Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. stock outperforms competitors on strong trading dayRapid City Mayor Jason Salamun said Wednesday if he were a betting man, "I would bet on Rapid City." Salamun struck an optimistic tone while also touching on challenging topics in a broad-ranging state of the city address at Elevate Rapid City's Critical Luncheon Series event at The Rushmore Hotel in downtown Rapid City. Pennington County Commissioner Gary Drewes gave a state of the county address at the event, while Sheriff Brian Mueller also spoke briefly about the proposed county jail expansion. "What makes Rapid City great is the people that live here. I often think about the government's role in this, and I think people may want to give the mayor more authority, more credit or blame, whatever the case may be, and that's fine — but really, who makes Rapid City go is you, people who are actually building businesses, people who are actually raising families, people are actually making a difference in their communities," Salamun told the crowd. "That's actually what it is, and the government's role in that is to stay out of your way ... (and) make sure that we are able to live together." Rapid City Mayor Jason Salamun speaks about the state of the city during Elevate Rapid City's Critical Luncheon Series event on Thursday, Dec. 5 at The Rushmore Hotel in Rapid City. MIKE BROWNLEE, JOURNAL STAFF Salamun said public safety was among the most popular topics he heard about while campaigning. He lauded Police Chief Don Hedrick's work to fill staffing shortages as the city went from more than 30 open officer positions to five. "I think the city's portion is like the cheese in a grilled cheese sandwich. Our job as a city is to enforce the law," he said, turning to an analogy about public safety. One piece of bread of the grilled cheese is, "in the home." "Public safety does not begin with city government or county government or federal government," he said. "It actually begins with you and I, in the families that we're raising, the people that we're loving. Kids need structure to thrive. So do communities. And that's the big part of the equation." Completing the sandwich is the criminal justice system and other programs to help offenders, Salamun said, noting, "But what happens after we arrest them? And quite frankly, I don't have any authority there." He turned to the topic of addiction, noting much of the public safety concerns in the city are born of drug and alcohol abuse problems. "That is actually the enemy. I have people in my life, people I love very dearly, probably like many of you, who have suffered and are suffering from addiction issues, and it's tough to watch, because it's people you love," Salamun said. "It robs them. It robs you of your loved ones." Salamun mentioned ongoing local programs while also noting the need for the area to do better on the topic. Turning to the economy, Salamun lauded Elevate Rapid City's work on development, noting the city has seen a rise in average weekly wages among the population. He noted that's not the case for everyone, but it's a strong indicator that the city isn't just low-wage tourism jobs. "The fact is, there are careers (here)," he said. The mayor also touched on the city's oft-talked about Vision Fund , which he wants to see focus on more public projects. At the Monday City Council meeting, councilors set a public hearing for the Dec. 16 meeting to discussion resolutions related to the fund, including the establishment of a citizen committee that will "solicit and recommend projects submitted by the community" to be funded from the Vision account, as stated on the council agenda. "These are taxpayer funds. They should be used for taxpayer purposes," Salamun said. "My goal was to prioritize public projects with those vision funds so that it helps our economy, it helps us address our needs as a community." Salamun also voiced his support for Rapid City Regional Airport expansion efforts. Afterward, Salamun said, "I would want folks to take away that Rapid City is getting stronger, and we will continue to grow better as each year goes on. "What I tried to lay out is an optimistic vision of the future of Rapid City," he told the Journal. "I believe in us. And I think kind of the guidepost for us is to make sure that we're building a city for the next generation in mind, not just the one we want today, but the one that's going to be even better tomorrow." Commissioner Gary Drewes brought a slideshow presentation with facts about Pennington County, along with notes highlighting upcoming challenges. The county is at around 109,222 residents, an 8.2% growth from the 2010 to the 2020 U.S. Census. There are 53,713 total parcels in the county, with taxable property valued at $18.36 billion. Property taxes continue to be a hot topic in the area and state, with the legislature expected to further examine the issue, including valuation formulas, in the upcoming session. Drewes noted the county is funded with property taxes and services and fees, with more than 80% of its expenditures required by state statute and more than 9% statutorily authorized — not mandated, but deemed necessities. Pennington County Commissioner Gary Drewes gives a state of the county address during Elevate Rapid City's Critical Luncheon Series event on Thursday, Dec. 5 at The Rushmore Hotel in Rapid City. MIKE BROWNLEE, JOURNAL STAFF "Counties are the level of government that most directly impact every citizen. I constantly hear people say, 'well, the county only provides services to the rural areas.' That's just not true. Whether you live in town, city or rural, the county is the front line provider for many familiar government services," Drewes told the crowd. "Our services are available to every person in the county." And, "Our goal is to provide the highest quality of services at the least possible cost." Challenges include aging infrastructure, including the jail, roads and bridges. During his speech, Sheriff Brian Mueller talked about the jail expansion and renovation project, which could cost upwards of $129-$168 million. The effort will require a bond vote, he said. "We've got about $37 million in the bank to start this project, but it's going to require a bond, and it's going to require a lot of support from the community to get this done," the sheriff said during his brief time at the podium, noting a public awareness campaign will begin in earnest early next year. Drewes said another county expense that has commissioners and others looking for solutions is indigent legal services — helping those who can't afford legal representation. To help offset that, the legislature in 2024 doled out $3 million to counties, of which Pennington County got more than $700,000 — not quite 12% of the county's 2024 cost for court-appointed attorney, public defender and abused/neglected children's attorney fees of $5,929,084.65. "South Dakota is the only state in the nation that places this burden on counties. The other 49 states assume these costs. The good news for this year is in the state, with the encouragement of the Chief Justice of the Unified Judicial System along with Gov. Noem, they supported a slight movement of some of these expenses to the state," Drewes said. Looking forward to the 2025 legislative session, Drewes said he'd also like to see the general assembly remove the sunset clause on a recent increase in the 911 surcharge fee to $2 per service user line, which is set to bring in a revenue increase of $700,000. "I think the state of the county is in good shape at this point in time. Yeah, we've got challenges, just like anybody else does, just like our school district does, just like the city does. Our growth has been phenomenal. We have 66 counties that are in South Dakota, 46 of the 66 that are actually smaller in numbers than what we had in just growth the last four years. That means we have to provide the additional services. We're mandated, so we try to control our (cost) environment as much as we possibly can." Drewes added, "I look at things being very positive moving forward. Yeah, there's going to be some bumps in the road. There's some big challenges. But not all challenges are negative. There's a lot of positive things coming from this."COLUMBUS, Ohio – Attorney General Dave Yost on Monday certified summary language of a proposed state constitutional amendment to end qualified immunity, a legal doctrine that shields police officers and other government officials accused of wrongdoing while performing their jobs. Yost’s approval is an early step in a long process involving gathering about 413,000 signatures across at least 44 counties and winning a statewide vote by a simple majority. Nonetheless, it amounts to a victory for organizers who have been blockaded by Yost since February 2023. Earlier this month, the Ohio Supreme Court sided with the organizers behind the amendment and ordered Yost to reconsider his rejections. Yost had, on nine occasions, rejected the proposal, claiming at first the organizers’ proposed summary and eventually the title of the proposal (Protecting Ohioans Constitutional Rights) inaccurately described its function. Under Ohio law, Yost has to determine whether the summary language backers will circulate with petitions accurately describes the amendment. The court said Yost could not evaluate the title of the amendment. The proposal now goes to the Ohio Ballot Board, a state panel controlled by Republicans, who must decide whether the amendment spans only a single subject. Pending the board’s approval, organizers can begin gathering signatures of qualified voters. The amendment allows people whose rights have been violated by government actors to bring lawsuits against them. Plaintiffs can hold them liable if their “acts or omissions” caused an infringement of their basic civil rights. Under current law, plaintiffs need to show the conduct of an official like a police officer was so unmistakably unconstitutional that they’re not entitled to qualified immunity to shield them from liability, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures , a high legal bar to clear. Stories by Jake Zuckerman Today he’s Senate President. Next year he’s House Speaker. Here’s how it happened: Capitol Letter Canton Republican Kirk Schuring, a ‘model legislator’ for 31 years, dies Ohio Senate GOP candidate accused of $4.1 million theft; $800k funneled to campaign Jake Zuckerman covers state politics and policy for Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer.
Israel govt orders official boycott of critical newspaper, minister 'advocates a free press' but not 'incitement'NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes reached more records after tech companies talked up how much artificial intelligence is boosting their results. The S&P 500 climbed 0.6% Wednesday to add to what looks to be one of its best years of the millennium. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.7%, while the Nasdaq composite added 1.3% to its own record. Salesforce pulled the market higher after highlighting its artificial-intelligence offering for customers. Marvell Technology jumped even more after saying it’s seeing strong demand from AI. Treasury yields eased, while bitcoin climbed after President-elect Donald Trump nominated a crypto advocate to head the Securities and Exchange Commission. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes are rising toward more records Wednesday after tech companies talked up how much of a boost they're getting from artificial intelligence . The S&P 500 climbed 0.5% to add to what looks to be one of its best years of the millennium. It’s on track to set an all-time high for the 56th time this year after coming off 10 gains in the last 11 days . The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 252 points, or 0.6%, with an hour remaining in trading, while the Nasdaq composite was adding 1.2% to its own record. Salesforce helped pull the market higher after delivering stronger revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected, though its profit fell just short. CEO Mark Benioff highlighted the company’s artificial-intelligence offering for customers, saying “the rise of autonomous AI agents is revolutionizing global labor, reshaping how industries operate and scale.” The stock of the company, which helps businesses manage their customers, rose 9.3%. Marvell Technology jumped even more after delivering better results than expected, up 23.2%. CEO Matt Murphy said the semiconductor supplier is seeing strong demand from AI and gave a forecast for profit in the upcoming quarter that topped analysts’ expectations. They helped offset a 9.8% drop for Foot Locker, which reported profit and revenue that fell short of analysts’ expectations. CEO Mary Dillon said the company is taking a more cautious view, and it cut its forecasts for sales and profit this year. Dillon pointed to how keen customers are for discounts and how soft demand has been outside of Thanksgiving week and other key selling periods. Retailers overall have offered mixed signals about how resilient U.S. shoppers can remain. Their spending has been one of the main reasons the U.S. economy has avoided a recession that earlier seemed inevitable because of high interest rates brought by the Federal Reserve to crush inflation. But shoppers are now contending with still-high prices and a slowing job market . This week’s highlight for Wall Street will be Friday’s jobs report from the U.S. government, which will show how many people employers hired and fired last month. A narrower report released on Wednesday morning may have offered a preview of it. The report from ADP suggested employers in the private sector increased their payrolls by less last month than economists expected. Hiring in manufacturing was the weakest since the spring, according to Nela Richardson, chief economist at ADP. The report strengthened traders’ expectations that the Fed will cut its main interest rate again when it meets in two weeks. The Fed began easing its main interest rate from a two-decade high in September, hoping to offer more support for the job market. The central bank had appeared set to continue cutting rates into next year, but the election of Donald Trump has scrambled Wall Street’s expectations somewhat. Trump’s preference for higher tariffs and other policies could lead to higher economic growth and inflation , which could alter the Fed’s plans . Fed Chair Jerome Powell said Wednesday that the central bank can afford to cut its benchmark rate cautiously because inflation has slowed significantly from its peak two years ago and the economy remains sturdy. A separate report on Wednesday said health care, finance and other businesses in the U.S. services sector are continuing to grow, but not by as much as before and not by as much as economists expected. One respondent from the construction industry told the survey from the Institute for Supply Management that the Fed’s rate cuts have not pulled down mortgage rates as much as hoped yet. Plus “the unknown effect of tariffs clouds the future.” In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.18% from 4.23% late Tuesday. On Wall Street, Campbell’s fell 6% for one of the S&P 500’s sharper losses despite increasing its dividend and reporting a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. Its revenue fell short of Wall Street’s expectations, and the National Football League’s Washington Commanders hired Campbell’s CEO Mark Clouse as its team president. Campbell’s said Mick Beekhuizen, its president of meals and beverages, will become its 15th CEO following Clouse’s departure. Gains for airline stocks helped offset that drop after JetBlue Airways said it saw stronger bookings for travel in November and December following the presidential election. It said it’s also benefiting from lower fuel prices, as well as lower costs due to improved on-time performance. JetBlue jumped 8.3%, while Southwest Airlines climbed 2.8%. In stock markets abroad, South Korea’s Kospi sank 1.4% following a night full of drama in Seoul. President Yoon Suk Yeol was facing possible impeachment after he suddenly declared martial law on Tuesday night, prompting troops to surround the parliament. Yoon accused pro-North Korean forces of plotting to overthrow one of the world’s most vibrant democracies. The martial law declaration was revoked about six hours later. Samsung Electronics fell 0.9% in Seoul. The country’s financial regulator said it was prepared to deploy 10 trillion won ($7.07 billion) into a stock market stabilization fund at any time, the Yonhap news agency reported. In the crypto market , bitcoin climbed back above $97,000 after Trump said he would nominate Paul Atkins , a cryptocurrency advocate, to chair the Securities and Exchange Commission. ___ AP Writers Matt Ott and Zimo Zhong contributed. Stan Choe, The Associated PressOpenAI chief 'believes' Musk will not abuse government power
Why C3.ai Stock Surged Higher Today
Graphic by The Hockey News On paper, the favorite for this year’s World Junior Championship is Team USA, just as it was last year, when we predicted in our 2024 World Juniors Preview issue that the Americans would triumph in Gothenburg. But as much as national programs would hope that success springs eternal, it’s just a fact of life that these things move in cycles. The days of Canada winning five tournaments in a row (or the Soviet Union winning four straight back in the WJC’s infancy) are gone. In fact, Canada’s back-to-back wins in 2022 and ’23 marked the first repeat by any team since the dominant Canadian stretch from 2005 to 2009. Even if we do see Team USA win gold this year, the chances of a three-peat in 2026 look remote. Not only will the Americans be losing some of their best players – Ryan Leonard, Gabe Perreault, Zeev Buium and Trey Augustine being the most crucial – due to age, but it’s altogether possible 2006-born James Hagens could go straight to the NHL next fall and therefore be unavailable. It’s also worth noting that the U.S. didn’t win the world under-18s earlier this year, something that is incredibly important to USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program, which uses the tournament as a final championship opportunity for the NTDP kids, most of whom have spent the past two years thinking about that trophy. Team USA got to the gold-medal game for the seventh time in the past 10 world U-18 tournaments, but they lost to Canada in a come-from-behind shocker. And keep in mind, Canada didn’t have its full player pool to draw from since the world under-18s take place during the major-junior playoffs. Also of note was this year’s World Under-17 Challenge, which took place in Sarnia. Canada had two teams in the tournament, splitting their talent pool up again. Team USA sent the NTDP’s U-17s as per usual, and the field was rounded out by national sides from Finland, Sweden and Czechia. The result? Canada White beat Canada Red in the gold-medal game. Yes, it was an all-Canuck final, with Sweden clinching bronze on an overtime goal against the U.S. At this point, it might feel like I’m beating up on the Americans, and that’s certainly not my intent. In fact, what I’m trying to get at here is that Canada – a country whose second-favorite sport after hockey is worrying about hockey – has the chance to absolutely dominate the world juniors in the coming years. Again, the upcoming WJC in Ottawa still looks like an American victory on paper, but the tide could turn next year, when the tournament will be held Stateside in Minnesota. Because the phenoms are coming. As I mentioned in the Team Canada preview on pg. 48, draft-eligible players such as Porter Martone, Michael Misa and Malcolm Spence have a shot at making this year’s team, as does 2026 top prospect Gavin McKenna. Regardless, though, at least a couple of them will be on the team in Minnesota, and McKenna, the youngest of the bunch, also happens to be the best. Despite the fact he doesn’t turn 17 until Dec. 20, McKenna has been the top scorer in the WHL so far, averaging two points a game. Simply put, he’s a devastatingly smart and skilled left winger. Oh, and that Canadian comeback win at the world under-18s? It was McKenna doing most of the damage – with a hat trick and an assist in the 6-4 victory. And if Canada really wants to push their phenoms forward, we could see Landon DuPont, who just got exceptional status to play in the WHL this season, on the blueline. DuPont is an incredible defenseman who is already putting up more than a point per game for the Everett Silvertips. He’s looking like the real deal at 15. But we’re also going to get a sneak peek at the North American rivalry thanks to the new CHL-USA Prospects Challenge, which kicked off this year (and will run for at least three years) with games in London and Oshawa. The series pits the best draft-eligibles from major junior – such as Martone, Misa and Spence – against the NTDP’s U-18 squad. The games took place when we were closing this issue, so I can’t say what happened. But I’ll prognosticate here that the results could be very informative as to the comparative strength of that age bracket between the two North American rivals. The battle for continental supremacy isn’t cooling down anytime soon. appeared in the Nov. 25, 2024, World Junior Championship issue of The Hockey News. In this edition, we feature wall-to-wall coverage of the 2025 World Junior Championship, complete with previews of all 10 teams plus some of the most prominent players involved. Also in this issue, we shine the spotlight on San Jose's Tyler Toffoli, Philadelphia's Travis Konecny and a team from Haida Gwaii that really goes the extra mile. It's available on newsstands now, or you can get it in print for free when you subscribe to The Hockey News at today. All subscriptions include complete access to more than 76 years of articles at The Hockey News Archive.Plane crashed after ‘physical external interference’: probe
A Nebraska man is getting title to his home back, years after losing it over a $588 tax debt, one of his lawyers said Thursday. Kevin Fair of Scottsbluff has been involved in a legal dispute since 2018, when he lost title to the home he had owned for nearly three decades for failing to pay $588 in overdue property taxes. Scotts Bluff County sold the lien to a private investor, as allowed by Nebraska law at the time. When Fair couldn't repay the money along with interest and fees, the title went to the investor, though Fair was allowed to stay in the home while the legal dispute played out. The Nebraska Supreme Court ruled against Fair in 2022, but a year later, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered the state court to reconsider. In August, the Nebraska Supreme Court ruled that Fair should retain title to the house. Fair's appellate law firm, Pacific Legal Foundation, said Fair and the investor have amicably resolved their dispute, ending the legal battle. People are also reading... The case confirmed that home equity “is protected by the Constitution," said Christina Martin, senior attorney at Pacific Legal Foundation. As for Fair, the ruling “is protecting him from, in all likelihood, homelessness,” she said. A message seeking comment was left Thursday with an attorney for Scotts Bluff County. Fair and his wife, Terry, had already paid off the mortgage for their home in Scottsbluff, a town of 14,300 people in far western Nebraska, by the early 2010s. But in 2013, Terry was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and Kevin quit his job to care for her. The couple fell behind on their property taxes, owing $588. The county placed a lien on the home and listed the delinquency in the newspaper. In 2015, the county sold the tax lien to the private investor, which paid the home's taxes for three years. When the investor called for the Fairs to pay the accrued $5,268 in taxes, interest and fees, they couldn't. Scotts Bluff County turned the title and equity over to the investor in 2018. Kevin Fair's lawsuit contended that while the state should be allowed to collect its debt, it should not be allowed to seize the home or the equity in it above the debt amount — $54,000 in this case. The court victory is bittersweet for Kevin Fair. His wife died in 2019, and he suffered a stroke last month. Martin said he'll need a ramp built at the home to accommodate him. A GoFundMe account had raised nearly $10,000 by Thursday afternoon. Nebraska changed its law in 2023 so that homeowners are no longer at risk of losing their equity over unpaid property taxes. In its August ruling, the Nebraska Supreme Court also ruled that a Lincoln woman, Sandra Nieveen, should keep the title to her house, which, like Fair's, was sold to investors over a tax debt. The Pacific Legal Foundation also represented Nieveen, but a spokesperson for the law firm directed questions on her situation to her local attorney, Mark Bestul of Legal Aid of Nebraska, who could not be reached for comment Friday. The E-edition is available to you every morning, and is updated throughout the day Top Journal Star photos for December 2024 Volunteers from Raymond Community Church, including Monty Woodward (from left), Wayne Anderson, Linda Feiler, Krista and Chuck Kohles dish out chicken noodle soup into meal boxes on Wednesday at the Gathering Place Soup Kitchen. The Gathering Place has seen an 87.5% increase in free, nightly meals served since the pandemic started. Nebraska players celebrate after a kill by Andi Jackson (bottom right) during the first set of a NCAA Final Four match on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024, at KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky. Sen. Tom Brandt of Plymouth unrolls a round bale on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in Plymouth. Lincoln Police Department graduates Kaitlyn Wiersma (from left), Joshua Woolfington, Chase Adams, Shawn Woods, Jillian Boysen, Sebastian Arrubla and Jeremiah McDowell listen during the first mixed LPD & LSO academy graduation on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, at Lincoln Southeast Community College. Lincoln East's Hailey Standish (front) leaps from the starting blocks in the third heat of the Girls 500 Yard Freestyle during the Lincoln Southeast invite on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, at Lincoln Southeast High School. Sign language interpreters Davida Schejbal (left) and Ashten Schuler pose for a portrait while making the sign "interpreter." The two are mother and daughter. Dale Strehle, surplus and inventory manager for Lincoln Public Schools, stands with a stack of old chairs in the LPS Distribution Center on Friday. Strehle is retiring after 24 years in the role, helping the district auction off countless bookshelves, cabinets, desks and more. Sinclair Hille principal David Quade (left) and senior associate Kjersten Tucker lead a tour of a new University of Nebraska-Lincoln music building on Dec. 16. With the new building's design, the Lincoln architecture firm has sought to push the boundaries of what musical education looks like in higher education. University of Nebraska - Lincoln sophomore geography major Maxwell Anderson, also known as Jersey Guy, has gone viral for wearing a different jersey to his class every day, Anderson says he has around 100 different jerseys. Nebraska's Lexi Rodriguez (right) pancake-digs a ball during the fourth set of a third round NCAA tournament match against Dayton on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, at the Devaney Sports Center. Homeless man "Papa" George arranges his tent at a north Lincoln camp site, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in Lincoln. Kiptara Thomas (back center), Grace Taylor (front center), and Ayla Brosman (right) prepare in the dressing room ahead of a dress rehearsal for "The Nutcracker" on Thursday at the Lied Center for Performing Arts. Nebraska's Brice Williams (left) dances with Juwan Gary after the Huskers' win against Indiana on Friday at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Allie Christianson (top right), a senior community organizer with Civic Nebraska, speaks during an event Thursday at NeighborWorks Lincoln's office formally kicking off an initiative to ban source-of-income discrimination for renters. Ariana Cunningham, playing Clara (right), practices dancing backstage during a rehearsal for "The Nutcracker" at the Lied Center for Performing Arts on Thursday. Wisconsin's CC Crawford (left) celebrates a kill by Sarah Franklin (13) during the first set of a third round NCAA tournament match against Texas A&M on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, at the Devaney Sports Center. Norris' Evan Greenfield (22) scores a layup as Wahoo's Jase Kaminski (13) goes up to defend the basket in the second half on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, at Wahoo High School. Ruby Augustine blows out the candles on her birthday cake during her 105th birthday party on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, at the Legacy Retirement Community. Cicely Wardyn of Lincoln adjusts an outdoor heater next to a Nativity scene during the Hometown Christmas event Sunday at the Governor's Mansion. Eddie Walters, dressed as the Grinch, leads the pack of runners along the Billy Wolff trail during the Santa Fun Run on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. Nebraska plays against Florida A&M in an NCAA tournament game on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. Fourth grade student Lulu Kulwick carries her review worksheet to meet with her teacher during computer science class. Each student was asked to analyze how fun, challenging and easy to understand each game was, and discuss what they thought was a good aspect to the game, and what could use some work. Ben Heppner is illuminated by morning light as he waits for the start of the Santa Fun Run on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, inside the Fleet Feet store. Nebraska head coach Amy Williams (left) and Callin Hake (14) cheer for their team after a defensive stop during the third quarter of the game against Minnesota on Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Members of the Lincoln Journal Star's 2024 Super State volleyball team compete in Dance Dance Revolution and air hockey while at a photo shoot on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, at Round 1 Arcade. Lincoln North Star's J'Shawn Afun (10) and Mekhi Wayne-Browne (11) battle Lincoln Southeast's Jaydee Dongrin (21) for a rebound in the first half on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, at Lincoln Southeast High School. Miami's Flormarie Heredia Colon (left) and Ashley Carr celebrate a point against South Dakota State during an NCAA first-round match, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, at the Devaney Sports Center. Workers pull up the Capitol Christmas tree on Monday at the Capitol. The 22-foot Colorado spruce from Walton was selected by the Office of the Capitol Commission to be this year’s annual Christmas tree. Jenni Watson helps to arrange chairs for New Covenant Community Church's first service in their repaired main auditorium on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, at New Covenant Community Church. New Covenant Community Church is nearing completion of six months of reconstruction project after a fire in May damages the church. While the building was not fully consumed by fire, there was significant water damage to the main auditorium and the first floor south wing. Jack, the dog, lifts his leg on the Christmas tree that his owners David and Karen Petersen of Hickman chose as Max Novak helps them on Saturday at Prairie Woods tree farm in Hallam. Iowa's Drew Stevens (18) kicks a game-winning field goal through the arms of Nebraska's Ty Robinson (9) and Nash Hutmacher (0) on Friday at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. Lincoln Northwest senior Kynzee McFadden (top right) works with her teammates as they compete in an identifying game on the Anatomage Table on Tuesday at Lincoln Northwest High School. An Anatomage Table is a digital platform that allows students to perform virtual experiments on a life-size touchscreen. The table is a tool that provides an interactive view of the human body, allowing students to virtually work with different body parts. Dahlia Brandon of Lincoln tickles her 15-month-old daughter, Gema, with a stuffed animal while shopping at HobbyTown on Saturday. The toy and game store nearly doubled its sales on Black Friday from last year. Nebraska's Berke Büyüktuncel (left) and South Dakota's Max Burchill (3) reach for the ball during the first half of the game on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email.
MINNEAPOLIS — President Biden signed the Stop Campus Hazing Act into law earlier this week — a piece of legislation that will combat a serious and sometimes deadly issue on college campuses. The bipartisan bill was first introduced by U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana in September with the aim of forcing colleges and universities to disclose how many hazing incidents happen on their campus each year. The bill will also increase transparency by providing better information about hazing incidents at student organizations. "When parents send their kids away to college, they expect they will get a good education and make new friends. They don't expect them to be harassed and hazed," said Klobuchar. "Unfortunately, hazing is a dangerous—and at times deadly—reality that students are confronted with. After years of effort from parents, students, advocates and lawmakers, our bipartisan legislation to improve hazing prevention efforts on college campuses has now been signed into law." In 2021, Minnesota student Danny Santulli became a victim of hazing after deciding to join the fraternity Phi Gamma Delta. According to a lawsuit filed after the incident, Santulli was forced to drink an entire bottle of vodka which resulted in a coma. Santulli woke up from his coma, but as a result of the hazing he is unable to walk, talk or see. Santulli's parents, Mary Pat and Tom Santulli, have been advocates of better hazing legislation since. "If my wife or I had known of the many sanctions that were against the fraternity that Danny was pledging, we would have never allowed him to pledge that fraternity. Parents and incoming students have the right to know the background of any organization they are going to join," said Tom and Mary Pat Santulli. Note: The video above first aired in Dec. 26. Chloe is a digital producer at CBS Minnesota in Minneapolis and has worked in numerous positions at the station, including Assignment Editor, Digital Line Producer and Web Producer. She started her career at CBS Minnesota in 2015.
Crescent Capital BDC, Inc. ( NASDAQ:CCAP – Get Free Report ) declared a quarterly dividend on Saturday, December 28th, Wall Street Journal reports. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, December 31st will be given a dividend of 0.42 per share on Wednesday, January 15th. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 8.51%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 31st. This is a positive change from Crescent Capital BDC’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.07. Crescent Capital BDC has a dividend payout ratio of 81.6% meaning its dividend is currently covered by earnings, but may not be in the future if the company’s earnings tumble. Equities analysts expect Crescent Capital BDC to earn $2.07 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $1.68 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 81.2%. Crescent Capital BDC Price Performance CCAP stock opened at $19.75 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $731.97 million, a P/E ratio of 7.75 and a beta of 0.82. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $19.04 and its 200 day moving average is $18.73. Crescent Capital BDC has a 52 week low of $15.91 and a 52 week high of $20.03. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.14, a quick ratio of 1.26 and a current ratio of 1.26. Analyst Ratings Changes Read Our Latest Stock Report on Crescent Capital BDC About Crescent Capital BDC ( Get Free Report ) Crescent Capital BDC, Inc is as a business development company private equity / buyouts and loan fund. It specializes in directly investing. It specializes in middle market. The fund seeks to invest in United States. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Crescent Capital BDC Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Crescent Capital BDC and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .“I am hopeful that with the majorities now that we will be able to get across the finish line,” Scanlan told The Center Square on Thursday, speaking of more legislation on the way to protect women's spaces. “Obviously, this goes beyond sports ... So ideally, I think that the biggest thing would be to federally pass something that says this is what a woman is.” Scanlan a day earlier was part of a panel where U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., announced that Republicans plan to soon introduce legislation to “protect children from transgender medical procedures.” A report from the advocacy group Do No Harm released four weeks before Election Day included documented evidence of such activity being performed on a 7-year-old . “We’ll be introducing the STOP Act soon,” said Marshall . “We are going to use the Commerce Act to punish people who perform any type of surgery, or who use any type of medications on minors.” STOP is an acronym for Safeguarding the Overall Protection of Minors. The panel said that the legislation is an important and necessary step to protect children. Scanlan and Marshall, a host with the American Principles Project, were on the panel alongside U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala.; U.S. Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill.; Terry Schilling, president of the American Principles Project; and Sarah Parshall Perry, senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation. “We all know by now that so-called gender affirming care is anything but caring,” Tuberville said. “It is pure insanity and has caused irreversible damage to countless children. This isn’t about politics, this is about good and evil.” Scanlan is an ambassador for Independent Women's Voice and a former collegiate swimmer at the University of Pennsylvania. Swimming for the Quakers, she and teammates endured being not only on the same team but in the same locker room as a swimmer who for the first three years swam on the men's team. “I was a swimmer at the University of Pennsylvania and the administration, the university and the NCAA said , ‘Here's a man who wants to swim on your team, please accept him,’” she explained during the panel. “This entire situation really made all female athletes feel isolated and alone, and like they know where to go.” Scanlan said that it wasn’t just competing that isolated the female athletes. “Eighteen times per week, my teammates and I were forced to undress next to a 6-foot-4, fully-intact male,” Scanlan said. “As a female athlete, this was just something I couldn't even imagine. It was something I never imagined would happen to me when I went off to college.” The STOP Act is one of a few beginnings. U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., has proposed legislation seeking to protect women’s spaces on all federal property nationwide. This would include bathrooms, locker rooms and prisons. Scanlan said this shows that public opinion is on the side of her and the panel. “This is really the first time we're seeing more of these people in power stepping up and actually doing the right thing and saying enough is enough” she said. “Now, we are looking at entire teams that are feeling empowered to be able to boycott ... or object to competing against males. It's widespread.” A notable case of that is San Jose State, where Blaire Fleming's participation has led to seven opponents forfeiting rather than playing a women's team that includes a man saying he is a woman. Tuberville and Marshall emphasized they believe the majority of Americans would agree with the proposed legislation. "The American people are sick of this nonsense," Tuberville said . "It’s time we restore some sanity and get common sense back in this country." Scanlan said that while she supports the national legislation Republicans are considering, it is important for states to also continue to pass legislation. “I always remind people who are really excited about having a presidency that we don't know what might happen in four years," she said. "So, of course, it's also important to codify this in states. We are going to continue our efforts. There's still a lot of work to be done, and I don't really see it as a win until we've finished this on the state level.”Non-bailable arrest warrant for PML-N’s Sanaullah
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