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Newly named Prime Minister Francois Bayrou put together the government that includes members of the outgoing conservative-dominated team and some new figures from centrist or left-leaning backgrounds. Coming up with a 2025 budget will be the most urgent order of business. The new government enters office after months of political deadlock and pressure from financial markets to reduce France’s colossal debt. Mr Macron has vowed to remain in office until his term ends in 2027, but has struggled to govern since snap elections in the summer left no single party with a majority in the National Assembly. Since his appointment 10 days ago, Mr Bayrou has held talks with political leaders from various parties in search of the right balance for the new government. Some critics were angry at Mr Bayrou for consulting with Marine Le Pen’s far-right party, and some argue the government looks too much like the old one to win the trust of politicians. Former prime minister Michel Barnier resigned this month following a no-confidence vote prompted by budget disputes in the National Assembly, leaving France without a functioning government. Ms Le Pen played a key role in Mr Barnier’s downfall by joining her National Rally party’s forces with the left to pass the no-confidence motion. Mr Bayrou will need support from moderate legislators on the right and left to keep his government alive. Banker Eric Lombard will be finance minister, a crucial post when France is working to fulfil its promises to European Union partners to reduce its deficit, estimated to reach 6% of its gross domestic product this year. Mr Lombard briefly worked as an adviser to a socialist finance minister in the 1990s. Mr Bayrou has said he supports tax hikes championed by his predecessor, but it is not clear how the new government can find the right calculation for a budget that satisfies a majority of politicians angry over spending cuts. Bruno Retailleau stays on as interior minister, with responsibility for France’s security and migration policy. Sebastien Lecornu, who has been at the forefront of France’s military support for Ukraine, remains defence minister, while foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot, who has travelled extensively in the Middle East in recent weeks, also retains his post. Among the new faces are two former prime ministers. Manuel Valls will be minister for overseas affairs, and Elisabeth Borne takes the education ministry.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.which online slot game is easy to win 。

DP World Callao Strengthens Position as Peru's Gateway for Trade with AsiaPioneer farmers in the Davis region largely made a living growing grains. A big challenge before the arrival of the California Pacific Rail Road in 1868 was getting their bales of wheat and barley to the market in San Francisco. If it wasn’t flooded or impossibly muddy, they could drive their harvested crops to Washington (West Sacramento). From there a barge would move the grain on the Sacramento River to the Delta, Suisun and Grizzly Bay, through the Carquinez Strait and San Pablo Bay before sailing to San Francisco. Unfortunately, most years, what we now know as the Yolo Bypass was impassable by land. So instead, teamsters would load up horse-drawn flatbed trailers and haul large stacks of grain southwest to Suisun or Vallejo. The railroad’s arrival changed all that. It also led to the demise of a few villages on the main road and the appearance of new towns on the rail line. If you travel south a few miles out of Davis, you’ll come to Tremont Road. There’s an extant church and active cemetery that date to pioneer days. Until 1868, Tremont was a village with a schoolhouse, a hotel, a general store and a post office. It served travelers and teamsters on the road to and from the Bay Area. Tremont faded away and Davisville emerged when the railroad was built on the north side of Putah Creek. The same fate struck Silveyville when the new tracks skipped that village and passed through land owned by Thomas Dickson, a few miles east. Mr. Dickson realized having a railroad station nearby would be beneficial to himself and his neighboring farmers. So he donated 10 acres to the Cal-P with the agreement they would build a depot and subdivide his land to establish a new town. The plat map laid out, the first resident — not counting Mr. Dixon and his family — was a man named W.R. Ferguson, who purchased 1 acre, built a stone house and opened a store near the railroad station. According to an 1879 book — “History of Solano County: A full and particular biography of its early settlers and principal inhabitants” — the first package to arrive by rail in the new town was addressed to, “W.R. Ferguson, Dixon.” But for that spelling mistake, the city eight miles from Davis would likely have been called Dickson. Taking its cue from the parcel, the California Pacific erected a sign on the depot reading, “Dixon.” That spelling was finalized when the city incorporated in 1878. Not long after Ferguson opened his store, a man named Bernard Greinburg built the Empire Hotel near the tracks; and following him men named Eppinger and Kattenburg opened new Dixon enterprises. The growth in business and residents was at the expense of Silveyville. Residents of the old town — centered around where Silveyville Road and Schroeder Road now meet — were rapidly relocating to Dixon. According to an online history article by Sabine Goerke-Shrode, “Whole houses, even the Methodist Church, were moved on log rollers, pulled by 40-horse teams.” It wasn’t long before the community started by Elijah Silvey was largely gone, and the place named for Thomas Dickson was thriving. Like many Californians in his day, Dickson was drawn to the West by the hope of making money mining gold. He was born June 4, 1800, in Pennsylvania. His family moved to New York state four years later. When Thomas was 19 years old, the Dicksons left for Indiana. In 1832, he served in the Black Hawk War in Illinois. One of his fellow soldiers in that conflict was Abraham Lincoln, who was nine years younger than Dickson. A year after returning home from those hostilities, Thomas met and married Jane Parker Hood, who was originally from Knoxville, Tenn. One year into matrimony, they started a family. Mrs. Dickson eventually gave birth to five boys — one died as an infant — and three girls. With their 1-year-old daughter, Elizabeth Francine, in tow, the couple relocated to Iowa and farmed there for 18 years. Thomas wasn’t quite a “49er.” The Dicksons didn’t arrive in the Sierra foothills until 1853, when Thomas was 53 and Jane was 39. They brought with them 12 head of oxen, three cows, three wagons and several horses. Mr. Dickson prospected for the elusive mineral for one year near Diamond Springs, south of Placerville, and decided that was enough. The family moved to Solano County in 1854. Mr. Dickson was impressed by the wild oats he saw growing near the town that would later be named for him. He farmed in the area around Dixon the rest of his life. Thomas started by renting 1 acre, and eventually he purchased land on what had been the Vaca-Peña property known as Rancho Los Putos. In 1855, he built a house that was still there, though larger, when he gifted those 10 acres to the railroad. Through the end of the 19th century, grain farming was the primary endeavor in the Dixon region. Growers relied on winter and spring rains and let their crops dry in the summer. Most farmers had no access to streams or wells for irrigation. The problem was the heavy clay under the topsoil couldn’t easily be penetrated to reach the aquifer below. That changed with new technology, and wells were dug all around Dixon early in the 20th century. Irrigation allowed farmers to grow alfalfa and raise cattle; and that turned Dixon into a hub for dairies and beef. Thomas Dickson never saw that change in his town. He died in 1885 and is buried at the Dixon Cemetery next to his wife (1906) and most of their children. — Rich Rifkin is a Davis resident; his column is published every other week. Reach him at Lxartist@yahoo.com .

The State of Qatar ranked first in key global governance indicators in the region for 2024 issued by the World Bank. The National Planning Council explained, in a post on its X account, that the State of Qatar came in first place in the political stability indicators with a rate of 84.36 percent, and the rule of law with a rate of 80.19 percent. The Council attributed improvement in the State of Qatars position in global governance indicators to the state's efforts to enhance the axes of the global governance index and within the framework of effectively achieving sustainable development. According to the 2023 data issued by the World Bank, the State of Qatar scored 81.13 percent in the regulatory quality index, 85.85 percent in the government effectiveness index, and 22.55 in the participation and accountability index. The National Planning Council pointed out that these indicators are an important measuring tool that reflects the governments' commitment to achieving the principles of good governance. Related Story Qatar joins Global Coalition for Digital Safety Sheikha Moza attends Arab Global Scholars annual gatheringLost 'friend, philosopher and guide', says Sonia Gandhi on Manmohan Singh's demise

Bangladesh: Robotic prosthetics aid injured anti-Hasina protestersCrashes, missing persons and a mystery inside a statue: The big stories of May 2024PSNI refer case to Police Ombudsman due to ‘widespread public concern’ after teen with autism removed by officers from Lisburn shop

Rico Carty, who won the 1970 NL batting title with the Atlanta Braves, has died

Major stock indexes we mixed on Wall Street in afternoon trading Monday, marking a choppy start to a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 rose 0.6%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 21 points, or 0.1% as of 2:22 p.m. Eastern time. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite rose 1%. Gains in technology and communications stocks helped outweigh losses in consumer goods companies and elsewhere in the market. Semiconductor giant Nvidia, whose enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes, rose 3.6%. Broadcom jumped 5.7% to also help support the broader market. Walmart fell 2.2% and PepsiCo slid 1.3%. Japanese automakers Honda Motor and Nissan said they are talking about combining in a deal that might also include Mitsubishi Motors. U.S.-listed shares in Honda jumped 12.1% , while Nissan fell 0.9%. Eli Lilly rose 3.3% after announcing that regulators approved Zepbound as the first and only prescription medicine for adults with sleep apnea. Department store Nordstrom fell 1.7% after it agreed to be taken private by Nordstrom family members and a Mexican retail group in a $6.25 billion deal. The Conference Board said that consumer confidence slipped in December. Its consumer confidence index fell back to 104.7 from 112.8 in November. Wall Street was expecting a reading of 113.8. The unexpectedly weak consumer confidence update follows several generally strong economic reports last week. One report showed the overall economy grew at a 3.1% annualized rate during the summer, faster than earlier thought. The latest report on unemployment benefit applications showed that the job market remains solid. A report on Friday said a measure of inflation the Federal Reserve likes to use was slightly lower last month than economists expected. Worries about inflation edging higher again had been weighing on Wall Street and the Fed. The central bank just delivered its third cut to interest rates this year, but inflation has been hovering stubbornly above its target of 2%. It has signaled that it could deliver fewer cuts to interest rates next year than it earlier anticipated because of concerns over inflation. Expectations for more interest rate cuts have helped drive a 25% gain for the S&P 500 in 2024. That drive included 57 all-time highs this year. Inflation concerns have added to uncertainties heading into 2025, which include the labor market's path ahead and shifting economic policies under an incoming President Donald Trump. "Put simply, much of the strong market performance prior to last week was driven by expectations that a best-case scenario was the base case for 2025," said Brent Schutte, chief investment officer at Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company Treasury yields rose in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.59% from 4.53% late Friday. European markets were mostly lower, while markets in Asia gained ground. Wall Street has several other economic reports to look forward to this week. On Tuesday, the U.S. will release its November report for sales of newly constructed homes. A weekly update on unemployment benefits is expected on Thursday. Markets in the U.S. will close at 1 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday for Christmas Eve and will remain closed on Wednesday for Christmas.

INSIDE CITY HALL: With good journalism, not everyone is going to be happyThrivent Financial for Lutherans trimmed its stake in shares of Vontier Co. ( NYSE:VNT – Free Report ) by 2.9% in the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 182,845 shares of the company’s stock after selling 5,446 shares during the quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans’ holdings in Vontier were worth $6,170,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Vontier by 17.0% during the 1st quarter. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC now owns 19,054 shares of the company’s stock valued at $864,000 after acquiring an additional 2,774 shares in the last quarter. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co grew its holdings in shares of Vontier by 17.6% during the first quarter. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co now owns 108,902 shares of the company’s stock worth $4,941,000 after purchasing an additional 16,305 shares during the last quarter. Quadrature Capital Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Vontier in the first quarter valued at approximately $344,000. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its holdings in Vontier by 24.1% in the 1st quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 1,695,280 shares of the company’s stock valued at $76,898,000 after buying an additional 329,191 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Kingdon Capital Management L.L.C. acquired a new stake in Vontier during the 1st quarter worth approximately $9,072,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 95.83% of the company’s stock. Vontier Stock Up 1.4 % Shares of NYSE:VNT opened at $38.84 on Friday. The business’s 50-day moving average is $35.48 and its 200-day moving average is $36.74. Vontier Co. has a 1 year low of $31.22 and a 1 year high of $45.62. The company has a market capitalization of $5.83 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.88, a P/E/G ratio of 1.79 and a beta of 1.25. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.10, a current ratio of 1.64 and a quick ratio of 1.23. Vontier Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 12th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, November 21st will be issued a dividend of $0.025 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, November 21st. This represents a $0.10 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.26%. Vontier’s dividend payout ratio is currently 3.83%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on VNT shares. Robert W. Baird dropped their price target on shares of Vontier from $44.00 to $42.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, August 2nd. Argus downgraded Vontier from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 20th. Evercore ISI decreased their price target on Vontier from $45.00 to $40.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, August 19th. Finally, Barclays raised their price objective on Vontier from $44.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 5th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Vontier has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $44.50. Get Our Latest Research Report on VNT About Vontier ( Free Report ) Vontier Corporation provides mobility ecosystem solutions worldwide. The company operates through Mobility Technologies, Repair Solutions, and Environmental and Fueling Solutions segments. The Mobility Technologies segment provides digitally equipment solutions for mobility ecosystem, such as point-of-sale and payment systems, workflow automation, telematics, data analytics, software platform, and integrated solutions for alternative fuel dispensing. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding VNT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Vontier Co. ( NYSE:VNT – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Vontier Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Vontier and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

Caroline Dwane Stanley announces resignation from Sinn FeinTrump's TikTok love raises stakes in battle over app's fate

Trump's TikTok Love Raises Stakes In Battle Over App's FateNEW YORK (AP) — Stocks wavered in afternoon trading on Wall Street Monday at the start of a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 rose 0.4%. A handful of technology companies helped support the gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 63 points, or 0.2% as of 1:18 p.m. Eastern time. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite rose 0.7%. Semiconductor giant Nvidia, whose enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes, rose 3%. Broadcom jumped 5.2% to also help support the broader market. Japanese automakers Honda Motor and Nissan said they are talking about combining in a deal that might also include Mitsubishi Motors. Honda rose 3.8% and Nissan rose 1.6% in Tokyo. Eli Lilly rose 3% after announcing that regulators approved Zepbound as the first and only prescription medicine for adults with sleep apnea. Department store Nordstrom fell 1.7% after it agreed to be taken private by Nordstrom family members and a Mexican retail group in a $6.25 billion deal. The Conference Board said that consumer confidence slipped in December. Its consumer confidence index fell back to 104.7 from 112.8 in November. Wall Street was expecting a reading of 113.8. The unexpectedly weak consumer confidence update follows several generally strong economic reports last week. One report showed the overall economy grew at a 3.1% annualized rate during the summer, faster than earlier thought. The latest report on unemployment benefit applications showed that the job market remains solid. A report on Friday said a measure of inflation the Federal Reserve likes to use was slightly lower last month than economists expected. Worries about inflation edging higher again had been weighing on Wall Street and the Fed. The central bank just delivered its third cut to interest rates this year, but inflation has been hovering stubbornly above its target of 2%. It has signaled that it could deliver fewer cuts to interest rates next year than it earlier anticipated because of concerns over inflation. Expectations for more interest rate cuts have helped drive a 24% gain for the S&P 500 in 2024. That drive included 57 all-time highs this year. Inflation concerns have added to uncertainties heading into 2025, which include the labor market's path ahead and shifting economic policies under an incoming President Donald Trump. "Put simply, much of the strong market performance prior to last week was driven by expectations that a best-case scenario was the base case for 2025," said Brent Schutte, chief investment officer at Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company Treasury yields edged higher in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.58% from 4.53% late Friday. European markets were mostly lower, while markets in Asia gained ground. Wall Street has several other economic reports to look forward to this week. On Tuesday, the U.S. will release its November report for sales of newly constructed homes. A weekly update on unemployment benefits is expected on Thursday. Markets in the U.S. will close early on Tuesday for Christmas Eve and will remain closed on Wednesday for Christmas.

Stock market today: Wall Street slips as technology stocks drag on the market NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks slipped as Wall Street closes out a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 fell 1.3% Friday and the the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 418 points, or 1%. The Nasdaq composite is down 1.8%. Technology stocks were the biggest drag on the market. The S&P 500 is still headed for its second consecutive annual gain of more than 20%, the first time that has happened since 1997-1998. Energy was the best-performing sector as oil prices rose more than 1%. In Asia, stocks in South Korea fell after the main opposition party voted to impeach the country’s acting leader. 10 tips from experts to help you change your relationship with money in 2025 NEW YORK (AP) — As the calendar changes to 2025, you might be thinking about how to approach your relationship with money in the new year. Whether you’re saving to move out of your parents’ house or pay off student loan debt, financial resolutions can help you stay motivated. If you’re planning to make financial resolutions for the new year, experts recommend that you start by evaluating the state of your finances in 2024. Then, set specific goals and make sure they’re attainable for your lifestyle. An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalition WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump’s supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in the president-elect’s political movement into public display. The argument previews fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare tensions between the newest flank of Trump’s movement — that is, wealthy members of the tech world who want more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump’s Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. A 9th telecoms firm has been hit by a massive Chinese espionage campaign, the White House says WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official says a ninth U.S. telecoms firm has been confirmed to have been hacked as part of a sprawling Chinese espionage campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Administration officials said this month that at least eight telecommunications companies, as well as dozens of nations, had been affected by the Chinese hacking blitz known as Salt Typhoon. But Anne Neuberger, a deputy national security adviser, said Friday that a ninth victim had been identified after the administration released guidance to companies about how to hunt for Chinese culprits in their networks. Most Americans blame insurance profits and denials alongside the killer in UHC CEO death, poll finds WASHINGTON (AP) — Most Americans believe health insurance profits and coverage denials share responsibility for the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO — although not as much as the person who pulled the trigger. So says a new poll from NORC at the University of Chicago. It finds that about 8 in 10 Americans say that the person who committed the killing has “a great deal” or “a moderate amount” of responsibility for the Dec. 4 shooting of Brian Thompson. Still, some see suspect Luigi Mangione as a heroic figure. About 7 in 10 adults say coverage denials or health insurance profits also bear at least “a moderate amount” of responsibility for Thompson’s death. Another jackpot surpasses $1 billion. Is this the new normal? Remember this moment because it probably won’t last: A U.S. lottery jackpot is projected to soar above $1 billion, and that's still a big deal. Friday’s Mega Millions drawing is worth an estimated $1.15 billion. The prize has evoked headlines across the country, despite the nation's top 10 jackpots already having boasted billion-dollar payouts. Jonathan Cohen is the author of the book “For a Dollar and a Dream: State Lotteries in Modern America.” He says he expects jackpots to continue to grow in size. Larger payouts attract more media attention, increase ticket sales and bring in new players. How the stock market defied expectations again this year, by the numbers NEW YORK (AP) — What a wonderful year 2024 has been for investors. U.S. stocks ripped higher and carried the S&P 500 to records as the economy kept growing and the Federal Reserve began cutting interest rates. The benchmark index posted its first back-to-back annual gains of more than 20% since 1998. The year featured many familiar winners, such as Big Tech, which got even bigger as their stock prices kept growing. But it wasn’t just Apple, Nvidia and the like. Bitcoin and gold surged and “Roaring Kitty” reappeared to briefly reignite the meme stock craze. Richard Parsons, prominent executive who led Time Warner and Citigroup, dies at 76 NEW YORK (AP) — Richard Parsons, one of corporate America’s most prominent Black executives who held top posts at Time Warner and Citigroup, has died. He was 76. Parsons died Thursday at his Manhattan home. He was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2015 and cited “unanticipated complications” from the disease for cutting back on work a few years later. Financial services company Lazard confirmed his death. Parsons was a longtime member of the company's board. His friend Ronald Lauder told The New York Times that the cause of death was cancer. Parsons stepped down Dec. 3 from the boards of Lazard and Lauder’s company, Estée Lauder, citing health reasons. He had been on Estée Lauder’s board for 25 years. Israel strikes Houthi rebels in Yemen's capital while the WHO chief says he was meters away JERUSALEM (AP) — A new round of Israeli airstrikes in Yemen has targeted the Houthi rebel-held capital of Sanaa and multiple ports. The World Health Organization’s director-general said Thursday's bombardment took place just “meters away” as he was about to board a flight in Sanaa. He says a crew member was hurt. The strikes followed several days of Houthi attacks and launches setting off sirens in Israel. Israel's military says it attacked infrastructure used by the Houthis at the airport in Sanaa, power stations and ports. The Israeli military later said it wasn’t aware that the WHO chief was at the location in Yemen. At least three people were reported killed and dozens injured in the Sanaa airport strike. Holiday shoppers increased spending by 3.8% despite higher prices New data shows holiday sales rose this year even as Americans wrestled with still high prices in many grocery necessities and other financial worries. According to Mastercard SpendingPulse, holiday sales from the beginning of November through Christmas Eve climbed 3.8%, a faster pace than the 3.1% increase from a year earlier. The measure tracks all kinds of payments including cash and debit cards. This year, retailers were even more under the gun to get shoppers in to buy early and in bulk since there were five fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Mastercard SpendingPulse says the last five days of the season accounted for 10% of the spending. Sales of clothing, electronics and Jewelry rose.University of Cambridge research reveals Irish are among the best for detecting fake accents

Join Sam McKewon and Amie Just as they dive deep into the Husker sports scene — rationalizing, analyzing, and summarizing as only they can! In the latest episode of The Showdown, Sam McKewon and Amie Just break down a jam-packed week for Nebraska Athletics. The open with the football game between Nebraska and Wisconsin, how the Huskers' can come out victorious in the matchup and the weird comments from Luke Fickell about who will be the Badgers' play caller. They move onto the doubleheader between both Nebraska and Creighton basketball teams, including the loss of Natalie Potts and how Creighton's difficult schedule can help the Husker women. The duo also talk the Husker men's chances against the Bluejays and Ryan Kalkbrenner. They close out with Nebraska volleyball's upcoming match against Wisconsin on Senior Day and the looming match against Penn State. Subscribe to HuskerExtra.com Join co-hosts Sam and Amie as they dive deep into the Husker sports scene – rationalizing, analyzing, and summarizing as only they can! Get local news delivered to your inbox!Like humans, many animals form lasting monogamous relationships . Most birds pair up to produce and raise offspring together over many years. However, as with humans, they also commonly “divorce” – terminating the pair bond well before the death of either partner. Our new research examines the link between extreme weather events and divorce in a small monogamous tropical songbird. We found extreme events – at both ends of the spectrum, both wet and dry – increase divorce rates in these birds. With climate patterns becoming increasingly erratic, it’s vital to understand how such extreme events affect the species we share our planet with. If it’s disturbing their love lives , this may have dire consequences for the ability of species to reproduce and survive. Back from the brink of extinction The Seychelles warbler is endemic to the Seychelles islands in the Indian Ocean. Once on the brink of extinction, with just 26 birds left in the world, this species now has a stable population on Cousin Island. It’s a great conservation success story – to save the species, the entire island and surrounding sea was turned into a nature reserve in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Seychelles warbler pairs can stay together for up to 15 years . But somewhere between 1% and 16% of partnerships break up every year. Why? It’s thought divorcing may allow these birds to correct for a poor choice of partner. A poor match typically results in a failure to produce chicks and fledglings , which makes the birds reconsider their choice of partner and look elsewhere. But sometimes they divorce for no apparent reason. Many factors could misinform these birds, causing them to separate when it is not in their best interests. Maybe even bad weather. Using a unique dataset spanning decades, we determined the relationship status of all birds on the island over 16 years. We then related that to rainfall data from the local meteorological station . Fair-weather friends We found the probability of divorce was closely associated with the amount of rainfall experienced in the seven months leading up to and during the breeding season. Divorce rates spiked both when rainfall was extreme: either very wet or very dry. A super El Niño event in 1997 caused exceptionally heavy rainfall that year: 1,430mm compared with the average 884mm. Many Seychelles warblers divorced that year (15.3%). More couples also broke up in drought years. It seems these birds tend to stick together when the weather is good, but separate when it turns bad. How weather affects partnership stability Divorce in many species is often directly linked to poor breeding success, when a couple fails to rear young in the prior breeding season. But in our study we found no evidence to suggest that’s an issue in Seychelles warblers. While the period of rainfall that predicted divorce also influenced the ability of these birds to produce offspring, failing to become parents did not make Seychelles warbler pairs more likely to divorce. Some birds that divorced did produce offspring successfully, and some that didn’t produce offspring stayed together. This suggests other, more complex factors may be at play. Extreme weather affects the physical environment, changing food availability , habitat and nesting conditions. Prolonged lack of rain before breeding begins can also affect the health of birds . Maintaining the right body temperature during periods of extreme rainfall is challenging for many bird species . This may increase the level of stress birds experience and increase instability in their partnerships. But it may not necessarily result in a failure to breed altogether. What we can learn from this Our new research sheds light on another heartbreaking consequence of climate change: extreme events are destabilising partnerships in wild animals. Birds such as the Seychelles warbler are particularly vulnerable to these changes because, like many other species, their reproductive strategies are closely linked to environmental conditions. As we continue to face the challenges posed by climate change, studies such as this are essential. They offer vital information for conservationists working to protect species that are highly sensitive to their environment. This is especially important particularly for isolated populations that can’t move to adjust. As extreme weather is becoming more common, we will likely see more dramatic shifts in the social structures of many species, affecting not only their survival but the entire ecosystems they inhabit.

With a combined 42 years on the Hobart School Board, Terry Butler and Karen Robbins cast their final votes Dec. 19. Both members retired after presiding over a sea of physical and academic changes from the construction of two new schools to the pioneering of an AI platform. “All in all, it’s been a great ride,” said Butler, who joined the board in 2000 when Indiana had its last Democratic governor, Frank O’Bannon, who died in office in 2003. Retiring Hobart School Board member Karen Robbins removes her nameplate after her final board meeting Dec. 19. (Carole Carlson/Post-Tribune) Superintendent Peggy Buffington said Robbins was her room mom when she began her teaching career at Foreman Elementary, which has since been replaced by Joan Martin Elementary. “You always made the right choice — for students. It didn’t matter if it was controversial. You never faltered,” Buffington told Butler and Robbins during their final board meeting. Their final votes were cast in favor of the renewal of a $22.5 million operating referendum. It will appear on the May ballot, if approved by the state. Butler said his journey to running for school board began about 25 years ago when he attended a community meeting about whether students should wear school uniforms. Butler, the former director of transportation at the School City of Hammond, didn’t like the idea and made his views known. Someone approached him and suggested he run for school board and Butler was elected. He became a board member in 2000. Robbins, an accountant, had served in many volunteer roles including serving on a school improvement committee to PTA officer. “My kids had graduated, I had time and I thought ‘why not’,” she said. “It seemed like the next step.” Nearly 18 years ago, Robbins was selected to fill a vacancy when a school board member resigned. When Butler first joined the board, he said there were rumblings of the need for a new high school but money was scarce. He said the district’s guidance counselors still filled out schedules by hand and the system needed to be computerized. To shore up support for a new high school, Butler said elementary schools were updated so the focus could shift to a new school. Meanwhile, the state reformed its property tax assessment method to a fair market assessment. The changes and community support paved the way for a bond issue to build the new high school. Jack Leach, who retired in 2008, served as Hobart’s superintendent when Butler and Robbins joined the board. With Butler as president, the board elevated Buffington from assistant superintendent to succeed Leach. “She was so far ahead of the other candidates, her abilities were so much better...” said Butler who praised Buffington’s technology vision and savvy. By 2006, work had begun on the construction of the new $63 million high school on 10th Street. The school board included a swimming pool in its original plan for a new high school, but the state cut the pool out of the final plan in 2006. Butler is still bitter over the move he blamed on GOP Gov. Mitch Daniels. “They said we had to cut $5 million so we lost the pool. That’s when the community came together, they were upset,” said Butler. The new school opened in 2009 sans pool, but a 2017 successful $41.2 million capital projects referendum provided about $18 million for the construction of a 50-meter pool and natatorium on the high school’s southwest side. Veterans Elementary was also constructed at the site of the former razed Mundell Elementary on Wisconsin Street. Buffington pointed the board toward its technology course, Robbins said. “We used to get these large paper packets,” she said of the school board’s information folders, then we sat in a session on the electronic school board and we did it.” Audience members can watch board members vote by pressing a computer key and their vote is flashed on a screen in the meeting room. Both Butler and Robbins harbor skepticism at state policy changes during their tenures on the board that shifted state money to charter and private voucher-funded schools. “The whole problem is taking money from public schools and giving it to private schools,” said Butler. “It upsets me that my tax dollars are going to these schools, there’s no accountability,” Robbins said of private schools funded by parents with state vouchers. “We need to reverse the tide and get people to vote for people who value education,” she said of the General Assembly. Robbins said she gained motivation to retire from the board after watching new board member Brad Keehn Jr. faithfully attend meetings and contribute to discussions. He’ll join the board next month along with newcomer David Kostbade. “When you see someone like Brad in the audience, it’s good. “It’s time for the younger generation to take it,” Robbins said. Butler and Robbins acknowledged they navigated a few controversies during their combined time on the board and boasted of accomplishments like one of the first all-day kindergarten programs, early learning and early college programs, and the embrace of technology. Buffington said the closing of Ridge View stirred up concern among west side residents who later came to appreciate the new Veterans Elementary their children attended. “It’s a beacon on the west side,” she said. “Those children love their school.” She also cited the popularity of the new aquatic center that’s drawn swimmers from Illinois for competitions. “I hope you walk away and know you were a major factor in this,” Buffington told Butler and Robbins. Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.

New French government named after previous one collapsed in budget fight

Newly named Prime Minister Francois Bayrou put together the government that includes members of the outgoing conservative-dominated team and some new figures from centrist or left-leaning backgrounds. Coming up with a 2025 budget will be the most urgent order of business. The new government enters office after months of political deadlock and pressure from financial markets to reduce France’s colossal debt. Mr Macron has vowed to remain in office until his term ends in 2027, but has struggled to govern since snap elections in the summer left no single party with a majority in the National Assembly. Since his appointment 10 days ago, Mr Bayrou has held talks with political leaders from various parties in search of the right balance for the new government. Some critics were angry at Mr Bayrou for consulting with Marine Le Pen’s far-right party, and some argue the government looks too much like the old one to win the trust of politicians. Former prime minister Michel Barnier resigned this month following a no-confidence vote prompted by budget disputes in the National Assembly, leaving France without a functioning government. Ms Le Pen played a key role in Mr Barnier’s downfall by joining her National Rally party’s forces with the left to pass the no-confidence motion. Mr Bayrou will need support from moderate legislators on the right and left to keep his government alive. Banker Eric Lombard will be finance minister, a crucial post when France is working to fulfil its promises to European Union partners to reduce its deficit, estimated to reach 6% of its gross domestic product this year. Mr Lombard briefly worked as an adviser to a socialist finance minister in the 1990s. Mr Bayrou has said he supports tax hikes championed by his predecessor, but it is not clear how the new government can find the right calculation for a budget that satisfies a majority of politicians angry over spending cuts. Bruno Retailleau stays on as interior minister, with responsibility for France’s security and migration policy. Sebastien Lecornu, who has been at the forefront of France’s military support for Ukraine, remains defence minister, while foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot, who has travelled extensively in the Middle East in recent weeks, also retains his post. Among the new faces are two former prime ministers. Manuel Valls will be minister for overseas affairs, and Elisabeth Borne takes the education ministry.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.which online slot game is easy to win 。

DP World Callao Strengthens Position as Peru's Gateway for Trade with AsiaPioneer farmers in the Davis region largely made a living growing grains. A big challenge before the arrival of the California Pacific Rail Road in 1868 was getting their bales of wheat and barley to the market in San Francisco. If it wasn’t flooded or impossibly muddy, they could drive their harvested crops to Washington (West Sacramento). From there a barge would move the grain on the Sacramento River to the Delta, Suisun and Grizzly Bay, through the Carquinez Strait and San Pablo Bay before sailing to San Francisco. Unfortunately, most years, what we now know as the Yolo Bypass was impassable by land. So instead, teamsters would load up horse-drawn flatbed trailers and haul large stacks of grain southwest to Suisun or Vallejo. The railroad’s arrival changed all that. It also led to the demise of a few villages on the main road and the appearance of new towns on the rail line. If you travel south a few miles out of Davis, you’ll come to Tremont Road. There’s an extant church and active cemetery that date to pioneer days. Until 1868, Tremont was a village with a schoolhouse, a hotel, a general store and a post office. It served travelers and teamsters on the road to and from the Bay Area. Tremont faded away and Davisville emerged when the railroad was built on the north side of Putah Creek. The same fate struck Silveyville when the new tracks skipped that village and passed through land owned by Thomas Dickson, a few miles east. Mr. Dickson realized having a railroad station nearby would be beneficial to himself and his neighboring farmers. So he donated 10 acres to the Cal-P with the agreement they would build a depot and subdivide his land to establish a new town. The plat map laid out, the first resident — not counting Mr. Dixon and his family — was a man named W.R. Ferguson, who purchased 1 acre, built a stone house and opened a store near the railroad station. According to an 1879 book — “History of Solano County: A full and particular biography of its early settlers and principal inhabitants” — the first package to arrive by rail in the new town was addressed to, “W.R. Ferguson, Dixon.” But for that spelling mistake, the city eight miles from Davis would likely have been called Dickson. Taking its cue from the parcel, the California Pacific erected a sign on the depot reading, “Dixon.” That spelling was finalized when the city incorporated in 1878. Not long after Ferguson opened his store, a man named Bernard Greinburg built the Empire Hotel near the tracks; and following him men named Eppinger and Kattenburg opened new Dixon enterprises. The growth in business and residents was at the expense of Silveyville. Residents of the old town — centered around where Silveyville Road and Schroeder Road now meet — were rapidly relocating to Dixon. According to an online history article by Sabine Goerke-Shrode, “Whole houses, even the Methodist Church, were moved on log rollers, pulled by 40-horse teams.” It wasn’t long before the community started by Elijah Silvey was largely gone, and the place named for Thomas Dickson was thriving. Like many Californians in his day, Dickson was drawn to the West by the hope of making money mining gold. He was born June 4, 1800, in Pennsylvania. His family moved to New York state four years later. When Thomas was 19 years old, the Dicksons left for Indiana. In 1832, he served in the Black Hawk War in Illinois. One of his fellow soldiers in that conflict was Abraham Lincoln, who was nine years younger than Dickson. A year after returning home from those hostilities, Thomas met and married Jane Parker Hood, who was originally from Knoxville, Tenn. One year into matrimony, they started a family. Mrs. Dickson eventually gave birth to five boys — one died as an infant — and three girls. With their 1-year-old daughter, Elizabeth Francine, in tow, the couple relocated to Iowa and farmed there for 18 years. Thomas wasn’t quite a “49er.” The Dicksons didn’t arrive in the Sierra foothills until 1853, when Thomas was 53 and Jane was 39. They brought with them 12 head of oxen, three cows, three wagons and several horses. Mr. Dickson prospected for the elusive mineral for one year near Diamond Springs, south of Placerville, and decided that was enough. The family moved to Solano County in 1854. Mr. Dickson was impressed by the wild oats he saw growing near the town that would later be named for him. He farmed in the area around Dixon the rest of his life. Thomas started by renting 1 acre, and eventually he purchased land on what had been the Vaca-Peña property known as Rancho Los Putos. In 1855, he built a house that was still there, though larger, when he gifted those 10 acres to the railroad. Through the end of the 19th century, grain farming was the primary endeavor in the Dixon region. Growers relied on winter and spring rains and let their crops dry in the summer. Most farmers had no access to streams or wells for irrigation. The problem was the heavy clay under the topsoil couldn’t easily be penetrated to reach the aquifer below. That changed with new technology, and wells were dug all around Dixon early in the 20th century. Irrigation allowed farmers to grow alfalfa and raise cattle; and that turned Dixon into a hub for dairies and beef. Thomas Dickson never saw that change in his town. He died in 1885 and is buried at the Dixon Cemetery next to his wife (1906) and most of their children. — Rich Rifkin is a Davis resident; his column is published every other week. Reach him at Lxartist@yahoo.com .

The State of Qatar ranked first in key global governance indicators in the region for 2024 issued by the World Bank. The National Planning Council explained, in a post on its X account, that the State of Qatar came in first place in the political stability indicators with a rate of 84.36 percent, and the rule of law with a rate of 80.19 percent. The Council attributed improvement in the State of Qatars position in global governance indicators to the state's efforts to enhance the axes of the global governance index and within the framework of effectively achieving sustainable development. According to the 2023 data issued by the World Bank, the State of Qatar scored 81.13 percent in the regulatory quality index, 85.85 percent in the government effectiveness index, and 22.55 in the participation and accountability index. The National Planning Council pointed out that these indicators are an important measuring tool that reflects the governments' commitment to achieving the principles of good governance. Related Story Qatar joins Global Coalition for Digital Safety Sheikha Moza attends Arab Global Scholars annual gatheringLost 'friend, philosopher and guide', says Sonia Gandhi on Manmohan Singh's demise

Bangladesh: Robotic prosthetics aid injured anti-Hasina protestersCrashes, missing persons and a mystery inside a statue: The big stories of May 2024PSNI refer case to Police Ombudsman due to ‘widespread public concern’ after teen with autism removed by officers from Lisburn shop

Rico Carty, who won the 1970 NL batting title with the Atlanta Braves, has died

Major stock indexes we mixed on Wall Street in afternoon trading Monday, marking a choppy start to a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 rose 0.6%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 21 points, or 0.1% as of 2:22 p.m. Eastern time. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite rose 1%. Gains in technology and communications stocks helped outweigh losses in consumer goods companies and elsewhere in the market. Semiconductor giant Nvidia, whose enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes, rose 3.6%. Broadcom jumped 5.7% to also help support the broader market. Walmart fell 2.2% and PepsiCo slid 1.3%. Japanese automakers Honda Motor and Nissan said they are talking about combining in a deal that might also include Mitsubishi Motors. U.S.-listed shares in Honda jumped 12.1% , while Nissan fell 0.9%. Eli Lilly rose 3.3% after announcing that regulators approved Zepbound as the first and only prescription medicine for adults with sleep apnea. Department store Nordstrom fell 1.7% after it agreed to be taken private by Nordstrom family members and a Mexican retail group in a $6.25 billion deal. The Conference Board said that consumer confidence slipped in December. Its consumer confidence index fell back to 104.7 from 112.8 in November. Wall Street was expecting a reading of 113.8. The unexpectedly weak consumer confidence update follows several generally strong economic reports last week. One report showed the overall economy grew at a 3.1% annualized rate during the summer, faster than earlier thought. The latest report on unemployment benefit applications showed that the job market remains solid. A report on Friday said a measure of inflation the Federal Reserve likes to use was slightly lower last month than economists expected. Worries about inflation edging higher again had been weighing on Wall Street and the Fed. The central bank just delivered its third cut to interest rates this year, but inflation has been hovering stubbornly above its target of 2%. It has signaled that it could deliver fewer cuts to interest rates next year than it earlier anticipated because of concerns over inflation. Expectations for more interest rate cuts have helped drive a 25% gain for the S&P 500 in 2024. That drive included 57 all-time highs this year. Inflation concerns have added to uncertainties heading into 2025, which include the labor market's path ahead and shifting economic policies under an incoming President Donald Trump. "Put simply, much of the strong market performance prior to last week was driven by expectations that a best-case scenario was the base case for 2025," said Brent Schutte, chief investment officer at Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company Treasury yields rose in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.59% from 4.53% late Friday. European markets were mostly lower, while markets in Asia gained ground. Wall Street has several other economic reports to look forward to this week. On Tuesday, the U.S. will release its November report for sales of newly constructed homes. A weekly update on unemployment benefits is expected on Thursday. Markets in the U.S. will close at 1 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday for Christmas Eve and will remain closed on Wednesday for Christmas.

INSIDE CITY HALL: With good journalism, not everyone is going to be happyThrivent Financial for Lutherans trimmed its stake in shares of Vontier Co. ( NYSE:VNT – Free Report ) by 2.9% in the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 182,845 shares of the company’s stock after selling 5,446 shares during the quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans’ holdings in Vontier were worth $6,170,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Vontier by 17.0% during the 1st quarter. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC now owns 19,054 shares of the company’s stock valued at $864,000 after acquiring an additional 2,774 shares in the last quarter. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co grew its holdings in shares of Vontier by 17.6% during the first quarter. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co now owns 108,902 shares of the company’s stock worth $4,941,000 after purchasing an additional 16,305 shares during the last quarter. Quadrature Capital Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Vontier in the first quarter valued at approximately $344,000. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its holdings in Vontier by 24.1% in the 1st quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 1,695,280 shares of the company’s stock valued at $76,898,000 after buying an additional 329,191 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Kingdon Capital Management L.L.C. acquired a new stake in Vontier during the 1st quarter worth approximately $9,072,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 95.83% of the company’s stock. Vontier Stock Up 1.4 % Shares of NYSE:VNT opened at $38.84 on Friday. The business’s 50-day moving average is $35.48 and its 200-day moving average is $36.74. Vontier Co. has a 1 year low of $31.22 and a 1 year high of $45.62. The company has a market capitalization of $5.83 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.88, a P/E/G ratio of 1.79 and a beta of 1.25. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.10, a current ratio of 1.64 and a quick ratio of 1.23. Vontier Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 12th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, November 21st will be issued a dividend of $0.025 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, November 21st. This represents a $0.10 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.26%. Vontier’s dividend payout ratio is currently 3.83%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on VNT shares. Robert W. Baird dropped their price target on shares of Vontier from $44.00 to $42.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, August 2nd. Argus downgraded Vontier from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 20th. Evercore ISI decreased their price target on Vontier from $45.00 to $40.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, August 19th. Finally, Barclays raised their price objective on Vontier from $44.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 5th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Vontier has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $44.50. Get Our Latest Research Report on VNT About Vontier ( Free Report ) Vontier Corporation provides mobility ecosystem solutions worldwide. The company operates through Mobility Technologies, Repair Solutions, and Environmental and Fueling Solutions segments. The Mobility Technologies segment provides digitally equipment solutions for mobility ecosystem, such as point-of-sale and payment systems, workflow automation, telematics, data analytics, software platform, and integrated solutions for alternative fuel dispensing. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding VNT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Vontier Co. ( NYSE:VNT – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Vontier Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Vontier and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

Caroline Dwane Stanley announces resignation from Sinn FeinTrump's TikTok love raises stakes in battle over app's fate

Trump's TikTok Love Raises Stakes In Battle Over App's FateNEW YORK (AP) — Stocks wavered in afternoon trading on Wall Street Monday at the start of a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 rose 0.4%. A handful of technology companies helped support the gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 63 points, or 0.2% as of 1:18 p.m. Eastern time. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite rose 0.7%. Semiconductor giant Nvidia, whose enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes, rose 3%. Broadcom jumped 5.2% to also help support the broader market. Japanese automakers Honda Motor and Nissan said they are talking about combining in a deal that might also include Mitsubishi Motors. Honda rose 3.8% and Nissan rose 1.6% in Tokyo. Eli Lilly rose 3% after announcing that regulators approved Zepbound as the first and only prescription medicine for adults with sleep apnea. Department store Nordstrom fell 1.7% after it agreed to be taken private by Nordstrom family members and a Mexican retail group in a $6.25 billion deal. The Conference Board said that consumer confidence slipped in December. Its consumer confidence index fell back to 104.7 from 112.8 in November. Wall Street was expecting a reading of 113.8. The unexpectedly weak consumer confidence update follows several generally strong economic reports last week. One report showed the overall economy grew at a 3.1% annualized rate during the summer, faster than earlier thought. The latest report on unemployment benefit applications showed that the job market remains solid. A report on Friday said a measure of inflation the Federal Reserve likes to use was slightly lower last month than economists expected. Worries about inflation edging higher again had been weighing on Wall Street and the Fed. The central bank just delivered its third cut to interest rates this year, but inflation has been hovering stubbornly above its target of 2%. It has signaled that it could deliver fewer cuts to interest rates next year than it earlier anticipated because of concerns over inflation. Expectations for more interest rate cuts have helped drive a 24% gain for the S&P 500 in 2024. That drive included 57 all-time highs this year. Inflation concerns have added to uncertainties heading into 2025, which include the labor market's path ahead and shifting economic policies under an incoming President Donald Trump. "Put simply, much of the strong market performance prior to last week was driven by expectations that a best-case scenario was the base case for 2025," said Brent Schutte, chief investment officer at Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company Treasury yields edged higher in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.58% from 4.53% late Friday. European markets were mostly lower, while markets in Asia gained ground. Wall Street has several other economic reports to look forward to this week. On Tuesday, the U.S. will release its November report for sales of newly constructed homes. A weekly update on unemployment benefits is expected on Thursday. Markets in the U.S. will close early on Tuesday for Christmas Eve and will remain closed on Wednesday for Christmas.

Stock market today: Wall Street slips as technology stocks drag on the market NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks slipped as Wall Street closes out a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 fell 1.3% Friday and the the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 418 points, or 1%. The Nasdaq composite is down 1.8%. Technology stocks were the biggest drag on the market. The S&P 500 is still headed for its second consecutive annual gain of more than 20%, the first time that has happened since 1997-1998. Energy was the best-performing sector as oil prices rose more than 1%. In Asia, stocks in South Korea fell after the main opposition party voted to impeach the country’s acting leader. 10 tips from experts to help you change your relationship with money in 2025 NEW YORK (AP) — As the calendar changes to 2025, you might be thinking about how to approach your relationship with money in the new year. Whether you’re saving to move out of your parents’ house or pay off student loan debt, financial resolutions can help you stay motivated. If you’re planning to make financial resolutions for the new year, experts recommend that you start by evaluating the state of your finances in 2024. Then, set specific goals and make sure they’re attainable for your lifestyle. An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalition WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump’s supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in the president-elect’s political movement into public display. The argument previews fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare tensions between the newest flank of Trump’s movement — that is, wealthy members of the tech world who want more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump’s Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. A 9th telecoms firm has been hit by a massive Chinese espionage campaign, the White House says WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official says a ninth U.S. telecoms firm has been confirmed to have been hacked as part of a sprawling Chinese espionage campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Administration officials said this month that at least eight telecommunications companies, as well as dozens of nations, had been affected by the Chinese hacking blitz known as Salt Typhoon. But Anne Neuberger, a deputy national security adviser, said Friday that a ninth victim had been identified after the administration released guidance to companies about how to hunt for Chinese culprits in their networks. Most Americans blame insurance profits and denials alongside the killer in UHC CEO death, poll finds WASHINGTON (AP) — Most Americans believe health insurance profits and coverage denials share responsibility for the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO — although not as much as the person who pulled the trigger. So says a new poll from NORC at the University of Chicago. It finds that about 8 in 10 Americans say that the person who committed the killing has “a great deal” or “a moderate amount” of responsibility for the Dec. 4 shooting of Brian Thompson. Still, some see suspect Luigi Mangione as a heroic figure. About 7 in 10 adults say coverage denials or health insurance profits also bear at least “a moderate amount” of responsibility for Thompson’s death. Another jackpot surpasses $1 billion. Is this the new normal? Remember this moment because it probably won’t last: A U.S. lottery jackpot is projected to soar above $1 billion, and that's still a big deal. Friday’s Mega Millions drawing is worth an estimated $1.15 billion. The prize has evoked headlines across the country, despite the nation's top 10 jackpots already having boasted billion-dollar payouts. Jonathan Cohen is the author of the book “For a Dollar and a Dream: State Lotteries in Modern America.” He says he expects jackpots to continue to grow in size. Larger payouts attract more media attention, increase ticket sales and bring in new players. How the stock market defied expectations again this year, by the numbers NEW YORK (AP) — What a wonderful year 2024 has been for investors. U.S. stocks ripped higher and carried the S&P 500 to records as the economy kept growing and the Federal Reserve began cutting interest rates. The benchmark index posted its first back-to-back annual gains of more than 20% since 1998. The year featured many familiar winners, such as Big Tech, which got even bigger as their stock prices kept growing. But it wasn’t just Apple, Nvidia and the like. Bitcoin and gold surged and “Roaring Kitty” reappeared to briefly reignite the meme stock craze. Richard Parsons, prominent executive who led Time Warner and Citigroup, dies at 76 NEW YORK (AP) — Richard Parsons, one of corporate America’s most prominent Black executives who held top posts at Time Warner and Citigroup, has died. He was 76. Parsons died Thursday at his Manhattan home. He was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2015 and cited “unanticipated complications” from the disease for cutting back on work a few years later. Financial services company Lazard confirmed his death. Parsons was a longtime member of the company's board. His friend Ronald Lauder told The New York Times that the cause of death was cancer. Parsons stepped down Dec. 3 from the boards of Lazard and Lauder’s company, Estée Lauder, citing health reasons. He had been on Estée Lauder’s board for 25 years. Israel strikes Houthi rebels in Yemen's capital while the WHO chief says he was meters away JERUSALEM (AP) — A new round of Israeli airstrikes in Yemen has targeted the Houthi rebel-held capital of Sanaa and multiple ports. The World Health Organization’s director-general said Thursday's bombardment took place just “meters away” as he was about to board a flight in Sanaa. He says a crew member was hurt. The strikes followed several days of Houthi attacks and launches setting off sirens in Israel. Israel's military says it attacked infrastructure used by the Houthis at the airport in Sanaa, power stations and ports. The Israeli military later said it wasn’t aware that the WHO chief was at the location in Yemen. At least three people were reported killed and dozens injured in the Sanaa airport strike. Holiday shoppers increased spending by 3.8% despite higher prices New data shows holiday sales rose this year even as Americans wrestled with still high prices in many grocery necessities and other financial worries. According to Mastercard SpendingPulse, holiday sales from the beginning of November through Christmas Eve climbed 3.8%, a faster pace than the 3.1% increase from a year earlier. The measure tracks all kinds of payments including cash and debit cards. This year, retailers were even more under the gun to get shoppers in to buy early and in bulk since there were five fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Mastercard SpendingPulse says the last five days of the season accounted for 10% of the spending. Sales of clothing, electronics and Jewelry rose.University of Cambridge research reveals Irish are among the best for detecting fake accents

Join Sam McKewon and Amie Just as they dive deep into the Husker sports scene — rationalizing, analyzing, and summarizing as only they can! In the latest episode of The Showdown, Sam McKewon and Amie Just break down a jam-packed week for Nebraska Athletics. The open with the football game between Nebraska and Wisconsin, how the Huskers' can come out victorious in the matchup and the weird comments from Luke Fickell about who will be the Badgers' play caller. They move onto the doubleheader between both Nebraska and Creighton basketball teams, including the loss of Natalie Potts and how Creighton's difficult schedule can help the Husker women. The duo also talk the Husker men's chances against the Bluejays and Ryan Kalkbrenner. They close out with Nebraska volleyball's upcoming match against Wisconsin on Senior Day and the looming match against Penn State. Subscribe to HuskerExtra.com Join co-hosts Sam and Amie as they dive deep into the Husker sports scene – rationalizing, analyzing, and summarizing as only they can! Get local news delivered to your inbox!Like humans, many animals form lasting monogamous relationships . Most birds pair up to produce and raise offspring together over many years. However, as with humans, they also commonly “divorce” – terminating the pair bond well before the death of either partner. Our new research examines the link between extreme weather events and divorce in a small monogamous tropical songbird. We found extreme events – at both ends of the spectrum, both wet and dry – increase divorce rates in these birds. With climate patterns becoming increasingly erratic, it’s vital to understand how such extreme events affect the species we share our planet with. If it’s disturbing their love lives , this may have dire consequences for the ability of species to reproduce and survive. Back from the brink of extinction The Seychelles warbler is endemic to the Seychelles islands in the Indian Ocean. Once on the brink of extinction, with just 26 birds left in the world, this species now has a stable population on Cousin Island. It’s a great conservation success story – to save the species, the entire island and surrounding sea was turned into a nature reserve in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Seychelles warbler pairs can stay together for up to 15 years . But somewhere between 1% and 16% of partnerships break up every year. Why? It’s thought divorcing may allow these birds to correct for a poor choice of partner. A poor match typically results in a failure to produce chicks and fledglings , which makes the birds reconsider their choice of partner and look elsewhere. But sometimes they divorce for no apparent reason. Many factors could misinform these birds, causing them to separate when it is not in their best interests. Maybe even bad weather. Using a unique dataset spanning decades, we determined the relationship status of all birds on the island over 16 years. We then related that to rainfall data from the local meteorological station . Fair-weather friends We found the probability of divorce was closely associated with the amount of rainfall experienced in the seven months leading up to and during the breeding season. Divorce rates spiked both when rainfall was extreme: either very wet or very dry. A super El Niño event in 1997 caused exceptionally heavy rainfall that year: 1,430mm compared with the average 884mm. Many Seychelles warblers divorced that year (15.3%). More couples also broke up in drought years. It seems these birds tend to stick together when the weather is good, but separate when it turns bad. How weather affects partnership stability Divorce in many species is often directly linked to poor breeding success, when a couple fails to rear young in the prior breeding season. But in our study we found no evidence to suggest that’s an issue in Seychelles warblers. While the period of rainfall that predicted divorce also influenced the ability of these birds to produce offspring, failing to become parents did not make Seychelles warbler pairs more likely to divorce. Some birds that divorced did produce offspring successfully, and some that didn’t produce offspring stayed together. This suggests other, more complex factors may be at play. Extreme weather affects the physical environment, changing food availability , habitat and nesting conditions. Prolonged lack of rain before breeding begins can also affect the health of birds . Maintaining the right body temperature during periods of extreme rainfall is challenging for many bird species . This may increase the level of stress birds experience and increase instability in their partnerships. But it may not necessarily result in a failure to breed altogether. What we can learn from this Our new research sheds light on another heartbreaking consequence of climate change: extreme events are destabilising partnerships in wild animals. Birds such as the Seychelles warbler are particularly vulnerable to these changes because, like many other species, their reproductive strategies are closely linked to environmental conditions. As we continue to face the challenges posed by climate change, studies such as this are essential. They offer vital information for conservationists working to protect species that are highly sensitive to their environment. This is especially important particularly for isolated populations that can’t move to adjust. As extreme weather is becoming more common, we will likely see more dramatic shifts in the social structures of many species, affecting not only their survival but the entire ecosystems they inhabit.

With a combined 42 years on the Hobart School Board, Terry Butler and Karen Robbins cast their final votes Dec. 19. Both members retired after presiding over a sea of physical and academic changes from the construction of two new schools to the pioneering of an AI platform. “All in all, it’s been a great ride,” said Butler, who joined the board in 2000 when Indiana had its last Democratic governor, Frank O’Bannon, who died in office in 2003. Retiring Hobart School Board member Karen Robbins removes her nameplate after her final board meeting Dec. 19. (Carole Carlson/Post-Tribune) Superintendent Peggy Buffington said Robbins was her room mom when she began her teaching career at Foreman Elementary, which has since been replaced by Joan Martin Elementary. “You always made the right choice — for students. It didn’t matter if it was controversial. You never faltered,” Buffington told Butler and Robbins during their final board meeting. Their final votes were cast in favor of the renewal of a $22.5 million operating referendum. It will appear on the May ballot, if approved by the state. Butler said his journey to running for school board began about 25 years ago when he attended a community meeting about whether students should wear school uniforms. Butler, the former director of transportation at the School City of Hammond, didn’t like the idea and made his views known. Someone approached him and suggested he run for school board and Butler was elected. He became a board member in 2000. Robbins, an accountant, had served in many volunteer roles including serving on a school improvement committee to PTA officer. “My kids had graduated, I had time and I thought ‘why not’,” she said. “It seemed like the next step.” Nearly 18 years ago, Robbins was selected to fill a vacancy when a school board member resigned. When Butler first joined the board, he said there were rumblings of the need for a new high school but money was scarce. He said the district’s guidance counselors still filled out schedules by hand and the system needed to be computerized. To shore up support for a new high school, Butler said elementary schools were updated so the focus could shift to a new school. Meanwhile, the state reformed its property tax assessment method to a fair market assessment. The changes and community support paved the way for a bond issue to build the new high school. Jack Leach, who retired in 2008, served as Hobart’s superintendent when Butler and Robbins joined the board. With Butler as president, the board elevated Buffington from assistant superintendent to succeed Leach. “She was so far ahead of the other candidates, her abilities were so much better...” said Butler who praised Buffington’s technology vision and savvy. By 2006, work had begun on the construction of the new $63 million high school on 10th Street. The school board included a swimming pool in its original plan for a new high school, but the state cut the pool out of the final plan in 2006. Butler is still bitter over the move he blamed on GOP Gov. Mitch Daniels. “They said we had to cut $5 million so we lost the pool. That’s when the community came together, they were upset,” said Butler. The new school opened in 2009 sans pool, but a 2017 successful $41.2 million capital projects referendum provided about $18 million for the construction of a 50-meter pool and natatorium on the high school’s southwest side. Veterans Elementary was also constructed at the site of the former razed Mundell Elementary on Wisconsin Street. Buffington pointed the board toward its technology course, Robbins said. “We used to get these large paper packets,” she said of the school board’s information folders, then we sat in a session on the electronic school board and we did it.” Audience members can watch board members vote by pressing a computer key and their vote is flashed on a screen in the meeting room. Both Butler and Robbins harbor skepticism at state policy changes during their tenures on the board that shifted state money to charter and private voucher-funded schools. “The whole problem is taking money from public schools and giving it to private schools,” said Butler. “It upsets me that my tax dollars are going to these schools, there’s no accountability,” Robbins said of private schools funded by parents with state vouchers. “We need to reverse the tide and get people to vote for people who value education,” she said of the General Assembly. Robbins said she gained motivation to retire from the board after watching new board member Brad Keehn Jr. faithfully attend meetings and contribute to discussions. He’ll join the board next month along with newcomer David Kostbade. “When you see someone like Brad in the audience, it’s good. “It’s time for the younger generation to take it,” Robbins said. Butler and Robbins acknowledged they navigated a few controversies during their combined time on the board and boasted of accomplishments like one of the first all-day kindergarten programs, early learning and early college programs, and the embrace of technology. Buffington said the closing of Ridge View stirred up concern among west side residents who later came to appreciate the new Veterans Elementary their children attended. “It’s a beacon on the west side,” she said. “Those children love their school.” She also cited the popularity of the new aquatic center that’s drawn swimmers from Illinois for competitions. “I hope you walk away and know you were a major factor in this,” Buffington told Butler and Robbins. Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.

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