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“Compassion.” “Moral leadership. “Devoted.” Southern California’s lawmakers on both sides of the aisle r emembered former President Jimmy Carter’s public service — and his humanity — as news of his death reverberated throughout the political world Sunday afternoon, Dec. 29. Carter, the 39th president, was 100 years old. Rep. Lou Correa, D-Santa Ana, cast his first presidential ballot for Carter after he had turned 18, the congressman said on social media. “President Jimmy Carter was a veteran, a military academy graduate and a humble George peanut farmer,” said Correa. “He led this nation through difficult times. Thank you, President Carter.” “President Carter was a man of rare character — whose beliefs ran true and ran deep, whose moral compass never wavered,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement. “He saw the common humanity in all of us, building bridges between people of different faiths and factions abroad while working to meet the needs of those at home. Despite daunting challenges and trying times, his bright energy and spirit never faltered.” “President Carter’s candor and compassion, moral leadership and sense of duty set a standard we all should aspire to,” the Democratic governor added. “His enduring example reminds us that we can still find common ground despite our differences.” Rep. Young Kim, a Republican whose district spans Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, said in a social media post that her “heart is with (Carter’s) loved ones.” “President Carter devoted his life to serving the American people, whether in public service or through his charity and humanitarian work,” Kim said. Carter was the longest-living American president. Rep. Mike Garcia, R- Santa Clarita : “President Jimmy Carter’s passing is a loss for our nation. From his days as a midshipman at the Naval Academy to his service as our 39th president, he embodied leadership, honor, and compassion. Keeping the Carter family in my prayers tonight.” Sen. Adam Schiff : President Jimmy Carter leaves a legacy unlike any other. Ceaseless in his service, unbending in his dignity and revered for his commitment to our common humanity. He fought the good fight and kept the faith — and now he has finished his race. May his memory be an inspiration.” Rep. Norma Torres, D-Ontario : “Today, we mourn President Jimmy Carter, a leader of faith, compassion and service. His legacy of humanity and hope will endure. My thoughts are with the Carter family.” Former L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa : “Jimmy Carter was a man of character and integrity whose lifelong service to the greater good was most evident when he left office. His tireless advocacy on behalf of the unhoused was something I was fortunate enough to witness firsthand and a remarkable feature of a humanitarian who never stopped believing in the dignity of our neighbors. May we continue the legacy of President Carter through acts of selfless service to others to never stop uplifting our community.” This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates. Related Articles

BOULDER, Colo. — Travis Hunter is a throwback-type player — an elite receiver one moment, a lockdown cornerback the next — who rarely leaves the field and has a knack for making big plays all over it. The Colorado Buffaloes' two-way standout ( see: unicorn ) even celebrates at an elite level, unveiling imaginative dance moves following touchdowns and interceptions, some of which include the Heisman Trophy pose. It's one of the many awards he's in line to win. Hunter is the The Associated Press college football player of the year, receiving 26 of 43 votes Thursday from a panel of AP Top 25 voters. Boise State tailback Ashton Jeanty finished second with 16 votes and Arizona State running back Cameron Skattebo received one vote. "Couldn't do what I do without my team," Hunter said in an email on a trip to Las Vegas for an awards ceremony. "So I view being up for these awards as team awards." A player with his particular set of skills doesn't come around that often. He's a flashback to the days of Charles Woodson at Michigan or Champ Bailey at Georgia. Or even his coach, Deion Sanders, a two-way star in the NFL. The prospect of significant playing time on both sides of the ball is what led Hunter to join Sanders at Jackson State and why he followed Sanders to Boulder. "Coach Prime was the only coach who would consider allowing me to do what I'm doing," said Hunter, who's expected to be a top-five pick next spring in the NFL draft, possibly even the No. 1 overall selection. "He did it and knows what it takes — how much you have to be ready on both sides of the ball." Want to fuel Hunter? Simply tell him he can't. "I'm motivated when people tell me I can't do something," Hunter said. "That I can't dominate on both sides of the ball. I want to be an example for others that anything is possible. Keep pursuing your dreams." Hunter helped the 20th-ranked Buffaloes to a 9-3 record this season and a berth in the Alamo Bowl against No. 17 BYU (10-2) on Dec. 28. He played 688 defensive snaps and 672 more on offense — the lone Power Four conference player with 30-plus snaps on both sides of the ball, according to Colorado research. Hunter has already won a second straight Paul Hornung award as the game's most versatile player. He's up for the Walter Camp (player of the year), Maxwell (most outstanding player), the Biletnikoff (best receiver) and Bednarik (top defensive player) awards. And, of course, the Heisman, where he's the odds-on favorite to win over Jeanty this weekend. Hunter can join the late Rashaan Salaam as the only Colorado players to capture the Heisman. Salaam won it in 1994 after rushing for 2,055 yards. Hunter wasn't a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, which goes to the nation's top defensive back. That drew the wrath of Sanders, who earned the award with Florida State in 1988 and vowed to give his trophy to Hunter. Hunter's high school coach, Lenny Gregory, knew he had a special player the summer of Hunter's freshman year. Gregory, then the coach at Collins Hill in Georgia, had a conditioning test for his players — run six 200-yard dashes with a minute rest in between. Defensive backs had to complete each in under 32 seconds. Hunter never even got winded. He played safety/cornerback and receiver as a freshman and helped Collins Hill to a state title his senior season. "I remember just talking to colleges the spring of his ninth-grade year and telling coaches that this kid's going to be the No. 1 player in the country," recounted Gregory, who's now the coach at Gordon Central High in Calhoun, Georgia. "They'd look at him and laugh at me, 'What are you talking about? This scrawny kid? He's not big enough.' I was like, 'Just watch. Just watch.'" Hunter finished the regular season with 92 catches for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns as a receiver. On defense, he had four interceptions, broke up 11 passes and forced one crucial fumble, which secured an OT win over Baylor. Overall, Hunter had 92 receptions and allowed 22. He hauled in 14 receiving TDs and allowed just one. He was responsible for 53 first downs and gave up just six. He was targeted 119 times by Shedeur Sanders & Co. but only 39 times by opposing QBs. Hunter's likely final game in Boulder, a rout of Oklahoma State, was a three-touchdown, one-interception performance. "I'm used to seeing him do all this spectacular stuff," Shedeur Sanders said. "I'm used to all this stuff — you all are just now seeing it on national stage."Appointment of Evelyn Angelle to Bird’s Board of Directors

Jury awards $310 million to parents of teen killed in fall from Orlando amusement park ride ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The parents of a 14-year-old Missouri boy who fell to his death from a Florida amusement park ride has won a $310 million verdict against the attraction's Austrian builder. The Orlando jury on Thursday ordered Funtime to pay Tyre Sampson's parents $155 million each. The trial lasted only a day as Funtime never appeared in court to defend itself. Icon Park had already settled with Sampson’s family for an undisclosed amount. Sampson stood 6 foot, 2 inches tall and weighed 380 pounds. He fell from the Orlando Free Fall ride at Icon Park because the harness did not fit him and he wasn't warned. Princess of Wales takes another step in return to public life after chemotherapy with carol service LONDON (AP) — The Princess of Wales is taking another step in her return to public life following cancer treatment as she hosts her annual Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey. This year’s concert is designed to celebrate the support people give to one another, especially as they struggle through difficult times, a theme that may have particular resonance for the princess after abdominal surgery and chemotherapy forced her to step back from public duties for much of 2024. The princess, often referred to simply as Kate, alluded to this in a letter thanking the 1,600 people invited to attend the event because of their efforts to help others in their communities. Hall of Famer Randy Moss is stepping away from ESPN for an extended time to deal with health issue Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss is stepping away from his ESPN analyst role for an extended time to focus on a personal health challenge, the network said in a statement. Moss revealed last week that he’s dealing with a health issue and asked fans to pray for him and his family. The 47-year-old ESPN football analyst made his announcement on Instagram from the set of the network’s “Sunday NFL Countdown” show. He directed his message to men and urged them to get checkups and bloodwork done, without specifying any particular illness. More than a million oven gloves are being recalled after consumers report 92 minor burns NEW YORK (AP) — More than one million pairs of oven gloves are being recalled due to a burn hazard, after dozens of injury reports. Video and e-commerce retailer QVC is recalling about 1.1 million of its “Temp-tations Oven Gloves” because they fail to provide sufficient heat protection. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, QVC has received 162 reports of insufficient heat protection, including 92 minor burns. Consumers in possession of the now-recalled gloves are urged to stop using them immediately — and contact QVC for a refund. Lionel Messi wins MLS MVP award, the latest trophy on a long list of honors for the Inter Miami star FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi is the MVP of Major League Soccer for 2024. The award comes after a season where he missed 15 of Inter Miami’s 34 regular-season matches with injuries or commitments to Argentina’s national team. He still factored into a league-high 36 goals by scoring 20 and assisting on 16 others. His 2.1 goal contributions per 90 minutes played is the best by any player in any season in MLS history. MLS revealed the voting results Friday. Messi edged out Columbus Crew forward Cucho Hernández for the award, which is determined by a poll of players, club technical staff and select media members. Alternative healer gets 10 years in UK prison for death of woman at slap therapy workshop LONDON (AP) — An alternative healer who advocated “slapping therapy” to treat a range of maladies has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for the death of a 71-year-old diabetic woman who stopped taking insulin during his workshop. Hongchi Xiao, 61, was sentenced Friday after being convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence for failing to get medical help for Danielle Carr-Gomm in 2016. Prosecutors say she was howling in pain and frothing at the mouth during the fourth day of a workshop. The California healer promoted paida lajin therapy that advocates slapping to release “poisonous waste” from the body. He was previously convicted of manslaughter in the death of a six-year-old boy in Australia. Stellantis recalling more than 300,000 Ram trucks for braking system defect Stellantis is recalling more than 300,000 Ram Heavy Duty pickup trucks because a faulty part could cause certain braking and tracking systems to fail. The Netherlands-based automaker said the hydraulic control unit on the trucks is prone to failure, which can cause the anti-lock brake, electronic stability control and traction control systems to not work properly. Stellantis said regular braking systems are not affected by the defective part and that it’s unaware of any related injuries. The trucks in question are all model years 2017-18 and include the Ram 2500, 3500, 4500 and 5500. The company is unaware of any injuries related to the defect. El Salvador's president is triumphant after his bet on bitcoin comes true SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele is triumphant about his big bet on bitcoin as the cryptocurrency reached historic highs, surpassing $100,000 for the first time. Bitcoin has been legal tender in the country since 2021 but it never quite matched the president’s enthusiasm. The value of the government’s reported investment now stands at more than $600 million. Bitcoin has rallied mightily since Donald Trump’s election victory last month, exceeding the $100,000 mark on Wednesday night, just hours after the president-elect said he intends to nominate cryptocurrency advocate Paul Atkins to be the next chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission. NBA returning to China for pair of Suns-Nets preseason games in 2025 The NBA is returning to China next season. The league has struck a deal to play preseason games there more than five years after the league was effectively banned for Commissioner Adam Silver not punishing Daryl Morey for tweeting support of anti-government protesters in Hong Kong. Brooklyn and Phoenix will play games in China’s gambling hub of Macao on Oct. 10, 2025, and again two days later. There are more games planned for China in 2026, a source told The Associated Press. F1 champion Max Verstappen to become first-time father with girlfriend Kelly Piquet ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen is set to become a father for the first time with his girlfriend Kelly Piquet. There’s racing heritage on both sides of the family. Verstappen secured his fourth F1 title last month and Kelly’s father Nelson Piquet was a three-time champion in the 1980s. Verstappen says on Instagram that "we couldn’t be happier with our little miracle.” Verstappen is aiming to win his 10th F1 race of the year at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday. Practice gets underway later.BUCHAREST, Romania -- A top Romanian court on Friday annulled the first round of the country's presidential election, days after allegations emerged that Russia ran a coordinated online campaign to promote the far-right outsider who won the first round. The Constitutional Court’s unprecedented decision — which is final — came after President Klaus Iohannis declassified intelligence on Wednesday that alleged Russia organized thousands of social media accounts to promote Calin Georgescu across platforms such as TikTok and Telegram. The court, without naming Georgescu, said that one of the 13 candidates in the Nov. 24 first round had improperly received “preferential treatment” on social media, distorting the outcome of the vote. Georgescu denounced the verdict as an “officialized coup” and an attack on democracy, as did the second-place finisher, reformist Elena Lasconi of the center-right Save Romania Union party. Despite being an outsider who declared zero campaign spending, Georgescu emerged as the frontrunner who was to face Lasconi in a runoff on Sunday. Some 951 voting stations had already opened abroad on Friday for the runoff for Romania’s large diaspora, but had to be halted. Iohannis said he would remain in office until a new presidential election could be rerun from scratch. On Dec. 1, one week after the first round of the presidential race, Romania also held a parliamentary election , which saw pro-Western parties win the most votes but also gains for far-right nationalists. Iohannis said that once the new government is formed, the date of the new presidential vote would be set. On Wednesday the president had released intelligence files from the Romanian Intelligence Service, the Foreign Intelligence Service, the Special Telecommunication Service and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. In a televised statement Friday, Iohannis said he was “deeply concerned” by the contents of the intelligence reports. “Intelligence reports revealed that this candidate’s campaign was supported by a foreign state with interests contrary to Romania’s. These are serious issues," he said. The Constitutional Court in its published decision cited the illegal use of digital technologies including artificial intelligence, as well as the use of “undeclared sources of funding.” It said one candidate received “preferential treatment on social media platforms, which resulted in the distortion of voters’ expressed will." Georgescu slammed the verdict as putting “democracy is under attack.” “I have only one pact ... with the Romanian people and God,” he said in a video statement. “We are no longer talking about fairness but rather about a mockery that betrays the principles of democracy ... It is time to show that we are a courageous people who know that the destiny and rights of the Romanian nation are in our hands.” Lasconi also strongly condemned the court's decision, saying it was “illegal, immoral, and crushes the very essence of democracy" and that the second round should have gone forward. “Whether we like it or not, from a legal and legitimate standpoint, 9 million Romanian citizens, both in the country and the diaspora, expressed their preference for a particular candidate through their votes," she said. “I know I would have won. And I will win because the Romanian people know I will fight for them, that I will unite them for a better Romania,” she added. Some 9.4 million people — about 52.5% of eligible voters — had cast ballots in the first round in this European Union and NATO member country. The president serves a five-year term and has significant decision-making powers in national security, foreign policy and judicial appointments. Most surveys had predicted the top candidate would be Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu of the ruling center-left Social Democrats. They indicated that second place would be claimed by either Lasconi or the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, George Simion. As the surprising results came in with Georgescu on top, and Lasconi narrowly beating Ciolacu, it plunged the political establishment into turmoil. The same court last week ordered a recount of the first-round votes, which added to the myriad controversies that have engulfed a chaotic election cycle. Following a recount, the court then validated the first-round results on Monday. Many observers have expressed concerns that annulling the vote could trigger civil unrest. The court said Friday that its decision was meant “to restore citizens’ trust in the democratic legitimacy of public authorities, in the legality and fairness of elections.” Simion, of the far-right party, said the development was a “coup d’état in full swing” but urged people not to take to the streets. “We don’t let ourselves be provoked, this system has to fall democratically,” he said. Cristian Andrei, a political consultant based in Bucharest, said the court's decision amounts to a “crisis mode situation for Romanian democracy.” “In light of the information about the external interference, the massive interference in elections, I think this was not normal but predictable, because it’s not normal times at all, Romania is an uncharted territory,” he told The Associated Press. “The problem is here, do we have the institutions to manage such an interference in the future?” Georgescu’s surprising success left many political observers wondering how most local surveys were so far off, putting him behind at least five other candidates before the vote. Many observers attributed his success to his TikTok account, which now has 6 million likes and 541,000 followers. But some experts suspected Georgescu’s online following was artificially inflated while Romania’s top security body alleged he was given preferential treatment by TikTok over other candidates. In the intelligence release, the secret services alleged that one TikTok user paid more $381,000 (361,000 euros) to other users to promote Georgescu content. Intelligence authorities said information they obtained “revealed an aggressive promotion campaign” to increase and accelerate his popularity. Georgescu, when asked by the AP in an interview Wednesday whether he believes the Chinese-owned TikTok poses a threat to democracy, defended social media platforms. “The most important existing function for promoting free speech and freedom of expression is social media,” he said.

TOEWS, James Dennis