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DENVER — Happy Thanksgiving, Colorado! Before and after you enjoy the turkey this weekend, consider one of these fun Thanksgiving and holiday season events in all corners of the state. Before the turkey day runs and walks, the Mile High City will welcome the holiday season with the annual lighting of the Denver City and County Building. Colorado holiday season traditions beginning this weekend include The Nutcracker , Blossoms of Light, Hudson Christmas, Zoo Lights, Denver Union Station's Grand Illumination and more. Kick off the holiday season right by experiencing the unique culture, food and geography that make the Centennial State special at one of these parades, festivals, lightings and happenings this weekend. > Have an event tip? Send it here . Credit: stock.adobe.com Light the Lights DENVER — For the better part of a century, Coloradans have gathered outside Denver’s City and County building for a celebration kicking off the holiday season . Denver will kick off the City & County Building’s holiday festivities on Wednesday, flipping the switch to turn the building into a festive scene for the whole season. The interactive holiday show will play twice per night at 5:45 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. through Jan. 26, 2025, and the end of the National Western Stock Show. Credit: Briargate Family YMCA Mile High United Way Turkey Trot DENVER — The 51st annual Mile High United Way Turkey Trot takes place Thanksgiving Day at Denver's Washington Park. The trot is a four-mile run/walk with proceeds supporting the Mile High United Way. Opening ceremonies begin at 8:45 a.m. Registration can be completed at UnitedWayDenver.org . Turkey ROCK Trot CASTLE ROCK — Castle Rock's Thanksgiving morning tradition returns Thursday. The 20th annual Turkey ROCK Trot is a 5K family run/walk/stroll perfect for the serious runner or the whole family. The 5K event begins in waves at 9 a.m. at the Douglas County Event Center. The free 1K Kids Dash starts at 8:30 a.m. The Turkey ROCK Trot Health and Wellness Expo opens at 7:30 a.m. Thursday. For race registration, visit TurkeyROCKTrot.com . Stanley Harvesting Hope 5K DENVER — The 10th annual Stanley Harvesting Hope 5K arrives Thanksgiving morning at Denver's Central Park. The race starts at 9 a.m. for all ages and abilities. The event's proceeds are donated to the non-profit Foundation for Prader-Willi Research. You can register at HarvestingHope5K.com . Credit: Turkey ROCK Trot; HAL Sports Turkey Trot 5K COLORADO SPRINGS — The Briargate YMCA in Colorado Springs is hosting its 27th annual Turkey Trot 5K and Kids' Tiny Trot on Thanksgiving morning. The runs serve as a fundraiser for the YMCA and its many programs. The free kids' run starts at 8:15 a.m. and the Turkey Trot follows at 9 a.m. You can register for the Trot at PPYMCA.org . Gobble Wobble Run 5K LITTLETON — The Gobble Wobble is a 5K race at Littleton's Clement Park. The run/walk is open to serious athletes, aspiring runners, families and children alike. The 14th annual Gobble Wobble begins at 8:30 a.m. Thanksgiving morning. Registration is available at GobbleWobbleRun.org . Turkey Day 5K FRISCO — The 11th annual Turkey Day 5K takes place in Frisco on Thanksgiving morning. The event is open to all ages and takes place on the Summit County Recreation Path and Town of Frisco side streets. The race begins Thursday at 9:30 a.m. starting at the old Community Center. The event will sell out, so register soon at TownofFrisco.com . > Have an event tip? Send it here . Credit: Visit Estes Park Catch the Glow Parade ESTES PARK — Estes Park will kick off the holiday season with its annual Catch the Glow Parade . The lighted parade steps off Friday at 5:30 p.m. and runs the length of Elkhorn Avenue with marching bands playing holiday tunes, dancers with twinkly lights and terrific floats. Salida Parade of Lights/Lighting of Christmas Mountain SALIDA — Salida holds its annual Parade of Lights starting at 5:30 p.m. Friday. Salida will be transformed into Christmas Town following the parade with the lighting of "the world's largest Christmas tree" — a 4,500-bulb string of lights on Tenderfoot Mountain shaped into a Christmas tree. The huge holiday symbol, which can be seen over the Arkansas River Valley for miles, will be lit through the New Year. Pueblo Parade of Lights PUEBLO — The 34th annual Pueblo Parade of Lights marks the start of the Christmas season in southern Colorado. One of the largest Christmas parades in Colorado, the parade features floats, marching bands, drill teams, saddle club horses, classic cars and more. The Pueblo Parade of Lights steps off at 5:30 p.m. Saturday from Abriendo and Union Avenue, to City Center Drive to Main Street ending on 6th Street. The 2024 parade theme is “Toys, Trains and Candy Canes.” Credit: Denver Union Station Denver Union Station’s Grand Illumination DENVER — Denver Union Station's Grand Illumination will be grander than ever in 2024. The free holiday celebration on Friday includes the grand lighting of the station and the 40-foot outdoor Christmas tree. There will be a vintage holiday performance by the Denver Dolls and an appearance by Mr. and Mrs. Claus. Entertainment starts at 4 p.m. before the tree lighting ceremony at 6:10 p.m. Credit: A Hudson Christmas Hudson Holidays LITTLETON — Hudson Gardens & Event Center will host the "Hudson Holidays" light show from Friday through Jan. 12. The event feature lighted gardens, a lighted maze and larger-than-life themed exhibits. Santa will make an appearance most evenings for free photo opportunity for families. Adults will also be able to purchase beer, wine and cocktails as well as food concessions. Tickets can be reserved at HudsonGardens.org. Olde Town Arvada Skating ARVADA — Nothing is more fun than a twirl around a skating rink under the twinkling lights. Olde Town Arvada opens its Olde Town Arvada Skating rink on Wednesday. Tickets with skate rentals are $10 for adults and $7 under 12 years old. Skate in the Park COLORADO SPRINGS — Colorado Springs has opened its ice-skating rink for the season. Tickets are $13 including skate rentals. Located in Acacia Park in downtown Colorado Springs, the Skate in the Park rink is open most days through Jan. 31. Credit: Rocky Mountain Train Show Rocky Mountain Train Show LOVELAND — The Rocky Mountain Train Show will be steaming into Loveland at The Ranch Events Complex at the Larimer County Fairgrounds this Saturday and Sunday. Perfect for families and train enthusiasts alike, this year's event covers over 36,000 square feet in the North and South Exhibit Halls and will showcase operating layouts, LEGOs, numerous activities for kids and more. There will be 15 operating train layouts of different scales and sizes and over 200 tables of vendors selling trains, books, paints, scenery material and everything you might need to set up your own model train. The Rocky Mountain Train Show is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. Credit: Mike Watson; Colorado Ballet Colorado Ballet’s The Nutcracker DENVER — Colorado Ballet will perform "The Nutcracker" for a 64th year this holiday season. Colorado Ballet’s production returns to its home at the Denver Performing Arts Complex for 28 performances. For a fourth year, "The Nutcracker" will showcase its new sets and costumes created especially for Colorado Ballet by designers Thomas Boyd and Holly Hynes. The production will feature five different casts of dancers and live music performed by the Colorado Ballet Orchestra. "The Nutcracker" will run this Saturday through Dec. 29 at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. Credit: Colorado Springs Philharmonic Colorado Springs Philharmonic's The Nutcracker COLORADO SPRINGS — Colorado Springs' professional performance of Tchaikovsky's " The Nutcracker " will play this weekend only at the Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts. The Colorado Springs Philharmonic production features the Oklahoma City Ballet and Colorado Springs Children’s Chorale. Five performances of "The Nutcracker" are scheduled Friday, Saturday and Sunday in downtown Colorado Springs. Grab your tickets at CSPhilharmonic.org . Credit: Town of Parker Mayor’s Holiday Lighting PARKER — The Town of Parker is prepared to welcome in the holiday season with its annual Mayor's Holiday Lighting on Friday. The Mayor and Parker Chorale will lead a sing-along to "Silent Night" to kick off the event, followed by the Town Tree and Grand Park Lighting. After the lighting at O'Brien Park, guests are encouraged to enjoy the sights of ice sculpture displays, holiday characters, a visit from Mr. and Mrs. Claus and holiday food vendors. Live entertainment includes the Parker Chorale, local high school choirs and Colorado School of Dance. The event begins Friday at 5:30 p.m. and runs until 7 p.m. PHOTOS : Mayor’s Holiday Lighting in Parker Montrose Tree Lighting MONTROSE — The historic Montrose County Courthouse is the site of the annual Tree Lighting on Friday. The event will have Christmas carolers, cookies and hot cocoa. Following the tree lighting, the crowd will join Santa on his carriage ride to Santa’s Cabin for family fun and activities. Littleton Candlelight Walk LITTLETON — The annual Littleton Candlelight Walk and Tree Lighting takes place Friday in downtown Littleton. The walk offers free hot cider, holiday entertainment, a parade down Main Street and a visit from Santa. Festivities start at 5:30 p.m. Friday. A drone show will fly over the west end of Main Street during a pause in the parade, just before Santa arrives. Tree Lighting Ceremony GRAND LAKE — Grand Lake’s annual Tree Lighting Ceremony will be held Friday at Town Square Park. Grand Lake will ring in the holiday season with festive carols, warm fire pits, hand-crafted cookies, hot cocoa and a lighting ceremony at 7 p.m. Keystone Winter Carnival KEYSTONE — Keystone's 12th annual Winter Carnival and Lighting of River Run offers cookies, hot chocolate, a visit from Santa Claus, holiday tree lighting and more. Warren Station will have cocoa, photo booth and performances from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday leading up the 5:15 p.m. tree lighting in the River Run Village. Credit: Hotel Colorado Hotel Colorado Lighting Ceremony GLENWOOD SPRINGS — One of Colorado's most historic hotels is ready for the holidays. Hotel Colorado will have live Christmas music and entertainment all day Friday leading up to its 34th annual lighting ceremony and firework show . The free celebration includes musical entertainment, visits with Santa Claus, ice carving, photo booth and more. More than half a million Christmas lights will be turned on simultaneously followed by a firework show from the top of the hotel. Credit: Royal Gorge Bridge & Park Bridge of Lights CAÑON CITY — The Royal Gorge Bridge & Park is preparing for its biggest and brightest event. Starting Friday, guests will be able to drive across the Royal Gorge Bridge — 1,000 feet above the Arkansas River — amidst thousands of twinkling lights. Bridge of Lights is a drive-through event, and all guests must stay in their vehicles. Driving across the Royal Gorge Bridge is not regularly offered outside of pre-arranged car club groups. Bridge of Lights will run select dates through Dec. 31. > Have an event tip? Send it here . Credit: Joe Kusumoto Wassail Days FRISCO — Frisco's Wassail Days kicks off on Saturday before continuing to Sunday, Dec. 8. Frisco businesses will be serving special wassail recipes during the event while visitors try to fill up their "12 Sips of Wassail" card. The festival begins with the Frisco Holiday Lighting and fireworks at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Frisco Historic Park Gazebo. The lighting includes hot cider, hot mulled wine, cookies and s’mores kits. Credit: Denver Botanic Gardens Trail of Lights LITTLETON — Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield Farms will be transformed into a glistening path of lights starting this Friday. The Trail of Lights holiday experience offers dancing Christmas trees, synchronized music in a children's play area, light tunnels, model tractor displays, hot beverages, nuts, kettle corn and more. Trail of Lights at Chatfield Farms will be open various evenings through Jan. 5. Tickets are sold at BotanicGardens.org . Credit: City of Greeley Culture, Parks, and Recreation Festival of Trees GREELEY — The 35th annual Festival of Trees returns this weekend with the Union Colony Civic Center lobby being turned into a true winter wonderland. The festival features crafted trees, each decorated in their own unique theme and style, all vying for prizes. The nine-day Festival of Trees, which opens Friday and runs through Saturday, Dec. 7, also offers visits from Mr. and Mrs. Claus, carriage rides and entertainment. Check out the full Festival of Trees schedule at GreeleyGov.com . Credit: AP Photo/David Zalubowski Deion Sanders confers with his son, safety Shilo Sanders, in the first half of an NCAA game against Cincinnati, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Boulder. Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. Colorado Buffaloes BOULDER — The Colorado Buffaloes (8-3) football team closes out the regular season this Friday. Led by head coach Deion Sanders, the Buffs are playing the Oklahoma State Cowboys at 10 a.m. Friday at Folsom Field in Boulder. Utah State Aggies vs. Colorado State Rams FORT COLLINS — The Colorado State Rams (7-4) football team has its final regular-season game at 1:30 p.m. Friday at Canvas Stadium. The Rams host the Utah State Aggies. Credit: Visit Creede Creede Chocolate Festival CREEDE — Chocolate lovers, rejoice! The Creede Chocolate Festival runs Friday and Saturday with business owners showcasing all things chocolate. Wildly unique samples range from tiramisu, tortes and chocolate-covered pretzels to jalapeno bean fudge and chocolate-dipped bacon. Mr. and Mrs. Claus will also be found around town during the holiday shopping weekend. Credit: stock.adobe.com How the Grinch Stole Christmas in Concert DENVER — The Colorado Symphony is celebrating the holiday classic "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" this weekend. The Ron Howard-directed 2000 film starring Jim Carrey will be featured in a concert and movie screening on Friday and Saturday at Boettcher Concert Hall at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. For tickets and showtimes, visit ColoradoSymphony.org . Drums of the World DENVER — The percussionists of the Colorado Symphony shine in "Drums of the World" at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Boettcher Concert Hall. Plan for marimba, bongos, bass drums, woodblocks, log drums, boo-bams, Chinese cymbals, metal trash cans, darabukkas, talking drums, plastic pipe, acoustic guitar, toy trumpet, tablespoons, Burma gongs, water can, crow call, tambourine, gankogui and sleigh bells. Credit: Gaylord Rockies ICE at Gaylord Rockies AURORA — Gaylord Rockies has opened its annual holiday exhibition "ICE." More than two million pounds of ice has been transformed into a winter wonderland to celebrate the film "The Polar Express." The 17,000-square-foot frozen attraction was carved from 6,000 ice blocks using chippers, tongs, handsaws, grinders and chainsaws. The environment is kept frozen by a chilling system that maintains the temperature at nine degrees Fahrenheit. Guests get to wear a blue parka to stay warm inside the exhibition. "ICE" at Gaylord Rockies will be open through Jan. 1. RELATED: Colorado’s largest indoor frozen attraction opening Credit: Pueblo Zoo ElectriCritters at Pueblo Zoo PUEBLO — ElectriCritters will be delighting kids of all ages for a 31st year at the Pueblo Zoo. The 2024 event opens the day after Thanksgiving and continues through Dec. 29. The Pueblo Zoo tradition features magical light creations, hot cocoa, tasty treats and holiday shopping, plus free photos with Santa Claus on Dec. 1, Dec. 8, Dec. 15 and Dec. 22. Credit: 9NEWS Zoo Lights DENVER — More than three million lights are illuminating the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance's 34th annual Zoo Lights. The Mile High City zoo's 80 acres have been adorned with millions of lights and animated light sculptures for the event, which runs through Jan. 5. RELATED: 3 million lights to illuminate Colorado zoo for the holidays Credit: Denver Christkindlmarket Christkindlmarket DENVER — The 24th annual Denver Christkindlmarket runs through Dec. 23 at Civic Center Park. The authentic German-style holiday market hosts both local and European crafts vendors, food vendors and free holiday entertainment. The Denver Christkindlmarket is free and open to the public. RELATED: Here's what to expect at the Denver Christkindlmarket Credit: Cherry Creek North Cherry Creek North DENVER — The Cherry Creek Holiday Market is back for a fifth year with vendor booths lining both sides of Fillmore Plaza between 1st and 2nd Avenues on Fillmore Street. Shop from dozens of hand-picked vendors before enjoying Cherry Creek North's pop-up holiday bar, the Mistletoe Lounge. Belleview Stadium Holiday Bazaar DENVER — Denver BAZAAR brings its holiday shopping extravaganza to Belleview Station on Small Business Saturday and Sunday. The outdoor market will have more than 75 vendors and makers, live music, market bar, beer garden and food trucks. Mistletoe Market DENVER — Held in the alley located next to the Dairy Block food market, the Mistletoe Market pop-up market will feature more than a dozen vendors each weekend. There will also be live carolers, holiday music, photo ops, gift-wrapping station and festive cocktails. The four-weekend market is free to attend from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. this weekend, as well as Dec. 7-8, Dec. 14-15, and Dec. 21-22. Horseshoe Holiday Market DENVER — The Horseshoe Holiday Market is part makers market, part flea market. Organizers expect vendors selling everything from handmade gifts to antiques. The market will be held at the Highlands Masonic Temple this Small Business Saturday and Sunday. A market will also be held Dec. 7 and Dec. 8 at Breckenridge Brewery in Littleton. Colorado Makers Holiday Market FORT COLLINS — The Colorado Makers Holiday Market at the Aztlan Community Center is designed to connect people in Fort Collins to creative people making unique goods in their community. They focus on bringing shoppers a selection of products that are handmade, high-quality and diverse. The free-to-attend market will be held Saturday and Sunday. Credit: Visit Denver Mile High Drone Show DENVER — The sky over Denver will be lit up for 40 straight nights with a series of holiday and Denver-themed drone shows through New Year's Eve. The 15-minute shows will extend 400 feet in the air and spread 500 feet wide with a variety of about two-dozen animated scenes. The drones will launch just west of downtown Denver. Some recommended viewing sites include Sculpture Park at the Denver Performing Arts Complex and the Ball Arena parking lot. Credit: Visit Loveland Colorado Winter Wonderlights LOVELAND — The walkable holiday lighting attraction Winter Wonderlights is now open at Chapungu Sculpture Park at Centerra. Each night, visitors can walk through a free choreographed light show of 300,000 holiday lights. This year’s event is bigger and brighter with a new expansive event footprint offering more twinkling lights and experiences. Winter Wonderlights will be open through Jan. 1. RELATED: Nightly light show opens this winter in northern Colorado Credit: Jamie Kraus Photography A Christmas Carol DENVER — A Colorado tradition has returned to the Denver Performing Arts Complex. The Denver Center for the Performing Arts Theatre Company will stage its 30th annual production of "A Christmas Carol" through Sunday, Dec. 29, at the Wolf Theatre. Based on Charles Dickens' classic novel, the Denver musical adaptation traces curmudgeon Ebenezer Scrooge's triumphant overnight journey to redemption. Tickets are on sale at DenverCenter.org . RELATED: 30 years in Denver: 'A Christmas Carol' opens for anniversary production Credit: Visit Denver Mile High Tree DENVER — A massive digital tree has returned in downtown Denver for the holiday season. The seven-story tall Mile High Tree features holiday light shows on a pixel LED-technology tree. Ten feet taller than the tree at Rockefeller Center, the giant tree is set up at Civic Center Park, next to the Christkindlmarket , near the Denver City and County Building. The Mile High Tree will be lit up nightly from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. through Dec. 23. RELATED: Denver's massive Christmas tree is back Credit: Denver Botanic Gardens Blossoms of Light DENVER — The signature event at Denver Botanic Gardens is back this holiday season. Blossoms of Light , a Denver tradition for nearly four decades, transforms the York Street gardens into a twinkling wonderland. More than one million lights are used to illuminate a mile-long path including a 200-foot-long light tunnel, a choreographed light display, glowing orbs in the Monet Pool, and projections on the Science Pyramid. Blossoms of Light will be open through Jan. 12. RELATED: Blossoms of Light returns to Denver Botanic Gardens Credit: 9NEWS Christmas in Color FEDERAL HEIGHTS — Denver's biggest drive-through Christmas light displays are bringing back the magic. Christmas in Color displays will be lit at Water World in Federal Heights and in Aurora at the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds. There will also be a new location this year at Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, replacing a display that had been at Bandimere Speedway. The displays each feature more than one million LED lights arranged into tunnels, trees, giant candy canes, snowflakes and more, all synchronized to festive holiday music on the FM radio dial. The locations at Water World and Arapahoe County Fairgrounds are open for the season, while Red Rocks opens Friday, Nov. 29. Christmas in Color is open 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. through Dec. 29. RELATED: Drive-through Christmas lights displays opening in Colorado Credit: Gaylord Hotels Cirque: Frost AURORA — The new "Cirque: Frost" acrobatic show has opened at Gaylord Rockies. Following a young Jack Frost as he discovers his destiny as the legendary winter spirit, the 50-minute show of high-flying stuns and breathtaking feats in a heartwarming tale of a dreamer who brings enchantment and wonder to the world. "Cirque: Frost" runs through Jan. 1. Credit: Colorado Railroad Museum Polar Express Train Ride GOLDEN — The Colorado Railroad Museum has brought back its holiday tradition of "The Polar Express Train Ride." Performances are held on select dates through Dec. 23. The train ride features a cabaret-style show, singing, hot chocolate and Santa, recreating "The Polar Express" story. Credit: Denver Museum of Nature & Science Animals of the Rainforest DENVER — The Denver Museum of Nature & Science has opened its newest exhibition, "Animals of the Rainforest." An immersive, live-animal experience aims to transport visitors into the world's most diverse ecosystem. Guests will come face-to-face with rainforest animals, explore displays of recreated natural habitats and learn about conservation efforts. "Animals of the Rainforest" is included with museum admission. Credit: Disney via AP Maui, voiced by Dwayne Johnson, left, and Moana, voiced by Auli'i Cravalho, in a scene from "Moana 2." Movies this weekend With a combined $270 million in worldwide ticket sales, “Wicked” and “Gladiator II” breathed fresh life into a box office leading to one of the busiest moviegoing weekends of the year. Jon M. Chu’s big-budget musical “Wicked” debuted with $114 million domestically and $164.2 million globally for Universal Picture last weekend. With “Moana 2” releasing Wednesday, Hollywood might be looking at historic sales over the Thanksgiving holiday. New movies this weekend Moana 2 Last weekend's box office "Wicked," $114 million. “Gladiator II,” $55.5 million. “Red One,” $13.3 million. “Bonhoeffer: Pastor Spy Assassin," $5.1 million. “Venom: The Last Dance,” $4 million. “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” $3.5 million. “Heretic,” $2.2 million. “The Wild Robot,” $2 million. “Smile 2,” $1.1 million. “A Real Pain,” $1.1 million. Related Articles 'Wicked' and 'Gladiator' make gravity-defying theater debuts 9NEWS Parade of Lights returning for 50th year ‘Wicked’ review: Erivo, Grande shine in new adaptation of Broadway classic Would you like to see you favorite Colorado festival, fair, expo, concert, drama, musical, ballet, run or event listed in 9Things? Send it to alexander.kirk@9news.com . Have a thankful weekend! 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The U.S. Navy is transforming a costly flub into a potent weapon with the first shipborne hypersonic weapon, which is being retrofitted aboard the first of its three stealthy destroyers. The USS Zumwalt is at a Mississippi shipyard where workers have installed missile tubes that replace twin turrets from a gun system that was never activated because it was too expensive. Once the system is complete, the Zumwalt will provide a platform for conducting fast, precision strikes from greater distances, adding to the usefulness of the warship. The USS Zumwalt is seen at the Huntington Ingalls shipyard Nov. 21 in Pascagoula, Miss. “It was a costly blunder. But the Navy could take victory from the jaws of defeat here, and get some utility out of them by making them into a hypersonic platform,” said Bryan Clark, a defense analyst at the Hudson Institute. The U.S. has had several types of hypersonic weapons in development for the past two decades, but recent tests by both Russia and China have added pressure to the U.S. military to hasten their production. People are also reading... Hypersonic weapons travel beyond Mach 5, five times the speed of sound, with added maneuverability making them harder to shoot down. Last year, The Washington Post reported that among the documents leaked by former Massachusetts Air National Guard member Jack Teixeira was a defense department briefing that confirmed China had recently tested an intermediate-range hypersonic weapon called the DF-27. While the Pentagon previously acknowledged the weapon's development, it had not recognized its testing. One of the U.S. programs in development and planned for the Zumwalt is the “Conventional Prompt Strike." It would launch like a ballistic missile and then release a hypersonic glide vehicle that would travel at speeds seven to eight times faster than the speed of sound before hitting the target. The weapon system is being developed jointly by the Navy and Army. Each of the Zumwalt-class destroyers would be equipped with four missile tubes, each with three of the missiles for a total of 12 hypersonic weapons per ship. In choosing the Zumwalt, the Navy is attempting to add to the usefulness of a $7.5 billion warship that is considered by critics to be an expensive mistake despite serving as a test platform for multiple innovations. The USS Zumwalt is seen at the Huntington Ingalls shipyard Nov. 21 in Pascagoula, Miss. The Zumwalt was envisioned as providing land-attack capability with an Advanced Gun System with rocket-assisted projectiles to open the way for Marines to charge ashore. But the system featuring 155 mm guns hidden in stealthy turrets was canceled because each of the rocket-assisted projectiles cost between $800,000 and $1 million. Despite the stain on its reputation, the three Zumwalt-class destroyers remain the Navy’s most advanced surface warship in terms of new technologies. Those innovations include electric propulsion, an angular shape to minimize radar signature, an unconventional wave-piercing hull, automated fire and damage control and a composite deckhouse that hides radar and other sensors. The Zumwalt arrived at the Huntington Ingalls Industries shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi, in August 2023 and was removed from the water for the complex work of integrating the new weapon system. It is due to be undocked this week in preparation for the next round of tests and its return to the fleet, shipyard spokeswoman Kimberly Aguillard said. A U.S. hypersonic weapon was successfully tested over the summer and development of the missiles is continuing. The Navy wants to begin testing the system aboard the Zumwalt in 2027 or 2028, according to the Navy. The U.S. weapon system will come at a steep price. It would cost nearly $18 billion to buy 300 of the weapons and maintain them over 20 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Critics say there is too little bang for the buck. “This particular missile costs more than a dozen tanks. All it gets you is a precise non-nuclear explosion, some place far far away. Is it really worth the money? The answer is most of the time the missile costs much more than any target you can destroy with it,” said Loren Thompson, a longtime military analyst in Washington, D.C. US Navy intercepts Houthi missiles aimed at American ships in Gulf of Aden The U.S. Navy intercepted Houthi missiles and drones targeting two warships and three merchant vessels in the Gulf of Aden. But they provide the capability for Navy vessels to strike an enemy from a distance of thousands of kilometers — outside the range of most enemy weapons — and there is no effective defense against them, said retired Navy Rear Adm. Ray Spicer, CEO of the U.S. Naval Institute, an independent forum focusing on national security issues, and former commander of an aircraft carrier strike force. Conventional missiles that cost less aren’t much of a bargain if they are unable to reach their targets, Spicer said, adding the U.S. military really has no choice but to pursue them. “The adversary has them. We never want to be outdone,” he said. The U.S. is accelerating development because hypersonics have been identified as vital to U.S. national security with “survivable and lethal capabilities,” said James Weber, principal director for hypersonics in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Critical Technologies. “Fielding new capabilities that are based on hypersonic technologies is a priority for the defense department to sustain and strengthen our integrated deterrence, and to build enduring advantages,” he said. Rising Costs Hit Military Families Hard: Here’s How You Can Help Rising Costs Hit Military Families Hard: Here’s How You Can Help Image Credit: Jacob Lund / Shutterstock The financial challenges facing U.S. military households are a significant concern throughout the year. Holidays such as Memorial Day, Armed Forces Day, or Veterans Day highlight the ongoing struggles that service members face, particularly amid rising costs for everyday essentials. Recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey shows a troubling trend: Military personnel and their families are finding it more difficult to cover basic household expenses such as food, housing, and transportation than the average American. Our analysis examines how service members are faring in today’s economy compared to civilian households, highlighting the states where military families report the greatest challenges in managing their finances. As we enter Giving Season, we’ve also highlighted meaningful ways to support service members and their families through charitable contributions, offering an opportunity to make a direct impact on those who serve our nation. Financial Challenges Facing Service Members Service members are struggling more financially than the average American. Image Credit: Upgraded Points According to recent Household Pulse Survey data, members of the armed services are experiencing financial strain at higher rates than the general U.S. population. Over 40% of service members report difficulty covering their usual household expenses, compared to 36.6% of all U.S. adults. The data also shows heightened anxiety among service members regarding rising prices. Nearly 80% of military personnel express stress about recent price increases, significantly higher than the 71.8% of all U.S. adults who share similar feelings. Furthermore, 81.8% of service members are concerned about future price hikes, reflecting widespread uncertainty about inflation’s long-term impact on household budgets. States Where Service Members Struggle To Cover Costs More than half of service members in certain states have difficulty covering basic household expenses. Image Credit: Upgraded Points Across the U.S., the financial burden on service members varies significantly from state to state, primarily influenced by local economic conditions. According to the most recent data, Utah leads with 53.7% of service members reporting difficulty covering basic household expenses, closely followed by Louisiana (52.9%) and Alaska (52.8%). Other states where over half of service members are struggling include Indiana (52.0%), Tennessee (51.2%), New York (50.8%), and Florida (50.3%). A key issue service members frequently raise is that their Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) has not kept pace with the rapidly rising cost of housing. In states where service members face the greatest financial difficulties, such as Utah, Indiana, Tennessee, and Florida, home price increases have far exceeded the national average, exacerbating the strain on household budgets. Another critical factor affecting military families is the employment challenges military spouses face. According to the Department of Defense, the military spouse unemployment rate was 21% in 2023, compared to a national rate of 3.6% that year. Many military bases are located in rural or remote areas, limiting job opportunities for spouses, particularly in specialized fields. Additionally, frequent relocations make it difficult for spouses to sustain long-term careers, especially for those in professions requiring state-specific occupational licenses that can be difficult to transfer. Service members are also more likely to report financial struggles in states with higher-than-average unemployment rates, such as Louisiana, Alaska, and New York. Conversely, the state unemployment rate is below average in 9 of the 10 states where service members report the least financial difficulty. This suggests that strong local employment opportunities, particularly for spouses, significantly ease the financial burden on military households. How You Can Help: Top Military and Veteran Charities Photo Credit: Bumble Dee / Shutterstock One of the most impactful ways to support service members, veterans, and their families who are facing financial hardships is through donations to reputable charities. These organizations are dedicated to addressing the unique challenges faced by military families and veterans, providing vital assistance in areas like housing, medical expenses, scholarships, and career training. To help guide your generosity, we’ve compiled a list of top-rated charities based on scores from Charity Navigator , CharityWatch , and GuideStar , which assess organizations on criteria such as impact, efficiency, accountability, and transparency. Here are some of the best charities supporting military families and veterans in need: 1. USO For over 80 years, the USO has provided crucial support to active-duty service members and their families. From financial assistance programs to community-building initiatives, the USO helps service members stay connected to loved ones while addressing their most pressing needs during deployments and transitions. 2. Homes For Our Troops This charity is focused on providing specially adapted homes for severely injured post-9/11 veterans. It helps veterans regain independence. Homes For Our Troops also provides financial planning and household budgeting to ensure long-term stability for the recipients. 3. Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) Dedicated to advocating for veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, IAVA works to improve government policies and programs that support military families. Its advocacy ensures veterans have access to financial resources, healthcare, and education opportunities. 4. Fisher House Foundation This foundation builds “comfort homes” near military and VA medical centers, allowing families to stay free of charge while a loved one is hospitalized. By reducing travel and lodging expenses, Fisher House eases financial stress during difficult times. 5. Hope For The Warriors Offering a range of programs focused on financial stability, wellness, social support, and education, Hope For The Warriors provides critical support to service members, veterans, and their families. Its services include direct financial assistance for transitioning service members and veterans in need, career training and job placement, and scholarships for spouses. 6. Semper Fi & America’s Fund Semper Fi & America’s Fund assists wounded, ill, and injured service members and their families through direct financial assistance and case management during hospitalization and recovery. The organization also provides educational support, career assistance, and health and wellness services. 7. Wounded Warriors Family Support (WWFS) WWFS supports families of those wounded or killed in combat through programs like medical travel grants, meal and housekeeping assistance, in-home care services, and family retreats. By addressing these families' immediate and ongoing needs, WWFS alleviates the financial burdens of those suffering from recent tragic events. For more information, a detailed methodology, and complete results, see Rising Costs Hit Military Families Hard: Here’s How You Can Help on Upgraded Points . Methodology Photo Credit: Jacob Lund / Shutterstock Upgraded Points conducted the analysis using the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau Household Pulse Survey Phase 4.0–4.2 , covering the period from January 9, 2024, to September 16, 2024. Service members were defined as adults currently serving in the U.S. armed forces (Active Duty, Reserve, or National Guard) and their spouses. This analysis focuses on 3 key questions from the survey: Statistics with fewer than 50 survey responses were omitted from the analysis. Additional statistics on home prices were sourced from Zillow’s Home Value Index , and unemployment rates were sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates . For complete results, see Rising Costs Hit Military Families Hard: Here’s How You Can Help on Upgraded Points. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Such bet are usually bad ones, which is why so many massive casino-resorts have been built on Las Vegas Boulevard. But it doesn't mean the organizers are wrong. They're counting on the minimum of $1 million in guaranteed name, image and likeness money that will go to each of the eight teams competing in the neutral-site tournament that begins Tuesday will create a precedent for other such events. EverWonder Studios CEO Ian Orefice, who co-founded Players with former AND1 CEO Seth Berger, compared this event to last year's inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament that played its semifinals and final in Las Vegas by saying it "did really well to reinvigorate the fan base at the beginning of the year." "We're excited that we're able to really change the paradigm in college basketball on the economics," Orefice said. "But for us, it's about the long term. How do we use the momentum that is launching with the 2024 Players Era Festival and be the catalyst not to change one event, but to change college basketball for the future." Orefice and Berger didn't disclose financial details, but said the event will come close to breaking even this year and that revenue is in eight figures. Orefice said the bulk of the revenue will come from relationships with MGM, TNT Sports and Publicis Sport & Entertainment as well as sponsors that will be announced later. Both organizers said they are so bullish on the tournament's prospects that they already are planning ahead. Money made from this year's event, Orefice said, goes right back into the company. "We're really in this for the long haul," Orefice said. "So we're not looking at it on a one-year basis." Rick Giles is president of the Gazelle Group, which also operates several similar events, including the College Basketball Invitational. He was skeptical the financial numbers would work. Giles said in addition to more than $8 million going to the players, there were other expenses such as the guarantees to the teams. He said he didn't know if the tournament would make up the difference with ticket sales, broadcast rights and sponsorship money. The top bowl of the MGM Grand Garden Arena will be curtained off. "The math is highly challenging," Giles said. "Attendance and ticket revenues are not going to come anywhere close to covering that. They haven't announced any sponsors that I'm aware of. So it all sort of rests with their media deal with Turner and how much capital they want to commit to it to get these players paid." David Carter, a University of Southern California adjunct professor who also runs the Sports Business Group consultancy, said even if the Players isn't a financial success this year, the question is whether there will be enough interest to move forward. "If there is bandwidth for another tournament and if the TV or the streaming ratings are going to be there and people are going to want to attend and companies are going to want to sponsor, then, yeah, it's probably going to work," Carter said. "But it may take them time to gain that traction." Both founders said they initially were met with skepticism about putting together such an event, especially from teams they were interested in inviting. Houston was the first school to commit, first offering an oral pledge early in the year and then signing a contract in April. That created momentum for others to join, and including the No. 6 Cougars, half the field is ranked. "We have the relationships to operate a great event," Berger said. "We had to get coaches over those hurdles, and once they knew that we were real, schools got on board really quickly." The founders worked with the NCAA to make sure the tournament abided by that organization's rules, so players must appear at ancillary events in order to receive NIL money. Strict pay for play is not allowed, though there are incentives for performance. The champion, for example, will receive $1.5 million in NIL money. Now the pressure is on to pull off the event and not create the kind of headlines that can dog it for years to come. "I think everybody in the marketplace is watching what's going to happen (this) week and, more importantly, what happens afterwards," Giles said. "Do the players get paid on a timely basis? And if they do, that means that Turner or somebody has paid way more than the market dictates? And the question will be: Can that continue?" CREIGHTON: P oint guard Steven Ashworth likely won’t play in the No. 21 Bluejays’ game against San Diego State in the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas. Ashworth sprained his right ankle late in a loss to Nebraska on Friday and coach Greg McDermott said afterward he didn’t know how long he would be out.Hundreds more banned guns to force Liberals to break up ‘buyback’ into gradual phases

South Korea lifts president's martial law decree after lawmakers reject military rule

NEW YORK — U.S. stocks climbed Thursday after market superstar Nvidia and other companies said they’re making even fatter profits than expected. The Standard & Poor’s 500 closed 0.5% higher after flipping between gains and losses several times during Thursday trading. Banks, smaller companies and other areas of the stock market that tend to do best when the economy is strong helped lead the way, and bitcoin briefly broke above $99,000. Crude oil, meanwhile, continued to rise. The Dow Jones industrial average jumped 1.1%, and the Nasdaq composite edged up less than 0.1%. Nvidia rose just 0.5% after beating analysts’ estimates for profit and revenue yet again, but it was still the strongest force pulling the S&P 500 upward. It also gave a forecast for revenue in the current quarter that topped most analysts’ expectations due to voracious demand for its chips used in artificial-intelligence technology. Its stock initially sank in after-hours trading Wednesday after the release of the results. Some investors said the market might have been looking for Nvidia’s revenue forecast to surpass expectations by even more. But its stock recovered in premarket trading Thursday, and Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said it was another flawless profit report from Nvidia and Chief Executive Jensen Huang, whom Ives calls “the Godfather of AI.” The stock meandered through Thursday as well, dragging the S&P 500 and other indexes up and down. How Nvidia’s stock performs has greater effect than any other because it’s grown into Wall Street’s most valuable company at roughly $3.6 trillion. The frenzy around AI is sweeping up other stocks, and Snowflake jumped 32.7% after reporting stronger results for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The company, whose platform helps customers get a better view of all their silos of data and use AI, also reported stronger-than-expected revenue growth. BJ’S Wholesale Club rose 8.3% after likewise delivering a bigger profit than expected. That may help calm worries about how resilient U.S. shoppers can remain, given high prices across the economy and still-high interest rates. A day earlier, Target tumbled after reporting sluggish sales in the latest quarter and giving a dour forecast for the holiday shopping season. It followed Walmart, which gave a much more encouraging outlook. Nearly 90% of the stocks in the S&P 500 ended up rising Thursday, and the gains were even bigger among smaller companies. The Russell 2000 index of smaller stocks jumped a market-leading 1.7%. Google’s parent company, Alphabet, helped keep indexes in check. It fell 4.7% after U.S. regulators asked a judge to break up the tech giant by forcing it to sell its industry-leading Chrome web browser. In a 23-page document filed late Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Justice called for sweeping punishments that would include restrictions preventing Android from favoring its own search engine. Regulators stopped short of demanding that Google sell Android but left the door open to it if the company’s oversight committee continues to see evidence of misconduct. All told, the S&P 500 rose 31.60 points to 5,948.71. The Dow jumped 461.88 points to 43,870.35, and the Nasdaq composite edged up 6.28 points to 18,972.42. In the crypto market, bitcoin eclipsed $99,000 for the first time before pulling back toward $98,000, according to CoinDesk. It’s more than doubled so far this year, and its climb has accelerated since election day. President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to make the country “the crypto capital of the planet” and create a “strategic reserve” of bitcoin. Bitcoin got a further boost after Gary Gensler, chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission, said Thursday he would step down in January. Gensler has pushed for more protections for crypto investors. Bitcoin and related investments have a notorious history of big price swings in both directions. MicroStrategy, a company that’s been raising cash expressly to buy bitcoin, saw an early Thursday gain of 14.6% quickly disappear. It finished the day with a loss of 16.2%. In the oil market, a barrel of benchmark U.S. crude rose 2% to bring its gain for the week to 4.8%. Brent crude, the international standard, climbed 1.8%. Oil has been rising amid escalations in the Russia-Ukraine war. In stock markets abroad, shares of India’s Adani Enterprises plunged 22.6% on Thursday after the U.S. charged founder Gautam Adani in a federal indictment with securities fraud and conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud. The businessman and one of the world’s richest people is accused of concealing that his company’s huge solar energy project on the subcontinent was being facilitated by an alleged bribery scheme. Stock indexes elsewhere in Asia and Europe were mixed. In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury edged up to 4.43% from 4.41% late Wednesday after some mixed reports on the U.S. economy. One said fewer U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week in the latest signal that the job market remains solid. Another report, though, said manufacturing in the mid-Atlantic region unexpectedly shrank. Sales of previously occupied homes, meanwhile, strengthened last month by more than expected. Choe writes for the Associated Press. AP writers Matt Ott and Yuri Kageyama contributed to this report.

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For over 30 years before the COVID-19 pandemic, investors thrived during what is often referred to as the Great Moderation. Despite a painful episode with the Great Recession, this period saw relatively stable economic conditions, with fewer recessions, lower inflation , and diminished volatility. The rise of globalization and free trade during this era provided corporations access to cheaper labor and production resources, bolstering profits and encouraging growth. However, according to Liz Ann Sonders , chief investment strategist at Charles Schwab , this stability era has ended. Sonders has coined the current phase the ‘Temperamental Era,’ a period she likens to the volatile economic landscape of the mid-1960s through the early 1990s. Sonders sees this era as one with increased volatility in economic performance and inflation. Since 2020, dramatic swings in GDP growth have become commonplace, with sharp contractions followed by rapid rebounds—similar to the patterns seen in the latter half of the 20 th century. Inflation has also become more volatile, reminding economists of the 1970s. Back then, the Federal Reserve declared victory over inflation prematurely, leading to policy missteps and back-to-back recessions in the early 1980s. Sonders notes that the current environment is similarly characterized by uncertainty in inflation trends, accompanied by ongoing supply chain reconfigurations and geopolitical tensions. As companies move toward nearshoring or regional diversification, they drive a shift in supply chain management. Although this strategy enhances resilience, it also raises production costs due to limited regional capacities. Meanwhile, the re-emergence of geopolitical rivalries, particularly between the U.S. and China, and NATO and Russia, causes tensions, increasing the likelihood of trade restrictions, tariffs, and supply risks, further fueling inflationary pressures. Also Read: ‘Staggering’ Google Breakup Proposal From DOJ A ‘Kitchen Sink Moment’: Alphabet Analyst ING 's research last year found that while a repeat of the 1970s inflationary crisis is not inevitable, the risks of higher and more volatile inflation and central bank rates over the next decade are significant. Shortages of key materials, partly driven by the green energy transition and geopolitical conflicts, could exert upward pressure on prices. Additionally, worker power gradually increases due to labor shortages, pushing wages upward. Accompanied by tighter fiscal and monetary policies designed to curb inflation, the environment limits the flexibility of governments and central banks to respond to future crises. For investors, this new era demands a shift in strategy. The low-interest-rate environment of the Great Moderation enabled even weak companies to survive on cheap borrowing, but that era is over. Instead, Charles Schwab sees the importance of focusing on fundamentals when selecting stocks. They note price-to-cash flow, price momentum, and return volatility as metrics of interest. Price-to-cash flow helps investors gauge a company's ability to sustain operations and meet financial obligations. Price momentum identifies stocks with favorable trends, as past performance often predicts short-term direction. Lastly, return volatility (Beta) measures the stability of a stock's price movements, with lower volatility typically signaling a less risky investment. Read Next: S&P 500 Faces Volatile 2025 As ‘Inflation Boom’ Could Return: Bank Of America Strategist Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.UConn coach Dan Hurley told reporters Tuesday that star forward Alex Karaban is out for Wednesday's top-25 matchup against visiting Baylor. Karaban was transported to a hospital in Hawaii last Wednesday after sustaining a head injury during an 85-67 loss to Dayton on the final day of the Maui Invitational. Karaban hit the floor after being fouled on a contested layup with approximately 2 1/2 minutes left in the second half. He was later cleared to fly home with the rest of the team on Thursday. The junior sat out Saturday's 99-45 win over Maryland Eastern Shore, but now he will miss a more important game that pits the No. 25 Huskies (5-3) against the No. 15 Bears (5-2) in the Big 12-Big East Battle. Karaban has been UConn's leading scorer (15.9 ppg), adding 4.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. A starter for each of the Huskies' last two national championship-winning seasons, Karaban owns career averages of 11.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. Jaylin Stewart drew into the starting lineup in Karaban's place against UMES. --Field Level MediaMan City stumble again while Arsenal and Bayern Munich earn dominant winsUConn F Alex Karaban (head) won't play vs. Baylor

Guardiola denies rift with De Bruyne during Man City's dramatic slumpThe standard Lorem Ipsum passage, used since the 1500s "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" Thanks for your interest in Kalkine Media's content! To continue reading, please log in to your account or create your free account with us.A judge on Monday rejected a request to block a San Jose State women’s volleyball team member from playing in a conference tournament on grounds that she is transgender. Monday’s ruling by U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Kato Crews in Denver will allow the player, who has played all season, to continue competing in the Mountain West Conference women’s championship scheduled for later this week in Las Vegas. The ruling comes after a lawsuit was filed by nine current players who are suing the Mountain West Conference to challenge the league’s policies for allowing transgender players to participate. The players argued that letting her compete was a safety risk and unfair. While some media have reported those and neither San Jose State nor the forfeiting teams have confirmed the school has a trans women’s volleyball player. The Associated Press is withholding the player’s name because she has not publicly commented on her gender identity. School officials also have declined an interview request with the player. Judge Crews referred to the athlete as an “alleged transgender” player in his ruling and noted that no defendant disputed that San Jose State rosters a transgender woman volleyball player. He said the players who filed the complaint could have sought relief much earlier, noting that the individual universities had acknowledged that not playing their games against San Jose State this season would result in a forfeit in league standings. He also said injunctions are meant to preserve the status quo. The conference policy regarding forfeiting for refusing to play against a team with a transgender player had been in effect since 2022 and the San Jose State player has been on the roster since 2022 – making that the status quo. The player competed at the college level three previous seasons, including two for San Jose State, drawing little attention. This season’s awareness of her identity among some players, pundits, parents and politicians in a political campaign year. The tournament starts Wednesday and continues Friday and Saturday. San Jose State is seeded second. The judge’s order maintains the seedings and pairings for the tournament. Several teams refused to play against San Jose State during the season, earning losses in the official standings. Boise State and Wyoming each had two forfeits while Utah State and Nevada both had one. Southern Utah, a member of the Western Athletic Conference, was first to cancel against San Jose State this year. Nevada’s players stated they “refuse to participate in any match that advances injustice against female athletes,” without providing further details. Crews served as a magistrate judge in Colorado’s U.S. District Court for more than five years before President Joe Biden appointed him to serve as a federal judge in January of this year. ____ Gruver reported from Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Hanson from Helena, Montana.

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Ruby's Beers Bikes and Brats in downtown Davenport to close next weekMarie Gluesenkamp Perez has a blunt message for fellow Democrats as they wail and wonder how they’ll make their way back from the political wilderness. It’s going to take time. And lots of work. “This is not like, ‘Oh, here’s one weird trick ... Use this word, not that word,’ “ said the 36-year-old congresswoman, fresh off reelection in a rural district Donald Trump just carried for the second time. Gluesenkamp Perez likened the Democrats’ mission to building a bicycle wheel, saying there is no universal blueprint. “Every spoke matters and needs to be in appropriate tension,” she said. “You can’t just make one cast-iron spoke and expect the wheel to hold up.” Gluesenkamp Perez, the mother of a toddler and owner of a family-run auto repair shop, became a political folk hero in 2022 by pulling off one of the biggest upsets in the country, coming from nowhere to win a Republican-held House seat representing the southwest corner of Washington state. The victory made her one of just five House Democrats representing districts that Trump carried in 2020. Two have been reelected. Republicans flipped a seat in Pennsylvania and the remaining contests — in Alaska and Ohio — remain too close to call. So when it comes to discussing how Democrats might address their hemorrhaging rural support, Gluesenkamp Perez speaks with some authority. But also some hesitation. “I am not a strategist. I am not a party operative,” she said from her Capitol Hill office. “It’s the wrong idea to take away from this that I’ve got some 10-point plan.” Still, Gluesenkamp Perez does have some pointed advice as her party seeks to woo and win back the working-class voters who, for decades, were foundational to Democratic success. To wit: Stop talking down to people, as if they’re too dumb to know what’s politically good for them. Treat those who work with their hands with the same respect and regard as people holding jobs with fancy degrees. And, perhaps above all, run more candidates who’ve gotten dirt under their fingernails, mud on the soles of their boots or grease stains on their coveralls. “The track record of success is not whether you went to an Ivy League institution,” Gluesenkamp Perez said, but rather “what that person has done with their life, how they’ve contributed to their community, beyond building a resume that’s traditionally credentialed.” Washington’s 3rd Congressional District runs north from the Columbia River, which forms the border with Oregon. The closest thing to a large city is Vancouver, with a population of roughly 200,000. Endless acres of farmland are edged by mountains and lush forest; when the trees blaze with autumn colors, it’s a heavenly sight. Swimming against the Trump tide, Gluesenkamp Perez won reelection this month by significantly outperforming Kamala Harris. She pulled more votes than her fellow Democrat not just in the blue bastions of Vancouver and its suburbs, but also in the rural reaches of the district. In fact, the redder the county, the more Gluesenkamp Perez topped the vice president’s showing. Part of that is her relatability, as someone who lives in the countryside in a home she and her husband built. Campaigning, the congresswoman spoke of the nearly four-hour round trip the couple drive to take their toddler to the one day care center in their county. She described the frustrations — head-scratching regulations, nit-picky bureaucrats — she’s dealt with while running her auto shop. Some of that, of course, is unique to her experience. But there’s a broader applicability. Her platform was all about practicality. Making farm loans more accessible. Using tax-preferred savings funds to pay not just for college but also tools used by loggers, plumbers, electricians and the like. Giving people the right to choose where to fix their broken appliances, rather than having to ship them back to the manufacturer. Gluesenkamp Perez doesn’t hesitate to break with fellow Democrats on issues like border security — she backed a resolution rebuking Harris for her role in the administration’s policies — and hasn’t waded into the culture wars that animate many in her party. “I think it’s important that we hold our cultural and moral precepts steady and with integrity,” said Gluesenkamp Perez, who called for codification of a national right to abortion rather than leaving decisions on women’s health to a bunch of “staff bros” in Washington. “But it’s also true that I don’t ... know any Mexican Americans or Latinos that asked us to use significant political capital to make ‘Latinx’ happen. You need to be useful to your community and not an ideology.” Most voters, she went on, aren’t wielding a clipboard and checking off issue boxes. What matters to them is whether a candidate reflects their values and seems “a good fit for the community ... In many ways, the message is the messenger.” That means sharing the lived experience of the people whom a lawmaker seeks to represent. “It’s important that I lose power when everyone else loses power in the ice storm,” said Gluesenkamp Perez. “That my home insurance rates go up, too. That fentanyl is impacting my [child’s] playgroups.” There is, as the congresswoman suggests, no one-size-fits-all solution for Democrats seeking to reclaim lost rural ground and working-class support. In Montana, Democratic Sen. Jon Tester is about as authentically rural as they come. A plain-spoken farmer and Montana native who famously lost three of his fingers in a childhood meat-grinding accident, his buzz cut and ample belly make him no one’s idea of a slick, poll-tested politician. Still, Tester lost his reelection bid to a Republican who moved to the state just a decade ago and revealed a shaky relationship with the truth. (Among the controversies was Tim Sheehy’s claim to have been shot while serving in Afghanistan.) That said, when you’re flat on your back you have to pick yourself up and start somewhere. Democrats could do worse than listening to someone who’s won a pair of tough races and speaks a language rural voters appreciate and understand.

Judge rejects request to sideline a San Jose State volleyball player on grounds she’s transgender

(ECNS) -- The Belt and Road Forum on People-to-people Connectivity kicked off on Friday in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, aiming to pool wisdom and strength to promote high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). During the opening ceremony, Ding Zhongli, president of the Western Returned Scholars Association, said that 2024 marks the beginning of the second decade of the development of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). He called on more overseas Chinese students to tell BRI stories well and play a vital role in promoting exchanges and mutual learning between China and other civilizations. Guangxi is an important gateway for China's opening-up and its cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries. Data from local customs shows that Guangxi's trade with ASEAN reached 307.65 billion yuan ($ 42 billion ) in the first 10 months of 2024, a 15.5 percent increase year-on-year. 2024 is also designated as the China-ASEAN Year of People-to-People Exchanges. Ong Tee Keat, president of the Belt and Road Initiative Caucus for Asia Pacific, stressed in his keynote speech that more BRI programs of in-depth people engagement can be tailor-made to suit the local conditions of ASEAN countries that have agreed to build a community of shared future with China. He also pointed out that more new drivers for economic growth and sociocultural engagement are emerging from time to time as the China-ASEAN partnership is steadily evolving and progressing with the changing regional dynamics and developmental needs. According to Hein Khaing, director of China Studies Institute (Myanmar), the key to promote people-to-people connectivity between China and ASEAN countries is to enhance the building of a community of shared future and an independent knowledge and discourse system of the two sides. Sharlene May Cua, vice president of Philippine Association for Chinese Studies, noted that culture and language mutual learning as well as e-commerce business development through e-commerce platforms and social media channels are the kinds of people-to-people exchanges that China and the Philippines need. In 2013, China proposed building a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future and launched the BRI. Since then, bilateral exchanges and cooperation have intensified, covering tourism, education, culture, sports, and more. This forum is organized by the Western Returned Scholars Association. It has attracted more than 150 political, business and academic representatives from BRI partner countries in southeast Asia, as well as experts, scholars, and representatives from the association and in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.