Prominent figure from Canada's trucker protests against COVID-19 restrictions found guiltyIt is truly a headline many Calgary Flames fans thought they may never see. Left winger Jonathan Huberdeau has been tremendously disappointing ever since he was acquired from the Florida Panthers back in the summer of 2022. As the centrepiece of a trade package for young All-Star Matthew Tkachuk and a former 115 point scorer himself, Huberdeau had immense pressure to perform. Playing for a Canadian market and signing a franchise record 8-year, $84 million contract drove expectations up even further. In his first season in Cowtown, Huberdeau put up just 15 goals and 40 assists in 79 games to set an NHL record for the largest season-to-season point drop off ever recorded. Many pointed the finger at then-head-coach Darryl Sutter, whom Huberdeau and other veterans clashed with frequently. Some stated that the move across the continent and overall adjustment to life in the Great White North was the culprit. However, with a new head coach and more social stability in 2023-24, he scored only 12 times and had 52 points in 81 games, along with a career-worst minus-29 rating. Many fans and media personalities were quick to point out that Huberdeau’s 2023-24 was a tale of two seasons; in the first 41 games he scored six goals and 21 points but heated up to the tune of six goals and 31 points in the following 40 contests. Now 34 games into the 2024-25 season it seems as though “Huby” has built upon this pace as he currently leads the Flames with 13 goals and 25 points. His hot start is more than worthy of a closer look. A December to Remember Much of Huberdeau’s success has come due to an impressive recent stretch of play. From Nov. 30 until the time of writing (10 games), he has rippled the twine six times and added seven helpers for 13 points. After two-and-a-half seasons of trying, he has finally found chemistry with fellow 2022 acquisition Nazem Kadri , who has six goals and nine points in the same span. Huberdeau’s six-game point streak from Nov. 30 until Dec. 12 is tied for the best mark of his Flames tenure. Over the past summer, the French-Canadian forward stated that he had been working intensely on his shot, which has seemingly paid off in full. As a career playmaker, Huberdeau characteristically elects to distribute the puck rather than put it on net. He now has more confidence shooting and during this same hot streak has accumulated 23 shots on goal. His higher volume has contributed to more success; he is shooting at a career-best 21.7% clip. With his tally on Dec. 21 against the Chicago Blackhawks, Huberdeau registered his 13th goal of the season, already surpassing the 12 he had in all of 2023-24. The team has been iffy during the past 10 games, but still captured 11 out of a possible 20 points with a 4-3-3 record. Over this period, the team has scored 29 goals for a rate of 2.9 per contest, meaning Huberdeau has factored into approximately 45% of his team’s offence during his streak. For comparison, the only Flames to register more than five points during this time are Kadri, Connor Zary , and Matt Coronato. Any time Huberdeau is on the ice this season, the Flames control the puck; he has registered a 56% Corsi For rating, which means the Flames have more shot attempts than their opponents. There are even defensive improvements as the winger is on pace for a career-high 68 blocked shots. Is Huberdeau Officially Back? Now, is this type of Huberdeau one that Flames fans should get used to? Not yet. This is a very impressive stretch of hockey even beyond the past 10 games. In total over his past 74 appearances, Huberdeau has 19 goals and 56 points. He is currently on pace to finish the 2024-25 campaign with 31 goals and 60 points, which would both shatter his previous highest Flames totals. Huberdeau hasn’t reached the 30-goal plateau since the 2021-22 season, his last with the Panthers. It is something the pass-first forward has also only done twice in his career. However, the second half of this season should once and for all determine what Huberdeau can bring to the table moving forward. Fans should prepare for regression. It is important to note a few things in helping determine the sustainability of Huberdeau’s recent play. First of all, his aforementioned 21.7% shooting success rate is likely not something he can maintain for the next 48 games. He is also playing more than ever before as a Flame, with an 18:30 average time on ice. Should the team’s performance start to decline, head coach Ryan Huska will probably play the younger forwards more often, which would eat into Huberdeau’s ice time. In addition, his line mate Kadri’s name has come up in trade talks and his movement could disrupt Huberdeau’s performance. If Huberdeau can navigate through all of these challenges and the others every season brings and keep on producing, his identity as a Flame will become more concrete. All in all, Huberdeau has been showing glimpses of the player the Flames thought they were getting back in 2022. If he can sustain his recent play, he will offer more hope to the many fans that have always believed in him as an on-ice contributor. While 60 points a season may not be worth $10.5 million, it is certainly an improvement on the production thus far and a step in the right direction for both team and player. At the end of the day, the Flames are relatively competitive and Huberdeau is currently leading the team in scoring. Things are good in Cowtown for the moment. This article first appeared on The Hockey Writers and was syndicated with permission.CMG Deadline Alert: CMG Investors with Losses in Excess of $100K Have Opportunity to Lead Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. Securities Fraud Lawsuit Filed by The Rosen Law Firm
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Enzo Maresca savoured chants of ‘we’ve got our Chelsea back’ from travelling fans following a 5-1 Premier League thrashing of 10-man Southampton at St Mary’s. Blues supporters also sang the name of head coach Maresca during the closing stages of an emphatic success sealed by goals from Axel Disasi, Christopher Nkunku, Noni Madueke, Cole Palmer and substitute Jadon Sancho. Bottom club Southampton briefly levelled through Joe Aribo but were a man down from the 39th minute after captain Jack Stephens was sent off for pulling the hair of Marc Cucurella. Chelsea, who have endured an underwhelming period since Todd Boehly’s consortium bought the club in 2022, climbed above Arsenal and into second place on goal difference, seven points behind leaders Liverpool. “It was a very good feeling, especially because you can see that they are happy, that is our target,” Maresca said of the atmosphere in the away end. “We work every day to keep them happy and tonight was a very good feeling, especially the one that they can see that Chelsea’s back. This is an important thing.” Maresca rotated his squad in Hampshire, making seven changes following Sunday’s impressive 3-0 win over Aston Villa. Following a sloppy start, his side, who stretched their unbeaten run to six top-flight games, could easily have won by more as they hit the woodwork three times, in addition to squandering a host of chances. “I’m very happy with the five we scored,” said the Italian. “I’m not happy with the first 15, 20 minutes, where we struggled. The reason why we struggled is because we prepared the game to press them man to man and the first 15, 20 minutes we were not pressing them man to man. “After 15, 20 minutes we adjust that and the game was much better. For sure we could score more but five goals they are enough.” Southampton manager Russell Martin rued a costly “moment of madness” from skipper Stephens. The defender’s ridiculous red card was the headline mistake of a catalogue of errors from the beleaguered south-coast club as they slipped seven points from safety following an 11th defeat of a dismal season. “I don’t think anyone will be as disappointed as Jack,” Martin said of Stephens, who was sent off for the second time this term after tugging the curls of Cucurella as Saints prepared to take a corner. “I haven’t got to sit down and talk with him about that at all. He will be hurt more than anyone and it’s changed the game for us tonight, which is disappointing. “I think they have to describe it as violent conduct; it’s not violent really but there’s no other explanation for that really. It’s a moment of madness that’s really cost us and Jack.” Southampton repeatedly invited pressure with their risky attempts to play out from defence, with goalkeeper Joe Lumley gifting Chelsea their second goal, scored by Nkunku. While Saints were booed off at full-time, Martin, who was missing a host of key players due to injuries and suspensions, praised the effort of his depleted team. “When they see such a big scoreline and a couple of the goals we concede, I understand it (the jeers),” he said. “It’s football, it’s emotive, people feel so much about it, it’s why it’s such a special sport in this country and so big. “I understand it but I feel really proud of the players tonight, some of the football we played at 11 v 11 was amazing. “For an hour with 10 men we’ve dug in so deep, there were some big performances. I’m proud of them for that and I’m grateful for that because that’s not easy in that circumstance.”
Stock up on these popular board games for your next get-togetherReal Madrid suffered a 2-1 LaLiga defeat at Athletic Bilbao as Kylian Mbappe missed from the penalty spot again. Alex Berenguer prodded the hosts ahead after 53 minutes before Mbappe – who failed to convert a Champions League penalty against Liverpool last week – sent his kick too close to Bilbao goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala. Jude Bellingham appeared to have rescued a point for Real after scoring for the fourth successive league game 12 minutes from time. 📸 PORTERAZO. JULEN, JULEN! JULEN JULEN! #AthleticRealMadrid #AthleticClub 🦁 pic.twitter.com/w260s6xo79 — Athletic Club (@AthleticClub) December 4, 2024 But Federico Valverde’s mistake two minutes later gifted Gorka Guruzeta the winner in front of a delirious San Mames crowd. On a busy night of second-round Copa del Rey action, Villarreal suffered a shock 1-0 defeat at Pontevedra while there were wins for Real Betis, Rayo Vallecano and Valencia. Fiorentina went out of the Coppa Italia to Empoli on penalties on an emotional night at Stadio Artemio Franchi. Viola were back in action after Edoardo Bove’s health scare forced their weekend league fixture with Inter Milan to be abandoned during the first half. Midfielder Bove collapsed on the pitch and required emergency medical treatment. He was taken to hospital but regained consciousness in intensive care. Esposito's penalty books Empoli's place in the next round 💪 #FiorentinaEmpoli pic.twitter.com/UUxghH9l6b — Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) December 4, 2024 Empoli led at half-time through Emmanuel Ekong’s fourth-minute opener before Moise Kean and Riccardo Sottil put Fiorentina ahead. Sebastiano Esposito struck 15 minutes from time to make it 2-2 and take the last-16 tie into extra time, Empoli eventually winning 4-3 on penalties. Benjamin Sesko opened the scoring and Luis Openda struck twice as RB Leipzig brushed aside Eintracht Frankfurt 3-0 in the German DFB Pokal. Second-half goals from Denis Vavro, Jonas Wind and Yannick Gerhardt saw Wolfsburg beat Hoffenheim 3-0. Cologne knocked out Hertha Berlin 2-1 after extra time with Dejan Ljubicic converting a penalty in the final seconds, while Augsburg prevailed 5-4 on penalties against Karlsruhe after a 2-2 draw.Police hunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO's masked killer after 'brazen, targeted' attack on NYC street
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WASHINGTON — American Airlines briefly grounded flights nationwide Tuesday because of a technical problem just as the Christmas travel season kicked into overdrive and winter weather threatened more potential problems for those planning to fly or drive. Government regulators cleared American flights to get airborne about an hour after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a national ground stop for the airline. The order, which prevented planes from taking off, was issued at the airline's request. The airline said in an email that the problem was caused by trouble with vendor technology that maintains its flight operating system. An American Airlines employee wearing looks toward quiet check-in counters Tuesday in the American terminal at Miami International Airport in Miami. Dennis Tajer, a spokesperson for the Allied Pilots Association, a union representing American Airlines pilots, said the airline told pilots at 7 a.m. Eastern that there was an outage affecting the system known as FOS. It handles different types of airline operations, including dispatch, flight planning, passenger boarding, as well as an airplane's weight and balance data, he said. Some components of FOS have gone down in the past, but a systemwide outage is rare, Tajer said. Flights were delayed across American's major hubs, with only 37% leaving on time, according to Cirium, an aviation analytics company. Out of the 3,901 domestic and international American Airlines flights scheduled for Tuesday, 19 were canceled. Cirium noted that the vast majority of flights departed within two hours of their scheduled departure time. A similar percentage — 36% — arrived at their destinations as scheduled. Meanwhile, the flight-tracking site FlightAware reported that 3,712 flights entering or leaving the U.S., or serving domestic destinations, were delayed Tuesday, with 55 flights canceled. It did not show any flights from American Airlines. Cirium said Dallas-Fort Worth, New York's Kennedy Airport and Charlotte, North Carolina, saw the greatest number of delays. Washington, Chicago and Miami experienced considerably fewer delays. Travelers wait in line for security checks Tuesday at the Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles. Amid the travel problems, significant rain and snow were expected in the Pacific Northwest at least into Christmas Day. Showers and thunderstorms developed in the South. Freezing rain was reported in the Mid-Atlantic region near Baltimore and Washington, and snow fell in New York. Because the holiday travel period lasts weeks, airports and airlines typically have smaller peak days than they do during the rush around Thanksgiving, but the grind of one hectic day followed by another takes a toll on flight crews. Any hiccups — a winter storm or a computer outage — can snowball into massive disruptions. That is how Southwest Airlines stranded 2 million travelers in December 2022, and Delta Air Lines suffered a smaller but significant meltdown after a worldwide technology outage in July caused by a faulty software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike. Many flights during the holidays are sold out, which makes cancellations even more disruptive than during slower periods. That is especially true for smaller budget airlines that have fewer flights and fewer options for rebooking passengers. Only the largest airlines, including American, Delta and United, have "interline agreements" that let them put stranded customers on another carrier's flights. An American Airlines employee wearing a Santa Claus hat walks through the American terminal Tuesday at Miami International Airport in Miami. This will be the first holiday season since a Transportation Department rule took effect that requires airlines to give customers an automatic cash refund for a canceled or significantly delayed flight. Most air travelers were already eligible for refunds, but they often had to request them. Passengers still can ask to get rebooked, which is often a better option than a refund during peak travel periods. Finding a last-minute flight on another airline tends to be expensive. An American spokesperson said Tuesday was not a peak travel day for the airline — with about 2,000 fewer flights than the busiest days — so the airline had somewhat of a buffer to manage the delays. The groundings happened as millions of travelers were expected to fly over the next 10 days. The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen 40 million passengers through Jan. 2. Airlines expect to have their busiest days on Thursday, Friday and Sunday. American Airlines employees check in travelers Tuesday in the American terminal at Miami International Airport in Miami. Many flights during the holidays are sold out, which makes cancellations more disruptive than during slower periods. Even with just a brief outage, the cancellations have a cascading effect that can take days to clear up. About 90% of Americans traveling far from home over the holidays will be in cars, according to AAA. "Airline travel is just really high right now, but most people do drive to their destinations, and that is true for every holiday," AAA spokesperson Aixa Diaz said. Gasoline prices are similar to last year. The nationwide average Thursday was $3.04 a gallon, down from $3.13 a year ago, according to AAA. Charging an electric vehicle averages just under 35 cents per per kilowatt hour, but varies by state. Transportation-data firm INRIX says travel times on the nation's highways could be up to 30% longer than normal over the holidays, with Sunday expected to see the heaviest traffic. "It's not the destination, it's the journey," said American essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson. Ralph clearly was not among the travellers on one of more than 350 cancelled or 1,400 delayed flights after a worldwide tech outage caused by an update to Crowdstrike's "Falcon Sensor" software in July of 2023. U.S. airlines carried nearly 863 million travellers in 2023, with Canadian carriers accounting for another 150 million, many of whom experienced lost luggage, flight delays, cancellations, or were bumped off their flights. It's unclear how many of them were compensated for these inconveniences. Suffice it to say, posting a crabby rant on social media might temporarily soothe anger, but it won't put wasted money back in pockets. Money.ca shares what to know in order to be compensated for the three most common air travel headaches. Bags elected to go on a vacay without you? Check off the following: If you expect a large payout, think again. Tariffs (air carrier contracts) limit the compensation amounts for "loss of, damage to, or the delay in delivery of baggage or other personal property." In the case of Air Canada, the maximum payout is $1,500 per passenger in the currency of the country where the baggage was processed. To raise that limit, purchase a Declaration of Higher Value for each leg of the trip. The charge is $0.50 for each $100, in which case the payout limit is $2,500. For Delta Air Lines, passengers are entitled to up to $3,800 in baggage compensation, though how much you'll receive depends on your flight. Delta will pay up to $2,080 for delayed, lost, and damaged baggage for international travellers, almost half of what U.S. domestic passengers can claim. If your flight is marked delayed for more than 30 minutes, approach the gate agent and politely request food and hotel vouchers to be used within the airport or nearby. Different air carriers and jurisdictions have their own compensation policies when flights are delayed or cancelled. For example, under European Union rules, passengers may receive up to 600 Euros, even when travelling on a non-EU carrier. Similarly, the DOT states that travellers are entitled to a refund "if the airline cancelled a flight, regardless of the reason, and the consumer chooses not to travel." However, US rules regarding delays are complicated. Some air carriers, such as Air Canada, do not guarantee their flight schedules. They're also not liable for cancellations or changes due to "force majeure" such as weather conditions or labour disruptions. If the delay is overnight, only out-of-town passengers will be offered hotel accommodation. Nevertheless, many airlines do offer some compensation for the inconvenience. If your flight is marked delayed for more than 30 minutes, approach the gate agent and politely request food and hotel vouchers to be used within the airport or nearby. In terms of cash compensation, what you'll get can differ significantly based on things like departure location, time, carrier, and ticket class. The DOT offers a helpful delay and cancellations dashboard designed to keep travellers informed about their compensation rights. The dashboard is particularly helpful because, as the DOT states on its website, "whether you are entitled to a refund depends on a lot of factors—such as the length of the delay, the length of the flight, and your particular circumstances." The Canadian Transportation Agency is proposing air passenger protection regulations that guarantee financial compensation to travellers experiencing flight delays and cancellations, with the level of compensation varying depending on the situation and how much control the air carrier had. The proposed regulations include the following: The airline is obligated to complete the passenger's itinerary. If the new ticket is for a lower class of service, the air carrier would have to refund the cost difference; if the booking is in a higher class of service, passengers cannot be charged extra. If the passenger declines the ticket, the airline must give a full refund, in addition to the prescribed compensation. For overnight delays, the air carrier needs to provide hotel accommodation and transportation free-of-charge. Again, if you are unsatisfied, the Canadian Transportation Agency or Department of Transportation may advocate on your behalf. Passengers get bumped because airlines overbook. When this happens, the air carrier must compensate you. For international flights in the US, the rate is 200% of your one-way fare to your final destination, with a $675 maximum. If the airline does not make travel arrangements for you, the payout is 400% of your one-way fare to a maximum of $1,350. To qualify, you must check-in by the stated deadline, which on international flights can be up to 3 hours ahead. Keep in mind that if you accept the cash, you are no longer entitled to any further compensation, nor are you guaranteed to be rebooked on a direct flight or similar type of seat. Don't be too quick to give up your boarding pass. Negotiate for the best compensation deal that would include cash, food and hotel vouchers, flight upgrade, lounge passes, as well as mileage points. But avoid being too greedy—if the gate attendant is requesting volunteers and you wait too long, you'll miss the offer. According to Air Canada's tariff, if a passenger is involuntarily bumped, they'll receive $200, in cash or bank draft, for up to a two-hour delay; $400 for a 2-6 hours delay; and $800 if the delay is over six hours. (Air Canada was forced to raise its payouts in 2013 due to passenger complaints.) The new rules would raise the payout significantly: $900 for up to six hours; $1,800 for 6-9; and $2,400 for more than nine hours, all to be paid within 48 hours. Statistically speaking, Delta Airlines is the carrier most likely to bump. A few years ago, Delta raised its payout maximum to $9,950, while United Airlines tops out at $10,000. This story was produced by Money.ca and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!Las Vegas Sands Corp. stock rises Thursday, still underperforms market
Daily Post Nigeria Ondo Assembly passes N698.66bn budget for 2025 Home News Politics Metro Entertainment Sport News Ondo Assembly passes N698.66bn budget for 2025 Published on December 24, 2024 By Abdul Babajide The Ondo State House of Assembly has passed a N698.66 billion budget for the 2025 fiscal year. The budget was increased by N43.43 billion from the initial N655.23 billion submitted by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa. According to the approved budget, N433.62 billion (representing 62.06 per cent of the total) is allocated for capital expenditure, while N265.04 billion (47.94 per cent) is earmarked for recurrent expenditure. Presenting the report on the “Budget of Recovery,” the Chairman of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi (representing Owo Constituency 1), explained that the increase was necessitated by interactions with Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, MDAs, during budget defence sessions. Ogunmolasuyi, who also serves as the House Majority Leader, noted that the hyperinflationary trend had significantly impacted cost projections in the initial budget estimates. He emphasized that the Ondo State Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, along with the Ministry of Finance and the Ondo State Internal Revenue Service, ODIRS, must ensure that efforts to boost internally generated revenue align with the provisions of existing laws. Speaking on the budget, the Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Olamide Oladiji, affirmed the Assembly’s commitment to supporting the governor’s vision for advancing the state. He also highlighted the significant successes recorded by the Assembly in 2024. Related Topics: Ondo Assembly Don't Miss Gov Alia declares two-week public holidays for Benue workers You may like Ondo Assembly halts supplementary budget approval over Finance Commissioner’s snub Guber primary: Ondo Assembly members drum up support for Aiyedatiwa Akeredolu: Sowore urges Ondo Assembly to invoke doctrine of necessity Medical Leave: Ondo Assembly confirms receipt of letter from Akeredolu Impeach Akeredolu for state to move forward – Adeyanju to Ondo Assembly Court orders Ondo Assembly to investigate Akeredolu’s health Advertise About Us Contact Us Privacy-Policy Terms Copyright © Daily Post Media Ltd
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NEW YORK (AFP) – United States (US) President-elect Donald Trump’s attorneys sought to dismiss his historic criminal fraud conviction in a new filing released on Tuesday – arguing President Joe Biden used similar reasoning to pardon his son, Hunter Biden. The Democratic lame-duck president pardoned his son on Sunday, after Hunter was convicted earlier this year of tax evasion and illegally possessing a firearm, arguing he was “selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted” by the Department of Justice (DOJ) “only because he is my son”. Trump’s motion to dismiss, filed on Monday, saw his legal team cite the arguments used by Biden to make their own case to presiding judge Juan Merchan. Biden’s “comments amounted to an extraordinary condemnation of President Biden’s own DOJ,” the letter’s introduction reads. “This is the same DOJ that coordinated and oversaw the politically-motivated, election-interference witch hunts targeting President Trump.” The 69-page brief also invoked the doctrine of presidential immunity – which the Supreme Court has ruled extends to “official acts” while president – and the Presidential Transition Act, among other laws, to “immediately dismiss the Indictment and vacate the jury’s verdicts.” Trump, 78, was found guilty in May of 34 counts of falsifying business records from covering up the payment of USD130,000 to film actress Stormy Daniels to silence her from coming forward about an alleged extramarital affair during the final stretch of the 2016 election campaign. Merchan, the judge in the only criminal case against Trump that has gone to trial, indefinitely postponed Trump’s sentencing at a hearing on November 22, given his win in the November 5 presidential election. With Trump’s defence team filing to dismiss the case, Merchan will now have to decide whether to throw out the case entirely, or to suspend any legal consequences until after the end of Trump’s upcoming term in office, which will begin on January 20. Manhattan prosecutor Alvin Bragg has supported the latter in light of the “unprecedented circumstances” caused by Trump’s electoral victory. Bragg had argued during the hush money trial that Trump’s payments were made to cover up a scandal that would have tarnished his campaign in the 2016 election that Trump ended up winning over Democrat Hillary Clinton. Trump has consistently denied having an affair with Daniels. ABOVE & BELOW: File photo of United States President-elect Donald Trump; and Hunter Biden. PHOTO: AFP PHOTO: AFPFor years, school bus driver Herman Cruse would drop off Middle Township, New Jersey, students in the morning and then find ways to pass the time until his next run to pick them up at the end of the school day. Cruse lives too far from the school district to return home between routes, and he wanted to do something more meaningful than running errands, working out or napping between shifts. Overhearing one of the kindergartners on the bus talking about troubles with a reading assignment, Cruse approached the student’s teacher at Middle Township Elementary School No. 1 in Cape May Court House to ask if he could help. It was 2021, and Alex Bakley had Cruse meet with the student to read. The two connected, and word spread at the sprawling school. Other students and teachers requested reading time with Cruse. “It caught on quickly,” said Cruse, 56. “It took on a life of its own.” Since he started reading to that first boy three years ago, Cruse estimates that he has read with hundreds of students, mostly kindergartners and first graders. The students have been dubbed “Mr. Herman’s Kids,” and they view Cruse as a beloved mentor, role model and father figure. Some ride the yellow school bus Cruse drives. “He’s not just picking up kids,” said Principal Chris Paskalides. “He’s just taken it to another level. He really cares about the kids.” A section in the kindergarten wing has been designated as “Mr. Herman’s Kids Corner.” Sitting at a round table, Cruse reads with students one-on-one for about 20 to 30 minutes during their school day three times a week. Students may select a title from a bookshelf stocked by Cruse or a book from their classroom. On a recent morning, Cruse had about 2 1⁄2 hours between shifts and reported for his reading assignments. Cruse listened patiently as Octavia Hebron, 6, read aloud from “I’m Thankful Each Day.” He gently offered assistance when she stumbled over a word, encouraging her to sound it out as she followed with her finger. “Good job! Awesome!” Cruse told her, giving her a high-five. Cruse recruited another bus driver, Dan O’Connell, 70, to help with reading to reach more students. Both men voluntarily use their downtime for reading with students. The school has about 700 students in pre-K through second grade. Sitting on a mini-size chair across the room from Cruse, O’Connell read to students or let them read to him. He chuckled when 5-year-old Melody Roberto-Hammond wanted to read a second book. “We’re not reading them all,” O’Connell told her. “Maybe next time.” Experts say reading helps with language comprehension, vocabulary building and story structure. With Cruse, reading also acts as a relationship-building activity, particularly important with a male role model when most children are exposed to female teachers in lower grades, said Valarie G. Lee, an associate professor in the critical literacy, technology, and multilingual education department at Rowan University. “I think what they’re doing is wonderful. The evidence is in kids wanting to read with him,” Lee said. “Building that foundation early on is really critical.” Veteran teacher Linda Bakley said Cruse has a special knack with students. Sometimes they ask to read with him instead of her, she said, laughing. Some of them refer to Cruse as “Pop Pop.” “This man is loving and caring. The kids feel it,” Linda Bakley said. “The kids do adore him. When they say it takes a village, he is the village.” Cruse reinforces skills that students learn in the classroom, and he questions them about what they’ve read to build comprehension, Bakley said. He also asks how they are doing outside of school, which has built their trust, she said. A grandfather and father of five adult children, Cruse said he became an avid reader at a young age. His mother purchased an encyclopedia set for the family, and he devoured the reference books, along with books, maps and atlases, he said. “I read pretty much everything I could put my hands on,” he recalled. Cruse passed on that love of reading to his own children. He applies the same approach to the students at Middle Township. “I want to nurture every gift these children are exuding in these classrooms,” he said. “Whatever they learn from me, whatever they get, I hope they just go further, do more and be more as they grow.” Get local news delivered to your inbox!AP Business SummaryBrief at 3:58 p.m. ESTChina sanctions US firms over Taiwan military support