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Big Ten slate features Indiana-Ohio State showdown and Penn State-Minnesota matchup Things to watch this week in the Big Ten Conference: Game of the week No. 5 Indiana (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten, No. 5 CFP ) at No. 2 Ohio State (9-1, 6-1, No. 2 CFP), Saturday, noon ET (Fox) This marks the 98th matchup between these two teams, but it's only the fourth time both teams have been ranked. Although Indiana is unbeaten, its soft schedule means the Hoosiers aren't assured of making the 12-team field if they lose this game. The only team with a winning record that Indiana has beaten is Washington (6-5). Ohio State needs a win to have a realistic shot at a rematch with top-ranked Oregon in the Big Ten championship game. Ohio State has beaten Indiana 28 straight times since the Hoosiers posted back-to-back victories in 1987-88. People are also reading... The undercard No. 4 Penn State (9-1, 6-1, No. 4 CFP) at Minnesota (6-4, 4-3), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. (CBS) This is likely Penn State's biggest obstacle on its way to a potential playoff berth. The Nittany Lions' lone remaining regular-season game is a Nov. 30 home matchup with Maryland (4-6, 1-6). Minnesota has had an extra week to prepare this game since its 26-19 loss at Rutgers on Nov. 9, which snapped a four-game winning streak. Penn State and Minnesota have split their last four meetings, with the home team winning each time. Impact players Penn State DE Abdul Carter has multiple tackles for loss in each of his last three games. He ranks second among all Bowl Subdivision players in tackles for loss (17 1⁄2). Southern California RB Woody Marks rushed for a career-high 146 yards in a 28-20 win over Nebraska. Marks has six 100-yard rushing performances this season. Rutgers RB Kyle Monangai is the first Scarlet Knight to rush for 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons since Ray Rice did it three straight years from 2005-07. Monangai has run for 1,028 yards this season and rushed for 1,262 yards last year. Oregon OLB Matayo Uiagalelei recorded a sack and had a game-clinching interception as the top-ranked Ducks won 16-13 at Wisconsin last week. He has 8 1⁄2 sacks this season to rank second in the Big Ten. Inside the numbers Four of the top seven Bowl Subdivision quarterbacks in passer rating are from the Big Ten. Indiana's Kurtis Rourke is second, Ohio State's Will Howard is third, Penn State's Drew Allar is fifth and Oregon's Dillon Gabriel is seventh. ... Illinois QB Luke Altmyer has thrown 18 touchdown passes with only three interceptions. The only Power Four quarterback with a better touchdown/interception ratio while throwing at least 10 touchdown passes is Clemson's Cade Klubnik, who has 26 touchdowns and four interceptions. ... Rutgers' three Big Ten wins matches its largest total since joining the league in 2014. Rutgers also had three conference wins in 2014, 2017, 2020 and 2023. A victory Saturday over No. 24 Illinois would give Rutgers three straight Big Ten wins for the first time. ... Washington's 31-19 win over UCLA was its 20th straight home victory, representing its second-longest such streak in school history. The Huskies won 45 straight home games from 1908-17. ... Wisconsin heads to Nebraska this week having won its last 10 matchups with the Cornhuskers. Now don't get upset Penn State justifiably is favored on the road against Minnesota, but Bet MGM's 12 1⁄2-point spread seems way too big. Expect this game to have a single-digit margin. Be the first to know
Authorities in Los Angeles confirmed Tuesday that the cause of death for Ryan Kobayashi, the grief-stricken father who flew from Hawaii to search for his missing daughter , was suicide. A medical examiner’s report said he suffered “multiple blunt force traumatic injuries.” Police said previously he was found around 4 a.m. Sunday in a parking lot at Los Angeles International Airport. Kobayashi, 58, had been in the city for 13 days in search of his 31-year-old daughter, Hannah, who mysteriously disappeared after missing a layover at LAX earlier this month. Hannah’s aunt, Larie Pidgeon, told the Daily Beast on Monday that Kobayashi had gone as far as searching for his child in the city’s seediest areas, like Skid Row. After many sleepless nights while contending with the agony of the situation, however, Pidgeon told the Beast that Ryan “couldn’t take it” anymore and died of a “broken heart.” Pidgeon was emphatic that Ryan’s death didn’t involve foul play and police have since confirmed that to be true. The LAPD have yet to release a significant update on Hannah’s case, but Pidgeon said detectives told her Monday they believe Hannah is still in LA. Donald Trump was caught on camera offering to buy a young girl’s hair in a cringe-worthy encounter at his golf course in Palm Beach, Florida. The president-elect was driving his golf cart when he spotted the girl. “Oh I love that hair! I want her hair! Can I buy your hair? I’ll pay you millions for it,” he said. Trump then invited her to sit next to him and take a photo. The girl smiled while Trump did his signature thumbs up for the picture. “That’s amazing,” an onlooker said. “You can say you were with the president, and you played golf with him.” As Trump patted the girl goodbye and she hopped off the cart, the same onlooker said, “say, ‘Thank you, Mr. President.’” The same golf course was the site of an attempted assassination on the president-elect in September. Trump is shown surrounded by security in the video. "Can I buy your hair?" President-elect Donald Trump complimented a kid's hair while golfing at his club in West Palm Beach. pic.twitter.com/nlH215l6wd Sexual supplements are nothing new, but Popstar Labs is revolutionizing the industry by focusing on an area that has thus far been overlooked: semen health. Crafted by leading men’s sexual health experts, Popstar Volume & Taste is a first-of-its-kind daily supplement that is formulated to enhance semen volume, improve taste, and support semen health. Popstar Labs was founded by two board-certified urologists with decades of experience, Dr. Joshua Gonzalez and Dr. Brian Steixner, to support a shared mission of developing real solutions for men to improve their sexual wellness and experience. The brand’s proprietary formula features all-natural, high-quality ingredients that have been third-party tested to ensure purity, quality, and efficacy. The result? A daily supplement that makes your sperm healthier and all-but-guarantees a more satisfying and explosive sexual experience for both you and your partner. Ready to (literally) see the difference for yourself? Take advantage of Popstar’s Black Friday Sale and grab a 3-monthly supply of supplements for only $99, complete with free shipping anywhere in the U.S. If you buy something from this post, we may earn a small commission. Rep. Lauren Boebert took down her Cameo page on Monday amid questions about whether it could violate House Ethics Committee rules. Boebert became the first sitting representative of Congress to join the video message platform earlier that day, following the footsteps of disgraced former Reps. Matt Gaetz and George Santos, who both charge hundreds of dollars on Cameo for personalized videos. While House Ethics rules allow for members to make $31,815 outside of their role in Congress, they aren’t allowed to receive “a payment of money or a thing of value for an appearance, speech, or article.’” While it’s untested how this rule applies to Cameo, Boebert likely doesn’t want to be the one to find out. The embattled Republican rep has been at the center of several controversies since joining Congress in 2020. Her more notable incidents include vaping and being disruptive during a performance of Beetlejuice , and live-tweeting Nancy Pelosi’s movements during Jan. 6. She’s also been fined by the Ethics Committee for refusing to wear a mask on the House floor. YouTuber MrBeast said allegations that contestants were mistreated on his Amazon Prime game show were “blown out of proportion.” The influencer, real name Jimmy Donaldson, and Amazon were hit with a class action lawsuit earlier this year that alleged Beast Games contestants were subjected to “unreasonable, unsafe, and unlawful employment conditions.” The suit contains allegations that some contestants were hospitalized and others endured sexual harassment on set. “We have tons of behind the scenes [footage] dropping when the show does to show how blown out of proportion these claims were,” MrBeast tweeted Monday. “Just can’t release it now because it would spoil the games.” He released a trailer for the show, which features 1,000 people in a series of challenges for a $5 million prize. Earlier this month, the online influencer’s company disclosed it had fired 10 employees after an third-party investigation into workplace culture substantiated some harassment and misconduct allegations. The probe found no evidence to support sexual misconduct. We have tons of behind the scenes dropping when the show does to show how blown out of proportion these claims were. Just can’t release it now because it would spoil the games. Tech gifts can be tricky—not everyone is looking for a sophisticated smartwatch or a flashy mechanical keyboard. Tile —a powerful and compact bluetooth tracker—is a practical and affordable tech gift anyone will love—especially those prone to misplacing things. You can attach a Tile tracker to almost anything like wallets, keys, luggage, cars, and even pets. Once paired, you can use the Tile app to play a chime (if your item is within range) or view its last location. As an added bonus, you can use Tile trackers to find your phone. Just click the button on the tracker to ping your phone—even if it’s silenced. Unlike some competitors, Tile trackers don’t alert thieves when tracking, work seamlessly with both iOS and Android, require no extra accessories, and have a three-year battery life. Tile also has built-in Life360 support. Pressing the button on a Tile three times discreetly sends an SOS alert to everyone in a person’s Life360 Circle. This is an excellent all-around tracker for personal items like keys, backpacks, and purses. Free Shipping Tile’s most-powerful tracker has the loudest ring and the longest range. It’s great for high-value items like cars, cameras, and laptops. Free Shipping Need something slim to slide into a wallet or suitcase? Try the Tile Slim. Free Shipping If you buy something from this post, we may earn a small commission. During a segment Monday night celebrating a judge’s dismissal of special prosecutor Jack Smith ’s election interference case against President-elect Donald Trump , Fox News host Laura Ingraham turned to the election racketeering charges brought against Trump in Georgia. As she discussed Fani Willis , the prosecutor in the Georgia case, a photo of New York state Attorney General Letitia James appeared on the screen. Both women are Black. Minutes later, The Ingraham Angle host sought to “explain” the mixup. “Earlier we accidentally showed a graphic that had a photo of another vicious anti-Trump figure, Letitia James, when we were talking about Fani Willis,” Ingraham said. “That was our mistake. They both hate Trump.” James brought a civil suit against Trump and the Trump Organization that resulted in a $450 million judgment, which Trump’s lawyers have appealed. Social media users were quick to argue the fraud case probably wasn’t the source of Ingraham’s confusion. Earlier this year, she mixed up attorneys Nathan Wade and Terrence Bradley, both Black men connected to Willis. “We made a mistake, and we are sorry for that,” Ingraham said at the time. Ingraham: Earlier we accidentally showed a graphic that had a photo of another vicious anti-Trump figure, Letitia James when we were talking about Fani Willis. That was our mistake. They both hate Trump pic.twitter.com/CT1cHGO388 Wendy Williams was labeled as “permanently incapacitated” in new court documents by her guardian, less than a year after revealing her dementia and aphasia diagnosis to the public. Her guardian, Sabrina Morrissey, and her legal team, wrote in court documents obtained by The U.S. Sun that Williams “has been afflicted by early-onset dementia and, as a result, has become cognitively impaired and permanently incapacitated.” The revelation came amid an ongoing legal battle over the Lifetime series Where is Wendy Williams? , a documentary that showed the former TV host dealing with alcohol addiction, alongside health and financial issues. Past court documents claimed that the series exploited Williams, and said that she did not have the ability to consent to the series due to her health ailments. The new filing asked for information of her “health, familial relationships, and finances” to be redacted in an effort of privacy, according to the outlet. Williams was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia and primary progressive aphasia in 2023, revealing her health conditions publicly earlier this year. Bird flu has been found in raw milk in California, state regulators said Sunday, prompting a recall. Raw milk with a “best by” date of Nov. 27 from Raw Farm, which is in Fresno County, is being pulled from shelves, and consumers who already bought some are being told by the California Department of Public Health not to drink it. “Public health experts have long warned consumers against consuming raw milk or raw milk products due to elevated risks of foodborne illness,” the state health agency said . “Drinking or accidentally inhaling raw milk containing bird flu virus may lead to illness. In addition, touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands after touching raw milk with bird flu virus may also lead to infection.” Pasteurized milk kills bacteria and viruses like E. coli, listeria, and H5N1, otherwise known as bird flu. And yet an emerging trend is seeing rising demands for raw milk. Among its proponents is Robert F. Kennedy Jr. , whom Donald Trump named to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. A vaccine skeptic, Kennedy also wants to remove fluoride from public water, even though it has been shown to prevent tooth decay. President-elect Donald Trump has come out swinging at Mexico and Canada before he’s even taken his seat back in the Oval Office—but the country’s neighbors to the south aren’t taking his threats lying down. Mexico’s president Claudia Sheinbaum responded harshly after Trump announced Monday that goods that enter the U.S. from her country and Canada would be subject to 25 percent tariffs. Warning that Mexico could retaliate with its own tariffs, she said, “One tariff would be followed by another in response, and so on until we put at risk common businesses.” Trump has claimed the tariffs are necessary to encourage both countries to stop the influx of drugs and migrants at the border. But Sheinbaum shot back at his reasoning, saying the flow of drugs “is a problem of public health and consumption in your country’s society.” Scouted selects products independently. If you purchase something from our posts, we may earn a small commission. Black Friday sales kicked off early this year, folks! As an avid J.Crew fan , I can honestly say that the brand’s discount-laden factory store (the brand’s online outlet) is a great way to get high-quality wardrobe staples without the big price tag. J.Crew Factory always offers discounts up to 40 percent off J.Crew, but for a limited time, you can unlock even more savings from already discounted items. Right now, J.Crew Factory is offering 50-70 percent off sitewide (seriously, everything!). Now’s the time to invest in evergreen staples like jeans and office-friendly blazers while they’re half off, or grab a few outwear essentials to round out your cold-weather lineup. The sale also includes tons of denim for just $50, pure cotton crewneck T-shirts for $20, and even new arrivals like holiday party-ready frocks and giftable cashmere items. And the sale is not just for women; the gents’ and kids’ sections are equally full of additional savings. A Trump-endorsed guitar company was given a cease and desist order from Gibson, who accused it of infringing on its trademarks, “particularly the iconic Les Paul body shape.” Gibson confirmed the order to 16 Creative in a statement Monday to Guitar World . The website for Trump Guitars lists for sale an “American Eagle Series” with the campaign slogan “Make America Great Again” on the neck of the guitar. The instruments are “custom designed and developed by a veteran-owned company with the help of a master luthier,” according to the company, which also says that the guitars are manufactured by “multiple providers” that are “both domestic and international.” A guitar that has been signed by the president-elect costs at least $10,000; a non-signed guitar goes for $1,250. Some of Trump’s other recent money-making endeavors include watches, sneakers, and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). Coming Soon! The Limited Edition “45” Guitar. Only 1,300 of each Acoustic and Electric Guitars MADE — Some personally signed! https://t.co/DY4LkF4feh pic.twitter.com/0ghYmjLxKo A baby gorilla was accidentally killed at a zoo in Canada when it was struck in the head by a door, officials said Thursday. The 2-year-old female gorilla, Eyare, was roaming from room to room when a zookeeper activated the wrong hydraulic door to separate her, according to the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo . The accident left the ape with “traumatic head injuries” and veterinary staff administered CPR. The zookeeper “was immediately removed from the workplace following the incident,” the zoo said. The zoo said it launched an investigation into the incident and “doesn’t take these findings lightly.” All zookeepers will undergo retraining to prevent further accidents. “This tragedy has struck us all in the deepest way imaginable,” said Colleen Baird, director of Animal Care, Health and Welfare, in a statement. “Eyare’s short but impactful life brought so much joy to our community, and she will be deeply missed by all. We will do everything we can to prevent future incidents.”-- Shares Facebook Twitter Reddit Email Before Elon Musk effectively bought an American presidency , he mounted a hostile takeover of the attention economy. His initial bulk acquisitions were achieved by spreading misinformation, anger and fear to millions on his social media platform in exchange for their loyalty. He simultaneously conned those he could reach using the Internet into believing his brain functions on a higher level than most people, persuading media entities with massive platforms to promote his illusion of genius. If it worked for a former NBC game show host, why not a guy who was invited to host “Saturday Night Live”? “Squid Game” is a giant metaphor portraying the way late-stage capitalism siphons the labor, life force and health of the masses into the coffers of the rich. All this preceded the individual investments made in the days leading up to Nov. 5, when Musk dangled $1 million giveaways to MAGA voters in swing states who signed a petition he claims was dedicated to protecting freedom of speech and the right to bear arms. That yielded dividends in the form of awestruck, worshipful fan posts on X and fawning coverage by right-wing news outlets. If you’re wondering how this is relevant to "Squid Game," you either haven’t watched Season 1 or, equally as likely, missed the point director Hwang Dong-hyuk was trying to make. Considering the violent deadly spectacle of the playground games with lethal consequences for losers and the twisted playhouse sets joined by a layered puzzle of staircases, that’s not hard to do. The dominance of pink jumpsuits with black fencing helmets that following Halloween, along with green tracksuits and bedazzled animal heads, was a clue that many of us took away the wrong message. (Further proving this was the excitement that met the news of Netflix’s reality competition spinoff " Squid Game: The Challenge .") Related The word of the year is "authentic": "Squid Game: The Challenge" tests its definition in 2023 Some might even view Seong Gi-hun's (Emmy winner Lee Jung-jae) transformation from a bowing and scraping, deeply indebted failure into a hardened champion, Player 456, as a Darwinian success story. Those are very popular these days. Extreme partisanship encourages that mode of thinking. “Squid Game” is a giant metaphor portraying the way late-stage capitalism siphons the labor, life force and health of the masses into the coffers of the rich — and worse, how we’re willing to play the games the wealthy rig in their favor, even if it disadvantages other people like us. To Gi-hun, so much winning is nothing to be celebrated. Some might spin his victory as evidence he’s better than people he outlived, including his childhood friend Sang-woo (Park Hae-soo). Gi-hun views it as the warped outcome of a system designed to relegate increasing numbers of people to a permanent state of indebtedness and poverty. That moral is glaringly apparent in the second season, coming to us at a time when autocracies propped up by the obscenely rich are rising to power in multiple countries. The name of the world’s richest man isn’t uttered in this show, but the opening episode’s title, “Bread and Lottery ,” is a synchronous acknowledgment that our present climate makes its fictional horrors possible. “Squid Game” was a massive global success for Netflix, and there’s no reason to doubt “ Squid Game 2 ” won’t command similar levels of worldwide attention. (Netflix is placing its bets on that, announcing this week a raft of branded partnerships with fast food chains and gaming platforms that’ll surround us with circles, triangles and squares long after the last Christmas lights are unplugged.) Squid Game (Netflix) This time Hwang needn’t linger too much on the games themselves, instead cutting more deeply into the psychology driving desperate people to wager their lives on a chance for easy money. This describes the players and the faceless underlings coldly murdering strangers and begging for their lives. They have their stories too. Some of those foot soldiers were once on the other side of the barrel, and for reasons that at least one explains, decided it’s more lucrative to serve these masters than cash out their 456 billion won (around $314.3 million) and jet off to a new life. The oligarchs behind the curtain expect Gi-hun to do exactly that. Instead, he returns to Seoul and embarks on a mission to stop the game – if not by exposing it, then by force. Where the first season thrilled by setting personal drama within a meat grinder, “Squid Game 2” follows the structure of an action movie. Not just any action movie either — the sinister leader of the cabal Gi-hun sets himself against likens his vengeance question to the central choice in “ The Matrix .” They could have taken the blue pill and lived in peace but instead they still chose the red pill, he says of Neo and rest, to play the heroes. “Do you think you’re a hero who can change the world?” he asks tauntingly. Gi-hun has dropped off the grid and is gathering the strength to take on the game's makers, primarily the mysterious black-masked Front Man (Lee Byung-hun ) speaking for all the overlords. If he can’t take them down from the outside, he vows to chew apart their kingdom from within. We need your help to stay independent Subscribe today to support Salon's progressive journalism But the first season finale also reveals the Front Man is the lost brother sought by a secondary hero, police officer Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon). This twist held a deeper meaning for some viewers than others. People familiar with Korean culture and history may have viewed the cliffside confrontation between Jun-ho and Lee’s In-ho as symbolic of the reality lived by families split by the border between North and South Korea, as author Marie Myung-Ok Lee explains in her 2021 story. Squid Game (Netflix) For others, the scene is a culmination of a subplot built around a character that boils down to a fly in the lair’s vents letting us tag along as he infiltrates control rooms, hallways and spaces that reveal the hive of worker drones running the place, including the ones siphoning organs off the fallen to sell on the black market. Whatever contributed to the shallowness with which Wi’s character and others were written before is somewhat ameliorated in the second season. Less burdened with nurturing the tension of the functional premise of the game, Hwang puts aside writing a cluster of dramatic types to surround Lee and Wi to build memorable portraits. One that garnered plenty of coverage is the choice to cast Park Sung-hoon, a cis male actor, to pla a trans woman named Hyun-ju who joins the game for the chance to fund her “gender-affirming surgery,” as Netflix’s notes describe the role. Hwang writes Hyun-ju as much more than this reductive explanation, and Park’s performance is thoughtful and affecting. Even so, aside from the potentially harmful messaging communicated by this casting at a time when trans people and drag performers are under assault, Hwang also tumbles into the trope of making the most marginalized person in the story super-duper extraordinary. More endearing are the connections she and others make as a matter of survival, but also because they aren’t entirely heartless. Kang Ae-sim and Yang Dong-geun portray an elderly woman and her failson who enter the tourney to erase his mountainous debt. The pairing could have been written as another cliché but Kang’s Jang Geum-ja is the kind of survivor that, in the real world, would have helped thwart a president’s attempted coup. Squid Game (Netflix) Wi gets to exercise a bit more command in his role similar to Gi-hun’s graduation to brooding savior – not that we’re complaining, Lee makes it look good on him. It’s an essential note in a chapter that both preaches mass resistance and cautions us that the obstacles to successfully upending an unjust system that preys on the poor and middle class are . . . us. As in, fellow members of the 99% who buy into the fantasy that the hyper-wealthy people are somehow more deserving of a good life than the rest of us. “Squid Game 2” becomes a life-sized dollhouse collection of the modern era’s destructive vanities. This season's miserably indebted is a gallery of overconfident consumers, ranging from a hip-hop artist with an overinflated sense of his fame (played with sinister verve by Korean rap star Choi Seung-hyun, aka BigBang's T.O.P.) to a cryptocurrency huckster, from a businessman who borrows against his overconfidence to a young man eager to play soldier. This season allows us to get to know more of them beyond a few quirks or twirls of the figurative mustache, although there’s a share of that. But more are developed amply enough to give their performers something to sink their teeth into. Even Gong Yoo makes the most of his limited screen time as The Recruiter by shocking us with his aptitude to play demonic. Through their stories, “Squid Game 2” becomes a life-sized dollhouse collection of the modern era’s destructive vanities. Contestants primp and pose for what they think will be selfies, never suspecting that to those running the game, they’re just a face and a number. Their greed leads them to accept the Masked Officer’s cajoling by referring to the death matches as “keep[ing] the door open” for them “to pursue new opportunities," as if he's an HR manager as opposed to a guy with a gun. One figure wins over followers by placing the fear of god into them, a reliable instrument in the autocrat’s toolbox. And despite all the ways Gi-hun tries to warn and rally them, as well as the evidence gained by experience, a sizable number of contestants refuse to believe anything terrible can happen to them. As before, the contestants can vote on whether to keep playing or leave. The twist this season is that they have the chance to vote after each round of play, creating more tension as factions rise and alliances switch. But even after other people have been blown apart in front of them, there remain those who counter the reasonable suggestion to go home to a bowl of beef noodles with the insistence that they’d rather risk their lives for a shot at affording a herd of cattle. Hwang writes other critiques into these seven episodes, some of which try to have it both ways. There comes a point at which Gi-hun needs Jun-ho, who shares his aim to take down the game, but one of the main characters often points out how the cops aren’t to be trusted. (It’s no accident that In-ho, the Front Man, once worked in law enforcement.) Military experience is an asset in this doomed class of players, and the same is true of the killers wearing those pink jumpsuits. It's also integral to the season’s climax, although Hwang writes his way to and through it in a way that dropped us – instead of Jun-ho – off a cliff. Maybe that’s only confusing if you don’t know that “Squid Game” is already set for a third season. When those episodes arrive is as much of an unknown as the shape we’ll be in by then. Bleak as that thought is, it might also be reassuring if you love this show. As one character puts it, “The game will not end unless the world changes.” It doesn't look like that's happening any time soon. "Squid Game 2" streams Thursday, Dec. 26 on Netflix. Read more about this topic "Girls, gays and theys": A key "Squid Game: The Challenge" move set up its artful conclusion The women in "Squid Game" deserve better The allure of Netflix's grim Squid Game By Melanie McFarland Melanie McFarland is Salon's award-winning senior culture critic. Follow her on Bluesky: @McTelevision MORE FROM Melanie McFarland Related Topics ------------------------------------------ K Drama Netflix Review South Korea Squid Game Tv Related Articles Advertisement:
Matt Thaiss is on the move to the other side of Chicago. The White Sox purchased the contract of the 29-year-old catcher on Tuesday, a month after the Cubs acquired him from the Los Angeles Angels in a cash deal. Thaiss spent parts of the past six seasons with the Angels, compiling a .208 batting average, a .313 on-base percentage, a .342 slugging percentage, 22 homers and 79 RBIs in 245 games. This year, he hit .204/.323/.299 with two home runs and 16 RBIs in 57 games. Thaiss joins the White Sox days after they acquired top catching prospect Kyle Teel as part of the deal that sent left-hander Garrett Crochet to the Boston Red Sox. Korey Lee was the White Sox's primary catcher this year, and he batted .210/.244/.347 with 12 homers and 37 RBIs in 125 games. --Field Level MediaLUFKIN, Texas (AP) — Tonya Jackson left an Angelina County nursing home on a recent December day, happy with the successful resolution she brokered between the staff and a resident. The elderly woman faced eviction after communication broke down between her family and the facility. That’s when Jackson stepped in. Jackson is the Deep East Texas managing local ombudsman for long-term care facilities. Each day she serves Texans living at these facilities as a state-assigned independent advocate. “We do not enter a nursing facility to wreak havoc,” Jackson said. “We enter the nursing facility to assist and advocate for the residents who do not feel they have a voice. We are there to help mend the broken bridge.” There are not enough people like Jackson in Texas, which has a dismal track record for long-term care. The state ranked 42nd for safety and quality, on a 2018 scorecard from AARP, the last time the survey was taken. The lack of ombudsmen — which include both paid staff and volunteers — is a statewide issue, and is acute in Deep East Texas, which includes Angelina, Nacogdoches and Newton counties. Just five people, two paid staff and three volunteers, bounce between 48 long-term care facilities — 34 nursing facilities and 14 assisted living facilities. RELATED COVERAGE North Carolina man dies two weeks after an explosion at his home Adult day centers offer multicultural hubs for older people of color North Carolina man dies two weeks after an explosion at his home “We would be lost in the long-term care community without them, but they definitely need more support across the board,” said Andrea Earl , the associate state director of advocacy and research for the AARP. In early December, the Deep East Texas Council of Governments, a group made up of representatives from local governments, called for more volunteers to bolster this program. Jackson prays the extra hands will better support her small team. She believes one volunteer for each facility would go a long way toward improving the lives of residents. “Volunteers can usually catch things that we can’t, being that our time is so limited going to each of the facilities,” Jackson said. At the same time, state officials hope the Legislature will step in to provide extra support when they reconvene in January. Patty Ducayet , the state’s lead ombudsman, wants lawmakers to fund more full-time and part-time positions, regulate the use of Medicaid and create a portal to handle involuntary discharge, the eviction of residents. Texas legislators have signaled they intend to prioritize dementia care and research this session. Earl hopes this means they’ll see the value in prioritizing the ombudsman program as well. The program has faced an uphill battle in past sessions. “This session, we have to continue to lay the groundwork to ensure that legislators over in the big pink building understand that this is a critical office to long-term care residents and families,” Earl said. The role of an ombudsman The state ombudsman works independently from the Health and Human Services Department, which oversees the state’s long-term care facilities. This independence provides ombudsmen the chance to work on behalf of residents without fearing retribution. Texas utilizes full-time employed ombudsmen to investigate complaints related to the health, safety, welfare and rights of residents in care facilities and help resolve any issues. Their work is ideally supplemented by a large force of volunteers who do similar work but for only a few hours a week. Jackson tries to see 15 to 20 people at each facility during her monthly visits. If she’s successful, she’ll meet with every resident at least once a year. The job requires patience and empathy, Jackson said. In many places, ombudsmen are the only visitors residents get from the outside world and the conversations provide them a level of peace. Her visits serve not only to connect with residents but also to establish a rapport with staff at each facility so she can more effectively address complaints. Facilities without that rapport may see ombudsmen as people just trying to stir up problems, Earl said. Ombudsmen and facilities have clashed before. In 2023, the Texas Assisted Living Association worked with Rep. Travis Clardy, R-Nacogdoches on legislation that Earl said would have made the job of ombudsman harder. The legislation would have limited what files ombudsmen could review, even when it is requested by the patient, Earl said. “Accessing those documents and looking at history, especially when we’re talking about dementia patients and those facing severe medical issues, is a key part of what they do,” Earl said. Carmen Tilton, the vice president of public policy for the Texas Assisted Living Association, said the organization supported House Bill 4220 , which would have impacted ombudsman access to patient records. Their goal wasn’t to curb access, however, but to bring Texas regulation in line with federal regulations. Prior to this, even volunteer ombudsmen – without consent from residents – could access any resident information. This meant they could access Social Security numbers, bank account information, doctors information, prescriptions, and more, Tilton said. The bill also sought changes to training to clarify the differences between facilities and to establish guidelines for what is an ombudsman’s job and what is that of law enforcement. “It was perceived as an attack on the program, which was not our intent,” Tilton said. Clardy dropped the bill before it went for a vote. Since then, the ombudsman office has worked with the Texas Assisted Living Association directly to institute many of the changes Tilton hoped to see within the organization’s framework without requiring legislative intervention. Making changes actually happen within the facility can be difficult, slow and may result in backsliding instead of progress, Ducayet said. An ombudsman may fix a problem for one resident only to be back in the same facility facing the same problem with another resident. This can be extremely frustrating and requires volunteers and staff to have patience. When done right, the issues are resolved within the facility — between the administration, residents and their families — and don’t require state intervention. Jackson does a good job of this, said Lynne’ Nix , the business office manager for Shady Acres Health & Rehabilitation in Newton County. Nix’s relationship with Jackson has been built on the belief that Jackson’s interventions help both the facility and the resident. Sometimes a resident isn’t comfortable speaking their mind and the situation deteriorates quickly. The ombudsman is the logical answer. “They’re the true advocates for the residents,” Nix said. A shortage of ombudsman In 2024 , the state ombudsman program had a 25% turnover rate of paid staff, the highest it has ever been. Those who have stayed are overworked, Ducayet said. Ideally, Texas would have one staff member for every 2,000 licensed care facility beds. Right now, Texas has one person for every 2,514 beds, she said. If the program was fully staffed, then paid personnel could focus their work on recruiting and supporting more volunteers, Ducayet said. An additional 22 full-time employees would further improve advocacy statewide. Local volunteers, who are often people whose family members are in long-term care facilities, or are eyeing a facility for themselves, serve as the “boots on the ground,” Earl said. They can accomplish a lot if they can focus on one or two facilities at a time, Ducayet said. But that’s not a reality for Texas right now. Since 2019, the number of active volunteers has decreased by more than 100 people, leaving only 300 people to serve as volunteers across the state. The work, whether as a volunteer or a full-time staff member, takes its toll. Residents, who are often elderly or ailing, die. The sudden loss of a person who you have been meeting with for months, or even years, can be extremely difficult, Ducayet said. After serving in the field for 18 years, she learned that any meeting with a person could be her last. “Those are hard things,” Ducayet said. “It takes resilience and grit, like most hard things do.” Fewer staff and volunteers means longer times between visits to care facilities. Having more eyes and ears on the ground helps address problems at a facility more quickly, Ducayet said. This could go a long way toward improving elderly care and preventing problems from escalating to the point where state intervention feels necessary. What can be done Ducayet has several goals this legislative session to improve the ombudsman program and care for residents of long-term care facilities overall. First is increasing state funding for the ombudsman program by about $3 million. This would cover the cost of 22 additional full-time ombudsmen statewide, including a quality assurance officer and discharge rights officer at the state level. She also wants to resolve noncompliance with state and federal discharge rules by nursing facilities. Involuntary discharge, like what Jackson’s client was facing in early December, is the No. 1 complaint received by the program. Ducayet believes creating an online portal for nursing homes to file discharge notices, hiring for a position that is over discharges statewide and making it increasing fines if a nursing home violates discharge laws will help. Increasing staff at long-term care facilities should also be a priority, Ducayet said. She and the AARP are advocating for the state to require nursing homes to use 85% of Medicaid reimbursements for payroll. This would put the money in the hands of caregivers, instead of corporations, Ducayet said. A similar bill was proposed in 2023. The Texas Senate approved it, as did a House committee. But it never received a full vote by the state House. . Earl believes it can go all the way this year. These goals may not necessarily resolve the major issues within the long-term care industry in Texas, but they would go a long way toward increasing accountability in the industry, Earl said. The AARP shares many of Ducayet’s goals, and Earl believes the work completed during the 88th Legislative Session to educate lawmakers about the ombudsman program and how it’s funded could help them progress. She is optimistic, but also weary of what is gearing up to be a potentially complicated session. While Ducayet is working at the state level to improve upon the program, Jackson has other goals – mainly: to find more local volunteers. If she could find one volunteer for each of the 48 facilities in Deep East Texas, an 11 county region, then she could feel more confident that her program is truly meeting the needs of this vulnerable population. ___ This story was originally published by The Texas Tribune and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.
Sterling Holdco Moves Ahead in Recapitalisation
Jeppson Wealth Management LLC increased its position in shares of NVIDIA Co. ( NASDAQ:NVDA – Free Report ) by 0.4% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 86,758 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock after buying an additional 371 shares during the quarter. NVIDIA accounts for about 3.8% of Jeppson Wealth Management LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 4th biggest holding. Jeppson Wealth Management LLC’s holdings in NVIDIA were worth $10,536,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Everhart Financial Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of NVIDIA by 8.9% during the 3rd quarter. Everhart Financial Group Inc. now owns 182,853 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock worth $22,206,000 after buying an additional 14,868 shares during the last quarter. Fountainhead AM LLC grew its stake in shares of NVIDIA by 10.5% in the third quarter. Fountainhead AM LLC now owns 60,731 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock valued at $7,375,000 after acquiring an additional 5,759 shares in the last quarter. FDx Advisors Inc. raised its stake in NVIDIA by 2.8% in the 3rd quarter. FDx Advisors Inc. now owns 30,156 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock worth $3,662,000 after purchasing an additional 833 shares in the last quarter. Northwest Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in NVIDIA by 0.8% in the 3rd quarter. Northwest Wealth Management LLC now owns 32,631 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock valued at $3,963,000 after purchasing an additional 246 shares during the period. Finally, Lynx Investment Advisory grew its position in NVIDIA by 16.8% during the third quarter. Lynx Investment Advisory now owns 10,068 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock worth $1,223,000 after buying an additional 1,448 shares in the last quarter. 65.27% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Analyst Ratings Changes NVDA has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Needham & Company LLC boosted their price target on NVIDIA from $145.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, November 21st. William Blair began coverage on shares of NVIDIA in a research report on Wednesday, September 18th. They issued an “outperform” rating on the stock. Bank of America reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $190.00 price objective on shares of NVIDIA in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. Barclays boosted their price target on shares of NVIDIA from $145.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 21st. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their price objective on NVIDIA from $115.00 to $140.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, November 21st. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirty-nine have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $164.15. Insider Activity at NVIDIA In other news, Director Mark A. Stevens sold 155,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, October 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $132.27, for a total value of $20,501,850.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 8,100,117 shares in the company, valued at $1,071,402,475.59. This trade represents a 1.88 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink . Also, insider Donald F. Robertson, Jr. sold 4,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $135.28, for a total transaction of $608,760.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 480,899 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $65,056,016.72. This trade represents a 0.93 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Insiders have sold a total of 1,351,886 shares of company stock worth $176,825,650 in the last three months. Insiders own 4.23% of the company’s stock. NVIDIA Stock Performance Shares of NVDA opened at $137.01 on Friday. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $139.97 and its 200-day simple moving average is $127.90. The firm has a market cap of $3.36 trillion, a PE ratio of 53.92, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.43 and a beta of 1.64. NVIDIA Co. has a 12-month low of $47.32 and a 12-month high of $152.89. The company has a current ratio of 4.10, a quick ratio of 3.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13. NVIDIA ( NASDAQ:NVDA – Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, November 20th. The computer hardware maker reported $0.81 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.69 by $0.12. The business had revenue of $35.08 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $33.15 billion. NVIDIA had a net margin of 55.69% and a return on equity of 114.83%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 93.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.38 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts predict that NVIDIA Co. will post 2.78 EPS for the current year. NVIDIA Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 27th. Investors of record on Thursday, December 5th were issued a dividend of $0.01 per share. This represents a $0.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.03%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, December 5th. NVIDIA’s dividend payout ratio is presently 1.57%. NVIDIA Profile ( Free Report ) NVIDIA Corporation provides graphics and compute and networking solutions in the United States, Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, and internationally. The Graphics segment offers GeForce GPUs for gaming and PCs, the GeForce NOW game streaming service and related infrastructure, and solutions for gaming platforms; Quadro/NVIDIA RTX GPUs for enterprise workstation graphics; virtual GPU or vGPU software for cloud-based visual and virtual computing; automotive platforms for infotainment systems; and Omniverse software for building and operating metaverse and 3D internet applications. See Also Five stocks we like better than NVIDIA What is Forex and How Does it Work? S&P 500 ETFs: Expense Ratios That Can Boost Your Long-Term Gains Stock Average Calculator How AI Implementation Could Help MongoDB Roar Back in 2025 What Are Dividends? Buy the Best Dividend Stocks Hedge Funds Boost Oil Positions: Is a Major Rally on the Horizon? Want to see what other hedge funds are holding NVDA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for NVIDIA Co. ( NASDAQ:NVDA – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for NVIDIA Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for NVIDIA and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .None
Premier League release two statements after Liverpool VAR checks vs Leicester City
GEO Group, one of the nation’s largest private prison contractors, filed a federal lawsuit last month against California officials to strike down a state law allowing local public health officials to inspect immigration detention facilities. The Florida-based company argued in a filing that California’s law , signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in August, is unconstitutional because it steps on the federal government’s authority to manage detention centers. By extension, GEO claimed intergovernmental immunity as a contractor. “This case involves the latest in a string of attempts by the State of California to ban federal immigration enforcement in the state, or so significantly burden such efforts as to drive federal agencies and contractors involved in that constitutionally mandated national security function from California,” according to the lawsuit filed in the U.S District Court for the Eastern District of California. GEO spokesperson Christopher Ferreira did not respond to requests for comment. The lawsuit names Newsom, state Attorney General Rob Bonta, and Kern County health officer Kristopher Lyon as defendants. All three declined to comment. A first hearing is scheduled for February. GEO Group could expand its grip on immigration detention facilities now that former President Donald Trump won a second term. Trump has promised a mass deportation of immigrants living in the U.S. without authorization, and investors sense Trump’s policies will create a boon for private prison companies such as GEO. GEO’s stock skyrocketed, increasing 75% , after Trump’s victory. People and groups associated with the private prison giant spent roughly $5.6 million on lobbying and donations this past election cycle, much of it going to conservative political action committees, including $1 million to Make America Great Again Inc., according to OpenSecrets, a nonprofit that tracks campaign finance and lobbying data. César García Hernández, an immigration law professor at Ohio State University’s Moritz College of Law, said a judge will most likely block implementation of the California law while litigation is pending. In March, a federal judge blocked Washington state from enforcing most of a law to increase oversight and improve living conditions at that state’s only private immigration detention facility. “GEO has been rather successful in turning to the courts in order to block access to its facilities,” García Hernández said. “The private prison company is trying to insulate itself by taking cover under the fact that it is operating this facility under contract with the federal government.” California’s bill grants local public health officers, who routinely inspect county jails and state prisons, the ability to inspect private detention facilities, including all six federal immigration centers in California. Detainees have complained of health threats ranging from covid-19, mumps, and chickenpox outbreaks to contaminated water, moldy food, and air ducts spewing black dust. State lawmakers have attempted to regulate immigration facilities with mixed results. In 2019, Newsom, a Democrat, signed a measure banning private prisons and detention facilities from operating in California. But a federal court later declared the law unconstitutional, saying it interfered with federal functions. In 2021, California lawmakers passed a bill requiring private detention centers to comply with state and local public health orders and worker safety and health regulations. That measure was adopted at the height of the covid-19 pandemic, as the virus tore through detention facilities where people were packed into dorms with little or no protection from airborne viruses. Under the new law, public health officers will determine whether the facilities are complying with environmental rules, such as ensuring proper ventilation, and offering basic mental and physical health care, emergency treatment, and safely prepared food. Unlike public correctional facilities, which are inspected every year, health officers will inspect private detention centers as they deem necessary. Supporters say public health officers are well positioned to inspect these facilities because they understand how to make confined spaces safer for large populations. But GEO argued that California health codes and regulations aren’t always consistent with federal standards. The lawsuit pointed out, for instance, that California requires detainees at risk of self-harm or suicide to be transferred to a mental health facility. But Immigration and Customs Enforcement rules grant detention centers more discretion, allowing them to transfer a detainee to a mental health facility or keep them in suicide-resistant isolation at the detention center through monitoring every 15 minutes. GEO also warned in its complaint that implementing the law could cost up to $500,000. Immigrant advocates say the federal government has done a poor job ensuring health and safety. In a paper published in June , researchers showed that immigration officials and a private auditor conducted inspections infrequently — at least once every three years — and provided limited public information about deficiencies and if or how they were addressed. In response, detainees have filed suits alleging crowded and unsanitary conditions ; denial of adequate mental and medical health care; medical neglect ; and wrongful death by suicide. “Why shouldn’t they let an inspector go inside the facilities if they are abiding by the standards,” said Jose Ruben Hernandez Gomez, who was detained for 16 months and released in April 2023. “If they have nothing to hide, they shouldn’t be filing a lawsuit.” Hernandez Gomez went on a hunger strike for 21 days after filing dozens of grievances alleging abusive treatment and poor sanitation. Last month, eight members of California’s congressional delegation urged the Department of Homeland Security to end its contracts with two GEO-operated immigration centers, Golden State Annex and Mesa Verde ICE Processing Center, where multiple hunger and labor strikes were held this year. Strikers demanded an end to inadequate medical and mental health services, poor living conditions, and solitary confinement. Advocates fear GEO’s legal victories could be dangerous for the health of immigrants. After Washington state’s Department of Health was denied access to the Northwest ICE Processing Center, the state’s only immigration center, two people died in the facility, including one in October. This article was produced by KFF Health News , which publishes California Healthline , an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation . ( KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs of KFF — the independent source for health policy research, polling and journalism.) ©2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Shares of specialty retailer Destination XL Group Inc. ($DXLG) were up nearly 4.2% on Thursday afternoon ahead of its third-quarter earnings, but retail sentiment stayed cautious. Wall Street analysts expect the company to report earnings per share (EPS) of $0.03 on revenue of $113.7 million, according to Stocktwits data. The company has missed its earnings estimates twice in the past year. For its most recent reported quarter, Destination revenues declined 3.2% year-over-year (YoY) to $140 million. Its non-GAAP diluted EPS came in at $1.99, up 21% from the previous period. Its second quarter comparable sales decrease of 1.4% was in line with its expectations, according to a company statement. Retail sentiment on the stock fell to ‘neutral’ (46/100) from ‘extremely bullish’ (93/100) a day ago. Message volumes continued to be at ‘high’ levels. “Despite achieving our quarterly forecast, our consumer is battling ongoing, adverse economic headwinds, and we are trimming our financial outlook for the remainder of the year,” Harvey Kanter, president and CEO, said in a statement at the time. “We now expect our sales to range from $535.0 million to $545.0 million with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 11.0% to 12.0%.” Following the last earnings, brokerage DA Davidson lowered the firm's price target to $4 from $6 but kept a ‘Buy’ rating. It cited lower traffic and online conversion as economic uncertainty led to shopping decline, The Fly.com reported. DXLG stock is down 39.8% year-to-date.
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ELKO — With a Dec. 31 deadline nearing for obligating all American Rescue Plan Act funds, Elko City Council members approved a revised distribution policy and agreed to release the promised $500,000 of ARPA funds to Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital for its new behavioral health unit. Elko’s total ARPA award was nearly $27.48 million following the COVID-19 related federal legislation enacted in March 2021. The city received the first $13.74 million installment that July and the remaining funds in July 2022, but had to follow ARPA criteria for allocations from the fund. As part of the expenditure plan, the Elko City Council committed $500,000 to the hospital in February 2022 for the new 16-bed, $3.2 million unit that is nearly completed. Hospital Chief Executive Officer Steve Simpson made the formal request for the money on Tuesday. He told the council the new behavior health unit is a “labor of love” and “I’m really excited about what this means for Elko.” The hospital expects to open the new unit in January, but a grand opening event was held on Nov. 20 for the third-floor unit though the work wasn’t quite finished. Simpson told the council there has been a change since then. Rex Mitchell, director of materials management at Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital, shows off a patient room in the under-construction behavioral health unit on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. He said the new unit was planned as an adult and geriatric combined unit, but the hospital has since learned that a barrier between the adult and the geriatric beds is required. NNRH hadn’t planned for the barrier, so the 16-bed unit will be for adults only, no geriatric patients. “It’s disappointing now that population will go unserved,” Simpson said. Mayor Reece Keener said behavioral health calls have an impact on first responders. Steve Simpson, CEO of Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital, speaks at the dedication of the inpatient behavioral health unit on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. Simpson said there are now roughly 30 patients transferred from the hospital each month, many of them to Las Vegas, and he told the council a long-term outpatient treatment center is planned for patients after they are discharged. Councilman Clair Morris said years ago the old Elko General Hospital tried providing rooms for behavioral health patients, but “it didn’t pan out,” because most were indigent or homeless, so he wondered if the for-profit hospital had planned for a similar problem. Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital CEO Steve Simpson, far right, formally requests the funding from Elko's City Council on Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. “The data suggested to us that it would at least be break-even for us,” Simpson said. “It’s penciled out.” The hospital also had behavioral health beds about a decade ago that didn’t work out due to staffing difficulties. Aside from the $500,000 request and report on the behavioral health unit, the hospital CEO told the council the hospital may have the opportunity to “bring a more robust oncology unit back to the hospital.” The oncology unit was at the top of list ahead of behavioral health, in fact. Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital spokesman Steve Burrows, left, and Chief Executive Steve Simpson display the floor plans for a new behavioral health unit being constructed on the hospital's third floor. He said there may be a chance of a collaboration with Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah, but “it’s not happening overnight. We will work on this over the next two years.” The Elko hospital provides chemotherapy now and has the “best infusion nurses on the planet,” but hopes to bring back radiation treatment because “it sucks” when cancer patients must travel for treatment, Simpson said. The hospital is also benefitting from a second source of water from the city using ARPA funds — a little more than $2.92 million — to install an 18-inch water line and pressure-reducing valve, according to the revised ARPA report. The city originally earmarked $10 million in ARPA funds to the general fund for payroll, various taxes and expenses to free up money to help with such projects as the hospital’s new behavioral health unit, and to help non-profit organizations that applied to the council for grants, as well as providing small business grants. City Manager Jan Baum said “it’s down to the very end of the ARPA, and we need to make sure it’s obligated accordingly as of Dec. 31, 2024, and included is $500,000 for NNRH in the policy.” The $500,000 for the hospital is in a special designation because it is a for-profit hospital, and Simpson told the council the money will be spent “rather quick.” She also told the council he city adjusted the amount of ARPA funds budgeted for projects that are underway with ARPA funding since any change orders after Dec. 31 won’t be covered. The federal deadline is for obligation of funds, but ARPA money can still be spent until 2026. ARPA spending in the 2023-2024 fiscal year showed no problems, according to Chad Atkinson, a certified public accountant with Hinton Burdick who presented the financial audit for the fiscal year that ended June 30. The audit states the city distributed $3.1 million to nonprofit organizations in the city of Elko for revenue replacement and hardships because of the COVID-19 pandemic in fiscal year 2022. In fiscal 2023, the COVID-19 related contributions decreased to $1.3 million. For fiscal year 2024, COVID-19-related contributions totaled $379,670. The audit showed the general fund balance at the end of the fiscal year totaled nearly $20.05 million, which is up 10.98% from the prior year, while general fund revenue dropped 9.7%, or nearly $3.09 million from fiscal 2023. “This decrease is largely due to American Rescue Plan Funds received from the Treasury in July 2022 (FY23) in the amount of $4,261,567. This was the second and final installment of $10 million in ARPA funds for the general fund,” the audit states. General fund revenue totaled a little more than $28.56 million, and expenditures of $26.58 million for an excess of $1.98 million, but with the beginning fund balance for the year of $18.06 million the ending fund balance reached the nearly $20.05 million. Atkinson said the city’s general fund is “stable and in good shape,” and the council approved the audit. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
JERUSALEM — Israel approved a United States-brokered ceasefire agreement with Lebanon's Hezbollah on Tuesday, setting the stage for an end to nearly 14 months of fighting linked to the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. In the hours leading up to the Cabinet meeting, Israel carried out its most intense wave of strikes in Beirut and its southern suburbs and issued a record number of evacuation warnings. At least 24 people were killed in strikes across the country, according to local authorities, as Israel signaled it aims to keep pummeling Hezbollah in the final hours before any ceasefire takes hold. Israel's security Cabinet approved the ceasefire agreement late Tuesday after it was presented by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his office said. U.S. President Joe Biden, speaking in Washington, called the agreement “good news” and said his administration would make a renewed push for a ceasefire in Gaza. People are also reading... An Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire would mark the first major step toward ending the regionwide unrest triggered by Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. But it does not address the devastating war in Gaza. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to bring peace to the Middle East, but neither he nor Netanyahu have proposed a postwar solution for the Palestinian territory, where Hamas is still holding dozens of hostages and the conflict is more intractable. Still, any halt to the fighting in Lebanon is expected to reduce the likelihood of war between Israel and Iran, which backs both Hezbollah and Hamas and exchanged direct fire with Israel on two occasions earlier this year. Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike on Dahiyeh, in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. Israel says it will ‘attack with might’ if Hezbollah breaks truce Netanyahu presented the ceasefire proposal to Cabinet ministers after a televised address in which he listed a series of accomplishments against Israel’s enemies across the region. He said a ceasefire with Hezbollah would further isolate Hamas in Gaza and allow Israel to focus on its main enemy, Iran, which backs both groups. “If Hezbollah breaks the agreement and tries to rearm, we will attack,” he said. “For every violation, we will attack with might.” Netanyahu's office later said Israel appreciated the U.S. efforts in securing the deal but "reserves the right to act against every threat to its security.” It was not immediately clear when the ceasefire would go into effect, and the exact terms of the deal were not released. The deal calls for a two-month initial halt in fighting and would require Hezbollah to end its armed presence in a broad swath of southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops would return to their side of the border. Thousands of additional Lebanese troops and U.N. peacekeepers would deploy in the south, and an international panel headed by the United States would monitor all sides’ compliance. But implementation remains a major question mark. Israel has demanded the right to act should Hezbollah violate its obligations. Lebanese officials have rejected writing that into the proposal. Biden said Israel reserved the right to quickly resume operations in Lebanon if Hezbollah breaks the terms of the truce, but that the deal "was designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities.” Hezbollah has said it accepts the proposal, but a senior official with the group said Tuesday that it had not seen the agreement in its final form. “After reviewing the agreement signed by the enemy government, we will see if there is a match between what we stated and what was agreed upon by the Lebanese officials,” Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chair of Hezbollah’s political council, told the Al Jazeera news network. “We want an end to the aggression, of course, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of the state” of Lebanon, he said. “Any violation of sovereignty is refused.” In this screen grab image from video provide by the Israeli Government Press Office, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu makes a televised statement Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, in Jerusalem, Israel. Warplanes bombard Beirut and its southern suburbs Even as Israeli, U.S, Lebanese and international officials have expressed growing optimism over a ceasefire, Israel has continued its campaign in Lebanon, which it says aims to cripple Hezbollah’s military capabilities. An Israeli strike on Tuesday leveled a residential building in the central Beirut district of Basta — the second time in recent days warplanes have hit the crowded area near the city’s downtown. At least seven people were killed and 37 wounded, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. Strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs killed at least one person and wounded 13, it said. Three people were killed in a separate strike in Beirut and three in a strike on a Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon. Lebanese state media said another 10 people were killed in the eastern Baalbek province. Israel says it targets Hezbollah fighters and their infrastructure. Israel also struck a building in Beirut's bustling commercial district of Hamra for the first time, hitting a site that is around 400 meters (yards) from Lebanon’s Central Bank. There were no reports of casualties. The Israeli military said it struck targets in Beirut and other areas linked to Hezbollah's financial arm. The evacuation warnings covered many areas, including parts of Beirut that previously have not been targeted. The warnings, coupled with fear that Israel was ratcheting up attacks before a ceasefire, sent residents fleeing. Traffic was gridlocked, and some cars had mattresses tied to them. Dozens of people, some wearing their pajamas, gathered in a central square, huddling under blankets or standing around fires as Israeli drones buzzed loudly overhead. Hezbollah, meanwhile, kept up its rocket fire, triggering air raid sirens across northern Israel. Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee issued evacuation warnings for 20 buildings in Beirut's southern suburbs, where Hezbollah has a major presence, as well as a warning for the southern town of Naqoura where the U.N. peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL, is headquartered. UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti told The Associated Press that peacekeepers will not evacuate. A police bomb squad officer inspects the site where a rocket fired from Lebanon landed in a backyard in Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel, Tuesday Nov. 26, 2024. Israeli forces reach Litani River in southern Lebanon The Israeli military also said its ground troops clashed with Hezbollah forces and destroyed rocket launchers in the Slouqi area on the eastern end of the Litani River, a few kilometers (miles) from the Israeli border. Under the ceasefire deal, Hezbollah would be required to move its forces north of the Litani, which in some places is about 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of the border. Hezbollah began firing into northern Israel, saying it was showing support for the Palestinians, a day after Hamas carried out its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, triggering the Gaza war. Israel returned fire on Hezbollah, and the two sides have been exchanging barrages ever since. Israel escalated its campaign of bombardment in mid-September and later sent troops into Lebanon, vowing to put an end to Hezbollah fire so tens of thousands of evacuated Israelis could return to their homes. More than 3,760 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon the past 13 months, many of them civilians, according to Lebanese health officials. The bombardment has driven 1.2 million people from their homes. Israel says it has killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members. Hezbollah fire has forced some 50,000 Israelis to evacuate in the country’s north, and its rockets have reached as far south in Israel as Tel Aviv. At least 75 people have been killed, more than half of them civilians. More than 50 Israeli soldiers have died in the ground offensive in Lebanon. Chehayeb and Mroue reported from Beirut. Associated Press reporters Lujain Jo and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut contributed. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.