Wirtz keeps Leverkusen unbeaten in Bundesliga with 1-1 draw at high-flying Stuttgart

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:37:04 GMT

Wirtz keeps Leverkusen unbeaten in Bundesliga with 1-1 draw at high-flying Stuttgart BERLIN (AP) — Florian Wirtz scored to prevent Bayer Leverkusen falling to its first Bundesliga defeat of the season by securing a 1-1 draw at high-flying Stuttgart on Sunday.Leverkusen stretched its lead over Bayern Munich to four points, though the 11-time defending champion has a game in hand after its game with Union Berlin was called off last weekend because of heavy snowfall.The unexpected break did Bayern little good as it slumped to a 5-1 loss at Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday to leave Leverkusen the only unbeaten team remaining.Both Leverkusen and Stuttgart started with the focus on attack but both missed good chances. The best came after 25 minutes when Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface shot straight at Stuttgart goalkeeper Alexander Nübel before Serhou Guirassy failed to beat Lukas Hradecky in a one-on-one at the other end.Stuttgart’s Josha Vagnoman crossed for Chris Führich to finally break the deadlock in the 40th minute.Stuttgart finished the first half with 18 shots at goa...

Toys, canned goods airlifted to veterans and their families across Colorado

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:37:04 GMT

Toys, canned goods airlifted to veterans and their families across Colorado DENVER (KDVR) -- Veterans and their families located in rural parts of Colorado will soon receive toys and nonperishable food items via airlift, just in time for the holidays.The items will be given as part of the 13th annual VFW Charity Airlift. The donations are collected by Colorado's Veterans of Foreign Wars based on needs at local posts. The Colorado Aviation Business Association (CABA) coordinates the airlift logistics and the Metropolitan State University of Denver's Precision and Aerobatics flight team donates their time and expenses to fly the supplies to the families in need. 49 students gifted $200 gift cards in Littleton's 'Shop with a Cop' event One of those student pilots is Morgan Katnick, this is his second time participating in the event. "It's super rewarding, super gratifying. It just feels great seeing all these veterans come out to the aircraft, huge smiles on their faces," said Morgan Katnik with MSU's Aerobatics Team. With small aircraft weight and balanc...

Chicago Bears vs. Detroit Lions: Everything you need to know about the Week 14 game before kickoff

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:37:04 GMT

Chicago Bears vs. Detroit Lions: Everything you need to know about the Week 14 game before kickoff The 4-8 Chicago Bears will play the 9-3 Detroit Lions at Soldier Field in a Week 14 matchup. Here’s what you need to know before kickoff (noon, FOX).5 things to watch in the Bears-Lions game — plus our Week 14 predictionsJustin Fields ‘focused on what I can control’ with Bears futureJustin Fields didn’t feel the need to debate whether the speculation about his Bears future is fair.He has been around Chicago long enough to know the noise comes with the territory, even as it heads toward a fever pitch this month. With five games to play in the NFL season, the Bears have major decisions ahead, and many involve the quarterback position as Fields nears the end of his third season. Read the full story here.Start over? Stay the course? Bears GM Ryan Poles is nearing a series of landmark decisions.NFL evaluators praise J.J. McCarthy’s ‘unbelievable mind.’ Would the Bears target the Michigan QB and local product?Will the Bears draft a QB in 202...

Skiing Santas hit the slopes in Maine

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:37:04 GMT

Skiing Santas hit the slopes in Maine NEWRY, Maine (AP) — Ho ho ho, away they go — Santa’s helpers took the day off on Sunday with a few hundred of the jolly ol’ elves hitting the slopes.With beards and stocking caps flapping, some 300 red-suited Santas were lively and quick at the foggy Sunday River ski resort in western Maine as they took a break from the holiday hustle and bustle.The annual event has been held for more than 20 years, except for once during the pandemic. The skiing Santas participate in full Kringle garb, including, of course, a white beard and red hat.The event’s rules specifically state the hat must bear a white pompom.The annual event serves as a festive kickoff to both the holiday season and the skiing season. It raises money for The River Fund Maine, an education charity. This year’s event raised $8,000, Sunday River representatives said.“Each year, the kindness of Santa Sunday participants contributes to creating impactful educational opportunities for our local stu...

UN agency warns of Afghans dying in harsh winter if there’s no proper shelter after leaving Pakistan

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:37:04 GMT

UN agency warns of Afghans dying in harsh winter if there’s no proper shelter after leaving Pakistan KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The U.N. refugee agency has warned that Afghans could die in harsh winter conditions if they don’t get adequate shelter once they cross the border from Pakistan. Almost half a million Afghans have left Pakistan since early October, when the Islamabad government announced it would arrest and deport foreigners it said were in the country illegally. The overwhelming majority of them are from neighboring Afghanistan, though Islamabad insists the policy doesn’t target a specific nationality. The forced returns are piling pressure on Afghanistan and aid agencies, which are providing the bulk of essential services like health care. Freezing temperatures are setting in and conditions at the border remain dire.“Many Afghan returnees are vulnerable, including women and children, who could lose their lives in a harsh winter if left without adequate shelter,” the U.N. refugee agency said in a report published Friday. “People arriving at the border are exhausted and req...

Catholic priest in small Nebraska community dies after being attacked in church

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:37:04 GMT

Catholic priest in small Nebraska community dies after being attacked in church OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A Catholic priest in a small Nebraska community died Sunday after being attacked in a church rectory, authorities said. The Rev. Stephen Gutgsell was assaulted “during an invasion at the rectory” of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Fort Calhoun, Nebraska, the Archdiocese of Omaha said in a Sunday statement.Gutgsell was taken to an Omaha hospital where he died from his injuries, church officials said. Fort Calhoun, with a population of about 1,000 people, is roughly 20 miles (32 kilometers) north of Omaha.Police received a 911 call of an attempted break-in at the church just after 5 a.m. When officers arrived, they found Gutgsell injured and an alleged attacker inside. Authorities took the suspect into custody, Washington County Sheriff Mike Robinson said in a statement. “This is an ongoing investigation, and the name of the suspect or manner of death will not be released,” Robinson said. The Associated Press

No STEM major, no problem: How to make a liberal arts degree count

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:37:04 GMT

No STEM major, no problem: How to make a liberal arts degree count (NerdWallet) - Majoring in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) isn’t the only way to land a job that makes college worth it.A liberal arts degree can pay off, too — but you may need to put in more legwork than a STEM major would.“Going to school and being a liberal arts major in and of itself is not going to give you the same outcomes as focusing on your career preparation in tandem with going through your college experience,” says Joshua Kahn, associate director of research and public policy at the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).If you want to major in English, history, sociology or another nontechnical field, here are some expert-approved tips to help make your liberal arts degree pay off.Do your research before choosing a programBefore deciding on a college or specific degree program, research your post-diploma employment and salary prospects.“Check out the schools that have really good internship rates for liberal arts majors,” Kahn say...

These Texas cities have the highest teacher incomes in US: analysis

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:37:04 GMT

These Texas cities have the highest teacher incomes in US: analysis (NEXSTAR) -- Many teachers across the U.S. continue to face low wages, but in some metropolitan areas, an educator’s salary can stretch farther than in others.The projected average national salary for public school teachers for the 2022-23 school year is $68,469, according to the National Education Association (NEA), the largest teachers’ union in the country. When adjusted for inflation, the average has declined by 6.4% over the past decade, the NEA said in its annual Rankings and Estimates report. The most and least lucrative college majors in Texas In McAllen, educators have the highest purchasing power compared to teachers in other cities, based on data analyzed by the personal finance firm MoneyGeek.The average annual salary in the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission metro area is $73,153 – but after accounting for taxes and the cost of living, the adjusted take-home pay comes to $68,271. Again, that’s still higher than elsewhere in the country, according to MoneyGeek's report, which ra...

Business People: General Mills announces key executive changes

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:37:04 GMT

Business People: General Mills announces key executive changes OF NOTEGeneral Mills, Golden Valley, announced the following senior leadership changes, effective Jan. 1: Jon Nudi appointed group president, Pet and International; Ricardo Fernandez, promoted to segment president, International; Dana McNabb promoted to group president, North America Retail; Bethany Quam appointed president, U.S. Morning Foods; Kofi Bruce, chief financial officer, will oversee strategy and growth on an interim basis. The company also announced the pending retirement of Group President, International Sean Walker, effective Feb. 28.ADVERTISING/PUBLIC RELATIONSMax Allers, creative director at Max Marketing Communications, St. Paul, announced that he has received a14th national GDUSA American Graphic Design Award.ARCHITECTURE/ENGINEERINGSambatek, a Minnetonka-based multistate transportation- and land use-focused engineering firm, announced the addition of Josh Maus as a transportation client service manager. Maus previously was a traffic engineering principal at SRF Con...

NYS Cannabis Expo shows how the industry is evolving

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:37:04 GMT

NYS Cannabis Expo shows how the industry is evolving ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) - On Sunday, the NYS Cannabis Expo, Conference, and Career Fair was green and full of cannabis enthusiasts at Empire State Plaza. Co-creator Devon Brott says they are excited to see the event continue to grow. Get the latest news, weather, sports and more delivered right to your inbox! “That’s what we’ve been looking forward to,” Brott said. “That growth, getting everybody together, and trying to get as much of this going as possible.”Farmers, retailers, and licensing agencies were all in attendance to help current and future cannabis business leaders learn more about the industry. Caleb Blue and Jacob Cornell attended as vendors for Bankers Life and as individuals curious to see how the industry evolves.“I like stuff like this,” Blue said. “I like networking, so this is a good opportunity to grow my business and help people.”“It’s a lot slower than what we anticipated. I think it’s a lot slower than what people want,” Cornell said. “But now that it’s coming ...