
NoneWASHINGTON — The Supreme Court seemed likely Wednesday to uphold Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for minors. The justices' decision, not expected for several months, could affect similar laws enacted by another 25 states and a range of other efforts to regulate the lives of transgender people, including which sports competitions they can join and which restrooms they can use. The case is being weighed by a conservative-dominated court after a presidential election in which Donald Trump and his allies promised to roll back protections for transgender people. The Biden administration's top Supreme Court lawyer warned a decision favorable to Tennessee also could be used to justify nationwide restrictions on transgender health care for minors. Supporters of transgender rights rally Wednesday outside the Supreme Court in Washington. In arguments that lasted more than two hours, five of the six conservative justices voiced varying degrees of skepticism over arguments made by the administration and Chase Strangio, the ACLU lawyer for Tennessee families challenging the ban. People are also reading... Chief Justice John Roberts, who voted in the majority in a 2020 case in favor of transgender rights, questioned whether judges, rather than lawmakers, should weigh in on a question of regulating medical procedures, an area usually left to the states. "The Constitution leaves that question to the people's representatives, rather than to nine people, none of whom is a doctor," Roberts said in an exchange with Strangio. Justice Neil Gorsuch, who wrote the majority opinion in 2020, said nothing during the arguments. The court's three liberal justices seemed firmly on the side of the challengers, but it's not clear that any conservatives will go along. People attend a rally March 31, 2023, as part of a Transgender Day of Visibility, near the Capitol in Washington. Justice Sonia Sotomayor pushed back against the assertion that the democratic process would be the best way to address objections to the law. She cited a history of laws discriminating against others, noting that transgender people make up less than 1% of the U.S. population, according to studies. There are an estimated 1.3 million adults and 300,000 adolescents ages 13 to 17 who identify as transgender, according the UCLA law school's Williams Institute. "Blacks were a much larger part of the population and it didn't protect them. It didn't protect women for whole centuries," Sotomayor said in an exchange with Tennessee Solicitor General Matt Rice. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said she saw some troubling parallels between arguments made by Tennessee and those advanced by Virginia and rejected by a unanimous court, in the 1967 Loving decision that legalized interracial marriage nationwide. Quoting from that decision, Jackson noted that Virginia argued then that "the scientific evidence is substantially in doubt and, consequently, the court should defer to the wisdom of the state legislature." ACLU lawyer Chase Strangio, left, and plaintiff Joaquin Carcano address reporters after a June 25, 2018, hearing in Winston-Salem, N.C., on their lawsuit challenging the law that replaced North Carolina's "bathroom bill." Justice Samuel Alito repeatedly pressed Strangio, the first openly transgender lawyer to argue at the nation's highest court, about whether transgender people should be legally designated as a group that's susceptible to discrimination. Strangio answered that being transgender does fit that legal definition, though he acknowledged under Alito's questioning there are a small number of people who de-transition. "So it's not an immutable characteristic, is it?" Alito said. Strangio did not retreat from his view, though he said the court did not have to decide the issue to resolve the case in his clients' favor. There were dueling rallies outside the court in the hours before the arguments. Speeches and music filled the air on the sidewalk below the court's marble steps. Advocates of the ban bore signs like "Champion God's Design" and "Kids Health Matters," while the other side proclaimed "Fight like a Mother for Trans Rights" and "Freedom to be Ourselves." Four years ago, the court ruled in favor of Aimee Stephens, who was fired by a Michigan funeral home after she informed its owner she was a transgender woman. The court held that transgender people, as well as gay and lesbian people, are protected by a landmark federal civil rights law that prohibits sex discrimination in the workplace. The Biden administration and the families and health care providers who challenged the Tennessee law urged the justices to apply the same sort of analysis that the majority, made up of liberal and conservative justices, embraced in the case four years ago when it found that "sex plays an unmistakable role" in employers' decisions to punish transgender people for traits and behavior they otherwise tolerate. Demonstrators against transgender rights protest Wednesday during a rally outside of the Supreme Court in Washington. The issue in the Tennessee case is whether the law violates the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment, which requires the government to treat similarly situated people the same. Tennessee's law bans puberty blockers and hormone treatments for transgender minors, but allows the same drugs to be used for other purposes. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, the administration's top Supreme Court lawyer, called the law sex-based line drawing to ban the use of drugs that have been safely prescribed for decades and said the state "decided to completely override the views of the patients, the parents, the doctors." She contrasted the Tennessee law with one enacted by West Virginia, which set conditions for the health care for transgender minors, but stopped short of an outright ban. Gender-affirming care for youth is supported by every major medical organization, including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychiatric Association. 5 simple ways you can make bathrooms safer for trans and nonbinary people 5 simple ways you can make bathrooms safer for trans and nonbinary people For many trans and nonbinary people, bathrooms can be complicated places to navigate — a fact highlighted by the death of 16-year-old Nex Benedict in Oklahoma. Oklahoma is far from an outlier when it comes to failing to provide safe and equitable bathrooms for transgender people. According to the Movement Advancement Project, which tracks LGBTQ+ policy, 13 states have a policy that prevents transgender people from safely or legally using public bathrooms. But data shows that even in states with trans-friendly policies, transgender and nonbinary people report high rates of harassment in public bathrooms. Advocates say everyday people can have a big impact in interrupting discrimination in gendered restrooms. The 19th shows how anyone can help prevent abuse. Acknowledge that bathrooms can be scary, and help locate safe options Sex-segregated restrooms have historically been a hostile space for Tat Bellamy-Walker, a Seattle-based journalist and Black gender-fluid trans person. In graduate school and at journalism internships, they had to go far out of their way to find all-gender single-stall restrooms they could use safely. "You never forget being told you don't belong in a restroom, you never forget not having a place to dispose of sanitary products if you're on your period in the men's bathroom," Bellamy-Walker said. "It's just clear you do not belong in public spaces." Allies can help tremendously by locating and pointing out gender-neutral bathrooms to friends or family who might need them. This is especially important for people planning events or parties. Make sure your space has safe bathrooms. Offer to be a bathroom buddy to your trans and nonbinary friends Carrie Soto, a South Dakota parent of a transgender child, said she lives by the mantra "see something, say something." That means speaking up when there is bullying and harassment and volunteering to accompany a trans/nonbinary friend or family member when they have to head into a public bathroom. "Validate a trans person's fears and anxiety about the situation," Soto said. " If [my daughter] uses a gendered restroom and feels anxious, I go with." Make trans and nonbinary people welcome if you see them in bathrooms It may seem obvious, but transgender health advocate Jamison Green notes this step can really help trans people feel safe. Consider first that according to 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey , 59 percent of trans people avoided using a public restroom due to fear of harassment. Data from 2022 found that 6 percent of trans people said they were physically or verbally attacked while trying to use a bathroom, while 4 percent were denied access to a bathroom. "If you see someone who you clock as trans or nonbinary, just smile or pay them a non-provocative compliment. ... Wish them good day or good evening, and move on," Green said. "Of course that only goes for the women's room! In the men's room, talking is extremely rare." Green recommends that cisgender people offer a kind, silent nod. Ask for more gender-neutral options Twenty-two states and Washington, D.C., allow residents to opt for "X" gender markers on their IDs in addition to selecting "M" or "F." Still, in every state, regardless of laws, most bathrooms in government buildings, schools, businesses, places of worship and cultural institutions are gendered. Advocates say people can help change this by simply asking businesses and building owners for more options to accommodate all genders. "Advocacy is the most important part of the fight for transgender rights," Lambda Legal notes in its guide to restrooms. "And if employers adopt pro-trans policies proactively, instead of waiting for a transgender person to pave the way, there's much less chance of having problems down the line." Try to leave single-stall gender-neutral bathrooms free unless you need them The internet is full of rants not appropriate for a news article about people using the only single-stall gender-neutral bathrooms available not for safety but for ... well, pooping. As a result, gender-neutral bathrooms, especially in airports, are almost always occupied. There are many reasons why a cisgender person might need a single-occupancy bathroom (accessibility, illness, child care and, yes, even a little more privacy). Just like accessible stalls, it's a kindness to leave gender-neutral restrooms unoccupied when you don't need them. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! 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Rural communities push back on clean-energy projects
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court seemed likely Wednesday to uphold Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for minors. The justices' decision, not expected for several months, could affect similar laws enacted by another 25 states and a range of other efforts to regulate the lives of transgender people, including which sports competitions they can join and which restrooms they can use. The case is being weighed by a conservative-dominated court after a presidential election in which Donald Trump and his allies promised to roll back protections for transgender people. The Biden administration's top Supreme Court lawyer warned a decision favorable to Tennessee also could be used to justify nationwide restrictions on transgender health care for minors. Supporters of transgender rights rally Wednesday outside the Supreme Court in Washington. In arguments that lasted more than two hours, five of the six conservative justices voiced varying degrees of skepticism over arguments made by the administration and Chase Strangio, the ACLU lawyer for Tennessee families challenging the ban. Chief Justice John Roberts, who voted in the majority in a 2020 case in favor of transgender rights, questioned whether judges, rather than lawmakers, should weigh in on a question of regulating medical procedures, an area usually left to the states. "The Constitution leaves that question to the people's representatives, rather than to nine people, none of whom is a doctor," Roberts said in an exchange with Strangio. Justice Neil Gorsuch, who wrote the majority opinion in 2020, said nothing during the arguments. The court's three liberal justices seemed firmly on the side of the challengers, but it's not clear that any conservatives will go along. People attend a rally March 31, 2023, as part of a Transgender Day of Visibility, near the Capitol in Washington. Justice Sonia Sotomayor pushed back against the assertion that the democratic process would be the best way to address objections to the law. She cited a history of laws discriminating against others, noting that transgender people make up less than 1% of the U.S. population, according to studies. There are an estimated 1.3 million adults and 300,000 adolescents ages 13 to 17 who identify as transgender, according the UCLA law school's Williams Institute. "Blacks were a much larger part of the population and it didn't protect them. It didn't protect women for whole centuries," Sotomayor said in an exchange with Tennessee Solicitor General Matt Rice. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said she saw some troubling parallels between arguments made by Tennessee and those advanced by Virginia and rejected by a unanimous court, in the 1967 Loving decision that legalized interracial marriage nationwide. Quoting from that decision, Jackson noted that Virginia argued then that "the scientific evidence is substantially in doubt and, consequently, the court should defer to the wisdom of the state legislature." ACLU lawyer Chase Strangio, left, and plaintiff Joaquin Carcano address reporters after a June 25, 2018, hearing in Winston-Salem, N.C., on their lawsuit challenging the law that replaced North Carolina's "bathroom bill." Justice Samuel Alito repeatedly pressed Strangio, the first openly transgender lawyer to argue at the nation's highest court, about whether transgender people should be legally designated as a group that's susceptible to discrimination. Strangio answered that being transgender does fit that legal definition, though he acknowledged under Alito's questioning there are a small number of people who de-transition. "So it's not an immutable characteristic, is it?" Alito said. Strangio did not retreat from his view, though he said the court did not have to decide the issue to resolve the case in his clients' favor. There were dueling rallies outside the court in the hours before the arguments. Speeches and music filled the air on the sidewalk below the court's marble steps. Advocates of the ban bore signs like "Champion God's Design" and "Kids Health Matters," while the other side proclaimed "Fight like a Mother for Trans Rights" and "Freedom to be Ourselves." Four years ago, the court ruled in favor of Aimee Stephens, who was fired by a Michigan funeral home after she informed its owner she was a transgender woman. The court held that transgender people, as well as gay and lesbian people, are protected by a landmark federal civil rights law that prohibits sex discrimination in the workplace. The Biden administration and the families and health care providers who challenged the Tennessee law urged the justices to apply the same sort of analysis that the majority, made up of liberal and conservative justices, embraced in the case four years ago when it found that "sex plays an unmistakable role" in employers' decisions to punish transgender people for traits and behavior they otherwise tolerate. Demonstrators against transgender rights protest Wednesday during a rally outside of the Supreme Court in Washington. The issue in the Tennessee case is whether the law violates the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment, which requires the government to treat similarly situated people the same. Tennessee's law bans puberty blockers and hormone treatments for transgender minors, but allows the same drugs to be used for other purposes. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, the administration's top Supreme Court lawyer, called the law sex-based line drawing to ban the use of drugs that have been safely prescribed for decades and said the state "decided to completely override the views of the patients, the parents, the doctors." She contrasted the Tennessee law with one enacted by West Virginia, which set conditions for the health care for transgender minors, but stopped short of an outright ban. Gender-affirming care for youth is supported by every major medical organization, including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychiatric Association. For many trans and nonbinary people, bathrooms can be complicated places to navigate — a fact highlighted by the death of 16-year-old Nex Benedict in Oklahoma. Oklahoma is far from an outlier when it comes to failing to provide safe and equitable bathrooms for transgender people. According to the Movement Advancement Project, which tracks LGBTQ+ policy, 13 states have a policy that prevents transgender people from safely or legally using public bathrooms. But data shows that even in states with trans-friendly policies, transgender and nonbinary people report high rates of harassment in public bathrooms. Advocates say everyday people can have a big impact in interrupting discrimination in gendered restrooms. The 19th shows how anyone can help prevent abuse. Sex-segregated restrooms have historically been a hostile space for Tat Bellamy-Walker, a Seattle-based journalist and Black gender-fluid trans person. In graduate school and at journalism internships, they had to go far out of their way to find all-gender single-stall restrooms they could use safely. "You never forget being told you don't belong in a restroom, you never forget not having a place to dispose of sanitary products if you're on your period in the men's bathroom," Bellamy-Walker said. "It's just clear you do not belong in public spaces." Allies can help tremendously by locating and pointing out gender-neutral bathrooms to friends or family who might need them. This is especially important for people planning events or parties. Make sure your space has safe bathrooms. Carrie Soto, a South Dakota parent of a transgender child, said she lives by the mantra "see something, say something." That means speaking up when there is bullying and harassment and volunteering to accompany a trans/nonbinary friend or family member when they have to head into a public bathroom. "Validate a trans person's fears and anxiety about the situation," Soto said. " If [my daughter] uses a gendered restroom and feels anxious, I go with." It may seem obvious, but transgender health advocate Jamison Green notes this step can really help trans people feel safe. Consider first that according to 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey , 59 percent of trans people avoided using a public restroom due to fear of harassment. Data from 2022 found that 6 percent of trans people said they were physically or verbally attacked while trying to use a bathroom, while 4 percent were denied access to a bathroom. "If you see someone who you clock as trans or nonbinary, just smile or pay them a non-provocative compliment. ... Wish them good day or good evening, and move on," Green said. "Of course that only goes for the women's room! In the men's room, talking is extremely rare." Green recommends that cisgender people offer a kind, silent nod. Twenty-two states and Washington, D.C., allow residents to opt for "X" gender markers on their IDs in addition to selecting "M" or "F." Still, in every state, regardless of laws, most bathrooms in government buildings, schools, businesses, places of worship and cultural institutions are gendered. Advocates say people can help change this by simply asking businesses and building owners for more options to accommodate all genders. "Advocacy is the most important part of the fight for transgender rights," Lambda Legal notes in its guide to restrooms. "And if employers adopt pro-trans policies proactively, instead of waiting for a transgender person to pave the way, there's much less chance of having problems down the line." The internet is full of rants not appropriate for a news article about people using the only single-stall gender-neutral bathrooms available not for safety but for ... well, pooping. As a result, gender-neutral bathrooms, especially in airports, are almost always occupied. There are many reasons why a cisgender person might need a single-occupancy bathroom (accessibility, illness, child care and, yes, even a little more privacy). Just like accessible stalls, it's a kindness to leave gender-neutral restrooms unoccupied when you don't need them. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox!
Musk says US is demanding he pay penalty over disclosures of his Twitter stock purchases DETROIT (AP) — Elon Musk says the Securities and Exchange Commission wants him to pay a penalty or face charges involving what he disclosed — or failed to disclose — about his purchases of Twitter stock before he bought the social media platform in 2022. In a letter, Musk’s lawyer Alex Spiro tells the outgoing SEC chairman, Gary Gensler, that the commission’s demand for a monetary payment is a “misguided scheme” that won’t intimidate Musk. The letter also alleges that the commission reopened an investigation this week into Neuralink, Musk’s computer-to-human brain interface company. The SEC has not released the letter. Nor would it comment on it or confirm whether it has issued such a demand to Musk. Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is pushing toward a vote on legislation that would provide full Social Security benefits to millions of people. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer began the process on Thursday for a final vote on the bill, known as the Social Security Fairness Act. It would eliminate policies that currently limit Social Security payouts for roughly 2.8 million people. The legislation has passed the House. The bill would add more strain on the Social Security Trust funds, which are already estimated to be unable to pay out full benefits beginning in 2035. The measure would add an estimated $195 billion to federal deficits over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Trump offers support for dockworkers union by saying ports shouldn't install more automated systems WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is offering his support for the dockworkers union before their contract expires next month at Eastern and Gulf Coast ports. He posted on social media Thursday that he met with union leaders and that any further “automation” of the ports would harm workers. He wrote that the “amount of money saved is nowhere near the distress, hurt, and harm it causes for American Workers.” The International Longshoremen’s Association has until Jan. 15 to negotiate a new contract with the U.S. Maritime Alliance, which represents ports and shipping companies. The Maritime Alliance says the technology will improve worker safety and strengthen our supply chains, among other things. IRS recovers $4.7 billion in back taxes and braces for cuts with Trump and GOP in power WASHINGTON (AP) — IRS leadership on Thursday announced that the agency has recovered $4.7 billion in back taxes and proceeds from a variety of crimes. The announcement comes under the backdrop of a promised reckoning from Republicans who will hold a majority over both chambers of the next Congress and have long called for rescinding the tens of billions of dollars in funding provided to the agency by Democrats. IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said improvements made to the agency will help the incoming administration and new Republican majority congress achieve its goals of administering an extension of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. OpenAI's Altman will donate $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund LOS ANGELES (AP) — OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is planning to make a $1 million personal donation to President-Elect Donald Trump’s inauguration fund, joining a number of tech companies and executives who are working to improve their relationships the incoming administration. A spokesperson for OpenAI confirmed the move on Friday. The announcement comes one day after Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, said it donated $1 million to the same fund. Amazon also said it plans to donate $1 million. China signals it's prepared to double down on support for the economy as Trump tariffs loom BANGKOK (AP) — Chinese leaders met this week to plot economic policy for the coming year and sketched out plans to raise government spending and relax Beijing's monetary policy. Analysts said the broad-brush plans from the annual Central Economic Work Conference were more of a recap of current policy than ambitious new initiatives at a time when the outlook is clouded by the President-elect Donald Trump's threats to sharply raise tariffs once he takes office. The ruling Communist Party did commit to raising China's deficit and to doing more to encourage consumer spending by bringing wage increases in line with the pace of economic growth. Here's a look at China's main priorities and their potential implications. Stock market today: Wall Street wavers at the end of a bumpy week NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks wavered as Wall Street closes out a rare bumpy week. The S&P 500 was down 0.1% in midday trading Friday and headed for a weekly loss. The benchmark index hit its latest in a string of records a week ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 19 points. The Nasdaq composite was down 0.2%. Broadcom surged after the semiconductor company beat Wall Street’s profit targets and gave a glowing forecast, highlighting its artificial intelligence products. Treasury yields edged higher in the bond market. European markets were mostly lower and Asian markets mostly fell. Next Week: Retail sales, Fed policy update, existing home sales The Commerce Department releases its monthly snapshot of U.S. retail sales Tuesday. Federal Reserve officials wrap up a two-day meeting and issue an interest rate policy update Wednesday. The National Association of Realtors issues its latest update on U.S. home sales Thursday. From a 10-year-old to a Muppet to a president-elect, NYSE bell-ringers range from famous to obscure The first guest invited to ring the bell at the New York Stock Exchange in 1956 wasn’t a company executive, a politician or a celebrity. It was a 10-year-old boy, Leonard Ross, who received the honor by winning a television quiz show. Since then, business titans, political giants and global film stars have all been among those ringing the opening bell at the NYSE. Ronald Reagan rang the bell as president in 1985. Billionaire businessman and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Hollywood star Robert Downey Jr. have also rung the bell. The even list includes famous Muppets: Miss Piggy was once a bell ringer. Some in seafood industry see Trump as fishermen's friend, but tariffs could make for pricier fish PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump is likely to bring big changes to seafood, one of the oldest sectors of the U.S. economy. Some in the industry believe the returning president will be more responsive to its needs. Economic analysts paint a more complicated picture, as they fear Trump’s pending trade hostilities with major trading partners Canada and China could make an already pricy kind of protein more expensive. Conservationists also fear Trump’s emphasis on deregulation could jeopardize fish stocks already in peril. But many in the commercial fishing and seafood processing industries said they expect Trump to allow fishing in protected areas and crack down on offshore wind expansion.Eighty-eight years ago, in 1936, the nation was mired in the Great Depression, then in its seventh year. Yet Nov. 26, Thanksgiving Day, arrived with growing optimism and a feeling of hopefulness among many Americans. The economic outlook was finally, slowly getting better in places like Bloomington-Normal, especially when compared to the darkest days of the Depression. After all, four years earlier dozens of area banks collapsed, and things were so bad that Illinois Wesleyan University accepted farm produce in lieu of tuition. That year, 1932, saw the election of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, whose first-term New Deal relief programs provided jobs for millions of unemployed Americans. A little more than three weeks before Thanksgiving 1936, FDR trounced Republican challenger Alfred M. “Alf” Landon to earn a second term in the White House. By this time several of Roosevelt’s New Deal “alphabet agencies” had a heavy presence in McLean County. For example, around 2,000 Work Projects Administration employees in the county were given the Nov. 26 holiday off —though M.L. Houser, McLean County WPA supervisor, noted that the lost time would be made up later. Okay, enough with economics and politics and onto more important things —like the 1936 Thanksgiving turkey! At this time, “mom-and-pop” corner groceries were still found in every neighborhood in the Twin Cities, though regional and national chains were beginning to make significant inroads. By Thanksgiving 1936 there were eight Piggly Wiggly grocery stores in Bloomington-Normal selling “scientifically fed and fattened” Cimco Farm turkeys for 27 cents a pound. Twenty-seven cents a pound may sound like one heck of a bargain to us today, but it’s actually the equivalent of $6.09 in inflation-adjusted 2024 dollars, since $1 in 1936 would be worth around $22.55 today, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2024, the American Farm Bureau Federation says a 16-pound turkey costs $25.67, on average, or about $1.60 a pound. In other words, today’s turkey cost about one fourth of one carved and served in 1936. Seeger’s Groceries and Meats, located at the corner of Morris Avenue and Jackson Street (and one of no less than 110 local Twin City groceries in 1936), sold fancy, northern U.S. No. 1 prime turkey for 29 cents a pound, and fresh oysters for 25 cents a pint. Although department stores and other retail outlets did not open their doors for pre-“Black Friday” sales, plenty of restaurants and other businesses were open and crowded with local residents and visiting friends and family. Billing itself as “Bloomington’s finest restaurant,” the Green Mill Cafe, 212 W. Washington St., offered an expansive Thanksgiving Day dinner for 65 cents. The menu included chicken gumbo or okra soup, roast young tom turkey with chestnut dressing, baked Watertown goose, chicken fricassee, broiled lamb chops, homemade hot mince pie, burnt almond ice cream, and other delectables. For many Americans in 1936, Thanksgiving Day also meant attending a worship service. At Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Bloomington, three young out-of-town priests, Raymond Schueth, Edmund Sweeney and Leo F. Dee — all former members of the parish — conducted Thanksgiving Mass. Trinity Lutheran Church in the old German South Hill neighborhood held both German-language and English-language services. Traditionally, the Community Thanksgiving, a nondenominational service sponsored in part by the Bloomington and Normal Ministerial Association, served as the main public observance. The annual program emphasized the holiday “as an American tradition, shared equally by persons of all creeds and races.” The 1936 Community Thanksgiving was held at Second Presbyterian Church in downtown Bloomington. The program, attended by some 700 area residents and guests, included music by the 50-strong Philharmonic Society chorus, with Cliffine Ball as soloist. The featured speaker was Burris A. Jenkins, a progressive Disciples of Christ minister from Kansas City, Mo. His address, “Let’s Build a New World,” included a 17-point social justice program infused with the optimism and lofty goals of the New Deal. Jenkins called for less emphasis on profit and more on “creative and cooperative living”; the distribution of wealth to reduce inequality; the right of workers to unionize; “tolerance and justice between racial and religious groups”; and “repudiation of war, the construction of peace machinery and gradual disarmament.” Much like today, football was an integral part of Thanksgiving for many Americans, though back in 1936 several local teams were in on the action. There were 1,500 hardy fans at Bloomington High School’s athletic field to watch the hometown boys battle the visitors from University High to a 6-6 tie. “U High’s hopes for a clear-cut victory went glimmering in the closing minutes of the game when Johnny Blum missed a field goal from the 15 yard line,” reported The Pantagraph. Though this “frigid melee” ended in deadlock, Bloomington retained possession of the Wollrab trophy, given annually to the intercity gridiron champs. And the Illinois Wesleyan University Titans, Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champions, were in Ruston, La., pitted against Louisiana Polytechnic Institute (now Louisiana Tech University). Unfortunately, the Yankee visitors fell 12-0 before 6,000 spectators at the “Tech Bowl.” Billy Shelper’s Home Sweet Home City Rescue Mission, then located in the 200 block of South Main Street, served Thanksgiving meals to more than 600 adults and children. “In shifts of 200 each,” reported The Pantagraph, “they feasted on young turkey, roast beef, baked chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, peas, noodles, cranberries, ice cream, cake, cookies, candy and several kinds of bread — and sauces.” Meanwhile, over at the McLean County jail some 35 inmates enjoyed a dinner of fried chicken and all the fixings. “The number of prisoners, reduced just before the holiday, is expected to increase Friday as it does after every holiday,” noted The Pantagraph. That’s true, because in addition to turkey, church and football, this American holiday has long been associated with liquor, both its use and abuse. And indeed, in 1936 10 “Turkey Day tipplers” were arrested for drunken and disorderly conduct. One west-side resident charged with drunken driving plowed into four parked autos on the 1300 block of North Lee Street. Takesha Stokes talks about the Thanksgiving food giveaway at Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church. The 98th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade coverage is slated from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. EST Thursday, Nov. 28. This year's event will feature 28 clown crews, 26 floats, 16 giant balloons, 11 marching bands, five performance groups, three "baloonicles"—cold-air inflatables driven down the parade route, and numerous performers. Stacker curated a selection of photographs from the past century of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade to help illustrate the history of the iconic event. The parade in New York City, presented by department store chain Macy's, was first held in 1924 under the heading "Macy's Christmas Parade" to promote holiday sales and spotlight the newly expanded and, at the time, largest in the world Herald Square store in Manhattan. The success of the event led organizers to turn the spectacle into an annual tradition. Each year, the parade ends outside the same Herald Square Macy's location. The event has been televised nationally since 1953 on NBC. The parade at first featured Central Park Zoo animals escorted by Macy's employees and professional entertainers for 6 miles from 145th Street in north Manhattan's Harlem to Macy's. A quarter of a million onlookers lined the streets. Real animals were replaced with balloons in 1927; that same year, the name of the event was changed to Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The longest-running parade float is the event's unofficial mascot, Tom Turkey. Tom features moving wings, head, and eyes and usually functions as the lead float in the parade. Bringing up the caboose in virtually all the parades is Santa Claus who ushers in the holiday shopping season with his arrival at Macy's Herald Square. The parade offers a glimpse into pop culture of the time, from beloved children's entertainment to hit Broadway shows and musical acts. The Radio City Rockettes, formed in 1925, have performed in the parade annually since 1957. In 1933, the outside temperature was 69 degrees F, the warmest it's been; 2018 was the coldest day in parade history at 19 degrees F. In 2022, for the first time, the event featured a trio of women hosts. Today, more than 44 million people tune in to watch the parade. Keep reading to learn more about the parade's history and see some iconic shots of the event. You may also like: Game on: The booming growth of online gaming In Macy's first Thanksgiving parade, Santa Claus sat atop a float pulled by a team of horses down Broadway. That year floats, bands, and Central Park Zoo animals were featured in the procession. At the parade's end, Santa Claus was crowned "King of the Kiddies" on Macy's balcony at the 34th Street entrance. Macy's quickly announced the parade would be an annual event. The large balloons that replaced live zoo animals in 1927 were filled with regular air and had no release valves—they were simply let go to pop in the air following the parade. 1928 marked the first year of Macy's inflating balloons with helium to allow them to float. They were also outfitted with valves so the helium could gradually escape rather than waiting for the balloon to inevitably pop, and featured a return address so anyone who found them could return them and receive a reward. In this photo from 1928, a 35-foot fish and 60-foot-long tiger were featured prominently in the parade. A $100 prize was offered for each balloon recovered after its release. The Thanksgiving parade enjoyed rapid growth throughout the 1930s, with more than 1 million revelors lining the parade route in 1933. In this 1931 photo, a giant hippopotamus balloon makes its way down Broadway. A blue hippo balloon—possibly this one—released after the parade was still at large several days later, thought to be somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean. In this image, the Felix the Cat balloon is led down Broadway by its four handlers tailed by Terrible Turk and Willie Red Bird. The original Felix the Cat character balloon made its parade debut in 1927, but was destroyed after its post-parade release by a high tension wire in 1931. The Terrible Turk also was destroyed the same year by an electric sign. In 1932, Macy's Tom Cat balloon got stuck in the propeller of a plane when the aviator flying the plane tried recovering the balloon for a reward. While the plane eventually landed safely, that event marked the final year of releasing balloons after the parades and offering prizes for their return to Macy's. Pinnochio, Tin Man, and Uncle Sam make their way along the parade route in 1939. Mickey Mouse made his debut five years earlier with a balloon designed in part by Walt Disney; Mickey's handlers were also dressed as mice. New iterations of Mickey appeared over the next 70 years as the character evolved. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was canceled from 1942-1944 because of supply shortages during World War II, namely helium and rubber. Festivities returned in 1945. The Christmas classic "Miracle on 34th Street" was released in 1947 and prominently features actual footage from the 1946 parade. 1948 marked the parade's first network television broadcast. You may also like: Legendary interior designers from every decade of the 20th century Macy's original character The Giant Spaceman made his debut in 1952's parade, measuring 70 feet long and 40 feet wide and weighing 600 pounds. More than 25 gallons of paint went into painting the astronaut. An estimated 2.25 million people lined the streets for the festivities that year. Throngs of onlookers pack the sidewalks in Manhattan's Times Square during this 1955 parade. Mighty Mouse, an animated superhero created by Terrytoons, is seen in the back left of the photo. Mighty Mouse made his debut in the Thanksgiving Day parade in 1951; he appeared in 80 short films between 1942-1961. Popeye makes his way through Times Square in the 1959 parade. A year earlier, another helium shortage meant balloons were inflated with air and hung from construction cranes to make their way through the parade route. Also in 1958, the first celebrity performances were added with the Benny Goodman sextet. Live music proved a challenge technically and logistically. The parade was transitioning to the now-familiar lip syncing by 1964. The iconic peacock float makes its debut in this photo of the 1961 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. That same year, Miss Teenage America Diane Lynn Cox appeared in princess attire sharing a float with "Prince Charming" actor Troy Donahue. You may also like: Baltimore buried its urban streams—now an artist is bringing one back Teen performers appear in classic roller skates in this image from the 1961 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The sign above the skaters reads "Macy's presents A Fantasy of Christmas in New York." This 1961 photo shows shoulder-to-shoulder parade onlookers at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The year marks the first balloon featuring Bullwinkle Moose and the first year for floats with Pinocchio, The Racetrack Grandstand, Cinderella, Peacock, Ferris Wheel, Brigadoon, Meet the Mets, and Santa's Sleigh. Several years later, in 1968, Macy's creative team figured out how to design floats up to 40 feet tall and 28 feet wide that could fold into 12.5-by-8-foot boxes for strategic transportation from New Jersey to Manhattan via the Lincoln Tunnel. A Bullwinkle Moose balloon floats down Broadway in this 1972 photograph of the parade. The 46th annual parade featured five firsts for floats: Alphabet Blocks, Snow Mountain, Windmill, Curious George, and Santa's Holiday Home. A solo tortoise float makes its way down the street near Columbus Circle in this 1974 parade photo. Not pictured is the accompanying hare. This marked the seventh appearance of the duo. A giant inflatable balloon of Kermit the Frog makes its way down the 1982 parade route in this photo. The parade marked Kermit's sixth appearance. First-time balloons included Olive Oyl and Woody Woodpecker. You may also like: Far from making their last calls, LGBTQ+ bars evolve to imagine a new world Woody Woodpecker greets the crowd as he floats past One Times Square during the 63rd annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1989. In the coming years, safety concerns troubled '90s-era parades—namely the wind. Strong gusts in 1993 pushed a Sonic the Hedgehog balloon into a Columbus Circle lamppost that broke and hurt a child and off-duty police officer. Four years later, intense winds caused a Cat in the Hat balloon to hit a lamppost, hurling debris into the air that fractured the skull of a spectator who spent 24 days in a coma. The incident, among others, led then-New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani to form a task force. The Soaring Spirit Canoe float, pictured here in 1995, made its debut in the parade in 1986. Popular '90s balloons included Bart Simpson, Cat in the Hat, and The Rugrats. New York City first responders carry two American flags during the Nov. 22, 2001, 75th Anniversary of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which was also held on the heels of 9/11. They honored those killed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that year. New Yorkers crowded the streets to watch the parade, which featured 15 giant balloons and marching bands that all added an air of patriotism to the event. Dora the Explorer makes her balloon debut in this 2005 photo. That same year, the M&M 's chocolate candies balloon collided with a streetlight in Times Square, and debris from it injured two siblings. A woman dressed in an elf costume sprinkles spectators with confetti in Times Square during Macy's 85th Thanksgiving Day parade on Nov. 24, 2011. Sonic the Hedgehog and Julius the sock monkey, which was created by Paul Frank, made their balloon entrances that year. You may also like: 5 tips for making your next event more affordable In this 2016 photo, spectators like this one recorded videos of the parade on their phones. More than 24 million people were estimated to have streamed the parade that year on TV. Santa Claus celebrates at the 97th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in this photo from Nov. 23, 2023. First-time giant balloons included Beagle Scout Snoopy, Leo (Netflix), Monkey D. Luffy, Po from "Kung Fu Panda," and The Pillsbury Doughboy. Copy editing by Lois Hince. You may also like: From the Roman Empire to your therapist's office: The history of the chaise lounge The 23rd annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was held Nov. 24, 1949. In this photo, a teddy bear makes its way through Times Square. This parade marked the second appearance for the bear. Other balloons made their debut: Freida the Dachshund, Howdy Doody on the Flying Trapeze, and Macy's Hobo Clown. Snoopy and Woodstock made their way along the 89th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade route Nov. 26, 2015. To date, Snoopy boasts the most years flown as a character balloon in the event. The Pikachu balloon floats down Central Park West for its fourth time during the 91st annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2017. That year's lineup featured 1,100 cheerleaders and dancers, more than 1,000 clowns, 28 legacy balloons, 26 floats, 17 giant helium balloons, 12 marching bands, and six performance groups. Performers in this photo prepare at the 94th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 26, 2020. The event was one of few public occasions to be kept on schedule during the COVID-19 pandemic, albeit in a tempered manner. Much of the performances were pre-taped and the parade route was massively reduced. Participants wore masks and balloon handlers were cut by nearly 90%. Pieces From Our Past is a weekly column by the McLean County Museum of History. Bill Kemp is the librarian at the museum. Dive into hometown history With a weekly newsletter looking back at local history. Digital Producer {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.In the weeks since Republicans decisively won the White House as well as both chambers of Congress, Democrats and pundits alike have voiced countless theories for their defeat. However, the even more critical question is, where do Democrats go from here? Do Democrats double down on the “resistance” that has defined the party for the better part of a decade? Or do Democrats try a different approach and return to the center in order to win back millions of voters who have abandoned the party? Ever since 2016, the Democratic Party’s platform can almost entirely be defined by one word: resistance. Whatever President-elect Donald Trump supported, Democrats rejected and organized in resistance to, often at the expense of formulating their own competing policies. Now, with the politics of resistance soundly rejected, if Democrats want to remain politically viable, they need to return to the center and develop policies for actual issues. They need a specific agenda to address inflation, create jobs, and better manage the economy. This should include a strong position on border security with a viable pathway to citizenship for migrants already here, instead of the open border advocacy that the resistance wing, led by the progressive “Squad” loudly called for during Trump’s first term. On the economy, Democrats should reject progressives’ preference for overbearing taxes and an expansive welfare state. Instead, moderate Democrats must work with the GOP to achieve less regulations, agree to job-boosting tax cuts, and cutting inflationary yet wasteful government spending. To be clear, the 2024 election exposed the hollowness of resistance politics. Voters made it clear that they want elected officials who will address the actual issues, not those who are defined solely by what – or who – they oppose. Indeed, rather than articulating an agenda to address voters’ concerns about the economy, cost of living, immigration, or crime, Democrats – and Vice President Kamala Harris in particular – almost entirely campaigned on the need to stop Trump, lest his “fascism” destroy our democracy. Yet as we saw, this was a costly mistake. Trump won because voters felt he had actual solutions to kitchen-table issues, and Democrats’ appeals largely fell flat with moderate and swing voters. Put another way, as Brett Stephens noted in the New York Times, adherence to resistance politics “led Democrats astray...It distracted them from the task of developing superior policy responses to the valid public concerns he was addressing.” Fortunately for Democrats, they should look to the past to develop a roadmap for the party’s future. Four decades ago, also in the wake of a devastating election loss – former Vice President Walter Mondale’s in 1984 – Democrats, led by then-Governor Bill Clinton, created the Democratic Leadership Council to bring the party back to the center and push back against the growing influence of the party’s left-wing. The DLC advocated for policies that many leftwing Democrats today would shudder at – balancing the budget, welfare reform, and a tougher stance on crime – but that was what Democrats needed then, and that is what they need now. In that same vein, what made the DLC effective was its focus on commonsense values that appealed to the majority of Americans – smaller government, fiscal responsibility, safe cities, and border security. Comparatively, the resistance playbook seeks to divide Americans via progressive identity politics, promotion of an unpopular “woke” agenda, and a refusal to compromise on solutions to challenges facing all Americans. The fact that Donald Trump won the popular vote with one of – if not the – most racially diverse coalition assembled by a Republican in decades underscores the ineffectiveness of progressives’ resistance platform, as well as its toxicity to the Democratic Party as a whole. To that end, the dangers to Democrats posed by progressive-led resistance politics are backed by the data. Beginning in 2016, progressives have driven Democrats significantly further to the left than the average American voter, risking the overall party’s viability should they continue diverging. An analysis from the Financial Times shows that in the last eight years, Democrats hard left turn on supporting increased immigration has taken them nearly 60-points to the left of the average voter. Related Articles Opinion Columnists | California’s political clout will fade as long as population growth remains slow Opinion Columnists | Here’s to hoping Trump delivers on some of his Libertarian promises Opinion Columnists | Grand DOGE promises of massive cuts to the federal government are unlikely to materialize Opinion Columnists | Republican populism goes all in for the Nanny State Opinion Columnists | After botched Gaetz nomination, Trump should pivot on Cabinet picks As John Burn-Murdoch wrote, the data “suggests that Trump’s election radicalized the left, not the right.” And while this analysis was done prior to the 2024 election, there is little reason to believe Democrats have made up the lost ground. The first step for Democrats’ new approach should be to move back to where the average voter is. They can start by committing to working with centrist Republicans for commonsense solutions to the problems we face. Doing so is also smart politically. Working with – rather than against – Trump, will benefit Democrats if his second term does in fact produce a strong economy, secure borders, a more stable geopolitical environment, and overall prosperity. Ultimately, where Democrats go from here remains to be seen, but the 2024 election was a stinging rebuke of a party with little to offer aside from stubborn opposition to Donald Trump. If Democrats want to avoid being consigned to minority status for years to come, it is critical that they shun calls to double down on the politics of resistance and begin offering genuine, centrist solutions that address Americans’ concerns. Douglas Schoen is a longtime Democratic political consultant.None
David J. Neal | (TNS) Miami Herald Stanley — whose cups have become almost as popular as the National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup — recalled 2.6 million travel mugs because their burn count got too high. As explained in the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recall notice, “These mugs’ lid threads can shrink when exposed to heat and torque, causing the lid to detach during use, posing a burn hazard.” According to what Stanley told the CPSC, the lids on recalled travel mugs have detached 16 times in the United States and 91 times worldwide, causing two burn injuries in the United States and 38 worldwide. Of those 38, 11 “required medical attention.” Related Articles National News | How to protect your communications through encryption National News | Companies tighten security after a health care CEO’s killing leads to a surge of threats National News | Military service academies see drop in reported sexual assaults after alarming surge National News | Unidentified drones spotted flying at locations across NYC, including LaGuardia Airport National News | Woman who falsely accused Duke lacrosse players of rape in 2006 publicly admits she lied This involves the Switchback model, ID No. 20-01437 in the 12-ounce size and Nos. 20-01436 and 20-02211 in the 16-ounce size; and the Trigger Action model, ID Nos. 20-02033, 20-02779 and 20-02825 in the 12-ounce size; Nos. 20-02030, 20-02745 and 20-02957 in the 16-ounce size; and 20-02034 and 20-02746 in the 20-ounce size. Stanley wants customers to contact the company to receive a free replacement lid by either going to the website to enter your product identification number and place of purchase (if you remember) or calling (866) 792-5445, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Eastern time. ©2024 Miami Herald. Visit at miamiherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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The gift of is priceless, but the - for the furry friend's sake need to be considered, particularly at . or signup to continue reading A total of 33,747 cats and 18,778 dogs were received by the RSPCA across Australia in the 2022-23 financial year. Of these, 21,735 felines and 7669 canines were rehomed, while 6224 cats and 2875 dogs were euthanised. It's also well known many pets get surrendered to pounds following Christmas, bought at a pet shop as a great present idea, without much further thought. It's an issue close to Kat Johnston's heart, who has given a home to several . One of them was "best friend" Hanami (pronounced Ha-Na-Me), based on the word "O'Hanami", a tradition of viewing cherry blossoms. "At walkies time, if I didn't take heed of her increasing vocal prompts, she became so frustrated she would get her lead and throw it at my feet. It was through Hanami that I met half the people in my neighbourhood," Ms Johnston said. She is a freelance writer and advocate for raising awareness about domestic violence, improving its handling in Australia, and for ending puppy farming and backyard breeding. After returning to Australia from Japan and England, Ms Johnston wanted a companion and knew there were 1000s of animals in need of a loving home at shelters everywhere. "She [Hanami] was quite shy with other people [at first], but very friendly with me and very gentle," Ms Johnston said. Her new friends became a registered Assistance Dog in 2021, and has helped support Ms Johnston through tough times that affected her mental health. This registration enabled Hanami to join Ms Johnston on domestic flights between the Gold Coast, Sydney and Melbourne. "I was too frightened to leave my immediate neighbourhood. Even going to the supermarket was cause for panic attacks," she said. "My world opened again." Sadly, Hanami died in August 2024 at the age of 16. "The only thing Hanami ever really wanted was to be with me. That's all I ever wanted too," Ms Johnston said. "People sometimes say to me, 'Oh, it's so great you saved her'. The truth is, Hanami saved me." She also has another rescue dog, Mochi. Ms Johnston is particularly mindful of instances where animals bought as Christmas presents don't work out, leaving the pet without a home. She had the following advice for people considering getting someone a pet: - Make sure the owner can service the pet's needs. This includes the level of exercise and grooming required, how much space the dog needs to play according to its breed or genetics, and the end owner's financial capacity to care for it. - For an elderly recipient, consider a dog aged six years or older, which might need less exercise. Plus, there is the benefit that most have been toilet trained. - Be cautious about getting a young grandchild a pet; strongly consider the child's empathy and reliability in caring for a pet first. Ms Johnston suggested making arrangements in your will for your dog's care once you die. This might include insurance and other finances so the animal has ongoing support. Animal Welfare League Queensland relationship manager Sharyn Duffy said i t has more than 1000 animals in its care at any time. "We are continually running at capacity," she said. With limited space available at its shelters, the League relies on foster carers to help look after the animals until they can find a new home. Ms Duffy said the League advocates for people to adopt, rather than buy a 'new' pet. "All animals have a full vet check; their vaccinations and any procedure that may be needed are done before they are available for rehoming," she said. "We have both young and old animals come into our care with a wide range of personalities and training." The Queensland League has programs to support people aged 65 and over, including pet rehoming services if the owner moves into aged care. 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