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The ruling by U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Kato Crews in Denver will allow the player, who has played all season, to compete in the Mountain West Conference women's championship opening this week in Las Vegas. The ruling comes in a lawsuit filed by nine current players against the Mountain West Conference challenging the league's policies for allowing transgender players to participate. The players argued that letting her compete was a safety risk and unfair. While some media have reported those and other details, neither San Jose State nor the forfeiting teams have confirmed the school has a trans woman volleyball player. The Associated Press is withholding the player's name because she has not commented publicly on her gender identity. School officials also have declined an interview request with the player. Crews' ruling referred to the athlete as an "alleged transgender" player and noted that no defendant disputed that the San Jose State roster includes a transgender woman player. San Jose State will "continue to support its student-athletes and reject discrimination in all forms," the university said in a statement, confirming that all its student-athletes are eligible to participate under NCAA and conference rules. "We are gratified that the Court rejected an eleventh-hour attempt to change those rules. Our team looks forward to competing in the Mountain West volleyball tournament this week." The conference said it was “satisfied” with the judge's decision and would continue upholding policies established by its board of directors, which “directly align with NCAA and USA Volleyball.” “We are excited to proceed with the Mountain West Conference Women's Volleyball Championship,” its statement added. The players filed a notice for emergency appeal with the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Crews said the players who filed the complaint could have sought relief much earlier, noting the individual universities had acknowledged that not playing their games against San Jose State this season would result in a loss in league standings. He also refused a request to re-seed the tournament without the forfeited losses. The judge said injunctions are meant to preserve the status quo. The conference policy regarding forfeiting for refusing to play against a team with a transgender player had been in effect since 2022 and the San Jose State player has been on the roster since 2022 -– making that the status quo. The player competed at the college level three previous seasons, including two for San Jose State, drawing little attention. This season's awareness of her reported identity led to an uproar among some players, pundits, parents and politicians in a major election year. Crews' ruling also said injunctions are meant to prevent harm, but in this case, he argued, the harm has already occurred. The games have been forfeited, the tournament has been seeded, the teams have made travel plans and the participants have confirmed they're playing. The tournament starts Wednesday and continues Friday and Saturday. Colorado State is seeded first and San Jose State, second. The teams split their regular-season matches and both get byes into Friday's semifinals. San Jose State will play the winner of Wednesday's match between Utah State and Boise State — teams that both forfeited matches to SJSU during the regular season. Boise State associate athletic director Chris Kutz declined to comment on whether the Broncos would play SJSU if they won their first-round tournament game. Utah State officials did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment. The conference tournament winner gets an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. San Jose State coach Todd Kress, whose team has not competed in the national tournament since 2001, has said his team has been getting "messages of hate" and that has taken a toll on his players. Several teams refused to play against San Jose State during the season, earning losses in the official conference standings. Boise State and Wyoming each had two forfeits while Utah State and Nevada both had one. Southern Utah, a member of the Western Athletic Conference, was first to cancel against San Jose State this year. Nevada's players stated they "refuse to participate in any match that advances injustice against female athletes," without elaborating. Nevada did not qualify for the conference tournament. The nine current players and others now suing the Mountain West Conference, the California State University Board of Trustees and others include San Jose State senior setter and co-captain Brooke Slusser. The teammate Slusser says is transgender hits the volleyball with more force than others on the team, raising fear during practices of suffering concussions from a head hit, the complaint says. The Independent Council on Women's Sports is funding a separate lawsuit against the NCAA for allowing transgender women to compete in women's sports. Both lawsuits claim the landmark 1972 federal antidiscrimination law known as Title IX prohibits transgender women in women's sports. Title IX prohibits sexual discrimination in federally funded education; Slusser is a plaintiff in both lawsuits. Several circuit courts have used a U.S. Supreme Court ruling to conclude that discriminating against someone based on their transgender status or sexual orientation is sex-based discrimination, Crews wrote. That means case law does not prove the "likelihood of success" needed to grant an injunction. An NCAA policy that subjects transgender participation to the rules of sports governing bodies took effect this academic year. USA Volleyball says a trans woman must suppress testosterone for 12 months before competing. The NCAA has not flagged any issues with San Jose State. The Republican governors of Idaho, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming have made public statements in support of the team cancellations, citing fairness in women's sports. President-elect Donald Trump likewise has spoken out against allowing transgender women to compete in women's sports. Crews was a magistrate judge in Colorado's U.S. District Court for more than five years before President Joe Biden appointed him as a federal judge in January.
What’s Happening is a free service of Columbia Gorge News and may be edited for length. Notices run as space allows. Send to kelsiec@gorgenews.com . Community Events Nov. 25 — Unity in Community Interfaith Celebration, 7 p.m. at Bethel UCC, 480 E Jewett Blvd., White Salmon. Connection time and dessert potluck. All welcome. Fundraiser for Mt. Adams Ministerial Association Emergency Fund. Nov. 26 — Wasco Co. Code Compliance Ordinance Updates Community Meeting, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Planning-Public Works Conference Room, 2705 E. Second St., The Dalles, or attend virtually at wascocounty-org.zoom.us/j/81468033181 . Read drafted changes, provide feedback, ask questions and give suggestions to the code compliance officer. Submit questions to tedp@co.wasco.or.us . Nov. 27 – Village Fair, 4 – 7 p.m., at the Skamania Lodge, 1131 SW Skamania Lodge Way in Stevenson. Features the wares of local merchants and artisans. Live music, with refreshments available. Nov. 27 – Gift of Music, 5 -7 p.m., at the Skamania Lodge, 1131 SW Skamania Lodge Way in Stevenson. Featuring Shely Rudolph. Nov. 27 – Christmas Tree Lighting, 5:30 – 6 p.m., in the Gorge Room at Skamania Lodge, 1131 SW Skamania Lodge Way in Stevenson. Refreshments available. Nov. 28 — Turkey Trot Fun Run, 9:30 a.m. to noon at the Mark Hatfield Visitor’s Center on the (west) Hood River side of the Twin Tunnel trail. For admission prices, more info and to register online, go to www.eventbrite.com/e/twin-tunnels-turkey-trot-fun-run-tickets-1039902364967 . Nov. 28 — Third Annual Turkey Twerk Out, 9:30 a.m. at NK Studios, 417 W. Stuben St., Bingen. Special Thanksgiving dance fitness class. All fitness levels welcome; bring water. Preregister at NKStudiosbingen.as.me/turkey. Nov. 28 — Free Community Thanksgiving, noon to 2 p.m. at Riverside Community Church, UCC, 317 State St., Hood River. Nov. 28 — Thanksgiving Potluck, 1-4 p.m. at 56826 Wamic Market Road, Wamic. Community event. Nov. 29 — Trout Lake Holiday Market, 4-7 p.m. at the Trout Lake Hall. Nov. 29 — Starlight Parade: Toyland on Parade, 6-8 p.m. downtown The Dalles. Begins at W Sixth and Webber streets and ends at The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce. Hot cocoa and the annual community tree lighting to follow. Nov. 29 — A Native Perspective During the Thanksgiving Season, 7 p.m. at the Balch Hotel, 40 SE Heimrich St., Dufur. Free, but donations for speaker are encouraged. With Delson Suppah Sr., Confederated Tribe of Warm Springs. More info at balchhotel.com/events . Nov. 29 & 30 – Gift of Music, 6 – 8 p.m., in the Gorge Room at Skamania Lodge, 1131 SW Skamania Lodge Way in Stevenson. Featuring John Nilsen. Nov. 29 – Jan. 3 – Skamania Lodge Holiday Light Walk, 4:30 – 9 p.m, at the Skamania Lodge, 1131 SW Skamania Lodge Way in Stevenson. A lighted holiday walk through the meadow and under the Douglas firs in the Tree House Village. Nov. 30 – Sound of Movement, 7 p.m. at Riverside Community Church, 317 State Street in Hood River. Solo piano concert by White Salmon based pianist/composer Mitchell Jett Spencer. Dec 1 — Lyle Lions Club Meeting, 6 p.m. at the Lyle Lions Community Center, corner of Fifth and Highway 14. First and third Monday. Dec. 4 — Criminal Records Expungement Clinic, 3-6 p.m. at 601 Cascade Ave., Hood River. Free legal assistance to apply to set aside Oregon criminal records. Clinics are every first Wednesday. No appointment necessary. For more information, email lynnmarie.crider@gmail.com . Dec. 4 — Veterans Social Group, 6 p.m. to closing at Hood River Elks Lodge No. 1507, 304 Cascade Ave., Hood River. Dinner, drink to all veterans at no charge; active duty, Reservist, National Guard and veterans all welcome. Dec. 5 — Criminal Records Expungement Clinic, 2-5 p.m. at The Dalles Public Library, 722 Court St., The Dalles. Free legal assistance to apply to set aside Oregon criminal records. Clinics are every first Thursday. No appointment necessary. For more information, email lynnmarie.crider@gmail.com . Dec. 5 – Hood River Adult Grief Group, 4:30-5:30pm. Meets 1st and 3rd Thursdays, November 2024-February 2025. Registration required. To register or for more information, contact Haley at Providence Hospice of the Gorge at 541-387-6449 Dec. 5 — NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) of the Gorge, 6:15-7:45 p.m. at Dalles-Wasco County Library meeting room. For info, call Barbara at 541-980-7264. Dec. 6 — Hood River Holiday Tree Lighting, 5-45-6:15 p.m. at Overlook Memorial Park. Streets closed to vehicles 4-8 p.m. for shopping downtown. Dec. 6 — Free family Movie: A Muppets Christmas Carol, 6 p.m. at the Granada Theatre in The Dalles, 221 E Second St. Event by the Wasco County/The Dalles Public Library. Kids meals, sandwiches, popcorn, snacks, concessions and refreshments will be available for purchase. Dec. 6 — Festival of Trees, 6-9 p.m. at The Dalles Civic Auditorium. Hosted by Adventist Health Columbia Gorge Foundation; annual fundraiser. Tickets at mcmc.net/foundation/events/festival-of-trees . Dec. 6-8 — Dallesport Christmas Bazaar, Friday noon to 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Dallesport Community Center. Raffle table, Christmas gift donation box for local schoolkids. Dec. 6-7, 13-14, 20-21 — A Christmas Story, 7 p.m. at The Bingen Theater. Matinee performances Dec. 8 and 15 at 1:30 p.m. Directed by Joe Garoutte; family friendly. Tickets at www.bigbritches.org . Dec. 6 – 8, Nativities in The Gorge, 12 p.m. – 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m., Sunday. Located at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 650 Northwest Gropper Road in Stevenson. For more info, contact Dan Black at 360-975-2799 or dfblack8@gmail.com . Dec. 7 — Lyle Lions Club Pancake Breakfast, 7-10 a.m. at Lyle Lions Community Center, corner of Fifth and Highway 14. Adults $10, children 6-12 $5, under 5 free. Eggs and omelets cooked to order and endless pancakes. Dec. 7 – Santa Breakfast 2024, 8 – 11 a.m., West Side Rockford Station, 4250 Barrat Drive in Hood River. Pancakes, Sausage and eggs, $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and children. Fund benefit the Leo Phillips Scholarship fund. Dec. 7 — Leos Club Can and Bottle Collection, 9 a.m. to noon at Rosauers, Hood River. Supports local nonprofits. Dec. 7 – St. Mark’s Holiday Bazaar, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., 400 11th Street in Hood River. Shop for a wide variety of giftable treasures. Proceeds go to support the church’s outreach ministries in the community. Dec. 7 — Fort Dalles Riders Annual Holiday Bazaar, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Fort Dalles Riders Club, 1023 Irvine St., The Dalles. Variety of vendors and goods. Dec. 7 –Christmas in the Gorge, 1 - 4 p.m., at the Columbia Gorge Museum, 990 SW Rock Creek Drive in Stevenson. For more info, contact (800)989-9178. www.columbiagorgemuseum.org . Dec. 7 — Youth Ornament Making Class, 2–4 p.m. at The Dalles Art Center, 220 E Fourth St., The Dalles. Students grades 2-8 will learn the art of glass fusing. Ornaments will be ready for pick-up by Dec. 14. To register, contact Ellen Potter at 541-296-4759. Dec. 7 – Holiday Ribbon Wreath Craft making, 2 p.m., at The Dalles Public Library, 722 Court Street Event is for ages 11 to over 18. Registration required. Dec. 7 – Mid Columbia Community Choir “A Star is Arising” Benefit Concert, 7 p.m. at Hood River Valley Christian Church, 975 Indian Creek Road, in Hood River. A free will donation to support WAGAP and Fish Food Bank will be accepted at the event. Dec. 8 – Mid Columbia Community Choir “A Star is Arising” Benefit Concert, 4 p.m. at Grace Baptist Church, 1280 W. Jewett Blvd in White Salmon. A free will donation to support WAGAP and Fish Food Bank will be accepted at the event. Dec. 9 — Monthly Grief Group, 1:30-2:30 p.m. at the White Salmon Pioneer Center, 501 NE Washington St. For anyone grieving a loss. More info at maggie@maggieconverse.com or 503-395-4738. Dec. 10 — Odell Garden Club Meeting, 10 a.m. at the Hood River County Fairgrounds Community Building. For more info, contact President Norma Curtis, 541-806-1019 or nlcurtis@hrecn.net . Meets second Tuesday of the month. Dec 10 — Survivors of Suicide Loss Support Group, 5:30-630 p.m. Meets second Tuesday of the month. Email belinda.ballah@hoodrivercounty.gov for more info. Dec. 11 – Sense of Place 15th Anniversary Season presentation, 7p.m., at Columba Center for the Arts, 215 Cascade Ave., Hood River, or via livestream. “The Wolf Next Door: A Community Perspective on the Return of Wolves,” with Lara Volski, PhD Student of Human-Wildlife Interactions. Season 15 ticket information is available online at senseofplacegorge.org and via a monthly newsletter. Dec. 12 — High Prairie Bingo Night, 6-8 p.m. at 701 Struck Road (between Lyle and Centerville). Food and drinks for sale, cash prizes; minors must be accompanied by an adult 18 or over. Dec. 12 – Mid Columbia Community Choir “A Star is Arising” Benefit Concert, 7 p.m. at Grace Baptist Church, 1280 W. Jewett Blvd in White Salmon. A free will donation to support WAGAP and Fish Food Bank will be accepted at the event. Dec. 13 – CGOA Voic Community Choir Holiday Pops concert, 7 p.m., Hood River Valley Christian Church, 975 Indian Creek Road in Hood River. Dec. 14 — WAAAM Second Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the museum, 1600 Air Museum Road, Hood River. Different theme each month; see old technology in action. Dec. 14 – Holiday Gift Workshop, 12 – 2 p.m. at The Dalles Public Library meeting room, 722 Court Street in The Dalles. Holiday gift related crafts. Event is all ages. Dec. 15. – CGOA Voci Community Choir Holiday Pops concert, 2 p.m. Old St. Peter’s Landmark, 405 Lincoln Street in The Dalles Dec. 15 — Lyle Lions Club Meeting, 6 p.m. at the Lyle Lions Community Center, corner of Fifth and Highway 14. First and third Monday. Dec. 15 – Patrick Lamb’s Charlie Brown Christmas, 6:30 – 8 p.m., at Hood River Middle School auditorium, 1602 May Street in Hood River. Admission is $20. Tickets can be purchased at www.eventbrite.com/e/a-patrick-lamb-charlie-brown-christmas-tickets-1064480322299?aff=oddtdtcreator. Dec 17 — Mid-Columbia Car Club Meeting, 5 p.m. social / 6 p.m. meeting at Spooky’s Pizza, 3320 W. Sixth, The Dalles. Meets third Tuesday of the month. Dec 18 — Columbia Gorge Beekeepers Association Meeting, 6 p.m. at the Hood River Extension, 2990 Experiment Station Drive. All are welcome. Visitors may attend in person or via Zoom; info at admin@gorgebeekeepers.org . Dec. 19 – Hood River Adult Grief Group, 4:30-5:30pm. Meets 1st and 3rd Thursdays, November 2024-February 2025. Registration required. To register or for more information, contact Haley at Providence Hospice of the Gorge at 541-387-6449 Dec. 19 — Heritage Council Board Meeting, 5 p.m. at the History Museum of Hood River County, 300 E. Port Marina Way, Hood River. Public welcome to attend. New board members, volunteers needed. Third Thursday of the month. Thru Dec. 22 — Handmade for Holidays at Columbia Center for the Arts, 215 Cascade Ave., Hood River. Artists market; small art pieces of many types on display and for sale in the gallery. Ongoing First Monday — Adult Writers Group, 5:30-7 p.m. at The Dalles-Wasco County Library. Third Monday — Hands On Maker Monday, 3:30 p.m. at The Dalles Public Library. With OSU Extension and 4-H. For kids, teens and adults. Projects like leatherworking, sewing, candle making, cake decorating and more. Mondays – Cascade Singers Rehearsal, 6:30 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church, 101 West 10th Street in The Dalles. Mondays — Columbia Gorge Orchestra Association Voci Community Choir Rehearsals, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Hood River Valley High School. All welcome. Questions to info@gorgeorchestra.org . Monday thru Friday — NU-2-U Shop Open, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Mid-Columbia Senior Center, 1112 W. Ninth St., The Dalles. Shop is a nonprofit store that supports the Mid-Columbia Senior Center. More information at 541-296-4788. Monday & Wednesday — Senior Meals, noon at The Pioneer Center, White Salmon. Doors open at 8 a.m. Suggested donation for seniors 60 and over is $3.50, all others $6.50. All welcome. Monday, Wednesday and Friday — Strong Women, 10-11 a.m. at the Cascade Locks City Hall. Monday thru Friday — Klickitat Senior Services Telephone Support, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Goldendale, 509-773-3757; White Salmon, 509-493-3068; or Toll Free, 1- 800-447-7858. Staff will direct callers to available resources, assist with online benefit applications and issues with Social Security and Medicare. Seniors can also call for essential grocery delivery, prescription pickup or food bank needs. Tuesday — Senior Meals, noon at the Lyle Lions Community Center. Doors open at 10 a.m. Suggested donation for seniors 60 and over is $3.50, all others $6.50. All welcome. Tuesdays — Senior Meals, 11 a.m. at Mt. Hood Town Hall, 6575 Mount Hood Highway, Mt. Hood-Parkdale. Meals served at noon. In conjunction with Hood River Valley Adult Center; suggested $5 donation. Tuesdays — White Salmon-Bingen Rotary Club, noon to 1 p.m. Learn more at www.whitesalmon-bingenrotary.org , www.facebook.com/whitesalmonbingenrotaryclub , or email rotary.club.323@gmail.com . Tuesdays — Overeater’s Anonymous, 5:30-6:30 p.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Ninth and State streets, Hood River. For more info contact Rebecca at 510-861-2212. Tuesdays — Harmony of the Gorge, 6-8 p.m. at Providence Down Manor, Hood River. Please check the website for rehearsal details at www.harmonyofthegorge.com ; info at 541-490-2481. Tuesdays — Al-Anon Meeting, 7 p.m. at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 400 11th St., Hood River. Tuesdays — Columbia Gorge Orchestra Association Sinfonietta Rehearsals, 7-9 p.m. at Hood River Valley High School (music room). All welcome. Questions to info@gorgeorchestra.org . Tuesday & Thursday — Senior Meals, noon at the Goldendale Community Center. Doors open at 8 a.m. Suggested donation for seniors 60 and over is $3.50, all others $6.50. All welcome. Tuesdays thru Fridays — Senior Chair Yoga, 9:15 a.m. at Zion Lutheran Church, fourth floor, The Dalles. Cost is $4 per class. Contact debra.lutje@gmail.com for info. Wednesdays — Fitness Classes: Mat Pilates, 8:30 a.m. at Lutheran Church, Bingen; Barre 5 p.m. at Mt. View Grange, White Salmon. Loyalty, drop in rates available. ACE certified, longtime local fitness instructor. Call Caroline Elliott, 509-637-3162, for info. Wednesdays — Radio Tierra Storytime, 9:30 a.m. on Radio Tierra 95.1 FM; songs, stories and announcements for all kiddos who haven’t begun school. Wednesdays — The Dalles Rotary Club, noon at Spooky’s; visitors welcome. Wednesdays — Writing Group, 3-4 p.m. at the Hood River County Library, Columbia Room. Second Wednesday — Dufur Recreation District Meeting, 7 p.m. at Dufur City Hall. Visit website www.dufurcitypark.org for agenda and virtual attendance information. Thursdays — Hood River Art Club, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the FISH Food Bank Community Room, 1130 Tucker Road, Hood River. For more information contact Kori Walsh at Heronbird@aol.com . Thursdays — Hood River Toastmasters Club, 6:30-8 a.m. via Zoom and in-person at Bette’s Place, downtown Hood River. Drop in or email HRToastmasters@proton.me for link. Improve public speaking, listening and leadership skills. Thursdays — Take Pounds Off Sensible (TOPS) Support Group, 8:30 a.m. weigh-in and 9 a.m. meeting at Zion Church, 10th and Union, The Dalles. First meeting is free. Thursdays — Family Storytime, 10:30 a.m. at the Hood River Library. Free, open to all ages. Thursdays — Recovery Café, 1-6 p.m. at the White Salmon Grange. Dinner served; recovery circle 5-6 p.m. All welcome. Thursdays — The Dalles Kiwanis Club Meetings, noon at Spooky’s; visitors welcome. For more information go to www.thedalleskiwanis.org/ or The-Dalles-Kiwanis-Club on Facebook. Thursdays — Thursday Night Bingo, 5:30 p.m. at Mid-Columbia Senior Center, 1112 W. Ninth St., The Dalles. Doors open 4 p.m. Must be 18 or over. $10 minimum buy-in. Third Thursday — West Klickitat Regional Fire Authority Board Meeting, 6:30 p.m. at the White Salmon Fire Station at 119 NE Church St. Thursday, Friday and Saturday — Hood River Valley Adult Center Thrift Shop, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Proceeds benefit Meals on Wheels. Third Fridays - Community Game Day, 1 p.m. at the Lyle Lions Community Center, Fifth and Highway 14. Play scrabble, cribbage or bring your own favorite. Coffee and cookies will be offered. Fridays — Community Playgroup, 10-11:30 a.m. at Hood River Early Childhood Center (formerly Pine Grove Elementary). Free, follows school calendar. For children 0-5 and their parents. For info call 541-386-4919. Fridays — Storytime in Cascade Locks and Parkdale, 10:30 a.m. at the library branches in those communities. Includes parent playgroups. Fridays — Reflections on the Life of the Spirit, 1 p.m. at the United Methodist church in White Salmon, 341 N. Main Ave. Hosted by Baha’is of White Salmon. Explore spiritual identity and what it means to be human. For more information, contact White Salmon Bahá’ís at 509-637-3311. Fridays — Fun Friday, 3-4:30 p.m. at The Dalles Library. For kids 5-10 in the John and Jean Thomas Children’s Wing. Arts, crafts, games; each week is different and always fun. Saturdays — Makerspace, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hood River Library and Crafty Saturdays at the Cascade Locks and Parkdale library branches (same times). Free, for children. Saturdays — Grief Share, 10 a.m. to noon at Tucker Road Baptist Church, 1455 Tucker Road, Hood River. All welcome. Info at 541-386-1049. Saturdays — Chess Lessons, 1 p.m. at The Dalles Library. Free, for all ages and skill levels, beginners to advanced. Register at wascocountylibrary.com/events . Saturdays – Teen Programs, 2 p.m. at the Hood River Co. Library, 502 State St. Pick one or all that look fun and be creative, volunteer, play games, discuss books and eat snacks. Open to ages 12-18. For more info, contact Teen Librarian Rachel or go to hoodriverlibrary.org . Saturdays — Bingo, 5:30-8 p.m. at the Mid-Columbia Senior Center, 1112 W. Ninth, The Dalles. Doors open 4 p.m.; new players should arrive by 5 p.m. Ages 8-18 must be accompanied by legal guardian. Minimum buy-in $6. Cash prizes, dinner concessions. Saturdays — Bingo, 6 p.m. at the Hood River Elks, Third and Cascade. Elks/Knights of Columbus scholarship fundraiser supports scholarships and charities. Progressive blackout prize, dinner available for purchase; 18 and older. Saturdays — Hood River Farmers’ Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Fifth and Columbia parking lot, across from Full Sail Brewing. Sundays — Pickup Basketball, 1 p.m. at the Horizon Christian gym, Hood River. Players 18 and older, $3/visit. Sundays — Columbia Gorge Orchestra Association Jazz Collective Rehearsals, 4-6 p.m. at WAAAM. All welcome. Questions to info@gorgeorchestra.org . Sundays — Cascade Singers Rehearsal, 7 p.m. at Zion Lutheran, The Dalles (10th and Union streets).US effort to curb China's and Russia's access to advanced computer chips 'inadequate,' report findsDelaware judge reaffirms ruling that invalidated massive Tesla pay package for Elon Musk
MacKenzie Scott gives rare third gift to medical debt relief group
Fraudsters abscond with gold worth 28L in GovindnagarErnst to head new Senate DOGE CaucusA senior bishop of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church in Kerala took a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi through a social media post on Tuesday, ahead of Christmas, sparking a controversy. Yuhanon Meletius, the Metropolitan bishop of the Thrissur diocese of the Church, wrote in Malayalam on Facebook, “There, bishops are revered and cribs are bowed to. Here, cribs are destroyed. Isn’t there a phrase in Malayalam for such an action?” The bishop was referring to the Christmas event hosted by the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) in Delhi on Monday, where the PM was the chief guest. Simultaneously, he pointed out the two separate incidents that took place at Palakkad district in Kerala, in which suspected Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) supporters allegedly attempted to disrupt Christmas celebrations at a government school on December 20, and a crib was found to be vandalised at another school on Monday. The Christian leader’s remarks came at a time when the BJP is conducting an outreach programme with a focus on the Christian community in Kerala and elsewhere. Under the programme, BJP leaders and workers are heading to Christian homes across the state to convey Christmas greetings of the PM as part of its attempts to get closer to the community, which accounts for 18% of the state’s population. The incident involving VHP leaders took place at the Government Upper Primary School in Nallepilly where they allegedly questioned the teachers and other staff about the reasons for celebrating Christmas and ignoring Hindu festivals. In the second incident, the crib, set up as part of Christmas celebrations at a government school in Thathamangalam, was allegedly vandalised. Three VHP leaders have been arrested for the first incident and sent to judicial remand. The Orthodox bishop later told reporters on Tuesday, “I see the Delhi event (of the CBCI) as a drama. In Malayalam, there’s a saying ‘cutting the neck while blowing from mouth’. That’s the fashion I see.” He meant that the BJP and the PM were indulging in contrasting actions at the same time. After the remarks, Mar Andrews Thazhath, president of the CBCI, told reporters, “We didn’t invite a BJP leader to the event. We invited the Prime Minister of India. We thanked him for attending the event. At the same time, we appealed to him to take the country forward by following the basic tenets of the Constitution and including people of all faiths such as Christians and Muslims in the process.” Congress MP KC Venugopal hit out at PM Modi saying, “Are people in Manipur able to celebrate Christmas? Did the PM utter a single word about it? Instead he spoke about the incident in Germany (where there was an attack on a Christmas market).” BJP state president K Surendran condemned the incident of Christmas celebration disruption at the school in Palakkad and suspected a conspiracy behind it. “Members of the VHP or other Sangh Parivar outfits are not responsible for it. I condemn it in the strongest terms. It cannot be encouraged. There must be strong action. I suspect a conspiracy behind it. For the past few years, the BJP has been interacting with the Christian community in a loving and harmonious way. There are some people who don’t like it. Some people who have left the BJP may have been involved. I demand a fair and transparent probe,” he said.
and The Citizen Tanzania One of Tanzania's most prominent opposition figures has been arrested. Freeman Mbowe, the Chadema party chairman, and other opposition leaders have been detained in south-western Tanzania. According to reports published on Friday (No. 22), the politicians have been questionned for allegedly violating local authorities’ election campaign regulations. However, the opposition party’s director of communications has rebuffed the police's version denouncing a manoeuvre to undermine Chadema's campaign. The Citizen Tanzania media house cited JohnMrama's statement. The partyprotested this week that many of its candidates were "unfairly" disqualified from running in the November 27 polls. In September, Mbowe and his deputy Tundu Lissu — as well as other opposition figures — were briefly detained after riot police prevented a mass rally in Dar es Salaam. The arrest show a tense political landscape ahad of the presidential election due in late 2025.Trump wants pardoned real estate developer Charles Kushner to be ambassador to France
WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Bill Clinton was discharged from a Washington hospital on Tuesday and will be home for Christmas after he was admitted the day before with a fever . Clinton is being treated for the flu, Angel Urena, Clinton's deputy chief of staff, said in a statement about his release. “He and his family are deeply grateful for the exceptional care provided by the team at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and are touched by the kind messages and well wishes he received,” Urena said. “He sends his warmest wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season to all,” Urena said. The 78-year-old Democrat was hospitalized on Monday afternoon for testing and observation. Clinton served two terms as president from January 1993 until January 2001. He addressed the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this summer, and campaigned in the fall for Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris , who lost the election to Republican Donald Trump in November. Clinton recently published his newest book, “Citizen,” a memoir about his life after the White House and the role of philanthropy in it. The Associated PressNoneINDIANAPOLIS — Only the coldest of hearts won't empathize with Michael Andretti, who has been sidelined from his namesake motorsports organization and won't have any role with the the Formula 1 program he spent the last four years desperately trying to launch. His effort to get a program partnered with General Motors into F1 was approved last week , roughly a month after Andretti stepped aside from leading his race teams. F1's decision to expand its grid for Cadillac F1 came amidst a federal antitrust investigation into why Liberty Media refused to admit Andretti Global as an 11th team — and after Andretti partners Dan Towriss and Mark Walter took controlling interest of the effort. “The Cadillac F1 Team is made up of a strong group of people that have worked tirelessly to build an American works team,” Andretti posted on social media. “I’m very proud of the hard work they have put in and congratulate all involved on this momentous next step. I will be cheering for you!” The Cadillac F1 Team is made up of a strong group of people that have worked tirelessly to build an American works team. I’m very proud of the hard work they have put in and congratulate all involved on this momentous next step. I will be cheering for you! While he will have no role with the F1 team, it is unclear what his regular involvement will be with his IndyCar team. His famous father, 1978 F1 champion Mario Andretti, will be on the board of the F1 team and an ambassador. What changed F1's position on Andretti — an application it basically mocked in its January denial — is not known. Few have said much beyond noting GM's increased commitment to take a larger role beyond engine supplier. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the president of F1's governing body, had championed the GM bid from the start and Andretti's application was the only one of seven to receive approval from the FIA. In an interview with The Associated Press, he called F1's decision to finally allow the GM team a spot in the sport “a win for all of motorsports” but also sympathized with Michael Andretti. “I feel he should be proud because he's the founder who started this thing with his partners,” Ben Sulayem said. "We did the proper due process, we never favored anyone, and it is only because his application ticked all the boxes that the FIA approved it. Michael is a lovely person and I do not feel this was personal against Michael Andretti. “The other teams? For them, it was about the money. They don't want the money to go from split between 10 teams to split between 11 teams," he added. "But it was only a matter of time before General Motors was going to be approved and I feel it is incorrect to say it happened because Michael stepped aside. What did Michael do? Why would people not want him? Because he spoke publicly? He didn't break any rules. He didn't abuse anyone. If people want to see it as personal, it is up to them. He doesn't annoy me." What likely did annoy F1 and Liberty Media, its commercial rights holder, was the Justice Department investigation. Liberty announced it was under investigation this summer, not long after Mario Andretti visited Washington to discuss the F1 snub with lawmakers. The FBI was allegedly at last month's Las Vegas Grand Prix and Ben Sulayem confirmed to AP he was interviewed by federal investigators. “It is the department that protects the interest of the United States and the FIA has nothing to hide,” Ben Sulayem said. “I was proud to speak to them and they were very polite and understanding. I wanted this to be cleared: I wanted GM in F1 because it is good for business.” F1 currently has just one American team, owned by California businessman Gene Haas, despite a series-high three races in the United States. Should the Cadillac F1 team make it to the grid in 2026 as scheduled, there will be two American teams and Ford will officially join Red Bull that season as a technical partner. This Andretti-less F1 effort will be led by TWG Global, the investment company founded by Walter, who as CEO of Guggenheim Partners is the controlling owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Premier League club Chelsea, and Towriss, who became involved in motorsports initially as a sponsor for Andretti and took an ownership role in Andretti Global in 2022. Towriss is now the majority owner of the Andretti race teams and work on the F1 team will continue in Andretti's Indiana shop, its recently opened satellite factory in Silverstone and GM’s facilities in North Carolina and Michigan. Towriss is the CEO of TWG Global’s motorsports arm. There is no indication who the drivers will be for the F1 team, although Valtteri Bottas indicated last weekend he'd like to be considered and the original Andretti effort targeted current IndyCar driver Colton Herta, who is sponsored by Towriss' company, Gainbridge.
Authored by Roger Kimball via American Greatness, Last week in this virtual space, I wrote that Donald Trump would make a renewed effort during his second term to dismantle “the administrative state.” As in his first term, he would employ various strategies to blunt the effects of the administrative apparatus that governs us. He would, for example, disperse some parts of the government outside the overwhelmingly left-progressive swamp of Washington, D.C. As an aside, I should note that I regard the persistence of Washington as the seat of our government as a serious impediment to the goal of “ deconstructing ” the administrative state. “It has,” I wrote back in 2022, “long been obvious to candid observers that there is something deeply dysfunctional about that overwhelmingly Democratic, welfare-addicted city.” It is a partisan sinkhole. Jefferson wanted the capital moved from New York to Washington in part to bring it closer to the South, but also to place it in a locality that was officially neutral. There is nothing neutral about Washington today. The city has some impressive architecture and urban vistas. They should be preserved and staffed as tourist attractions. But the reins of power should be relocated. I doubt that will happen. Which means that the eternal vigilance that MAGA must maintain around its enemies will have to be redoubled. Trump attempting to govern from Washington will be like Ike trying to undertake the Normandy invasion with half his planners on loan from the German general staff. Still, there are some symbolic gestures that he and his aides might consider. I have long suggested that the inauguration be held somewhere other than Washington, D.C. There is nothing in the Constitution that requires the inauguration be in Washington. LBJ, remember, was sworn in on Air Force One just a couple of hours after Kennedy was assassinated. When Warren Harding died, Calvin Coolidge was visiting the family homestead in Vermont. His father, a justice of the peace, administered the oath of office in the parlor. I think the next inauguration should be well away from the swamp of Washington. Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach is one venue that springs to mind, but I am sure there are other attractive spots. At a minimum, I hope the inauguration committee will consider having some of the parties elsewhere. A ball in Butler, PA, for example, would not only be celebratory but also serve as a useful reminder of how close Trump came to a fatal encounter with an assassin’s bullet. But the trouble with “Washington”—I use scare quotes to indicate that we are dealing with spiritual as well as geographical dispensation—is not only its partisan nature. There is also its apparently unstoppably expansionist character. No matter which party is in power, the business of Washington is to make government bigger—forever. Republicans talk about “limited government.” They then sign on to nearly every scheme to make government bigger and more intrusive. Democrats do the same, of course, but they generally skip the rhetorical foreplay about making government smaller. One huge difference this time around will be the Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE for short, an ad hoc executive initiative that will be overseen by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. They outlined their bold plan in an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal last week. “Unlike government commissions or advisory committees,” they noted, “we won’t just write reports or cut ribbons. We’ll cut costs.” Will they? It would be pretty to think so. Musk has said that he wants to cut government expenditures by $2 trillion. If he could manage even a quarter of that amount, it would be something to write home about. It may seem utopian. But remember, Musk bought Twitter and instantly cut the workforce by 80 percent. He vastly improved the platform, salvaged free speech, and transformed a dying company into a dynamic one. As usual, the devil will be in the details. Musk and Ramaswamy may identify the ideal candidates for downsizing or elimination. Exactly how will they move from pen to scissors is the $64,000—or rather, the $2 trillion—question. I take solace from the thought that if anyone can do it, the triumvirate of Trump, Musk, and Ramaswamy can. Naturally, opposition will be ferocious. Will it also be effective? Time will tell. I have not yet answered the question posed in my title: “What is the administrative state?” A friend asked me that in the course of our conversation about my column last week. Isn’t it possible, he asked, that “administrative state,” like its scarier sounding cousin, “deep state” is just a polysyllabic synonym for “state,” for the complex activities of government in a complex, technologically advanced polity? Maybe “administrative state” is just an invention of right-wing “conspiracy theorists” who find goblins where there are only harmless bureaucrats? I nattered on about the growth of the regulatory state, the battalions of unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats who govern us from their perches in the alphabet soup of modern, Kafkaesque governance, and put in a plug for Tocqueville’s analysis of “democratic despotism.” I also noted that the phrase “conspiracy theorist” is generally used in a prophylactic, not a descriptive sense. That is, it is a phrase that is wheeled out when the aim is to end, not further, the conversation. The problem is not conspiracy theories, but conspiracies in fact. One example. When revelation of the contents of Hunter Biden’s “laptop from hell” threatened to upend Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign, Anthony Blinken asked acting CIA director Michael Morell to organize a letter signed by 51 former intelligence officers stating that the laptop bore all the signs of “Russian disinformation.” Morell did this, he said, in order to give Biden a “talking point” for his forthcoming debate with Donald Trump. The public did not know this at the time. When the truth leaked out, the establishment claimed it was only a “conspiracy theory” put about by Trump supporters. But it wasn’t a conspiracy theory . It was a conspiracy in fact. I stand by everything I said, but I did not say enough, and what I did say was not precise enough. Formulating definitions is often a mug’s game. This is because, for any important matter, a definition that is true will also have to be so general as to be vacuous or at least unilluminating. What is love? What is virtue? What is knowledge? In everyday life, these chestnuts from the philosophy seminar tend to get assimilated to the indefinite definition Justice Potter Stewart offered for “obscenity”: “I know it when I see it.” Still, there’s something to be said for making the effort. So here goes. “‘The administrative state’ is that quota of political power that covertly fills the vacuum left by the failure of the legislative branch to discharge its obligations.” Two things are critical. One is the displacement of sovereignty. No longer are the people sovereign. The bureaucracy is. The second critical thing is the covert nature of the enterprise. The question “What is the administrative state?” can seem difficult to answer because it is not supposed to exist in the first place. You know it only by its actions. You cannot look it up in the statute book, much less in the Constitution. Indeed, the very fact of the administrative state violates any number of Constitutional norms, not least its being a sort of “fourth branch” of government when the Constitution provides for only three. Edmund Burke touched on an essential aspect of this process in Thoughts on the Cause of the Present Discontents (1770). Criticizing the Court of George III for circumventing Parliament and establishing by stealth what amounted to a new regime of royal prerogative and influence-peddling, Burke saw how George and his courtiers maintained the appearance of parliamentary supremacy while simultaneously undermining it. “It was soon discovered,” Burke wrote with sly understatement, “that the forms of a free, and the ends of an arbitrary Government, were things not altogether incompatible.” That malign co-habitation stands behind the growth of the administrative state. We still vote. We still have a bicameral legislature. But behind these forms of a free government, the essentially undemocratic activities of an increasingly arbitrary and unaccountable regime pursue an expansionist agenda that threatens liberty in the most comprehensive way, by circumventing the law. The shadowy nature of the administrative state helps to explain why it is so hostile to free speech and, by the same token, why it tends to be receptive to the deployment of censorship and police power to achieve its ends and stymie the ends of its critics. That is why the rise of the administrative state goes hand in hand with the loss of public confidence in society’s guiding institutions. Talk of “democracy” and “our democracy” is ever on their lips. SWAT teams, prosecutorial abuse, and lawfare are out on the street for all to see. Bottom line: The age of the administrative state is at the same time an age of declining legitimacy in the foundational institutions of civil society. Officially, the administrative state is not supposed to exist. Having people talk about the fact that it does exist and that it often pursues ends that are contrary to the ends of the people outside its magic circle of custodians means that by definition free inquiry is a threat to its perpetuation. That is one reason that the administrative state is so hostile to democracy. It is also an important reason why it must be dismantled and returned to the graveyard of rebarbative systems of political obfuscation and bureaucratic tyranny.SEATTLE , Dec. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Wunderdogs, a brand consultancy and digital studio, announced the release of a report, Climate Compass. The report, produced in collaboration with investors and industry experts from True Ventures, Wireframe Ventures, Planeteer Capital, Activate, Prelude Ventures, Limelight Steel, SOSV, The Nature Conservancy, and The Ad Hoc Group, offers a look at the next generation of climate technology startups driving the shift to a decarbonized, resilient, and sustainable future. "This report represents a major step in understanding the evolving climate tech space," said Daria Gonzalez , Wunderdogs ' co-founder. "By bringing together insights from leading venture capital firms and industry experts, we're helping to shape a view of what lies ahead for the next generation of climate-focused startups." The report is the result of a collaborative effort between Wunderdogs and a network of forward-thinking investors and entrepreneurs across the climate tech space. Over the past several months, Wunderdogs worked closely with venture capital firms and experts to research, design, and compile insights into the most promising startups and technologies that are shaping the future of climate tech. The full report is available to view here: climatecompassreport.com . About Wunderdogs Since its inception in 2017, Wunderdogs has been at the forefront of brand and digital strategy for the technology sector, collaborating with over 140 technology firms and 30 investment companies. Wunderdogs combines strategy, design and technology to create award-winning brands and digital platforms aimed at making a lasting impression. View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wunderdogs-unveils-report-on-the-next-generation-of-climate-tech-startups-in-collaboration-with-true-ventures-wireframe-ventures-planeteer-capital-activate-and-prelude-ventures-302335407.html SOURCE Wunderdogs