3jl slot

3jl slot BLOOMINGTON — Nearly half an hour into the first game of their existence, the Bloomington Bison found themselves trailing 2-0. After five years without professional hockey in the Twin Cities, as the new ECHL team kicked off its inaugural run with a lone preseason game, questions hung in the air. What does hockey mean to Bloomington-Normal? And what does Bloomington-Normal mean for hockey? The Bison's ownership group, Hallett Sports & Entertainment, also owns the Indy Fuel, a well-established ECHL franchise with a decade under its belt in the Indianapolis area to solidify its fanbase and space in the community. Bloomington Bison forward Chongmin Lee (77) looks at a video replay during a break in play against the Toledo Walleye on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, at Grossinger Motors Arena. Bloomington, on the other hand, has had four different hockey organizations at Grossinger Motors Arena since it opened in 2006. The USHL Central Illinois Flying Aces were the most recent, but they were not at the highest level of play hosted by the venue. That distinction belonged to the defunct Bloomington Thunder of the SPHL, a professional ice hockey independent minor league a step below the ECHL with no NHL affiliate organizations. While a preseason game generally means little to the overall outlook of an organization, uncertainty gnawed at the hockey fans who remembered welcoming other teams — and bidding them farewell. Some wondered whether the Bison, offering the highest level of professional sport seen in the Twin Cities, would succeed. Could they? Suddenly, lightning flashed. Someone wearing a white Bison sweater with the number 77 on his back flew up the wing into the offensive zone — a two-on-one break — snapped a wrist shot and breathed life into the fanbase with the team's first-ever goal. Chongmin Lee, a 25-year-old forward from South Korea, skated to center ice, hugged his teammates and absorbed the joyful noise of the crowd. The moment's significance was not lost on him. "I want people to know that everything we do achieve, it's going to be the history of the Bloomington Bison," he said in a recent interview. Less than three months after that first game, Lee's contributions have continued to drive the team's early successes. Heading into Saturday night's home game against the Kalamazoo Wings, he and captain Eddie Matsushima tied for the highest-scoring players with 19 points each. Lee also led the team in assists with 15 and was among a handful of Bison who had played in all 26 games. Nearing the midpoint of the season, Lee spoke with a Pantagraph reporter inside the locker room at Grossinger Motors Arena after a recent practice. Bloomington Bison forward Chongmin Lee (77) tries to regain control of the puck from Toledo Walleye's Mitchell Lewandowski (67) in the first period on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Grossinger Motors Arena. He was barefoot, wearing shorts and a T-shirt. A large bag of ice, taped around his right thigh, slowly melted onto the floor as Lee talked about growing up with hockey, moving across oceans to pursue his passion and working toward his hopes for the Bison and their host city. "It's really special, for sure ... Everything we do, everything we accomplish, it's just history," he said. "So, yeah, I really appreciate it. And I want to make this year special for myself and for the team." Building a team In January, the ECHL — a professional developmental hockey league equivalent to AA in minor league baseball — accepted Hallett Sports & Entertainment's application for an expansion team in Bloomington. That team would become the 29th in the ECHL, which serves as a proving ground for some players on their way to the higher American Hockey League and National Hockey League. Later in May, the New York Rangers were announced as the Bison's primary NHL affiliate, and Phillip Barski was named head coach and general manager for the 2024-2025 season. (The Carolina Hurricanes also later announced a working agreement with the Bison.) Bloomington Bison forward Chongmin Lee (77) speaks with captain Eddie Matsushima (15) after the team scored a goal against the Iowa Heartlanders on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Grossinger Motors Arena. Filling the roster was the first item on Barski's to-do list. "It's a very big undertaking, you know," he said. In other professional sports leagues, the addition of one or more new teams coincides with an expansion draft. Existing teams will select a number of players to "protect" from the draft, and the new teams can build a roster from the "unprotected" players. Most recently, the NHL held an expansion draft in 2021 when the Seattle Kraken were formed. The ECHL is a different story, though. "There's no expansion draft here," Barski said. Building a team meant marketing Bloomington-Normal to prospective players, many of whom had never been to Central Illinois. "It was very challenging to recruit this team because nobody knew anything about Bloomington," Barksi said. "They didn't know where Bloomington, Illinois, was." At the start of 2024 , Lee was playing for HL Anyang in the Asia League in South Korea. A friend from their national team had an advantageous connection, Lee said. "My buddy from (our) national team, he had an awesome agent. I asked him, 'Can I talk to him?' ... I said I'm interested in going to the ECHL. And he said he will work on it," Lee said. Bloomington Bison forward Chongmin Lee (77) stands next to forward Eddie Matsushima (15) during a hockey game Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, at Grossinger Motors Arena. "I really like playing with him," Lee said of Matsushima, the team captain. When Barski received "some random email from an agent that I didn't know about who had (Lee) on a list," he was intrigued. "It didn't take very long for us. We watched a couple of shifts (with Lee), and I was like, 'Oh my God,' you know," the coach recalled. "His athleticism jumps out at you. His speed jumps out at you. His physicality jumps out at you. The shot. "I mean, it was a pretty quick process on our end to be like, 'Oh my god.' Like, 'We want this guy in our locker room. We want him to be a part of the organization.' ... We jumped on it pretty fast," Barski said. The attraction was mutual, Lee said. Soon, he was headed for Bloomington, over 6,500 miles from the home in Seoul, South Korea, where his love of the sport began. Chasing dreams Lee's passion for hockey took root at a young age. "There (were) not many hockey rinks back home when I was really young," he said. Still, both of his older brothers found a way to play the sport. At one of their practices, when Lee was just 5 years old, his dad asked if he would like to play, too. A young Chongmin Lee and a teammate in South Korea are shown in this provided photo. "I said yeah," Lee recalled. "And then we got all the random hockey gear (that was) left, I put it on, and I went on the ice. That was my first (hockey) memory." Lee found success on the ice in South Korea, but "I always thought about going overseas (to) play hockey." At just 15 years old, he got that chance when an agent connected him with the Vancouver North East Chiefs of the British Columbia Elite Hockey League. Lee's brothers encouraged him to seize the moment. Such an opportunity "doesn't come as often, so I should take it," Lee said, recalling their advice. "So I did." Lee packed everything up, traveled across the Pacific Ocean and settled into western Canada, where he finished school while playing hockey — and learning a new language. "It was a challenge for me," Lee said. "I wasn't able to speak any English back then." Despite the communication barrier and distance from his family, Lee thrived on the ice and built a community with his teammates, he said. "I don't have family here (in North America)," Lee said. "So I wanted someone ... people like my teammates to be my family." Those same teammates drove Lee to continue playing and pursuing his dreams, he said. Seeing his friends advance and playing at higher levels of hockey — from junior hockey to the college level and beyond — pushed him forward. "After college, they wanted (to) go pro, so I wanted (to) go pro," he said. "So, yeah, that kind of ... (kept) motivating me." After playing for the Chiefs, Lee joined the BCHL , a junior hockey league in British Columbia, Canada. From 2017 to 2020, he played for the Spruce Kings in Prince George, some 320 miles north of Vancouver. A young Chongmin Lee playing for Prince George's Spruce Kings in Canada. His journey would hit a major snag in 2020, when he had been slated to play for the University of Alaska-Anchorage. The COVID-19 pandemic and budgetary issues led to the university to cancel the season and ultimately end the program. "I didn't have a team for a year," Lee recalled. "That was a really hard time for me." In 2021, he crossed another ocean — this time, to Sweden — to keep his hockey dreams alive. During his two years in the land of the Vikings, Lee played for Nässjä HC and Tranås AIF, two semi-professional organizations. About 140 miles southwest of Stockholm, the Swedish municipality of Tranås has a population of roughly 15,000. Such a stark contrast with Lee's previous homes — the Vancouver metro area has 2.6 million residents, Seoul over 9 million — made it harder to connect with people, he said. "Obviously, they speak really well in English, but they still speak (more often) in Swedish," he said. "And I was in a really small town." Though Bloomington-Normal is no Seoul, Lee said it has proven more similar to the "second home" he experienced while playing in Canada. "It feels comfortable," he said. 'Ready to go, all the time' The Bison list Lee at 5 feet, 11 inches tall and 185 pounds — not the biggest person on the ice . While he also isn't the smallest, outranking several of his teammates in height and weight, Lee acknowledged that his size can be a disadvantage. "I'm not a big guy. And when I (went) to Canada the first time, I was really young, and my body wasn't ready," he said. "My body wasn't built to play against like, 6-1, 200-pound guys." The average height in the ECHL , according to data on eliteprospects.com , is 6 feet, 1 inch, and players' average weight clocks in at just over 191 pounds. Compare that with the NHL average of 6 feet, 2 inches and 201 pounds , and it becomes clear that Lee is punching up, as it were. He had to adjust how he played after leaving South Korea, he said: "Use my speed, make a quick play, not hang on to (the puck) too long. Yeah, speed, obviously is (the skill) that I need to focus on." Bloomington Bison forward Chongmin Lee (77) stands in front of Kalamazoo Wings goaltender Ty Young (33) during the second period of a game on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024, at Grossinger Motors Arena. Lee is meticulous about his diet and conditioning, Barski said, working just as hard off the ice as he does on it. "He really takes care of his body. I mean, when you see him, he's like a physical specimen," Barski said. "You know, he's not the tallest, necessarily, but he's built really well. And he takes a lot of pride in that ... he's a consummate professional." The way Lee attacks the offensive zone with his quickness has two primary effects, Barski said: 1) puts the defense on their heels and 2) speeds up his teammates. Barski "We talk a lot about ... slowing the team down and speeding our team up. Those, to me, are like a two-pronged approach," Barski said. "So his ability to speed the game up slows down the other team and puts them in some really tricky situations." Matsushima, listed as the same size as Lee, brings a similar style of play. "I think I learned a lot from him, actually," Lee said of Matsushima, whose ECHL experience includes three seasons with the Tulsa Oilers. "I see him, how he uses his speed, and I added that to my game. And then I started seeing (the game better). I start playing more comfortable and confident." Matsushima said the two have had a connection from the start, largely due to their shared speed and approach to the game. "We're both just just very similar players in the sense that we're just ready to go all the time," he said Saturday night. "We just kind of have the understanding that when one of us says to go, there's no second thought. We both just go." That speed, combined with seeing the game slowed down, is what led to Lee's fateful first goal. "Coach always says, 'See play, make play.' If you don't see it, don't force it," Lee said. Driving through the offensive zone that day, Lee was joined by fellow forward Gavin Gould, No. 91. "I saw Gouldie on the other side (of the ice). I couldn't make that pass," Lee said. Instead of forcing a tough pass, "I just, like, shot it. I shot the five hole (between the goalie's legs), and it went in." Lee hopes whatever success he finds, coupled with his discipline and consistent practice, will help to inspire his teammates, as well. "I think, when guys are looking at me, 'If that guy can do it, everyone else can do it (too),'" he said. Locking into a steady work ethic, day in and day out, can be tough, Barski said. "Things in pro hockey can get very monotonous," he said. "You show up at the same time. You do the drills ... So it kind of becomes this malaise." Professional athletes, by their nature, are highly motivated. But that doesn't necessarily make coaching and practicing at a high level easy, Barski said. "The trickier part, potentially, is — how do you make it fun?" he said. Such an approach involves looking at the hockey player as a whole, not simply who he is on the ice or in the locker room. "We'll do that in a multitude of ways," Barski said, "whether we're doing, like, a team bonding activity here where we're doing something a little different, out of the ordinary, or, you know, just having individual meetings, checking in with the guys." Bloomington Bison forward Chongmin Lee (77) watches the play during a game against the Kalamazoo Wings on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024, at Grossinger Motors Arena. The goal is a culture that encourages players to be excited about practice and open to coaching. "Obviously, we're a new team with a new organization, we will take a little bit of time" to develop the team's character and culture in the locker room, Lee said. Some of the Bison players are in their first ECHL season. "We have lots of rookie guys and guys who are coming from junior hockey. So we need, we definitely need a little more time ... for that culture," Lee said. "But it's coming. It's coming, and we're getting better and better every day." Moving forward While some ECHL players could be a few years or even months away from making it in the NHL, many still have a lot to learn. "If they knew everything, they wouldn't need us. We'd be out of a job," Barski said with a chuckle. One area in which Lee has shown improvement is on-ice communication, he said. "He's quiet," Barski said. "And that might be a culture thing. We're actually trying to pull that out of him, especially on the ice." Not that being quiet and reserved is a bad thing, the coach added. "You know, at the end of the day, we don't want anyone to be anything that they're not. If you're quiet, be quiet," Barski said. "But on the ice, it is a little bit of a detriment to be quiet because one of the ways to, obviously, help a teammate is by communication." After a few months with the Bison, Lee has started opening up and talking more during drills, practices and games. Bloomington Bison forwards Chongmin Lee (77) and Eddie Matsushima (15) return to the ice after a break in play during a game against the Toledo Walleye on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, at Grossinger Motors Arena. "We feel comfortable that he feels comfortable that we can start trying to ... add that to his toolbox, so to speak," he said. Part of the newfound comfort might come from Lee's off-the-ice activities. "I do hang out with our teammates when we don't have games," he said. "And I went to Chicago one time. It was fun." One thing he'd like to do, when he has a chance, is catch a Chicago Blackhawks game live to see star center Connor Bedard . Drafted No. 1 overall by Chicago in 2023, Bedard hails from North Vancouver, British Columbia — next to Lee's old stomping grounds in Canada. And who knows — Lee could find himself sharing ice with Bedard one day. After all, at least five of his teammates have been called up to the Bison's American Hockey League affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, at various times this season. Playing for the team in Connecticut would put Lee one step away from the NHL. Until then, you can catch him on the ice at Grossinger Motors Arena, his number 77 a blur as he races up and down the ice. WHAT: Bloomington Bison vs. Kalamazoo Wings WHEN: 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 29 WHERE: Grossinger Motors Arena, 101 S. Madison St., Bloomington THEME: Sunday Family Fun Day. Kids get a voucher for a free hot dog, chip, cookie and soda. There will also be a postgame skate with Bison players. TICKETS: $20-$71, available at bloomingtonbisonhockey.com or Ticketmaster, or call the Bison ticket office at 309-965-4373, ext. 2. Lifelong hockey enthusiast Adam Morris follows the growth of the Bloomington Bison in their first season. The ECHL holiday break is over. As the Bison face the Kalamazoo Wings in a weekend set that includes two home games, here's a look at what to expect. Are there parallels between the Bloomington Bison and their primary NHL affiliate? Columnist Adam Morris checks out the New York Rangers in person. The Bison are in their third month of existence, but their presence in Bloomington-Normal has already started to take root. After their five-game run against the Iowa Heartlanders ended with two consecutive losses, the Bloomington Bison can look forward to a change of scenery — and opponent. As we bask in the glow of holiday decorating and Thanksgiving leftovers, columnist Adam Morris takes stock of his gratitude as a Central Illinois hockey fan. When the Bison and Iowa Heartlanders play, penalties will be a factor. There have been 171 penalty minutes handed out, including 13 roughing calls and nine major penalties. Power plays, leadership and stamina: Three takeaways from the Bloomington Bison's first winning weekend at Grossinger Motors Arena. As the Bloomington Bison lose their top goaltender to a higher league, a grueling schedule in the coming weeks could become the team's proving ground. The Bloomington Bison's owners believe fans will be impressed with the higher level of play at Grossinger Motors Arena — but that only works if they're there to see it. Are you struggling to keep up with the Bison's ever-changing roster? You're not alone. Here's why the new Bloomington hockey team is uniquely positioned in its league — and how it could be an advantage. "Was it a little disappointing that the Bison did not come out of last weekend with a win? Of course. ... What I did see, though, felt just as encouraging." It's always exciting to see the start of something new. That's what fans are getting with the Bloomington Bison — on the ice and behind the glass. When the Bloomington Bison drop the puck in their preseason matchup Saturday, it will represent potentially best chance for sustained professional hockey in the Twin Cities. Contact D. Jack Alkire at (309)820-3275. Twitter: @d_jack_alkire Looking for more Bison coverage? Check out our new pages on social media! Facebook: facebook.com/bisonhockeyextra Instagram: instagram.com/bisonhockeyextra X (formerly Twitter): x.com/bisonextra Get in the game with our Prep Sports Newsletter Sent weekly directly to your inbox! General Assignment Reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.

Here are the most anticipated January 2025 games

UNITED STATES: Trump blasts Biden over death sentence commutationsRBI Deputy Governor Urges MSMEs To Register On Udyam Portal To Boost Creditworthiness

People | Leadership at seaIreland blamed Northern Ireland Office for ‘damaging leaks’, records show

Priyanka Gandhi asks if ‘Adani’ is unparliamentary after speech editHaiti’s online media association said two reporters were killed and several others were wounded in a gang attack on Tuesday on the reopening of Port-au-Prince’s biggest public hospital. Street gangs have taken over an estimated 85% of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, and they forced the closure of the General Hospital early this year. Authorities had pledged to reopen the facility Tuesday, but as journalists gathered to cover the event, suspected gang members opened fire in a vicious Christmas Eve attack. Robest Dimanche, a spokesman for the Online Media Collective, identified the dead journalists as Markenzy Nathoux and Jimmy Jean. Dimanche said an unspecified number of reporters had also been wounded in the attack, which he blamed on the Viv Ansanm coalition of gangs. Haiti’s interim president, Leslie Voltaire, said in an address to the nation that journalists and police were among the victims of the attack. He did not specify how many casualties there were, or give a breakdown for the dead or wounded. “I send my sympathies to the people who were victims, the national police and the journalists,” Voltaire said, pledging “this crime is not going to go unpunished.” A video posted online by the reporters trapped inside the hospital showed what appeared to be two lifeless bodies of men on stretchers, their clothes bloodied. One of the men had a lanyard with a press credential around his neck. Radio Télé Métronome initially reported that seven journalists and two police officers were wounded. Police and officials did not immediately respond to calls for information on the attack. Street gangs have taken over an estimated 85% of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. They forced the closure of the General Hospital early this year during violence that also targeted the main international airport and Haiti’s two largest prisons. Authorities had pledged to reopen the facility Tuesday, but as journalists gathered to cover the event, suspected gang members opened fire. Video posted online earlier showed reporters inside the building and at least three lying on the floor, apparently wounded. That video could also not be immediately verified. Johnson “Izo” André, considered Haiti’s most powerful gang leader and part of a gang known as Viv Ansanm, which that has taken control of much of Port-au-Prince , posted a video on social media claiming responsibility for the attack. The video said the gang coalition had not authorized the hospital’s reopening. Haiti has seen journalists targeted before. In 2023, two local journalists were killed in the space of a couple of weeks — radio reporter Dumesky Kersaint was fatally shot in mid-April that year, while journalist Ricot Jean was found dead later that month. In July, former Prime Minister Garry Conille visited the Hospital of the State University of Haiti, more widely known as the General Hospital, after authorities regained control of it from gangs. The hospital had been left ravaged and strewn with debris. Walls and nearby buildings were riddled with bullet holes, signaling fights between police and gangs. The hospital is across the street from the national palace, the scene of several battles in recent months. Gang attacks have pushed Haiti’s health system to the brink of collapse with looting, setting fires, and destroying medical institutions and pharmacies in the capital. The violence has created a surge in patients and a shortage of resources to treat them. Haiti’s health care system faces additional challenges during the rainy season, which is likely to increase the risk of water-borne diseases. Poor conditions in camps and makeshift settlements have heightened the risk of diseases like cholera, with over 84,000 suspected cases in the country, according to UNICEF.

For Iowa, it's a chance to tune up going into the bulk of its Big Ten Conference schedule. For New Hampshire, it's an opportunity to collect a nice paycheck and perhaps even pull off a memorable upset. The Hawkeyes and Wildcats will finish their nonconference schedules Monday night when they meet in Iowa City. Iowa (9-3) last played on Dec. 21, erasing an 11-point second-half deficit to outgun Utah 95-88 in Sioux Falls, S.D. Payton Sandfort scored a season-high 24 points and added eight rebounds for the Hawkeyes, while Owen Freeman added 16 despite running into foul trouble. Hawkeyes coach Fran McCaffery praised fifth-year senior Drew Thelwell, Iowa's sixth-leading scorer, who matched his season high with 15 points. "The energy in the building was phenomenal. Drew was right in the middle of that," McCaffery said. "His defense and drawing six fouls, those are stats that are critical to a team's ability to win. Get to the bonus, get to the double bonus. We do that by driving the ball and drawing fouls and that's what we did." Freeman is averaging a team-high 17.1 points and shooting 66.1 percent from the field, while Sandfort adds 16.7 ppg. Iowa has its usual high-powered attack, ranking seventh in Division I in scoring at 87.8 ppg and canning 50.2 percent from the field. The Hawkeyes could add more gaudy offensive numbers against New Hampshire (2-12), which has lost six straight games, including a 90-83 decision on Dec. 22 at Stonehill. The Wildcats have experienced trouble defensively, allowing opponents to sink 45.2 percent of their field goal attempts and score 76.5 ppg. Coming off a successful 2023-24 campaign that saw the Wildcats go 16-15 and win a game in the America East Conference tournament, New Hampshire returned just three players and had to replace AEC Player of the Year Clarence Daniels and his 19.4 ppg. It hasn't gone to the plan of second-year coach Nathan Davis, but he's still hopeful his team can figure things out in conference play. "We've improved across the board as far as our talent level," he said this summer. "I like our pieces." This is the first meeting between the Wildcats and Hawkeyes. --Field Level Media

Former President Jimmy Carter has died at the age of 100. The 39th president of the United States was a Georgia peanut farmer who sought to restore trust in government when he assumed the presidency in 1977 and then built a reputation for tireless work as a humanitarian. He earned a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Carter died Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care, at his home in Plains, Georgia. At age 52, Carter was sworn in as president on Jan. 20, 1977, after defeating President Gerald R. Ford in the 1976 general election. Carter left office on Jan. 20, 1981, following his 1980 general election loss to Ronald Reagan. Here's the latest: Grandson Jason Carter says Plains kept his grandparents humble Jason Carter is now the chairman of The Carter Center’s board of governors. He said his grandparents “never changed who they were” even after reaching the White House and becoming global humanitarians. He says their four years in Washington were just one period of putting their values into action and that the center his grandparents founded in Atlanta is a lasting “extension of their belief in human rights as a fundamental global force.” Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter traveled the world advocating for democracy and fighting disease, but Jason Carter said they weren’t motivated by pity, or arrogance that a former American president had all the answers — they ventured to remote places because they could “recognize these people.” They too were from “a 600-person village” and understood that even the poorest people “have the power ... the ability ... the knowledge and the expertise to change their own community.” President Biden mourns his predecessor As reaction poured in from around the world, President Joe Biden mourned Carter’s death, saying the world lost an “extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian” and he lost a dear friend. Biden cited Carter’s compassion and moral clarity, his work to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless and advocacy for the disadvantaged as an example for others. Biden said he is ordering a state funeral for Carter in Washington. Pelosi says Carter’s life ‘was saintly’ in devotion to peace Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is remembering Carter as a man steeped “in devotion to public service and peace.” The California Democrat said in a statement Sunday that Carter was committed to “honoring the spark of divinity within every person,” something she said manifested in “teaching Sunday school in his beloved Marantha Baptist Church, brokering the landmark Camp David Accords to pave the way to peace or building homes with Habitat for Humanity.” Pelosi also said Carter led “perhaps the most impactful post-presidency in history.” Historical praise from the United Kingdom British Prime Minister Keir Starmer noted in a post on X the special contribution Carter made by brokering the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt and through his work with the Carter Center. “Motivated by his strong faith and values, President Carter redefined the post-presidency with a remarkable commitment to social justice and human rights at home and abroad,” Starmer said. Commemoration in New York City To commemorate Carter’s death, officials with the Empire State Building said in a post on social media that the iconic New York City landmark would be lit in red, white and blue on Sunday night, “to honor the life and legacy” of the late former president. The Obamas recall Carter's Sunday services In a statement issued Sunday, former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama said Carter’s beloved Maranatha Baptist Church “will be a little quieter on Sunday,s” but added that the late former president “will never be far away -- buried alongside Rosalynn next to a willow tree down the road, his memory calling all of us to heed our better angels.” Noting the “hundreds of tourists from around the world crammed into the pews” to see the former president teach Sunday school, as he did “for most of his adult life,” the Obamas listed Carter’s accomplishments as president. But they made special note of the Sunday school lessons, saying they were catalysts for people making a pilgrimage to the church. “Many people in that church on Sunday morning were there, at least in part, because of something more fundamental: President Carter’s decency.” A somber announcement The longest-lived American president died Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023 , spent most of their lives. “Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” The Carter Center said in posting about his death on the social media platform X. It added in a statement that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. A Southerner and a man of faith In his 1975 book “Why Not The Best,” Carter said of himself: “I am a Southerner and an American, I am a farmer, an engineer, a father and husband, a Christian, a politician and former governor, a planner, a businessman, a nuclear physicist, a naval officer, a canoeist, and among other things a lover of Bob Dylan’s songs and Dylan Thomas’s poetry.” A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. After he left office and returned home to his tiny hometown of Plains in southwest Georgia, Carter regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world. Former Vice President Gore remembers Carter for life "of purpose” Former Vice President Al Gore praised Jimmy Carter for living “a life full of purpose, commitment and kindness” and for being a “lifelong role model for the entire environmental movement.” Carter, who left the White House in 1981 after a landslide defeat to Ronald Reagan. concentrated on conflict resolution, defending democracy and fighting disease in the developing world. Gore, who lost the 2000 presidential election to George W. Bush, remains a leading advocate for action to fight climate change. Both won Nobel Peace Prizes. Gore said that “it is a testament to his unyielding determination to help build a more just and peaceful world” that Carter is often “remembered equally for the work he did as President as he is for his leadership over the 42 years after he left office.” During Gore’s time in the White House, President Bill Clinton had an uneasy relationship with Carter. But Gore said he is “grateful” for “many years of friendship and collaboration” with Carter. The Clintons react to Jimmy Carter's death Former President Bill Clinton and his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, remember Carter as a man who lived to serve others. “Hillary and I mourn the passing of President Jimmy Carter and give thanks for his long, good life. Guided by his faith, President Carter lived to serve others — until the very end." The statement recalled Carter's many achievements and priorities, including efforts “to protect our natural resources in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, make energy conservation a national priority, return the Panama Canal to Panama, and secure peace between Egypt and Israel at Camp David." After he left office, the Clinton statement said, Carter continued efforts in "supporting honest elections, advancing peace, combating disease, and promoting democracy; to his and Rosalynn’s devotion and hard work at Habitat for Humanity — he worked tirelessly for a better, fairer world,” the statement said.Uwill Founder & CEO Michael London Named Innovator in HealthcareOTTAWA — Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly welcomed president-elect Donald Trump's pick for the next U.S. ambassador in Ottawa, a former longtime Michigan congressional representative who voted for NAFTA and later wavered on new free trade deals. Joly said at a news conference on Thursday at the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C., that she takes it as a good sign that Trump endorsed the Canada-U.S.-Mexico free-trade deal when he announced Pete Hoekstra as his next envoy to Canada. She also posted on social media Thursday that Canada looks forward to working with Hoekstra to strengthen bilateral ties and advance shared priorities "as close allies and neighbours." The minister was in Washington to talk trade and security with U.S. senators from both parties. Her meeting schedule included top Republican senators Lindsey Graham, Rick Scott and Lisa Murkowski. Following this trip, Joly is headed to the Halifax International Security Forum, where she said she will be meeting with more U.S. lawmakers, including Sen. James Risch from Idaho. Hoekstra will still have to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate, but his early nomination is being taken as a good sign by several former diplomats. Former Canadian diplomat Colin Robertson, who has met with Hoekstra before, said he's someone Canada can work with. "He's not from the (WWE) or Fox News. He's an ambassador in the Netherlands previously ... and he's from Michigan, so somebody who understands Canada," Robertson said. "He's well suited to the posting and I think it'll be easier to do business with somebody who has his depth of experience." Canada's ambassador in Washington, Kirsten Hillman, also congratulated Hoekstra on the nomination, posting on social media she looks forward to working with him to make the bilateral relationship "even stronger." Hoekstra was a nine-term border-state lawmaker and holds high esteem in Trump's world. His long career in politics left a wake of stunning headlines, including for a 2012 Super Bowl ad critics and even some Republicans slammed as blatantly racist. He was Trump's chosen chairman for the Michigan GOP during a power struggle between two pro-Trump camps. He spoke at Trump rallies in the swing state during the campaign and earned high praise from the president-elect. "This guy, Hoekstra — he's unbelievable," Trump said at a February rally in Waterford Township, Mich. "Everything he did in Congress, he was incredible, and then he was an unbelievable ambassador." In his first term as president, Trump tapped Hoekstra to serve as U.S. ambassador to the Netherlands, where he was at one point embroiled in a political interference scandal for hosting a fundraiser at the U.S. Embassy with members of the far-right party Forum for Democracy. In a 2019 public talk organized by a Dutch news magazine, he said it's "not an unrealistic ask" that every member of NATO meets the target of spending the equivalent of two per cent of GDP on defence by 2024 — something Trump has railed about, and something Canada will not do until at least 2032. At an event in Ottawa last month, Trump's former ambassador to Canada Kelly Craft said his administration would expect Canada to meet that target much sooner than 2032. Hoekstra was a representative for Michigan from 1993 until 2011 and chaired the powerful House Intelligence Committee. In 2019, Trump floated him as a possible pick for national intelligence director. Not long after he was first elected, he voted in favour of the NAFTA trade deal in 1993 — something he called at the time a simple choice yet also the "toughest decision I have had to face in my first 11 months in office," according to Michigan newspaper reports from the time. By 2003, he was opposed to inking free-trade deals, including two proposed with Singapore and Chile, saying that NAFTA led to manufacturers in Michigan to "shift production to Canada and Mexico." Nearly a decade later, in 2011, he singled out NAFTA as something that had "come to symbolize what Americans believe is unfair trade." In the early 2000s, he was one of a number of Michigan lawmakers from both parties raising ire over Toronto shipping its trash into his state. "Michigan is better than taking Canadian trash," he was quoted saying in 2004 in the local Michigan newspaper the Ludington Daily News. The next year he co-signed a letter advocating for a bill that would clamp down on "foreign municipal solid waste" entering his state, according to an Associated Press report from the time. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 21, 2024. Kyle Duggan, The Canadian PressNew coach Chris Holtmann has been tasked with rebuilding DePaul to the point where it can return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2004. Northern Illinois coach Rashon Burno knows what it takes to steer DePaul to the NCAAs because he was the starting point guard on the 2000 team that made the tournament -- the Blue Demons' only other NCAA appearance since 1992. Perhaps they can compare notes Saturday afternoon when Burno leads the Huskies (2-3) back to his alma mater as DePaul (5-0) hosts its sixth straight home game in Chicago. Last season, Burno's NIU squad helped accelerate DePaul's need for a new coach -- as the Huskies waltzed into Wintrust Arena and owned Tony Stubblefield's Blue Demons by an 89-79 score on Nov. 25. The Huskies built a 24-point second-half lead before coasting to the finish line. Can history repeat for NIU? There's just one problem with using last year's game as a potential barometer for Saturday's rematch: Almost no players on this year's teams were part of last year's squads. At DePaul, only assistant coach Paris Parham remains as Holtmann had the green light to bring in an all-new roster. UIC graduate transfer Isaiah Rivera (16.0 ppg, .485 3-point rate) and Coastal Carolina transfer Jacob Meyer (15.4 ppg, .406 on 3s) lead a balanced attack that focuses on getting half its shots from beyond the arc. At NIU, Burno retained only two players who competed against DePaul last year -- Ethan Butler and Oluwasegun Durosinmi -- and they combined for three points in 26 minutes in that game. The Huskies' main players used the transfer portal to join such programs as Kansas, Wisconsin, Penn State, Colorado State, James Madison, Georgia State and Niagara. With every starting job open, Butler has jumped into the lineup and produced 11.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 1.4 steals per game. Transfers Quentin Jones (Cal Poly) and James Dent (Western Illinois) pace the Huskies with 14.4 and 14.0 points per game. NIU is on a two-game losing streak, most recently a 75-48 home defeat at the hands of Elon on Wednesday. Holtmann hopes to have Arkansas transfer Layden Blocker for Saturday's game. Blocker missed Tuesday's 78-69 win over Eastern Illinois with a quad injury. With the combo guard unavailable, point guard Conor Enright handed out a career-high 11 assists in a season-high 38 minutes. "We need (Blocker)," Holtmann said. "I don't want to play Conor 38 minutes." --Field Level Media

In 2024, we highlighted trends expected to shape the future of freight forwarding. As we enter 2025, many of these issues remain relevant, underscoring the enduring yet evolving dynamics of global logistics. While advancements have been made, the fundamental complexities around digitalisation, decarbonisation, and supply chain resilience persist, further amplified by upcoming regulations entering into force in 2025. Looking ahead to 2025, there is one trend everyone can agree on: disruption has become the new normal. Those in the industry who strive to adopt an antifragile system will not only withstand the stress of disruption but will thrive and become more effective from it. As we navigate these disruptions, the freight forwarding industry continues to grapple with similar challenges identified in previous years. While progress has been made in the industry, the need for innovation, collaboration, and strategic adaptation remains paramount. Freight forwarders embracing change, investing in technology, and prioritising antifragility will be better positioned to thrive in this dynamic landscape. Source: MaerskAdorable reason Strictly Chris McCausland's daughter DIDN'T want him to do BBC show - as blind comedian shares torment he couldn't be a 'proper dad' EXCLUSIVE: Why Chris McCausland's parents WON'T be at the Strictly final Have YOU got a story? Email tips@dailymail.com By RUTH FRANCIS FOR MAILONLINE Published: 09:34 EST, 14 December 2024 | Updated: 09:37 EST, 14 December 2024 e-mail View comments Chris McCausland is set to compete in the grand finale of Strictly Come Dancing on Saturday night. The comedian, 47, who hasn't been able to see since his early 20s when he lost his sight due to a hereditary condition called retinitis pigmentosa, previously revealed that he had turned the dancing competition several times because it was 'terrifying'. The funnyman also confessed that his daughter Sophie, 11, was initially 'nervous' for him in case he fell over and 'embarrassed' himself. Speaking ahead of the final he said: 'She was terrified when I started this, because I think she could pick up on my nerves, and I couldn't hide it. 'She was so nervous for me, in case I fell over, in case it was embarrassing, in case I embarrassed myself.' However, she is now his number one fan and wants him to win and bring home the glitter ball trophy. Comedian Chris McCausland has revealed the adorable reason his daughter Sophie didn't want him to take part in the BBC show The funnyman confessed that she was initially 'nervous' for him in case he fell over and 'embarrassed' himself Chris confessed: 'She'd say every Saturday: "It doesn't matter Daddy if you go out because I think you've already won". 'And then it was when we got to the semi-finals she said "Daddy, do you know when I said it doesn't matter? I've changed my mind. I think you can win this thing".' The Liverpool-born star also opened up about what he has discovered about himself since taking part saying: 'Everything, just the fact that we've been able to do it, the fact that we've been able to pull this off, the fact we've been able to learn the dances and put on a show. It’s all surprising.' Chris is the runaway favourite to lift the glitter ball trophy in tonight's finale. And there is one woman to thank for this: his beloved wife Patricia. She was the one who persuaded Chris to take part in the dancing show and will be there, discreetly, in the audience, cheering her husband on. The couple welcomed Sophie in 2013 but being a father wasn't something Chris was confident he could do. He said: 'The idea of being a parent and all of the things I was going to be unable to do properly, all the things my dad used to do with me as a kid, I thought to myself: 'How am I going to do all of those things? I'm not going to be a proper dad; I'll be a half dad.' And that caused me a lot of torment in my head.' However it was Brazilian-born Patricia Mazure who gave him the confidence, and they now live on a new-build private development in Surbiton, south-west London, not far from Kingston University where Chris studied computer engineering. Chris who is partnered with Dianne Buswell is the first blind contestant in the shows history and is set to take to the stage on Saturday night for the grand finale Chris admitted that his 11-year-old daughter would initially say that it didn't matter where he placed in the competition, but now he is the favourite and she can see how far he has come, she wants him to bring home the glitter ball trophy Chris's beloved wife Patricia, pictured, was the one who persuaded Chris to take part in the programme and the couple will celebrate 20 years together in 2025 Friends say that initially Chris found parenthood 'really hard', but he soon discovered a way of making it work as a blind father. 'My daughter knows nothing else but me not being able to see,' he says. 'She learned that she could point at things for my wife, and she put my hand on things with me. That's how she learned to communicate with us.' Chris also found a way round not being able to see Sophie. As a computer engineer, he movingly described how he'd been able to devise a way to 'bring her image to life' using AI . He takes photos of Sophie and uses specialist technology to get a description of her and what she's doing, as well as the expression on her face. Chris and Patricia's love story began when he was a fledgling young stand-up at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2005. She was a TV producer for Sky making a programme about the festival. When the cameras stopped rolling there was an instant connection between them, and they were soon spending more time together back in London. Romance blossomed and was cemented by a shared love of music. In fact, when Chris took Patricia to see rockers Pearl Jam in London's Hyde Park in 2010 he vowed to himself that he would propose to her if the band played their favourite song, Black. They did, and she said yes – right there in the middle of the gig - and the couple married in 2012. Talking about taking part in the show, a friend of the couple told MailOnline: 'Patricia always has faith in Chris. He was so worried about not doing his absolute best in the contest, but she never doubted his capabilities. 'She is very private and does not crave the limelight, but don't be fooled by her silence – she has been with him every step of the way. She is his rock.' Chris also revealed that he uses specialist AI technology to get a description of his daughter and what she's doing, as well as the expression on her face Next year they will celebrate 20 years together. Read More EXCLUSIVE Why Chris McCausland's parents WON'T be at the Strictly final to see if he wins Chris says of his wife: 'We were opposites. I mean, she comes across very British, but she's Brazilian. I don't mean this negatively, but her life is chaos in the way that Brazilian people are chaos. It's a cultural natural attribute they are proud of. 'The number of times she'll be talking in Portuguese to her mum, and then I'll say to her: 'Are you OK, what happened? It sounds like you've had the most horrific argument.' And it turns out they were just talking about what they're going to do that day. 'She's full of energy and took me out of my comfort zone, and I think I just make her laugh. I was almost this calming presence in her life that she was attracted to; it was something she didn't have.' Chris McCausland recently revealed he's 'worn down' ahead of today's final Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell during the dress rehearsal for Saturday's Strictly Come Dancing on December 7 Tonight, Chris will take on Love Island star Tasha Ghouri, Miranda actress Sarah Hadland and singer JB Gill in the final. He owes much of his success to his professional Strictly partner Dianne Buswell, who managed to tailor their training with Chris literally having to feel his way around moves, and picturing how a dance should look through description. It wasn't without mishaps, however: early in the series, Chris revealed how the Australian dancer had accidentally kicked him in the face during one training session when he didn't realise her foot was coming. Whatever she did, it worked: they haven't once been in the bottom two (who face a dance-off each week), and with tonight's vote down to the public – the judges' scores are not taken into account – they're tipped to win. Chris and Dianne will re-perform their Couple's Choice from week eight, which was danced to Instant Karma (We All Shine On), by John Lennon; and their final dance will be the waltz, with the song choice being poignant given Chris's Scouse roots – the Liverpool football anthem You'll Never Walk Alone, by Gerry And The Pacemakers. The most magical moment was perhaps their American Smooth dance in Blackpool, where a dapper Chris, dressed in white tie, led Dianne with poise and elegance, winning a 37 out of 40 from the judges – their highest score. Then there was his Wayne's World performance, where he and Dianne dressed up as characters from the 1992 US comedy movie. The audience was in hysterics. London Strictly Come Dancing Chris McCausland Share or comment on this article: Adorable reason Strictly Chris McCausland's daughter DIDN'T want him to do BBC show - as blind comedian shares torment he couldn't be a 'proper dad' e-mail Add comment

How Blogging Builds Trust and Brand LoyaltyGuy Killed By SF Police Was a Security Guard With a Gun Fetish Who Hated Gun Laws, Liberal California

A rare win as a double-digit underdog came just in time to let the Dallas Cowboys believe their playoff hopes aren't completely gone in 2024. Cooper Rush probably will need three more victories in a row filling in for the injured Dak Prescott for any postseason talk to be realistic. The thing is, the Cowboys (4-7) could be favored in two of those games, and already are by four points as an annual Thanksgiving Day host against the New York Giants (2-9) on Thursday, according to BetMGM. Not to mention the losing record at the moment for each of the next four opponents for the defending NFC East champions, playoff qualifiers each of the past three seasons. The Cowboys have a chance to make something of the improbable and chaotic 34-26 win at Washington that ended a five-game losing streak. "Behind the eight ball," Micah Parsons said, the star pass rusher acknowledging the reality that Dallas hadn't done much yet. "Let's see how we can handle adversity and see if we can make a playoff run. But we got a long way to go." It was a start, though, powered in part by the best 55 minutes from the Dallas defense since the opener, when the Cowboys dismantled Cleveland and looked the part of a Super Bowl contender. The last five minutes for the Dallas defense against the Commanders looked a lot like most of the nine games after that 33-17 victory over the Browns. Which is to say not very good. Jayden Daniels easily drove Washington 69 yards to a touchdown before throwing an 86-yard scoring pass in the final seconds to Terry McLaurin, who weaved through five defenders when a tackle might have ended the game. The Cowboys kept a 27-26 lead thanks to Austin Seibert's second missed extra point, and withstood another blunder when Juanyeh Thomas returned an onside kick recovery for a TD rather than slide and leave one kneel-down from Rush to end the game. Dallas will have to remember it did hold a dynamic rookie quarterback's offense to 251 yards before the madness of the ending in the Cowboys' biggest upset victory since 2010 at the New York Giants. That one was too late to save the season. This one might not be. "We needed it," embattled coach Mike McCarthy said. "It's been frustrating, no doubt. We've acknowledged that. We've got another one right around the corner here, so we have to get some wins and get some momentum." What's working Rush ended a personal three-game losing streak with his best showing since the previous time he won as the replacement for Prescott, who is out for the season after surgery for a torn hamstring. The 117.6 passer rating was Rush's best as a starter, and the NFL's second-worst rushing attack played a solid complementary role with Rico Dowdle gaining 86 yards on 19 carries. What needs help KaVontae Turpin's electrifying 99-yard kickoff return did more than lift the Cowboys when it appeared an 11-point lead might get away in the final five minutes. It eased the worst day of special teams for Dallas since John Fassel took over that phase four years ago. Suddenly struggling kicker Brandon Aubrey had one field-goal attempt blocked and missed another. Bryan Anger had a punt blocked. For the second time in five games, Aubrey's attempt to bounce a kickoff in front of the return man backfired. The ball bounced outside the landing zone, putting the Commanders at the 40-yard line to start the second half and setting up the drive to the game's first touchdown. Stock up CB Josh Butler, whose NFL debut earlier this season came five years after the end of his college career, had 12 tackles, a sack and three pass breakups. The pass breakups were the most by an undrafted Dallas player since 1994. Stock down Rookie LT Tyler Guyton, who has had an up-and-down season with injuries and performance issues, was benched immediately after getting called for a false start in the fourth quarter. His replacement, Asim Richards, could be sidelined with a high ankle sprain that executive vice president of personnel Stephen Jones revealed on his radio show Monday. Veteran Chuma Edoga, who was the projected starter at Guyton's position before a preseason toe injury, was active but didn't play against the Commanders. He's awaiting his season debut. Injuries The status of perennial All-Pro RG Zack Martin (ankle/shoulder) and LG Tyler Smith (ankle/knee) will be a question on the short week after both sat against Washington. Stephen Jones indicated Smith could be available and said the same of WR Brandin Cooks, who hasn't played since Week 4 because of a knee issue. TE Jake Ferguson may miss at least a second week with a concussion. The short week might make it tough for CB Trevon Diggs (groin/knee) to return. Key number 75% - Rush's completion rate, his best with at least 10 passes. He was 24 of 32 for 247 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. His other game with multiple TDs and no picks was a 25-10 victory over Washington two years ago, when he went 4-1 with Prescott sidelined by a broken thumb. Next steps There's some extra rest after the short week, with Cincinnati making a "Monday Night Football" visit on Dec. 9. The next road game is at Carolina on Dec. 15.One of the benefits of domestic air purifiers is that they can quickly clean large volumes of air, significantly reducing the amount of airborne pollutants in your home. However, these appliances tend to be relatively big and heavy. It is difficult to answer this question for sure. The market for personal air purifiers is still in its infancy, and there is not enough scientific evidence to determine exactly how effective they are in real-life situations. Not to mention that different devices may use vastly different technologies to combat airborne pollutants. It is also worth mentioning that many ionizers have been shown to produce ozone as a by-product, and this gaseous compound can be an irritant for people with asthma and other respiratory conditions. One 2015 study even indicated that the amount of ozone produced near the head, versus the amount of irritants removed from the air breathed in, made wearable air purifiers mostly ineffective in cleaning a person’s personal space. Air-purifying masks, on the other hand, could provide some tangible benefits, Masri said."For instance, an N95 mask can help reduce exposure to airborne particles, while a mask fitted with a carbon filter can help reduce exposure to volatile organic compounds ," he said. We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more: Arizona's star kicker can come away from this season being named the best player at his position in the country. The Texas A&M Aggies have one of the most-dependable legs in the country.

NBA Spread and Total Picks for Today, December 30

Donald Trump puts premium on loyalty, focuses on ‘America First’ policies in cabinet selectionsConference title games a chance at a banner, bragging rights