ORRVILLE, Ohio , Dec. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The J.M. Smucker Co. (NYSE: SJM) ("Company") announced today the closing of the transaction to divest the Voortman ® business to Second Nature Brands. The Company previously announced the signing of a definitive agreement for the transaction on October 22, 2024 . The all-cash transaction is valued at approximately $305 million , subject to a working capital adjustment, and reflects the Company's continued commitment to optimizing its portfolio and reallocating resources to its core growth brands. The transaction includes all Voortman ® trademarks and the Company's leased manufacturing facility in Burlington, Ontario, Canada . In addition, approximately 300 employees will transition with the business. The Company updated its full-year fiscal 2025 net sales guidance to reflect the impact of the divested business. Net sales is anticipated to increase 7.5 to 8.5 percent compared to the prior year. The updated net sales guidance reflects the removal of approximately $65 million of divested net sales in fiscal 2025, with the estimated net sales impact evenly distributed throughout the remainder of the fiscal year. On a comparable basis, net sales is expected to increase 1.0 to 2.0 percent, which excludes noncomparable sales in the current year from the acquisition of Hostess Brands and noncomparable sales in the prior year related to the divestitures of the Voortman ® , Canada condiment, and Sahale Snacks ® businesses. The Company maintains its fiscal 2025 adjusted earnings per share, free cash flow, capital expenditures, and adjusted effective income tax rate outlook as communicated in its most recent quarterly earnings announcement on November 26, 2024 . The J.M. Smucker Co. Forward Looking Statements This press release ("Release") includes certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws. The forward-looking statements may include statements concerning our current expectations, estimates, assumptions and beliefs concerning future events, conditions, plans and strategies that are not historical fact. Any statement that is not historical in nature is a forward-looking statement and may be identified by the use of words and phrases such as "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "intend," "will," "plan," "strive" and similar phrases. Federal securities laws provide a safe harbor for forward-looking statements to encourage companies to provide prospective information. We are providing this cautionary statement in connection with the safe harbor provisions. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made, when evaluating the information presented in this Release, as such statements are by nature subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside of our control and could cause actual results to differ materially from such statements and from our historical results and experience. We do not undertake any obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements to reflect new events or circumstances. The risks, uncertainties, important factors, and assumptions listed and discussed in this press release, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed, include: the Company's ability to successfully integrate Hostess Brands' operations and employees and to implement plans and achieve financial forecasts with respect to the Hostess Brands' business; disruptions or inefficiencies in the Company's operations or supply chain, including any impact caused by product recalls, political instability, terrorism, geopolitical conflicts (including the ongoing conflicts between Russia and Ukraine and Israel and Hamas), extreme weather conditions, natural disasters, pandemics, work stoppages or labor shortages (including potential strikes along the U.S. East and Gulf coast ports and potential impacts related to the duration of a recent strike at the Company's Buffalo, New York manufacturing facility), or other calamities; risks related to the availability of, and cost inflation in, supply chain inputs, including labor, raw materials, commodities, packaging, and transportation; the impact of food security concerns involving either the Company's products or its competitors' products, including changes in consumer preference, consumer litigation, actions by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or other agencies, and product recalls; a disruption, failure, or security breach of the Company or its suppliers' information technology systems, including, but not limited to, ransomware attacks; and risks related to other factors described under "Risk Factors" in other reports and statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K. About The J.M. Smucker Co. At The J.M. Smucker Co., it is our privilege to make food people and pets love by offering a diverse family of brands available across North America . We are proud to lead in the coffee, peanut butter, fruit spreads, frozen handheld, sweet baked goods, dog snacks, and cat food categories by offering brands consumers trust for themselves and their families each day, including Folgers ® , Dunkin ' ® , Café Bustelo ® , Jif ® , Uncrustables ® , Smucker's ® , Hostess ® , Milk-Bone ® , and Meow Mix ® . Through our unwavering commitment to producing quality products, operating responsibly and ethically, and delivering on our Purpose, we will continue to grow our business while making a positive impact on society. For more information, please visit jmsmucker.com . The J.M. Smucker Co. is the owner of all trademarks referenced herein, except for Dunkin ' ® , which is a trademark of DD IP Holder LLC. The Dunkin ' ® brand is licensed to The J.M. Smucker Co. for packaged coffee products sold in retail channels such as grocery stores, mass merchandisers, club stores, e-commerce and drug stores, and in certain away from home channels. This information does not pertain to products for sale in Dunkin ' ® restaurants. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-jm-smucker-co-completes-the-divestiture-of-voortman-brand-to-second-nature-brands-and-updates-fiscal-year-2025-net-sales-outlook-302319978.html SOURCE The J.M. Smucker Co.Wabash Extends Partnership with Goodyear as Preferred Tire Supplier for TrailersIsrael cracks down on Palestinian citizens who speak out against the war in Gaza UMM AL-FAHM, Israel (AP) — In the year since the war in Gaza broke out, Israel's government has been cracking down on dissent among its Palestinian citizens. Authorities have charged Palestinians with “supporting terrorism” because of posts online or for demonstrating against the war. Activists and rights watchdogs say Palestinians have also lost jobs, been suspended from schools and faced police interrogations. Palestinians make up about 20% of Israel's population. Many feel forced to self-censor out of fear of being jailed and further marginalized in society. Others still find ways to dissent, but carefully. Israel's National Security Ministry counters that, “Freedom of speech is not the freedom to incite.” Israel says rabbi who went missing in the UAE was killed TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel says the body of an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi who went missing in the United Arab Emirates has been found, citing Emirati authorities. The statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on Sunday said Zvi Kogan was killed, calling it a “heinous antisemitic terror incident.” It said: “The state of Israel will act with all means to seek justice with the criminals responsible for his death." Kogan went missing on Thursday, and there were suspicions he had been kidnapped. His disappearance comes as Iran has been threatening to retaliate against Israel after the two countries traded fire in October. Israeli strike kills Lebanese soldier and wounds 18 as Hezbollah fires rockets at Israel BEIRUT (AP) — An Israeli strike on a Lebanese army center has killed one soldier and wounded 18 others. The Hezbollah militant group meanwhile fired around 160 rockets and other projectiles into northern and central Israel on Sunday, wounding at least five people. Israeli strikes have killed over 40 Lebanese troops since the start of the war between Israel and Hezbollah, even as Lebanon's military has largely kept to the sidelines. The Israeli military expressed regret over the strike, saying it occurred in an area of ongoing combat operations against Hezbollah. It said it does not target the Lebanese armed forces and that the strike is under review. The rising price of paying the national debt is a risk for Trump's promises on growth and inflation WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump has big plans for the economy. He also has big debt problem that'll be a hurdle to delivering on those plan. Trump has bold ambitions on tax cuts, tariffs and other programs. But high interest rates and the price of repaying the federal government’s existing debt could limit what he’s able to do. The federal debt stands at roughly $36 trillion, and the spike in inflation after the pandemic has pushed up the government’s borrowing costs such that debt service next year will easily exceed spending on national security. After Trump's Project 2025 denials, he is tapping its authors and influencers for key roles WASHINGTON (AP) — During the campaign, President-elect Donald Trump had hailed what would become Project 2025 as a conservative roadmap for “exactly what our movement will do." Trump pulled an about-face when Project 2025 became a political liability. He denied knowing anything about the “ridiculous and abysmal” plans, even though some were written by his former aides and many allies. Now, after winning the 2024 election, Trump is stocking his second administration with key players in the effort he temporarily shunned. Trump has tapped Russell Vought for an encore as director of the Office of Management and Budget; Tom Homan, his former immigration chief, as “border czar;” and immigration hardliner Stephen Miller as deputy chief of policy. Forecasts warn of possible winter storms across US during Thanksgiving week WINDSOR, Calif. (AP) — Forecasters in the U.S. have warned of another round of winter weather that could complicate travel leading up to Thanksgiving. California is bracing for more snow and rain this weekend while still grappling with some flooding and small landslides from a previous storm. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for California's Sierra Nevada through Tuesday, with heavy snow expected at high elevations. Thousands remained without power in the Seattle area on Saturday after a “bomb cyclone” storm system hit the West Coast earlier in the week, killing two people. Parts of the Northeast and Appalachia also began the weekend with heavy precipitation. Pakistan partially stops mobile and internet services ahead of pro-Imran Khan protest ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan has suspended mobile and internet services “in areas with security concerns” as supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan gear up for a protest in the capital. The government and Interior Ministry made the announcement on X, which is banned in Pakistan. Sunday's protest is to demand Khan's release. He has been in prison for more than a year but remains popular. His supporters rely heavily on social media and messaging apps to coordinate with each other. Pakistan has already sealed off Islamabad and shut down major roads and highways connecting the city with Khan's power bases. Here's what to know about the new funding deal that countries agreed to at UN climate talks BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — In the wee hours Sunday at the United Nations climate talks, countries from around the world reached an agreement on how rich countries can cough up the funds to support poor countries in the face of climate change. But it’s a far-from-perfect arrangement, with many parties still unsatisfied but hopeful that the deal will be a step in the right direction. Japan holds Sado mines memorial despite South Korean boycott amid lingering historical tensions SADO, Japan (AP) — Japan has held a memorial ceremony near the Sado Island Gold Mines despite a last-minute boycott of the event by South Korea that highlighted tensions between the neighbors over the brutal wartime use of Korean laborers. South Korea’s absence at Sunday’s memorial, to which Seoul government officials and Korean victims’ families were invited, is a major setback in the rapidly improving ties between the countries. The Sado mines were listed in July as a UNESCO World Heritage Site after Japan moved past years of disputes with South Korea and reluctantly acknowledged the mines’ dark history. Chuck Woolery, smooth-talking game show host of 'Love Connection' and 'Scrabble,' dies at 83 NEW YORK (AP) — Chuck Woolery, the affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19, has died. He was 83. Mark Young, Woolery’s podcast co-host and friend, said in an email early Sunday that Woolery died at his home in Texas with his wife, Kristen, present. Woolery, with his matinee idol looks, coiffed hair and ease with witty banter, was inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007 and earned a daytime Emmy nomination in 1978. He teamed up with Young for the podcast “Blunt Force Truth” and became a full supporter Donald Trump.Ukrainian investigators are studying the debris of a new Russian intermediate-range ballistic missile that was fired at the city of Dnipro on Thursday, the first time such a powerful weapon has been used in the war. Reuters was among a small group of reporters given access to the wreckage of the missile on Sunday. Reporters were asked not disclose the exact location of the site for security reasons. The scorched and crumbled pieces of debris were laid out in a hanger at a facility which conducts weapons forensics. Ukrainian experts study such debris to gain insight into Russian military supply chains, production and how to develop counter-measures. Russia has dubbed the missile the Oreshnik (Hazel Tree) and said it is impossible to intercept it with air defences. Ukraine has said the weapon reached a top speed of more than 13,000 kph (8,000 mph) on its way towards Dnipro on Thursday. Intermediate-range ballistic missiles have a range of up to 5,500 kilometres. Two state experts provided cautious assessments, saying only that the weapon was ballistic, flew on a ballistic trajectory and that the strike resulted in civilian damage. They declined to take questions or give their surnames. ”These are preliminary conclusions and to say something more concrete requires time and careful study of the remains of the missile,” said Ivan, one of the experts. ”This is the first time that such remnants of such a missile have been discovered on the territory of Ukraine,” said Oleh, an investigator for the Security Service of Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has called the use of the weapon a severe escalation and urged his allies to respond. Ukraine originally said the weapon appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile. The Kremlin later said it fired a new intermediate-range missile at a Ukrainian military target in Dnipro in response to Kyiv striking Russia with U.S. and British made missiles for the first time after the U.S. granted its approval. The U.S. military has said the missile’s design is based on the longer-range RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). The new missile was experimental and Russia likely possessed only a handful of them, they have said. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday Moscow would keep testing the missile in combat and had a stock ready to use. Much remains unclear for now, including the extent of the damage caused by the missile. Ukraine seldom discloses damage to military targets, fearing such information would help Moscow.

12th day of Dallewal fast unto death, but no word on resumption of talksBuck with mysterious tag in B.C. backyard reveals AI scam targeting seniorsBrewers love crafting a wide array of beers, but over time, beer drinkers have gravitated dramatically toward two key factors – hoppiness and drinkability.SILVER SPRING TWP. – Jack Muldoon was hard to miss Thursday night, wrapped in a long Bonner & Prendergast winter coat as he led his Friars into the PIAA Class 4A championship game at Cumberland Valley High School. The coat, a deep green with a weathered yellow “B” on the back, looked like something pulled from an old photo in the school’s trophy cabinet. It wasn’t just any jacket — it was a symbol of legacy and tradition. Muldoon had received it as a gift from Steve Phillips, a 1969 graduate and one of the greatest running backs in Bonner history, who led the Friars to an undefeated season in his senior year. Years ago, Phillips entrusted the coat to Muldoon with a condition: If Muldoon ever guided the Friars to a state final, he should wear it on the sidelines. On this night, that promise became reality. “Steve Phillips is a great Bonner guy, a Hall of Famer,” Muldoon said. “He gave this to me six years ago. He’s always been a big supporter. He said to me, ‘You have to wear this if you ever get to the state championship game.’ I promised I would. “When I pulled it out of the locker room, everyone screamed. They loved it.” Muldoon, if nothing else, stayed warm and turned heads as he guided the Friars to their first PIAA title with a 40-14 victory over Lampeter-Strasburg. And, yes, his choice of attire didn’t go unnoticed by his players and coaching staff. Amid the postgame celebration, offensive coordinator Mike Melvin couldn’t resist a good-natured jab, likening Muldoon to a 1970s-era professional wrestling manager, the flamboyant “Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart or the sharp-tongued Bobby “The Brain” Heenan. “He honestly looked like a wrestling manager coming out of the locker room,” Melvin said with a laugh. “Like Superman, even.” The moment senior linebacker Brett Johnson spotted Muldoon’s vintage coat, it fired him up even more to make a statement against Lampeter-Strasburg. Johnson snagged two interceptions, including a 61-yard pick-six as the clock hit zeros at the end of the second quarter, giving the Friars a 27-14 lead. “It was amazing. Loved it,” he said. “It made me want to hit someone.” Senior running back Mick Johnson, who capped off his Friars career with four touchdowns in the state final, couldn’t help but admire Muldoon’s iconic coat as well. “Oh yeah. That was motivating when we saw he was wearing that. Funny, but motivating,” he said. “I don’t even know what year he pulled that from, but I knew it was old.” For Muldoon, the coat wasn’t just a source of lighthearted humor among his players and coaches. He donned it with immense pride. A 1975 Monsignor Bonner graduate who serves as the school’s assistant director of institutional advancement, Muldoon has always been deeply committed to honoring the school’s history and its football program’s legacy. So, when asked what winning a state title meant to him, he didn’t hesitate to acknowledge and celebrate the teams that paved the way for this squad. “This is for everybody, all of the teams and all of the guys who came before this team who never had a chance to do this,” Muldoon said. “This state championship is for them, too.” The most meaningful part of the championship for Muldoon was sharing the moment with his son, Brady. Overcoming torn knee ligaments as a freshman , Brady worked his way back to become a key contributor on offense on this team. As a wide receiver, he didn’t see many targets in a lineup that featured record-setting playmakers Jalil Hall and Jeremiah Coleman, but his role was vital nonetheless. During the postgame celebration, father and son shared an emotional embrace. Fighting back tears of joy, Jack turned to Brady and spoke from the heart. “This is the thrill of a lifetime. What they’ve given me — what he has given me — is truly special,” he said. “I’ll never experience anything like this again. Sharing these last four years with him has been remarkable.”

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee Titans coach Brian Callahan said Wednesday that wide receiver Treylon Burks , who's been on injured reserve since mid-October with an injured knee, recently had surgery to fix a partially torn ACL. “It was a loose ACL that wasn’t fully torn, and so they had to go see a specialist, so some weeks went by after he went on IR and he eventually had to have ACL surgery,” Callahan said. “The surgery was a couple of weeks back, and the time from when he went to IR until he had the surgery was also a couple of weeks.” Burks was hurt in practice the week after the Titans lost to Indianapolis on Oct. 13 and placed on injured reserve on Oct. 19. The 2022 first-round pick is no stranger to injuries. He suffered concussions in both 2022 against Philadelphia and last year against Pittsburgh. Burks missed six games in each of his first two seasons with the Titans and played in just five games this season before being placed on injured reserve. He finished 2024 with four receptions for 34 yards. For his three NFL seasons, Burks has 53 receptions for 699 yards and one touchdown catch. The Titans (3-9) host Jacksonville (2-10) on Sunday. The Titans opened the three-week practice window for offensive tackle Jaelyn Duncan to return from injured reserve. Duncan has started two games, the second against Buffalo on Oct. 20 at right tackle and lasted four snaps before hurting his hamstring. He was placed on injured reserve Oct. 26. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflThousands of protesters marched in the Georgian capital Tbilisi Saturday for the 10th day of rallies sparked by a disputed election and the government's decision to shelve EU accession talks. Demanding fresh elections and a return to European integration, the demonstrators headed towards parliament, undeterred by a police crackdown on pro-EU protesters and attacks on the opposition. The Caucasus nation has been engulfed in turmoil since the governing Georgian Dream party declared victory in a disputed October 26 election. The government last week said it would suspend talks to join the European Union, sparking a fresh wave of demonstrations. Its critics accuse it of creeping authoritarianism and of steering the country back towards Russia. Georgia's pro-Western President Salome Zurabishvili -- at loggerheads with the ruling party -- said on social media she had had "in-dept discussion" with the US president-elect Donald Trump and French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in Paris. She said they had discussed the "stolen election and extremely alarming repression against the people of Georgia. "Underscored the need for a strong US," she added. "The Georgian people have a friend in Donald Trump." Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky -- whose country has been fighting a Russian invasion for almost three years -- said Saturday he fully backed Georgia's anti-government protesters. Zelensky urged Tbilisi to stop "surrendering" to Moscow in a meeting with Zurabishvili in Paris. He has warned of Russian influence in Georgia for months. Zurabishvili has denounced widespread fraud in October's parliamentary polls, branding the freshly elected legislature and government "illegitimate". Blowing horns and whistles, pro-European protesters marched Saturday from Tbilisi State University towards parliament, blocking one of the city's main traffic arteries, an AFP reporter saw. As on previous nights, some demonstrators banged on the metal barriers blocking the parliament's entrance. Others pointed laser beams at the building and the police blocking the adjacent streets. "They are trying to arrest us, punish us, but we won't back down, we are not afraid," said 19-year-old protester Giorgi Romanadze. "This is our last chance to be free, to be happy. We want Europe, and Europe only." Some demonstrators held signs reading "We demand free and fair elections" and "Free all unjustly arrested," as calls for stronger international backing grew louder among the protesters. "We are fighting for our freedom... and we want the international community to help us," said 32-year-old Teona Chakvetadze. "We need the international community to sanction our oligarchs and this illegitimate government.... We can't win this fight on our own." Independent television station Pirveli reported that dozens of masked men had severely beaten its journalists. Police officers stood by without intervening during the incident near the protest venue. The opposition alliance, For Change, released CCTV footage showing the masked men raiding its office and badly beating opposition figure Koba Khabazi. The Georgian Dream government's security forces had faced persistent accusations of deploying plainclothes security agents to target and attack political opponents. The crackdown has triggered outrage at home and mounting international condemnation. Officers have made hundreds of arrests, including 48 at a protest on Friday. The country's rights ombudsman has accused the police of "torture" against those detained, with scores reporting mistreatment or showing visible injuries. With both sides ruling out a compromise, there appeared to be no clear route out of the crisis. The United States, France and Germany are among the Western countries to have denounced the crackdown on protests, but the government has refused to back down. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has praised his security forces after several opposition party offices were raided and their leaders arrested. "We have won an important battle against liberal fascism in our country," he told journalists, using language reminiscent of Kremlin rhetoric against its political opponents. Demonstrators have rejected Kobakhidze's characterisation of the protest movement. Thousands have also staged daily protests in other parts of Georgia, including the cities of Batumi, Kutaisi, Rustavi, Zugdidi, and Telavi, local media reported. Critics of Georgian Dream are enraged by what they call its betrayal of the country's bid for EU membership, enshrined in the constitution and supported by around 80 percent of the population. Georgian Dream, in power for more than a decade, has advanced controversial legislation in recent years, targeting civil society and independent media and curbing LGBTQ rights. Brussels has warned that such policies are incompatible with EU membership, while domestic detractors accuse the government of copying Russia's playbook. ub-im/jjFifth Third Bancorp stock outperforms competitors despite losses on the day

‘Your Allegation Is Baseless’ – APC Fires PDP Over Allegation Of Destroying Party’s SecretariatWhen Julie Durbin was undergoing cancer treatment, she was always cold. She would bring a cardigan, a sweater that opens in the front and comes in various lengths, to her appointments. “Cardigans added a layer of warmth and comfort and protection for her,” said her sister Dione O’Dell. “She was tiny, and the cardigan was also sort of a blanket for her.” Providing such warmth, comfort and protection to others is the mission of Cardigans for a Cause, a project of donating the sweaters to cancer patients in Durbin’s memory. When O’Dell and her daughter Kaleigh O’Dell thought about a way to honor Durbin, who passed away from cancer in November 2020, they immediately thought of a cardigan. Dione and her Kaleigh had the perfect connection to do just that through their passion for fashion. Dione was a vice president of marketing for a specialty teen retailer ,and her daughter knows style. As co-owners of The Gardenia Branch , a women’s clothing and accessories boutique that has locations in Ross Park Mall and South Hills Village, the mother-daughter team created the “butterfly cardigan” because Durbin loved butterflies. She also loved hugging everyone. “The cardigan is like a cocoon to wrap around your body as it goes through a transformation, just like a butterfly, for those going through cancer treatment to be free from pain and to heal,” said Dione O’Dell. “They are super comfortable. We want the patients to know they are being hugged and loved by the cardigan. This is a way to honor my sister’s legacy of love, and this has been healing for our family to do this and have an impact.” The impact has amounted to 800 cardigans total being donated over the past four years to women battling breast cancer at the Glimmer of Hope Metastatic Breast Cancer Center at the Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute at Allegheny General Hospital on Pittsburgh’s North Side. Each fall on Oct. 10 at 10 a.m., The Gardenia Branch runs a campaign in which, for every cardigan sold, another is donated. The O’Dells change up the colors of the cardigans each year, and this year they had some with and without a hood in different lengths, but always with pockets because Durbin had to have pockets to carry what she needed during medical treatments. “It is more than just a cardigan,” said Dr. Christie Hilton, director of Academic Breast Oncology and the Glimmer of Hope Metastatic Breast Cancer Clinic, Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute. “It is such a beautiful gift to give to patients.” The mother and daughter enclose a personalized note of encouragement and love. Dione O’Dell and Durbin spent a lot of time together while she was going through treatments. O’Dell contacted Diana Napper, founder of A Glimmer of Hope Foundation, a Western Pennsylvania-based breast cancer organization funding innovative programs, research and technology, about the cardigan donations. Every time she sells a cardigan, Dione said she gets emotional remembering her sister, who died earlier in the month before the boutique was to open. The Gardenia Branch donated 200 cozy cardigans to patients at Allegheny General Hospital in the Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute on Dec. 2. The store name comes from Dione O’Dell’s favorite flower. She said they chose a flower because their grandmother loved flowers and no two flowers are alike. Every flower brings beauty to life, Dione said. Hilton said when she gives sweaters to patients, they love it and some of them cry. The donation is usually done on or around Giving Tuesday. “This is a blessing, to be able to do this for women,” Dione O’Dell said. “They have sent us cards and letters and called us. They are so appreciative. It is not just a layer of warmth. It’s a layer of love.”Social Bonds May Save Our Lives

Emphasizing the importance of sustainable and regenerative tourism

Lisa Simpson once said during an episode of “The Simpsons:” What could be more exciting than the savage ballet that is pro football? On Monday night, the entire Simpsons universe gets to experience it in a way not many could have imagined. The prime-time matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys will also take place at Springfield’s Atoms Stadium as part of “The Simpsons Funday Football” alternate broadcast. The altcast will be streamed on ESPN+, Disney+, and NFL+ (on mobile devices). ESPN and ABC have the main broadcast, while ESPN2 will carry the final “ManningCast” of the regular season. The replay will be available on Disney+ for 30 days. Globally, more than 145 countries will have access to either live or on replay. “We’re such huge football fans, and the Simpsons audience and the football audience, I feel, are like the same audience of just American families and football. And the Simpsons are so much a part of the DNA of the American family and culture that for us to, like, mush them together in this crazy video game, it’s so fun,” said Matt Selman, executive producer of “The Simpsons.” While the game is the focal point, the alternate broadcast, in some ways, will resemble a three-hour episode of “The Simpsons.” It starts with Homer eating too many hot dogs and having a dream while watching football. Homer joins the Cowboys in the dream while Bart teams up with the Bengals. Lisa and Marge will be sideline reporters. “That’s the beginning of the story, and the story continues through the entire game until Homer wakes up from his dream at the end of the game. It is like a complete story, and the NFL game will happen in between. It’s just going to be an amazing presentation with tons of surprises,” said Michael “Spike” Szykowny, ESPN’s VP of edit and animation. This is the second year ESPN has done an alternate broadcast for an NFL game. It used the characters from “Toy Story” for last year’s Sunday morning game from London between the Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars. “The Simpsons” has featured many sports-themed episodes during its 35 seasons. Even though “Homer at the Bat” remains the consensus favorite sports episode for many Simpsons fans, there have been football ones such as “Bart Star” and “Lisa The Greek.” There also was a Super Bowl-themed one after Fox’s broadcast of Super Bowl 33 between Denver and Atlanta in 1999. Even though “The Simpsons” remains a staple on Fox’s prime-time schedule, it is part of the Disney family after their acquisition of 20th Century Fox in 2019. All 35 seasons are on Disney+. The show’s creators have worked with ESPN and the NFL to make sure the look and sound is definitely Simpsonsesque. The theme song is a mash-up of “The Simpsons” opening and “Monday Night Football’s” iconic “Heavy Action.” There have also been pre-recorded skits and bits to use during the broadcast featuring Simpson’s legendary voices Hank Azaria, Nancy Cartwright, Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, and Yeardley Smith. The telecast will be entirely animated, with the players’ movements in sync with what is happening in real-time on the field. That is done through player-tracking data enabled by the NFL’s Next Gen Stats system and Sony’s Beyond Sports Technology. While Next Gen Stats tracks where players are on the field with a tracking chip in the shoulder pads, there is skeletal data tracking and limb tracking data — which uses 29 points per player — to get closer to the player’s movements. The other data tracking will allow Beyond Sports and Disney to add special characters to the game. For example, there might be a play where Lisa catches the ball and goes 30 yards instead of Cincinnati’s Tee Higgins. “Lisa is much smaller than the rest of the players. So, in real life, the ball would go over her head, but now, with data processing, we can take the ball and make it go exactly into her hands. So for the viewer, it still looks believable, and it all makes sense,” said Beyond Sports co-founder Nicolaas Westerhof. The other major challenge is making “The Simpsons” two-dimensional cartoon characters into 3-D simulations. Szykowny and his team worked to make that a reality over the past couple of months. “That’s a big leap of faith for them to say, hey, we trust you to make our characters 3-D and work with it. Our ESPN creative studio team has done a wonderful job,” Szykowny said. Lisa, Krusty, Nelson, Milhouse and Ralph will be with Bart and the Bengals; while Carl, Barney, Lenny and Moe join up with with Homer and the Cowboys. The broadcast will also feature ESPN personalities Stephen A. Smith, Peyton Manning and Eli Manning. ESPN’s Drew Carter, Mina Kimes and Dan Orlovsky will call the game from Bristol, Connecticut, and also be animated. They will wear Meta Quest Pro headsets to experience the game from Springfield using VR technology. For Kimes, being part of the broadcast and being an animated Simpsons character is a dream come true. She is a massive fan of the show and has a framed photo of Lisa Simpson — who she said is a personal hero and icon — as part of her backdrop when she makes appearances on ESPN NFL shows from her home in Los Angeles. “I didn’t have any input, and I didn’t see anything beforehand, so I wasn’t sure if it would look like me, but it kind of does, which is very funny,” said Kimes, who drew Simpsons characters when she was a kid. “To see the actual staff turn me into one was a dream.” Even though the Bengals (4-8) and Cowboys (5-7) have struggled this season, Selman thinks both teams have personalities that appeal to “The Simpsons” universe. “We were just so lucky also that the Cowboys are sort of like a Homer Simpson-type team, American team, and Mike McCarthy might be a Homer-type guy, one might imagine,” he said. ”And then you have Joe Burrow on the other side who is a cool young, spiky-haired, blonde bad boy -- he’s like Bart. And that fits our character archetypes so perfectly. “If Homer is mad at Bart and has a hot dog dream while watching ’Monday Night Football’, and then it’s basically McCarthy versus Burrow, Homer versus Bart, and that’s the simple father versus son strangling — Homer strangling Bart dynamic that has been part of the show for 35 years. I don’t know if that would have worked as well if it was like Titans versus Jacksonville. We would have found something. We would have made it work.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflI’m A Celebrity’s third eviction shocks fans with claims they ‘should have won’

A SUPERMARKET giant with over 900 locations wants to make a big security change to combat a "very real threat". Iceland boss, Richard Walker confirmed on LinkedIn he would "happily" give facial recognition a trial in his stores. Mr Walker added, provided the use of facial recognition was "legal and proportionate". In March this year, over 443,000 incidents of shop theft were recorded by police, the House of Lords revealed. Footage of staff and security struggling to put a stop to such incidents have also gone viral on social media . Now bosses at Iceland are looking at more impactful ways of stopping it. read more in iceland In a letter to the Home Office , published on November 5, the House of Lords set out recommendations to "help tackle the problem and help keep the public and our economy safer.” The list included improved reporting systems for retailers and the creation of a standalone offence of assaulting a retail worker. Plus, guidance for the use of facial recognition technology by private companies. In response to this report, Mr Walker said: “I make no apologies for putting the safety of Iceland colleagues and customers first. Most read in Business "We urgently need further reform to address the growing severity of this issue. "I won’t post on here some of the pictures and details of the serious incidents from the report that I receive every week - but safe to say they are really upsetting. “Right now, security guards are very limited in their ability to act against brazen, professional criminals who operate without fear of consequence. "Enhanced legal powers - to search and safely detain offenders - would create a stronger deterrent for criminals and help restore safer high streets for everyone. “And as I’ve been saying for a while now, we need confirmation from the Information Commissioner's Office that we should be able to share images of perpetrators on social media groups. "The safety of my colleagues is more important than the data protection rights of known offenders. “Lastly...whilst we don’t yet use it, I will happily trial and use legal, proportionate facial recognition technology as an effective response to the very real threat my colleagues face.” The House of Lord's report revealed that around 17 million shoplifting incidents take place every year, costing retailers a whopping £2billion.

The Summerville High School varsity football team beat Sacred Heart Prep 45-28 Saturday at Gator Nation Field in Atherton to win the Division 6-A CIF State Regional Championship and advance to the state championship. Bears junior quarterback Bryce Leveroos recorded six touchdowns, with five on the ground. Check back later for a full game recap. Union Democrat sports reporter Shaun Holkko was in Atherton covering the action and is on his way back to Sonora for the Wildcats' 4-A State Regional Championship home game against Kerman.

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