HIGH radiation levels found in drinking water is the last straw, Upper Hunter residents say, making terrible quality water even worse. Login or signup to continue reading It is not only smelly, discoloured, foul-tasting and full of minerals which ruin appliances, many residents now fear that it is also unsafe. Former police officer Michael Blades said that, long before recent water tests showed the maximum possible radiation dose from the bore water was double the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines, it had been known to cause health issues, such as rashes in young children. "I moved to Merriwa to live in a police residence from Western Sydney where the water quality was ok," Mr Blades said. He noticed immediately that there was a "considerable issue" with the water quality, he said. "It was terrible," Mr Blades said. "It is very hard water with a lot of minerals in it. It is foul-tasting, it smells, and we have had to replace washing machines, hot water elements... "Every time we had a bath or shower the water would affect my family, especially my children." When he moved to the area, in 2017, his then 12-year-old daughter developed "terrible rashes" from her neck down to her knee caps, Mr Blades said. "Local doctors knew of the problem and said it was a common thing with the town's water," Mr Blades said. "The only way to escape it was not to have a bath." He was paying $150 per month for bottled water, because rain water ran out quickly during dry weather and bushfire season. "It has impacted our health, and it has impacted locals' mental health, especially finding out there might be radiation in our drinking water." Merriwa resident Brad Foster said the water quality had always been "a bit how's it going" but it had deteriorated significantly during the past 12 to 18 months. "My wife and I don't wash our cars in town ,... it just leaves white scaly spots and they build up," Mr Foster said. "We have had to replace all the water and sewage under the house due to the scale building up in it." When the water smells particularly bad, the smell lingers, he said, and reminds him of going to a public pool or a water park at the start of the season, when the water is being heavily treated. Mr Foster said it was hard to believe the council had not communicated with the community since it first announced it was investigating higher than usual levels of radiation in the water , in early August. "That happened, and nothing has happened since," Mr Foster said. "You wash your clothes in it, you wash yourself in it, you wash everything in it, you cook with it ... even if the standard is one one hundredth of what would be potentially harmful exposure, it's cumulative." Residents have taken to social media to vent their concerns, including images of ruined kitchen items. The issue was being raised at a council meeting on Monday (November 25) by whistleblower and Councillor Troy Stolz. He is calling on the council to lobby the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water for funding to improve the poor-quality drinking water in Merriwa and Cassilis "with a sense of urgency". Regardless of recent information from NSW Health saying that the higher levels of radiation found in the water were "not dangerous", the water quality was sub-standard, he said. "I have seen first-hand photos of local children who are suffering medical conditions such as severe rashes after bathing. This is not good enough." In August, a Upper Hunter Shire Council statement said it had moved the town's supply to two groundwater bores with the lowest radioactivity "as a precaution" while further investigations into radiation levels took place. Testing has revealed the maximum possible radiation dose from the bores is double the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines. In the statement, the council said a result above the screen values does not mean the drinking water is unsafe, but further investigation was required. Detailed radionuclide testing by the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) would take about 10 weeks, it said. The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment said it was a council responsibility, along with local water utilities, to "monitor and manage" the delivery of clean drinking water to their communities. That included managing water quality issues and maintaining infrastructure, a spokesperson said. "Our department plays an important supporting role, providing technical advice and valuable training for councils across regional NSW when they need additional resources," a statement issued to the Newcastle Herald said. "This includes working closely with NSW Health in providing support to Upper Hunter Shire Council in responding to the ongoing situation in Merriwa and Cassilis." The department cited a $32.8 million Town Water Risk Reduction Program, which it says has been extended for another year, which focuses on raw water quality monitoring and advanced operational support for water operators. Responding to Cr Stolz, council staff said there were few avenues for the council to explore by way of external funding. "Although there are no current grants available, exploring alternative funding options for the full scheme, including political advocacy and user-pays systems, will be vital to securing an improved water quality system." Community health & welfare, social justice, investigations, general news.Gabriel.Fowler@newcastleherald.com.au Community health & welfare, social justice, investigations, general news.Gabriel.Fowler@newcastleherald.com.au DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. 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No. 22 Syracuse looking for 10 wins in 1st year under Fran Brown against depleted Washington StateThey say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Average of 9 LIVE Regular Season games per week plus the best of the NBA Playoffs, including every game of the NBA Conference Finals & NBA Finals LIVE on ESPN, available via Kayo New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. Except a 76er fan booing Ben Simmons. Brooklyn’s Simmons has a history in Philadelphia, and while he’s returned to Wells Fargo Center before, he knows full well that he’ll keep getting booed by 76ers fans for the rest of his career. But he’s not afraid of it. He feeds off it. “Yeah, I also love that,” said Simmons, who leads his Nets back to Philadelphia on Saturday from 11am (AEDT). “I love being in arenas where it’s loud and people are booing and all that stuff. So, it comes with the game. It’s a part of it. And I love it.” Simmons played 275 games for the Sixers over six years, missing his rookie campaign to injury and 2021-22 to mental health issues and back woes. His detachment, hesitancy to drive and eventual holdout made him persona non grata. One fan famously paraded all around town with a sign saying ‘F**k Ben Simmons’ — while he was still on the roster. His divorce from the 76ers was ugly, and Simmons has been the subject of hatred from their fans ever since being dealt to the Nets for James Harden. “You can only boo so much,” Simmons shrugged. This will be Simmons’ fourth time playing at Wells Fargo Center since being traded to the Nets. He also missed one of their visits last season and their March 10 visit just weeks after his arrival. But Wells Fargo Center had to beef up security in that first return — even though he was injured and not playing — and he’s aware that Philadelphia fans have elevated booing to an art form. “Sure. That’s what Philly’s about, you know? Shoot, when I was in Philly we got booed at times when we weren’t playing well. So it goes both ways,” said Simmons. “But they’re passionate fans. And that’s why Philly the city is so great, and the fans are so great.” The 6-9 Nets have unexpectedly started this season much better than the 2-12 76ers, who sit dead-last in the East as their new big three of Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey have been heavily disrupted by injury. Embiid (knee) goes into Saturday’s game with a questionable tag, while George (knee bruise) is out. Simmons clearly got fired up in the win over Charlotte by his clash with Hornets star Brandon Miller. He’ll draw inspiration from the bile that is sure to come in Wells Fargo Center. “I really hope so, because it’s just cool,” said Cam Johnson. “You step back, take a look at it. And I think that’s the cool part of being an athlete, is that people really care. They might care for you, they might kind of hate on you or whatever, but the bottom line is they care. “They have somebody that they support, they have something that they cheer for, and that’s kind of what makes our league and every other professional league and sport in general go around. So it’s just something that you’ve got to embrace. I hope he embraces it. Philly’s always kind of crazy, rowdy. They’ve got a lot to say. You know when Ben comes into town, they definitely have a lot to say. But I just hope it just gives our team energy and we’re able to feed off that.” There will surely be tons of negative energy directed at Simmons, if the Nets can flip that around to positive energy to feed off and rally around their point-forward. “Yeah, you have to as a competitor,” said Brooklyn centre Nic Claxton. “If people are booing you, they don’t boo people that they don’t care about. So, you’re relevant. So, you’re in their mind. You can look at it as a good thing.” It’s one of several big games on Saturday’s NBA Cup card including Aussies Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels facing off when Chicago hosts Atlanta at 12pm. In other games, Milwaukee hosts Indiana in a playoffs rematch at 12pm and Denver is home to Dallas at 2pm. -This story was originally published in the New York Post and reproduced with permission.
Cancer Daily Horoscope Today, December 27, 2024 predicts optimal health
The other day, the duo met at a ‘power dinner’ in New Delhi. Both gentlemen have graced the Union Cabinet of ministers as members of opposing coalitions. They fielded identical questions: What would be the outcome of the Maharashtra polls? I humbly fielded a counter question: Please enlighten me, as both of you are the quintessential political insiders. The member of the ruling dispensation asserted that his coalition would return to power, insisting that he was convinced that Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi possesses a siddhi (magic wand) that helps him wriggle out of the tightest of situations. This election will be another testimony to that “magic”. The opposition leader, on the other hand, threw up his hands in exasperation and said: “I have given up election forecasts after the Haryana results. I don’t know what ‘secret sauce’ the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) uses to cast a spell on the electorate in the last few days of the campaign and all our calculations go for a toss.” Incidentally, he had returned from Mumbai the same day after attending a marathon election campaign review. Pay attention to the words of the two veterans — siddhi and secret sauce. What does it mean? The member of the ruling coalition wasn’t talking about PM Modi’s special spiritual powers, instead, he was referring to his brilliant political skills and uncanny ability to read people’s minds. That’s the reason the BJP workers believe even if the party’s seats diminish in any election, it will more than make up in the next. This belief not only fills them with confidence but inspires them to soldier on as a tight-knit unit. The election results in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh have proved that the ghosts of setbacks in the general election have been laid to rest. The BJP suffered an electoral humiliation in both the states just a few months ago. The Opposition leader’s statement betrays the fact that the Congress-led INDIA bloc is facing a crisis of confidence to secure an electoral victory. The Maharashtra victory wasn’t scripted easily. The task was tough and the challenges were many. Ever since Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar severed the umbilical cords from their parent organisations to chart their own course, experts thought the public would punish these villains for their betrayal. Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar tried to milk the element of sympathy but failed miserably. The reason was the Mahayuti government was able to successfully stall the Maratha consolidation which led to their poor showing in the general election. Similarly, Ajit Pawar, was encouraged to win over the Muslim votes. This proved to be the death knell for Maha Vikas Agadhi (MVA). The Ladki Bahin scheme introduced four months before the assembly elections proved to be the game-changer as it hit the right chord with women voters. The women are continually increasing their electoral clout with each passing election. In Jharkhand, they threw their weight behind Hemant Soren. Even Soren made inroads in half of the electorate with the Maiya Samman (mother’s pride) scheme. These elections have made it clear that sympathy and legacy aren’t enough to ensure victory. You need to work on the ground. In Maharashtra, the BJP didn’t make any mistakes. The tricky task of ticket distribution and coalition partner management was handled with care and a lot of wisdom under the leadership of Union home minister Amit Shah. And the results speak for themselves. The BJP with a strike rate of 88.6%, Shinde’s Shiv Sena with 71.3%, and Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party’s 69.5% have all contributed to the landslide victory. Now that the results are out, the names of Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis, and Ajit Pawar may pop up as possible chief minister (CM) candidates. During the election campaign, they desisted from making any loose comments. On the contrary, the MVA leaders were all over the place making contradictory statements. So, why did the BJP juggernaut fail in Jharkhand? There are many reasons. Unlike in Maharashtra, there weren’t heavy-weight leaders in the NDA in Jharkhand. In the INDIA bloc, there was no one to challenge Hemant Soren’s stature. So, there was no confusion in the rank and file as well as among the voters. His arrest, a few months before elections, subsumed anti-incumbency. The BJP did attempt a Maharashtra-like defection but Champai Soren couldn’t repeat the feats of Eknath Shinde or Ajit Pawar. Another trend that became visible in these elections is the Congress Party is steadily losing its ability to win in the Hindi heartland on its own. It can help Soren, Tejaswi Yadav, or Akhilesh Yadav win but in the bargain, it’s losing its vote base. Even after the setback in Jharkhand, it is clear that the BJP will prepare for the coming elections with renewed gusto. Another benefit will be that the NDA partners will work with the PM with greater deference. It will help PM Modi expedite his agenda and schemes. We can also hazard a guess as to what will happen to Eknath Shinde. He has held his own against Uddhav Thackeray, but he still has to emerge as Balasaheb Thackeray’s natural heir. If he’s unable to retain the CM’s post, he may have to face new challenges in the future. As far as the Opposition is concerned, it can brush off the drubbing, insisting that it has won two out of four states that have held assembly elections since June. Priyanka Gandhi has won her election from Wayanad. Will she be able to provide a fresh lease of life in the Congress along with her brother Rahul Gandhi? It’s clear the Opposition has received a big jolt, yet they have enough room to rest and recuperate. This is the beauty of Indian democracy. There’s always space for everyone. Shashi Shekhar is editor-in-chief, Hindustan. The views expressed are personalDOVER, Del. (AP) — A Delaware judge has reaffirmed her ruling that Tesla must revoke Elon Musk’s multibillion-dollar pay package Chancellor Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick on Monday denied a request by attorneys for Musk and Tesla’s corporate directors to vacate her ruling earlier this year requiring the company to rescind the unprecedented pay package. McCormick also rejected an equally unprecedented and massive fee request by plaintiff attorneys , who argued that they were entitled to legal fees in the form of Tesla stock valued at more than $5 billion. The judge said the attorneys were entitled to a fee award of $345 million. The rulings came in a lawsuit filed by a Tesla stockholder who challenged Musk’s 2018 compensation package. McCormick concluded in January that Musk engineered the landmark pay package in sham negotiations with directors who were not independent. The compensation package initially carried a potential maximum value of about $56 billion, but that sum has fluctuated over the years based on Tesla’s stock price. Following the court ruling, Tesla shareholders met in June and ratified Musk’s 2018 pay package for a second time, again by an overwhelming margin. Defense attorneys then argued that the second vote makes clear that Tesla shareholders, with full knowledge of the flaws in the 2018 process that McCormick pointed out, were adamant that Musk is entitled to the pay package. They asked the judge to vacate her order directing Tesla to rescind the pay package. McCormick, who seemed skeptical of the defense arguments during an August hearing, said in Monday’s ruling that those arguments were fatally flawed. “The large and talented group of defense firms got creative with the ratification argument, but their unprecedented theories go against multiple strains of settled law,” McCormick wrote in a 103-page opinion. The judge noted, among other things, that a stockholder vote standing alone cannot ratify a conflicted-controller transaction. “Even if a stockholder vote could have a ratifying effect, it could not do so here due to multiple, material misstatements in the proxy statement,” she added. Meanwhile, McCormick found that the $5.6 billion fee request by the shareholder’s attorneys, which at one time approached $7 billion based on Tesla’s trading price, went too far. “In a case about excessive compensation, that was a bold ask,” McCormick wrote. Attorneys for the Tesla shareholder argue that their work resulted in the “massive” benefit of returning shares to Tesla that otherwise would have gone to Musk and diluted the stock held by other Tesla investors. They value that benefit at $51.4 billion, using the difference between the stock price at the time of McCormick’s January ruling and the strike price of some 304 million stock options granted to Musk. While finding that the methodology used to calculate the fee request was sound, the judge noted that the Delaware’s Supreme Court has noted that fee award guidelines “must yield to the greater policy concern of preventing windfalls to counsel.” “The fee award here must yield in this way, because $5.6 billion is a windfall no matter the methodology used to justify it,” McCormick wrote. A fee award of $345 million, she said, was “an appropriate sum to reward a total victory.” The fee award amounts to almost exactly half the current record $688 million in legal fees awarded in 2008 in litigation stemming from the collapse of Enron.The Korean government’s boycott of a memorial service held on Sado island in Japan on Sunday for Koreans forced into labor in gold mines on the island during its colonial rule of Korea stemmed from Japan’s lack of sincerity. In order to get the Sado mines inscribed on the World Cultural Heritage list, the Japanese government pledged to exhibit data on former Korean workers and hold an on-site memorial service jointly with the Korean government each year if it consented to the designation. Seoul accepted the offer, helping the mines become a World Cultural Heritage site. Afterward, however, the attitude of the Japanese government changed. The memorial service it originally planned to hold in July or August was postponed to November. It showed differences from Korea on the official name of the ceremony and eventually settled on an unclearly named "Sado Mine Memorial Ceremony" which lacks a reference to Korean victims. The host of the event was not the Japanese government but a private organization. The career of Akiko Ikuina, a parliamentary vice minister at Japan's Foreign Ministry, whom Tokyo picked as its chief delegate, was inappropriate for the ceremony. She visited the Yasukuni Shrine in 2022 which Seoul condemns as glorifying Japan's wartime aggression and honoring war criminals. The Japanese government was half-hearted in upholding its pledge to enunciate clearly that Koreans were forced to work in the mines. There was no mention of the forced nature of the labor in Ikuina's memorial address, let alone apology or self-examination. Disregarding Korea's boycott, Japan proceeded with the memorial service unilaterally. The Sado mines are a site deeply resented by Koreans forced into labor there during Japan's colonial occupation. The memorial service should specifically memorialize them and include self-reflection upon their history. However, Japan sent a far-right figure who bowed to Pacific War criminals as its chief government delegate to the ceremony. It is a direct insult to Koreans victimized by forced labor in the mines and their descendants. Japan did similar things in 2015 when Hashima, widely known as Battleship Island, another site where Koreans had been forced into labor at coal mines, got inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. At that time, in order to ease the controversy from forced labor, Tokyo admitted that Korean and other peoples had worked under harsh conditions against their will in some facilities on the island and pledged to set up an information center on the scene. But the center was built in Tokyo, far from the scene, and displayed data effectively denies the forced nature of labor. The Sado Mine Memorial Ceremony confirms again that Japan is not sincere about resolution of historical issues with Korea. The administration under President Yoon Suk Yeol has striven to restore the Korea-Japan relationship, which was on the rocks under the previous government. It presented “a third-party repayment,” a politically risky solution to the Korean court order that Japanese companies should compensate Koreans who were forced to work in Japan for the firms during its colonial rule. Then, it launched shuttle summit diplomacy with Japan. Preparations for the memorial service for Sado mine victims were made on that basis, but Japan's follow-up actions fell short of expectations and the red light came on again in Korea-Japan relations. Japan should recognize the sensitivity of historical issues involving Korea and show a positive and sincere attitude towards efforts to resolve them. Next year marks six decades of diplomatic relations between the two countries. With former US President Donald Trump reelected, US-China ties are expected to enter rough waters. North Korea will certainly keep escalating its nuclear and missile threats. A close trilateral relationship between Seoul, Tokyo and Washington will be more important than ever. Seoul gave consideration to Tokyo on politically burdensome historical issues in order to improve their relations. However, Japan is not taking corresponding measures. If it remains half-hearted at improving its ties with South Korea, the hard-won opportunity for a better future of both countries will vanish.
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EDITOR'S NOTE: On Football analyzes the biggest topics in the NFL from week to week. No one wants to see any player take a vicious hit like the one that knocked Trevor Lawrence out of the game. It’s easy to agree on that point. Eliminating violent shots is the hard part. The NFL has instituted several rules to protect quarterbacks but football is a physical sport and players have to react instantly and make split-second decisions going at high speeds so injuries keep occurring. Lawrence was carted off the field in the first half of Jacksonville’s 23-20 loss to Houston on Sunday after Azeez Al-Shaair leveled the defenseless quarterback with a forearm to the facemask. The late hit put Lawrence in the fencing position — both fists clenched — and he stayed on the ground for several minutes, while a brawl ensued. Lawrence didn’t require hospitalization for his concussion but it’s unknown when he’ll return. “Thank you to everyone who has reached out/been praying for me,” Lawrence wrote on X. “I’m home and feeling better. Means a lot, thank you all.” Al-Shaair was ejected from the game and faces a fine and potential suspension after his latest unsportsmanlike penalty. The Texans' linebacker was flagged and later fined $11,255 for a late hit out of bounds on Titans running back Tony Pollard last week. He was fined earlier this year after he punched Bears running back Roschon Johnson on the sideline in Week 2. That occurred during a scuffle that started after his hard shot on quarterback Caleb Williams near the sideline that wasn’t flagged. Al-Shaair once got away with grabbing Tom Brady by the throat on a pass rush in a game between the 49ers and Buccaneers. Outraged Jaguars players called Al-Shaair’s hit “dirty” and Texans coach DeMeco Ryans made it known he didn’t condone it. “It’s not what we’re coaching,” Ryans said. “Want to be smart in everything we do and not hurt the team, get a penalty there. Have to be smarter when the quarterback is going down. Unfortunate play. Not representative of who Azeez is. He’s a smart player, really great leader for us. We felt his presence not being there. His loss really affected us on the defensive side. Just not what we’re coaching. Didn’t want to see the melee and all the aftermath. That’s not what we’re about. Not representative of us. I’ll talk to Azeez, address him personally, and we’ll move forward from it.” Fox Sports color analyst Daryl Johnston, a former fullback for the Dallas Cowboys, didn’t hold back his criticism, calling it a “cheap shot.” “It’s everything you’re not supposed to do,” Johnston said. “Everything. You’ll see this in slow motion and Azeez Al-Shaair does everything you’re trying to prevent in this situation. It’s reckless. It’s disrespectful. There’s an honor that you give to your opponent on the football field and you respect him. And there’s opportunities to be physical and give big hits and play this game in that manner. And there’s other times when there’s a respect that you grant to your opponent.” Some former NFL quarterbacks blasted Al-Shaair on social media. “There is no place in the game of football for dirty hits like this one,” Robert Griffin III wrote on X. Chase Daniel called it “one of the dirtiest hits” he’s ever seen on a quarterback. Even defensive players struggled to defend Al-Shaair. “That was uncalled for,” Hall of Fame defensive lineman Michael Strahan said on Fox’s studio show while fellow Hall of Famer Howie Long agreed. But the play also sparked debate about the quarterback slide. Lawrence slid feet first, which signals that he’s giving himself up on the play. The NFL rulebook states: “A defender must pull up when a runner begins a feet-first slide.” But defensive players aren’t automatically penalized if they make contact with a sliding quarterback if they already committed and the contact is unavoidable. The rules state it’s a foul when “the defender makes forcible contact into the head or neck area of the runner with the helmet, shoulder, or forearm, or commits some other act that is unnecessary roughness.” Al-Shaair did that so he was penalized and will face other repercussions. Still, given the hard-hitting nature of the sport, it won’t be the last time this happens.The Giants were a no-show against the Bucs after releasing quarterback Daniel Jones
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Photo: Contributed The L.V. Rogers Grizzlies Senior Boys Volleyball Team made a trip to the BC High School Championships for the first time in decades. The team includes, back row, L-R, coach Renato Concepcion, Johann Concepcion, Nathaniel Alban, Felix Eichenhofer, Conor Jackson, Sol Weinstein and assistant coach Jeremy McComb. Front, Reese Thompson, Lanz Gonzales, Kade Stanley and Binyam Stewart. L.V. Rogers Grizzlies teams recently completed an unforgettable fall season on the BC High School Sports scene. From the trails to the courts, fields and pool, Grizzlies athletes achieved great success. Here's a recap of the standout moments from an incredible fall season: Volleyball Senior boys The senior boys' volleyball team had a memorable season, capped off with a thrilling victory at home to win the zone championship against Fernie. The team was led by the outstanding efforts of Johann Concepcion and Lanz Gonzales, whose leadership and dynamic play inspired the Grizzlies to the Kootenay championship. Their success continued at provincials in Vernon, where they battled fiercely to secure a 14th-place finish among the best teams in the province. This was the first time an LVR sr. boys’ volleyball team has made the provincials in more than 20 years. Senior girls The senior girls' volleyball team also enjoyed a fantastic season, growing stronger with each tournament. Their trips to Thompson Rivers University, Fernie and Oliver were pivotal in their development, culminating with a 11th-place finish at provincials. The team went 4-3 at the provincial tournament. Junior girls The junior girls volleyball team showcased exceptional talent and determination this season. They earned an impressive second place finish at the South Okanagan Invitational, claimed victory at their home Grizzlies Invitational, and capped off the season with a third place finish in the West Kootenay zone. Their strong performances throughout the year highlight the team’s growth and potential for even greater achievements in the future. Cross country The cross-country team had incredible individual and team performances. Dawson Abraham consistently led the way, earning a fourth-place finish at the provincials for the junior boys' division. The girls' cross country team achieved a sixth-place finish at provincials, showcasing their dedication and teamwork. Their efforts reflect the growing strength of the program and set a high bar for future seasons to come. Ruby Nay, Jacqueline Willard, Aleah Smith and Avran Fisher led the squad. Soccer Senior boys The senior boys soccer team had a memorable season, concluding with an impressive seventh-place finish at provincials — the second best finish ever for an LVR sr. boys’ soccer team at the provincial level. The team displayed excellent teamwork and resilience, and their performance was highlighted by Lazlo Lorenzo’s selection to the provincial all-star team, a testament to his outstanding skill and leadership on the pitch. Rugby Rugby Sevens Both the boys and girls Rugby Sevens squads had a terrific fall season, competing fiercely in playdays held at Lakeside Park in Nelson, Cranbrook and Castlegar. With their best-ever number of athletes participating, the teams showed promise and determination, setting the stage for a successful 15’s season in the spring. The growth of the rugby program highlights the dedication of the players and coaches, and the Grizzlies are poised for continued success. Swimming The swim team made waves this fall with a terrific season in the pool. Four standout athletes, Kallie Badry, Keira Badry, Sasha Eaton and Charlotte Anderson qualified for provincials, representing the Grizzlies at the highest level with pride and determination. Their accomplishments reflect their dedication to the sport and the strength of the swim program. Specials thanks Thank you to all of our volunteer coaches and teacher-sponsors for their time, energy and commitment. A huge thanks to Jeremy McComb, Renato Concepcion, Sara Smith, Michele Hillaby, Scott Cormie, Alex Ulazonek, Niallan Collier, Leanne Douglas, Renee Kelly, Dylan Bennett, Mitch Popadynetz and Andre Perez. Looking ahead The winter season brings a flurry of basketball games back to the Den at L.V. Rogers. The jr. boys Grizzlies Invitational is set for Dec. 13-14 with 12 teams competing; The senior boys and girls fifth annual Kootenay Classic tournament is held Jan. 10-11 at the Den; and Over the Christmas break, the annual Alumni Tournament is scheduled for Boxing Day at the Den. Basketball fans are welcome to come out to support the squads.Consumers in the United States scoured the internet for online deals as they looked to take advantage of the post-Thanksgiving shopping marathon with Cyber Monday. Even though e-commerce is now part and parcel of many people's regular routines and the holiday shopping season, Cyber Monday — a term coined in 2005 by the National Retail Federation — has become the biggest online shopping day of the year, thanks to the deals and the hype the industry has created to fuel it. Adobe Analytics, which tracks online shopping, expected consumers to spend $13.2 billion Monday — a record, and 6.1% more than last year. That would make it the biggest shopping day for e-commerce for the season — and the year. Online spending was expected to peak between the hours of 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Monday night, per Adobe — reaching an estimated $15.7 million spent every minute. For several major retailers, a Cyber Monday sale is a dayslong event that began over the Thanksgiving weekend. An Amazon Prime delivery person lifts packages while making a stop Nov. 28, 2023, in Denver. Amazon kicked off its sales event right after midnight Pacific time on Saturday. Target's two days of discount offers on its website and app began overnight Sunday. Walmart rolled out its Cyber Monday offers for Walmart+ members Sunday afternoon and opened it up to all customers three hours later, at 8 p.m. Eastern time. Consumer spending for Cyber Week — the five major shopping days between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday — provides a strong indication of how much shoppers are willing to spend for the holidays. Many U.S. consumers continue to experience sticker shock after the period of post-pandemic inflation, which left prices for many goods and services higher than they were three years ago. But retail sales nonetheless remain strong, and the economy kept growing at a healthy pace. At the same time, credit card debt and delinquencies are rising. More shoppers than ever are also on track to use "buy now, pay later" plans this holiday season, which allows them to delay payments on holiday decor, gifts and other items. Many economists also warned that President-elect Donald Trump's plan to impose tariffs next year on foreign goods coming into the United States would lead to higher prices on everything from food to clothing to automobiles. A FedEx delivery person carries a package from a truck Nov. 17, 2022, in Denver. The National Retail Federation expects holiday shoppers to spend more this year both in stores and online than last year. But the pace of spending growth will slow slightly, the trade group said, growing 2.5% to 3.5% — compared to 3.9% in 2023. A clear sense of consumer spending patterns during the holiday season won't emerge until the government releases sales data for the period, but some preliminary data from other sources shows some encouraging signs for retailers. Vivek Pandya, lead analyst at Adobe Digital Insights, noted that discounts from Thanksgiving onward "exceeded expectations" and online spending throughout Cyber Week is on track to cross a record $40 billion mark combined. U.S. shoppers spent $10.8 billion online on Black Friday, a 10.2% increase over last year, according to Adobe Analytics. That's also more than double what consumers spent in 2017, when Black Friday pulled in about $5 billion in online sales. Consumers also spent a record $6.1 billion online on Thanksgiving Day, Adobe said. Meanwhile, software company Salesforce, which also tracks online shopping, estimated that Black Friday online sales totaled $17.5 billion in the U.S. and $74.4 billion globally. Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks in-person and online spending, reported that overall Black Friday sales excluding automotive rose 3.4% from a year ago. A United Parcel Service driver sorts deliveries July 15, 2023, on New York's Upper West Side. E-commerce platform Shopify said its merchants raked in a record $5 billion in sales worldwide on Black Friday. At its peak, sales reached $4.6 million per minute — with top categories by volume including clothing, cosmetics and fitness products, according to the Canadian company. Toys, electronics, home goods, self-care and beauty categories were among the key drivers of holiday spending on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, according to Adobe. "Hot products" included Lego sets, espresso machines, fitness trackers, makeup and skin care. Other data showed physical stores saw fewer customers on Black Friday, underscoring how the huge crowds that were once synonymous with the day after Thanksgiving are now more than happy to shop from the comfort of their homes. RetailNext, which measures real-time foot traffic in stores, said its early data showed store traffic on Friday was down 3.2% in the U.S. compared to last year, with the biggest dip happening in the Midwest. Sensormatic Solutions, which also tracks store traffic, said its preliminary analysis showed retail store traffic on Black Friday was down 8.2% compared to 2023. Grant Gustafson, head of retail consulting and analytics at Sensormatic Solutions, noted that in-store traffic was getting spread across multiple days since many retailers offered generous discounts before and after Black Friday. "Some of the extended Black Friday promotions really ended up leading to a little bit of a softer day-of traffic than expected," Gustafson said. In 2024, staying small on purpose seems to be paying off big for small businesses. They're keeping operations small and targeting niche, highly specialized customers. And some business owners find this strategy results in more time, energy, and money to intentionally capitalize on unique, small cap opportunities. The data tells the story of growth in small businesses for the year. According to NEXT , the Small Business Administration (SBA) reports awarding 38,000 SBA 7(a) loans under $150,000: double the amount they awarded in 2020. Here are the related small-business trends paying off in 2024. Commercial real estate agent Ryan Beckenhauer of Market Real Estate in Boulder, Colorado, has noticed that small businesses are growing smaller, and that their office and warehouse spaces are starting to reflect that as they shop for business space. In commercial real estate, many small business owners gravitate toward industrial condos and other flexible spaces. These are small-scale industrial spaces with a 90:10 or 80:20 split of warehouse to office. "More individuals are leveraging skills acquired at larger organizations to venture out on their own," explains Beckenhauer. And he goes on to say that they don't need a large commercial space as they make that leap to start a business. His clients include engineers, consultants, builders and other tradespeople. Beckenhauer's clients like the flexibility of being out of an office and being close to their inventory and workshop space. "The clients want to see and touch the finishes," he says. Small business owners both rent or buy these spaces. But he's seeing his clients opt to own industrial condos to stabilize costs due to rent increases in Boulder. And because these spaces are smaller, it can be easier for new buyers to qualify for financing. Mariana Alvarez, owner of Controller Works , an online bookkeeping and advisory firm, has noticed that small business owners outsource financial support services because they don't want to increase headcount. "Outsourcing gives them the possibility of having access to the knowledge and the skills of a CFO without having to pay for the salary," she says. "They don't have to manage or deal with the workload, employment taxes , and all that comes with it," says Alvarez. Additionally, many small business owners in fields like construction are family-owned, and this makes it easier for business owners to hand off delicate financial work to a trusted person with financial experience. Every small business has recurring tasks that can benefit from some level of artificial intelligence automation . And Alvarez sees a lot of value in using AI for small business bookkeeping. She explains that you can automate the data entry on Quickbooks. "When you create rules, as long as you create the rules correctly, it pretty much does itself," says Alvarez. From there, you can lean on financial experts to help you analyze the data and make more informed decisions. She uses AI as a background resource when guiding her accounting clients. "I believe that we still need the human-to-human interaction that comes with more perspective for financial analysis," she explains. According to the SBA , 77% of consumers feel that human interaction is still required for a positive customer experience. People turn to small businesses every day for a human experience. According to Arvind Rongala, CEO of Edstellar , small business workers can show up for their customers but still use AI for routine tasks like customer queries. "This balance allows companies to scale their operations without losing the personal touch that makes them unique. It's important to remember that AI isn't there to replace the human element—it's there to enhance it," he says. "By really focusing on one very small weakness that Amazon has, I've been able to carve out a successful business by offering something different," says Lou Harvey owner of Tank Retailer , a retailer of commercial water and fuel tanks. "When you read our customer reviews, many of them actually mention me by name because of how much we focus on customer service and go the extra mile." One of Harvey's most successful business strategies this year has been to lean into his small, niche market and offer the kind of customer experience that large retailers like Amazon don't. "Any small weaknesses that Amazon has (however small those weaknesses may be) needs to become a strength of a smaller business focusing on a niche market," says Harvey. Harvey has his company's customer service phone number front and center on the website to help earn customer trust. "I prominently feature our phone number, and a real person always answers the phone (usually it's me)," says Harvey. Lucie Voves, CEO and founder of Church Hill Classics , an online, woman-owned diploma framing company that uses sustainable materials, has noticed an uptick in customers seeking services from a business on a mission. "This year, we've seen a growing inclination for consumers to actively seek out and support small businesses owned by women and minorities," says Voves. When consumers shop small, they choose to make their dollars count. "Customers are fueled by a desire to promote social impact through purchasing power," says Voves. Long gone are the days of online retailers "building it and they will come." In 2024 we've seen more small businesses than ever turn to social commerce to sell directly on social media platforms like Instagram Shopping , Facebook Marketplace , and TikTok . Small business owners are turning toward influencers, social media ads, and organic content to target their customers. Mike Vannelli of Envy Creative creates online ads for businesses, and he has seen his clients succeed on TikTok of late. "I've seen businesses, especially in retail, use TikTok's short-form video format to make their products go viral. Think of it as word-of-mouth marketing on steroids," says Vannelli. He uses the platform's algorithm to push a company's content to the right audiences, and it works because TikTok loves storytelling. "I know small brands that use behind-the-scenes videos, customer testimonials, and even playful challenges that tap into trends to humanize their products and build trust," explains Vannelli. To stand out on TikTok, he says, smaller brands need to embrace authenticity and emotional connection. Show your team, share your journey, and involve your community in content creation. This story was produced by NEXT and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.
Lauren Bolton set to lose baby Frankie until unexpected turn of events in Coronation Street( MENAFN - Investor Brand Network) Clene (NASDAQ: CLNN) and its wholly owned subsidiary, Clene Nanomedicine Inc., is a late clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on improving mitochondrial health and protecting neuronal function to treat neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (“ALS”) and multiple sclerosis (“MS”). The company has now secured a new $10 million debt facility, enabling the pay-off of another loan at higher interest rates to significantly improve its cash position as well as finance operations to generate of additional data to support the new drug application of lead drug candidate CNM-Au8 for ALS ( ). The new debt facility was signed with three entities affiliated with Clene and was closed on Dec. 20, 2024. Under the terms of the deal, the three lenders provided the aggregate principal amount of $10 million for the secured, partially convertible debt facility, with a fixed interest rate of 12% and a maturity eighteen months after closing. The first 12 twelve months are interest-only. Sixty-five percent of the debt facility is convertible into shares at a fixed conversion price of $5.67, a 130% premium to Clene's closing stock price on the day of signing. The funding will be used to pay off the remaining debt of an existing senior loan taken with Avenue Venture Opportunities Fund, L.P., a fund of the Avenue Capital Group, in May 2021. Over the course of the loan agreement, Clene borrowed $20 million. Repayment under the loan agreement began in July 2024 with $7 million of principal outstanding as of December 2024 plus a final payment fee of $0.85 million, for a total payoff of approximately $7.9 million, including a prepayment penalty. The new loan will help improve the company's cash position, enabling the cash runway to generate additional biomarker data to support the new drug application of CNM-Au8 for ALS via an accelerated regulatory pathway. The company met with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) to discuss a potential accelerated regulatory pathway in November and has since received additional guidance from the regulatory body to gather further clinical trial data. CNM-Au8, an oral suspension of gold nanocrystals, works by improving cellular energy production and utilization, which is critical for maintaining neuronal health. The drug candidate has already been shown to improve central nervous system cells' survival and function via a mechanism that targets mitochondrial function and the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (“NAD”) pathway while reducing oxidative stress. Phase 2 clinical trial data, as presented to the FDA, revealed significant improvement in survival rates, functional status and combined assessment of function and survival. The FDA recommended that Clene leverage additional NfL data from its three expanded access protocols (“EAPs”) and the HEALEY ALS Platform Trial to support earlier findings. Clene will have another meeting with the FDA in early 2025 to review and finalize its analysis plan for the EAP NfL biomarker analyses. Commenting on the new debt facility, Clene CEO and President Rob Etherington said the company was grateful for the trust of its long-standing investors who remain supportive of the company's efforts to provide potentially lifesaving therapies for ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases. “We believe that the proceeds from this new debt facility, including an extended interest-only period, will allow Clene the cash runway to generate the additional data the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has requested from our expanded access programs,” Etherington added.“The data are being gathered to support the existing clinical study data for inclusion in an application seeking approval of CNM-Au8 for ALS through the accelerated regulatory pathway.” For more information, visit the company's website at . 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The American Athletic Conference is the only Football Bowl Subdivision league whose championship game matchup is set: Army vs. Tulane. The final week of the regular season will determine pairings for the other eight conferences. Here's a look at the possible matchups in the Power Four and Group of Five. All championship games are Dec. 7 except in the AAC, Conference USA and Mountain West, which will be played Dec. 6. SMU vs. Miami or Clemson. Miami is in if it beats Syracuse. Clemson is in if Miami loses. Oregon vs. Ohio State, Penn State or Indiana. Ohio State is in if it beats Michigan or if Penn State and Indiana lose this week. Penn State is in if it beats Maryland and Ohio State loses. Indiana is in if it beats Purdue and Ohio State and Penn State lose. Arizona State vs. Iowa State if both win this week. Multiple scenarios including BYU, Colorado and other teams exist otherwise. Georgia vs. winner of Texas-Texas A&M game. Army vs. Tulane. Jacksonville State vs. Liberty, Western Kentucky or Sam Houston. Liberty is in with a win over Sam Houston. WKU is in with a win over Jacksonville State and a Liberty loss. Sam Houston is in with a win over Liberty and a Jacksonville State win. Miami, Bowling Green and Ohio are tied for first place and control their destinies. Miami-Bowling Green winner is in, as is Ohio if it beats Ball State. Other scenarios exist that include those teams and Buffalo. Boise State vs. UNLV or Colorado State. If UNLV and CSU both win or lose their final regular-season games, the tie would be broken by either College Football Playoff rankings or results-based computer metrics. Louisiana-Lafayette at Marshall if both win their games this week. Other scenarios exist if one or both lose. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballTHE Cavite State University (CvSU) in Indang, Cavite hosted the Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines Inc. (Aaccup) Bayanihan 2024 held at CvSU International Convention Center on Nov. 6 to 8, 2024, According to CvSU Vice President for Research and Extension Melbourne Talactac, the Aaccup Bayanihan 2024 national conference was participated by university presidents and Aaccup accreditors of various state universities and colleges (SUCs) from different parts of the country. Register to read this story and more for free . Signing up for an account helps us improve your browsing experience. OR See our subscription options.
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Syracuse coach Fran Brown and Washington State acting coach Pete Kaligis shared a heartfelt hug after their Holiday Bowl news conference on Thursday. Kaligis can certainly use all the support he can get, especially an embrace and some encouraging words from the opposing coach. No. 22 Syracuse (9-3, No. 21 CFP), led by national passing leader Kyle McCord, is a 17-point favorite according to BetMGM in Friday night's Holiday Bowl against the depleted Cougars (8-4), whose season has nosedived since mid-November. After beating future Pac-12 opponent San Diego State 29-26 on Oct. 26 at Snapdragon Stadium, coach Jake Dickert, quarterback John Mateer and the rest of the Cougars were 7-1 and about to jump into The Associated Press Top 25. Now the Cougars are barely recognizable as they return to Snapdragon. Dickert was hired away by Wake Forest, Mateer transferred to Oklahoma and running back Wayshawn Parker left for Utah. Numerous coaches, including the offensive and defensive coordinators, are gone, and more than 20 players have entered the transfer portal. The Cougars, who lost their last three games, are a prime example of how college football's rapidly changing landscape can dramatically affect a program. “Going into the ins-and-outs of the game tomorrow doesn’t matter,” Kaligis said. “We are who we are, we have what we have. I know that’s for both of us.” Kaligis said players who entered the portal after Dickert left can suit up Friday night. “I know we came here with 98 guys. That's who we’re going to show up on the field with.” Kaligis said relationships between players and coaches are more important than ever, even if there's less time to develop trust “and coach them the right way.” “When a staff (member) leaves and guys get in the portal, it’s because of the relationships they have garnered with their position coaches. When that position coach isn’t guaranteed he’s going to be there, that’s who that young man trusts,” Kaligis said. “I’ve been doing this for a long time," he added. "What’s been hard for me, I spent 13 years at Wyoming, I saw three graduating classes. I remember I was the longest-tenured coach there. To see them all the way through. When I came to Wazzu, I was their fourth D-line coach." The Cougs improved to 8-1 by beating Utah State 49-28 on Nov. 9 but then lost three straight, including to Oregon State in the de facto championship game between the two teams left in the Pac-12. They also lost to New Mexico and Wyoming, two of the Mountain West teams that weren't invited to join the reconstituted Pac-12 starting in 2026. McCord, who transferred from Ohio State, rewrote the Orange's record book this season with 4,326 yards passing, 29 touchdowns and 367 completions. He's well within range of breaking Deshaun Watson's ACC single-season record of 4,593, which he set in 15 games in 2016. A win will give Syracuse 10 wins for the first time since 2018 and just the third time since 2000. Brown can become the second Syracuse coach since World War II to record 10 wins in his first season, joining Paul Pasqualoni, who did it in 1991. In their final regular-season game, the Orange rallied from a 21-0 deficit for a 42-38 win against then-No. 6 Miami that knocked the Hurricanes out of ACC title contention and ended their College Football Playoff hopes. McCord threw for 380 yards and three touchdowns. “We want to go out and have a good game,” Brown said. “We have an opportunity of winning 10 games, which means you’re starting to become a successful program, right? Our players haven’t had a chance of winning a bowl game. So there’s a lot of things that are on the line for us to really be able to build our program and being able to move forward.” This will be the teams' second meeting. Syracuse beat Washington State 52-25 in 1979. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
No. 22 Syracuse looking for 10 wins in 1st year under Fran Brown against depleted Washington State