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HC cites ‘motive to dupe UPSC’ to deny Khedkar pre-arrest bailLancaster County District Judge Susan Strong listens as evidence is presented during the first day of the medical marijuana civil trial on Oct. 29 in a lawsuit seeking to invalidate Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana petitions. A Lancaster County District Court judge ruled petitions circulated by Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana were legally sufficient on Tuesday, dismissing a legal challenge that sought to have the successful initiatives rendered void. Judge Susan Strong said attorneys for former state Sen. John Kuehn and Secretary of State Bob Evnen were only able to show a few hundred signatures were invalid on both petitions, well short of the number needed to declare them insufficient. “After reviewing the evidence, the court finds that they have fallen short,” Strong wrote in a 57-page order made public late Tuesday afternoon. “The court therefore declares that the ballot initiatives contain a legally sufficient number of signatures.” The ruling comes three weeks after both petitions won broad support in the Nov. 5 election. The first petition, which legalizes cannabis for medical use in Nebraska, received the support of nearly 71% of voters, while the second, which enacts regulations for medical marijuana, won the support of 67% of voters. Both initiatives are set to be certified by the Board of State Canvassers on Monday and will take effect 10 days later. The case originated when Kuehn, a staunch opponent of marijuana legalization in Nebraska, sued Evnen on Sept. 12 to stop the petitions circulated by Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana from being certified for the general election ballot. Evnen certified the petitions the next day hours after Attorney General Mike Hilgers announced criminal charges against a paid circulator for the ballot campaign who later admitted to forging signatures to petition sheets he found in a phone book. A week later, Evnen filed a cross-claim against Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, alleging the wrongdoing uncovered in the attorney general’s investigation could render tens of thousands of signatures invalid. His court filing asked a judge to determine whether the initiatives should be declared legally insufficient and removed from the ballot or the election results deemed void. The four-day civil trial , which ended on Nov. 4, focused on the actions of two circulators — Michael Egbert and Jennifer Henning — who described signing petition sheets outside the presence of a notary, in violation of the rules for those officials. Attorneys for Kuehn and Evnen, who was represented by Hilgers’ office, also pointed to what they described as sloppy or potentially fraudulent actions by circulators and notaries that may have affected enough voter signatures to sink the initiatives. In her order, Strong agreed to rule the signatures gathered by Egbert, who admitted to forging names he found in a phone book, as invalid and have them removed. Egbert, a paid circulator for the campaign from Grand Island, submitted 487 signatures on the legalization petition and 541 signatures for the regulatory petition. Strong also said signatures on petition sheets attorneys for Kuehn and Evnen had proven were improperly notarized by several people working for the Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana campaign would also lose the presumption of validity. That included 221 signatures on the legalization petitions and 285 signatures on the regulatory petitions, according to Strong's order. In all, Strong determined a total of 708 signatures on the legalization petition and 826 on the regulatory petition had lost the presumption of validity, while an additional three names signed to petition sheets after they had been notarized were also removed. "This case was about numbers," Strong wrote. "Thus, to prevail in this action, (Kuehn and Evnen) had to show that more than 3,463 signatures on the legalization petition and 3,357 signatures on the regulatory petition are invalid. "The plaintiff and secretary are well short," the judge added. Daniel Gutman, an attorney for Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, said in a brief phone interview Tuesday evening he was pleased with Strong's result. "We appreciate the court's thorough review of this case in an expedited timeframe and agree with the result," Gutman said. "We have always been confident in the process in which the campaign collected signatures, as confirmed by the court's decision today." On Tuesday, a spokeswoman for Hilgers said the attorney general was weighing his options for appeal. "We appreciate the court's time and thoughtful consideration in declining this matter," the attorney general's office said in an email. "We are reviewing the decision and considering next steps." Strong’s order follows resolutions reached in two other cases tied to the effort to legalize medical marijuana. Egbert, who hinted during his testimony that he was appearing in exchange for a reduced sentence in Hall County, pleaded guilty to attempted false swearing to a circulator’s affidavit days after the civil trial ended. In exchange for the guilty plea , Hall County Attorney Martin Klein agreed to reduce Egbert's charge from a Class IV felony to a Class I misdemeanor. Egbert, who admitted to forging the signatures of names he found in a phone book, was sentenced to pay a $250 fine. But the former Marine also told the court he was told he would be "covered" if he testified in the civil trial, though he had difficulty describing what that term meant, citing a neurological condition that sometimes affects his memory. And late last week, a Hall County judge dismissed two dozen criminal charges against a notary public accused of notarizing petitions outside the presence of the circulator. Jacy Todd, a York man who owned a CBD shop in Grand Island, was charged with 24 counts of official misconduct, a Class II misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. Judge Alfred E. Corey III said while the functions performed by notaries are important, Todd was not acting as a government official when he signed petitions submitted by Egbert. Corey granted a motion to quash from attorney Mark Porto, saying there was no case law to use as a basis to bring criminal charges against Todd. Reach the writer at 402-473-7120 or cdunker@journalstar.com . On Twitter @ChrisDunkerLJS Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.treasures of aztec slot png 。

Canada didn't live up to its values on immigration in recent years, Carney says

NoneFOX Business' Hillary Vaughn reports the latest on Democrats' reactions to 2024 election losses from Capitol Hill. Texas Democratic Rep. Greg Casar, the newly elected chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, spent years as a City Council member in Austin and led the charge to strip funding from local law enforcement — at one point bragging about it on social media. "We did it!!" Casar wrote on X after legislation he drafted in the Austin City Council passed, resulting in a more than $100 million cut in local police funding and an end to three incoming cadet classes. The measure passed unanimously in 2020 after a stint of police shootings involving people of color. Casar on Thursday was elevated to the highest-ranking leadership position for progressives in the House of Representatives, following a unanimous vote from his peers in the caucus. The move comes as Democrats continue to conduct a forensic analysis following the election, many of whom have called on the party to take a more centrist approach in the future. Casar's history as a public official, particularly at the local level, does not illustrate moderation, according to Dennis Farris, president of the Austin Police Retired Officers Association. "'Far-left radical' is a really good way to describe what he did in [Austin]," said Farris. EVEN DEMOCRATIC VOTERS REJECTED LEFTIST POLICIES AND POLITICIANS IN THE MOST SURPRISING PLACES Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, speaks at a Congressional Hispanic Caucus event welcoming new Latino members to Congress at the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 18, 2022. In 2017, Casar led a charge to reject a mutually agreed upon contract between the City of Austin and the Austin Police Association, setting off a wave of retirements and hiring issues due to the uncertainty around job security and benefits for officers. Meanwhile, in 2020, Casar led the drafting of legislation to strip more than $100 million in funding to the police department, which included the elimination of funding from three planned police cadet classes. Instead, the reallocated funds went to programs related to abortion access, affordable housing and food security. Shortly thereafter, the City of Austin began redirecting certain 911 calls to mental health professionals. Additionally, last year, a shortage of officers compelled police in Austin to ask residents to dial 311, instead of 911, if they got robbed near an ATM. BLUE STATE MAKES $350M ‘DEFUND POLICE’ COMEBACK AFTER RECORD HOMICIDES, VIOLENT GANG TAKEOVERS During his time as a City Council member in Austin, Casar also authored two "Freedom City" resolutions, which eliminated the use of discretionary arrests for certain non-violent crimes and required police to inform people that they are legally allowed to deny requests for immigration papers. Other policies Casar supported in his position as City Council member included a ban on non-lethal police munitions and certain chokeholds. Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, speaks after a news conference outside the U.S. Capitol to call for the reversal of the Biden administration's Title 42 expansion and asylum transit ban on Jan. 26, 2023. As a member of Congress, Casar has continued putting pressure on Austin's police officers, as well. Last year, he called on the Department of Justice to conduct oversight into "the Department's policies and practices of excessive and lethal use of force, racial discrimination, and discrimination against people with mental health conditions." JORDAN PETERSON SAYS TRUMP'S ELECTION WAS BLOW TO WOKEISM: REJECTION OF ‘HEDONISTIC, POWER MAD PROGRESSIVES’ "There was a thought in 2020 that the Democrats were actually going to flip the Texas House, and Casar was used in several campaign ads by Republicans all over the state. Democrat friends of mine thought the ‘defund the police movement’ was the reason that Democrats didn't win," Farris said. "I've spoken to several Democratic friends of mine, and they will tell you that [Casar] was a hindrance to the state-level Democrats in 2020." Rep. Greg Casar, R-Texas, speaks during a press conference outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on April 18, 2023. Following last month's elections, progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., was among a score of Democratic lawmakers who argued the party has lost its centrist, working-class base. SANDERS DOUBLES DOWN ON HIS CRITICISM OF DEMOCRATS, FIRES BACK AT PELOSI'S PUSHBACK "There is more to lose than there is to gain politically from pandering to a far left that is more representative of Twitter, Twitch, and TikTok than it is of the real world," Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., said following the election. "The working class is not buying the ivory-towered nonsense that the far left is selling." Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks at a rally at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas. The stop was one of several across TX-35, the congressional district represented by Rep. Greg Casar, who won re-election last month. Meanwhile, on Thursday, the same day as Casar's caucus election victory, NBC News published a story about the sophomore congressman in which he echoed much of the analysis from other Democrats that an intra-party shift is necessary. "We are now at a place where we have to put winning way above being right all the time," he told the outlet. "It’s less of a left-right fight and more of a getting back to a Democratic Party that’s for everyday people, no longer being seen as preachy or disconnected." CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Nonetheless, during a press conference following his victory, Casar said, "If the Democratic Party was a little more like Chairwoman [Washington Rep. Pramila] Jayapal and a little less like [West Virginia Sen.] Joe Manchin, I think we would have won this election." Jayapal is the outgoing chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and has similarly led efforts to defund the police. Fox News Digital reached out to Casar's office for comment but did not hear back in time for publication.NDP ready to open 'gates' to pass Liberal GST holiday bill separate from $250 rebate OTTAWA — NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says his party is ready to introduce motions as early as today that would help the Liberals pass legislation to create their promised GST holiday but only if they separate it from their parallel promise to send $250 David Baxter, The Canadian Press Nov 27, 2024 12:42 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh speaks to reporters in the foyer of the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick Listen to this article 00:01:31 OTTAWA — NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says his party is ready to introduce motions as early as today that would help the Liberals pass legislation to create their promised GST holiday but only if they separate it from their parallel promise to send $250 cheques to working Canadians. Singh said his party would open the procedural "gates" including motions to extend the sitting hours of the House of Commons to debate and pass the legislation in time for it take effect as promised on Dec. 14. Last week, the Liberals brought forward a plan to pause the GST on items like premade grocery items, beer and wine, toys and other holiday staples. The pause would last for two months. Singh says the NDP supports this idea, but oppose the associated $250 working Canadians benefit that is supposed to be mailed in the spring to anyone who earned an income up to $150,000 last year. Singh wants the benefit expanded to include non-working seniors and people who rely on disability benefits who did not have a working income in 2023. The Liberals have put the GST and benefit cheque bill on notice in the House of Commons but have been unable to introduce it because of an ongoing filibuster by the Conservatives over an unrelated matter of privilege. A Conservative motion demanding the government turn over unredacted documents to the RCMP on a green technology fund has been debated since late September, preventing any bills or other motions from being introduced or debated. The Conservatives insist that debate will continue until the documents are given to the RCMP or the NDP join them and the Bloc Québécois to vote non confidence in the government. At least two parties would need to support a motion to end or pause that debate. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last week that both the GST holiday and the $250 cheques are aimed at helping people struggling with the cost of living. The rebate as planned would be issued to an estimated 18 million Canadians in the spring and cost around $4.7 billion. The government has issued notice of the legislation but hasn't introduced it in the House yet. It also has put on notice a motion calling for debate on the bill, when it is introduced, to be limited to one 10-minute speech per party, and undergo just one vote for all the required stages of debate. Some Liberal MPs said Wednesday they think their government should consider expanding the eligibility for the benefit cheques. After the Liberal caucus meeting Seniors Minister Steven MacKinnon said the government has created a number of benefits to help low-income seniors. But Milton MP Adam van Koeverden said he wants to see more ambition in helping seniors and Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP Marcus Powlowski said if the government can afford to include seniors in the payments it absolutely should. The Bloc Québécois is also calling on the government to offer the rebate to seniors who are fully retired. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre called the measure a "tiny, two month tax trick" and says if Trudeau cared about affordability he'd get rid of the carbon tax. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 27, 2024. David Baxter, The Canadian Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More National News Canada didn't live up to its values on immigration in recent years, Carney says Nov 27, 2024 12:43 PM Nova Scotia Liberal vote crumbles because of 'damaged' brand, leader tied to Trudeau Nov 27, 2024 12:35 PM Lawyers, loyalists and Wall Street executives: a look at who's on Trump's tariff team Nov 27, 2024 12:12 PM Featured Flyer

Brown's Motel in Ellicott City is closing Dec. 10, leaving residents scrambling to find new affordable housing.The Irish Times view on political problems in France and Germany: a crisis at the heart of EuropeRemarkable dual-motor powertrain runs all day at 92% peak powerOn March 22, 1895, the Lumière brothers — Auguste and Louis — held a private screening of moving pictures at a Société d’Encouragement pour l’Industrie Nationale meeting in Paris. The brothers had invented a new device for recording, developing and projecting moving images called the Cinématographe, which they patented in France on February 13, 1895. The device improved the Kinetoscope, invented by Thomas Edison and his assistant William Dickson in 1891. While the Kinetoscope was a “peepshow” device that could show a motion picture to one individual at a time, the Cinématographe allowed a motion picture to be projected onto a screen for multiple viewers. The brothers shot their first film, La Sortie des Usines Lumière à Lyon (Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory in Lyon), in March 1895 using their new apparatus. The 45-second film shot outside their photographic goods factory in Lyon showed workers leaving at the end of the day and was shown at the Paris event. On December 28, 1895, the brothers held the world’s first public and commercial demonstration of the Cinématographe at the Le Salon Indien du Grand Café, a room in the basement of the Grand Café, on the Boulevard des Capucines, Paris. The twenty-minute program featured 10 films of between 38 and 46 seconds, including Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory, Repas de bébé (Baby’s Breakfast, which showed Auguste and his wife feeding their baby) and L’arroseur arrosé (The Sprinkler Sprinkled), possibly the first comedy, showing a boy tricking a gardener into being soaked with water. As an aside, one of the individuals in the audience that day was Georges Méliés, a magician and one of the pioneers of cinema, most famous for Le Voyage dans la lune (A Trip to the Moon, 1902). After this successful exhibition, the brothers opened theatres in New York, London and Brussels. They also trained opérateurs (cinematographers) to use the Cinématographe. Many of these individuals travelled to far-off places such as India and China to show motion pictures using the new contraption. One of these opérateurs, and someone important to the story of cinema in Fiji, was Marius Sestier, a pharmacist from Sauzet, Drome, France. It may seem odd to employ a pharmacist to disseminate moving pictures globally, but Jean Claude Seguin (1994) explains that while Sestier was fascinated with the Cinématographe, Auguste Lumière was interested in medicine. It was through this mutual love of moving pictures and medicine that their paths crossed. The Lumière brothers sent Sestier as a cinematographer to India in 1896 to showcase their short films. The first screening was held at Watson’s Hotel in Bombay (now Mumbai) on July 7. From India, Sestier travelled to Australia to showcase the Lumiere Cinématographe. Sestier and wife Marie-Louise arrived in Sydney on September 16 on board the F.M.S Polynésien from Bombay via Colombo. He invited journalists to a private screening on the 18th at the Lyceum Theatre on Pitt St. On September 28, Sestier gave a public exhibition of the Cinématographe at the Salon Lumière, Australia’s first movie theatre, at 237 Pitt St, a few doors from the Lyceum. Sestier was surprised to learn that the Cinématographe was not Australia’s first motion picture apparatus. Two other apparatuses were in operation at the time of his arrival, and there were two others within six weeks. The shows proved to be a hit as described by The Daily Telegraph (October 12, 1896): “The management of the Cinematographe Lumiere must have deeply regretted on Saturday that the improvised theatre in the Pitt-St shop was not 10 times its size. There were about 12 performances during the afternoon and evening, and a packed audience witnessed each while several hundreds of people were gathered on the pavement outside awaiting their turn.” During the Sestiers’ time in Sydney, they stayed with Eugène Boivin, secretary to the French consul in Sydney, and his family at Glebe. Before Sestier left Australia in May 1879, he sold about four Lumière Cinématographes to Eugène’s son Georges Boivin, another individual important to the story of cinema in Fiji. Although Georges Boivin’s occupation was listed variously as a language teacher, a lecturer on historical events or social issues, a poet, a shipping agent and a warehouseman, Sally Jackson of the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia says it was “his work in the global dissemination of the cinema which gives him an international significance.” In April 1897, Auguste Plane, an exhibitor, arrived in Noumea aboard the French mail steamer Ville de la Ciotat to hold the French colony’s first picture shows. The exhibition was held on April 9 at the Hôtel de Ville of Noumea. Accompanying Plane in New Caledonia and listed as L’agent général in advertisements from April 7, 1897, was Georges Boivin. In March 1898, Boivin returned to New Caledonia for a six-week tour with his two new business partners, G. Mitchell and Henry Schultz. It is possible that Mitchell was an electrician or a mechanic, but Schultz was an importer/exporter based in Fiji and Samoa. From Noumea, the trio left for Fiji for an exhibition of the Lumière Cinématographe. The Lumière Cinématographe Exhibition arrived at Suva on the steamer Birkagate on Sunday, May 8, 1898, for a season of picture shows under Henry Schultz’s management. Schultz claimed the Lumière Cinématographe “[was] the best show of its kind that [had] been on view in Australia, and [was] prepared to mobilise the opinion of a Suva audience as to the excellence of the entertainment which he [proposed] to regale them with [that] evening and nightly for the remainder of the week” (The Fiji Times, Wednesday, May 11). The company’s year-long tour of Australia included exhibitions at the Princess Theatre Melbourne, the Criterion in Sydney, the Royal Theatre in Adelaide, and Brisbane. Schultz revealed that the Australian tour was an overwhelming success, receiving special patronage from Lord Thomas Brassey, Victoria’s governor, and Lord Lamington, the Queensland governor. But, according to Schultz, the Lumière Cinématographe had created a sensation not just in Australia but worldwide during the last two to three years because of its novelty. The first showing of the Lumière Cinématographe Exhibition at Suva was held in a crowded house on the evening of Wednesday, May 11, at the Mechanics’ Institute. Among the pictures shown was the Melbourne Cup series. The Fiji Times issue of Saturday, May 14, gave the following report of the event: “This modern invention proved a thorough success, and those present witnessed a real treat. The machine was properly handled by experienced men, and not a single hitch eventuated during the evening. The pictures shown were excellent and highly interesting from start to finish, many having to be repeated so great was the applause.” The exhibition ran for several weeks, and new pictures were added daily. During the tour, some pictures included the Diamond Jubilee Pictures, the Coronation of the Czar, animated pictures of the Queen and the Prince of Wales, the Emperor of Germany, and other potentates and a short called The High Divers. A single night’s program included up to 40 pictures, and Mr Lyons’s piano performance accompanied them. The Lumière Cinématographe Exhibition picture shows drew full houses at Suva each night. The Fiji Times (Saturday, May 14) said that never before had the folks of Suva “had the pleasure of visiting such an enjoyable show in their midst,” adding that those who had never heard about the Cinématographe “were more than pleased”. Many Suva citizens could not get enough of this new technological and visual wonder and returned for a second and even a third viewing. The Fiji Times suggested that those who had not seen “this first-class attraction” were “missing more than they think”. It also said that those wishing to reserve seats could do so at the establishment of A. Stevens. Because of its popularity, the season at Suva had to be extended. The attendance was so high that many people were turned away from the venue each night. The Mechanics’ Institute was packed to the rafters at every screening, and those who could not find a seat had to stand to view the pictures. The Fiji Times issue of Wednesday, May 18, reported that the picture shows were particularly popular with the “coloured public.” The season at Suva closed on Saturday, May 21, with a 3 o’clock matinee for children and an evening performance. The exhibition then moved to Navua, where there were screenings at the Company’s Mill on Thursday, May 26 and Friday, May 27. Shows at Nausori followed this on Monday and Tuesday, the 30th and 31st of May. The picture company then proceeded to Levuka for a short season starting Thursday, June 7. There is some dispute over the claim that this was the first time motion pictures were exhibited in Fiji. While some authorities suggest it was, Jackson says it was “not the first time a cinematographe was screened in Fiji”. In my book The Fiji Times at 150: Imagining the Fijian Nation (Or, A Scrapbook of Fiji’s History), I suggest the following: “But this was not the first exhibition of moving pictures in the colony; there had been itinerant showmen with little to no knowledge of the “Cinématographe Apparatus,” who toured the islands putting on picture shows. But the Lumière Cinématographe Exhibition was the first professional outfit to visit the colony, having the services of two individuals trained in the use of the equipment.” With the benefit of more research, I will have to revise this position. Firstly, there is no mention in The Fiji Times of a previous tour of moving pictures. I had considered this when writing The Fiji Times history book, but concluded that perhaps the exhibitions weren’t noteworthy enough for mention. Second, we must consider that most exhibitors took the Sydney-Fiji or Sydney-New Caledonia-Fiji route. If motion pictures arrived in Sydney for the first time with Sestier, it is unlikely an exhibitor would skip a market as big as Sydney and come straight to Fiji before him. Hence, it seems likely the Lumière Cinématographe Exhibition was probably the first time Fijians witnessed picture shows. n DR ANURAG SUBRAMANI is an academic and writer. His new book, The Fiji Times at 150, is a history of the newspaper from 1869 to 2019 and a social history of Fiji. It is available at the Fiji Times Pte Ltd office, the USP Bookshop and all Prouds outlets in Fiji. The views expressed in this article are his and not of this newspaper. Georges Boivin is seated on the ground with a cricket bat. Picture: australiancinema.info An advertisement from the Fiji Times, Saturday, May 14, 1898. Picture: FILE

Montana Tech women's basketball hosts Butte-Silver Bow area kids against St. Mary's (Alberta)

Mariah Carey debunks Spotify video after AI theory: Just 'bad lighting and a red lip'Man pleads guilty to kidnapping Lyft driver, forcing her to drive to South Florida

NEW YORK — Chad Chronister, Donald Trump’s pick to run the Drug Enforcement Administration, said Tuesday he was withdrawing his name from consideration, becoming the second person selected by the president-elect to bow out quickly after being nominated for a position requiring Senate confirmation. Sheriff Chronister, the top law enforcement officer in Hillsborough County, Florida, said in a post on X that he was backing away from the opportunity, which he called “the honor of a lifetime.” “Over the past several days, as the gravity of this very important responsibility set in, I’ve concluded that I must respectfully withdraw from consideration,” Chronister wrote. He did not elaborate, and Trump’s transition team did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. Related Story: Chronister follows former Republican congressman Matt Gaetz, Trump’s first pick to serve as attorney general, in withdrawing his name for a post in the administration. Gaetz withdrew following scrutiny over a federal sex trafficking investigation that cast doubt on his ability to be confirmed as the nation’s chief federal law enforcement officer. Trump’s pick of Chronister for the DEA job drew backlash from conservatives, who raised concerns over his actions during the COVID-19 pandemic and his saying that his office “does not engage in federal immigration enforcement activities.” In March 2020, Chronister arrested the pastor of a megachurch who held services with hundreds of people and violated a safer-at-home order in place aimed at limiting the spread of the Covid virus. Related Story: “Shame on this pastor, their legal staff and the leaders of this staff for forcing us to do our job. That’s not what we wanted to do during a declared state of emergency,” Chronister said at the time. “We are hopeful that this will be a wakeup call.” U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky, was among those airing public complaints, saying Chronister should be “disqualified” for the arrest. Others flagged comments Chronister made in a video about Florida’s immigration laws that he released in 2023 that circulated again online after Trump named him last weekend. In the video, Chronister praised the “rich diversity” of his community and called it “a place where people from all walks of life come together.” Related Story: He said it was important to note his office “does not engage in federal immigration enforcement activities. We do not target individuals based on their immigration status. That’s the authority of federal agencies.” Trump has made a sweeping crackdown on immigration a central focus of his campaign and his aims for his coming administration.NDP ready to open 'gates' to pass Liberal GST holiday bill separate from $250 rebate

Northern Illinois wins wild Famous Idaho Potato BowlSHAREHOLDER INVESTIGATION: Halper Sadeh LLC Investigates PDCO, NURO, PWOD, CARA on Behalf of ShareholdersNone

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FINLAYSON: Explaining ‘productivity’ and how can we improve itNEW YORK (AP) — U.S. donors gave $3.6 billion on Tuesday, an increase from the past two years, according to estimates from the nonprofit GivingTuesday. The Tuesday after Thanksgiving, now known as GivingTuesday, has become a major day for nonprofits to fundraise and otherwise engage their supporters each year, since the 92nd St Y in New York started it as a hashtag in 2012. GivingTuesday has since become an independent nonprofit that connects a worldwide network of leaders and organizations who promote giving in their communities. The amount donated this year represents a 16% increase compared to 2023, or an 11.9% increase when adjusted for inflation. This year, about 18.5 million people donated to nonprofits and another 9.2 million people volunteered, according to GivingTuesday’s estimates. Both the number of donors and the number of volunteers increased by 4% from the group’s 2023 estimates. “This just really shows the generosity, the willingness of American citizens to show up, particularly collectively,” said Asha Curran, CEO of the nonprofit GivingTuesday. “We are just seeing the power of collective action and particularly collective giving over and over and over again.” “For us, it’s not just about the number of dollars,” Curran said. “It’s about the number of people who feel like they have agency over the way their communities progress forward into the future.” The nonprofit GivingTuesday estimates the amount of money and goods donated and the number of participants using data from donor management software companies, donation platforms, payment processors and donor-advised funds. Curran said they are purposely conservative in their calculations. Nonprofits in the U.S. raised $3.1 billion in both 2022 and 2023 on GivingTuesday. That mirrored larger giving trends where the overall amount of donations dropped in 2022 and mostly held steady in 2023 after accounting for inflation. It’s never easy to predict current giving trends, but Una Osili, associate dean at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, said there were economic forces pushing in both directions. “At the very same time, there’s a lot of uncertainty, especially around prices, the cost of living, the supermarket toll that people are expecting to continue even though inflation has moderated,” she said. Donating or volunteering with nonprofits aren’t the only ways people participate in their communities. Many give to crowdfunding campaigns, political causes or support people directly in their networks. But tracking charitable donations is one way that researchers use to understand people’s civic engagement. “This country is undeniably in a lot of pain and very divided right now,” Curran said. “And so to have a day that felt as hopeful and as optimistic as yesterday did, I’m sure was not only comforting to me, but to many, many millions of people.”Nissan and Honda to attempt a merger that would create the world's No. 3 automaker TOKYO (AP) — Japanese automakers Nissan and Honda have announced plans to work toward a merger that would catapult them to a top position in an industry in the midst of tectonic shifts as it transitions away from its reliance on fossil fuels. The two companies said they signed an agreement on integrating their businesses on Monday. Smaller Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors agreed to join the talks. News of a possible merger surfaced earlier this month. Japanese automakers face a strong challenge from their Chinese rivals and Tesla as they make inroads into markets at home and abroad. What a merger between Nissan and Honda means for the automakers and the industry BANGKOK (AP) — Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan will attempt to merge and create the world’s third-largest automaker by sales as the industry undergoes dramatic changes in its transition away from fossil fuels. The two companies said they had signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday and that smaller Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors also had agreed to join the talks on integrating their businesses. Honda will initially lead the new management, retaining the principles and brands of each company. Following is a quick look at what a combined Honda and Nissan would mean for the companies, and for the auto industry. Nordstrom to be acquired by Nordstrom family and a Mexican retail group in $6.25 billion deal Century-old department store Nordstrom has agreed to be acquired and taken private by Nordstrom family members and a Mexican retail group in a $6.25 billion deal. Nordstrom shareholders will receive $24.25 in cash for each share of Nordstrom common stock, representing a 42% premium on the company’s stock as of March 18. Nordstrom’s board of directors unanimously approved the the proposed transaction, while Erik and Pete Nordstrom — part of the Nordstrom family taking over the company — recused themselves from voting. Following the close of the transaction, the Nordstrom Family will have a majority ownership stake in the company. An analyst looks ahead to how the US economy might fare under Trump WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump won a return to the White House in part by promising big changes in economic policy — more tax cuts, huge tariffs on imports, mass deportations of immigrants working in the United States illegally. In some ways, his victory marked a repudiation of President Joe Biden’s economic stewardship and a protest against inflation. It came despite low unemployment and steady growth under the Biden administration. What lies ahead for the economy under Trump? Paul Ashworth of Capital Economics spoke recently to The Associated Press. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. American consumers feeling less confident in December, Conference Board says American consumers are feeling less confident in December, a business research group says. The Conference Board said Monday that its consumer confidence index fell back in December to 104.7 from 112.8 in November. Consumers had been feeling increasingly confident in recent months. The consumer confidence index measures both Americans’ assessment of current economic conditions and their outlook for the next six months. The measure of Americans’ short-term expectations for income, business and the job market tumbled more than a dozen points to 81.1. The Conference Board says a reading under 80 can signal a potential recession in the near future. The internet is rife with fake reviews. Will AI make it worse? Researchers and watchdog groups say the emergence of generative artificial intelligence tools that allow people to efficiently produce detailed and novel online reviews has put merchants, service providers and consumers in uncharted territory. Phony reviews have long plagued many popular consumer websites, such as Amazon and Yelp. But AI-infused text generation tools enable fraudsters to produce reviews faster and in greater volume, according to tech industry experts. The deceptive practice is illegal in the U.S. and becomes a bigger problem for consumers during the holiday shopping season, when many people rely on reviews to buy gifts. A tech company and watchdog group that uses software to detect fake reviews says AI-generated reviews have multiplied. Romanian lawmakers narrowly approve new pro-European coalition during period of political turmoil BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romanian lawmakers have voted narrowly in favor of a new pro-European coalition government led by incumbent Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. The move on Monday could usher in an end to a protracted political crisis in the European Union country following the annulment of a presidential election. Parliament approved the new administration in a 240-143 vote in the 466-seat legislature. The new coalition is made up of the leftist Social Democratic Party, the center-right National Liberal Party, the small ethnic Hungarian UDMR party and national minorities. President Klaus Iohannis is expected to swear in the new government later Monday. Stock market today: Wall Street mixed at the start of a holiday-shortened week Stock indexes are mixed in afternoon trading on Wall Street at the start of a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 rose 0.6% Monday. Several big technology companies helped support the gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 21 points, or 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite rose 1%. Japanese automakers Honda Motor and Nissan Motor said they are talking about combining in a deal that might also include Mitsubishi Motors. Eli Lilly rose after announcing that regulators approved Zepbound as the first prescription medicine for adults with sleep apnea. Treasury yields rose in the bond market. AI will eavesdrop on world's wildest places to track and help protect endangered wildlife PUERTO JIMÉNEZ, Costa Rica (AP) — A biologist hid 350 audio monitors across Costa Rica’s tropical rainforests to spy on endangered spider monkeys in order to help protect them. But she had to go back to collect the data and feed those sounds into artificial intelligence systems that can recognize monkey calls. Now tech giant Microsoft's philanthropic arm is hoping to supercharge AI-assisted wildlife research with new solar-powered devices that can capture sounds, images and other wilderness data for a year or more without human intervention. Researchers say more AI wildlife surveillance is urgently needed to monitor the health of species at risk of extinction. Many Americans have come to rely on Chinese-made drones. Now lawmakers want to ban them WASHINGTON (AP) — The economic and technological rivalry between the U.S. and China has come to the drone market, where Chinese-made flying devices are a dominant player in America. Lawmakers in Washington are seeking to ban new sales of Chinese-made drones, arguing they could be used to spy on Americans and that the low-cost models are hurting the U.S. drone industry. But U.S. users — spanning from police officers to farmers to mappers and filmmakers — have come to rely on Chinese-made drones, especially those by DJI Technology, for their work or lives. Florida has banned Chinese drones in state-funded programs, but also appropriated $25 million to help offset replacement costs.

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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — There's more than just school pride and bragging rights to all that bellyaching over who might be in and who might be out of college football 's first 12-team playoff. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — There's more than just school pride and bragging rights to all that bellyaching over who might be in and who might be out of college football 's first 12-team playoff. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — There’s more than just school pride and bragging rights to all that bellyaching over who might be in and who might be out of college football ‘s first 12-team playoff. Try the more than $115 million that will be spread across the conferences at the end of the season, all depending on who gets in and which teams go the farthest. According to the College Football Playoff website, the 12 teams simply making the bracket earn their conferences $4 million each. Another $4 million goes to conferences whose teams get into the quarterfinals. Then, there’s $6 million more for teams that make the semifinals and another $6 million for those who play for the title. Most of this bonanza comes courtesy of ESPN, which is forking over $1.3 billion a year to televise the new postseason. A lot of that money is already earmarked — more goes to the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference than the Big 12 or Atlantic Coast — but a lot is up for grabs in the 11 games that will play out between the opening round on Dec. 20 and the final on Jan. 20. In all, the teams that make the title game will bring $20 million to their conferences, all of which distribute that money, along with billions in TV revenue and other sources, in different ways. In fiscal 2022-23, the Big Ten, for instance, reported revenue of nearly $880 million and distributed about $60.5 million to most of its members. The massive stakes might help explain the unabashed lobbying coming from some corners of the football world, as the tension grows in advance of Sunday’s final rankings, which will set the bracket. Earlier this week, Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark lit into the selection committee, which doesn’t have a single team higher than 15 in the rankings. That does two things: It positions the Big 12 as a one-bid league, and also threatens to makes its champion — either Arizona State or Iowa State — the fifth-best among conference titlists that get automatic bids. Only the top four of those get byes, which could cost the Big 12 a spot in the quarterfinals — or $4 million. “The committee continues to show time and time again that they are paying attention to logos versus resumes,” Yormark said this week, while slamming the idea of teams with two losses in his conference being ranked worse than teams with three in the SEC. The ACC is also staring at a one-bid season with only No. 8 SMU inside the cut line of this week’s projected bracket. Miami’s loss last week all but bumped the Hurricanes out of the playoffs, a snub that ACC commissioner Jim Phillips said left him “incredibly shocked and disappointed.” “As we look ahead to the final rankings, we hope the committee will reconsider and put a deserving Miami in the field,” Phillips said in a statement. The lobbying and bickering filters down to the campuses that feel the impact. And, of course, to social media. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. One of the most entertaining episodes came earlier this week when athletic directors at Iowa State and SMU went back and forth about whose team was more deserving. There are a few stray millions that the selection committee cannot really influence, including a $3 million payment to conferences that make the playoff. In a reminder that all these kids are going to school, after all, the conferences get $300,000 per football team that meets academic requirements to participate in the postseason. (That’s basically everyone). ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football Advertisement Advertisement