Week 14 of the NFL season has one more game left on Monday, Dec. 9 and it features the Dallas Cowboys going against the Cincinnati Bengals at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The game is scheduled to start at 8:15 p.m. EST and will be broadcast on ABC, ESPN and ESPN Deportes . Fans looking to watch this NFL game can do so by using FuboTV , which offers RedZone and $30 off on your first month, or DirecTV Stream , which offers a free trial and RedZone. SlingTV has promotional offers available, and NFL+ airs all local market games. Additionally, fans can watch the game on the ManningCast , where brothers Eli and Peyton will be talking about the game along with former Patriots coach Bill Belichick, NBC analyst Cris Collinsworth and Grammy-award winning singer John Legend. But if that isn’t enough, there is also a special, “The Simpsons Funday Football” stream of the game in which the players will appear as if they are characters in The Simpsons. Fans can watch that stream exclusively on ESPN+ or Disney+ . NBC Sports Boston’s Celtics play-by-play announcer Drew Carter will call the game on that broadcast along with ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky and Mina Kimes. The Cowboys are 5-7 and the Bengals are 4-8 on the season. Who: Cincinnati Bengals vs. Dallas Cowboys When : Monday, Dec. 9 at 8:15 p.m. EST Where : AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas Stream : fuboTV (free trial) ; or Sling ; DirecTV Stream (free trial) or NFL+ ; or ESPN+ ; or Disney+ More College Football What is FuboTV? FuboTV is an internet television service that offers more than 200 channels across sports and entertainment including Paramount+ with SHOWTIME . From the UEFA Champions League to the WNBA to international tournaments ranging across sports, there’s plenty of options available on FuboTV, which offers $20 off the first month for new costumers. What is DirecTV Stream? DirecTV Stream offers practically everything DirecTV provides, except for a remote and a streaming device to connect to your television. Sign up now and get three free months of premium channels including MAX , Paramount+ with SHOWTIME and Starz. What is SlingTV? SlingTV offers a variety of live programing ranging from news and sports and starting as low as $20 a month for your first month. Subscribers also get a month of DVR Plus free if they sign up now. Choose from a variety of sports packages without long-term contracts and with easy cancelation. What is NFL+? NFL+ and NFL+ Premium allow fans access to the most NFL content available online. From game replays, coaches film and all-22 field angles of the games to NFL Network original programing, NFL+ and NFL + Premium allow fans to stay fully locked in with every NFL team no matter where you are in the country. What is ESPN+? ESPN+ is a one-stop shop for content from almost every single sport. In addition to on-demand replays of games across all sports shown on the ESPN and Disney family of networks, there is also exclusive access to select college football games, NHL games, soccer matches, UFC programs and the entire 30 for 30 catalogue. Additionally, there is ESPN+ exclusive original programing like NFL Primetime, Dana White’s Contender Series and The Breakdown with Peyton and Belichick. RELATED CONTENT: Saquon Barkley is chasing Eric Dickerson’s NFL season rushing record. Can he do it? By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Eagles fans serenaded Saquon Barkley with chants of “MVP!” after a 9-yard run gave him the team’s season rushing record. Barkley set the record in style — passing Eagles Hall of Famers Wilbert Montgomery and record holder LeSean McCoy in a single game — as he rushed for 124 yards to push his season total to 1,623 in a 22-16 victory over Carolina. The total was enough for Barkley to top McCoy’s 1,607 yards in 2013. Barkley also maintained his pace to break Eric Dickerson’s NFL single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards, set in 1984 with the Los Angeles Rams. At his pace, Barkley should that reach milestone, even possibly ahead of the 17th game of the season that Dickerson and the NFL did not have in 1984. Barkley captioned an Instagram post “Thankful” with a checked box next to “franchise single-season rushing yards record.” Here’s a look at what’s ahead for Barkley and his chances of catching Dickerson: Where does Barkley stand in the record chase? Barkley leads the NFL in rushing with 1,623 yards, a hefty 216 yards ahead of Baltimore’s Derrick Henry at 1,407 (though the Ravens had a bye Sunday). He is averaging 124.8 yards per game. At that pace, and with one more game to play than Dickerson had, he would become the top single-season rusher in NFL history. He needs 483 yards over the final four games to top Dickerson’s 40-year-old record. Barkley is on pace for 2,122 yards, which would put him just 17 yards beyond Dickerson’s 2,105 total. What’s the schedule like for Barkley? Just on the quality of defenses alone, Barkley faces little pushback down the stretch. He feasted against a Panthers defense that was one of the worst against the run in the NFL. Barkley averaged 6.2 yards on 20 carries against Carolina and could easily expect to match that pace over at least three of the next four games. The Steelers come to Philadelphia on Sunday and should provide the stiffest test to Barkley in his record pursuit. Pittsburgh is fourth in the NFL in run defense. After the Steelers, Barkley could run wild. The Eagles' final three opponents — Washington, Dallas and the Giants — all rank near the bottom of the league against the run. Why is Barkley with the Eagles? The 27-year-old Barkley has flourished in his first season with the Eagles. He is among the favorites for league MVP, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen was the only player with better MVP odds on Monday. Barkley might enjoy the delicious twist of setting the record against his old team, the Giants — but surely not the 17th-game asterisk that would come with the total. Barkley was drafted out of Penn State with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 draft. He was an instant success in New York and ran for 1,307 yards his rookie season. Barkley ran for 5,211 yards and 35 touchdowns and had 288 receptions for 2,100 yards and 12 TDs in six years with the Giants. He hit free agency after the Giants elected not to put a franchise tag on him. Barkley signed a three-year deal with the Eagles for $26 million guaranteed and $37.75 million overall, making him the highest-paid running back in franchise history. His free agency was chronicled by the reality sports documentary television series “Hard Knocks.” In the crucial scene, Giants general manager Joe Schoen told Barkley the Giants would not make him an offer, nor stick the franchise tag on him. Rather, the Giants would let Barkley test the free-agent market, a move that sent him to an NFC East rival. “I’ll have a tough time sleeping if Saquon goes to Philadelphia, I’ll tell you that,” team owner John Mara said to Schoen in the series. “As I’ve told you, just being around enough players, he’s the most popular player we have, by far.” Under general manager Howie Roseman, the Eagles generally had been loath to use high draft picks or valuable salary cap space on a running back. Barkley was deemed a worthy exception. Can Barkley stay healthy? Barkley has been a workhorse this season and worked a heavy load in New York — when he was healthy. Barkley only twice played in 16 games with the Giants. He played in 14 games last season, missing three because of a high ankle sprain. He ran for 962 yards and six touchdowns. He was limited to two games in 2020 after he suffered a torn ACL. Barkley has played through minor injuries this season and proved his durability by leading the NFL with 266 carries. But injuries might not be his only potential problem. The Eagles' nine-game winning streak has them sitting as the No. 2 seed in the NFC. Should they clinch that spot early, the final game against New York could be meaningless and coach Nick Sirianni could have to decide if Barkley goes for the mark or sits out ahead of the playoffs. Who was Eric Dickerson? Sporting his trademark goggles and Jheri curl, Dickerson was one of the great running backs in the 1980s, and the Hall of Famer was widely considered one of the best of all time. Dickerson finished his career with 13,259 yards, the ninth-most in NFL history. Emmitt Smith holds the career NFL rushing record with 18,355 yards. In 1984, Dickerson topped 100 yards rushing 12 times to break Buffalo’s O.J. Simpson’s 1973 record of 2,003 yards rushing in a single season. Simpson set his record in 14 games before the NFL expanded to 16 in 1978. The NFL moved to 17 games in 2021. The Associated Press contributed to this articleThe expected rate of population growth in the Lower Mainland is “a bit too much,” especially if the federal government does not properly plan for the infrastructure required to accommodate it, says Metro Vancouver Regional District chair Mike Hurley. Last week, Metro Vancouver released new population projections showing the region of 23 local governments is expected to grow, on average, by 50,000 new residents each year until 2050 when the total population reaches 4.21 million people. If that pace proves true, that’s a 1.7 per cent annual compound growth rate from 2021 when population reached about 2.6 million. Metro Vancouver stated the new growth rate is based on “evolving federal immigration policy, and trends in non-permanent residents.” Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the region was expecting 35,000 new residents annually to reach 3.8 million. The new analysis shows a low-growth scenario of 3.98 million people and a high-growth scenario of 4.39 million people. “I think the growth rate is a bit too much,” said Hurley. “I think that — and this is just my personal opinion, not Metro Vancouver's — until our infrastructure really starts to catch up and there's infrastructure deficit everywhere, including schools, hospitals, not just the Metro Vancouver infrastructure and other cities’ infrastructure, I just think it's a lot to be put on to municipalities,” said Hurley, who is also the mayor of Burnaby. And the federal government, which applies GST on new homes, “is not really stepping up to help out when it comes to infrastructure projects,” said Hurley. The analysis also noted that by 2035 all of the population growth will be from immigrants, based on birth rate trends, meaning the issue falls squarely on immigration policy. As an immigrant from Northern Ireland, Hurley said immigration “has to be controlled in more of a solid fashion and more reasoned fashion, so that we can keep up with the infrastructure issues.” Asked where this growth directive is coming from, Hurley said the business community concerned about their workforces is “probably a primary driver.” Asked if the region, or Canada in general, can sustain a lower growth rate — such as Scandinavian nations — given its dependence on construction, buying and selling of homes, Hurley said: “I think that's such a big part of our economy now that we've become reliant on that a bit, but I think we can live well within that one per cent growth range, one and a half per cent growth range, and I think our economy could handle that.” Hurley said all three levels of government need to be on the same page. “There needs to be some think tank amongst them, you know, the three orders of government, laying out exactly what the plan is here. Because I'm not seeing a real plan. I'm just seeing this is what's happening.” Glacier Media also spoke to Eric Woodward, Metro Vancouver’s chair of the regional planning committee, for his personal opinion on projected growth rates and whether they are the right path for the region. “I don't think about it in those terms, because a lot of these predictions are based on inputs that are out of the control of Metro Vancouver or local government. “There isn't a ton of political input in terms of producing them, and whether they're right or wrong or not, is also not much of a consideration that I've seen. This is, again, an academic exercise in predicting what is going to happen,” he said. Woodward, who said he ran on a pro-building campaign in 2022, suggested cities are effectively forced to react to the population increases of the federal government. “I think it would be more important to say, ‘Well, if it is going to happen, then we need to improve how we're managing it.’ I think there's lots of areas where that can be improved.” [email protected]Blundstone has a dressier version of its classic Chelsea boots — I've been wearing them for years, and they're just as durable and comfortable as the originalsblackjack logo 。

Veteran coach Todd Grantham is returning to college football to be Mike Gundy's defensive coordinator at Oklahoma State . Grantham has had previous defensive coordinator stints in both college and the NFL, and also worked under Nick Saban at two different stops. Grantham spent the past two seasons in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints . He came in as Dennis Allen's defensive line coach but was moved to a senior adviser role earlier this year after Allen was fired and Darren Rizzi took over as interim coach. Rizzi said Grantham's last day with the Saints will be Tuesday and he will then join Gundy in Stillwater. "He's done a heck of a job here behind the scenes with the defensive staff," Rizzi told reporters. "But it's certainly a great opportunity for him. He made the decision he wanted to get back in the college game. ... I think Mike Gundy is getting a great coach." Editor's Picks Gundy, Oklahoma State agree to restructured deal 2d Chris Low Source: OK State coordinators out after 3-9 season 5d Max Olson End-of-season Bottom 10: Stacking up the best of the worst 5d Ryan McGee Grantham, 58, was a senior defensive analyst at Alabama in 2022 and interviewed for the defensive coordinator job when Pete Golding left for Ole Miss after the season. Grantham, who also worked under Saban at Michigan State as assistant head coach and defensive line coach in the late 1990s, ultimately decided to return to the NFL in 2022. Most of his experience has come in the college game. He was Florida 's defensive coordinator from 2018 to 2021 under Dan Mullen and Mississippi State 's defensive coordinator the year before under Mullen in 2017. Grantham was part of several staff changes Mullen made toward the end of the 2021 season, but Mullen was then himself fired before the last regular-season game. The Gators were 5-6 at the time of his firing. Grantham also worked under Bobby Petrino as Louisville 's defensive coordinator, and his first college defensive coordinator job was at Georgia under Mark Richt from 2010 to 2013. Grantham was the Cleveland Browns ' defensive coordinator from 2005 to 2007. He played at Virginia Tech under Frank Beamer and started his coaching career there. Grantham's defenses at Florida registered 65 forced turnovers from 2018 to 2020, the 11th most in the country. The Gators led the SEC in sacks in both 2019 and 2020. Grantham was nominated for the Broyles Award as the top assistant coach in college football during his one season at Mississippi State in 2017, and all three of his Louisville defenses ranked in the top 20 nationally in total defense. In joining Gundy at Oklahoma State, Grantham will be challenged to rebuild a defense that hit bottom this season. The Cowboys (3-9) ranked 126th nationally in scoring (35.6 points per game) and next-to-last nationally in total defense (500.6 yards per game). Gundy agreed to a restructured contract last week and will return for his 21st season.

Trump team signs agreement to allow Justice to conduct background checks on nominees, staffAI In Telecommunication Market to Witness Stunning Growth | Major Giants Amdocs, NVIDIA, Google Cloud 12-24-2024 05:35 PM CET | Advertising, Media Consulting, Marketing Research Press release from: HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Pvt. Ltd. AI In Telecommunication Market HTF MI recently introduced Global AI In Telecommunication Market study with 143+ pages in-depth overview, describing about the Product / Industry Scope and elaborates market outlook and status (2024-2032). The market Study is segmented by key regions which is accelerating the marketization. At present, the market is developing its presence. Some key players from the complete study are Ericsson, Huawei, IBM, Nokia, Google Cloud, AT&T, ZTE, Cisco, Qualcomm, Salesforce, Infosys, Amdocs, H2O.ai, NVIDIA, C3.ai, DataRobot. Download Sample Report PDF (Including Full TOC, Table & Figures) 👉 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/3997773-global-ai-in-telecommunication-market-24?utm_source=Akash_OpenPR&utm_id=Akash According to HTF Market Intelligence, the Global AI In Telecommunication market is expected to grow from 10 Billion USD in 2024 to 28 Billion USD by 2032, with a CAGR of 15.5% from 2024 to 2032. The AI In Telecommunication market is segmented by Types (Network Optimization, Fraud Detection, Predictive Maintenance, Chatbots), Application (5G Networks, Customer Support, Network Security, IoT) and by Geography (North America, LATAM, West Europe, Central & Eastern Europe, Northern Europe, Southern Europe, East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Central Asia, Oceania, MEA). Definition: The AI in Telecommunication Market involves using artificial intelligence to optimize network performance, enhance customer support, and enable predictive maintenance. It drives innovations in 5G, IoT, and other communication technologies. Dominating Region: • North America Fastest-Growing Region: • Asia-Pacific Market Trends: •Edge AI, Automated Troubleshooting, AI-Driven Analytics Market Drivers: •5G Deployment, IoT Expansion, Need for Efficiency Market Challenges: •Data Privacy, Implementation Costs, Skills Gap Have a query? Market an enquiry before purchase 👉 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/3997773-global-ai-in-telecommunication-market-24?utm_source=Akash_OpenPR&utm_id=Akash The titled segments and sub-section of the market are illuminated below: In-depth analysis of AI In Telecommunication market segments by Types: Network Optimization, Fraud Detection, Predictive Maintenance, Chatbots Detailed analysis of Tank Container Shipping market segments by Applications: 5G Networks, Customer Support, Network Security, IoT Geographically, the detailed analysis of consumption, revenue, market share, and growth rate of the following regions: • The Middle East and Africa (South Africa, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Israel, Egypt, etc.) • North America (United States, Mexico & Canada) • South America (Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, etc.) • Europe (Turkey, Spain, Turkey, Netherlands Denmark, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Russia UK, Italy, France, etc.) • Asia-Pacific (Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, China, Malaysia, Japan, Philippines, Korea, Thailand, India, Indonesia, and Australia). Buy Now Latest Edition of AI In Telecommunication Market Report 👉 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=3997773?utm_source=Akash_OpenPR&utm_id=Akash AI In Telecommunication Market Research Objectives: - Focuses on the key manufacturers, to define, pronounce and examine the value, sales volume, market share, market competition landscape, SWOT analysis, and development plans in the next few years. - To share comprehensive information about the key factors influencing the growth of the market (opportunities, drivers, growth potential, industry-specific challenges and risks). - To analyze the with respect to individual future prospects, growth trends and their involvement to the total market. - To analyze reasonable developments such as agreements, expansions new product launches, and acquisitions in the market. - To deliberately profile the key players and systematically examine their growth strategies. FIVE FORCES & PESTLE ANALYSIS: In order to better understand market conditions five forces analysis is conducted that includes the Bargaining power of buyers, Bargaining power of suppliers, Threat of new entrants, Threat of substitutes, and Threat of rivalry. • Political (Political policy and stability as well as trade, fiscal, and taxation policies) • Economical (Interest rates, employment or unemployment rates, raw material costs, and foreign exchange rates) • Social (Changing family demographics, education levels, cultural trends, attitude changes, and changes in lifestyles) • Technological (Changes in digital or mobile technology, automation, research, and development) • Legal (Employment legislation, consumer law, health, and safety, international as well as trade regulation and restrictions) • Environmental (Climate, recycling procedures, carbon footprint, waste disposal, and sustainability) Get 10-25% Discount on Immediate purchase 👉 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/request-discount/3997773-global-ai-in-telecommunication-market-24?utm_source=Akash_OpenPR&utm_id=Akash Points Covered in Table of Content of Global AI In Telecommunication Market: Chapter 01 - AI In Telecommunication Executive Summary Chapter 02 - Market Overview Chapter 03 - Key Success Factors Chapter 04 - Global AI In Telecommunication Market - Pricing Analysis Chapter 05 - Global AI In Telecommunication Market Background or History Chapter 06 - Global AI In Telecommunication Market Segmentation (e.g. Type, Application) Chapter 07 - Key and Emerging Countries Analysis Worldwide AI In Telecommunication Market Chapter 08 - Global AI In Telecommunication Market Structure & worth Analysis Chapter 09 - Global AI In Telecommunication Market Competitive Analysis & Challenges Chapter 10 - Assumptions and Acronyms Chapter 11 - AI In Telecommunication Market Research Methodology Key questions answered • How Global AI In Telecommunication Market growth & size is changing in next few years? • Who are the Leading players and what are their futuristic plans in the Global AI In Telecommunication market? • What are the key concerns of the 5-forces analysis of the Global AI In Telecommunication market? • What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors? • What are the different prospects and threats faced by the dealers in the Global AI In Telecommunication market? Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter-wise sections or region-wise report versions like North America, LATAM, Europe, Japan, Australia or Southeast Asia. Nidhi Bhawsar (PR & Marketing Manager) HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited Phone: +15075562445 sales@htfmarketreport.com About Author: HTF Market Intelligence Consulting is uniquely positioned to empower and inspire with research and consulting services to empower businesses with growth strategies. We offer services with extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events, and experience that assist in decision-making. This release was published on openPR.

BERLIN (AP) — Harry Kane scored a hat trick including two penalties for Bayern Munich to beat Augsburg 3-0 in the Bundesliga on Friday. The win stretched Bayern’s lead to eight points ahead of the rest of the 11th round, and Kane took his goals tally to a league-leading 14. The England forward is the fastest player to reach 50 goals in the Bundesliga in what was his 43rd game. However, coach Vincent Kompany should be concerned by his team’s ongoing difficulty of scoring in matches it dominates. Bayern previously defeated St. Pauli and Benfica only 1-0. Kompany’s team had to wait until stoppage time before Kane sealed the result with his second penalty. Two minutes later, Kane scored with a header after controlling Leon Goretzka’s cross with his first touch for a flattering scoreline. “We had to be patient,” Kane said. “And at halftime that’s what we said, to keep doing what we’re doing. We had a few chances in the first half and we just had to be a bit more clinical and obviously, thankfully, we got the penalty to kind of open the game up.” Mads Pedersen was penalized for handball following a VAR review and Kane duly broke the deadlock in the 63rd. Bayern continued as before with 80% possession, but had to wait for Keven Schlotterbeck to be penalized through VAR for a foul on Kane. Kane sealed the result in the third minute of stoppage time and there was still time for him to grab another. It’s Bayern’s seventh consecutive win without conceding a goal since it conceded four at Barcelona (4-1) on Oct. 23 in the Champions League. “You can see now that we have a solid defense and that’s the basis, also in games like today’s,” Bayern midfielder Joshua Kimmich said. “When it’s a game of patience, then it’s important for us to know that sometimes one goal will have to do. Like today we added two more before the finish, but in the end you only need to score one more than the opponent.” Bayern next hosts Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday, then Borussia Dortmund away in the Bundesliga next weekend, before defending champion Bayer Leverkusen visits in the third round of the German Cup. ___ AP soccer:

Man arraigned on murder charges in NYC subway death fanned flames with a shirt, prosecutors sayPINE BLUFF, Ark. (AP) — Dennis Asoro scored 16 points as Arkansas-Pine Bluff beat Ecclesia 120-61 on Tuesday. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * PINE BLUFF, Ark. (AP) — Dennis Asoro scored 16 points as Arkansas-Pine Bluff beat Ecclesia 120-61 on Tuesday. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? PINE BLUFF, Ark. (AP) — Dennis Asoro scored 16 points as Arkansas-Pine Bluff beat Ecclesia 120-61 on Tuesday. Asoro shot 8 of 9 from the field for the Golden Lions (3-10). Kyle Brown added 15 points while going 6 of 7 and 3 of 4 from the free-throw line while they also had six rebounds. Zach Reinhart shot 5 for 7 from beyond the arc to finish with 15 points. Justin Reaves led the way for the Royals with 26 points, six rebounds and two steals. Quintus McNeal added 13 points and five assists, and Ahmad Raymond had 12 points and four assists. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. Advertisement

Article content Alex Ovechkin has a broken left fibula and is expected to be out four to six weeks, an injury that pauses the Washington Capitals superstar captain’s pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career goals record. The Capitals updated Ovechkin’s status Thursday after he was evaluated by team doctors upon returning from a three-game trip. The 39-year-old broke the leg in a shin-on-shin collision Monday night with Utah’s Jack McBain, and some of his closest teammates knew it was not good news even before Ovechkin was listed as week to week and placed on injured reserve. “Everyone’s bummed out,” said winger Tom Wilson, who has played with Ovechkin since 2013. “We were sitting there saying: ‘This is weird. Like, it’s unbelievable that he’s actually hurt.’ It’s one of those things where like, he’s going to miss games? I’ve been around a long time, and it’s new to me.” Ovechkin in his first 19 seasons missed 59 games — and just 35 because of injury. Durability even while throwing his body around with his physical style is a big reason he is on track to pass Gretzky’s mark of 894 goals that once looked unapproachable. “He doesn’t go out there and just coast around,” Wilson said. “He’s played 20 years every shift running over guys and skating. He’s a power forward, the best goal-scorer ever maybe, and he’s a power forward that plays the game really hard.” Ovechkin surged to the top of the league with 15 goals in his first 18 games this season. He was on pace to break the record and score No. 895 sometime in February. “You know when goal-scorers start scoring, it’s dangerous,” said defenceman John Carlson, who has been teammates with Ovechkin since 2009-10. “There was a bit of that in the downs that everyone was feeling about it too, of course. We see him coming to the rink every day, we know what’s at stake. You never want anyone to get injured, but there’s a lot to it and certainly he was playing his best hockey in years.”

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Petition urges food allergy measures in California after Disney influencer’s deathNorth Carolina retaining its status as the nation's most prominent ticket-splitting state was the top political story for 2024 as determined by the Winston-Salem Journal. Voters supported putting Republican Donald Trump back in the White House, while delivering an overwhelming win for Democrat Attorney General Josh Stein over embattled Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson in the governor's race. North Carolinians also rejected Trump's MAGA acolytes for lieutenant governor, attorney general and state superintendent of Public Instruction. Speaking of Robinson, his GOP primary win over state Treasurer and Winston-Salem native Dale Folwell was the runner-up story. Third on the list was the national speculation that Gov. Roy Cooper could become Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate before removing his name from consideration. Fourth was the Republican supermajorities' successful override votes of 10 Cooper vetoes during the 2024 session, as well as the potential ending of the House supermajority in the 2025 session. Rounding out the top-five is the so-called "power grab" attempt by Republican legislative leaders of certain authorities of the Democratic-elect governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and state superintendent of Public Instructions. Both Trump and a Democratic governor candidate won North Carolina for the third consecutive general election. Trump carried North Carolina by a 50.95% to 47.56% margin over Harris. Trump received 2.87 million votes. Meanwhile, Stein defeated Robinson by 3.03 million to 2.22 million votes, or 54.8% to 40.1%. Stein not only was the largest vote-getter in the statewide races, but received 160,496 more votes than Trump. There were minimal, if any, Trump coattails for the other Republican MAGA acolytes running for lieutenant governor (Hal Weatherman), attorney general (U.S. Rep. Dan Bishop) and superintendent of Public Instruction (Michele Morrow). They were defeated by Lt. Gov.-elect Rachel Hunt, Attorney General-elect Jeff Jackson and superintendent-elect Maurice “Mo” Green, the former Guilford County Schools superintendent. Bishop and Morrow both drew about 180,000 fewer votes than Trump, while Weatherman was about 230,000 votes shy of Trump. What is different about the 2024 statewide races is that “voters generally cast party-line votes and aligned their Council of State votes with their presidential preference," said John Dinan, a Wake Forest University political science professor who is considered a national expert on state legislatures. “But in cases where one party’s candidate was able to portray the other party’s candidate as outside the mainstream, especially in open-seat races, this led some voters to engage in ticket-splitting." Folwell built his governor's campaign in March 2023 on the pillars of being the top statewide race vote-getter in 2016 and 2020, and that he offered stability, experience and maturity as “the best governor that money can’t buy.” Folwell did not hold back his questioning of Robinson’s qualifications to be governor given Robinson’s statements about racism, gender identity and women’s role in society. Yet, once Trump full-throatedly endorsed Robinson, calling him “Martin Luther King on steroids," that was enough to push Robinson to a decisive win over Folwell and Bill Graham. Among the criticisms of Folwell’s candidacy was that he was too prickly, too boring and didn’t display the same fiery campaign rhetoric as Robinson. Trump, however, chose to ostracize Robinson from his presidential campaign following the controversial Sept. 19 CNN report, as well as several Southeast Republican governors withdrawing their support. The CNN report included that Robinson wrote that he was a “Black Nazi” and that he not only supported a return of slavery but that he also wanted to own slaves. The story also said Robinson wrote that he liked to watch transgender porn. The comments were made on the porn website Nude Africa between 2008 and 2012. Robinson has denied making the comments and has filed a lawsuit against CNN. Folwell pulled no punches in the aftermath of the bombshell CNN report, calling Robinson a “counterfeit conservative” and “always playing the victim.” “In the end, North Carolina voters decided they wanted a government that would be more moderate because that is how North Carolinians see themselves," said Zagros Madjd-Sadjadi, an economics professor at Winston-Salem State University. Saying “It’s not the right time for North Carolina or for me to be on a national ticket,” Cooper pulled on July 30 his name from consideration as a vice presidential candidate for Harris . Being a popular two-term Democratic governor in a center-right Southern state was viewed by political analysts as a viable ticket-balancing option as Democrats attempting to shift N.C. back into the win column. CNN reported that Cooper, at 67, was the oldest potential vice president under consideration. “After all, only one person can be chosen for the vice president nominee, and there are at least a handful of strong candidates who come from swing states and who would provide some ideological balance to the ticket in the way that Cooper would have done," Dinan said. Another factor: Political analysts cited Robinson as being a potential deterrent for Cooper pursuing the vice president nominee. Robinson could potentially have issued executive orders as acting governor while Cooper was campaigning out of the state. As Cooper bowed out of VP consideration, speculation continued to swirl that Cooper is at the top of the list for Democratic challengers for two-term Republican U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis in 2026. John Quinterno, principal with South by North Strategies Ltd. of Chapel Hill, said that given Cooper’s accomplishments as governor and his long career in public service, he “would be a strong candidate” to take on Tillis. Stein will enter office Jan. 1 with a viable, but razor-thin, veto power since House Democrats were successful in gaining a 49th seat, thus breaking the Republican super-majority after two years. A super-majority exists when Democrats or Republicans control two-thirds of a chamber's seats. Since Republican legislators regained supermajority status in April 2023 after Mecklenburg County Rep. Tricia Cotham switched from Democrat, they overrode 29 Cooper vetoes during the 2023 and 2024 sessions. Stein said that in the governor's race, North Carolinians "chose hope over hate, competence over chaos, decency over division.” Although Stein registered “a clear win,” John Locke Foundation senior political analyst Mitch Kokai cautioned that "he ought to be careful not to view that victory as an overwhelming mandate for his policy prescriptions." Meanwhile, Rep. Cecil Brockman, D-Guilford, continues to embrace his role as a potential supporter of certain GOP legislation, telling the News & Record that "you need me. I don't need you ." That's even though four other eastern N.C. House Democrats have been identified as potentially playing the same flipping role. The Republican-controlled legislature completed Dec. 11 the passing of controversial Senate Bill 382 that curtails or ends certain authorities of four Democratic Council of State seats, as well as making the State Highway Patrol commander post a non-elected Cabinet position appointed by the legislature. The N.C. House overrode Cooper’s veto by a 72-46 vote along party lines on Dec. 11. Cooper vetoed the bill Nov. 26, calling it “a sham” and a “cruel blow.” Cooper and Stein needed just a day to file on Dec. 12 a lawsuit in Wake County Superior Court challenging the constitutionality of SB382 with the foremost focus on the SHP commander legislation. SB382 also moves the State Board of Elections to the State Auditor’s Office, prevents the attorney general from undermining state law, and allows the state Treasurer to appoint a member to the Utilities Commission. SB382 appropriates an additional $227 million in Hurricane Helene disaster relief funding, but doesn’t immediately disperse it. "The people of western North Carolina are desperate for help from their state government. Yet, this bill is a power grab, not hurricane relief,” Stein said in a statement. Rep. Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, and House speaker for the 2025-26 sessions, said the disaster relief funding in SB382 “has been framed incorrectly" and “this body is entirely committed to helping folks in this state with storm relief." The Republican supermajorities overrode a Cooper veto to make school vouchers to private and religious schools available to all parents no matter their household income , as well as enforcing that urban Democratic sheriffs cooperate with federal ICE agents. About $460 million is now available for the state’s Opportunity Scholarship program for the 2024-25 school year. Funding for the waitlist is retroactive, with eligible families qualifying for a tuition reimbursement from their schools. There are more than 72,000 voucher applications for this school year, but only about 16,000 students were approved before the money ran out. Sen. Michael Lee, R-New Hanover, said there have been 27,256 applicants in Tier 1, which includes the lowest-income household, as well as 13,060 in Tier 2, 25,750 in Tier 3 and 12,228 in Tier 4, which Lee said half of which come from Mecklenburg and Wake counties. All North Carolina sheriffs began Dec. 1 being required to cooperate with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers for offenses committed on or after that date. Several metro sheriffs — including Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough of Forsyth County and Sheriff Danny Rogers of Guilford County — have limited their cooperation. “No longer will sheriffs in our most populated counties get away with ignoring federal immigration detainers issued by ICE," according to a joint statement from Republican Senate Judiciary Committee chairmen Danny Britt Jr. of Robeson County, Warren Daniel of Burke County and Buck Newton of Wilson County. "With House Bill 10 finally becoming law, and the Trump administration taking over in Washington, we’re on the path toward a stronger border and safer United States.” Another potential casualty within SB382 is the loss of the Forsyth County Superior Court 31-D seat , held by Democrat Todd Burke. The seat would be eliminated in 2029, along with a seat in Wake County also held by a Democrat. In their place, the legislature would create two Superior Court seats, one appointed by the Senate leader and the other by the House speaker. Both judges would serve an eight-year term. Their districts would be identified when the nominees are submitted for appointment. Rep. Robert Reives, D-Chatham, and House minority leader, said Burke’s seat is being eliminated because he took legal stances opposed by Republican legislative leadership and not because of the quality of his overall work or the lack of need for the seat. A primary example came in 2017 when Burke was part of a three-judge panel that ruled it was unconstitutional for the Republican supermajority at that time to revamp the state elections board and ethics commission weeks before Cooper was sworn in to his first term as governor. Sen. Dan Blue, D-Wake, and Senate minority leader, called part of the intent of SB328 to allow Republican legislative leaders to be able to turn to favorable Superior Court judges that they appoint, rather than go before judges that may hold them accountable to the constitutionality of their actions. Yet another successful GOP veto override in House Bill 237 loosened campaign-financing laws and significantly restricted public mask wearing for health and safety reasons. The insertion of state campaign finance law changes into HB237 has been pitched as either leveling the playing field on corporate and union donations, or opening another floodgate for out-of-state dark money into high-profile 2024 election races. HB237 became law amid predictions that the Stein-Robinson governor's race would be among the costliest in the country. “This legislation creates a gaping loophole for secret, unlimited campaign money in the middle of an election year,” Cooper said in a statement. “The legislation also removes protections and threatens criminal charges for people who want to protect their health by wearing a mask." Rep. Sarah Crawford, D-Wake, said the number of North Carolinians affected by the masking part of HB237 could reach 2 million when counting immunocompromised individuals, those that assist them, and workers who require masking to perform their jobs outdoors. A compromise reached between House and Senate Republican leadership narrowly defined exemptions as allowing individuals ages 16 and older to wear a medical or surgical grade mask for the purpose of preventing the spread of contagious disease — with the condition of removing it upon request by law enforcement. “Bad actors have been using masks to conceal their identity when they commit crimes and intimidate the innocent,” said Sen. Danny Britt, R-Scotland, and Senate sponsor of HB237. “Instead of helping put an end to this threatening behavior, the governor wants to continue encouraging these thugs by giving them more time to hide from the consequences of their actions." The Triad will be represented by two new-blood Republican U.S. House candidates in newcomers Pat Harrigan and Addison McDowell . Both cruised to comfortable victories in their respective 10th and 6th district races considering they were all but ordained once they won their primaries in March given their districts were gerrymandered into safe Republican seats during the 2023 redrawing of the state’s congressional map. The redrawn map produced what political analysts had projected: a shift from North Carolina’s 14 congressional seats being split at 7-7 to a 10-4 Republican majority. Their victories were pivotal to U.S. House Republicans holding on to bare majority of seats for the 2025-26 sessions. Democratic-leaning Winston-Salem is in the new 10th, along with Republican-leaning western Forsyth County suburbs and solidly conservative counties Catawba, Iredell, Lincoln and Yadkin. The 6th District is the most Triad-centric of the four U.S. House districts in the region. The new map includes Kernersville, Walkertown and the southern Forsyth border — all Republican strongholds. In Guilford County, the 6th District portion forms a loop shaped like a backward C around the county’s suburban communities and High Point. Also included are all of Davidson, Davie and Rowan counties, and about 20% of Cabarrus County. A bipartisan and controversial N.C. Senate medical marijuana bill cleared the chamber in June for the second time during the 2023-24 sessions. However, Republican House leadership quickly shelved the revamped House Bill 563 without receiving a committee hearing. Outgoing House speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, told legislative media outlets that for a medical marijuana bill to clear the House, there would need to be “reasonable controls,” and a balance to have enough distributors to prescribe and avoid a monopoly. Still, a block of House Republicans has opposed any medical marijuana language out of concern that it could serve as a gateway to legalized recreational marijuana use. They also claim that medical research isn’t definitive that it benefits users. The bill also contains language that would: place Tianeptine, Xylazine and Kratom on the state’s controlled substance schedules; create criminal penalties for criminal possession and unlawful sale of embalming fluid; and create penalties for exposing a minor to a controlled substance. HB563 would permit the use of medical marijuana — prescribed only by licensed physician — for individuals with ALS, cancer, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder and other ailments, but not for those experiencing chronic pain. Importantly, the bill does not allow recreational marijuana usage or the marketing of medical marijuana to anyone under age 21. rcraver@wsjournal.com 336-727-7376 @rcraverWSJ Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

Hull Vane Celebrates 10 Years of Innovation and Sustainability in Maritime ShippingAP News Summary at 4:42 p.m. ESTThe Tennessee Titans will turn to Mason Rudolph as their starter at quarterback for a second consecutive week, despite a three-interception performance in a loss Sunday to the Indianapolis Colts. Titans head coach Brian Callahan announced the decision Tuesday after calling his starting quarterback situation a week-to-week proposition moving forward for his 3-12 team. Rudolph, who was inserted as starter Sunday in place of a struggling Will Levis, was 23-of-34 passing for 252 yards and two touchdowns, but the turnovers proved costly in a 38-30 loss at Indianapolis. Rudolph, who made three starts for an injured Levis earlier this season, has completed 63.8 percent of his passes this season in 188 attempts for 1,267 yards, eight TDs and eight interceptions. Callahan yanked Levis in the third quarter of a 37-27 loss to the visiting Cincinnati Bengals in Week 15. Levis threw for just 89 yards and three interceptions, including a pick returned for a touchdown. He also lost a fumble. Rudolph came on to complete 21 of 26 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns -- one on the final play of the game -- and an interception. Levis has thrown for 1,916 yards with 12 TDs and 12 INTs this season. He is 5-15 as a starter in his first two seasons in the NFL after he was a second-round draft pick in 2023 out of Kentucky. --Field Level MediaRaymond W. Will, a mechanical engineer and former general foreman of Bethlehem Steel Corp.’s Rod and Wire Mill at its Sparrows Point works, died Nov. 17 from cancer at Senator Bob Hooper Hospice House in Forest Hill. The Cedarcroft resident was 95. Raymond William Will, son of William Will, a Commercial Credit Corp. auditor, and Marie Johanna Kleindienst, who managed the family home, was born and raised in Teaneck, New Jersey. While a student at Teaneck High School, where he played varsity baseball, he also met and fell in love with a fellow student, Cynthia Maud McPherson, whom he married in 1951. After graduating from high school in 1947, he earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 1951 from Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey. Mr. Will was immediately recruited by Bethlehem Steel Corp. at Sparrows Point after graduating from Stevens and moved to Baltimore. He spent his entire career in the company’s rod and wire mill, of which he eventually became foreman. “He took great pride in his work and would proudly share stories of producing the wire for a number of projects such as the cables used in the Delaware Memorial Bridge,” according to a family biographical profile. He retired in 1989. A deeply religious man, he and his wife were active congregants of Immanuel Lutheran Church in the city’s Ramblewood neighborhood. A member for 73 years, Mr. Will had served as president of the congregation, and he and his wife supported numerous church activities such as the annual sour beef dinner and candy-making program. “In addition to providing a strong religious foundation for his seven children, Raymond encouraged a strong work ethic, valuing family and finding one’s own path in life,” according to his biography. Related Articles “He had an amazing memory,” said a daughter, Suzanne Gaudin of Annapolis. Mr. Will enjoyed sailing aboard his boat, the SeaHawk, and visiting beaches. His favorite beach destinations were West Dennis Beach on Cape Cod, Avon, North Carolina, on the Outer Banks, Assateague Island and Cozumel, Mexico, family members said. “Always a family man, he loved baseball, sailing, cocktails at 5 p.m., his Manhattans always had seven ice cubes, reading history books, building and fixing anything,” his daughter wrote in an email. “He was a special dad with a mischievous side to him, and we loved hearing about his childhood antics.” His wife of 65 years, who managed the family home, died in 2016. Funeral services were held Thursday at his church. In addition to his daughter, Mr. Will is survived by three sons, Douglas Will, of Bel Air, Bruce Will, of Forest Hill, and Jefferson Will, of Lutherville; another daughter, Jennifer Ward of Destin, Florida; 21 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by two sons, Gary R. Will, who died in 2017, and Bradley W. Will, who died earlier this year.