Calgary Board of Education students showed ‘significant’ attendance improvement: reportBig Lots! will live to see another day of reduced overstock. The discount retail chain was all set to close its stores, but on Friday announced that it had reached a deal with Gordon Brothers Retail Partners to keep hundreds of its stores open, reports the AP. This news likely comes as a relief to employees and patrons in the midst of the holiday season. Big Lots had filed for bankruptcy in October with plans to be sold to Nexus Capital Mangagement, and was in the process of liquidating its stock with the aim to closing in 2025. Related Party City ends... Hanh Nguyen

NoneThe Manitoba Legislative Building was turned into a winter wonderland on Saturday, as the annual Holiday Open House kicked off the festive season. Premier Wab Kinew invited the public to celebrate the holidays. “We have so much to be thankful for, celebrating Hannukah and Christmas and Quanza and the Solstice, and my birthday, that we’re just so so overjoyed that you could be here to celebrate with us,” said Premier Kinew. “I just want to say, welcome to your building. This building belongs to you the people of Manitoba, so we are so happy to be able to open it up to you to come celebrate the best time of year.” The Legislature halls were decked with boughs of holly, the carolers, holiday treats, and even the big man himself (Santa) made an appearance. It’s the second year in a row the Holiday Open House was held, after being suspended in 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic, and again in 2022 due to safety concerns. And now it’s clear, the return of the event is a welcome sight to the public. “I think its very self-educating, and we enjoyed ourselves. Hopefully, everyone else is doing the same” said one Winnipegger CityNews spoke to. Another saying, “I’m a huge fan of the legislature building. I love bringing my kids and getting them interested in politics as best I can, so It’s a great day here.” Before the premier wrapped up his speech, he left Manitobans with a heartfelt message, this holiday season. “Let’s remember that the thing that unites us as Manitobans this time of year, and every single day of the year, is generosity. So let’s be kind, let’s be happy, and let’s be generous. Sound good?”

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Expert calls Trump taunts ‘churlish’, urges Canada to focus on coming trade warTexas House Speaker Dade Phelan dropped his bid to lead the Legislature’s lower chamber next year ahead of a critical vote scheduled for this weekend. Phelan was expected to defend his position against the far-right flank of his party, some of whom rallied behind state Rep. David Cook of Mansfield. Republicans plan to meet in private this weekend to pick their nominee for one of the most powerful positions in state politics. Phelan was first elected to lead the House in 2021. During his two terms, he helped steer the state more to the right, helping pass one of the most restrictive abortion bans, expanding gun rights and cutting taxes. Despite his conservative policy wins, the East Texas lawmaker has locked heads with some of the state’s other top Republicans, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who leads the state Senate, and Attorney General Ken Paxton. Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan dropped his bid to lead the Legislature’s lower chamber next year ahead of a critical vote scheduled for this weekend. Phelan was expected to defend his position against the far-right flank of his party, some of whom rallied behind state Rep. David Cook of Mansfield. Republicans plan to meet in private this weekend to pick their nominee for one of the most powerful positions in state politics. Phelan was first elected to lead the House in 2021. During his two terms, he helped steer the state more to the right, helping pass one of the most restrictive abortion bans, expanding gun rights and cutting taxes. Despite his conservative policy wins, the East Texas lawmaker has locked heads with some of the state’s other top Republicans, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who leads the state Senate, and Attorney General Ken Paxton. And just like Congress, it has two chambers: the House and the Senate. The speaker runs the House and the lieutenant governor is president of the Senate. How will the Texas Speaker of the House of Representatives be decided? While the lieutenant governor is elected statewide, along with the governor and attorney general, the House speaker is selected by House members. The official vote for House speaker occurs in January after the full House convenes for the new session. Any member can run. The winner needs 76 votes from the 150 members to secure the position. But the party caucus with the most members usually has sway in selecting the leader before the House meets. That’s why the intraparty fight among Republicans over the last few years has become so important. Many of the state’s most conservative Republicans have said openly that Phelan is too moderate and have voiced support for Cook. Until Friday, both candidates claimed to hold the necessary support to win the seat come January. However, Cook touted support from a majority of Republicans in the House, while Phelan’s path to victory would have included support from both Republicans and Democrats. Self-imposed rules of the Texas House Republican Caucus require members to participate in the vote prior to January, as well as select the Republican nominee in the legislative session. This rule was established in 2017 after former speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, announced he would not run for reelection. What does the Speaker of the House do? The House speaker is the presiding officer during the legislative session for the House of Representatives. The speaker maintains order during floor debates, recognizes legislators wishing to speak and rules on procedural matters. The speaker also signs all bills and joint resolutions passed by the Legislature. “The speaker's powers are significant because they control the flow of legislation," Brandon Rottinghaus, a professor at the University of Houston, said. Put another way: A speaker has enough power to stop a legislative proposal from becoming law if they don’t like it. (This is also true of the lieutenant governor.) Further powers are granted at the beginning of each regular session in the House Rules of Procedure, and could include making appointments to committees, designating chairs and vice chairs of committees and referring proposed legislation to said committees. “In the last 20 years we’ve seen speakers execute very partisan strategies to get their will accomplished,” Rottinghaus said. As partisanship has risen in Texas, the speaker’s job has become more difficult to do, he said. Is the race for this position usually contentious? “This is the most competitive and public, partisan speaker fight we've seen in history,” Rottinghaus said. Historically, the position wasn’t particularly desirable among most lawmakers, Rottinhaus said. They would serve one term and leave office. That has changed as partisan politics took what was once a mostly administrative position and turned it into one of power, Rottinghaus said. Even then, however, contentious races were typically managed in-house and out of the public eye. The public bid to remove Phelan from his position is unique. Phelan faced a heated race for his seat representing Beaumont in the primary election, clinching a win against challenger David Covey in the May runoff election as the underdog candidate. He has represented the area since 2015. But Covey had the support of several major Republican leaders in Texas, as well as that of former President Donald Trump and actually garnered more votes than Phelan in the March primaries. Why do some Republicans think Phelan isn’t conservative enough? The most far-right Republicans don't trust him to be a guide for conservative legislation, Rottinghaus said. Texas has passed some of its most conservative legislation in recent memory, including the abortion ban, permit-less carry and regulation of trans-care. But Phelan's support of Attorney General Ken Paxton's impeachment separated him from the state's far right. The issue was exacerbated when school choice vouchers failed and some Republicans said Phelan didn't do enough to help them pass. Phelan has also been open about his support of allowing Democrats to lead committees and allowing their legislation to move forward, a long-honored tradition in the House. This goes directly against Republican goals to disempower the House’s Democratic minority by blocking them from committee leadership positions. What happens next? It’s a little murky, aside from the fact Republicans must nominate a leader. The caucus is still scheduled to meet this weekend. But Cook is not guaranteed the speakership as a different consensus candidate could emerge in Phelan’s absence. “If that’s the case, and it’s not Phelan, there’s a very high risk that everything slows down legislatively,” Rottinghaus said. “The other candidate for speaker, any other candidate for speaker, will have a hard time with Republican unity. And Democrats seeing this dysfunction will drag their feet on everything.” Disclosure: University of Houston has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.Amarion Dickerson guides Robert Morris past Northern Kentucky 97-93 in triple OTJapan – Scientists develop new tech to turn sunlight, water into hydrogen fuel - Hydrogen Central

South Korea lifts president's martial law decree after lawmakers vote against itGeorgia quarterback Carson Beck has been ruled out for the second half of Saturday's SEC Championship Game against Texas after being injured on the final play of the first half. Texas' Trey Moore forced a fumble on Beck's pass attempt, appearing to injure the Georgia quarterback's throwing arm. Beck remained motionless on the field for a short time before joining the team in the locker room. Coach Kirby Smart told ESPN at halftime that Beck was done for the day. During the third quarter, Beck was seen with ice on his right elbow. Beck completed 7 of 13 passes for 56 yards and was sacked once before exiting. Georgia backup Gunner Stockton entered and led Georgia on a 10-play, 75-yard opening second-half drive, giving the Bulldogs their first lead at 10-6. Bulldogs punter Brett Thorson injured his left knee in the third quarter and was ruled out of the contest. He was taken off on a cart. --Field Level MediaNBA Spread and Total Picks for Today, December 25

BLOOMINGTON — Nearly half an hour into the first game of their existence, the Bloomington Bison found themselves trailing 2-0. After five years without professional hockey in the Twin Cities, as the new ECHL team kicked off its inaugural run with a lone preseason game, questions hung in the air. What does hockey mean to Bloomington-Normal? And what does Bloomington-Normal mean for hockey? The Bison's ownership group, Hallett Sports & Entertainment, also owns the Indy Fuel, a well-established ECHL franchise with a decade under its belt in the Indianapolis area to solidify its fanbase and space in the community. Bloomington Bison forward Chongmin Lee (77) looks at a video replay during a break in play against the Toledo Walleye on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, at Grossinger Motors Arena. Bloomington, on the other hand, has had four different hockey organizations at Grossinger Motors Arena since it opened in 2006. The USHL Central Illinois Flying Aces were the most recent, but they were not at the highest level of play hosted by the venue. That distinction belonged to the defunct Bloomington Thunder of the SPHL, a professional ice hockey independent minor league a step below the ECHL with no NHL affiliate organizations. While a preseason game generally means little to the overall outlook of an organization, uncertainty gnawed at the hockey fans who remembered welcoming other teams — and bidding them farewell. Some wondered whether the Bison, offering the highest level of professional sport seen in the Twin Cities, would succeed. Could they? Suddenly, lightning flashed. Someone wearing a white Bison sweater with the number 77 on his back flew up the wing into the offensive zone — a two-on-one break — snapped a wrist shot and breathed life into the fanbase with the team's first-ever goal. Chongmin Lee, a 25-year-old forward from South Korea, skated to center ice, hugged his teammates and absorbed the joyful noise of the crowd. The moment's significance was not lost on him. "I want people to know that everything we do achieve, it's going to be the history of the Bloomington Bison," he said in a recent interview. Less than three months after that first game, Lee's contributions have continued to drive the team's early successes. Heading into Saturday night's home game against the Kalamazoo Wings, he and captain Eddie Matsushima tied for the highest-scoring players with 19 points each. Lee also led the team in assists with 15 and was among a handful of Bison who had played in all 26 games. Nearing the midpoint of the season, Lee spoke with a Pantagraph reporter inside the locker room at Grossinger Motors Arena after a recent practice. Bloomington Bison forward Chongmin Lee (77) tries to regain control of the puck from Toledo Walleye's Mitchell Lewandowski (67) in the first period on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Grossinger Motors Arena. He was barefoot, wearing shorts and a T-shirt. A large bag of ice, taped around his right thigh, slowly melted onto the floor as Lee talked about growing up with hockey, moving across oceans to pursue his passion and working toward his hopes for the Bison and their host city. "It's really special, for sure ... Everything we do, everything we accomplish, it's just history," he said. "So, yeah, I really appreciate it. And I want to make this year special for myself and for the team." Building a team In January, the ECHL — a professional developmental hockey league equivalent to AA in minor league baseball — accepted Hallett Sports & Entertainment's application for an expansion team in Bloomington. That team would become the 29th in the ECHL, which serves as a proving ground for some players on their way to the higher American Hockey League and National Hockey League. Later in May, the New York Rangers were announced as the Bison's primary NHL affiliate, and Phillip Barski was named head coach and general manager for the 2024-2025 season. (The Carolina Hurricanes also later announced a working agreement with the Bison.) Bloomington Bison forward Chongmin Lee (77) speaks with captain Eddie Matsushima (15) after the team scored a goal against the Iowa Heartlanders on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Grossinger Motors Arena. Filling the roster was the first item on Barski's to-do list. "It's a very big undertaking, you know," he said. In other professional sports leagues, the addition of one or more new teams coincides with an expansion draft. Existing teams will select a number of players to "protect" from the draft, and the new teams can build a roster from the "unprotected" players. Most recently, the NHL held an expansion draft in 2021 when the Seattle Kraken were formed. The ECHL is a different story, though. "There's no expansion draft here," Barski said. Building a team meant marketing Bloomington-Normal to prospective players, many of whom had never been to Central Illinois. "It was very challenging to recruit this team because nobody knew anything about Bloomington," Barksi said. "They didn't know where Bloomington, Illinois, was." At the start of 2024 , Lee was playing for HL Anyang in the Asia League in South Korea. A friend from their national team had an advantageous connection, Lee said. "My buddy from (our) national team, he had an awesome agent. I asked him, 'Can I talk to him?' ... I said I'm interested in going to the ECHL. And he said he will work on it," Lee said. Bloomington Bison forward Chongmin Lee (77) stands next to forward Eddie Matsushima (15) during a hockey game Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, at Grossinger Motors Arena. "I really like playing with him," Lee said of Matsushima, the team captain. When Barski received "some random email from an agent that I didn't know about who had (Lee) on a list," he was intrigued. "It didn't take very long for us. We watched a couple of shifts (with Lee), and I was like, 'Oh my God,' you know," the coach recalled. "His athleticism jumps out at you. His speed jumps out at you. His physicality jumps out at you. The shot. "I mean, it was a pretty quick process on our end to be like, 'Oh my god.' Like, 'We want this guy in our locker room. We want him to be a part of the organization.' ... We jumped on it pretty fast," Barski said. The attraction was mutual, Lee said. Soon, he was headed for Bloomington, over 6,500 miles from the home in Seoul, South Korea, where his love of the sport began. Chasing dreams Lee's passion for hockey took root at a young age. "There (were) not many hockey rinks back home when I was really young," he said. Still, both of his older brothers found a way to play the sport. At one of their practices, when Lee was just 5 years old, his dad asked if he would like to play, too. A young Chongmin Lee and a teammate in South Korea are shown in this provided photo. "I said yeah," Lee recalled. "And then we got all the random hockey gear (that was) left, I put it on, and I went on the ice. That was my first (hockey) memory." Lee found success on the ice in South Korea, but "I always thought about going overseas (to) play hockey." At just 15 years old, he got that chance when an agent connected him with the Vancouver North East Chiefs of the British Columbia Elite Hockey League. Lee's brothers encouraged him to seize the moment. Such an opportunity "doesn't come as often, so I should take it," Lee said, recalling their advice. "So I did." Lee packed everything up, traveled across the Pacific Ocean and settled into western Canada, where he finished school while playing hockey — and learning a new language. "It was a challenge for me," Lee said. "I wasn't able to speak any English back then." Despite the communication barrier and distance from his family, Lee thrived on the ice and built a community with his teammates, he said. "I don't have family here (in North America)," Lee said. "So I wanted someone ... people like my teammates to be my family." Those same teammates drove Lee to continue playing and pursuing his dreams, he said. Seeing his friends advance and playing at higher levels of hockey — from junior hockey to the college level and beyond — pushed him forward. "After college, they wanted (to) go pro, so I wanted (to) go pro," he said. "So, yeah, that kind of ... (kept) motivating me." After playing for the Chiefs, Lee joined the BCHL , a junior hockey league in British Columbia, Canada. From 2017 to 2020, he played for the Spruce Kings in Prince George, some 320 miles north of Vancouver. A young Chongmin Lee playing for Prince George's Spruce Kings in Canada. His journey would hit a major snag in 2020, when he had been slated to play for the University of Alaska-Anchorage. The COVID-19 pandemic and budgetary issues led to the university to cancel the season and ultimately end the program. "I didn't have a team for a year," Lee recalled. "That was a really hard time for me." In 2021, he crossed another ocean — this time, to Sweden — to keep his hockey dreams alive. During his two years in the land of the Vikings, Lee played for Nässjä HC and Tranås AIF, two semi-professional organizations. About 140 miles southwest of Stockholm, the Swedish municipality of Tranås has a population of roughly 15,000. Such a stark contrast with Lee's previous homes — the Vancouver metro area has 2.6 million residents, Seoul over 9 million — made it harder to connect with people, he said. "Obviously, they speak really well in English, but they still speak (more often) in Swedish," he said. "And I was in a really small town." Though Bloomington-Normal is no Seoul, Lee said it has proven more similar to the "second home" he experienced while playing in Canada. "It feels comfortable," he said. 'Ready to go, all the time' The Bison list Lee at 5 feet, 11 inches tall and 185 pounds — not the biggest person on the ice . While he also isn't the smallest, outranking several of his teammates in height and weight, Lee acknowledged that his size can be a disadvantage. "I'm not a big guy. And when I (went) to Canada the first time, I was really young, and my body wasn't ready," he said. "My body wasn't built to play against like, 6-1, 200-pound guys." The average height in the ECHL , according to data on eliteprospects.com , is 6 feet, 1 inch, and players' average weight clocks in at just over 191 pounds. Compare that with the NHL average of 6 feet, 2 inches and 201 pounds , and it becomes clear that Lee is punching up, as it were. He had to adjust how he played after leaving South Korea, he said: "Use my speed, make a quick play, not hang on to (the puck) too long. Yeah, speed, obviously is (the skill) that I need to focus on." Bloomington Bison forward Chongmin Lee (77) stands in front of Kalamazoo Wings goaltender Ty Young (33) during the second period of a game on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024, at Grossinger Motors Arena. Lee is meticulous about his diet and conditioning, Barski said, working just as hard off the ice as he does on it. "He really takes care of his body. I mean, when you see him, he's like a physical specimen," Barski said. "You know, he's not the tallest, necessarily, but he's built really well. And he takes a lot of pride in that ... he's a consummate professional." The way Lee attacks the offensive zone with his quickness has two primary effects, Barski said: 1) puts the defense on their heels and 2) speeds up his teammates. Barski "We talk a lot about ... slowing the team down and speeding our team up. Those, to me, are like a two-pronged approach," Barski said. "So his ability to speed the game up slows down the other team and puts them in some really tricky situations." Matsushima, listed as the same size as Lee, brings a similar style of play. "I think I learned a lot from him, actually," Lee said of Matsushima, whose ECHL experience includes three seasons with the Tulsa Oilers. "I see him, how he uses his speed, and I added that to my game. And then I started seeing (the game better). I start playing more comfortable and confident." Matsushima said the two have had a connection from the start, largely due to their shared speed and approach to the game. "We're both just just very similar players in the sense that we're just ready to go all the time," he said Saturday night. "We just kind of have the understanding that when one of us says to go, there's no second thought. We both just go." That speed, combined with seeing the game slowed down, is what led to Lee's fateful first goal. "Coach always says, 'See play, make play.' If you don't see it, don't force it," Lee said. Driving through the offensive zone that day, Lee was joined by fellow forward Gavin Gould, No. 91. "I saw Gouldie on the other side (of the ice). I couldn't make that pass," Lee said. Instead of forcing a tough pass, "I just, like, shot it. I shot the five hole (between the goalie's legs), and it went in." Lee hopes whatever success he finds, coupled with his discipline and consistent practice, will help to inspire his teammates, as well. "I think, when guys are looking at me, 'If that guy can do it, everyone else can do it (too),'" he said. Locking into a steady work ethic, day in and day out, can be tough, Barski said. "Things in pro hockey can get very monotonous," he said. "You show up at the same time. You do the drills ... So it kind of becomes this malaise." Professional athletes, by their nature, are highly motivated. But that doesn't necessarily make coaching and practicing at a high level easy, Barski said. "The trickier part, potentially, is — how do you make it fun?" he said. Such an approach involves looking at the hockey player as a whole, not simply who he is on the ice or in the locker room. "We'll do that in a multitude of ways," Barski said, "whether we're doing, like, a team bonding activity here where we're doing something a little different, out of the ordinary, or, you know, just having individual meetings, checking in with the guys." Bloomington Bison forward Chongmin Lee (77) watches the play during a game against the Kalamazoo Wings on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024, at Grossinger Motors Arena. The goal is a culture that encourages players to be excited about practice and open to coaching. "Obviously, we're a new team with a new organization, we will take a little bit of time" to develop the team's character and culture in the locker room, Lee said. Some of the Bison players are in their first ECHL season. "We have lots of rookie guys and guys who are coming from junior hockey. So we need, we definitely need a little more time ... for that culture," Lee said. "But it's coming. It's coming, and we're getting better and better every day." Moving forward While some ECHL players could be a few years or even months away from making it in the NHL, many still have a lot to learn. "If they knew everything, they wouldn't need us. We'd be out of a job," Barski said with a chuckle. One area in which Lee has shown improvement is on-ice communication, he said. "He's quiet," Barski said. "And that might be a culture thing. We're actually trying to pull that out of him, especially on the ice." Not that being quiet and reserved is a bad thing, the coach added. "You know, at the end of the day, we don't want anyone to be anything that they're not. If you're quiet, be quiet," Barski said. "But on the ice, it is a little bit of a detriment to be quiet because one of the ways to, obviously, help a teammate is by communication." After a few months with the Bison, Lee has started opening up and talking more during drills, practices and games. Bloomington Bison forwards Chongmin Lee (77) and Eddie Matsushima (15) return to the ice after a break in play during a game against the Toledo Walleye on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, at Grossinger Motors Arena. "We feel comfortable that he feels comfortable that we can start trying to ... add that to his toolbox, so to speak," he said. Part of the newfound comfort might come from Lee's off-the-ice activities. "I do hang out with our teammates when we don't have games," he said. "And I went to Chicago one time. It was fun." One thing he'd like to do, when he has a chance, is catch a Chicago Blackhawks game live to see star center Connor Bedard . Drafted No. 1 overall by Chicago in 2023, Bedard hails from North Vancouver, British Columbia — next to Lee's old stomping grounds in Canada. And who knows — Lee could find himself sharing ice with Bedard one day. After all, at least five of his teammates have been called up to the Bison's American Hockey League affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, at various times this season. Playing for the team in Connecticut would put Lee one step away from the NHL. Until then, you can catch him on the ice at Grossinger Motors Arena, his number 77 a blur as he races up and down the ice. WHAT: Bloomington Bison vs. Kalamazoo Wings WHEN: 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 29 WHERE: Grossinger Motors Arena, 101 S. Madison St., Bloomington THEME: Sunday Family Fun Day. Kids get a voucher for a free hot dog, chip, cookie and soda. There will also be a postgame skate with Bison players. TICKETS: $20-$71, available at bloomingtonbisonhockey.com or Ticketmaster, or call the Bison ticket office at 309-965-4373, ext. 2. Lifelong hockey enthusiast Adam Morris follows the growth of the Bloomington Bison in their first season. The ECHL holiday break is over. As the Bison face the Kalamazoo Wings in a weekend set that includes two home games, here's a look at what to expect. Are there parallels between the Bloomington Bison and their primary NHL affiliate? Columnist Adam Morris checks out the New York Rangers in person. The Bison are in their third month of existence, but their presence in Bloomington-Normal has already started to take root. After their five-game run against the Iowa Heartlanders ended with two consecutive losses, the Bloomington Bison can look forward to a change of scenery — and opponent. As we bask in the glow of holiday decorating and Thanksgiving leftovers, columnist Adam Morris takes stock of his gratitude as a Central Illinois hockey fan. When the Bison and Iowa Heartlanders play, penalties will be a factor. There have been 171 penalty minutes handed out, including 13 roughing calls and nine major penalties. Power plays, leadership and stamina: Three takeaways from the Bloomington Bison's first winning weekend at Grossinger Motors Arena. As the Bloomington Bison lose their top goaltender to a higher league, a grueling schedule in the coming weeks could become the team's proving ground. The Bloomington Bison's owners believe fans will be impressed with the higher level of play at Grossinger Motors Arena — but that only works if they're there to see it. Are you struggling to keep up with the Bison's ever-changing roster? You're not alone. Here's why the new Bloomington hockey team is uniquely positioned in its league — and how it could be an advantage. "Was it a little disappointing that the Bison did not come out of last weekend with a win? Of course. ... What I did see, though, felt just as encouraging." It's always exciting to see the start of something new. That's what fans are getting with the Bloomington Bison — on the ice and behind the glass. When the Bloomington Bison drop the puck in their preseason matchup Saturday, it will represent potentially best chance for sustained professional hockey in the Twin Cities. Contact D. Jack Alkire at (309)820-3275. Twitter: @d_jack_alkire Looking for more Bison coverage? Check out our new pages on social media! Facebook: facebook.com/bisonhockeyextra Instagram: instagram.com/bisonhockeyextra X (formerly Twitter): x.com/bisonextra Get in the game with our Prep Sports Newsletter Sent weekly directly to your inbox! General Assignment Reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.FOR most visitors to York its main attractions - York Minster, Clifford’s Tower and the National Railway Museum - are top of the must-see list. But the historic city harbours lesser-known sights which will surprise and thrill anyone seeking them out. Holgate Windmill is one of them. In its incongruous setting on a hilltop among suburban semi-detached homes, the location of the working structure is in itself interesting. The windmill sits on a small roundabout - once named best in Britain by the Roundabout Appreciation Society. Towering 45ft skywards, the four-storey, Grade ll-listed structure was built in 1770 by George Waud, a miller from Selby. In those days the skyline was dotted with windmills, with about 200 in York and the surrounding area. Today it is Yorkshire's only working windmill and the oldest five-sailed windmill in the country. Visitors enter by one of two doors which would originally have allowed millers to come and go when a sail was positioned across one of them. Inside the wooden interior your eye is drawn upwards towards a number of cast iron wheels and cogs - the ‘tentering’ gear for the millstones above. This allows the miller to set the exact gap required between the two surfaces of the millstones. We visited on a milling day, when volunteers were producing flour to transport to local bakeries. “The local primary school - Acomb Primary - also uses our flour to make food such as crumbles, biscuits and pizzas,” says volunteer Lesley Jones, who is showing my husband and me around. “We are very much part of the community. Local children coming to visit often take some flour home to cook with.” On a calm day, the process is powered by electricity. In suitable conditions wind power is used to turn the sails. We watched as miller Steve Potts - who is also secretary of the Holgate Windmill Preservation Society - carefully made adjustments and checked the flour for consistency. “It can go from fine to coarse,” he says. “The bottom stone stays still while the top one moves round, with small weights in between.” In days gone the small grooves on the millstones would have been re-cut , or ‘dressed’ by mill dressers using chisels, every three to six months. “We do it every three years,” says Steve. The mill produces strong wholemeal wheat flour, coarse strong wholemeal wheat flour, strong wholemeal spelt flour and wholemeal rye flour. The regular rhythm of the workings felt like beating heart of the building as we climbed a ladder to the Stone Floor. The mill has four pairs of millstones - a high number for such a small mill. “You get to know the sounds of the mill, so if something goes wrong you know straight away,” says Lesley. “When the caps turns there’s a creaking noise, and if the wind is in the right direction it makes a musical, humming sound.” Holgate Windmill worked continuously between 1770 and 1933. From then it stood empty and decaying until the Holgate Windmill Preservation Society was formed in 2001. After more than a decade of fundraising a new set of sails was hoisted into place in December 2011. The restoration was completed in 2012. The mill is run by volunteers. “They come from all over Yorkshire including Leeds, Wetherby, Knaresborough and Richmond," says Lesley. A millwright, Dave, visits monthly to carry out maintenance. Says volunteer Alison Leadbetter: “It’s like the Fourth Bridge - the sails can rot at the point where the shutters fix into place. Dave goes up and down tapping, listening for signs of rot. We fill the wood or replace it with another piece.” We climb to the second floor - the Bin Floor - where grain bins sit. There’s wall-mounted information; exhibitions are also held here. Next is the Dust Floor, where grain is stored in sacks. The mill’s main drive shaft is here - a huge piece of pine tree trunk dating back to 1770. “It may have been a ship’s mast,” says Lesley. From this floor visitors can look up into the windmill’s cap. Young children will enjoy seeking out the many toy rats dotted about the mill - a nod to the days when the rodents were a common sight. A model terrier and a toy cat - likely rat catchers of the times - can be spotted. The views from the mill are stunning, from the city to the White Horse in Kilburn. During Covid the demand for flour was such that the mill went into overdrive to keep up. “We had never sold so much. Queues stretched right down the road. We got through a year’s grain in three months - we were milling about four or five times a week,” says Alison. A gift shop stocks souvenirs including guide books, greeting cards, tea towels and, of course, flour. There’s a toilet too. *holgatewindmill.org; Holgate Windmill, Windmill Rise, Holgate, York, YO26 4TX Open every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday morning from 10am to 12 noon. The mill is in operation on Wednesday and Friday. From April to October Saturday opening extends to 4.00pm. There is no need to book. Entry £5, free for under 16s and to members of the Holgate Windmill Preservation Society. All profits go towards the upkeep of the mill. *Visitors can park on Acomb Road or take a bus. Bus services from the city centre which stop nearby include numbers 1, 5, 5A and the 59 Park + Ride to Poppleton Bar.UnitedHealthcare CEO’s shooting opens a door for many to vent frustrations over insurance"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?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 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CHANDLER, Ariz. — "I'm sorry I haven't eaten anything today," Jimmy Darts says to Lani Benavidez as she walks down the aisle of a Chandler Walmart. It's a quick stop that Darts is known for. The social media influencer shares videos of him approaching random people and seeing if they'll help him, only to return the help they offer tenfold. Benavidez is quick to help give a couple of bucks to supposedly pay for Darts' box of cereal. Instead, Darts hands the box of cereal back to her full of $1,000. "It's not that she was just kind in that one moment. She's been living a lifestyle of kindness and never has been recognized for it until that one moment. And when you hear her story, it just breaks your heart," Darts said. Benavidez goes on to explain in the video posted a couple of months back that her husband is in the hospital with lung cancer and is unable to help provide for their family right now. Leaving the family relying on Benavidez's job to pay their bills. When Darts asks if she's afraid they'll be evicted, she starts crying. "Almost everyone I meet, they do have a wild story, because everyone's got something they're dealing with, whether it's in their life or their kid's life, or something's going on. So we're all going through something. So if you can just yeah, be kind to people," Darts said. Darts opened up a GoFundMe for Benavidez, asking his millions of followers across several social media platforms to help give to her and her family. As of early December, a total of more than $98,000 was raised for Benavidez and her family. "It just means a lot," Benavidez told 12News on the phone. "I'm very thankful, grateful." "Her family is in a new apartment now, and like I said, you know, they're going to be able to use that for college, for their kid, and just how that one act of kindness can really just change the trajectory of her family's life. So Lani is an inspiration," Darts said. RELATED: She aged out of foster care at 18. 2 years later, she found her forever family. RELATED: Arizona patients reunite with therapists who helped them recover following rare brain disease, paralyzing accident

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