Trump's casting call as he builds out his administration: TV experience preferredCHICAGO — Six years ago, Chicago Ald. Daniel Solis sat in House Speaker Michael Madigan’s office to break the news that he would not be seeking re-election to the City Council. But don’t worry, Solis told Madigan, he still had a few months left in office, and there were major new real estate developments going up in his ward, and that would mean plenty of tax-appeal business for the speaker’s private law firm. “There’s a couple more in the South Loop, and there’s some in the, in the West Loop. So, I figure I can still help you a lot,” Solis said in the Nov. 23, 2018, conversation, which was secretly recorded as part of Solis’ cooperation with the FBI. “I’m committed for that.” Madigan replied enthusiastically, “OK, thank you,” before moving almost immediately to something Solis had been wanting. “Do, do you want to go forward now on one of those state appointments?” Madigan asked. Prosecutors allege that the pivotal conversation, played Wednesday for the jury in Madigan’s corruption trial, is proof of a corrupt quid-pro-quo scheme in which Solis introduced the powerful Democratic speaker to developers in his ward in exchange for Madigan’s help securing him a six-figure state board appointment. The speaker appeared relaxed and jolly during the meeting, which took place three weeks after the 2018 general election in which Madigan’s bitter rival, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, had been vanquished by Democrat JB Pritzker. In the background in Madigan’s office was a life-size punching bag printed with Rauner’s face. Before getting down to business, the two exchanged some reaction to the election, including Jesus “Chuy” Garcia’s ascension to the U.S. House. “I like Chuy,” Madigan said. “But a progressive?” prompting them both to laugh. What Madigan did not know was that Solis had been cooperating with the FBI for more than two years and was recording the meeting with a hidden camera. Six days later, agents would raid the City Hall office suite of their Democratic colleague, then-Ald. Edward M. Burke. The video was played for jurors Wednesday toward the end of Solis’ direct examination, which in total lasted about 16 hours over four days of Madigan’s corruption trial. Solis is a crucial prosecution witness, and his cross-examination, slated to begin Monday after an extended break for Thanksgiving, is expected to be grueling. The trial, which began Oct. 8, is expected to last until mid-January. Madigan, 82, of Chicago, who served for decades as speaker of the Illinois House before stepping down in 2021, faces a wide array of racketeering charges alleging he ran his state and political operations like a criminal enterprise. He is charged alongside Michael McClain, 77, a former ComEd contract lobbyist from downstate Quincy, who for years was one of Madigan’s closest confidants. Both men have pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing. For months before that November 2018 meeting, Solis had promised to connect Madigan with real estate developers in his 25th Ward who could give business to Madigan’s private tax law firm. At the direction of the FBI, Solis also asked Madigan if he could get Solis appointed to a lucrative seat on a state board or commission. Madigan told Solis to get him his resume. “I wanted to have a meeting with Pritzker the week after next,” Madigan said. “... (I want to) let Pritzker know what’s coming, doesn’t have to be in writing, and I’ll monitor what goes on with the boards and commissions.” Solis arranged to have his resume, along with his daughter’s, sent to Madigan a couple of weeks later. Then, in January 2019, Solis’ cover was blown. Thanks to a slip-up in the clerk’s office at the Dirksen U.S Courthouse, a 120-page FBI search warrant affidavit detailing Solis’ own misdeeds was left unsealed and made public, leading to Solis being outed as a mole. Did you ever hear from Madigan again? asked Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane MacArthur. “No,” Solis said. Solis has testified to a dizzying number of alleged schemes involving Madigan, all of which overlapped during his time as a cooperator. Madigan allegedly hoped to get legal business from a group of developers who would need a plot of land in Chinatown transferred from the state to the city, and tasked McClain with trying to get the supporting legislation through. He requested Solis’ help getting his son Andrew a job interview; he asked Solis for a connection to developers of West Loop real estate projects; and he apparently took steps to help Solis get a seat on a state board. All of that, prosecutors allege, is part of a long-running scheme of corruption in which Madigan used his own power to enrich himself and his allies. Defense attorneys, meanwhile, have framed it as perfectly legal political favor-trading. Solis’ credibility is sure to be under attack as soon as cross-examination begins Monday. The head of the powerful Zoning Committee began cooperating in 2016 only after FBI agents confronted him with evidence they’d gathered of his own extensive misdeeds. And in exchange for his lengthy and “singular” level of cooperation, prosecutors struck an equally unprecedented deal, in which Solis will avoid having a conviction on his record and can continue to draw his city pension. Recordings played Wednesday revealed just how strange Solis’ position was in 2018. He was a key cooperator in investigations against both Madigan and Burke, both of whom were Democratic powerhouses with side jobs as property tax attorneys, competing at times over the same big-time developers. Burke, as detailed in his corruption trial last year, was eager to get business from the New York-based group behind the renovation of the massive Old Post Office project in Solis’ ward. Lead developer Harry Skydell ended up promising Burke business on some of his other local properties instead, the evidence showed. In October 2018, Madigan called Solis and said he had read about Skydell’s company buying a building at 1 S. Wacker Drive. “That may be an opportunity for me,” Madigan told Solis in a recording played for jurors. “All right, I can call him right away,” Solis said. Solis reached Skydell a few days later, and told him Madigan had noticed he made a bid for the property on Wacker. “Yes, that’s the property that Burke has,” Skydell said. “Oh!” Solis said, and laughed out loud. Regardless, when Solis spoke to Madigan later that month, he said Skydell was eager to give Madigan the tax business. “I’ve got good news,” he told Madigan in a meeting secretly recorded on video. “... I talked to Harry, he’s on board, he’s gonna give you that project.” That was not true, Solis testified Wednesday, but the government had directed him to say it. And right after giving Madigan the “good news,” Solis asked about the state board seat. “Yeah, I’ve got it in my notes, I’m gonna sit down with Pritzker,” Madigan said. “Excellent, excellent,” Solis said. The board seat was another fiction, Solis has previously testified. He was not actually interested in a position on a state commission, but his government contacts directed him to ask Madigan for that favor to see how he would respond. Solis was outed as a cooperator before Madigan could make any successful moves to get him appointed. Burke, the city’s longest-serving alderman and powerful chairman of the Finance Committee, was convicted last year and is serving a two-year prison term. The jury Wednesday also heard the end game in the saga surrounding the transfer of a Chinatown parking lot in order for developers to proceed with a hotel project on the site. Solis has testified about efforts that Madigan orchestrated, mainly through McClain, to pass legislation in 2018 that would transfer the triangular-shaped parcel from the Illinois Department of Transportation to city control. In exchange, Madigan hoped to win business for his law firm from the developers, Solis has said. But the thorny political issues surrounding the transfer proved too much for even Madigan to overcome — in part because Rauner was likely to oppose it if Madigan’s fingerprints were on it. In a face-to-face meeting on Oct. 26, 2018, Solis confirmed with Madigan that they were going to push the Chinatown amendment in the upcoming veto session but warned the speaker that the local state representative, Democrat Theresa Mah, had taken a “neutral position.” A week later, Madigan and McClain talked about a potential sponsor for the bill, with the speaker recommending Ed Burke’s brother, then-Democratic state Rep. Dan Burke. That day, McClain left Dan Burke a voicemail saying they wanted him to pick up the bill as a favor to Solis. But more problems quickly arose. On Nov. 21, 2018, McClain left a voicemail for Solis saying a group of Chinese business people had circulated petitions opposing the deal and taken the 3,000 signatures they gathered to then-Secretary of State Jesse White, who “has made the decision to be with the Chinese people and against the development.” “I’m just letting you know we’ve got all of a sudden a huge hurdle I didn’t expect from the Chinese community,” McClain said on the voicemail, which was played in court. Two days later, Madigan called McClain and told him the Chinatown deal was “not gonna go forward.” “Yeah, I kind of figured that,” McClain said. “I left a message for Solis, but he hasn’t called me back.” “Yeah. He was here today to, to tell me,” Madigan said, asking later, “Why would they be against (it)?” McClain said “these Chinese business guys” don’t want the competition. “I know it’s hard to believe, but at the end of the day, it’s probably about money,” McClain said, sharing a chuckle with the speaker. ©2024 Chicago Tribune. Visit at chicagotribune.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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The Jets are getting their bye week. They could use a bye month. The 2024 Jets will go down as one of the most disappointing in the franchise’s history, and this is a franchise that has seen plenty of misery. The team began the year with Super Bowl aspirations and playoff expectations, armed with a healthy Aaron Rodgers at quarterback and stars all over the roster. They arrive at the bye 3-8, and with an interim head coach and general manager. It is hard to believe. The Jets have six games remaining, and everyone’s thoughts from ownership to the fans already has turned to 2025. They will need a new GM, coach and probably a quarterback. How did they get here? That is the question everyone associated with the team is asking. No one saw a season like this coming during training camp. The positive vibes were high with Rodgers returning from the injury that cost him last season. The defense returned most of its starters from a year ago, when they were in the top five. The offense had emerging stars in Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall. The Jets began the season 2-1 and had an impressive win in Week 3 against the Patriots before the bottom fell out. Back-to-back losses to the Broncos and Vikings led to owner Woody Johnson firing coach Robert Saleh . That move did not work. The Jets lost their next three games after interim coach Jeff Ulbrich took over. They continued to make moves to try to stem the tide, trading for star receiver and Rodgers’ pal Davante Adams and convincing pass rusher Haason Reddick to end his holdout . After a brief moment of hope against the Texans, the Jets have lost their past two games, including a heartbreaking 28-27 loss to the Colts last week . That loss ended any faint playoff hopes the team still had, and Johnson fired general manager Joe Douglas on Tuesday to begin the search for the team’s new leadership. It is impossible to know what to expect over these final six games. Are the Jets checked out? Do they now play better freed of any expectations? With the way this season has gone, nothing will be a surprise. Most Valuable Player Not much has gone right, but third-year wide receiver Garrett Wilson has played well. Wilson is third in the NFL with 69 receptions. He has 722 receiving yards and five touchdown catches. Wilson got off to a slow start and looked like he was not on the same page with Rodgers, but the two have shown better chemistry over the last seven weeks. Wilson has had three 100-yard games this year and the arrival of Davante Adams has taken some of the defensive attention off him and opened things up. The highlight of Wilson’s season came in the second half against the Texans when he had two one-handed touchdown grabs, one in the end zone that became a viral sensation . Wilson is going to be eligible for a contract extension after this season, and the new management is going to have to make a big decision on whether to lock Wilson up now. Least Valuable Player The Jets traded for edge rusher Haason Reddick in March, hoping he would replace the production they were losing with Bryce Huff’s departure in free agency. Instead, Reddick decided to hold out for a new contract. Reddick missed all of the spring, training camp and the first seven games. Since he returned last month, he has had very little impact. After four straight seasons of double-digit sacks, Reddick has a half-sack in four games for the Jets. The Jets’ pass rush was actually better before Reddick got to the team. He is a free agent after this season, and he’s going to have to pick up his production if he hopes to get a payday from someone. Biggest Surprise One of the assumptions about the Jets was that their defense was going to be among the best in the NFL. But it has proven to have many flaws and has crumbled in big spots this year. Some of the statistics still look good. The Jets are No. 7 in total defense and 12th in points allowed. But anyone who has watched this defense knows it has not lived up to its preseason billing. It started in Week 1, when they allowed 180 rushing yards to the 49ers, who did not even have Christian McCaffrey. The run defense remains an issue. They have given up at least 100 yards rushing in eight of their 11 games. Then, there is their inability to get interceptions. The Jets have just two interceptions this season, and both came from Brandin Echols, who is not even a regular starter. The Jets are getting a bad season from one of their top players, cornerback Sauce Gardner. On top of that, the defense crumbled in New England and last week against the Colts in the final minutes when the team needed a stop. Biggest Disappointment There are plenty of candidates for this title, but you have to start with the biggest star on the team, and that is Aaron Rodgers. The expectation when the Jets traded for Rodgers in April 2023 was that he was the missing piece to push this team to the playoffs at least. His injury cost him last season, but hope returned with his comeback this year. Rodgers has not been terrible, but he also has not elevated this team like everyone expected. He looks skittish in the pocket, afraid to get hit and unable to move. He rarely pushes the ball down the field. The passing offense seems to consist of throwing short to playmakers and hoping they break off a long run. Rodgers’ stats are not bad. He has 2,442 passing yards, 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He may end up with one of the better statistical seasons in Jets quarterbacking history if he can make it through the final six games. Anyone who has watched the games, though, knows Rodgers has been a major disappointment. Best Moment The Jets had a terrible first half against the Texans on “Thursday Night Football,” but then found an offensive rhythm in the second half. The highlight of the game and the season came early in the fourth quarter when Rodgers threw a ball up into the end zone and Wilson made an acrobatic, one-handed grab and somehow came down inbounds with the ball. The touchdown gave them a 14-10 lead on the way to a 21-13 victory. The catch caught fire on social media and was replayed for days. It felt like it could be the spark for a turnaround, but that thought disappeared with a loss in Arizona the following week. Wilson’s catch brought back memories of Odell Beckham Jr.’s one-handed catch for the Giants 10 years ago. It will be interesting to see if the catch is remembered or it gets lost in the wreckage of this dismal season. Worst Moment The cracks on this season were already showing at 2-3, but the Jets were still about to play the Bills at home for a share of first place in the AFC East when owner Woody Johnson decided to fire coach Robert Saleh. Johnson had grown tired of Saleh, who was hired by his brother Christopher when he was still the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom, and decided the team needed a change. Johnson felt the team would turn around under interim coach Jeff Ulbrich, but the opposite happened. Follow the latest on the New York Jets firing head coach Robert Saleh: The team is 1-5 since changing coaches. Saleh was 20-36 as head coach, but the locker room did not react well to his firing. Players liked Saleh, and it felt like a state of shock descended upon the team for a few weeks. The defense, of which Saleh was the architect, has not been the same since his firing. It was the first time Johnson fired a coach during the season in his 25 years as owner. Biggest Head-Scratcher What happened to kicker Greg Zuerlein? As the losses have mounted and people have lost their jobs, this is one question that has been asked many times. Zuerlein had seemingly solved the Jets’ long-term kicking issues in recent years. He made 35 of 38 field goals last year and was rewarded with a two-year, $8.4 million contract extension in March. But Zuerlein was terrible this year. He missed six field goals, including a potential game-winner against the Broncos that began the Jets’ downward spiral. Who knows if things go differently if they win that game? He missed big kicks against the Bills and Patriots, too, before finally being replaced. The Jets have used three kickers since putting Zuerlein on injured reserve with a mysterious left knee injury. Upcoming Decision Well, the big decisions will come in the offseason on the future of this team. If you are talking short-term, though, everything centers around Rodgers. Will he play out the string? Will he suddenly land on injured reserve? Rodgers has been dealing with hamstring and knee injuries for most of the season, so if the Jets and Rodgers decide it is no longer worth it to play, they could move him to IR and cite those injuries getting worse. At this point, Rodgers is playing for pride and trying to salvage something from this miserable season. Rodgers seems to genuinely enjoy being on the team, but it has not worked. If the Jets had a young quarterback in waiting, getting a look at him now would make sense. They don’t have that guy, though. Tyrod Taylor is Rodgers’ backup and Adrian Martinez is the third-string quarterback. This has been a season from hell for Rodgers and the Jets. You wonder if he just wants it to end.Wall Street kicked off the Santa Rally season on a positive note, with all major indices and sectors closing higher in a shortened session ahead of the Christmas holiday. The S&P 500 climbed 1%, extending its gains for a third consecutive session following last week’s volatile Federal Reserve meeting. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.9%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 gained 1.3%, nearly erasing last week’s losses. Consumer discretionary stocks, the top-performing sector of the year, led the rally amid light trading volumes. Tesla Inc TSLA surged 7.35%, marking its strongest single-day performance since November. Other standout performers in the S&P 500 included Walmart Inc. WMT , Starbucks Corp . SBUX , and Netflix Inc. NFLX , up 2.4%, 2.8% and 2.5% respectively. The U.S. dollar index posted modest gains, with the greenback hovering near over one-year highs against the euro. Treasury yields remained stable, with the 10-year benchmark at 4.6%, the highest level since May. In commodities, gold edged up 0.4%, while oil prices rose 0.7%. Risk appetite returned to the cryptocurrency market following recent volatility, as Bitcoin BTC/USD jumped 4% to over $98,000. This rally buoyed crypto-related stocks, including Microstrategy Inc. MSTR , MARA Digital Holdings Inc. MARA , and Coinbase Global Inc. COIN , all posting notable gains. Tuesday’s Performance In Major US Indices, ETFs Major Indices Price 1-day %chg Nasdaq 100 21,771.80 1.3% S&P 500 6,032.64 1.0% Russell 2000 2,254.99 0.8% Dow Jones 43,239.42 0.8% According to Benzinga Pro data: The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust SPY rose 1.1% to $601.01. The SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average DIA rose 0.8% to $432.44. The tech-heavy Invesco QQQ Trust Series QQQ rallied 1.3% to $529.94. The iShares Russell 2000 ETF IWM rose 1% to $223.46. The Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund XLY outperformed, up by 2.3%; the Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund XLU lagged, up 0.5%. Read Next: Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Dogecoin Surge Around 5% In Christmas Eve ‘Santa Rally’ Photo via Shutterstock. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hannah Hidalgo scored 24 points and No. 6 Notre Dame defeated JuJu Watkins and third-ranked Southern California 74-61 on Saturday in a marquee matchup on the West Coast. Watkins and the Trojans (4-1) fell behind early and were down 21 points in the fourth quarter. She had 24 points, six rebounds and five assists. Hidalgo came out shooting well, hitting 5 of 8 from the floor in the first quarter and had 16 points at the break. She added six rebounds and eight assists. Hidalgo's backcourt mate, Olivia Miles, added 20 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Fighting Irish (5-0). Even though Hidalgo outshone her, Watkins’ imprint was all over the game. A documentary about her life aired on NBC leading into the nationally televised game. A buzz arose when Snoop Dogg walked in shortly before tipoff wearing a jacket in USC colors with Watkins' name and number on the front and back. Her sister, Mali, sang the national anthem. Notre Dame: The Irish struck quickly, racing to a 20-10 lead in the opening quarter. Even after cooling off a bit, they never trailed and stayed poised when the Trojans got within three in the second and third quarters. USC: The Trojans were without starting guard Kennedy Smith, whose defense on Hidalgo would have proven valuable. It was announced shortly before tipoff that she had a surgical procedure and will return at some point this season. The Trojans got within three points three times but the Irish remained poised and never gave up the lead. Notre Dame's defense forced the Trojans into 21 turnovers, which led to 22 points for the Irish. Watkins, Kaleigh Heckel and Talia von Oelhoffen had five each. USC was just 1 of 13 from 3-point range Notre Dame plays TCU on Nov. 29 in the Cayman Islands Classic. USC plays Seton Hall in the Women's Acrisure Holiday Invitational on Nov. 27 in Palm Desert, California. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hannah Hidalgo scored 24 points and No. 6 Notre Dame defeated JuJu Watkins and third-ranked Southern California 74-61 on Saturday in a marquee matchup on the West Coast. Watkins and the Trojans (4-1) fell behind early and were down 21 points in the fourth quarter. She had 24 points, six rebounds and five assists. Hidalgo came out shooting well, hitting 5 of 8 from the floor in the first quarter and had 16 points at the break. She added six rebounds and eight assists. Hidalgo's backcourt mate, Olivia Miles, added 20 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Fighting Irish (5-0). Even though Hidalgo outshone her, Watkins’ imprint was all over the game. A documentary about her life aired on NBC leading into the nationally televised game. A buzz arose when Snoop Dogg walked in shortly before tipoff wearing a jacket in USC colors with Watkins' name and number on the front and back. Her sister, Mali, sang the national anthem. Notre Dame: The Irish struck quickly, racing to a 20-10 lead in the opening quarter. Even after cooling off a bit, they never trailed and stayed poised when the Trojans got within three in the second and third quarters. USC: The Trojans were without starting guard Kennedy Smith, whose defense on Hidalgo would have proven valuable. It was announced shortly before tipoff that she had a surgical procedure and will return at some point this season. The Trojans got within three points three times but the Irish remained poised and never gave up the lead. Notre Dame's defense forced the Trojans into 21 turnovers, which led to 22 points for the Irish. Watkins, Kaleigh Heckel and Talia von Oelhoffen had five each. USC was just 1 of 13 from 3-point range Notre Dame plays TCU on Nov. 29 in the Cayman Islands Classic. USC plays Seton Hall in the Women's Acrisure Holiday Invitational on Nov. 27 in Palm Desert, California. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Zarigue Nutter scored 22 points and secured the victory with a jump shot with two seconds remaining as Georgia State defeated Tulsa 74-71 on Wednesday. Nutter shot 9 of 15 from the field and 4 of 6 from the free-throw line for the Panthers (4-3). Cesare Edwards scored 18 points and added 16 rebounds. Nicholas McMullen had 13 points and shot 4 of 9 from the field and 5 for 8 from the line. The Golden Hurricane (4-4) were led in scoring by Keaston Willis, who finished with 18 points. Tulsa also got 16 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists from Dwon Odom. Tyshawn Archie had 12 points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .2 die in fire at LDP lawmaker's residence
NoneVolunteer Calah Derocher, left, and kitchen manager Cassandra Culleton assemble to-go meals Dec. 3 during the daily Meals Program at the Trinity Jubilee Center in Lewiston. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal LEWISTON — After living off-grid and being a stay-at-home mom for the past few years, Calah Derocher was looking for some inspiration as she re-enters the professional world. Through Fedcap’s ASPIRE program, she planned to use volunteer work to get started and perhaps explore several different roles and settings in the nonprofit realm. But after starting at the Trinity Jubilee Center, she found it difficult to go anywhere else. And, according to staff there, Derocher has been rearranging her schedule to help out on holidays. She’s become a regular volunteer in the soup kitchen and food pantry. “After a week of being there I just knew I really wanted to give my time to these people and their cause,” she said. “It’s really kind of scary to go back into society and the job force and it was a really comfortable way to get myself back in there, and feel like I’m a productive member of society.” The ASPIRE program helps Temporary Assistance for Needy Families recipients move toward financial independence through case management, job training, education, support and employment services. Derocher said life events led her to the program, to find a way to support her family. This winter, she’s starting classes at Central Maine Community College. At first she considered going into social work, but she ultimately decided to learn a trade — electromechanical technology. She said the program asked her to consider tough questions about her passions and what a new professional career could look like, and volunteering was one of the ways for her to face that. Volunteer Calah Derocher, right, organizes to-go meals Dec. 3 during the daily Meals Program at the Trinity Jubilee Center in Lewiston. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal Derocher began volunteering at Trinity in November, and plans to stay on until school starts. She said she’s been doing “anything and everything” that’s asked of her, including food prep, organizing donations, and more. “I give them my all when I go in there, and try to get as much done as I can,” she said. She often ends up leaving late. On Dec. 23, she was helping to prepare for the Christmas Eve lunch, where everyone who comes through for the meal also gets a stocking with various items. On Christmas Eve she was there from 7:30 a.m. to noon, getting the food out. She did the same on Thanksgiving. Derocher was also helping organize a toy drive, which allows Trinity guests to choose an item to give to someone special in their lives. While her time there will be slowing down soon, she said she could see herself back there again, either during summers when she’s not in school, or at another time. “I feel like the impact of coming here and being around the staff and clients and the whole experience — I know in the future I’ll be able to contribute in my own way back to the community,” she said. Derocher was born in Lewiston and grew up in Auburn, but until just recently lived in Hartford “in the middle of the woods.” She said part of what she’s rediscovered since returning to Lewiston is the feeling of community. She said moving back was a big change, as it was to realize it was “OK to ask for help.” “I think it’s something that’s lost sometimes this day and age,” she said, referring to community. “And I’m hoping to bring that with me for the rest of my life — to remember that communities are stronger together.” Know someone with a deep well of unlimited public spirit? Someone who gives of their time to make their community a better place? Then nominate them for Kudos. Send their name and the place where they do their good deeds to reporter Andrew Rice at arice@sunjournal.com and we’ll do the rest. We invite you to add your comments. We encourage a thoughtful exchange of ideas and information on this website. By joining the conversation, you are agreeing to our commenting policy and terms of use . More information is found on our FAQs . You can modify your screen name here . Comments are managed by our staff during regular business hours Monday through Friday as well as limited hours on Saturday and Sunday. Comments held for moderation outside of those hours may take longer to approve. Please sign into your Sun Journal account to participate in conversations below. If you do not have an account, you can register or subscribe . Questions? Please see our FAQs . Your commenting screen name has been updated. Send questions/comments to the editors. « Previous
How will Sharks fans receive Tomas Hertl at SAP Center? He’s wondering the same thingThe Liberal government is pulling out the federal wallet to put more money into people’s pockets over the holidays, but its recently announced affordability measures create winners and losers. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Thursday that the federal government will remove the goods and services tax on a slew of items for two months, starting Dec. 14. But in provinces where the provincial and federal sales taxes are blended together into a harmonized sales tax, Canadians will get a larger break. The federal government also plans to send $250 cheques to Canadians who were working in 2023 and earned up to $150,000. That means Canadians who were not working in 2023, including those who were receiving social assistance or were in retirement, will not be sent a cheque in April. In the House of Commons on Friday, NDP MP Peter Julian called the government out for not including Canadians with fixed incomes. “Why are Liberals excluding seniors and people with disabilities from the real help they need this holiday season? Why won’t Liberals help them, too?” Julian asked during question period. At a news conference on Friday, Trudeau said that the federal government has already stepped up to help the most vulnerable Canadians and that it is now time to give a hand to workers. “Over the past number of years, we have been extraordinarily present in helping the most vulnerable Canadians,” Trudeau said, mentioning the boost to old-age security for seniors aged 75 and older and the Canada Child Benefit. “But as I travel across the country, I do regularly hear from working Canadians who are having trouble making ends meet, but saying, ‘look, I don’t have kids. I’m not a senior yet, and I’m facing challenges.’” The GST break, which is expected to cost the federal government $1.6 billion, will apply to a number of items including children’s clothing and shoes, toys, diapers, restaurant meals and beer and wine. It also applies to Christmas trees — both natural and artificial — along with a variety of snack foods and beverages, and video game consoles. Meanwhile, 18.7 million people will receive a check this spring, costing the government about $4.7 billion.