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Cal hires former Auburn, Boise State coach Bryan Harsin as offensive coordinator
Today, we look back at 2024. In our annual salute to the year gone by, the Record-Eagle staff identified the top local stories we’ve reported on, then winnowed down the list to the top 10 we’re featuring today. Many of these subjects were certainly not new to the community: Lack of quality child care and affordable housing and a growing number of people without homes have been ongoing, high-profile issues that continue to require a collective community effort to move the needle toward improvement. It’s disturbing to note that the U.S. saw an 18.1% increase in homelessness this year, a dramatic rise driven mostly by a lack of affordable housing as well as devastating natural disasters and a surge of migrants in several parts of the country. That’s according to federal officials. Making matters worse, this year’s increase came on top of a 12% increase in 2023, which the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development blamed on soaring rents and the end of pandemic assistance last year. That 2023 increase also was driven by people experiencing homelessness for the first time, they said. Do the math and those federal statistics indicate that 23 of every 10,000 people in the U.S. are homeless. HUD officials said federally required tallies taken across the country in January found that more than 770,000 people were counted as homeless — a number that misses some people and does not include those staying with friends or family because they do not have a place of their own. Inextricably linked to the issue of homelessness here is the shortage of affordable housing across the region – and that dilemma did not ease in 2024. Other top stories this year were law enforcement disclosures about the investigation of two leaders of the Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners for separate allegations of sexual misconduct. Last week, Vice Chairman Brad Jewett was sentenced to five days in jail for a misdemeanor he pleaded guilty to – solicitation of prostitution. Board Chairman Rob Hentschel is still under investigation for an alleged sexual assault of a woman during a party at an East Bay Township house last October. Citizens protested at the last county meeting, calling for his resignation, saying the allegation casts a cloud over local government. Also troubling was that fact that the allegations against Hentschel were known by state law enforcement officers in October, but they released nothing to the public until weeks after the Nov. 5 general election, when he ran for county board and was re-elected by a narrow margin. These stories will invariably continue next year, and we’ll keep after them, but one that’s done is the massive construction project of the Grandview Parkway/East Front Street. Its early completion was a source of celebration for the entire community. Thank you, Team Elmer’s. 2024 was a year for cybercrime hitting many institutions in the region – from school districts to governmental units to health care organizations. The fallout was considerable and it’s still being grappled with in a variety of ways – including talk of the city and county government separating their information technology operations. Here’s a positive note: Community engagement ran high this year. In-person early voting offered residents a new way that many chose to cast their ballots. Tax increment financing — also known as TIF – was another area where people were clearly motivated. City residents took it to the ballot box and voted to adopt closer controls as far as where their tax dollars are being spent. Pavilions nursing home troubles flared up again, despite a new chief executive officer coming on board early this year and the fact that $7 million in federal funds were returned to its coffers. In the most recent development, that new CEO stepped down after less than a year at the helm. And not to be forgotten about this oh-so-eventful year was all the excitement and emotion of political rallies when presidential and vice presidential campaigns came to Traverse City. Those visits are the stuff of history now. Soon, we must turn the page and look ahead. As a consultant warned city officials earlier this year, change is a given – but the velocity of change is increasing. So be prepared for the unexpected. (Instead of a party hat for New Year’s Eve celebrations, it might be a good idea to wear a helmet and start the year off right.) Happy New Year.Smith's career-high 205 yards rushing carries San Diego past Morehead State 37-14
Goldman sachs predicts growth for India, cites economic resilience
Kroger and Albertsons' plan for the largest U.S. supermarket merger in history crumbled Wednesday, with Albertsons pulling out of the $24.6 billion deal and the two companies accusing each other of not doing enough to push their proposed alliance through. Albertsons said it had filed a lawsuit against Kroger, seeking a $600 million termination fee as well as billions of dollars in legal fees and lost shareholder value. Kroger said the claims were “baseless” and that Albertsons was not entitled to the fee. The bitter breakup came the day after two judges halted the proposed merger in separate court cases. U.S. District Court Judge Adrienne Nelson in Oregon issued a preliminary injunction Tuesday blocking the merger until an in-house judge at the Federal Trade Commission could consider the matter. An hour later, Superior Court Judge Marshall Ferguson in Seattle issued a permanent injunction barring the merger . Ferguson ruled that combining Albertsons and Kroger would lessen competition and violate consumer-protection laws. The companies could have appealed the rulings or proceeded to the in-house FTC hearings. Albertsons' decision to pull out of deal instead surprised some industry experts. “I’m in a state of professional and commercial shock that they would take this scorched earth approach,” said Burt Flickinger, a longtime analyst and owner of retail consulting firm Strategic Resource Group. “The logical thing would have been for Albertsons to let the decision sink in for a day and then meet and see what could be done. But the lawsuit seems to make that a moot issue.” Albertsons is unlikely to find another merger partner because it has significant debt and underperforming stores in most of its markets., Flickinger said. Consumers will feel the most immediate impact of the deal's demise, he said, since Albertsons charges 12% to 14% more than Kroger and other grocery rivals. “They had so much debt they had to pay it off it's reflected in their pricing and promotional structure,” Flickinger said. Albertsons CEO Vivek Sankaran testified during the federal hearing in September that his company might consider “structural options” like laying off employees, closing stores and exiting certain markets if the merger with Kroger didn’t go through. “I would have to consider that,” he said. “It’s a dramatically different picture with the merger than without it.” But in a statement Wednesday, Sankaran said Albertsons would “start this next chapter in strong financial condition with a track record of positive business performance." In the company's most recent quarter, Albertsons' revenue rose 1% to $18.5 billion and it reported $7.9 billion in debt. Kroger and Albertsons first proposed the merger in 2022 . They argued that combining would help them better compete with big retailers like Walmart, Costco and Amazon, which are gaining an increasing share of U.S. grocery sales. Together, Kroger and Albertsons would control around 13% of the U.S. grocery market. Walmart controls around 22%. Under the merger agreement, Kroger and Albertsons — who compete in 22 states — agreed to sell 579 stores in places where their locations overlap to C&S Wholesale Grocers , a New Hampshire-based supplier to independent supermarkets that also owns the Grand Union and Piggly Wiggly store brands. But the Federal Trade Commission and two states — Washington and Colorado — sued to block the merger earlier this year, saying it would raise prices and lower workers' wages by eliminating competition. It also said the divestiture plan was inadequate and that C&S was ill-equipped to take on so many stores. On Wednesday, Albertsons said that Kroger failed to exercise “best efforts” and to take “any and all actions” to secure regulatory approval of the companies’ agreed merger transaction. Albertsons said Kroger refused to divest the assets necessary for antitrust approval, ignored regulators' feedback and rejected divestiture buyers that would have been stronger than C&S. “Kroger’s self-serving conduct, taken at the expense of Albertsons and the agreed transaction, has harmed Albertsons’ shareholders, associates and consumers,” said Tom Moriarty, Albertsons’ general counsel, in a statement. Kroger said that it disagrees with Albertsons “in the strongest possible terms.” It said early Wednesday that Albertsons was responsible for “repeated intentional material breaches and interference throughout the merger process.” Kroger , based in Cincinnati, Ohio, operates 2,800 stores in 35 states, including brands like Ralphs, Smith’s and Harris Teeter. Albertsons , based in Boise, Idaho, operates 2,273 stores in 34 states, including brands like Safeway, Jewel Osco and Shaw’s. Together, the companies employ around 710,000 people. Kroger sued the FTC in August in federal court in Ohio, claiming that the federal agency’s in-house administrative hearings were unlawful because the FTC was also able to challenge the merger in federal court in Oregon. In paperwork filed Wednesday, the FTC said it expected to update the court on its next steps in that case by Dec. 17. In Colorado, which also sued to block the merger, Attorney General Phil Weiser said Tuesday that he still was awaiting a decision from a state judge. In that case, Colorado also was challenging an allegedly illegal no-poach agreement Kroger and Albertsons made during a 2022 strike. Shares of Albertsons were down less than 1% in late trading Wednesday, while Kroger's stock was up less than 1%.The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has graduated 1,190 recruits from its Basic Military Training Course 44/2023 during a Passing Out Parade held on Saturday at the Military Training Centre, Kaduna. The event marked the formal induction of airmen and airwomen into the NAF, reinforcing its capacity to tackle security challenges across the nation. The Chief of Air Staff,(CAS) Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, who served as the Guest of Honour, at the ceremony commended the recruits for successfully completing the rigorous six-month training, describing it as a transformative journey designed to instill discipline, resilience, and professionalism. “This training ensures that only the fittest are entrusted with the sacred duty of defending our sovereign nation,” he noted. The CAS also emphasised the importance of integrity, excellence, and selflessness in their service. The recruits, drawn from a pool of 1,136 civilians and 78 ex-junior airmen and airwomen, underwent intensive physical and theoretical training to prepare them for the demands of modern military operations. Air Marshal Abubakar who was also the reviewing officer at the event urged the graduates to prioritise continuous learning, embrace technological advancements, and uphold the high standards of the NAF as they assume their roles in safeguarding the nation. Highlighting the importance of professionalism, he called on the recruits to operate within the rules of engagement, respect civilians, and maintain positive civil-military relations. ClThe CAS also cautioned against the misuse of social media, reminding the graduates that their actions online reflect the esteemed image of the NAF. The event was attended by top military officers, dignitaries, and family members, who celebrated the achievements of the graduates. The CAS also expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his support of the armed forces, as well as the Kaduna State Government and local security agencies for their cooperation.