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Bowls miss out in 4 CFP teams in latest postseason twistMiddlesex resident loses $45,000 in crypto-currency scam: OPP

128th Common Stock Monthly Dividend Increase Declared by Realty IncomeAdams administration officials pushed back against a bill seeking to license electric bicycles and motorized scooters during a contentious Council hearing on Wednesday, citing its potential to bring more enforcement against delivery workers in pursuit of traffic safety. The bill sponsored by Councilmember Bob Holden and backed by dozens of his colleagues would require e-bikes and other motorized micromobility vehicles not subject to state licensing laws to be licensed and registered on the city level. The bill is a response to a ballooning number of e-bikes and e-scooters in recent years after they were legalized in New York City and state. Holden and his supporters say the proliferation of the vehicles on sidewalks and streets has imperiled the safety of pedestrians and cyclists and argue the bill is a common-sense measure in the interest of public safety. Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said the administration agreed with the bill's logic, but raised concerns about potential unintended consequences. Delivery workers would bear the brunt of enforcement, he argued, echoing advocates' worries. He also warned that a city-level licensing authority for these vehicles would weigh heavily on the agency’s resources — essentially creating a micro DMV in the city's Department of Transportation. “We agree with the intent, but we believe that mandating registration and licensing is not a solution,” Rodriguez said. Holden said it was the city’s responsibility to protect residents against new dangers. “Opponents of this bill have tried to make this about everything but traffic safety,” Holden said. “They deflected, exaggerated and even stirred racial unrest, claiming this bill will lead to unwarranted police stops, as if breaking traffic laws and endangering lives should somehow be excused or ignored.” Rodriguez emphasized that the vast majority of traffic deaths this year involved cars and other large vehicles — 105 pedestrian fatalities, per his agency’s count. By contrast, he said six people died this year as a result of collisions with e-bikes, mopeds and stand-up scooters. Still, city officials are under pressure to act. “This is baloney. You're taking transit and making it a racial issue?” said Councilmember Vickie Paladino. “Absolutely not. This is a safety issue.” Also on the committee’s agenda was a separate resolution from Councilmember Gale Brewer, who is throwing her support behind a state bill that would limit licensing to commercially used e-bikes. The bill's critics have argued that delivery workers are under immense pressure from their delivery app employers to get to their destinations as quickly as possible, often at the cost of their own safety. “We have to be clear that if passed, the legislation would have a disparate impact on low-income individuals, people of color, and undocumented migrants,” Public Advocate Jumaane Williams said. “Undocumented immigrants might be reluctant to fill out applications to register their bicycles, but they might not be more reluctant to ride the bicycles.”JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Greg McGarity had reason to be concerned. The Gator Bowl president kept a watchful eye on College Football Playoff scenarios all season and understood the fallout might affect his postseason matchup in Jacksonville. What if the Southeastern Conference got five teams into the expanded CFP? What if the Atlantic Coast Conference landed three spots? It was a math problem that was impossible to truly answer, even into late November. Four first-round playoff games, which will end with four good teams going home without a bowl game, had the potential to shake up the system. The good news for McGarity and other bowl organizers: Adding quality teams to power leagues — Oregon to the Big Ten, Texas to the SEC and SMU to the ACC — managed to ease much of the handwringing. McGarity and the Gator Bowl ended up with their highest-ranked team, No. 16 Ole Miss, in nearly two decades. "It really didn't lessen our pool much at all," McGarity said. "The SEC bowl pool strengthened with the addition of Texas and Oklahoma. You knew they were going to push traditional SEC teams up or down. Texas ended up pushing just about everyone down." The long waiting game was the latest twist for non-CFP bowls that have become adept at dealing with change. Efforts to match the top teams came and went in the 1990s and first decade of this century before the CFP became the first actual tournament in major college football. It was a four-team invitational — until this year, when the 12-team expanded format meant that four quality teams would not be in the mix for bowl games after they lose next week in the first round. "There's been a lot of things that we've kind of had to roll with," said Scott Ramsey, president of the Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tennessee. "I don't think the extra games changed our selection model to much degree. We used to look at the New York's Six before this, and that was 12 teams out of the bowl mix. The 12-team playoff is pretty much the same." Ramsey ended up with No. 23 Missouri against Iowa in his Dec. 30 bowl. A lot of so-called lesser bowl games do have high-profile teams — the ReliaQuest Bowl has No. 11 Alabama vs. Michigan (a rematch of last year's CFP semifinal), Texas A&M and USC will play in the Las Vegas Bowl while No. 14 South Carolina and No. 15 Miami, two CFP bubble teams, ended up in separate bowls in Orlando. "The stress of it is just the fact that the CFP takes that opening weekend," Las Vegas Bowl executive director John Saccenti said. "It kind of condenses the calendar a little bit." Bowl season opens Saturday with the Cricket Celebration Bowl. The first round of the CFP runs Dec. 20-21. It remains to be seen whether non-CFP bowls will see an impact from the new dynamic. They will know more by 2026, with a planned bowl reset looming. It could include CFP expansion from 12 to 14 teams and significant tweaks to the bowl system. More on-campus matchups? More diversity among cities selected to host semifinal and championship games? And would there be a trickle-down effect for everyone else? Demand for non-playoff bowls remains high, according to ESPN, despite increased focus on the expanded CFP and more players choosing to skip season finales to either enter the NCAA transfer portal or begin preparations for the NFL draft. "There's a natural appetite around the holidays for football and bowl games," Kurt Dargis, ESPN's senior director of programming and acquisitions, said at Sports Business Journal's Intercollegiate Athletics Forum last week in Las Vegas. "People still want to watch bowl games, regardless of what's going on with the playoff. ... It's obviously an unknown now with the expanded playoff, but we really feel like it's going to continue." The current bowl format runs through 2025. What lies ahead is anyone's guess. Could sponsors start paying athletes to play in bowl games? Could schools include hefty name, image and likeness incentives for players participating in bowls? Would conferences be willing to dump bowl tie-ins to provide a wider range of potential matchups? Are bowls ready to lean into more edginess like Pop-Tarts has done with its edible mascot? The path forward will be determined primarily by revenue, title sponsors, TV demand and ticket sales. "The one thing I have learned is we're going to serve our partners," Saccenti said. "We're going to be a part of the system that's there, and we're going to try to remain flexible and make sure that we're adjusting to what's going on in the world of postseason college football." Get local news delivered to your inbox!

The dining table is so much more than a surface dressed in eclectic decor, vibrant runners, or floral arrangements; it is a place that - through the communal experience of sharing a meal - opens the realm of human connections. Similarly, food is more than its primary function of nourishing the body; it is a sensory experience and a palatable fusion of flavors, textures, and smells, each dish a unique sensation—a reminder of where individuals come from. For the 8.8 million Polish-Americans , especially those living in Chicago, Alexandra Foods serves as that reminder. Within the walls of this business, customers can indulge in Eastern European culinary mastery, choose between 18 scrumptious flavors of pierogi, and find a kaleidoscope of other Polish dishes, including uszka, ‘little ears’ best paired with Christmas Eve red borsch; a Silesian classic - kluski śląskie; and meat- or cheese-filled pyzy. Often garnished with fried onion, crispy bacon, or sour cream, these homemade, authentic recipes are created with one purpose: to evoke the cherished memories of family homes and traditions. Lovingly handcrafted in small batches by a team of mostly 1st-generation Eastern Europeans, every package contains wholesome, made-from-scratch Polish classics that taste like a slice of home away from home. This dedication to maintaining authenticity within every bite is personal, stemming from Alexandra Foods’ founding story. Just like many Polish people in the 1980s, Mark and Alexandra Dembicki left their homeland in search of a better life, immigrating to the US in 1989. While for most, political changes meant newly opened doors to exploring the world’s diverse cultures, for Mark and Alexandra, it symbolized the opportunity to share their heritage with others. Ready to live the American Dream, the couple - who had always aspired to become business owners - made the bold decision to invest in a small property, opening a small deli in 1992. Located in Portage Park, home to a large Polish community, one item resonated with the locals the most, quickly becoming the deli’s bestseller: pierogi. The rising demand inspired Mark and Alexandra to focus solely on authentic ‘babcia-style’ cooking, changing the deli’s name to Alexandra Foods Company in 1995. From there, an inspirational story of a small-town couple making it in the big city unfolded; from traversing Chicago in search of retail and marketing partners to designing its first commercial package, Alexandra Foods entrenched its impact across the local community, soon appearing in delis and markets throughout the Chicagoland area. As the company expanded from one to three buildings - all in the same location - Alexandra and Mark enriched their offering with other Polish dishes in demand, introducing Silesian dumplings in 1997, followed by kopytka (finger dumplings) and naleśniki (sweet, soft cheese crepes) in 1998, and more products in the years after. In 2003, Alexandra Foods earned a ‘USDA-inspected’ status, a testament to its high quality and authenticity. Over time, Alexandra Foods’ goods began selling in 30 states, making their mark across a nation that Mark and Alexandra made home decades before. In 2021, to fuel its growth and success, the founders bestowed the honor of accelerating the company to Rich Berry, a business school graduate with extensive experience in brand management specializing in the frozen foods industry. With a mission of not changing but elevating, Rich ensured Alexandra Foods’ values, quality, and recipes remained the same, continuing Mark and Alexandra's legacy of authentic culinary craft. To honor the founders’ original recipes, he resorted to what he believes is the best way to enhance the flavor: better quality ingredients. “Alexandra Foods started with processing whole heads of onion or cabbage,” adds Rich. “We have always been clean, not hiding any chemicals in our ingredient lists. This remains the same; only now, we use premium cuts of meat, richer cheddar, and more organic products.” Since then, the enterprise has enlarged its product range to 32 items and expanded to other US areas with a prominent Polish-American population. These changes were informed by 3-language surveys analyzing the preferences of more than 40 Eastern Europeans. “This is not me saying, ‘That’s what pierogi should taste like,’” he stresses. “This is Polish people saying, ‘This food is something I want to serve to my family.’” Now, as it paves the way toward Pennsylvania and New York, Alexandra Foods promises to bring the delectable and unique flavor of Eastern Europe to all those looking for wholesome meals that are easy to prepare and delicious. The company is also offering its Polish classics on a stand at the Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York, redefining the conventional perception of stadium bites with mouth-watering and nutritious dumplings, like pierogi and uszka. Rich comments, reflecting on his 3-year-long journey: “I have led many companies before, but Alexandra Foods is different from any other place I have stepped into. Employees here have been making pierogi for over a decade. Since I took over, the original production team has remained the same. Mark and Alexandra brought these recipes from Poland, and we continue to rely on the expertise of Polish people and tradition.” A country’s cuisine is often considered its national treasure, delectably encapsulating every region’s distinct history. In Poland, dishes made of cereals, humble vegetables, and hearty countryside produce are a true reflection of the nation’s spirit of resilience. In the culinary world, that spirit reveals itself in simple ingredients turning into delicious symphonies inclusive to this Eastern European land, igniting the nation’s residents, the Polish diaspora, and those keen to discover new, authentic tastes to unite over the Alexandra Foods dining table.

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SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will miss Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers with a sore throwing shoulder. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will miss Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers with a sore throwing shoulder. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will miss Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers with a sore throwing shoulder. Purdy injured his right shoulder in last Sunday’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Purdy underwent an MRI that showed no structural damage but the shoulder didn’t improve during the week and Purdy was ruled out for the game. Coach Kyle Shanahan said star defensive end Nick Bosa also will miss the game with injuries to his left hip and oblique. Left tackle Trent Williams is questionable with an ankle injury and will be a game-time decision. This will be the first time Purdy has missed a start because of an injury since taking over as the 49ers’ quarterback in December 2022. Brandon Allen will start in his place. The Niners (5-5) are currently in a three-way tie for second in the NFC West, a game behind first-place Arizona, and have little margin for error if they want to get back to the playoffs after making it to the Super Bowl last season. Purdy has completed 66% of his passes this season for 2,613 yards, 13 TDs, eight interceptions and a 95.9 passer rating that is down significantly from his league-leading mark of 113 in 2023. Allen has been mostly a backup since being drafted by Jacksonville in 2016. Allen last started a game in Week 18 of the 2021 season for Cincinnati and has thrown just three passes the last three seasons — including none since joining San Francisco in 2023. Joshua Dobbs will be the backup on Sunday. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL Advertisement Advertisement

Matthew Knies of the Leafs was involved in a questionable hit in last night's game, and the DoPS has now made their final decision on his suspension fate. The Leafs beat the New Jersey Devils in overtime on Tuesday , with Anthony Stolarz great in the Toronto net and Auston Matthews scoring the winner in the extra frame. The NHL Player Safety Department went in-depth post-game on a hit by Matthew Knies into defenseman Jonathan Kovacevic. Toronto dodged a bullet, though, as the league decided today that no further discipline for Knies was necessary. Matthew Knies had already taken a two-minute minor on the play, but lack of further discipline is a good result for the club. Just back in the lineup from an injury, losing Knies to suspension would've been a big blow. The young forward is off to a very good start to the year thus far, scoring 10 goals and 16 points, and is on pace to easily eclipse his career-high of 15 goals. He has made his voice heard in terms of sending bodies flying as well, standing fourth on the Leafs in hits. It follows months of steady complaints from the team and President of Hockey Operations Brendan Shanahan about biased officiating. Toronto got away with one as Knies could have been deserving of a suspension. The Leafs will try to keep the momentum rolling when they take on the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday as part of a scramble through a crazy December schedule. Reinforcements should be back in the not-too-distant future to help the Leafs' continuing climb up the standings. This article first appeared on Blade of Steel and was syndicated with permission.