DENVER — Colorado U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert broke new ground over the weekend when she became the first sitting member of Congress to offer personalized messages for sale — starting at $250 — through the video platform Cameo . The Windsor Republican, who won election to a new congressional seat this month after moving across the state, started the account Saturday. The website allows customers to buy personalized video messages from celebrities. On Monday morning, Boebert advertised her messages starting at $250, though she stopped taking requests by 10:45 a.m. mountain time. “Whether you or someone you know needs an America-first pep talk, if you want to surprise friends or family with a message for a special day, or if you just want to know my thoughts on whatever’s on your mind, Cameo is the place to connect with me,” Boebert says in an introductory video. Brandon Kazimer, a Cameo spokesperson, confirmed that the account belonged to Boebert. Boebert’s office declined to comment Monday. Kazimer said she’s the first sitting member of Congress to sign up for the service as talent. At least two other former members of Congress, George Santos of New York and Matt Gaetz of Florida, have sold videos on the platform. Santos joined Cameo soon after he was expelled from Congress last year over allegations he exploited office for personal financial gain. Gaetz, who is a friend of Boebert’s, joined the service Friday, days after he withdrew his nomination by President-elect Donald Trump to be the U.S. attorney general following allegations that he paid a teenage girl for sex. Boebert does not appear to have advertised the service on her other social media accounts on X or Facebook. Congressional rules will limit how much Boebert can earn from the videos. In 2023, members were limited to making $31,815 in outside income beyond their annual $174,000 salaries. She will have to report any earnings from Cameo on her annual disclosures. The law also prohibits people from using their public office to make outside money, said Kedric Payne, a vice president and senior director of ethics for the Campaign Legal Center. Ultimately, the restriction is meant to give voters confidence that elected officials aren’t using public office for personal gain — or putting that gain ahead of their public service. Boebert describes herself on Cameo as “Not your typical Colorado Republican politician. Jesus loving, Constitutionalist, America first, freedom fighter.” An earlier version of her Cameo page listed Boebert as a politician and categorized her as a political commentator, but it was updated to list her under the influencers category. Because she doesn’t use her title or appear to use other facets of her public job for the videos, such as filming in her congressional office, “that should take away any concern she’s trying to use her public job for personal gain,” Payne said. He added that the limit on outside income also anticipates these kinds of problems by limiting the incentive for members to spend more effort on outside business ventures than their public service. But, he noted, people can cross that line quickly if it’s not clear if they’re acting in their public or private capacity. The earned income that’s subject to the annual cap is considered separate from passive income made through things like stock market investments, Payne said, because it is actively made by selling goods and services. “We’ll be watching to see if this becomes a trend,” Payne said of the Cameo side work. “If this is just a one-off where someone does this for a month or so, that’s one thing — but if it becomes a trend, where members of Congress are trying to act as influencers and get paid, that could point to a bigger problem.” ©2024 MediaNews Group, Inc. Visit at denverpost.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.With the holidays taking up much of your time, you may not be concentrating on retirement moves to make before 2025. But if you’re the type of person who does everything to the max, investing in your future retirement now could be a game changer. In 2024, you can invest up to $23,000 into your 401(k) retirement plan as per IRS contribution limits. If you’re over 50 and need to play catch-up, you can invest an extra $7,500. That means your total possible contribution for 2024 is $30,500. If that seems like a lot, it is. But you don’t have to max out your contributions if you can’t afford it. Employer matching can help. In 2025, you can invest $23,500, bringing your possible contribution up to $31,500. If you’re over 50, the catch-up contribution remains at $7,500 for 2025. But a huge change was made in SECURE 2.0 for employees aged 60 to 63 who participate in workplace retirement plans. Starting in 2025, this super catch-up contribution limit is $11,250 instead of $7,500. If you’ve contributed as much as possible for the year, you’re in good shape going into 2025. If you’re not sure, you changed jobs or haven’t contributed consistently in 2024, you still have time to make adjustments to max out your 401(k) contributions for the year. Employer matching is a job benefit not to be overlooked. After all, for every dollar you save in your 401(k), your employer matches your contributions dollar-for-dollar or offers a partial match up to a certain percentage of your wages. Knowing where you stand can help you make the most of this opportunity. For example, let’s say you earn $50,000 per year and contribute $3,000 to your 401(k), or 6% of your salary. If your employer offers to match 50 cents of each dollar you contribute up to 6% of your pay, they would add $1,500 each year to your 401(k) account, boosting your total annual contributions to $4,500. Maxing out your 401(k) is always a good move. However, retirement planning can be a balancing act; sometimes, your budget is downright against it. If you have high debt or no money set aside for emergencies, you may want to hold off a bit. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t contribute to your retirement plan at all. Maintaining contributions is important, even if it means not maxing it out. Still, if you wait too long to save, you’ll have to play catch-up. If you save too much, you may have to tap into your account early, which can mean early withdrawal penalties if you are under age 591⁄2. If you have enough cash stashed away to cover a large lump sum contribution to your 401(k), you could max out your 401(k) contributions before the end of the year. You can do this by increasing the percentage you contribute monthly from your paycheck. You’ll want to speak with your employer or HR department to see if this is possible and fill out the necessary paperwork. Keep in mind that how often you increase it or even if you can will depend on your plan rules. You may also want to check to be sure your contributions are still automatic. Since it’s usually easier to save money if it’s automatically deducted from your paycheck, it may be worth reviewing your budget to see if you can boost your contribution amount to max out your 401(k). If you haven’t set up automatic payroll contributions, now is a good time to do so. Maxing out your 401(k) has some clear benefits. This is especially true if you’ve fallen behind on your savings goals or you simply want to grow your retirement nest egg faster. The main advantage is that you’ll have more money saved for retirement. According to Northwestern Mutual’s 2024 Planning & Progress Study, most retired Americans believe they will need nearly $1.5 million in the bank to retire comfortably. That’s a 15% increase — which far outpaces the 3% to 5% inflation rate — over 2023 and is up 53% from 2020. The money you put into your 401(k) lowers how much you’ll pay in taxes for the year, which may put you in a lower tax bracket. Also, 401(k) investments grow tax-deferred, so you won’t pay taxes on the money until you withdraw the funds in retirement. If you have a Roth 401(k), you don’t get a tax break on contributions because you fund your account with after-tax dollars. But the money you contribute grows tax-free and you won’t pay any taxes on your withdrawals in retirement. Maxing out your 401(k) each year may not be enough to retire comfortably, but it is a great start. That’s why enlisting the help of a financial adviser in 2024 can help you get a head start on 2025 and a happy retirement down the road. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
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By HALELUYA HADERO, Associated Press President-elect Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court on Friday to pause the potential TikTok ban from going into effect until his administration can pursue a “political resolution” to the issue. The request came as TikTok and the Biden administration filed opposing briefs to the court, in which the company argued the court should strike down a law that could ban the platform by Jan. 19 while the government emphasized its position that the statute is needed to eliminate a national security risk. Related Articles “President Trump takes no position on the underlying merits of this dispute. Instead, he respectfully requests that the Court consider staying the Act’s deadline for divestment of January 19, 2025, while it considers the merits of this case,” said Trump’s amicus brief, which supported neither party in the case. The filings come ahead of oral arguments scheduled for Jan. 10 on whether the law, which requires TikTok to divest from its China-based parent company or face a ban, unlawfully restricts speech in violation of the First Amendment. Earlier this month, a panel of three federal judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit unanimously upheld the statute , leading TikTok to appeal the case to the Supreme Court. The brief from Trump said he opposes banning TikTok at this junction and “seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office.”Louisiana judge halts state police plans to clear New Orleans homeless camps before Thanksgiving
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It doesn't matter if he's talking about the NFL or Thanksgiving dinner, Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston is always going to be true to himself. During a recent appearance on Ohio Sports talk show "BIGPLAY," Winston was asked if there are any side dishes he avoids on Thanksgiving. The former No. 1 pick quickly revealed that he's not a fan of mashed potatoes. He just doesn't think they deserve to be part of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. "There's not really much I avoid on Thanksgiving. I just have this thing where I'm like, 'Please don't bring mashed potatoes.' I really don't think it's a staple," Winston said . One of the co-hosts for "BIGPLAY" tried to talk Winston into changing his tune on mashed potatoes, but he wasn't having any of it. "Gravy is for the dressing or stuffing. You don't need gravy for mashed potatoes, you know what I'm saying? It's not a Thanksgiving meal. I would rather have a baked potato." Jameis Winston HATES mashed potatoes 😅 “Please don't bring mashed potatoes to Thanksgiving... I would rather just have a baked potato.” I can watch him talk ALL DAY. (🎥 @BIGPLAY ) pic.twitter.com/C14UhRHCT1 We initially thought Winston would receive pushback on social media for this take, but it's quite the contrary. Most fans are applauding the veteran gunslinger for apparently speaking the truth about mashed potatoes. "Couldn't agree more. That's my QB1," one fan said. "I agree with Jameis," another fan wrote. "Mashed Potatoes are mid." "Valid take. Mashed potatoes are nasty," a third person commented. Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images While Winston's food takes might be a tad controversial, there's no questioning that he has given the Browns a spark this season. They're 2-2 when he starts at quarterback. Last week, Winston led the Browns to an upset win over the Steelers. He orchestrated a game-winning drive in the snow. Winston will be back in action on Monday night when the Browns take on the Broncos in the Mile High City. Related: Kelly Ripa Tells Social Media Trolls To 'Get A Life' Amid Thanksgiving Stuffing Debate
ORLANDO, Fla. — It was a season of Iowa State comebacks. And fittingly, that's how it ended for the Cyclones. Game MVP Rocco Becht scored from a yard out on fourth-and-goal with 56 seconds remaining and No. 18 Iowa State capped the best season in school history by rallying past No. 15 Miami 42-41 in the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Saturday. Becht finished with 270 passing yards and three touchdowns for Iowa State (11-2), a program that entered this season — the 133rd year of Cyclone football — never having won more than nine games in a year. “If you look at this team, it’s really who they’ve been all year,” coach Matt Campbell said. The win marked the fourth time in 2024 that Iowa State got a winning score with less than two minutes remaining. For this one, the Cyclones rallied from a 10-point deficit in the second half — with Miami quarterback Cam Ward watching after a record-setting first half — to get win No. 11. Carson Hansen rushed for a pair of touchdowns for Iowa State. And as the MVP, Becht got the honor of choosing which flavor Pop-Tart was to be sacrificed in a giant toaster. “There's only one,” Becht said. “Cinnamon roll.” Ward passed for three touchdowns in his final college game, while Damien Martinez rushed for a career-high 179 yards for Miami (10-3), which dropped its sixth straight bowl game and lost three of four games to end the season — those three losses by a combined 10 points. "Disappointed that we couldn't pull out a victory," Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “These guys have always fought and always competed and this was no exception. ... It's painful. It's as painful as it gets when you don't win. But there's a lot to build on.” Dylan Raiola passed for 228 yards and a touchdown as Nebraska built an 18-point lead through three quarters and hung on for its first bowl victory since 2015. Raiola hit Emmett Johnson with a 13-yard TD pass on fourth down with 3:02 remaining in the third quarter for a 20-2 edge and the Cornhuskers (7-6) held on for the win at Yankee Stadium. Raiola completed 23 of 31 passes in front of a sizable Nebraska crowd that celebrated the team's first bowl win since topping UCLA in the 2015 Foster Farms Bowl and first winning season since 2016. Raiola completed passes to 10 receivers, including Jahmal Banks, who finished with four receptions for 79 yards. Grayson James finished 25 of 40 for 296 yards as Boston College (7-6). Kevin Davis had a career-high 148 yards rushing and two touchdowns on just nine carries, and Jordan Brunson also ran for two TDs to help Miami (Ohio) wrapped the season at 9-5 by beating Colorado State (8-5) in Tucson, Ariz. Davis scored on a 4-yard run with 12:35 left in the third quarter, Matt Salopek forced a fumble that was recovered by Silas Walters and quarterback Brett Gabbert's first rushing touchdown of the season — a 10-yard scramble that capped a 47-yard drive — made it 22-3 about 2 minutes later. Joe Fagnano threw for 151 yards and two touchdowns to help the Huskies (9-4) beat the Tar Heels (6-7) at Fenway Park, embarrassing incoming coach Bill Belichick's new team in his old backyard. Mel Brown rushed for 96 yards for UConn and Skyler Bell caught three passes for 77 yards, including a 38-yard touchdown that gave the Huskies a 10-0 first-quarter lead. Chris Culliver returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown, but that would be Carolina's only production in the first half. Josh Hoover passed for four touchdowns as the Horned Frogs (9-4) routed the Ragin' Cajuns (10-4) in Albuquerque. Hoover was 20 for 32 for 252 yards with an interception. Eric McAlister had eight catches for 87 yards and a TD for the Horned Frogs. TCU's defense also had a solid day, holding Louisiana-Lafayette to 209 yards, including 61 on the game's final possession.Advisors Asset Management Inc. raised its position in shares of AppFolio, Inc. ( NASDAQ:APPF – Free Report ) by 56.6% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 390 shares of the software maker’s stock after acquiring an additional 141 shares during the period. Advisors Asset Management Inc.’s holdings in AppFolio were worth $92,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in APPF. Comerica Bank increased its holdings in shares of AppFolio by 129.9% during the first quarter. Comerica Bank now owns 13,683 shares of the software maker’s stock valued at $3,376,000 after acquiring an additional 7,732 shares in the last quarter. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale purchased a new stake in AppFolio during the 1st quarter valued at $235,000. GAMMA Investing LLC raised its position in AppFolio by 589.5% in the 2nd quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 131 shares of the software maker’s stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 112 shares during the last quarter. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. grew its position in AppFolio by 9.3% in the 2nd quarter. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 3,374 shares of the software maker’s stock worth $825,000 after purchasing an additional 287 shares during the period. Finally, CWM LLC increased its position in AppFolio by 238.6% during the second quarter. CWM LLC now owns 149 shares of the software maker’s stock valued at $36,000 after acquiring an additional 105 shares during the last quarter. 62.34% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. AppFolio Stock Performance Shares of AppFolio stock opened at $253.75 on Friday. AppFolio, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $164.29 and a fifty-two week high of $274.56. The company has a market capitalization of $9.22 billion, a P/E ratio of 70.68 and a beta of 0.83. The company has a fifty day moving average of $224.84 and a 200 day moving average of $231.25. Insider Transactions at AppFolio In other news, insider Matthew S. Mazza sold 926 shares of AppFolio stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $229.04, for a total value of $212,091.04. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 33,819 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,745,903.76. The trade was a 2.67 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink . Also, major shareholder Maurice J. Duca sold 2,577 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.75, for a total value of $646,182.75. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 2,875 shares in the company, valued at $720,906.25. This represents a 47.27 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 24,461 shares of company stock valued at $5,766,272. 5.24% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of analysts have commented on the stock. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods cut shares of AppFolio from a “market perform” rating to an “underperform” rating and reduced their target price for the company from $255.00 to $193.00 in a report on Tuesday, October 15th. KeyCorp reduced their price objective on AppFolio from $300.00 to $252.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, October 25th. StockNews.com downgraded AppFolio from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, August 22nd. Finally, Piper Sandler cut their price target on AppFolio from $300.00 to $265.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, October 25th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $261.75. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on AppFolio AppFolio Profile ( Free Report ) AppFolio, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides cloud business management solutions for the real estate industry in the United States. The company provides a cloud-based platform that enables users to automate and optimize common workflows; tools that assist with leasing, maintenance, and accounting; and other technology and services offered by third parties. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding APPF? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for AppFolio, Inc. ( NASDAQ:APPF – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for AppFolio Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AppFolio and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Shares of XPeng Inc. ( NYSE:XPEV – Get Free Report ) shot up 4.1% during mid-day trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $13.62 and last traded at $13.51. 1,752,792 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 87% from the average session volume of 13,342,869 shares. The stock had previously closed at $12.98. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades XPEV has been the topic of several research analyst reports. UBS Group reiterated a “sell” rating and issued a $8.80 price objective (up previously from $8.20) on shares of XPeng in a research note on Thursday, December 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised XPeng from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and upped their price target for the company from $8.00 to $11.50 in a research report on Thursday, September 5th. Citigroup decreased their price objective on XPeng from $14.60 to $13.70 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, November 20th. Macquarie upgraded shares of XPeng from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, August 30th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein upped their price target on shares of XPeng from $9.00 to $14.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 20th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating, five have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $11.69. Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on XPeng XPeng Trading Down 4.8 % Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Greenleaf Trust raised its position in shares of XPeng by 16.2% in the third quarter. Greenleaf Trust now owns 16,068 shares of the company’s stock worth $196,000 after buying an additional 2,243 shares in the last quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of XPeng by 24.3% in the 3rd quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 13,359 shares of the company’s stock valued at $163,000 after acquiring an additional 2,609 shares in the last quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC bought a new stake in shares of XPeng during the 3rd quarter valued at about $45,000. Signaturefd LLC boosted its position in shares of XPeng by 19.4% during the 2nd quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 24,647 shares of the company’s stock valued at $181,000 after acquiring an additional 4,002 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ballentine Partners LLC grew its holdings in shares of XPeng by 32.8% during the third quarter. Ballentine Partners LLC now owns 17,542 shares of the company’s stock worth $214,000 after purchasing an additional 4,335 shares in the last quarter. 21.09% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. XPeng Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) XPeng Inc designs, develops, manufactures, and markets smart electric vehicles (EVs) in the People's Republic of China. It offers SUVs under the G3, G3i, and G9 names; four-door sports sedans under the P7 and P7i names; and family sedans under the P5 name. The company also provides sales contracts, super charging, maintenance, technical support, auto financing, insurance, technology support, ride-hailing, automotive loan referral, and other services, as well as vehicle leasing and insurance agency services. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for XPeng Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for XPeng and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .