"The View" co-host Sunny Hostin claimed that President-elect Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign didn't discuss high egg prices during the latest episode of the daytime ABC talk show. While expressing frustration over voters prioritizing kitchen table issues over Trump’s alleged threat to democracy, Hostin declared that Trump didn’t even talk about core economic issues – such as the price of eggs – during his campaign. "Most people are saying, ‘Well this was a kitchen table issue, this was about the cost of eggs.' Donald Trump never talked about the price of eggs," Hostin said on Tuesday.' Despite Hostin’s allegation, Trump spoke about the high cost of eggs multiple times during his campaign. He shared an infographic to Truth Social in September showing how various grocery staples were more expensive under the Biden administration than they were under Trump.' In addition to showing that milk prices were up, as well as the price of ham and chicken, Trump’s graphic pointed out that the price of a case of eggs was up $2 from during his administration. During a campaign stop at a Pennsylvania grocery store that same month, then-vice presidential candidate JD Vance lamented about the price of eggs to reporters, stating, "Eggs, when Kamala Harris took office, were short of $1.50 a dozen. Now, a dozen eggs will cost you around $4 thanks to her inflationary policies." Both Trump and personal finance expert and radio host Dave Ramsey discussed "$8 eggs, $5 gas, 7% interest rates and a house they can’t afford, with wages not going up as fast as house prices," during an October interview. High grocery prices and inflation in general were a key topic throughout the campaign. Hostin’s complaint came while discussing Special Counsel Jack Smith dismissing the federal charges against Trump in his Washington, D.C., case over the president-elect’s alleged 2020 election interference. The co-host argued that throwing out the case dashed the hopes of voter groups like Black female voters who viewed democracy as a top issue. She added, "But when the exit polls were taken, the 92% of Black women that voted for the vice president said that the number one issue for them was January 6 and the fall of democracy. So, there were some voters that felt that was very, very important to them." All six of the co-hosts of "The View" voted for Kamala Harris. Originally published as ‘The View’ co-host Sunny Hostin claims Trump 'never talked about' egg prices during campaign
The Gas Hydrates Market Will Grow To $2.80 Billion In 2028 At A Compound Annual Growth Rate CAGR Of 6.6%The possibility of Seyi Tinubu running for Governor of Lagos state in the 2027 elections and succeeding Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has sparked debate As the son of President Bola Tinubu, his candidacy is seen as a continuation of the political influence wielded by the Tinubu family in Lagos Speaking exclusively with Legit.ng on Sunday, PDP chieftain Dare Glintstone Akinniyi criticized the current state of politics in Lagos, comparing the Tinubu family’s influence to the Bush political legacy in the U.S Don't miss out! Join Legit.ng's Sports News channel on WhatsApp now! Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements. The spokesperson of the PDP National Youth Group, Dare Glintstone Akinniyi, has shared his opinion on the speculation surrounding Seyi Tinubu, the son of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as a potential candidate for the 2027 Lagos state governorship race. Akinniyi: Who can challenge Seyi Tinubu Akinniyi compared the Tinubu family's potential political dynasty to the Bush family's political legacy in the United States of America, where George H.W. Bush and his son, George Walker Bush, both served as presidents. Read also 2027: PDP reacts amid endorsements of Seyi Tinubu as Lagos governor, details surface In an exclusive interview with Legit.ng on Sunday, November 24, Dare Glintstone Akinniyi, Akinniyi lambasted the leadership of the PDP in Lagos state, describing them as "unserious." The PDP chieftain said: PAY ATTENTION : Standing out in social media world? Easy! "Mastering Storytelling for Social Media" workshop by Legit.ng. Join Us Live! "It appears that the Tinubu's are emulating the Bushs' political strategies in America. Where the Father and Son were 41st and 43rd Presidents of the United States, respectively. Seyi Tinubu is a Nigerian and he is qualified to be the Governor of Lagos State, after then he can try to be President of Nigeria after his Father. "If the PDP leaders are serious in Lagos, should we be discussing a Son of Bola Tinubu's endorsement? "Nigerians and indeed Lagosians are in love with his Dad and they can compensate the family with the No 1 Seat in Lagos. Is there anyone who can challenge him, if his Dad decides to make him the next Governor of Lagos state? Read also Can Seyi Tinubu govern Lagos? APC chieftain mentions real target "The last three Governors of Lagos state were handpicked by the then Senator Bola Tinubu, now President Bola Tinubu – so what is the noise about?" Akinniyi: "PDP members sign secret deals with APC, Tinubu" Speaking further, the PDP spokesperson also criticized party members, who, according to him, have been involved in behind-the-scenes negotiations with the ruling APC , thereby undermining the party’s ability to present a strong alternative candidate to challenge the APC's dominance in Lagos state. Akinniyi added: "If there are any qualified people in Lagos than the Tinubu family, they should come out and let's see them. "Is it the same Lagos where members of PDP will go behind to negotiate with Tinubu that will present a candidate to be the next Governor? Or the APC that from LG chairman down to the Governor is selected by Bola Tinubu himself? "I wish Seyi Tinubu the best of luck, if his Dad wants him to be the next Governor of Lagos." Read also Seyi Tinubu: “I’m qualified to be Lagos gov,” Obasa declares ahead of 2027, video trends Read more about Seyi Tinubu here: 2027: PDP reacts amid endorsements of Seyi Tinubu as Lagos governor, details surface Can Seyi Tinubu govern Lagos? APC chieftain mentions real target Seyi Tinubu speaks on Nigeria’s economic hardship Seyi Tinubu unfit to rule Lagos – Igbokwe Earlier, Legit.ng reported that a chieftain of the ruling APC, Joe Igbokwe, said Seyi Tinubu does not possess the required capacity to be the governor of Lagos state. Igbokwe in a Facebook post criticised those advocating for Seyi to be Lagos governor. The APC chieftain described the calls as a distraction and an attempt to pull President Tinubu down. PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find the “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy! Source: Legit.ng
The U.S. Food Drug Administration (FDA) has granted accelerated approval of a new drug for treating bilary tract cancer that was developed by Vancouver’ s Zymeworks Inc. (Nasdaq: ZYME) under a licensing and commercialization agreement with Jazz Pharmaceuticals. The new drug, Ziihera, could net Zymeworks more than $1 billion just in milestone payments, and millions more in royalties, upon full commercialization. Gaining the FDA’s accelerated approval triggers a $25 million milestone payment to Zymeworks from Jazz Pharmaceuticals – the first of more to come, should other milestones be reached. Under its licensing agreement, Zymeworks is eligible for up to $500 million in regulatory milestones, $862.5 million in commercial milestone payments, and royalties of 10 to 20 per cent on sales. “This approval represents the first FDA-approved therapy in Zymeworks’ pipeline, and validates the company’s novel Azymetric bispecific platform technology and internal research and development capabilities for novel multifunctional medicines,” Zymeworks says in a news release. “The FDA’s accelerated approval of Ziihera marks the culmination of more than a decade of research and development at Zymeworks, highlighting our deep scientific expertise in multifunctional biotherapeutics and unwavering commitment to innovation in drug development,” said Paul Moore, Zymeworks’ chief science officer. Ziihera is one of several variations of the bispecific antibody Zanidatamab that Zymeworks developed for treating various types of cancer, and one of three in the advanced “pivotal” trial phase. Several others are at phase 2 in clinical trials. In 2022, Zymeworks entered a licence and collaboration agreement with Jazz Pharmaceuticals Ireland Ltd -- a subsidiary of Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc -- for the exclusive development and commercialization rights to Zanidatamab in the U.S., Europe, Japan and other countries. A study published last year in The Lancet concluded that Zanidatamab “demonstrated meaningful clinical benefit with a manageable safety profile in patients with treatment-refractory, HER2-positive biliary tract cancer.” [email protected] twitter.com/nbennett_bivCourt rejects request to sideline San Jose State volleyball player on grounds she's transgender
Colts need help for playoff shot, while Giants seek end to record skidWASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director Christopher Wray told bureau workers Wednesday he plans to resign at the end of President Joe Biden's term in January, an announcement that came a week and a half after President-elect Donald Trump said he would nominate loyalist Kash Patel for the job. Wray said at a town hall meeting that he would be stepping down “after weeks of careful thought,” roughly three years short of the completion of a 10-year term during which he tried to keep the FBI out of politics even as the bureau found itself entangled in a string of explosive investigations, including two that led to separate indictments of Trump last year. Wray’s intended resignation was not unexpected considering that Trump had settled on Patel to be director and had repeatedly aired his ire at Wray, including in a television interview broadcast Sunday. But his departure is nonetheless a reflection of how Trump's norm-breaking style has reshaped Washington, with the president-elect yet again flouting tradition by moving to replace an FBI director before his term was up and Wray — by resigning before he could be fired — opting to avert a collision with the incoming Trump administration that he said would have plunged the FBI into political fighting. “My goal is to keep the focus on our mission — the indispensable work you’re doing on behalf of the American people every day,” Wray told agency employees. "In my view, this is the best way to avoid dragging the bureau deeper into the fray, while reinforcing the values and principles that are so important to how we do our work.” The resignation would clear the way for Patel's ascension, assuming he is confirmed by the Senate. A White House staffer during Trump's first term, Patel has insisted that the federal government should be rid of “conspirators” against Trump. The comments have stirred alarm that he could seek to use the FBI for retribution against perceived enemies despite longstanding guardrails meant to ensure investigations have a proper basis. It's extremely rare for FBI directors to be ousted from their jobs before the completion of their 10-year terms, a length meant to insulate the agency from the political influence of changing administrations. But Trump has done it twice, placing Wray in the job in 2017 after firing Director James Comey amid an investigation into ties between Russia and the Republican president’s campaign. Despite having appointed Wray, Trump had telegraphed his anger with the FBI director on multiple occasions. Trump said in the recent interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” that “I can’t say I’m thrilled with him. He invaded my home,” a reference to the FBI search of his Florida property , Mar-a-Lago, two years ago for classified documents from Trump’s first term as president. That search, and the recovery of boxes of sensitive government records, paved the way for one of two federal indictments against Trump. The case, and another one charging him with plotting to overturn the 2020 election, have both been dismissed. Trump applauded the resignation news on social media, calling it “a great day for America as it will end the Weaponization of what has become known as the United States Department of Injustice.” and complaining anew about the Mar-a-Lago search. Attorney General Merrick Garland, meanwhile, praised Wray for having “served our country honorably and with integrity for decades.” He said: “Under Director Wray’s principled leadership, the FBI has worked to fulfill the Justice Department’s mission to keep our country safe, protect civil rights, and uphold the rule of law.” Natalie Bara, the president of the FBI Agents Association. said in a statement Wray had led the FBI “through challenging times with a steady focus on doing the work that keeps our country safe. ” Throughout his seven years on the job, Wray brought a workmanlike approach to the job, repeatedly preaching a “keep calm and tackle hard” mantra to bureau personnel despite a steady drumbeat of attacks from Trump and his supporters. In fact, Wray was quick to distance himself and his leadership team from the FBI’s Russia investigation that was well underway when he took office. On the same day of a harshly critical inspector general report on that inquiry, Wray announced more than 40 corrective actions to the FBI’s process for applying for warrants for secret national security surveillance. He said mistakes made during the Russia inquiry were unacceptable and he helped tighten controls for investigations into candidates for federal office. FBI officials actively trumpeted those changes to make clear that Wray’s leadership had ushered in a different era at the bureau. Even then, though, Wray’s criticism of the investigation was occasionally measured — he did not agree, for instance, with Trump’s characterization of it as a “witch hunt” — and there were other instances, particularly in response to specific questions, when he memorably broke with the White House. In 2020, he said that there was “no indication” that Ukraine had interfered in the 2016 election, countering a frequent talking point at the time from Trump. When the Trump White House blessed the declassification of materials related to the surveillance of a former Trump campaign aide, Wray made known his displeasure. Wray also angered Trump for saying that antifa was a movement and an ideology but not an organization. Trump had said he would like to designate the group as a terrorist organization. Then came the FBI's Mar-a-Lago search, which officials defended as necessary given the boxes of documents that were being concealed at the Palm Beach property and the evidence of obstruction that the Justice Department said had been gathered. Trump railed against the FBI over that action and has kept up his criticism ever since, including after Wray said at a congressional hearing last summer that there was “some question about whether or not it’s a bullet or shrapnel” that struck Trump's ear during an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania in July. The FBI later stated unequivocally that it was indeed a bullet. Before being named FBI director, Wray worked at a prestigious law firm, King & Spalding, where he represented former Gov. Chris Christie, R-N.J., during the “Bridgegate” affair. He also led the Justice Department’s criminal division for a period during President George W. Bush’s administration.From Maui to the Caribbean, Thanksgiving tournaments a beloved part of college basketball
HomeStreet EVP Godfrey B. Evans sells $53,547 in stockNoneApple: Berkshire And Buffett Are Right - It's Time To SellNEW YORK and LONDON , Dec. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Pearl Diver Credit Company Inc. (NYSE: PDCC) (the "Company") has commenced an underwritten public offering of its Series A Preferred Stock Due 2029. Certain financial and other terms of the Series A Preferred Stock are to be determined by negotiations between the Company and the underwriters. Shares of the Series A Preferred Stock are rated 'BBB' by Egan-Jones Ratings Company, an independent rating agency. In addition, the Company plans to grant the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase additional shares of Series A Preferred Stock pursuant to the same terms and conditions. Shares of the Series A Preferred Stock are expected to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange and to trade thereon within 30 days of the original issue date under the ticker symbol "PDPA." Lucid Capital Markets, LLC ("Lucid"), B. Riley Securities, Inc. and Kingswood Capital Partners, LLC are acting as joint book-running managers and InspereX LLC and Janney Montgomery Scott LLC are acting as lead managers for the offering. The Company intends to use the proceeds from the offering to acquire investments in accordance with the investment objectives and strategies described in the prospectus supplement and for general working capital purposes. Investors should consider the Company's investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. The preliminary prospectus, which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), contains this and other information about the Company and should be read carefully before investing. The information in the preliminary prospectus and this press release is not complete and may be changed. The preliminary prospectus and this press release are not offers to sell these securities and are not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where such offer or sale is not permitted. A registration statement relating to these securities is on file with, but has not yet been declared effective by, the SEC. Copies of the preliminary prospectus (and the final prospectus, when available) may be obtained by writing to Lucid Capital Markets, LLC, 570 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10022, by calling Lucid toll-free at 646-362-0256 or by sending an e-mail to Lucid at prospectus@lucid.com . Copies also may be obtained on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov . Egan-Jones Ratings Company is a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO). A security rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities, and any such rating may be subject to revision or withdrawal at any time by the applicable rating agency. About Pearl Diver Credit Company Inc. Pearl Diver Credit Company Inc. (NYSE: PDCC) is an externally managed, non-diversified, closed-end management investment company. Its primary investment objective is to maximize its portfolio's total return, with a secondary objective of generating high current income. The Company seeks to achieve these objectives by investing primarily in equity and junior debt tranches of CLOs collateralized by portfolios of sub-investment grade, senior secured floating-rate debt issued by a large number of distinct US companies across several industry sectors. The Company is externally managed by Pearl Diver Capital LLP. For more information, visit www.pearldivercreditcompany.com . Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements and are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including those described in the prospectus and the Company's other filings with the SEC. The Company undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement made herein. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. NOT FDIC INSURED • NO BANK GUARANTEE • MAY LOSE VALUE Investor Contact: Info@Pearldivercap.com UK: +44 (0)20 3967 8032 US: +1 617 872 0945 View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pearl-diver-credit-company-inc-announces-offering-of-series-a-preferred-stock-302329464.html SOURCE Pearl Diver Credit Company Inc.
Fitness boom fuels new fashion trends in ChinaFrom Maui to the Caribbean, Thanksgiving tournaments a beloved part of college basketball
Thousands wiped off student debt in pre-Christmas giftJayden Daniels and Michael Penix Jr. trained and went through the NFL draft process together on the way to becoming two of the five quarterbacks taken in the top 10. After going off the board earlier with the second pick by the Washington Commanders, Daniels has been their starter all season and one of football's breakout stars . Penix, taken eighth in a move coach Raheem Morris joked “shocked the world," waited behind Kirk Cousins until usurping the veteran and making his first pro start last week. On Sunday night, they'll face off in the league's first prime-time showdown of rookie QBs selected in the first round, and the spotlight is bright with significant playoff implications at stake. “I'm happy for him — he waited his time,” Daniels said of Penix. “He's a phenomenal player in my eyes, and I'm excited to be able to match up against him.” Daniels and the Commanders (10-5) are in the playoffs with a win. They might already be in before kickoff if Tampa Bay loses at home to Carolina, though the Buccaneers are 8-point favorites on BetMGM Sportsbook. Washington is favored by 4 against the Falcons (8-7), who are vying with the Bucs for the NFC South title and a home playoff game and also in contention with the Commanders and others for the conference's wild-card spots. “The reality is that you fight, you fight, you fight and you put yourself in a position to go out there and win your division,” Penix said. "You put yourself in a chance to get yourself to qualify for extra play. We’re right in the mix of doing that, and we’ve got to go do it and finish.” Daniels, who threw five touchdown passes to beat Philadelphia last week and end the Eagles’ winning streak at 10 games, is the prohibitive favorite to win AP Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Penix completed 18 of 27 passes for 202 yards in a rout of the New York Giants that included two touchdowns by Atlanta's defense and two on the ground from running back Bijan Robinson. “I was really pleased with his composure, his poise, his ability to click through progressions,” Morris said. "Realistically, it was a pretty clean game at the quarterback position. I’m very pleased with what he did and how he did it and the support that he had around him.” Coaching connection Washington's Dan Quinn is facing the Falcons as a head coach for the first time since they fired him in 2020. He was replaced then on an interim basis by Morris, who was an assistant on his staff in Atlanta the entire time Quinn was in charge, including the run to the Super Bowl in the 2016 season. “It’s always fun to play against your friends, your confidants, your mentors — whatever you want to look at it as — that we’ve been able to grow up with throughout this whole process,” said Morris, who was an assistant in Washington from 2012-14 under Mike Shanahan and interviewed for the Commanders job last winter. “Dan coaching me in college," Morris added, "and then having a chance to work together and then having a chance to really follow the same path to the National Football League and then to now being in a fortunate position to be head coaches in this awesome league and having a chance to compete against each other at a very high level with high stakes on the line in prime time and all of those things — I just enjoy those moments of being able to go against guys that you care about.” Morris said conversations from their close working relationship, which dates to their time together at Hofstra, are on a break right now. “Obviously you swap texts on normal weeks,” Morris said. “I won’t talk to him this week. I’ll ban him. I’ll block him on the phone.” More zip leads to more drops Penix's results would have been even more impressive if not for some drops by receivers. Ray-Ray McCloud and Drake London had miscues on Atlanta’s opening drive. Tight end Kyle Pitts bobbled a pass later that led to Penix's interception. Serving as scout-team QB while Cousins was the starter , Penix had little practice time with the first-string offense before last week. As a left-hander, Penix gives receivers a different look, but perhaps the biggest adjustment was the added zip on his passes when compared with Cousins. “We kind of talked about that,” Morris said. “We figured that would happen. ... We talked about the reps with these guys, not having as many. So, things like that are going to happen. But I do like the fact that we’re able to keep playing and pushing and watch the guys get better and better as we went. Fuller strength The Commanders are expected to get two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jonathan Allen back after surgery in October to repair a torn pectoral muscle initially looked to be season-ending . “We know the caliber of Jon and what he can bring,” Quinn said. “He’s strong. He’s tough. So when that does happen, that’ll be something that will definitely bring energy to our defense.” Allen had 15 tackles and two sacks in five-plus games before getting injured at Baltimore on Oct. 13. Sacks on the rise After ranking last in the league with 10 sacks through the first 11 games, Atlanta’s long-struggling pass rush has enjoyed a dramatic surge. The Falcons have at least three in four consecutive games, the longest active streak in the league, with 16 total over this stretch. Arnold Ebiketie recorded his fifth sack and recovered a fumble against the Giants, and Kaden Elliss had a strip sack. Elliss also has five sacks and has dropped opposing QBs in four consecutive games: the longest streak by a Falcons defender since Patrick Kerney's five in a row in 2001. ___ AP Sports Writer Charles Odum contributed. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL Stephen Whyno, The Associated PressSan Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will miss Sunday's game against the Packers with a sore throwing shoulderWall Street stocks were little changed on Thursday while Asian equities rose in thin Boxing Day trade, extending their "Santa Claus Rally" with several bourses still shut for the holiday. Japan's Nikkei index closed up 1.1 percent, boosted by comments from the Bank of Japan governor and share price gains for top-selling automaker Toyota. China's plans for massive bond issuances in 2025 also bolstered investor sentiment. "Even though many in the region are still shaking off a bit of a holiday hangover, with several markets closed for Boxing Day, Asian stocks opened higher, riding a favorable wave from China's financial bond juggernaut," said Stephen Innes from SPI Asset Management. In New York, major indices veered in and out of positive territory in a sleepy post-Christmas session. The broad-based S&P 500 finished down less than 0.1 percent. Large technology companies that have led the market in much of 2024 mostly took a breather. These included Netflix, Tesla and Amazon, all of which declined. "What's interesting today is that we're seeing small stocks bounce back a little bit," said Steve Sosnick of Interactive Brokers, noting that the Russell 2000 index put on 0.9 percent. Holiday consumer data showed a 3.8-percent increase in US retail spending from November 1 to December 24, according to a Mastercard SpendingPulse review of a key period for retailers. London Stockton, an analyst at Ned Davis Research, noted that the "Santa Claus rally could still be alive, with strong seasonality into the end of the year." Stock markets have traditionally fared well in the last five trading days of the year and the first two in the new year, a trend known as the "Santa Claus rally." Among a number of possible reasons advanced by experts include the festive holiday mood and purchasing ahead of the end of the tax year. Innes said remarks from Bank of Japan governor Kazuo Ueda in which he refrained from signaling a potential interest rate hike next month also "influenced bullish regional sentiments." Japanese market heavyweight Toyota ended nearly six percent higher after reports in the Nikkei business daily said it aimed to double its return on equity -- a key measure of a company's financial performance. New York - Dow: UP 0.1 percent at 43,325.80 (close) New York - S&P 500: DOWN less than 0.1 percent at 6,037.59 (close) New York - Nasdaq: DOWN 0.1 percent at 20,020.36 (close) Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 1.1 percent at 39,568.06 points (close) Hang Seng: UP 1.1 percent at 20,098.29 points (Tuesday close) Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.1 percent at 3,398.08 points (close) Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0424 from $1.0414 on Tuesday Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2526 from $1.2538 Dollar/yen: UP at 158.00 yen from 157.06 yen Euro/pound: UP at 83.19 pence from 83.05 pence West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.7 percent at $69.62 per barrel Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.4 percent at $73.26 per barrel bur-jmb/aha
BOULDER, Colo. — A 72-year-old lifelong Colorado fan with end-stage kidney failure waited to the side of the field in his wheelchair for Travis Hunter and the rest of the Buffaloes. One by one, players strolled over and signed a football for Riley Rhoades, his face lighting up with each signature. Standing close by and taking in the scene was Jeremy Bloom. He's become a wish facilitator for older adults. Bloom, the former Colorado wide receiver and Olympic freestyle skier, started the Wish of a Lifetime foundation in 2008, which has made thousands of aspirations turn into reality for older adults. The list of granted wishes range from taking veterans back to the beaches of Normandy to helping late-in-life authors publish a book. He's staged concerts for musicians, assisted some in daredevil feats such as jumping out of an airplane and even lined up a meeting between an Olympic medalist and former President Barack Obama. For Rhoades, his wish was simply to return to Folsom Field again, the place where he used to have season tickets but hasn't attended a game since 2004. "Everybody has somebody in their life —a grandparent, friend, neighbor — at that age where you wish you had more resources to help," said Bloom, whose college career was cut short two decades ago when the NCAA denied his reinstatement to play football and still ski professionally after receiving endorsement money to fuel his Olympic dreams. "Nothing can compare to seeing someone else's eyes light up because you helped make their dream come true." The foundation is a tribute to his grandparents. But the concept began to take root when he was a teenager. He was in Japan for a World Cup freestyle skiing competition when a woman tried to hop on a crowded bus. There was no room, but everyone in front rose from their seats to make space. That stuck with him, along with seeing these acts of kindness for older adults all over Europe and Asia as he traveled. An idea formed — bring that same level of appreciation to the United States, with a wish-granting element. Bloom's organization has been a charitable affiliate of AARP since 2020. It was the yearning of Rhoades that brought the two of them to Folsom Field last weekend. Rhoades, who had season tickets at Colorado for 27 years, wanted to see the Buffaloes in person after watching the team's resurgence on television. A few years ago, Rhoades, who was born with spina bifida, was diagnosed with end-stage renal failure. Being among the 54,646 fans Saturday stirred up plenty of emotions for Rhoades, as he watched the 16th-ranked Buffaloes (8-2, 6-1 Big 12, No. 16 CFP) beat Utah. Colorado remains in the race for not only a conference title but a spot in the College Football Playoff. "It's just great to be back here again," Rhoades said as he pointed out the section where he used to watch games. "It's just ... so cool." For Bloom, the success that coach Deion Sanders has brought to the program means more reunions with teammates as they pass through town. "I've been through many years where nobody comes to visit," Bloom said. "It's fun that Boulder has become the epicenter of college football." Leading the way for Colorado this season have been quarterback Shedeur Sanders and two-way star Hunter, who's the Heisman Trophy frontrunner. But what particularly pleases Bloom is that Sanders, Hunter and the rest of college football players are able to finally profit through name, image and likeness. In his day, Bloom got caught in the NCAA crosshairs for wanting to play both sports and to have sponsors in one (skiing) so he could fund his Olympic aspirations. How time have changed. "I'm just really grateful that this generation of athletes gets to monetize their skills and ability," said Bloom, who finished sixth in moguls at the 2006 Winter Games in Italy. "It's the right thing." He's thrown his passion into fulfilling wishes such as learning ballet, riding in a Formula 1 pace car or taking a flight in a fighter jet. He's also helped reconnect families and friends, including a reunion for a trio of centenarian sisters who hadn't seen each other in more than a decade. This granted wish has stuck with Bloom: A person in Alabama wasn't able to travel after being diagnosed with end-of-life emphysema. So he asked for postcards to be sent, just to learn what made someone's town so special. He received 2,000 postcards from 26 different countries. "There's no end to the things that they've done for us in the world," Bloom said of older adults. "We're one of the organizations that reminds them that their dreams still do matter and that we still appreciate them and we cherish them." Get local news delivered to your inbox!Denton ISD has hired nearly all of the school security officers required by House Bill 3. One such armed officer is required on every campus in the district, and 20 out of 24 of them are already on the job in DISD. Mary Martin, the director of the district’s safety and security division, said the officials hired have a combined 423 years of experience in law enforcement. Jeff Russell, a Denton ISD area superintendent and lead administrator on the year-old safety and security team, said Martin wasted no time in fulfilling the school board’s expectations for campus security. The district has an established network of school resource officers, a group of trained and active police officials. When the 88th Legislature passed HB 3 in 2023, Texas schools had a short list of choices to comply with the new law: They could staff campuses with school marshals ; allow a trained district employee to carry a firearm on campus; hire trained and commissioned peace officers; or hire an officer from a private security company. “I’m going to ... flash back a year ago from August, when we did our House Bill 3 presentation and what we said we would do with this unfunded mandate,” Russell said. “We said we would pursue excellence. We said that our neighboring districts were going to pursue compliance, but that’s not good enough for the students of Denton ISD.” Martin, who has been a teacher and a police officer, said the biggest challenge in the past year was working through the Texas Education Agency’s District Vulnerability Assessment. “I had no idea what it was,” Martin said. “But I found out real quick. We get that done every four years. And TEA chose us, as the district of this size, to be the first one to do [the assessment] with all of their new TEA investigators.” Martin said TEA assessed 75% of the district’s campuses. The security team toured campuses with TEA investigators. They found that Denton ISD has been improving, Martin said, and the district earned praise from investigators on health services that are related to emergency response. “We are the only district that they had seen that tagged our [Automated External Defibrillators], kind of like fire extinguisher tabs, so they could go to it and they could see the last check, and that it was current and up to date,” Martin said. “They actually are taking that to other districts across the state. They felt that was well thought out.” By law, Texas public schools are required to have at least one automatic defibrillator on each campus. The devices are used to treat people suffering cardiac events. Texas school districts are also legally required to provide CPR ano defibrillator training to employees and volunteers each year. Aside from tackling the state’s vulnerability assessment, Martin and the team have spent the past year recruiting people to fill security positions. In filling the new security posts, Martin said, the team hired officers with experience in patrol, SWAT, traffic and accident investigation, and school resource officer work. The new hires also have experience in mental health investigation, university policing, firearms training and leading trainees through Texas Commission on Law Enforcement training. At least one of the security officers had served as a school resource officer for Denton ISD before. Martin said the team has working partnerships with seven police departments in the district’s attendance zone: Denton, Aubrey, Corinth, Denton County Sheriff’s Department, Elm Ridge, Little Elm and Oak Point. The new hires join a team that serves students during the school year and during summers and that hosts camps and a police explorer program. New security officers will join school resource officers in connecting with students and cultivating communities on campus. The team spent the first year “not knowing that’s what this program was going to be about,” Martin said. “But that’s exactly what this program is about. And we hope to continue that with the work that each of our SSOs are doing. SSOs are doing that in partnership with our SROs, and then just continually strengthening the safety and the security of our school district through this large partnership.” Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request.
FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — A lawyer for former U.S. Rep. TJ Cox of California said the Democrat will plead guilty to two counts of fraud and pay $3.5 million in restitution after federal prosecutors alleged he perpetrated multiple schemes involving businesses he was involved in. Attorney Mark Coleman told the Fresno Bee on Wednesday that Cox wanted to avoid trial and had reached a plea deal that dismissed 24 of the 26 charges he has faced since 2022 . “It’s very stressful for him. It’s very stressful for his family, and he wanted to get it behind him,” Coleman said. At the next hearing in January, Cox will enter guilty pleas to wire fraud and wire fraud affecting a financial institution, the Bee reported. He agrees to pay $3.5 million in restitution and will be required to provide records of his financial standings once his plea changes, according to the deal. He is also subject to whatever sentence and fine is determined to be fair by the court. Prosecutors said Cox stole more than $1.7 million in diverted client payments and company loans and investments. They also alleged Cox created false records and a fraudulent loan guarantee in order to secure a $1.5 million construction loan through a sports nonprofit for improvements at Granite Park, a sports complex in Fresno. “Anytime you’re in business there are thousands of transactions, and people sometimes make shortcuts and it’s something he had to deal with,” Coleman said about the charges. The counts that were dismissed included wire fraud, money laundering and campaign contribution fraud. Prosecutors previously said that without the plea deal, Cox faced prison time and fines ranging from $250,000 to $1 million depending on the count, according to the Bee. The charges date back to business Cox was conducting in 2018, documents show, as well as during his time in Congress. Cox was elected in 2018 by beating out incumbent Republican David Valadao for the seat that covered Kings County and parts of Fresno, Kern and Tulare counties. Valadao retook the seat from Cox in a 2020 rematch. The Associated Press
Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp crash after 'technical issue' in Meta appsSix interceptions in the past two games and zero wins since Nov. 3, quarterback Kirk Cousins is on the hot seat with fans in Atlanta. But he's still on firm footing as the starter with the only one that matters, Falcons head coach Raheem Morris. Morris remains committed to Cousins and delivered his strongest statement yet on resisting the temptation to install rookie first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. as the starter any time soon. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. OLBG ranks the best of the best casino streamers amid a booming gambling and social media landscape. Click for more. Top 10 casino streamersRichard Parsons, who helped Time Warner divorce from AOL after what was considered one of the worst takeovers in history, has died. He was 76. His death was confirmed by Lazard , where he was a longtime board member. Parsons became CEO of AOL Time Warner in 2002, replacing Gerald Levin, who stepped aside two years after the media giant’s disastrous $165 billion merger with the upstart internet company. As CEO and later chairman, he led Time Warner’s turnaround, dropping “AOL” from the corporation’s name and shrinking the company’s $30 billion in debt to $16.8 billion by selling Warner Music and other properties. “The merger did not work out quite the way many of us expected. The internet bubble burst and we had to fix the leaks,” Parsons told The Independent in 2004. “It was not as monumental a task as many people thought, as the fundamental businesses of the old Time Warner — like publishing, the cable networks and movies — was running well.” He said that after the merger, AOL’s business had collapsed and Warner Music Group was declining, along with the entire music industry. “So we sold our music business, as well as other nonstrategic assets, to strengthen our balance sheet and put in new management.” Parsons stepped down from Time Warner in 2007. The Rockefeller connection Richard Dean “Dick” Parsons was born into a working-class family on April 4, 1948, in Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant section and grew up in South Ozone Park in Queens, New York. He was a middle child among five siblings. He attended public school, skipping two grades, and at age 16, the 6-foot-4 Parsons enrolled at the University of Hawaii, where he played basketball and met his future wife, Laura Ann Bush, whom he married in 1968. After graduation, he returned to New York state to attend Albany Law School, moonlighting as a part-time janitor to help pay his tuition and finishing at the top of his class. During an internship at the New York state legislature, he developed ties to moderate Republican Gov. Nelson Rockefeller, who became vice president under Gerald Ford in 1974 in the wake of President Richard Nixon’s resignation. Parsons became associate director of President Ford’s domestic policy council. “The old-boy network lives,” Parsons told The New York Times in a 1994 interview. “I didn’t grow up with any of the old boys. I didn’t go to school with any of the old boys. But by becoming a part of that Rockefeller entourage, that created for me a group of people who’ve looked out for me ever since.” After Ford’s defeat by Jimmy Carter in the 1976 election, Parsons returned to New York and joined the law firm of Patterson, Belknap, Webb & Tyler in 1977, as did his friend Rudy Giuliani. Parsons and his wife and three children moved to Rockefeller country, Briarcliff Manor in Westchester County. Coincidentally, his maternal grandfather had been a groundskeeper on John D. Rockefeller’s nearby estate, Kykuit. Parson’s clients included Rockefeller’s widow, Happy, and the Dime Savings Bank of New York. In 1988, he accepted an offer to head Dime Bancorp, which had been struggling through the savings & loan crisis after aggressively approving high-risk mortgages as housing prices crashed. In 1989, it posted a $92.3 million loss. By the end of 1993, after ordering massive layoffs, Parsons helped the bank complete a $300 million recapitalization. In 1995, he helped engineer Dime’s merger with Anchor Savings, creating one of the nation’s largest thrift institutions. Parsons joined the Time Warner board on the recommendation of Rockefeller’s brother Laurance. He became president of Time Warner in 1995. As a Rockefeller Republican, Parsons considered himself a fiscal conservative and a social liberal. Parsons worked for Giuliani’s campaign for New York mayor but kept a behind-the-scenes profile. ′′I didn’t want to be positioned as the Mayor’s Black guy,′′ he told the Times a few years later. Giuliani put him in charge of the mayoral transition team in 1993 but Parsons turned down an offer to become deputy mayor for fiscal affairs. His relationship with Giuliani later soured after the mayor tried to pressure Time Warner Cable to carry the then-fledgling Fox News Channel in New York. Two years after stepping down from Time Warner, Parsons became chairman of Citigroup in 2009, helping to stabilize the banking giant in the wake of the financial crisis. In May 2014, he was named interim CEO of the Los Angeles Clippers after the NBA banned owner Donald Sterling for life because he had made racist remarks. “Like most Americans, I have been deeply troubled by the pain the Clippers’ team, fans and partners have endured,” Parsons said. Parsons played down race as a factor of his success. “For a lot of people, race is a defining issue. It just isn’t for me,” he told the Times in 1997. “It is ... like air. It’s like height. I have other things that I’m focused on.′′ He later came out of retirement to briefly serve as CBS chairman in the wake of Les Moonves ’ ouster following sexual harassment and assault allegations during the #MeToo movement. After only a month as CBS’ interim chairman, Parsons stepped down suddenly in October 2018, citing health concerns. “When I agreed to join the board and serve as the interim chair, I was already dealing with a serious health challenge — multiple myeloma — but I felt that the situation was manageable,” Parsons said in a CBS statement announcing he had been replaced by Strauss Zelnick. “Unfortunately, unanticipated complications have created additional new challenges, and my doctors have advised that cutting back on my current commitments is essential to my overall recovery.” Parsons was active in many charities, including playing leading roles for the Jazz Foundation of America, the Apollo Theater Foundation and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. During his years on the Apollo Theater board, he helped the historic Harlem entertainment venue raise nearly $100 million. Parsons and his wife also donated 40 works of art to the American Folk Art Museum in July 2021 to help celebrate its 60th anniversary.
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