items like (those from) Gatormade, and then we have $50 gift certificates, and lots of ballgame tickets. We appreciate the small all the way to the large, because they all come through.” The scholarships are awarded based on financial need as determined by the student’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Awardees are chosen by the SCC Scholarship Committee. “The committee and Bobby Clue are confident that this scholarship (funding avenue) will be there for many years,” said Sears.Pope Francis kicks off a yearlong Jubilee that will test his stamina and Rome's patience VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has opened the great Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica. The ceremony kicks off the 2025 Holy Year. It's a celebration of the Catholic Church that is expected to draw some 32 million pilgrims to Rome. And it will test the pope’s stamina and the ability of the Eternal City to welcome them. This begins the Christmas Eve Mass. The ceremony inaugurates the once-every-25-year tradition of a Jubilee. Francis has dedicated the 2025 Jubilee to the theme of hope. Bethlehem marks a second subdued Christmas Eve during the war in Gaza BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — Bethlehem is marking another somber Christmas Eve under the shadow of war in Gaza. Manger Square lacked its usual festive lights and crowds of tourists on Tuesday. Instead, the area outside the Nativity Church was quiet. The church was built atop the spot where Jesus is believed to have been born. The war, the violence in the occupied West Bank it has spurred and the lack of festivities has deeply hurt Bethlehem's economy. The town relies heavily on Christmas tourism. The economy in the West Bank was already reeling because of restrictions placed on laborers preventing them from entering Israel during the war. Heavy travel day starts with brief grounding of all American Airlines flights WASHINGTON (AP) — American Airlines briefly grounded flights nationwide due to a technical problem just as the Christmas travel season kicked into overdrive and winter weather threatened more potential problems for those planning to fly or drive. Government regulators cleared American flights to get airborne Tuesday about an hour after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a national ground stop, which prevented planes from taking off. American said in an email that the problem was caused by vendor technology in its flight operating system. Aviation analytics company Cirium said flights were delayed across American’s major hubs, with only 37% leaving on time. Nineteen flights were cancelled. Haiti gangs fire on journalists covering a planned hospital reopening, leaving casualties PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Suspected gang members have opened fire on journalists in Haiti’s capital as they were covering the attempted reopening of the country’s largest hospital, wounding or killing an unknown number of people. The country's interim president, Leslie Voltaire, said in an address to the nation that journalists and police were among the victims of the vicious Christmas Eve attack. He did not specify how many casualties there were, or give a breakdown for the dead or wounded. Radio Télé Métronome said earlier on Tuesday that seven journalists and two police officers were wounded in the shooting. Street gangs have taken over an estimated 85% of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. Middle East latest: Israeli raid and airstrikes in West Bank kill at least 8 Palestinians The Palestinian Health Ministry says at least eight people were killed by Israeli military operations in the northern West Bank. The ministry said three of the dead were killed by Israeli airstrikes. The attacks took place around the city of Tulkarem and nearby refugee camps. The Israeli military said it opened fire after militants attacked soldiers, and it was aware of some uninvolved civilians who were harmed in the raid. Elsewhere in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian city of Bethlehem was marking a somber Christmas Eve under the shadow of the war in Gaza. Most festivities were cancelled and crowds of tourists were absent. Caitlin Clark honored as AP Female Athlete of the Year following her impact on women's sports Caitlin Clark has been named the AP Female Athlete of the Year after raising the profile of women’s basketball to unprecedented levels in both college and the WNBA. She led Iowa to the national championship game, was the top pick in the WNBA draft and captured rookie of the year honors in the league. Fans packed sold-out arenas and millions of television viewers followed her journey on and off the court. Clark's exploits also put other women's sports leagues in the spotlight. A group of 74 sports journalists from AP and its members voted on the award. Other athletes who received votes included Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles and boxer Imane Khelif. Clark’s only the fourth women’s basketball player to win the award since it was first given in 1931. NFL players who use platform to share their faith say it's their duty to spread their love of Jesus ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — Jake Bates was standing on the turf in his hometown of Houston when asked to reflect on an unlikely journey from learning how to sell bricks to making game-winning kicks for the Detroit Lions. Bates used his platform as an NFL player to spread his love of Jesus. A month later, Bates told The Associated Press it is a duty to share his faith. The NFL is filled with players and coaches who feel the same way, such as Houston's C.J. Stroud, Atlanta's Kirk Cousins, and Lamar Jackson and John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens. Major storm pounds California's central coast, blamed for man's death and partially collapsing pier SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (AP) — A major storm has pounded California’s central coast bringing flooding and high surf that was blamed for fatally trapping a man beneath debris on a beach and later partially collapsing a pier, tossing three people into the Pacific Ocean. The storm was expected to bring hurricane-force winds and waves up to 60 feet Monday as it gained strength from California to the Pacific Northwest. Some California cities have ordered beachfront homes and hotels to evacuate early Monday afternoon. Forecasters have warned that storm swells would continue to increase throughout the day. Medellin Cartel victims demand truth and justice as cartel boss Fabio Ochoa walks free in Colombia BOGOTÁ, Colombia (AP) — The return of the notorious drug trafficker Fabio Ochoa to Colombia, following his deportation from the United States, has reopened old wounds among the victims of the Medellin cartel, with some expressing their dismay at the decision of Colombian authorities to let the former mafia boss walk free.Some of the cartel victims said on Tuesday that they are hoping the former drug lord will at least cooperate with ongoing efforts by human rights groups to investigate one of the most violent periods of Colombia’s history, and demanded that Colombian prosecutors also take Ochoa in for questioning.
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