NoneGeorgetown 100, Albany (NY) 68

Marc-Andre Fleury’s game still blooms in new Wild role‘Tis the season to start shopping for loved ones – family, friends and colleagues you care about – and perhaps putting something for yourself under the tree this year. And if it’s a tech toy you want to give, there’s no shortage of sleek screens, great games and smart home-related gear worthy of your consideration. The following are a few thought-starters to suit varying budgets and tastes. For budding astronomers (or insomniacs) Project an “out of this world” moving image onto your bedroom ceiling with the Govee Star Light Projector ($79). Capable of creating a stunning 650-square-foot image with a button press on the app (or on the unit itself), with 16 million colors, flowing aurora effects and 52 scene modes. There are optional white noise tracks, too, and it’s a Bluetooth speaker, if you want to play your own songs. Holiday deals: Shop this season’s top products and sales curated by our editors. For avid readers Gift the gift of reading with Amazon’s new Kindle Paperwhite (from $179) and Kindle Paperwhite Kids (from $199), both with sharp, anti-glare 7-inch screens. Now with 20% faster page turns, the new Kindles are also waterproof, so you can take it to the beach, pool or a bubble bath. An optional backlight lets you read in bed without disturbing anyone. The Paperwhite Kids model also includes a protective folio screen, parental controls and 6 months of the Amazon Kids+ service that offers a ton of free content. For gamers on the go The versatile Nintendo Switch ($299) can be played at home on your big-screen TV (in its dock, included), perhaps in a multiplayer match with the family, but it can also be played on the go, such as in the backseat of a car on a road trip, via its built-in screen. A holiday bundle includes the Nintendo Switch console, a digital copy of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and a 12-month individual membership to the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service to play with others over the internet (a $100 value). For online shoppers After connecting the $29 Chamberlain Smart Garage Control to your existing garage door system, use the free myQ app (iPhone or Android) to open and close your garage door, anywhere in the world, so you’ll never have to worry about accidentally leaving the garage door open. Or set an open and close schedule. This small doohickey works with Amazon Key In-Garage Delivery, an exclusive Prime member benefit that protects your packages from porch pirates and increment weather. For thrill-seekers From $299 (for 128GB), the new Meta Quest 3S lets you experience mind-blowing 360-degree virtual reality content. Plus, this device also supports augmented reality (AR), too, since you can also see the real-world around you in some apps and games (like aliens hiding behind your sofa). Beyond games, Meta Quest 3S is also great for fitness and meditation exercises, chat rooms, virtual concerts and more. It includes a downloadable copy of Batman: Arkham Shadow. Gifts for gamers: The best video game picks for the 2024 holiday shopping season For fitness and health nuts Among several other features, Apple Watch can gauge your heart health, track sleep and fitness, show notifications, stream music, and lets you pay for items at retail by simply waving your watch over a contactless sensor. Apple Watch Series 10 (from $299) offers a thinner design, bigger and better display, new colors and band options. If you’re shopping for an Android user, the Pixel Watch 3 (from $299) is a stellar pick. For AI lovers Powered by Google’s ChromeOS, this 14-inch HP x360 laptop (from $399) delivers an enhanced Chromebook experience, with a vibrant touchscreen display that bends back to become a tablet - and twice the storage, speed and memory compared to a regular Chromebook. Google AI tools let you get more done in less time, including handy features like Help Me Write and Magic Editor to fix up your photos. The Intel Core-powered laptop has an all-day battery, B&O audio and integrated Google Play store. For the person who has everything The RayNeo Air 2S ($319) “XR” glasses house twin Micro-OLED 1080p displays that mimic a 201-inch picture for binging TV shows and blockbuster movies – on a plane, in bed, anywhere. And since these 16:9 screens each boast a 120Hz refresh rate, they’re also ideal for fast-moving video games and sports. Weighing 78 grams and with four integrated speakers, these glasses work with a host of USB-C devices, including newer iPhones, Android devices, computers and game consoles. For nomadic TV bingers For public viewing, on the other hand, the Epson EpiqVision Mini EF22 Portable Smart Laser Projector ($999) produces a super bright image, up to 1,000 lumens of color and white brightness – and no lamp to replace. The 360-swivel stand lets you beam the up-to-150-inch image against a wall or ceiling, or to the backyard for summer movie nights. The Google TV platform is built-in with thousands of apps, such as video streaming services. For serious home theater enthusiasts Available in six screen sizes ranging from 42 to 83 inches, and with multiple mounting options, the LG OLED evo C4 TV (from $1,399) features a stunningly sharp display, AI-powered upscaling and a Smart TV powered by webOS. Self-lit pixels create perfect black levels and luminous colors, and so it’s easy to see why OLED is the most desirable panel technology on the market. Along with being ultra-slim and light, the glare-free picture looks great from any angle, so there isn't a bad seat in the room. This article contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Follow Marc on X: @marc_saltzman . Email him or subscribe to his Tech It Out podcast . The views and opinions expressed in this column are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY.Smokers who quit for a week could save a day of their life, experts say

Jimmy Carter, whose presidency was marked by a complicated relationship with Congress, dies at age 100

Veteran forward Bruce Brown's return a boost to flagging Toronto Raptors' lineupWhen Jimmy Carter came to Hickory in March 1976, he was one person in a large field of candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for president. U.S. President Jimmy Carter visits Winston-Salem on April 2, 1979. The future president’s visit to the region included a stop in Morganton where he "burst into fluent Spanish to the surprise of a Morganton crowd and accepted a basket of peanuts from a Girl Scout, ‘That are about as good as the ones I grow,’” according to Hickory Daily Record reporting from the time. He then came to Hickory where he addressed a crowd at Lenoir-Rhyne University — then known as Lenoir-Rhyne College — estimated at 1,600 people. The future president received a favorable response from the crowd, particularly after he said: “Don’t vote for me unless you want to see the entire executive branch overhauled completely.” Other topics of Carter’s remarks included a pledge to prevent the damming of the New River and to beat primary rival and Alabama Gov. George Wallace in the North Carolina and Florida primaries, which he would go on to do. Habitat for Humanity of Catwba Valley Executive Director Mitzi Gellman holds a photo of former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn she took in 2017 in Atlanta during the International Conference for Habitat for Humanity. Gellman credited the former president for helping raise the organization's profile. Mitzi Gellman, now the executive director of Habitat for Humanity of the Catawba Valley, was among the 1,600 people who showed up for the rally. She was a high school student at the time who took photographs of the rally. Gellman spoke about how much pride she took as a 17-year-old in seeing someone from the South leading a serious campaign for president. “I just was fascinated by someone at the time who was from the South running for president,” Gellman said. “I used to tell people, you know, ‘He sounds like us when he talks and I like that.’” President Jimmy Carter speaks to an audience at Lenoir-Rhyne College in Hickory in March 1976. Another Hickory resident, Doug Auer, also noted the significance of having a candidate from the South. During the 1976 election cycle, Auer was at two events with Carter in his role as a member of the Democratic Party committee of Tompkins County in upstate New York. President Jimmy Carter (center), makes remarks to the press behind Wingate Hall/Wait Chapel on the campus of Wake Forest University on March 17, 1978. Flanking Carter are U.S. Rep. Steve Neal (D-NC), left, and N.C. Gov. Jim Hunt. Carter made an address in Wait Chapel concerning the threat of the Soviet Union. Auer said people who lived in the Northeast were arrogant about the South. They did not think much about the South and their perceptions were shaped by television shows such as “The Dukes of Hazzard” and “Hee Haw,” he said. He said Carter helped challenge some of those preconceptions. Regarding his own initial impression of seeing Carter, Auer said: “He was articulate. I was like, ‘Wow, didn’t expect that.’" Auer added, “The arrogance of the North still exists to this day. I mean, there’s no question that sort of the anti-elitism of Southern, white, rural Americans is still born out of that age where we didn’t really pay attention.” FILE - Former President Jimmy Carter uses a hand saw to even an edge as he works on a Habitat for Humanity home in Pikeville, Ky., June 16, 1997. Gellman also credited Carter with putting “the mission of Habitat on the map” through his decades-long involvement with the organization. “He’s definitely made just a huge impact on fundraising and visibility, and at the end of the day it’s all about how many houses, how many families can we move from poverty housing to some kind of standardized, decent housing,” Gellman said. Bethlehem resident Jo Anne Flick discusses, reads from letter from Jimmy Carter. Jo Anne Flick holds a letter with a message from former President Jimmy Carter which was written to her late husband, The Rev. Donald Flick. The Flicks had several interactions with Carter over the years, including a trip to South Africa to work on Habitat for Humanity building project. The Flicks were residents of Bethlehem in Alexander County. Kevin Griffin is the former City of Hickory reporter at the Hickory Daily Record. He currently works for the Greensboro News & Record. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.‘Living in a home that damages health the norm for far too many older people’

Batties scores 16, Harvard takes down Iona 67-61Instant grades on the Eagles’ performance in a 41-7 win over the Cowboys: Quarterback: B+ Kenny Pickett showed heart, and more importantly, effectiveness in starting in place of the injured Jalen Hurts (concussion). His day got off to a slow start with a first pass missile over A.J. Brown ’s head. But Pickett settled down, despite playing with a rib injury, and helped guide the Eagles to a 20-point lead before he left with what appeared to be aggravation of his injury. Pickett completed 10 of 15 passes for 143 yards and a touchdown. He finally got going on the Eagles’ third drive and ended the possession with a 22-yard touchdown pass to a wide open DeVonta Smith. Two series later, he heaved a 49-yard toss to Smith. Pickett also scored a touchdown via Tush Push. He was denied on the first try from the 1-yard line, but got in for his second converted sneak of the first half. Pickett got drilled by Micah Parsons after throwing what was to be a splendid hookup with Brown in the end zone to open the second half. But a holding penalty negated the score and Pickett had to leave after another shot to his ribs. Tanner McKee came in and the Eagles didn’t miss a beat. He wasn’t asked to do a ton, but when called upon to drop back, he delivered. He connected with Brown for a 20-yard back shoulder touchdown late in the third quarter and later found Smith on a short crosser the receiver would take to the house. Running back: A Saquon Barkley become only the ninth running back to rush for over 2,000 yards in a season and is now only 101 yards shy of breaking Eric Dickerson’s NFL record of 2,105 rushing yards in a season. He went over 100 yards rushing for the 11th time this season. Despite some early struggles to get the ground game going, he got going in the second half with the Eagles playing from ahead and whittling down the clock. Barkley finished with 167 yards on a season-high 31 carries. Will he get a chance to eclipse Dickerson’s mark in 17 games? Next week’s season finale vs. the New York Giants may have no meaning for the Eagles in terms of playoff seeding. Barkley did set the franchise mark for yards from scrimmage, breaking the previous record of 2,146 yards set by LeSean McCoy in 2013. Kenneth Gainwell got some extra snaps with the Eagles utilizing some two-back looks. He rushed just three times for 4 yards and caught a pass for 5 yards. Tyrion Davis-Price, who was called up from the practice squad with rookie Will Shipley (concussion) sidelined, got some mop-up carries. Receiver / tight end: A- Smith and Brown got open all day against a shorthanded Dallas secondary. Smith bounced back from his costly dropped pass against the Commanders — not that anyone doubted he would. He caught six passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns. Smith got dinged (pulverized?) early on a play in which fans wanted a flag thrown. Smith left and had his right wrist taped. He missed the next series, but returned and caught a 22-yard touchdown on a corner route out of the slot, and two drives later, toasted cornerback Andrew Booth for a 49-yard catch down to the 1-yard line. Smith ran a great route to convert a short third down on the opening drive of the second half. Brown wasn’t targeted as much, but he was efficient when targeted. He caught three passes for 36 yards and a touchdown. Brown had two near-touchdowns — one negated by penalty and another just out bounds — in the third quarter. But he caught his seventh touchdown of the season on the back shoulder from McKee. Tight end Grant Calcaterra made an acrobatic grab with one hand for 34 yards in the second quarter. It was a momentum changer with the offense mostly struggling up until that point. Reserve tight ends C.J. Uzomah and EJ Jenkins were called upon to run-block a bunch. They held their own. Backup receivers Jahan Dotson and Johnny Wilson weren’t targeted, but got a lot of exercise. Receiver Ainias Smith didn’t play much, if at all, again. In the four previous games, he was also active but did not play a snap. Offensive line: A It was tough sledding in the run game with the Cowboys focused on stopping Barkley in the first half. He had just 41 yards on 13 carries before the break. But the ground game exploded in the second half and left tackle Jordan Mailata & Co. helped lead the way. In terms of pass protection, the Eagles’ O-line didn’t allow a single sack. Lane Johnson continued his pass-blocking dominance at right tackle. He faced another tough assignment vs. Parsons. He kept him from wrecking the game plan, but the Dallas edge rusher did eventually knock Pickett from the game. Cam Jurgens had the pulling lead block on a Barkley 11-yard rush to the left in the fourth quarter. The Eagles center made sure the Tush Push worked without Hurts. Guards Landon Dickerson and Mekhi Becton made sure Dallas’ interior D-line didn’t push the pocket. Dickerson had some key run blocks. He led the way on a Barkley 8-yard gain off the left to open the second half. A drive later, he had the kick-out block on a Barkley 9-yarder. Dickerson committed two penalties — a false start on the Eagles’ offense’s first play from scrimmage and a hold, which negated a touchdown catch by Brown. Becton left late in the second quarter with an unspecified injury and was replaced by Tyler Steen. But he would return. He bounced back from a difficult outing last week in Landover, Md. Defensive line: A- Jalen Carter and crew allowed Rico Dowdle to rush for over 100 yards — the first time a running back eclipsed the century mark vs. the Eagles this season. But the Eagles’ front kept him from breaking off long runs when it mattered. Carter, nose tackle Jordan Davis, and Milton Williams plugged the middle, as usual, but Josh Sweat, Nolan Smith, and Jalyx Hunt did well to set the edge and contain the run game. The aforementioned all had individual moments. Carter batted a Cooper Rush pass that deflected off Smith’s hands just before the half. Davis recovered a fumble in the second quarter. Williams had two run stops. Sweat set the edge and held Dowdle to no gain on a first-quarter outside run. Early in the third quarter, he teamed up with linebacker Zack Baun for a tackle for loss. Smith continued his stellar play in the second half of the season. He forced a fumble in the fourth quarter and had several pressures. Smith had a late second-quarter hurry that forced Rush to step up before an eventual incomplete pass. He took a holding penalty in the end zone when tasked with dropping into coverage on Dallas’ first touchdown. Hunt finished with six tackles — four of them solos. Bryce Huff left with an early shoulder injury, but returned before the half. Huff was playing in his first game since being placed on injured reserve following hand surgery in November and didn’t stand out much. Defensive tackle Moro Ojomo shot into the backfield and slowed Dowdle when he was dropped for a tackle for loss in the first quarter. Linebacker: A- With Nakobe Dean (abdomen) out, Baun wore the green dot and called the defensive plays. It didn’t affect his performance. Baun finished with seven tackles and added to his Pro Bowl-worthy resumé for the season. Oren Burksstarted in place of Dean (abdomen) and rotated with Jeremiah Trotter Jr. He struggled to get off blocks early vs. the run game, but he rebounded and forced a fumble midway through the second quarter. Burks finished with a team-high eight tackles. Trotter didn’t look out of place in the snaps the rookie played and had three stops. Cornerback: B+ Darius Slay and Quinyon Mitchell had some early issues, but they never let Cowboys receivers get behind them as the Eagles wore out Rush and a weak Dallas offense. Rush completed just 15 of 28 passes for 147 yards. Slay got turned around by receiver Brandin Cooks for a 16-yard gain on Dallas’ first drive. He also got beaten again by Cooks for 22 yards on a third-down conversion in which he was also flagged for holding. But he tightened up the hatches in the final three quarters. Mitchell had tight coverage on Cooks on an early deep fade route. Receiver Jalen Brooks got him for a 12-yard gain on a back-shoulder route in the first quarter. He got outdueled by receiver Jalen Tolbert on a corner fade touchdown — the Cowboys’ first touchdown of the game. He allowed another 12-yard catch on a back shoulder in the second quarter. Cooper DeJean was solid. He had five tackles and a pass breakup. Dowdle got around DeJean on an early swing pass that was ruled a rushing play. He recovered Nolan Smith’s forced fumble. Safety: A C.J. Gardner-Johnson snagged two interceptions before leaving the game with an injury. He atoned for last week’s ejection with a pick-six on his first series. On third-and-3, he read Rush’s eyes and intercepted a pass to Cooks. Gardner-Johnson went 69 yards the other way for the first touchdown of his NFL career. His sixth interception came on an errant deep throw that Mitchell could have easily caught as well. Gardner-Johnson, nevertheless, did well to track the ball from the post. Reed Blankenship ran step for step with Cowboys receiver KaVontae Turpin on a fade route into the corner of the end zone early in the fourth quarter. He contributed three tackles. Special teams: A Jake Elliott handled kickoffs full-time for the first time this season after Braden Mann’s struggles at Washington. He had five touchbacks on seven kicks. The Eagles kicker also made all his kicks — two field goals and five extra points. Mann averaged 36 net yards on three punts. DeJean averaged 7.5 yards on two punt returns. Gainwell had a 36-yard kick return in the first quarter. Coaching: A Despite being without his starting quarterback, and losing his backup in the third quarter, Nick Sirianni guided the Eagles to a walkover victory and the NFC East crown. The head coach wrangled an impressive performance from his players and assistants. No Hurts may have played into his fourth-down decision making. On the Eagles’ second series, Sirianni punted on fourth-and-1 at his own 46. Mann’s subsequent punt rolled into the end zone for 32 net yards on the change of possession. A few series later, though, Sirianni went for it on fourth-and-1 at the Dallas 30 with Pickett picking it up via the Tush Push. Offensive coordinator Kellen Moore called a great game. He never lost touch with the run even though the Cowboys were depleted in the secondary. Run-heavy play calling to open the second half resulted in a field goal and the Eagles expanding their lead to 27-7. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio ’s unit forced four turnovers and bled the Cowboys down as the game progressed. ©2024 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Visit inquirer.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. ©2024 The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC. Visit at inquirer.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

NASA’s upcoming Artemis II mission is slated to return astronauts to the Moon no sooner than April 2026. Astronauts were last on the Moon in 1972 during the Apollo 17 mission . Artemis II will utilize NASA’s Space Launch System , which is an extremely powerful rocket that will enable human space exploration beyond Earth’s atmosphere. The crew of four will travel in an Orion spacecraft , which the agency launched around the Moon and successfully returned during the Artemis I mission . But before Artemis II, NASA will send two missions to scout the surface of the lunar south pole for resources that could sustain human space travel and enable new scientific discoveries. Planetary geologists like me are interested in data from Lunar Trailblazer, one of these two scouting missions. The data from this mission will help us understand how water forms and behaves on rocky planets and moons. Starting with scientific exploration PRIME-1 , or the Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment, will be mounted on a lunar lander. It’s scheduled for launch in January 2025. Aboard the lander are two instruments: The Regolith and Ice Drill for Exploring New Terrain , TRIDENT, and the Mass Spectrometer for Observing Lunar Operations , MSOLO. TRIDENT will dig down up to 3 feet (1 meter) and extract samples of lunar soil, and MSOLO will evaluate the soil’s chemical composition and water content. Joining the lunar mining experiment is Lunar Trailblazer, a satellite launching on the same Falcon 9 rocket . Think of this setup as a multimillion-dollar satellite Uber pool , or a rideshare where multiple missions share a rocket and minimize fuel usage while escaping Earth’s gravitational pull. Bethany Ehlmann, a planetary scientist , is the principal investigator of Lunar Trailblazer and is leading an operating team of scientists and students from Caltech’s campus . Trailblazer is a NASA Small, Innovative Mission for PLanetary Exploration, or SIMPLEx . These missions intend to provide practical operations experience at a lower cost. Each SIMPLEx mission is capped at a budget of US$55 million – Trailblazer is slightly over budget at $80 million. Even over budget, this mission will cost around a quarter of a typical robotic mission from NASA’s Discovery Program . Discovery Program missions typically cost around $300 million, with a maximum budget of $500 million. Building small but mighty satellites Decades of research and development into small satellites , or SmallSats , opened the possibility for Trailblazer. SmallSats take highly specific measurements and complement data sourced from other instruments. Multiple SmallSats working together in a constellation can take various measurements simultaneously for a high-resolution view of the Earth’s or Moon’s surface. SIMPLEx missions can use these SmallSats. Because they’re small and more affordable, they allow researchers to study questions that come with a higher technical risk . Lunar Trailblazer, for example, uses commercial off-the-shelf parts to keep the cost down. These low-cost, high-risk experimental missions may help geologists further understand the origin of the solar system, as well as what it’s made of and how it has changed over time. Lunar Trailblazer will focus specifically on mapping the Moon. A brief timeline of water discoveries on the Moon Scientists have long been fascinated by the surface of our closest celestial neighbor, the Moon. As early as the mid-17th century, astronomers mischaracterized ancient volcanic eruptions as lunar mare , derived from the Latin word for “seas.” Nearly two centuries later, astronomer William Pickering’s calculations suggested that the Moon had no atmosphere. This led him to conclude the Moon could not have water on its surface, as that water would vaporize. However, in the 1990s, NASA’s Clementine mission detected water on the Moon. Clementine was the first mission to completely map the surface of the Moon, including the lunar poles. This data detected the presence of ice within permanently shadowed regions on the Moon in low resolution. Scientists’ first water detection prompted further exploration. NASA launched the Lunar Prospector in 1998 and the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter in 2009. The India Space Research Organization launched its Chandrayaan-1 mission with the Moon Mineralogy Mapper , M3, instrument in 2008. M3, although not designed to detected liquid water, unexpectedly did find it in sunlit areas on the Moon. These missions collectively provided maps showing how hydrous minerals – minerals containing water molecules in their chemical makeup – and ice water are distributed on the lunar surface, particularly in the cold, dark, permanently shadowed regions. Novel mission, novel science But how does the temperature and physical state of water on the Moon change from variations in sunlight and crater shadows? Lunar Trailblazer will host two instruments , the Lunar Thermal Mapper , LTM, and an evolution of the M3 instrument, the High-resolution Volatiles and Minerals Moon Mapper , HVM3. The LTM instrument will map surface temperature, while the HVM3 will measure how lunar rocks absorb light. These measurements will allow it to detect and distinguish between water in liquid and ice forms. In tandem, these instruments will provide thermal and chemical measurements of hydrous lunar rock. They’ll measure water during various times of the lunar day , which is about 29.5 Earth days, to try to show how the chemical composition of water varies depending on the time of day and where it is on the Moon. These results will tell researchers what phase – solid or liquid – the water is found in. Scientific significance and what’s next There are three leading theories for where lunar water came from. It could be water that’s been stored inside the Moon since its formation, in its mantle layer . Some geologic processes may have allowed it to slowly escape to the surface over time. Or, the water may have arrived on asteroids and comets that collided with the lunar surface. It may even have been created by interactions with the solar wind , which is a stream of particles that comes from the Sun. Lunar Trailblazer may shed light on these theories and help researchers make progress on several other big science questions, including how water behaves on rocky bodies like the Moon and whether future astronauts will be able to use it.

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (AP) — Thomas Batties II had 16 points in Harvard's 67-61 victory against Iona on Sunday. Batties also contributed eight rebounds and six blocks for the Crimson (4-8). Austin Hunt scored 16 points, shooting 5 for 9 (1 for 3 from 3-point range) and 5 of 6 from the free-throw line. Tey Barbour had 14 points and shot 4 for 6 (3 for 5 from 3-point range) and 3 of 3 from the free-throw line. The Gaels (4-9) were led in scoring by Dejour Reaves, who finished with 22 points and four steals. Adam Njie added 12 points and four steals for Iona. Yaphet Moundi also put up eight points and four blocks. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

Drivers eagerly awaiting the reopening of the reversible center lanes on the Kennedy Expressway will have to wait a little bit longer. Reopening the express lanes, and the conclusion of the second of three years of construction on the highway, has been pushed back to January. Though lane closures began weeks earlier than usual this spring and work was initially slated to wrap up in the fall, integrating the technical components of the access system to the reversible lanes proved to be more complicated and time consuming than expected and pushed back the reopening date, officials with the Illinois Department of Transportation said. “The remaining work, which includes the configuring and connecting of the individual components to the overall system, is currently being completed behind the scenes,” said Jonathan Schumacher, IDOT’s bureau chief of construction. “Which is why it seems like there’s nobody out there working when you drive through the work zone.” IDOT now expects to reopen the lanes the week of Jan. 13. The agency plans to begin testing the reversible lane access system Jan. 2. The reopening of the lanes will mark the completion of the second year of the $150 million, traffic-snarling rehab of the Kennedy. The project, paid through the state’s capital program, is rehabbing 7.5 miles of the 10-lane highway from the I-94 split south to downtown. All told, it will include work on 36 bridges and the express lanes, replacing overhead signs, upgrading lighting, paving and painting. It has also included painting and installing new lighting at the Hubbard underpass between Ohio and Lake streets downtown. The first phase of the work took place in 2023 in the inbound, or southbound, lanes , leaving two closed at a time between March and December and the express lanes open only heading toward downtown. This year work moved to the express lanes and Hubbard’s Cave downtown beginning in March, and in spring work is set to begin on the outbound, or northbound, lanes. Once construction restarts, two outbound lanes will be closed at a time, and the express lanes will be open only heading north from downtown. This year’s work on the express lanes included both bridge repair and pavement work, and work on the system that controls access to the lanes, which was last upgraded in 1996. Many of the gates controlling access to the lanes will look similar to previous versions, Schumacher said, but the work is intended to make the system more reliable. The access system’s technology is being updated and will now be able to be controlled remotely from IDOT’s communications center. The bridge, pavement and sign work was finished in the fall, Schumacher said. Crews replaced 90,000 feet of power cable and installed some 150,000 feet of fiber optic cables, 120 gates and 54 cameras, he said. Since then, the focus has been on the express lane access system, including electrical and software work. That includes connecting individual pieces to the larger system, and getting the various components to work together and integrating closed circuit TV cameras into the system has taken longer than expected, Schumacher said. All the pieces of the system have now been installed, he said. “We are fully aware of the inconvenience this has been to the motorists,” he said. “However, this last step is crucial to the safety of those driving using the system. We need to ensure the system works properly and safely before we can open it to traffic.” While the lanes remained closed to the public, drivers might have seen the express lanes in use during the Democratic National Convention this summer. The Secret Service requested access to the lanes , but the gate system that controls access to the lanes was not yet working so the lanes could not be opened more broadly, spokeswoman Maria Castaneda said. The project has remained close to budget, Schumacher said. Contractors working on the road and the reversible lane access system have been working well and in contact with IDOT. “It’s just a lot of work to get done in a pretty quick timeframe,” Schumacher said. “This was always going to be the most challenging of the three years.”Smokers who quit for a week could save a day of their life, experts say

Giannis Antetokounmpo returns for Bucks after missing 1 game with knee swelling

Poor-quality housing is putting the over-50s in England who have health conditions “in harm’s way”, a charity has said, as it said living in a home that damages their health was “the norm for far too many people”. The Centre for Ageing Better said data analysed on its behalf suggested more than a fifth of people in this age group are living in a poor-quality home that could be making their existing health condition worse. It said people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds, those living in London and those who have a serious health condition or disability are more likely to be affected. Data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing covering 2022/23 was analysed by the National Centre for Social Research on behalf of the charity. It found an estimated 4.5 million people aged 50 or older in England with a health condition aggravated by the cold are living in a home with one or more serious problems. Some 2.8 million were aged between 50 and 70, while 1.7 million were aged 70 and older. Health conditions included respiratory diseases, congestive heart failure, heart disease and lung conditions, including asthma. Housing problems identified in the research included damp, water leaks, bad condensation, electrical or plumbing problems, rot and decay. While some 2.2 million people over 50 with health and housing problems owned their home outright, the biggest proportion of people (51%) with such issues lived in rented accommodation. The charity said older renters with a health condition were up to three times more likely to have five or more issues with their home than someone in the same age group who owns their home. Those with a health condition that can be affected by poor housing who had a significant issue in their homes were most likely to live in London (52%) followed by the North East (35%) and the North West (35%), the West Midlands and the East of England (both on 28%), and the South West (27%). Almost half (46%) of people aged 50 and above from black and minority ethnic backgrounds with one of the health conditions had at least one problem with their home, which the charity said amounted to almost 500,000 people. Among white people in this age group it was just under one in three (32%). The research also suggested people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds living with a health condition were also more than twice as likely to have five or more issues with their housing compared with their white counterparts – 15% compared with 6%. Dr Carole Easton, the charity’s chief executive, said not only does the research show the difficulties faced by those living in poor housing, but it is also “very bad news” for both the economy and the NHS. She said: “Our latest research shows that our poor-quality housing crisis is putting people with health conditions in their 50s, 60s and beyond, in harm’s way. “This is obviously terrible for those individuals who live in homes that carry a very real risk of making them sick, particularly when winter comes around. “But it is also very bad news for the country. Older workers living in homes that are making their health conditions worse are going to be less likely to be able to work and help grow the economy. “Older people whose serious health conditions are made worse by their homes will require treatment, putting additional winter pressures on our health system. “All could be averted if we tackled poor-quality housing with the urgency and priority it demands.” Holly Holder, deputy director for homes at the charity, said the Government must “fix this hidden housing crisis by delivering a national strategy to tackle poor quality housing across all tenures and committing to halving the number of non-decent homes over the next decade”. She added: “No-one should have to live in a home that damages their health, yet it is the norm for far too many people in England today. “By failing to address poor-quality homes we are limiting the lives of some of the country’s poorest and most vulnerable people. “Our new analysis shows that the combination of health and house problems are most likely to impact groups of people who are already disadvantaged by multiple health and wealth inequalities.” A Government spokesperson said: “Despite the challenging inheritance faced by this Government, through our Plan for Change we’re taking action to improve housing conditions across all tenures and ensure homes are decent, safe and warm – especially for the most vulnerable. “We’re consulting on reforms to the Decent Homes Standard next year to improve the quality of social and privately rented housing, and introducing Awaab’s Law to both sectors to tackle damp, dangerous and cold conditions for all renters in England. “Our warm homes plan will also help people find ways to save money on energy bills and deliver cleaner heating, with up to 300,000 households to benefit from upgrades next year.”