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Come April 1, 2025, Alberta is ending photo radar ticketing on all numbered provincial highways. The province also plans over the coming months to review “cash cows” – photo radar spots that appear to prioritize money-making over safety — with the goal of shutting down 70 per cent of the current 2,200 sites. Transportation Minister Devin said far too often photo radar penalizes drivers without improving road safety, adding the province doesn’t intend to offer extra cash to make municipalities whole from the lost photo radar revenue. “The whole point of getting rid of these cash cow locations is to make sure that photo radar is used as a traffic safety tool and not as a revenue generator,” Dreeshen told a news conference Monday. Photo radar will continue to be allowed in school zones, playground zones and construction sites, but beyond these areas, local governments will have to submit their case and show evidence of higher collision rates. At intersections equipped with cameras, running a red light could still net a driver a ticket, but speeding on green will not – starting in the spring. Kara Westerlund, president of the Rural Municipalities of Alberta, applauded the move. “Our communities have called for change, and I’m proud to say that this government has listened,” she said at the government news conference. Alberta Municipalities president Tyler Gandam said his organization supports local governments using automated traffic enforcement for safety reasons, since the data shows it reduces deaths, injuries and property damage. “It’s improving safety in the communities, no question,” Gandam said in an interview, adding the government’s decision is about political points because getting tickets is unpopular. Gandam said forcing municipalities to go through another approval process represents more bureaucracy from a government that prides itself on cutting red tape. He said photo radar revenue makes up a small portion of any municipality’s budget. For him, the issue is about safety, including that of the police officers who will need to enforce traffic safety. Dreeshen said the province has seen a “mixed bag” of data measuring photo radar’s effect on collision numbers. “There’s lots of folks that will say photo radar is needed to keep these streets safe, but we’ve also seen municipalities, when they remove photo radar, that we’ve actually seen safer streets,” he said. “We’re not banning speed limits,” he said. Opposition NDP critic Lorne Dach told reporters Dreeshen’s move doesn’t appear to be supported by evidence. “The decision-making here seems to be basically based on the minister’s decision about popularity rather than public safety data,” said Dach. NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi said the government is adding red tape, and that municipalities, including Calgary, use photo radar funding to pay for policing. “If this government wants municipalities to increase property taxes for their largest budget item, they should just say so,” he said. The announcement comes after years of the previous NDP government and current the United Conservative government placing restrictions on how municipalities use photo radar sites. In 2019, the then-NDP government introduced a freeze on new locations and banned photo radar in transition zones: spots where the speed limit changes on highways. Photo radar was also banned on high-speed, multi-lane highways unless there was documented proof of safety concerns. The freeze was then extended when in 2022, the UCP said no photo radar was allowed on residential roads with speed limits below 50 km/h. Keep in mind, many Edmonton streets are now 40 km/h. Double dipping — issuing multiple tickets within five minutes — was also banned. Photo radar vehicles now also have to be highly visible. Cities couldn’t run photo radar in construction zones except when construction workers were present and it was only allowed in school zones when classes were in session. Municipalities were also obligated to provide data on collisions and safety to justify why they are running photo radar at certain locations. A year ago, Dreeshen said photo radar is being used as a cash cow in some places across Alberta. At that time, the province banned the use of the enforcement tool on Calgary and Edmonton’s ring roads ( Stoney Trail and Anthony Henday Drive) and said it would spend the following year removing spots where there is no clear safety reason for photo radar and it’s only being done to collect money. Before the ban, Calgary’s ring road had eight photo radar sites and Edmonton’s ring road had 22. Red light intersection cameras were left out of the review process because they have been proven to prevent T-bones and similar collisions that lead to serious injuries or death. Edmonton and Calgary were given the option to redeploy the photo radar units previously used on ring roads to areas in the cities where they have a safety impact — in school, playground and construction zones. A cap on any new photo radar equipment, programs or new photo radar locations was extended to Dec. 1, 2024 while the province consulted with municipalities. Dreeshen said on Monday the ring road ban has shown good results, in part because drivers aren’t taken off guard by having to suddenly slow down and disrupt traffic. In 2019, the UCP increased the province’s share of photo radar revenue to 40 per cent from 27. That fiscal year, the revenue generated was $203 million across the province. By last year, total revenue was down to $145 million, Dreeshen said Monday. Among the top five revenue-generating sites listed by the government in 2023, four are in Edmonton and area, each collecting between $2.1 million and almost $6 million per year. Alberta’s first photo radar units were introduced in 1987 and as of last fall, there were about 2,387 photo radar sites across the province. — With files from Karen Bartko, Global News

President-elect Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he intends to nominate cryptocurrency advocate Paul Atkins to chair the Securities and Exchange Commission. Trump said Atkins, the CEO of Patomak Partners and a former SEC commissioner, was a “proven leader for common sense regulations.” In the years since leaving the SEC, Atkins has made the case against too much market regulation. “He believes in the promise of robust, innovative capital markets that are responsive to the needs of Investors, & that provide capital to make our Economy the best in the World. He also recognizes that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The commission oversees U.S. securities markets and investments and is currently led by Gary Gensler, who has been leading the U.S. government’s crackdown on the crypto industry. Gensler, who was nominated by President Joe Biden, announced last month that he would be stepping down from his post on the day that Trump is inaugurated — Jan. 20, 2025. Trump, once a crypto skeptic, had pledged to make the U.S. “the crypto capital of the planet” and create a “strategic reserve” of bitcoin. Money has poured into crypto assets since he won . Bitcoin, the largest cryptocurrency, is now above $95,000. And shares in crypto platform Coinbase have surged more than 70% since the election. Paul Grewal, chief legal officer of Coinbase, congratulated Atkins in a post on X. “We appreciate his commitment to balance in regulating U.S. securities markets and look forward to his fresh leadership at (the SEC),” Grewal wrote. “It’s sorely needed and cannot come a day too soon.” Atkins began his career as a lawyer and has a long history working in the financial markets sector, both in government and private practice. In the 1990s, he worked on the staffs of two former SEC chairmen, Richard C. Breeden and Arthur Levitt. His work as an SEC commissioner started in 2002, a time when the fallout from corporate scandals at Enron and WorldCom had turned up the heat on Wall Street and its government regulators. Atkins was widely considered the most conservative member of the SEC during his tenure at the agency and known to have a strong free-market bent. As a commissioner, he called for greater transparency in and analysis of the costs and benefits of new SEC rules. He also emphasized investor education and increased enforcement efforts against those who steal from investors over the internet, manipulate markets, engage in Ponzi schemes and other types of fraud. At the same time, Atkins objected to stiff penalties imposed on companies accused of fraudulent conduct, contending that they did not deter crime. He caused a stir in the summer of 2006 when he said the practice of granting stock options to executives before the disclosure of news that was certain to increase the share price did not constitute insider trading. U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry, a North Carolina Republican and chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, said Atkins has the experience needed to “restore faith in the SEC.” “I’m confident his leadership will lead to clarity for the digital asset ecosystem and ensure U.S. capital markets remain the envy of the world,” McHenry posted on X. Atkins already has some experience working for Trump. During Trump's first term, Atkins was a member of the President’s Strategic and Policy Forum , an advisory group of more than a dozen CEOs and business leaders who offered input on how to create jobs and speed economic growth. In 2017, Atkins joined the Token Alliance, a cryptocurrency advocacy organization. Crypto industry players welcomed Trump’s victory in the hopes that he would push through legislative and regulatory changes that they’ve long lobbied for. Trump himself has launched World Liberty Financial, a new venture with family members to trade cryptocurrencies.After 27 years, more than 3 million meals and countless tailgates, Mother’s Federal Hill Grille is set to close. The South Baltimore bar and restaurant, a gathering place for Ravens fans, said in a Wednesday press release that it will shutter its doors on Jan. 19, 2025. Two other Mother’s locations, in Arnold and Timonium, will remain open. “While it is difficult to turn the page, we know it is the right decision,” owner Dave Rather said in a statement. He opened the Federal Hill flagship in 1997 at 1113 S. Charles St., a block from Cross Street Market and a half-mile from M&T Bank Stadium. A year later, when the Ravens started playing at The Bank, Mother’s launched its Purple Patio, an outdoor space that came to be known for gameday tailgates with DJs and drink specials. After the team’s 2013 Super Bowl victory, Baltimoreans , singing along to Queen’s “We Are the Champions” as bartenders showered the crowd with purple silly string. Alongside beer and mixed drinks, Mother’s served a pub grub menu with options like “Baltimore’s Best Buffalo Chicken” and a “Double Phat Crab Cake Dinner.” The restaurant has been sold to an “undisclosed buyer,” the release said, and will undergo renovations after Mother’s closes. Reached by phone Wednesday, Rather said the decision to close was “bittersweet,” but added, “it’s just time for a change.” He plans to hand the Mother’s brand to a younger generation of managers, including his 30-year-old stepson, Terry Tragas, who has worked for the company since he was 15. The next phase for the local restaurant chain is likely to include an expansion outside of the city. Rather said he’s eyeing “multiple areas” for growth, including the Timonium region and Howard County. He said the Federal Hill spot came with “challenges” but did not elaborate, saying only that there are “more moving parts down in the city than the other locations, so it makes it more difficult to run.” The bar and grille took its name from Rather’s college nickname, Mother. The Towson University alum started out by throwing parties and then launched a social club called Mom’s that took revelers down to New Orleans. Mother’s was the brick-and-mortar extension of the concept. “From Day 1, we had a line to get in,” he said of the bar. “We’re very thankful. I never thought it would be as busy as it was.”

After 27 years, more than 3 million meals and countless tailgates, Mother’s Federal Hill Grille is set to close. The South Baltimore bar and restaurant, a gathering place for Ravens fans, said in a Wednesday press release that it will shutter its doors on Jan. 19, 2025. Two other Mother’s locations, in Arnold and Timonium, will remain open. “While it is difficult to turn the page, we know it is the right decision,” owner Dave Rather said in a statement. He opened the Federal Hill flagship in 1997 at 1113 S. Charles St., a block from Cross Street Market and a half-mile from M&T Bank Stadium. A year later, when the Ravens started playing at The Bank, Mother’s launched its Purple Patio, an outdoor space that came to be known for gameday tailgates with DJs and drink specials. After the team’s 2013 Super Bowl victory, Baltimoreans , singing along to Queen’s “We Are the Champions” as bartenders showered the crowd with purple silly string. Alongside beer and mixed drinks, Mother’s served a pub grub menu with options like “Baltimore’s Best Buffalo Chicken” and a “Double Phat Crab Cake Dinner.” The restaurant has been sold to an “undisclosed buyer,” the release said, and will undergo renovations after Mother’s closes. Reached by phone Wednesday, Rather said the decision to close was “bittersweet,” but added, “it’s just time for a change.” He plans to hand the Mother’s brand to a younger generation of managers, including his 30-year-old stepson, Terry Tragas, who has worked for the company since he was 15. The next phase for the local restaurant chain is likely to include an expansion outside of the city. Rather said he’s eyeing “multiple areas” for growth, including the Timonium region and Howard County. He said the Federal Hill spot came with “challenges” but did not elaborate, saying only that there are “more moving parts down in the city than the other locations, so it makes it more difficult to run.” The bar and grille took its name from Rather’s college nickname, Mother. The Towson University alum started out by throwing parties and then launched a social club called Mom’s that took revelers down to New Orleans. Mother’s was the brick-and-mortar extension of the concept. “From Day 1, we had a line to get in,” he said of the bar. “We’re very thankful. I never thought it would be as busy as it was.”TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay's surest path to the NFL playoffs is a division championship. The Buccaneers will need help to repeat in the NFC South , but only if they first and foremost give themselves a chance. That means winning their remaining games at home against Carolina and New Orleans, while the Atlanta Falcons lose at least once in the final two weeks of the regular season. The Bucs (8-7) and Falcons share the best record in the division, however Atlanta holds the tiebreaker after sweeping the season series between the teams. Tampa Bay, which has won three consecutive division titles, is the only NFC team that has made the playoffs each of the past four seasons. “We’ve got to take care of business or else we’ve got no shot,” quarterback Baker Mayfield said after a 26-24 loss at Dallas cost the Bucs control of the NFC South race. “This one, we've got to take it on the chin,” Mayfield added. “It's a short week. It's Christmas week. We've got to focus on Carolina and figure out a way to win.” If Atlanta is able to maintain its lead, Tampa Bay could make the postseason as a wild card if the Bucs win out and the Commanders lose twice. Coach Todd Bowles sounds confident that his players understand the challenge ahead and will clean up mistakes that contributed to the end of their four-game win streak. “We’ve got to win a ballgame (this week). If we don’t win a ballgame, we don’t give ourselves a chance,” Bowles said Monday. “We have to focus on us like we’ve been doing,” the coach added. “We have to correct the mistakes, and we have to go out and win Sunday, and we’ve got to win the next week, and then we’ll see what happens after that.” The offense, which ranks third in the NFL at 389.8 yards per game, isn't a fluke. Despite losing to the Cowboys, Tampa Bay finished with 410 yards total offense. It was the team's fifth straight game — as well as an NFL-high ninth overall — with 400-plus yards. The Bucs are seventh in rushing (143.7 yards per game) after ranking 32nd each of the past two seasons. The defense yielded 292 yards passing against the Cowboys, 226 of it in the first half when Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb had six catches for 100 yards and a touchdown. Bowles said shoddy tackling was the biggest issue — not poor coverage. Lamb had one reception for 5 yards after halftime. Mayfield's chemistry with rookie WR Jalen McMillan, who has 27 receptions for 336 yards and five TDs, continues to grow. McMillan had five catches for 57 yards and a touchdown — his fourth in the past three games — against Dallas. He was also the intended receiver on Mayfield's deep throw that CB Jourdan Lewis intercepted in the end zone to help the Cowboys hold off the Bucs in the closing minutes. Turnovers were costly against Dallas. The end-zone interception stopped the Bucs from cutting into a 26-17 deficit with 6:22 remaining in the fourth quarter. Rachaad White's fumble with 1:31 left ended any hope for a last-minute victory. On both plays, defenders ripped the ball out of the grasp of the offensive player. “We knew they were going to rake at the ball going into the ballgame," Bowles said. "We just have to have two hands on the ball, and we have to fight for it. We have to take better care of the football. That’s priority No. 1.” Bowles said it's too early to project the status of several starters for coming games, including S Antoine Winfield Jr. (knee), who has missed the past two games. TE Cade Otton (knee) and LB K.J. Britt (ankle) were inactive against the Cowboys, while reserve WR Sterling Shepard left during the game with a hamstring injury. 80. Bucky Irving leads all NFL rookie RBs with 920 yards rushing. He needs 80 over the next two games to reach 1,000. He scored his seventh rushing touchdown against Dallas. That tied Errict Rhett and Lars Tate for the second-most rushing TDs by a rookie running back in franchise history. Doug Martin set the record of 11 in 2012. Host Carolina on Sunday. NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl1 Wall Street Analyst Thinks Taiwan Semiconductor Stock Is Going to $240. Is It a Buy?

Formula 1 expands grid to add General Motors' Cadillac brand and new American team for 2026 seasonEDITOR'S NOTE: On Football analyzes the biggest topics in the NFL from week to week. No one wants to see any player take a vicious hit like the one that knocked Trevor Lawrence out of the game. It’s easy to agree on that point. Eliminating violent shots is the hard part. The NFL has instituted several rules to protect quarterbacks but football is a physical sport and players have to react instantly and make split-second decisions going at high speeds so injuries keep occurring. Lawrence was carted off the field in the first half of Jacksonville’s 23-20 loss to Houston on Sunday after Azeez Al-Shaair leveled the defenseless quarterback with a forearm to the facemask. The late hit put Lawrence in the fencing position — both fists clenched — and he stayed on the ground for several minutes, while a brawl ensued. Lawrence didn’t require hospitalization for his concussion but it’s unknown when he’ll return. “Thank you to everyone who has reached out/been praying for me,” Lawrence wrote on X. “I’m home and feeling better. Means a lot, thank you all.” Al-Shaair was ejected from the game and faces a fine and potential suspension after his latest unsportsmanlike penalty. The Texans' linebacker was flagged and later fined $11,255 for a late hit out of bounds on Titans running back Tony Pollard last week. He was fined earlier this year after he punched Bears running back Roschon Johnson on the sideline in Week 2. That occurred during a scuffle that started after his hard shot on quarterback Caleb Williams near the sideline that wasn’t flagged. Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence slides in front of Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair during the first half of a game on Sunday in Jacksonville, Fla. Lawrence was injured on the play. Al-Shaair once got away with grabbing Tom Brady by the throat on a pass rush in a game between the 49ers and Buccaneers. Outraged Jaguars players called Al-Shaair’s hit “dirty” and Texans coach DeMeco Ryans made it known he didn’t condone it. “It’s not what we’re coaching,” Ryans said. “Want to be smart in everything we do and not hurt the team, get a penalty there. Have to be smarter when the quarterback is going down. Unfortunate play. Not representative of who Azeez is. He’s a smart player, really great leader for us. We felt his presence not being there. His loss really affected us on the defensive side. Just not what we’re coaching. Didn’t want to see the melee and all the aftermath. That’s not what we’re about. Not representative of us. I’ll talk to Azeez, address him personally, and we’ll move forward from it.” Fox Sports color analyst Daryl Johnston, a former fullback for the Dallas Cowboys, didn’t hold back his criticism, calling it a “cheap shot.” “It’s everything you’re not supposed to do,” Johnston said. “Everything. You’ll see this in slow motion and Azeez Al-Shaair does everything you’re trying to prevent in this situation. It’s reckless. It’s disrespectful. There’s an honor that you give to your opponent on the football field and you respect him. And there’s opportunities to be physical and give big hits and play this game in that manner. And there’s other times when there’s a respect that you grant to your opponent.” Some former NFL quarterbacks blasted Al-Shaair on social media. “There is no place in the game of football for dirty hits like this one,” Robert Griffin III wrote on X. Chase Daniel called it “one of the dirtiest hits” he’s ever seen on a quarterback. Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram, right, jumps on Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair after his late hit on quarterback Trevor Lawrence, bottom, during the first half of a game on Sunday in Jacksonville, Fla. Even defensive players struggled to defend Al-Shaair. “That was uncalled for,” Hall of Fame defensive lineman Michael Strahan said on Fox’s studio show while fellow Hall of Famer Howie Long agreed. But the play also sparked debate about the quarterback slide. Lawrence slid feet first, which signals that he’s giving himself up on the play. The NFL rulebook states: “A defender must pull up when a runner begins a feet-first slide.” But defensive players aren’t automatically penalized if they make contact with a sliding quarterback if they already committed and the contact is unavoidable. The rules state it’s a foul when “the defender makes forcible contact into the head or neck area of the runner with the helmet, shoulder, or forearm, or commits some other act that is unnecessary roughness.” Al-Shaair did that so he was penalized and will face other repercussions. Still, given the hard-hitting nature of the sport, it won’t be the last time this happens. When Caleb Williams took the field for the Chicago Bears' first regular season game against the Tennessee Titans, the anticipation for the rookie's debut game—possibly the most ever—was on full display. Despite a tough debut for the quarterback, the Bears secured a 24-17 win, a notable feat for the rookie. The victory made Williams the first #1 overall pick with a Week 1 win in over 20 years. Going forward this season, Williams is expected to eclipse C.J. Stroud's record-breaking 2023 rookie campaign with the Houston Texans. However, Stroud's success is an anomaly. Drafting a successful quarterback, especially one who is effective right away, is difficult. When teams have a high first-round draft pick, and they're coming off an unsuccessful few seasons, it's assumed that they will use their first pick on a quarterback . That player will assume the title of "the face of the franchise" and will get the central attention, win or lose. To see which quarterbacks have faced that challenge and triumphed, ATS.io compiled a ranking of the 10 best rookie quarterbacks since 1960 using data from StatHead . Rookies were defined as players who are in their first season of professional football and have not been on the roster of another professional team. Quarterbacks were ranked according to adjusted net yards per pass attempt, which quantifies efficient passing skill. Ties were broken using passer rating. Only rookie quarterbacks with at least 10 games played and 200 total passing attempts were considered. Since 1967, 130 quarterbacks have been drafted in the first round. Of those drafted, only 61 have won a playoff game as a starter, according to The Athletic, which used data from NFL Research . The biggest reason this success rate is not guaranteed is because there are differences between college and pro offensive systems. In the collegiate game, the ball is snapped at different points on the field, passing windows are wider, and defenders and linemen are not as quick, making the adjustment to the pro level more difficult. NFL scouts and general managers are gambling on what skills can be transferable and how long those adjustments might take, which is why some teams prefer redshirt quarterbacks to ease the transition. However, just because a team may not want to use their first-round pick on a quarterback, doesn't mean they can't find a diamond in the rough later in the draft. Think about Tom Brady, Russell Wilson, and Dak Prescott, all of which were not first-round picks, but have gone on to make a name for themselves in the NFL. - Adjusted net yards per pass attempt: 6.44 - Passer rating: 91.2 - Season stats: 3,271 yards, 21 touchdowns, 6 interceptions Coming out of college, Gardner Minshew was not a highly sought-after quarterback for NFL teams. He was drafted in the sixth round of the 2019 draft—a draft that was headlined by Kyler Murray, Dwayne Haskins, and Daniel Jones. Nonetheless, Minshew's rookie season with the Jacksonville Jaguars was filled with many accomplishments. He won Rookie of the Week seven times despite not winning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Minshew also had the highest passer rating of any rookie quarterback that started in 2019. - Adjusted net yards per pass attempt: 6.77 - Passer rating: 93.7 - Season stats: 3,725 yards, 27 touchdowns, 14 interceptions Pressure was high for Baker Mayfield as the first overall pick in the 2018 draft. When he joined the Cleveland Browns, there was an expectation that once the team figured out the quarterback position, it could be playoff-ready. After trading for Jarvis Landry, a young wide receiver from the Miami Dolphins, in the offseason, the Browns were on their way. Mayfield's rookie season was filled with many firsts, and the Landry-Mayfield connection filled the stat sheet. Mayfield set the record for most passing touchdowns by a rookie quarterback in 2019 with 27 surpassing prior marks from Payton Manning and Russell Wilson. - Adjusted net yards per pass attempt: 6.84 - Passer rating: 98.3 - Season stats: 4,336 yards, 31 touchdowns, 10 interceptions Justin Herbert was the third quarterback selected in the 2020 NFL draft behind Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa. As the No. 6 overall pick, expectations were high, but there was also an assumption that it would be a few years before Herbert's development would take shape. Then, Chargers starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor was accidentally punctured in the lung by a team doctor administering a painkiller before the second game of the season, and it wasn't clear what Taylor's status would be moving forward. When Herbert was given the nod to start minutes before the game, fans didn't know what to expect. Herbert shocked viewers when he threw for over 300 yards and only one interception in that game. He continued his strong rookie showing throughout the season and went on to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. - Adjusted net yards per pass attempt: 6.93 - Passer rating: 98.1 - Season stats: 2,621 yards, 17 touchdowns, 11 interceptions Ben Roethlisberger was the third quarterback selected in his draft class behind the likes of Eli Manning and Philip Rivers—though fans wouldn't have been able to tell. From the moment Roethlisberger was called up by the Pittsburgh Steelers to play in his first game—Week 2 against the Baltimore Ravens—it was clear he had a special arm, gaining the nickname "Golden Arm." While the next several games were bumpy for Steelers fans, it was clear that Roethlisberger was the future of the franchise. The Steelers had a solid running game and its receiving core, led by Hines Ward, was one of the best in the league . Once Roethlisberger gained his footing a few games in, he was unstoppable. He led Pittsburgh to its best record ever: 15-1. He also started the season on an eight-game winning streak, becoming the first rookie to do so. Additionally, Roethlisberger became the first quarterback to win AP Offensive Rookie of the Year. - Adjusted net yards per pass attempt: 7.01 - Passer rating: 87.7 - Season stats: 3,440 yards, 16 touchdowns, 11 interceptions As the No. 3 overall pick in the 2008 NFL draft, there were high expectations on Matt Ryan's shoulders heading to the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons were coming off back-to-back losing seasons and off-the-field legal troubles with its starting quarterback Michael Vick overshadowing the team's play. Ryan was expected to pick up the pieces. He did that immediately, leading the Falcons to an 11-5 record in his rookie season and becoming the clear favorite for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year halfway through the season, which he went on to win. The tag team of Ryan and running back Michael Turner was one of the best offensive forces in the sport that season. - Adjusted net yards per pass attempt: 7.01 - Passer rating: 100 - Season stats: 3,118 yards, 26 touchdowns, 10 interceptions Russell Wilson was drafted in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. Considering Robert Griffin III and Andrew Luck headlined the NFL Draft that year, it was not believed that Wilson would be a starter come Week 1, but that quickly changed. Going into the 2012 NFL Draft, Tarvaris Jackson was the Seattle Seahawks' starting quarterback, and the team signed NFL veteran quarterback Matt Flynn as an insurance policy on the injury-prone Jackson . It was assumed in the short term that either Jackson or Flynn would lead the franchise. Once training camp arrived, however, the Seahawks' quarterback position was uncertain. Jackson was traded to the Buffalo Bills, and Flynn was underwhelming at camp, forcing Head Coach Pete Carroll to take a gamble on his rookie quarterback, Wilson, in Week 1. Carroll, nor Wilson, ever looked back. Wilson was one of the best passing quarterbacks that season. He led the Seahawks to an 11-5 record and went on to win NFL Rookie of the Year. - Adjusted net yards per pass attempt: 7.39 - Passer rating: 96 - Season stats: 2,210 yards, 20 touchdowns, 6 interceptions When Dan Marino was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in 1983, the NFL looked very different. Running the ball was the name of the game. The quarterback would either run the football himself at the line of scrimmage or hand it off to the running back, and the offensive linemen would claw and push the pile forward as the runner powered his legs. It was not a pretty sight. However, Marino took a different approach, throwing the ball with a unique quick release for that era. He led the Dolphins to a 9-1 record after replacing David Woodley midway through his rookie season, ending with a 12-4 record. He went on to win Rookie of the Year and was the first rookie to start a Pro Bowl. - Adjusted net yards per pass attempt: 7.47 - Passer rating: 100.8 - Season stats: 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns, 5 interceptions When C.J. Stroud was drafted No. 2 by the Houston Texans last year, there were a lot of questions, not about his ability, but about the organization that he would be playing for. The Texans were coming off of a 3-13-1 season in 2022, finishing with the worst record in the league, and a lot of volatility in its front office. The team fired its head coach and a top executive before the draft. Weeks later, the team hired former Texans linebacker DeMeco Ryans as its next head coach. While Ryans is a defensive-minded coach, Stroud was seen as a key ingredient to the team's success since Ryans hired his coaching staff around the quarterback. Stroud led the NFL in yards and TD-to-interception ratio during his rookie season, which is an efficiency statistic considering he didn't get his first interception until his sixth regular-season game against the New Orleans Saints. While Stroud was a part of the league MVP conversation for most of the season, he didn't ultimately win the title. However, he was named 2023 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, and his rookie season is seen as one of the best in NFL history. - Adjusted net yards per pass attempt: 7.47 - Passer rating: 102.4 - Season stats: 3,200 yards, 20 touchdowns, 5 interceptions Leading into the 2012 draft, it wasn't a matter of whether Washington would pick a quarterback, it was a matter of who. After several seasons of mediocre quarterback play and losing seasons from the likes of Jason Campbell, Donovan McNabb, and Rex Grossman, it was time for a new face to lead the offense. At No. 2, Washington selected Robert Griffin III making him the second quarterback selected in the 2012 NFL draft behind Andrew Luck. Griffin started his rookie year campaign with one of the best performances football fans have ever seen. He completed 19 of his 26 pass attempts for 320 yards and 2 touchdowns, beating the New Orleans Saints. That game earned him the highest passer rating by a rookie ever, 158.3. He now shares that record with Kirk Cousins and Marcus Mariota. Griffin III went on to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2012. - Adjusted net yards per pass attempt: 7.86 - Passer rating: 104.9 - Season stats: 3,667 yards, 23 touchdowns, 4 interceptions Dak Prescott is statistically the best rookie quarterback ever, racking up the best passer rating as a rookie. After losing his first game, he led the Cowboys on an 11-game winning streak. That season, he led the team to its fourth-best season ever with a 13-3 record. Prescott was the 2016 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and became the first NFL quarterback to be drafted in the fourth round or later to start all 16 regular season games. Data reporting by Karim Noorani. Story editing by Shanna Kelly. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Robert Wickwire. Photo selection by Clarese Moller. This story originally appeared on ATS.io and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Formula 1 expands grid to add General Motors' Cadillac brand and new American team for 2026 season

Community advocate Dave Letele isn’t quite sure what to wear tonight to the NZ TV Awards. Letele’s more comfortable in his BBM T-shirt and shorts . But it’s not the attire appropriate when you are a finalist for an award. He is a finalist for TV Presenter of the Year thanks to his Heavyweight with Dave Letele series, in which he explores some of Aotearoa’s most complex problems through the lens of lived experience. So far, the series has covered alcohol and addiction, gangs and crime - the next, to air on TVNZ early 2025 will explore obesity. It is a subject Letele is well versed in, as founder of BBM. Being a finalist for TV Presenter of the Year was not part of the plan - and nor was/is a career in television - but it is a byproduct of drawing attention to issues and Letele is well aware of the opportunity the platform presents in terms of driving impact. He has built a following on purpose for this reason, with a combined audience of 500,000 across social channels.Cyber Monday shoppers expected to set a record on biggest day for online shoppingNothing's guaranteed, but Bucs need to win out to give themselves best shot to make the playoffsLAS VEGAS (AP) — Formula 1 on Monday at last said it will expand its grid in 2026 to make room for an American team that is partnered with General Motors. “As the pinnacle of motorsports, F1 demands boundary-pushing innovation and excellence. It’s an honor for General Motors and Cadillac to join the world’s premier racing series, and we’re committed to competing with passion and integrity to elevate the sport for race fans around the world," GM President Mark Reuss said. "This is a global stage for us to demonstrate GM’s engineering expertise and technology leadership at an entirely new level.” The approval ends years of wrangling that launched a U.S. Justice Department investigation into why Colorado-based Liberty Media, the commercial rights holder of F1, would not approve the team initially started by Michael Andretti. Andretti in September stepped aside from leading his namesake organization, so the 11th team will be called Cadillac F1 and be run by new Andretti Global majority owners Dan Towriss and Mark Walter. The team will use Ferrari engines its first two years until GM has a Cadillac engine built for competition in time for the 2028 season. Towriss is the the CEO and president of Group 1001 and entered motorsports via Andretti's IndyCar team when he signed on financial savings platform Gainbridge as a sponsor. Towriss is now a major part of the motorsports scene with ownership stakes in both Spire Motorsports' NASCAR team and Wayne Taylor Racing's sports car team. Walter is the chief executive of financial services firm Guggenheim Partners and the controlling owner of both the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers and Premier League club Chelsea. “We’re excited to partner with General Motors in bringing a dynamic presence to Formula 1," Towriss said. "Together, we’re assembling a world-class team that will embody American innovation and deliver unforgettable moments to race fans around the world.’’ Mario Andretti, the 1978 F1 world champion, will have an ambassador role with Cadillac F1. But his son, Michael, will have no official position with the organization now that he has scaled back his involvement with Andretti Global. The approval has been in works for weeks but was held until after last weekend's Las Vegas Grand Prix to not overshadow the showcase event of the Liberty Media portfolio. Max Verstappen won his fourth consecutive championship in Saturday night's race, the third and final stop in the United States for the top motorsports series in the world. Grid expansion in F1 is both infrequent and often unsuccessful. Four teams were granted entries in 2010 that should have pushed the grid to 13 teams and 26 cars for the first time since 1995. One team never made it to the grid and the other three had vanished by 2017. There is only one American team on the current F1 grid — owned by California businessman Gene Haas — but it is not particularly competitive and does not field American drivers. Andretti’s dream was to field a truly American team with American drivers. The fight to add this team has been going on for three-plus years and F1 initially denied the application despite approval from F1 sanctioning body FIA . The existing 10 teams, who have no voice in the matter, also largely opposed expansion because of the dilution in prize money and the billions of dollars they’ve already invested in the series. Andretti in 2020 tried and failed to buy the existing Sauber team. From there, he applied for grid expansion and partnered with GM, the top-selling manufacturer in the United States. The inclusion of GM was championed by the FIA and president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who said Michael Andretti’s application was the only one of seven applicants to meet all required criteria to expand F1’s current grid. “General Motors is a huge global brand and powerhouse in the OEM world and is working with impressive partners," Ben Sulayem said Monday. "I am fully supportive of the efforts made by the FIA, Formula 1, GM and the team to maintain dialogue and work towards this outcome of an agreement in principle to progress this application." Despite the FIA's acceptance of Andretti and General Motors from the start, F1 wasn't interested in Andretti — but did want GM. At one point, F1 asked GM to find another team to partner with besides Andretti. GM refused and F1 said it would revisit the Andretti application if and when Cadillac had an engine ready to compete. “Formula 1 has maintained a dialogue with General Motors, and its partners at TWG Global, regarding the viability of an entry following the commercial assessment and decision made by Formula 1 in January 2024,” F1 said in a statement. “Over the course of this year, they have achieved operational milestones and made clear their commitment to brand the 11th team GM/Cadillac, and that GM will enter as an engine supplier at a later time. Formula 1 is therefore pleased to move forward with this application process." Yet another major shift in the debate over grid expansion occurred earlier this month with the announced resignation of Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei, who was largely believed to be one of the biggest opponents of the Andretti entry. “With Formula 1’s continued growth plans in the US, we have always believed that welcoming an impressive US brand like GM/Cadillac to the grid and GM as a future power unit supplier could bring additional value and interest to the sport," Maffei said. "We credit the leadership of General Motors and their partners with significant progress in their readiness to enter Formula 1." AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

The future of the Democratic Party: Prospective new DNC chair weighs in

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Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council Niamh Kennedy has praised the heroics efforts of her hometown people after the devastating floods which struck Killybegs overnight. Parts of the town were left submerged under water after a local river overflowed during Storm Bert. At least 16 homes and a number of business on Bridge Street were left under several feet of water. Among the businesses hit was the popular local Bridge Street Community Shop which lost a lot of stock as a result of the rising waters. However, an amazing response from both the emergency services and local volunteers saw an amazing clean-up operation get underway. The Bridge Street Community Shop was one of the premises worst hit. This evening, although battered and bruised, Killybegs has fought back. Councillor Kennedy thanked all those who helped in any way following the freak flooding. She posted “Clean up started after the devastating flooding, sandbags, skips delivered, emptied and delivered again. “Generators and dehumidifiers are in place, people needing accommodation sorted and community welfare assistance for the Bridge Street residents in urgent need will be available tomorrow from 12 to 2pm at Henry Kees office on the corner. “The business community will be assisted as soon as possible. “Thanks so much to our Killybegs and Glencolmcille fire officers and to our coast guard who were here to help all day. “To the roads staff of Donegal county council who delivered the skips, the sandbags, helped with the generators and cleared any debris, to the community who helped each other today THANK YOU.” Director of Emergency Services, Garry Martin, was also at the scene of today’s floods. He praised all those who responded to the call to assist at the scene. The Department of Social Protection has confirmed that the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme will be available to provide support to those living in properties directly affected by Storm Bert.Shares of e-commerce software company Shopify ( SHOP -2.27% ) skyrocketed 47.8% during November, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence . The company helps businesses sell products online, and these merchant customers are doing quite well right now. Shopify uses a metric called gross merchandise volume (GMV). This isn't its revenue but rather the value of all of its customers' sales. On Nov. 12, Shopify reported financial results for the third quarter of 2024. And during the quarter, its GMV was nearly $70 billion. This was up a strong 24% year over year and marked its fifth straight quarter of greater-than 20% GMV growth. To put things simply, the businesses that use Shopify's software are doing well. And that's good for Shopify itself. Indeed, the company's Q3 revenue was up a robust 26% year over year to nearly $2.2 billion. Moreover, its free-cash-flow margin hit 19%, which is quite strong. On Nov. 30, Shopify co-founder and CEO Tobi Lütke shared on social media that the company had Black Friday GMV of $5 billion, which was up 22% from Black Friday in 2023. This further excited investors. Shopify is growing and getting a grip on profits Shopify's top-line growth has long been impressive -- it's one of investors' favorite reasons to buy Shopify stock . But profitability has been volatile in recent years as it's pivoted in and out of the logistics space, among other things. Q3 net income of $828 million got a nice boost from the value of some of its equity investments in other companies. But even without this, it was solidly profitable with $344 million in adjusted net income. SHOP Net Income (Quarterly) data by YCharts. In light of its strong growth and profits in Q3, many professional analysts on Wall Street raised their price targets for Shopify stock. A price target is basically just the price that someone thinks it can reach in about a year or so. The main point is that many pros looked at the numbers and decided that Shopify stock could climb higher than they previously thought, which was something that helped rally investors. Shopify's profits are good news Don't get me wrong: Shopify's financial results are fantastic, and investors are rightly enthused. But its valuation is creeping up, which underscores its need to maintain strong growth for an extended time period. I believe Shopify's profit improvement, particularly its free cash flow, is encouraging in this regard. The company doesn't really repurchase shares, and it doesn't pay a dividend. Rather, its free cash flow is invested right back into growing the business. In the Q3 earnings call , President Harley Finkelstein said that he was pleased with the free cash flow "Because it gives us the ability to grow the business and invest in the future." Shareholders should keep tabs on the growth rate and the free-cash-flow margin. But after November, there's plenty of reason for long-term optimism.

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