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‘It was a weird year’: 2023 on the Hill

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:58:00 GMT

Congress faces major challenges ahead in 2024, after a tumultuous year that included the ouster of the House Speaker, a self-imposed shutdown when Republicans were unable to choose a new leader and one of the most fallow legislative stretches in its history.The 118th Congress is widely considered one of the least productive ever.While the House conducted nearly 750 votes, only 27 became law.Creating more laws is of course not the only measure for assessing the productivity of Congress, but even in recent years of divided government, lawmakers have passed more than 70 bills into law.“It was a weird year,” said U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-VA., summing up a view held by many lawmakers.The critical view is held by Republicans as well as Democrats.“I want my Republican colleagues to give me one thing — one — that I can go campaign on and say we did. One!” thundered Rep. Chip Roy, R-TX., as he vented his frustration on the House floor last month.House Speaker election f...

Leason gets his first 2-goal game in NHL, Drysdale ends goal drought in Ducks’ 5-2 win over Knights

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:58:00 GMT

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Brett Leason scored twice for the first time in his NHL career, Jamie Drysdale put in his first goal in nearly 21 months and the Anaheim Ducks used a four-goal first period to propel them to a 5-2 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday night.“I thought we started strong. As a line and individual we were playing fast, shooting pucks and getting lots of chances,” said Leason, who has six goals and 11 points this season.Frank Vatrano and Troy Terry also had goals for Anaheim, which found the back of the net four times in the opening 12 minutes. It was the 16th time in franchise history they have scored at least four times in the first period and the first since March 16, 2021, against Colorado. Mason McTavish had three assists, Cam Fowler had two and John Gibson stopped 30 shots.Alec Martinez and Mark Stone scored for the Golden Knights, who have dropped four straight. Logan Thompson made 21 saves.“I just don’t think we were ready to play, myself incl...

USC’s Moss throws Holiday Bowl-record 6 TD passes in 42-28 victory over No. 16 Louisville

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:58:00 GMT

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Southern California Trojans bid farewell to the Pac-12 Conference with a six-pack to go and an eggnog bath to toast an otherwise unremarkable season.With Caleb Williams watching from the sideline, Miller Moss threw a Holiday Bowl-record six touchdown passes in his first college start and USC ended a frustrating season by beating No. 16 Louisville 42-28 Wednesday night. Afterward, coach Lincoln Riley had a tub of eggnog poured over his head.Williams, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner who opted out of the game, watched from the sideline with his No. 13 jersey hanging around his neck. He ran onto the field and jumped on Moss in celebration after the redshirt sophomore twice took a knee in victory formation at Petco Park.While Williams and several other Trojans sat out, others, like redshirt senior receiver Tahj Washington, who caught two touchdown passes, showed up to play.“From a leadership standpoint, we had a really strong senior group that wanted to come back and ...

Moscow warns Finland will ‘suffer,’ in latest round of saber rattling

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:58:00 GMT

Finland would be “the first to suffer” if war broke out between NATO and Russia, one of Moscow’s top diplomats said.“Since they are our neighbors, if, God forbid there is some escalation, they will be the first to suffer,” Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna, told Russian state-owned news agency RIA Novosti in an interview published Thursday.Finland joined NATO in April this year, becoming the alliance’s 31st member, in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Finland shares a 1,340-kilometer border with Russia, the longest of any NATO member.Ulyanov also hit out at Finland’s decision to sign a Defense Cooperation Agreement with the U.S. in December, giving American troops access to Finnish bases and allowing the U.S. to store military equipment on Finnish soil.“This is already a serious challenge,” he said.Finland this month temporarily closed its land border with Rus...

Celebrated South Africa playwright Mbongeni Ngema dies in car crash at 68

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:58:00 GMT

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Renowned South African playwright, producer and composer Mbongeni Ngema has died in a car crash at the age of 68, his family said.“Ngema was killed in a head-on car accident while returning from a funeral he was attending in Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape this evening,” his family said in a statement Wednesday. The celebrated playwright was a passenger in the vehicle involved in the crash. He was best known for creating the hit Sarafina! which first premiered on Broadway in 1988. It was adapted into a musical drama starring Whoopi Goldberg in 1992 which became an international success and was nominated for the Tony and Grammy Awards. Sarafina! told the story of a young student and how she inspired her peers to fight against racial segregation in apartheid South Africa after her teacher was thrown in jail. Apartheid was an institutionalized system that discriminated against non-whites and ensured South Africa was ruled by the minority white population from 1948 ti...

Precipitation moves in from the east; periods of chilly rain and breezy Thursday with possible wet snow in N/NW Suburbs

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:58:00 GMT

Easterly upper steering winds on north side of system will sweep moisture westward into Illinois, including the Chicago areaRain should be overspreading the metro area in the 5 to 8 a.m. Thursday. The westward-moving precipitation moves into a colder atmosphere—so it is likely to occur as wet snow over west and northwest sections of the metro area Thursday morning. There may even be some wet snowflakes mixed over sections of the city—but with the best chances of some wet snow from near the Fox Valley and to the west.Southeast-bound weather system could bring some periods of light snow New Years Eve Sunday or Sunday nightWHAT A CHANGE IN THE DECEMBER TEMP TREND THIS YEAR VERSUS LAST YEAR!DECEMBER 2023's opening 27 days will be running 8.5 degrees warmer by the close of today (Wednesday) compared to the same period a year ago. What a difference! We've logged ONLY 2 BELOW NORMAL DAYS in Chicago during the Dec. 1-27 time frame this year versus 14 BELOW NORMAL DAYS in the same period a ...

Single family residence sells for $2.5 million in Danville

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:58:00 GMT

7 Jillian Way – Google Street ViewA 3,314-square-foot house built in 1971 has changed hands. The spacious property located in the first block of Jillian Way in Danville was sold on Dec. 7, 2023, for $2,450,000, or $739 per square foot. This single-story home presents a roomy floor plan, featuring five bedrooms and four baths. The property is equipped with central A/C. In addition, the home is equipped with an attached three-car garage, accommodating vehicles and storage needs efficiently. The property’s backyard is further enhanced by a pool.These nearby houses have also recently been sold:A 3,383-square-foot home on the 100 block of Arends Drive in Danville sold in April 2023, for $2,135,000, a price per square foot of $631. The home has 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms.In July 2022, a 2,791-square-foot home on Tree Creek Place in Danville sold for $2,100,000, a price per square foot of $752. The home has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.On Arency Court, Danville, in November 2022, a 3,348-squ...

Youngblood and South Florida host Alabama State

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:58:00 GMT

Alabama State Hornets (4-7) at South Florida Bulls (6-4)Tampa, Florida; Friday, 7 p.m. ESTBOTTOM LINE: South Florida hosts the Alabama State Hornets after Chris Youngblood scored 23 points in South Florida’s 89-73 victory against the Albany (NY) Great Danes.The Bulls are 5-2 in home games. South Florida is ninth in the AAC with 32.2 points per game in the paint led by Selton Miguel averaging 5.2.The Hornets are 0-6 on the road. Alabama State is the SWAC leader with 24.5 defensive rebounds per game led by D’ante Bass averaging 5.5.South Florida averages 76.9 points per game, 0.8 more points than the 76.1 Alabama State gives up. Alabama State averages 7.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.8 more makes per game than South Florida allows.TOP PERFORMERS: Miguel is scoring 14.3 points per game and averaging 4.1 rebounds for the Bulls. Youngblood is averaging 13.6 points and 2.3 rebounds while shooting 40.6% for South Florida.CJ Hines averages 1.5 made 3-pointers per game...

Poplar and Miami (FL) host North Florida

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:58:00 GMT

North Florida Ospreys (7-7) at Miami Hurricanes (9-2, 1-0 ACC)Coral Gables, Florida; Friday, 6 p.m. ESTBOTTOM LINE: Miami (FL) plays the North Florida Ospreys after Wooga Poplar scored 24 points in Miami (FL)’s 97-59 victory against the Stonehill Skyhawks.The Hurricanes have gone 7-0 at home. Miami (FL) scores 83.7 points and has outscored opponents by 12.6 points per game.The Ospreys are 1-5 on the road. North Florida is sixth in the ASUN scoring 78.4 points per game and is shooting 42.2%.Miami (FL) makes 50.5% of its shots from the field this season, which is 5.3 percentage points higher than North Florida has allowed to its opponents (45.2%). North Florida has shot at a 42.2% rate from the field this season, 0.4 percentage points fewer than the 42.6% shooting opponents of Miami (FL) have averaged.TOP PERFORMERS: Nijel Pack is averaging 12.6 points and 4.2 assists for the Hurricanes. Poplar is averaging 17.1 points and 5.6 rebounds while shooting 53.6% over the past 10 games...

Chatman and Buffalo host Niagara

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:58:00 GMT

Niagara Purple Eagles (3-8, 0-2 MAAC) at Buffalo Bulls (1-10)Buffalo, New York; Friday, 7 p.m. ESTBOTTOM LINE: Buffalo plays the Niagara Purple Eagles after Sy Chatman scored 21 points in Buffalo’s 72-66 loss to the Richmond Spiders.The Bulls have gone 1-4 in home games. Buffalo is seventh in the MAC with 11.9 assists per game led by Shawn Fulcher averaging 2.6.The Purple Eagles are 1-4 on the road. Niagara is 1-6 against opponents over .500.Buffalo averages 67.6 points per game, 8.7 fewer points than the 76.3 Niagara gives up. Niagara’s 46.2% shooting percentage from the field this season is 2.6 percentage points lower than Buffalo has given up to its opponents (48.8%).TOP PERFORMERS: Chatman is shooting 48.9% and averaging 16.7 points for the Bulls. Ryan Sabol is averaging 1.7 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games for Buffalo.Ahmad Henderson II is shooting 41.4% and averaging 13.8 points for the Purple Eagles. Yaw Obeng-Mensah is averaging 10.7 points over the last 10...