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NonePatriots' coaches enter bye week confident Drake Maye can be a franchise quarterback
Young men swung to the right for Trump after a campaign dominated by masculine appealsThe AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . DETROIT (AP) — Legend Geeter’s 22 points helped Detroit Mercy defeat Purdue Fort Wayne 79-78 on Thursday. Geeter also contributed nine rebounds for the Titans (5-5, 1-0 Horizon League). Orlando Lovejoy scored 18 points while finishing 8 of 15 from the floor and added nine assists. Emmanuel Kuac went 4 of 9 from the field (2 for 6 from 3-point range) to finish with 11 points. Jalen Jackson finished with 17 points, four assists and two steals for the Mastodons (5-4, 0-1). Rasheed Bello added 17 points and four assists. Corey Hadnot II had 10 points. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Drake Maye’s arrival in New England coincided with a wholesale reset for the Patriots franchise following the departure of coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Mac Jones this past offseason. In his eight starts since assuming the reins from veteran Jacoby Brissett, the rookie quarterback has provided encouraging examples of what the Patriots’ revamped front office saw in selecting him third overall in the draft last April. While the Patriots enter their bye week with a 3-10 record and just 2-6 with Maye as the starter, both the coaching staff and his teammates feel they have a quarterback they can build around going forward. “I’m just trying to take it one day at a time, one game at a time,” Maye said this week. “I’m trying to learn from negative experiences or negative plays, learn from turnovers, learn from sacks that I take and see if I can get the ball out and do something better. That’s probably the biggest thing. "Hopefully, the work that we’re putting in and the product that we’re putting out can lead to some positive plays and some positive wins down the road.” Maye is coming off his best statistical performance of the season, completing a season best 80% of his passes (24 of 30) for a season-high 238 yards and a touchdown in New England’s 25-24 loss to Indianapolis. He also had a 41-yard run, showing off a running ability that has him averaging 9.1 yards per carry – best among quarterbacks who have played at least nine games. Maye did have one interception off a tipped ball, but showed his best command of offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt’s scheme to date, spreading the ball around to six different players and consistently getting the Patriots into the red zone. The rub is that the Patriots were just 2 of 6 once they got there, including four trips inside the 10-yard line that yielded only one TD. Lackluster play in the red zone has been a hindrance for a unit that ranks 30th in the NFL in scoring touchdowns inside the 20. Maye said it will be one of his main focal points over the final four games. “It’s tough to go out like that,” Maye said. “You can’t win games going four drives in the red zone that end in field goals. We’ve got to focus in on that. I think that’s been an emphasis of improvement for this offense. We know you have to score touchdowns to win in this league.” Though coach Jerod Mayo agrees there is room for improvement for Maye, he also pointed out that the pieces around him need to do a better job supporting him as well. He pointed specifically to the offensive line, singling out rookie left guard Layden Robinson and rookie tackle Caedan Wallace, as well as fellow lineman and 2022 first-round pick Cole Strange, who is working his way back from a knee injury. “You need a guy like Layden Robinson to show what he can do. We need a guy like Cole Strange before the end of the season to see what he can do,” Mayo said. “You can use Caedan in that same bucket. We need to see what the receivers can do and what they’re going to look like going forward, and that’s the hard part for me. You want to win right now, but at the same time, I think it would be a disservice to go to the end of the season and not know exactly what we have.” That’s not lost on Robinson, who wants to play better for his quarterback who he said has grown exponentially as a leader since earning the starting job. “He always has that confidence about him and you know how he takes control of the huddle,” Robinson said. “He gets in there, and he’s like, ‘All right, let’s go to work,’ basically. We rally behind him.” Results aside, Van Pelt said there are no regrets about initially waiting to elevate Maye to the starting job. “Absolutely not. I think we had the plan going into place, and I think that it’s showing now that that was a good decision for us,” Van Pelt said. “Would he be as developed had he started the first game? Maybe. Could’ve gone the other way as well. I stated in the spring, this is a marathon, it’s not a sprint. "This is about a career, franchise quarterback, and we’re trying to develop him in the right way. And I feel like we did it that way.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
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Western Michigan beats Eastern Michigan 26-18 to become bowl eligibleDespite Democrat Screeching, Years Of Hill Work Has Kash Patel Cruising Toward Confirmation
Patriots' coaches enter bye week confident Drake Maye can be a franchise quarterbackWASHINGTON (AP) — For years, Pat Verhaeghe didn’t think highly of Donald Trump as a leader. Then Verhaeghe began seeing more of Trump’s campaign speeches online and his appearances at sporting events. There was even the former president’s pairing with Bryson DeChambeau as part of the pro golfer’s YouTube channel series to shoot an under-50 round of golf while engaging in chitchat with his partner. “I regret saying this, but a while ago I thought he was an idiot and that he wouldn’t be a good president,” said the 18-year-old first-time voter. “I think he’s a great guy now.” Verhaeghe isn't alone among his friends in suburban Detroit or young men across America. Although much of the electorate shifted right to varying degrees in 2024, young men were one of the groups that swung sharply toward Trump. More than half of men under 30 supported Trump, according to AP VoteCast , a survey of more than 120,000 voters, while Democrat Joe Biden had won a similar share of this group four years earlier. White men under 30 were solidly in Trump’s camp this year — about 6 in 10 voted for Trump — while young Latino men were split between the two candidates. Most Black men under 30 supported Democrat Kamala Harris, but about one-third were behind Trump. Young Latino men’s views of the Democratic Party were much more negative than in 2020, while young Black men’s views of the party didn’t really move. About 6 in 10 Latino men under 30 had a somewhat or very favorable view of the Democrats in 2020, which fell to about 4 in 10 this year. On the other hand, about two-thirds of young Black men had a favorable view of the Democrats this year, which was almost identical to how they saw the party four years ago. “Young Hispanic men, and really young men in general, they want to feel valued," said Rafael Struve, deputy communications director for Bienvenido, a conservative group that focused on reaching young Hispanic voters for Republicans this year. “They're looking for someone who fights for them, who sees their potential and not just their struggles.” Struve cited the attempted assassination of Trump during a July rally in Pennsylvania as one of the catalyzing moments for Trump’s image among many young men. Trump, Struve said, was also able to reach young men more effectively by focusing on nontraditional platforms like podcasts and digital media outlets. “Getting to hear from Trump directly, I think, really made all the difference," Struve said of the former president's appearances on digital media platforms and media catering to Latino communities, like town halls and business roundtables Trump attended in Las Vegas and Miami. Not only did Trump spend three hours on Joe Rogan's chart-topping podcast, but he took up DeChambeau's “Break 50” challenge for the golfer's more than 1.6 million YouTube subscribers. Trump already had an edge among young white men four years ago, although he widened the gap this year. About half of white men under 30 supported Trump in 2020, and slightly less than half supported Biden. Trump's gains among young Latino and Black men were bigger. His support among both groups increased by about 20 percentage points, according to AP VoteCast — and their feelings toward Trump got warmer, too. It wasn’t just Trump. The share of young men who identified as Republicans in 2024 rose as well, mostly aligning with support for Trump across all three groups. “What is most alarming to me is that the election is clear that America has shifted right by a lot,” said William He, founder of Dream For America, a liberal group that works to turn out young voters and supported Harris’ presidential bid. With his bombastic demeanor and a policy agenda centered on a more macho understanding of culture , Trump framed much of his campaign as a pitch to men who felt scorned by the country’s economy, culture and political system. Young women also slightly swung toward the former president, though not to the degree of their male counterparts. It's unclear how many men simply did not vote this year. But there's no doubt the last four years brought changes in youth culture and how political campaigns set out to reach younger voters. Democrat Kamala Harris' campaign rolled out policy agendas tailored to Black and Latino men, and the campaign enlisted a range of leaders in Black and Hispanic communities to make the case for the vice president. Her campaign began with a flurry of enthusiasm from many young voters, epitomized in memes and the campaign's embrace of pop culture trends like the pop star Charli XCX's “brat” aesthetic . Democrats hoped to channel that energy into their youth voter mobilization efforts. “I think most young voters just didn’t hear the message,” said Santiago Mayer, executive director of Voters of Tomorrow, a liberal group that engages younger voters. Mayer said the Harris campaign’s pitch to the country was “largely convoluted” and centered on economic messaging that he said wasn’t easily conveyed to younger voters who were not already coming to political media. “And I think that the policies themselves were also very narrow and targeted when what we really needed was a simple, bold economic vision,” said Mayer. Trump also embraced pop culture by appearing at UFC fights, football games and appearing alongside comedians, music stars and social media influencers. His strategists believed that the former president’s ability to grab attention and make his remarks go viral did more for the campaign than paid advertisements or traditional media appearances. Trump's campaign also heavily cultivated networks of online conservative platforms and personalities supportive of him while also engaging a broader universe of podcasts, streaming sites, digital media channels and meme pages open to hearing him. “The right has been wildly successful in infiltrating youth political culture online and on campus in the last couple of years, thus radicalizing young people towards extremism,” said He, who cited conservative activist groups like Turning Point USA as having an outsize impact in online discourse. “And Democrats have been running campaigns in a very old fashioned way. The battleground these days is cultural and increasingly on the internet.” Republicans may lose their broad support if they don't deliver on improving Americans' lives, Struve cautioned. Young men, especially, may drift from the party in a post-Trump era if the party loses the president-elect's authenticity and bravado. Bienvenido, for one group, will double down in the coming years to solidify and accelerate the voting pattern shifts seen this year, Struve said. “We don’t want this to be a one and done thing,” he said. Associated Press writer Joey Cappelletti in Lansing, Michigan, and AP polling editor Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux contributed to this report.BREAKING: Santa Clara vice mayor found guilty of perjury
NoneWorld Football governing body, FIFA has officially announced that Saudi Arabia would host the 2034 men’s World Cup. Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al-Khalifa and Saudi Arabia’s minister of sports and youth Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal celebrated the announcement. Meanwhile, of the 15 stadiums identified to hold matches at the 2034 World Cup, four have been built so far. Fifa also confirmed that Spain, Portugal and Morocco will be joint hosts for the 2030 tournament. Three matches in the 2030 tournament will also be held in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay to mark 100 years of the competition. Read Also: UCL: Juve pile pressure on Man City as Arsenal cruise to victory The hosts for both World Cups were confirmed at Wednesday’s Extraordinary Fifa Congress meeting following a vote involving the 211 member nations represented at the meeting over a video link. Nations gave their votes by ‘acclamation’ – clapping in front of their cameras via their video links. Fifa president Gianni Infantino responded to criticism the organisation has received over the decisions. “We are aware of critics and fears and I fully trust our hosts to address all open points,” he said. “We have a transparency that will shape real and lasting change. That is what we expect and what we look forward to – social improvements and positive human rights impacts. “That is one of the responsibilities of hosting a World Cup, and the world will of course be watching.” Opinions Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs. As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake. If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause. Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development. Donate Now
No women elected in 15 state assemblies during 2023 elections – Husseni
The union representing striking postal workers says most provinces, including New Brunswick, turned down a free offer for its members to voluntarily deliver welfare cheques to those in need at their homes. Critics say the New Brunswick Liberal government’s decision could force hundreds, if not thousands, of the most impoverished people in rural areas to travel many kilometres to get their monthly social assistance cheques from government offices. On Friday, Premier Susan Holt told reporters at the legislature that government staff had worried the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, or CUP-W, wouldn’t deliver the Dec. 1 cheques on time. “Originally, the reason for the rejection was because of the timing. There was concern that CUP-W wouldn’t be able to deliver the cheques in as timely a way as the department felt they could, and there was an urgency to making sure those cheques were getting out to the people who need them.” In the face of criticism, the premier said the department is re-evaluating its position. “They perhaps do have the ability to deliver to the timelines that we want to see and help get those cheques to people as soon as possible. So the conversation is happening.” The day before, the minister of social development, Cindy Miles, told reporters at the legislature she didn’t know why her department had turned down the offer, but insisted that welfare recipients could visit with their case workers to get the monthly social assistance cheques in person or set up automatic bank deposits. When it was pointed out that some of people in rural New Brunswick live very far away from government offices, she said civil servants could travel to the recipients in person to deliver their cheques. The revelation about the spurned offer raised concerns in question period on Thursday, with opposition Progressive Conservative critic Margaret Johnson demanding answers. “We’re talking about serving our vulnerable populations who struggle with transportation and financial insecurity. How could the department ignore this reality?” Johnson is the Tory MLA for Carleton-Victoria, a sprawling riding in the northwest of the province. She said for many poor people, it would be tough to get to a provincial office. “For some in my riding, getting their cheques means finding a way to get from Juniper to Woodstock or Perth-Andover – that is 71 kilometres or 53 km – and then back home again,” she said Thursday in the House. “If they live in Plaster Rock, that means driving 39 km and back. If they’re in Nackawic, they have the choice of 64 km to Fredericton or 47 km to Woodstock and back home. “As I said, we’re talking about serving vulnerable populations who struggle with transportation and financial insecurity. “Gas costs money. We all know that, which is why it causes me to shake my head.” In an open letter sent to supporters last week, the CUP-W’s Atlantic national director, Jeff Callaghan, said the union’s striking postal members had delivered cheques to communities around the country, as outlined in the “Socio-Economic Cheque Memorandum of Agreement” with Canada Post. The document states that unionized workers have agreed to voluntarily process and deliver government payments to senior citizens, low-income people and others who receive pension cheques and other forms of social assistance. “Despite our offer to continue this service during the strike, there were no provincially issued cheques included in these deliveries from the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, or Prince Edward Island,” Callaghan wrote. “Canada Post reached out and offered the Socio-Economic Cheque service to all provinces and territories. Only three accepted, and one has since backed out.” Brunswick News contacted the union’s Atlantic office to learn more details, but no officials were made available. Miles provided no insight as to why the provincial government turned down the offer. “That’s something I’d have to get back to you on,” the Liberal minister told reporters on Thursday. “I don’t know what that conversation looked like. But as I said before, relationships are so important. And folks have relationships with the folks in the central office or their regional office. There will be accommodations for folks in order to receive their cheques that they so desperately need.” Miles said she’d speak with her staff about the possibility of allowing the union workers to deliver the cheques. She also said special arrangements could be made for government employees to travel to recipients who have no vehicle or gas money. “We can have staff go out and meet them where they are at.” But such a task would be a logistical nightmare if every welfare recipient wanted their cheque delivered personally to them. The latest statistics for November show that 24,709 cheques went out, helping more than 37,500 people and their families. Green Deputy Leader Megan Mitton also criticized the Liberal government’s decision to turn down the offer. “That’s unacceptable. It’s putting the burden on the most vulnerable to travel to get their cheques. I think that’s wrong.” In a news release on Wednesday, the Department of Social Development said that due to the postal strike, December’s social assistance payments had been sent to its regional offices for preparation by staff. The release also encouraged clients who do not receive their monthly payments by direct deposit to pick up a form at their local office to set it up. About 55,000 Canada Post workers went on strike Nov. 15 over wage and benefit demands. The two sides – Canada Post and The Canadian Union of Postal Workers – are said to be far apart on the issues. Negotiations broke down Wednesday.Shane Bieber says bonds led to re-signing with Guardians after he missed '24 following elbow surgeryYoung men swung to the right for Trump after a campaign dominated by masculine appeals
Jefferson keeps seeing double as Vikings aim to stay focused on overall offensive production
NEW YORK — Chi-Chi’s, the Mexican restaurant chain that closed 20 years ago, is staging a comeback. Hormel Foods, current owner of the Chi-Chi’s trademark, announced Tuesday it’s letting Michael McDermott, son of the chain’s co-founder, use the fabled name to reopen restaurants in 2025. Specific locations, menu items and designs weren’t immediately released. Chi-Chi’s, started in Minnesota in 1975 by Marno McDermott and Green Bay Packers player Max McGee, would eventually expand to more than 200 locations. However, the chain closed in 2004 following a hepatitis A outbreak at a Pittsburgh-area location traced to green onions served in its complimentary salsa, sickening about 650 people and resulting in four deaths and several hundred lawsuits. It’s the largest hepatitis A outbreak in United States history and led to nationwide food safety changes. People are also reading... Statesville native Tomlin leads Delaware State to MEAC volleyball title, NCAA berth Trump, Musk can learn from North Carolina, Raleigh writer says Top vote-getter Houpe: Why am I not chairman of Iredell board of commissioners? Iredell-Statesville Schools closed Tuesday due to snow, ice Letter to the editor: Charging kids to play baseball at Jennings Park is poor idea Iredell-Statesville Schools nutrition department receives award 4 pounds of marijuana, gun seized by Mooresville police officers 'The Message' religious sect sprouts destructive groups across globe Tiny, 4 more dogs seeking homes at Iredell County Animal Services New school chairman rules 2 fellow board members out of order in Iredell North Dakota man brings shed-building expertise to Troutman 3 Eagle Scouts and 1 grateful Iredell County resident Lake Norman residents voice concerns with Marshall Steam Station changes Women report widespread misogyny in churches tied to religious group 'The Message' Iredell County woman celebrates $100,000 scratch-off win Chi-Chi’s, the Mexican restaurant chain that closed 20 years ago, is staging a comeback. Outback Steakhouse bought Chi-Chi’s in a $40 million deal and closed the remaining restaurants. The former rival used the locations to open Outback, Bonefish Grill and other concepts that its parent company owns. Michael McDermott will revive Chi-Chi’s, which was known for its eclectic interior as well as an expansive Tex-Mex menu that served everything from fajitas to fried ice cream. He is an industry veteran who launched Kona Grill and sold it to trendy steakhouse STK’s parent company in 2019. “We have seen the impact our restaurant has had on individuals and families across the country and believe there is a strong opportunity to bring the brand back in a way that resonates with today’s consumer — an updated dining experience with the same great taste and Mexican flavor,” McDermott said in a press release. The Chi-Chi’s branding, which is still used on packaged food and margaritas, will continue to be sold at stores. Hormel has made chips, salsas and other Chi-Chi’s products since the late 1980s. The revival of Chi-Chi’s comes as other nostalgic chains are facing mixed results. Chili’s has repeatedly reported strong earnings this year , while Red Lobster and TGI Fridays both filed for bankruptcy. The seafood chain introduced a new happy hour, among other menu changes , to revive the chain under a new CEO; while Fridays has quietly closed another dozen restaurants in the past few weeks. “While restaurants continue to face challenges like rising food costs, labor shortages, and higher buildout expenses, nostalgia has emerged as a powerful driver of customer visits,” R.J. Hottovy, head of analytical research at Placer.ai, told CNN. “Strategies like reintroducing beloved menu items or offering exclusive collector’s items have resonated with consumers, suggesting these tactics could also work well for reviving these classic brands.” Here’s what the Pizza Hut of the future looks like By Jordan Valinsky, CNN Kraft Mac & Cheese is trying to maintain its dominance with flavor drops and new shapes By Jordan Valinsky, CNN Small, luxury foods are great as stocking stuffers or other gifts. Ideas for under $50 By KATIE WORKMAN Associated Press The McRib is returning for the holidays. Why isn’t it sold year-round? By Erika Tulfo, CNN The-CNN-WireTM & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. With our weekly newsletter packed with the latest in everything food.Emmanuel Acho believes he has pinpointed the cause of the San Francisco 49ers' downfall this season—ego. During a segment on FS1's The Facility , the former player-turned-sports analyst shared the reasoning behind his assessment. Acho highlights several instances where unchecked ego contributed to the 49ers' unraveling of what once appeared to be a promising season. He points to Kyle Shanahan's ego, suggesting that the head coach believed he knew more about defense than his former defensive coordinator, Steve Wilks, ultimately leading to Nick Sorensen replacing Wilks. Acho also criticizes wide receiver Deebo Samuel for letting his ego lead him into a sideline altercation with long snapper Taybor Pepper. He argues that ego is also behind Samuel's claim that he isn't struggling this season, instead blaming his lackluster performance on a shortage of opportunities. Furthermore, Acho believes ego played a role in the offseason contract standoffs that hurt team chemistry. "Ego is what has led to the demise of the Niners," Acho continued. "Ego is what led the Niners to believing they could get right back to the Super Bowl because they were there the year before. "Ego is what led to [suspended LB] De'Vondre Campbell feeling as though he deserved to be in the game when Dre Greenlaw came back, when, truth be told, you deserve nothing. You earn everything in the National Football League." Acho concludes, "Ego exists within every individual on the Niners. It exists within all of us. The problem is, ego unchecked, it leads to the demise of every individual. It led to the demise of the Niners. I'm blaming ego for the Niners' downfall." "An ego unchecked leads to the demise of every individual and it lead to the demise of the Niners." pic.twitter.com/Pe79Ahjm15 This article first appeared on 49ers Webzone and was syndicated with permission.