Pelé brought renown to Santos, Brazilian port city and team

Top News: US & International Top News Stories Today | AP News 

Giant banners that read in Portuguese: “Long live King Pele, 82 years”, are displayed in the stands of the Vila Belmiro stadium, home of the Santos soccer club, where Pele’s funeral will take place, in Santos, Brazil, Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022. Pele, who played most of his career with Santos, died in Sao Paulo on Thursday at the age of 82. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

SANTOS, Brazil (AP) — Pelé. Santos, Brazil.

Over decades, adoring fans around the world mailed thousands of letters, postcards and packages to the sports legend without his address or full name.

Almost without fail, they reached the office of Edson Arantes do Nascimento in the port city he made famous.

Santos was founded by the Portuguese in January 1546. It hosts Latin America’s biggest port, which feeds the Sao Paulo area and exports the country’s agricultural commodities to the planet.

Only after a 15-year-old sensation started scoring goals for the city’s team did Santos, a city of about 430,000 residents today, become a household name. The Brazilian great, who died Thursday at 82 after fighting cancer, played there from 1956 to 1974.

“There’s a Santos before Pelé and another after him,” said Serginho Chulapa, Brazil’s striker in the 1982 World Cup and a local hero with more than 100 goals for the club. “He put both the city and club on the map. Before him, people came to work at the port and go to the beach.”

Chulapa had four spells at Santos FC as a player, all during the 1980s. Since retirement he has worked at the club in different capacities, some of them alongside Pelé.

“Santos is not in a metropolis like Sao Paulo, we have to work with less money. And Pelé made this club gigantic since he started playing,” Chulapa said. “Santos had its peak with him.”

Hub peek embed (Soccer) – Compressed layout (automatic embed)

Pelé gave Santos two Copa Libertadores titles and two Intercontinental Cup titles against Benfica and AC Milan, as it beat some of the best rivals around the world. The Brazilian great won 26 titles at the club.

Some of Brazil’s top politicians, including President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, have lived in the coastal city. But one of Santos’s main touristic attractions is the Pelé Museum. It lies in the renovated area of the Casaroes do Valongo, close to the city port. It opened in 2014 and hosts tens of thousands of tourists. Many are like Gisela Claudia, 65, who arrived on a cruise ship to spend New Year’s Eve in the city.

“It is my first time in Santos. And I only came in this cruise because my husband wanted to see the city of Pelé,” Claudia said.

“He is lost somewhere in the museum,” she said. “There are other beaches on this trip that are more beautiful than this. But none of them have this history of the greatest player.”

The museum features some of Pelé’s remaining memorabilia: boots, trophies, medals, shirts.

Santos has become a popular destination for New Year’s Eve, specially among residents of Sao Paulo, who grew fond of its clubs, beaches and a few private islands where parties take place. But the local club’s Vila Belmiro stadium, where Pelé’s funeral will take place on Monday, remains one of the city’s main tourist attractions.

The last time Santos consistently filled its arena’s 16,000 seats was between 2009 and 2013, when striker Neymar played there.

Santos FC is also home to other renowned players, most of them coming from its academy long after Pelé had retired. The list includes Rodrygo, Elano, Zé Roberto, Giovanni, Robinho, Diego and Gabriel Barbosa.

Pelé’s death is expected to change many names around Santos. The first is expected to be the port, which will be renamed King Pelé Port, the incoming federal administration has decided.

Architect Maria Tereza Myre Dores, one of Pelé’s closest friends and his neighbor in the final years of his life in the neighboring city of Guaruja, says Santos the club and Santos the city will never be the same.

“He was Santos. He loved the city, loved the club. And he made both better and bigger,” Myre Dores said.

“I still remember the afternoons he spent in his office signing letters and shirts for people everywhere. One by one and sending them back, even those that only came with those three words; Pelé, Santos, Brazil,” the architect said. “Without him, Santos is less Santos.”

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

 

Read More 

Thirteen bison killed in traffic accident near Yellowstone Park



CNN
 — 

Multiple bison died near the western entrance of Yellowstone National Park in Montana on Wednesday after being struck by a semi-truck, according to police.

“Thirteen bison were killed in this traffic accident, with some of the bison needing to be euthanized due to severe injuries,” said the West Yellowstone Police Department in a news release posted to Facebook on Friday.

The accident took place on Highway 191 near mile marker 4. Bison tend to frequent the 191 corridor between town and the Highway 287 junction. During the winter months, they can often be found “near paved roadways and snowmobile trails due to these areas being easier for them to travel,” according to the release.

“This often puts them near or on the highway and in the path of vehicles,” police said. “We deal with wildlife being struck and killed on the roadways in our area on a regular basis due to the abundance of wildlife in our area and our close proximity to Yellowstone National Park. We are always saddened by any of these incidents, particularly when so many animals are lost.”

Police used the incident to remind drivers to “slow down” and take proper precautions based on road and weather conditions.

“Although speed may not necessarily have been a factor in this accident, road conditions at the time would dictate traveling below the posted speed limit,” police said. “Please do not drive faster than you can stop within the distance that your headlights project.”

Officials initially thought multiple vehicles were involved, but after “further and thorough investigation,” police determined that all 13 bison were struck by the semi-truck. An official investigation into the accident is underway, according to the release.

Yellowstone National Park is home to a population of bison that fluctuates from between 2,300 to 5,500 animals, according to the National Park Service. The park is the only place in the United States where bison have continually lived since prehistoric times, says the service. The large mammals were hunted to the brink of extinction by the early 1900s.

The species, named the national mammal in 2016, is now flourishing in Yellowstone National Park after dedicated conservation, breeding, and reintroduction efforts. The Yellowstone bison are managed through a federal-state agreement that seeks to protect the population while also preventing them from spreading a bacterial infection called brucellosis to Montana cattle.

source

'Atmospheric river' dumps heavy rain, snow across California

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A powerful storm brought drenching rain or heavy snowfall to much of California on Saturday, snarling traffic and closing highways as the state prepared to usher in a new year.

In the high Sierra Nevada, as much as 2 feet (0.6 meters) of snow could accumulate into early Sunday. The National Weather Service in Sacramento warned about hazardous driving conditions and posted photos on Twitter showing traffic on snow-covered mountain passes, where vehicles were required to have chains or four-wheel drive.

The so-called atmospheric river storm was pulling in a long and wide plume of moisture from the Pacific Ocean. Flooding and rock slides closed portions of roads across Northern California.

A Sacramento Municipal Utility District online map showed more than 153,000 customers were affected by power outages on Saturday. “SMUD crews are responding to outages across the region during this powerful winter storm,” the utility said in a Twitter message, adding that it was preparing additional resources while working to restore power.

“Too many road closures to count at this point,” the weather agency in Sacramento said in an afternoon tweet. Sacramento County urged residents in the unincorporated community of Wilton to evacuate, warning that flooded roadways could “cut off access to leave the area.”

Rainfall in downtown San Francisco on Saturday topped 5 inches (12.7 centimeters) at midafternoon, making it the second-wettest day on record, behind a November 1994 deluge. With rain continuing to fall, it could threaten the nearly three-decade old record.

The California Highway Patrol said a section of U.S. 101 — one of the state’s main traffic arteries — was closed indefinitely south of San Francisco because of flooding. Videos on Twitter showed mud-colored water streaming along San Francisco streets, and a staircase in Oakland turned into a veritable waterfall by heavy rains.

Weather service meteorologist Courtney Carpenter said the storm could drop over an inch of rain in the Sacramento area before moving south. One ski resort south of Lake Tahoe closed chair lifts because of flooding and operational problems, and posted a photo on Twitter showing one lift tower and its empty chairs surrounded by water.

“We’re seeing a lot of flooding,” Carpenter said.

The Sacramento agency released a map of 24-hour precipitation through Saturday morning, showing a wide range of totals in the region, from less than an inch (2.54 centimeters) in some areas to more than 5 inches (12.7 centimeters) in the Sierra foothills.

The Mammoth Mountain Ski Area reported numerous lift closings, citing high winds, low visibility and ice.

The Stockton Police Department posted photos of a flooded railroad underpass and a car that appeared stalled in more than a foot (30 centimeters) of water.

The rain was welcomed in drought-parched California, but much more precipitation is needed to make a significant difference. The past three years have been California’s driest on record.

A winter storm warning was in effect into Sunday for the upper elevations of the Sierra from south of Yosemite National Park to north of Lake Tahoe, where as much as 5 feet (1.5 meters) of snow is possible atop the mountains, the National Weather Service said in Reno, Nevada.

A flood watch was in effect across much of Northern California through New Year’s Eve. Officials warned that rivers and streams could overflow and urged residents to get sandbags ready.

Some rainfall totals in the San Francisco Bay Area topped 4 inches (10 centimeters).

The state transportation agency reported numerous road closures, including Highway 70 east of Chico, which was partially closed by a slide, and the northbound side of Highway 49, east of Sacramento, which was closed because of flooding. In El Dorado County, east of Sacramento, a stretch of Highway 50 was closed because of flooding.

Humboldt County, where a 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck on Dec. 20, also saw roadways begin to flood, according to the National Weather Service’s Eureka office. A bridge that was temporarily closed last week due to earthquake damage may be closed again if the Eel River, which it crosses, gets too high, officials said.

It was the first of several storms expected to roll across California over the next week. The current system is expected to be warmer and wetter, while next week’s storms will be colder, said Hannah Chandler-Cooley, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Sacramento.

The Sacramento region could receive a total of 4 to 5 inches (10 to 13 centimeters) of rain over the span of the week, Chandler-Cooley said.

“Strong winds could cause tree damage and lead to power outages and high waves on Lake Tahoe may capsize small vessels,” the weather service in Reno said.

Avalanche warnings were issued in the backcountry around Lake Tahoe and Mammoth Lakes south of Yosemite.

On the Sierra’s eastern front, flood watches and warnings were issued into the weekend north and south of Reno, Nevada, where minor to moderate flooding was forecast along some rivers and streams.

In Southern California, moderate-to-heavy rain was falling Saturday. The region will begin drying out on New Year’s Day, with no rainfall expected during Monday’s Rose Parade in Pasadena.

Another round of heavy showers was forecast for Tuesday or Wednesday, the National Weather Service in Oxnard said.

source

These 4 behaviors will raise 'red flags' on a first date, according to Tinder and Hinge users. Here's how to avoid them

If you’ve been swiping on the dating apps recently, you’ve probably noticed that the bios of your potential matches are littered with the red flag emoji – this year it was one of the most frequently used emoji in Tinder bios, according to the app’s data. 

Some red flags are pretty specific to the person (think: “don’t love dogs!”) but others are commonly held.

And all of them can thwart your attempt at a long-term partnership — something many singles expressed wanting this year — before it even begins.

In 2022, 50% of singles said they would’ve been happier over the last year if they’d been in a relationship. In 2021, 35% had the same response. 

Here are four red flags that might cost you a potential match, according to dating app data.

Getting drunk on a first date

Three-in-four singles don’t want to get drinks on a first date, according to Hinge’s data.

Of those surveyed, 45% said they prefer sober dates because they are prioritizing their mental health and 55% said it helps them get to know the other person better.

What should you do instead? 

Well, 17% of daters on the app would rather meet for coffee. About 11% would rather see a show or go to a museum and 14% would rather go for a walk.

Being ‘too into’ Instagram 

Those who are “too into” Instagram or Snapchat come off as self absorbed, according to Hinge users.

That’s why 74% of said don’t want to date someone who is constantly using social networking apps. 

While on a date, it’s probably best to keep the phone face down. 

Not knowing about politics or social issues 

Being in the know about social and political issues is a huge plus for daters, according to Tinder data. 

A whopping 75% of singles were looking for a match who respected or were invested in social issues. 

And almost half, 47%, of singles said that finding out the person they are dating is a non-voter is a “deal breaker.” 

This doesn’t mean your views have to totally align with those of a potential partner. Only 24% of users said they want to date someone who thinks exactly as they do and 46% said they would date someone who has different political views. 

Bringing up trauma 

source

Ferris wheel at Orlando’s ICON Park loses power, dozens rescued from 400-foot-tall ride

Latest & Breaking News on Fox News 

Dozens of people were rescued from a ride at Orlando’s ICON Park Saturday evening after a power failure, Orange County Fire Rescue reported.

The department said crews responded to reports of a power failure at the Orlando Wheel around 6:20 p.m. There were 20 occupied pods on the Ferris wheel when it lost power, trapping 62 people on the ride. 

Pictures and videos on social media showed a small fire at the base of the ride, which is what caused it to malfunction and lose power.

Orange County Fire Rescue Public Information Officer Ashley Gipson said over 80 firefighters responded to the park. In order to rescue the riders, they had to manually maneuver the wheel to reach each pod.

ORLANDO AMUSEMENT PARK SUSPENDS RIDE WHERE CUSTOMERS SHOOT TARGETS WHILE PERCHED WITH LASER GUNS

At 10:43 p.m., OCFR confirmed on Twitter all pods were clear, and all 62 riders were safe. There were no injuries reported or hospital transports required, Gipson said.

All the department’s rescue climbers on duty responded to the theme park to assist with the evacuations. Additional off-duty climbers also showed up at the park, Orange County Fire Rescue said on Twitter.

ORLANDO FREEFALL: OPERATING GROUP PLANS TO TAKE DOWN RIDE AFTER TEEN’S AMUSEMENT PARK DEATH

According to the theme park’s website, the Orlando Wheel is 400-feet tall, and it takes 18 minutes to complete the ride. It opened in 2015 after three years of construction.

In a statement to Fox 35 Orlando, ICON Park confirmed the Wheel lost power and park officials were working with first responders to evacuate the riders.

In March 2022, ICON Park experienced tragedy when 14-year-old Tyre Sampson fell to his death from the Orlando Freefall, a drop tower ride at the park. Sampson was visiting the city on spring break with another family from St. Louis, Missouri.

The ride was closed immediately after Sampson’s death and was permanently shut down in October.

 

Read More 

 

December 31, 2022 Russia-Ukraine news

Residents and visitors in Kyiv on New Year’s Eve expressed a resolve to celebrate the new year, and also hope that 2023 could bring peace, as Russia’s invasion grinds on.

Anastasia Grimaylo and Daria Zhabinska.
Anastasia Grimaylo and Daria Zhabinska. (Denis Lapin for CNN)

Daria Zhabinska, a 19-year-old student who works for Visit Ukraine, said her wish for 2023 is for Ukraine’s 1991 borders as an independent state to be restored.

“For us to return to the borders of 1991 is the only dream. And I want all my loved ones to be healthy,” she told CNN. 

“We do not have a New Year’s mood like in previous years; in previous years, we had everything decorated and prepared for a month, and we still do not even have a Christmas tree. We are going to look for one now and if we find one, we will have one this year and if not, that’s OK,” she said. 

“All this adrenaline, all this stress, when you read the news or talk to someone, you just want to celebrate this new year,” she added.

Twenty-year-old student Anastasia Grimaylo said she has stocked up on candles as Russian strikes cause repeated power outages across Ukraine.

“We’re ready for anything,” she told CNN.

Yurii Nagotnuk and Dariya Chesnokova.
Yurii Nagotnuk and Dariya Chesnokova. (Denis Lapin for CNN)

Dariya Chesnokova is a schoolteacher, and Yurii Nagotnuk works in the information technology sector. Both are 25 years old and are from the southern city of Kryvyi Rih.

“We came to Kyiv to visit friends, to get a sense of the New Year’s mood. We are also taking presents to our friends,” she said.

Chesnokova said her wish for 2023 is for Ukraine to win the war, “and then we will rebuild everything.”

Natalia Vaganova.
Natalia Vaganova. (Denis Lapin for CNN)

Natalia Vaganova, 27, an employee of a consulting company who lives in Brovary in the Kyiv region, said she will celebrate at home with family.

“We expect victory and peaceful skies from 2023,” she said.  

Olexander Oleksiyenko.
Olexander Oleksiyenko. (Denis Lapin for CNN)

Olexander Oleksiyenko, a 26-year-old who works in IT and lives in Kyiv, said he will not celebrate this New Year’s because his girlfriend is abroad, adding that he plans to “just drink some wine and eat something delicious.”

“In 2023, of course, I don’t expect the war to end, but I would like it very much. I am a realist, and I think the war could last another 2 years. But I would like minimum stability and some peace,” he said.

Alyona Bogulska.
Alyona Bogulska. (Denis Lapin for CNN)

Alyona Bogulska, a 29-year-old financier from Kyiv, said she plans to celebrate the new year with “a glass of champagne and … a sandwich with red caviar.”

“From 2023 I really want to win, and also to have more bright impressions and new emotions. I miss it very much. I also want to travel and open borders. And I also think about personal and professional growth, because one should not stand still. I have to develop and work for the benefit of the country,” she said.  

Tatiana Tkachuk.
Tatiana Tkachuk. (Denis Lapin for CNN)

Tatiana Tkachuk, a 43-year-old pharmacy employee in Kyiv, said her Christmas tree this year symbolizes survival and victory.

“This year we had a family question whether to prepare for (the) new year and whether to put up a Christmas tree. We made up our minds — a Christmas tree should be at home. This year, it’s a symbol, not that it’s a small victory, but a symbol that we survived the year. There were a lot of scary things, but there were some good things, too. … Children are born, it is a good sign,” she said.

“And from the new year we expect only victory. And I know for sure there will be one. It is the desire of all Ukrainians, and if everyone wants something, it will happen,” she said. 

“I want to thank everyone who helps Ukraine. We’ve made a lot of friends. And in order to understand that we have a lot of good things, unfortunately, we had to go through terrible things. But so many people are doing real miracles for Ukraine. In other circumstances, we would never have known that we were capable of it,” she added.

source

EXPLAINER: What’s ahead for Ohio’s unsettled political maps?

Top News: US & International Top News Stories Today | AP News 

FILE – Ohio Elections Chief Frank LaRose, right, talks about his desire for a new, 10-year map of the state’s legislative districts at a meeting of the Ohio Redistricting Commission, Aug. 31, 2021, in Columbus, Ohio, as Rep. Emilia Sykes, of Akron, listens. The election contests of 2022 may have been held and decided, but Ohio’s political maps remain far from settled. What was supposed to be a once-per-decade process for redrawing the state’s U.S. House and Statehouse districts to reflect updated 2020 population figures now promises to extend into 2023, and probably longer. (AP Photo/Andrew Welsh-Huggins, File)

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The election contests of 2022 may have been held and decided, but Ohio’s political maps remain far from settled.

It was supposed to be a once-per-decade process for redrawing the state’s U.S. House and Statehouse districts, in order to reflect updated population figures from the 2020 Census. Now it promises to extend into 2023, and probably longer.

While most U.S. states managed to eventually settle their map disputes, Ohio’s protracted ordeal has trapped it in a uniquely confounding legal stalemate.

Here’s a look at how Ohio got here, and what may (or may not) come next:

___

HOW DID THE NEW MAPMAKING PROCESS WORK?

This was the first time Ohio tried out new ways of drawing congressional and legislative maps.

In 2015, Ohio voters were looking to avoid partisan gerrymandering, and voted overwhelmingly to empower a new, bipartisan Ohio Redistricting Commission to draw Statehouse maps. Those are the districts of the state senators and representatives whom voters send to Columbus.

Under the new rules, if both political parties said yes to the new boundaries, the maps would be in place for a full decade. Single-party support would result in a four-year map.

In 2018, another successful constitutional amendment was also wildly popular with voters. It set up a new system for drawing the state’s U.S. House districts — that is, the districts of the representatives that voters send to Washington.

Hub peek embed (apf-politics) – Compressed layout (automatic embed)

The state Legislature would get the first crack at drawing the lines. If they failed, the commission would be next. If it failed, then the Legislature could try a final time. A three-fifths majority of the minority party — in this case, Democrats — would need to agree to the new map for it to be in place for 10 years. Barring that, again, it would last only four years.

As it turned out, the seeming incentives for bipartisan compromise failed and Democrats didn’t cast a single vote for any of the final maps, which were all Republican-drawn.

___

WHAT POWER DID THE NEW SYSTEM GIVE THE STATE’S HIGH COURT?

Voters gave the Ohio Supreme Court “exclusive, original jurisdiction” to decide legal challenges, which included three lawsuits against the legislative maps and two lawsuits against the congressional map.

In a series of 4-3 votes, the court struck down every map they were sent. The court said the maps unduly benefited one party: Republicans. Those maps included two separate congressional maps — one approved by lawmakers in November 2021 and a second that cleared the redistricting commission in March 2022 — and five sets of Statehouse maps.

___

YET OHIO’S ELECTIONS HAPPENED ANYWAY?

That’s right. Amid the legal clashes of the past year, courts allowed Ohio to go forward with May and August primaries under unconstitutional maps.

This fall, Republicans won 10 of Ohio’s 15 congressional seats under the disputed U.S. House map (although Democrats netted several notable wins ). The disputed Statehouse maps yielded even larger Republican supermajorities.

But the maps aren’t valid beyond this election cycle. They will need to be redrawn.

OK, SO THE MAPS DIDN’T FLY. WERE THERE CONSEQUENCES?

That’s the conundrum. Even as they missed deadlines and flouted court instructions, Republicans argued that they were doing all they could to understand and interpret a fledgling process. The court’s orders were unreasonable and conflicting, they said.

The voting-rights and Democratic groups that won seven consecutive rounds in court argued for lawmakers or commissioners to be held in contempt of court.

Ultimately, the justices balked. Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor told The Associated Press in a year-end interview that she feared taking such action would create a constitutional crisis.

Importantly, the Ohio Supreme Court had no other enforcement options available to it. The new system neither allowed the court to impose a particular map — say, one favored by the suing parties or developed by experts — nor to draw their own.

___

WHERE DO THOSE CASES STAND NOW?

Ohio’s congressional map dispute is now awaiting action in the U.S. Supreme Court, where Republican legislative leaders have appealed for a review of their loss in state court.

The case could be considered in conjunction with the closely watched Moore v. Harper case, whose oral arguments were held in December. That case seeks to resolve whether the U.S. Constitution’s provision giving state legislatures the power to make the rules about the “times, places and manner” of congressional elections means state courts can be cut out of the process.

If Ohio’s appeal is denied, Republican Ohio House Speaker Bob Cupp has said lawmakers will then have 30 days to pass a new congressional map. But the high court’s decision isn’t expected for months.

Meanwhile, Ohio’s legislative maps expired with the November 2022 election — on orders of a federal court. The Ohio Redistricting Commission will have to come back together and make new, constitutionally compliant maps in time for 2024 elections. The state constitution says that process can’t begin before July 1 of this year. Lawsuits challenging Statehouse maps, which ended in a draw this summer, remain open.

___

HAVE OHIO’S POLITICAL DYNAMICS CHANGED?

Yes and no. The Ohio Redistricting Commission — made up of the governor, secretary of state, auditor and four lawmakers — remained 5-2 in Republicans’ favor after the November elections.

Cupp, a key player in the redistricting saga, is retiring, but his successor will also be Republican.

But the Ohio Supreme Court’s political leaning may have changed.

O’Connor, a Republican who was a key swing vote on the court, retired Saturday because of age limits. The ascension of her successor, GOP Justice Sharon Kennedy, left a court vacancy to which Republican Gov. Mike DeWine has appointed Republican Joe Deters, the longtime Hamilton County prosecutor.

Time will tell whether Deters sides with the 7-member court’s other three Republican justices — unlike O’Connor — altering earlier case outcomes.

For her part, O’Connor has announced plans to pursue redistricting reforms in the Ohio Constitution, likely the type of independent commission she wrote about in one of her decisions. Many others are collaborating on similar efforts. The timing of any ballot campaign hasn’t been determined.

 

Read More 

Georgia overcomes 14-point fourth quarter deficit over Ohio State to advance to second-straight title game

Latest & Breaking News on Fox News 

The National Championship for Jan. 9 is set.

No. 1 Georgia will meet No. 3 TCU after taking down No. 4 Ohio State, 42-41, on Saturday night in the Peach Bowl.

Georgia’s repeat hopes are still alive, having defeated Alabama in last season’s title game. Georgia is now 14-0 this season.

Earlier in the day, No. 3 TCU defeated No. 2 Michigan, who also entered the day undefeated, in the largest upset in CFP history.

Georgia was favored to win, but for a long while, it certainly didn’t seem like that was the case.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Georgia was down 14 entering the fourth quarter, but they kicked a field goal early to make it an 11-point deficit. After forcing a three-and-out, Stetson Bennett found Arian Smith on the first play of their next drive for a 76-yard drive. They went for two and got it, making it a 38-35 game with 8:41 to go. The Buckeyes had to settle for a field goal with 2:43 to go, giving a streaking Georgia offense one more chance. Well, they were in the red zone in about a minute. On 2nd and 5 from the Buckeye 10, Stetson found Adonai Mitchell for the 10-yard touchdown, and the ensuing field goal gave Georgia a 42-41 lead with 54 seconds left.

C.J. Stroud had less than a minute to send the Buckeyes to the National Championship after Georgia overcame a 14-point deficit to take a one-point lead – they were in field goal range in about 30 seconds. Noah Ruggles came on for a 50-yard field goal with eight seconds left, but he missed wide left, giving Georgia the victory.

Ohio State got off to a 21-7 lead as they picked off Bennett after going up a touchdown and turning that into another seven points (who else but Marvin Harrison Jr. to score twice in the first half). But after Kendall Minton brought the Bulldogs back to within a touchdown, they forced a three-and-out, and Bennett ran one in to tie the game. The Bulldogs added a field goal with 1:44 to go in the half, but Stroud threw for 75 yards on just four plays in less than a minute to take a 28-24 lead into the locker room.

Georgia got the ball to start the second half but went three-and-out, and OSU took advantage, as Stroud found Emeka Egbuka for a 10-yard touchdown to go up 11. Both teams exchanged punts, but Kearis Jackson returned the Buckeyes’ punt into field goal range. However, Jack Podlesny missed the field goal, and Ohio State took another trip toward the end zone. However, on 3rd and goal, Stroud was looking for Harrison again, but he took a hard hit and had to be tended to by trainers. After a brief stop, the Buckeyes knocked the field goal to go up 38-24, and Harrison never returned to the game.

And then, well, the rest is history.

ROBERT GRIFFIN III LEARNS WIFE IS IN LABOR DURING FIESTA BOWL BROADCAST

The Bulldogs outscored OSU 18-3 in the fourth quarter for the comeback victory.

Bennett completed 23 of his 34 passes for 398 yards and three touchdowns, while 10 Bulldog receivers had at least one catch.

Stroud threw for 348 yards on 23 of 34 passing, while Egbuka and Harrison combined for 218 receiving yards on 13 catches.

Georgia and TCU will face off at SoFi Stadium in Southern California.

 

Read More 

 

MGM Resorts sells land on Las Vegas Strip where 2017 mass shooting took place



CNN
 — 

The land on the Las Vegas Strip where the 2017 Route 91 Harvest Festival mass shooting took place has been sold, the company that owned the land said.

The sale, finalized on Friday, was for land across from The Luxor hotel known as the Village property and does not include a plot of land where a memorial is slated to go, MGM Resorts International said in a letter that was distributed to employees announcing the sale and its details.

“In 2021, we were honored to commit to donating a portion of the land to Clark County to house the permanent memorial honoring the victims and heroes of 1 October,” MGM Resorts CEO & President Bill Hornbuckle said in the letter.

On October 1, 2017, Stephen Paddock shot into a crowd of concertgoers, killing 58 people and injuring more than 500. The FBI has since concluded its investigation of the attack, without finding a clear motive.

Hornbuckle acknowledged that having a permanent memorial “is essential to our community’s healing, and we’ll continue working with and supporting the county as they move forward in the development and construction process.

“We know the importance this location holds to so many and have always put tremendous thought into every consideration involving the site,” Hornbuckle said. “This is no exception.”

The remaining portion of the Village property has been sold to the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation, according to the letter.

“The Three Affiliated Tribes have demonstrated that they care about our community, its future and, of course, its past. I’d like to thank them for their commitment to the community and wish them the best moving forward,” Hornbuckle said. “They will announce their plans for the space on a future date.”

source