Northeast

Trump to headline sold-out Al Smith charity dinner as Harris sends pre-recorded video message

Published

18 seconds ago

October 17, 2024

Cardinal Dolan ‘upset’ that Harris is skipping Al Smith Dinner

Cardinal Timothy Dolan said in a podcast released Tuesday that it’s a ‘shame’ Vice President Kamala Harris is skipping the Al Smith Dinner, a fundraiser that traditionally features presidential candidates. (Conversation with Cardinal Dolan Podcast)

Former President Trump is set to attend and address the 79th Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner on Thursday evening for the bipartisan political event that typically adds a bit of levity to the campaign trail each presidential election cycle, while simultaneously raising donations for women and children in need.

This year’s Al Smith dinner, however, is set to be a bit different from previous years, as Vice President Kamala Harris is skipping the in-person event and sending a pre-recorded video to be broadcast to the audience instead.

“VP Harris will appear via a pre-recorded message,” the communications director for the Archdiocese of New York, Joseph Zwilling, told Fox News Digital on Thursday.

Harris’ snub of the historic Catholic charity event irked New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan, the host of the dinner, on his podcast this week.

HARRIS TO VIRTUALLY ATTEND CATHOLIC CHARITY DINNER THAT RIVAL TRUMP IS HEADLINING

Trump speaking at the 2016 Al Smith Dinner

Hillary Clinton laughs as Donald Trump speaks during the annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria on Oct. 20, 2016, in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

“This year will be imbalanced because sadly, Kamala Harris isn’t coming,” Dolan said on his podcast Tuesday. “It’s a shame because the nature of the evening is to bring people together. The nature of the evening is civility, patriotism, humor. It’s not a campaign speech. It’s not a campaign stop.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the Harris campaign for comment on sending a pre-recorded video message for the event, but did not receive a reply. The campaign previously told Fox News that Harris was skipping the event to focus on campaigning in the battleground state of Wisconsin on Thursday.

KAMALA HARRIS PLANS TO SKIP HISTORIC AL SMITH DINNER DESPITE LONG-STANDING TRADITION

Vice President Kamala Harris prepares to speak at “We the People: An Audio Townhall With Kamala Harris and Charlamagne tha God” in Detroit on Tuesday. (Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images for iHeartMedia)

“The Vice President is going to be campaigning in a battleground state that day, and the campaign wants to maximize her time in the battlegrounds this close to the election. Her team also told the organizers that she would very much like to attend their event as President. This would make her one of the first sitting Presidents to attend,” the campaign said.

The event this year will instead focus on Trump’s in-person remarks, as well as Harris’ video — not the typical speaker schedule that spotlights the presidential candidates from both political parties while they lob lighthearted jabs at each other.

TRUMP APPLAUDS CATHOLIC GROUP’S MULTI-MILLION ANTI-HARRIS CAMPAIGN APPEALING TO CHURCH FAITHFUL

The Al Smith dinner was launched in 1946, and has raised millions of dollars for charities supporting women and children. It has since grown to become a political and cultural hallmark of election seasons. The dinner is named after the first Catholic presidential candidate, Al Smith, who served as the 42nd governor of New York. He ran for president as a Democrat in 1928.

Hillary Clinton laughing as Donald Trump talks with her at Al Smith dinner

Hillary Clinton speaks with Donald Trump while attending the Al Smith charity dinner on Oct. 20, 2016, in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Trump has attended the event each election year since 2016, when he and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton traded barbs that drew roaring laughter and some jeers from the crowd.

“It’s great to be here with a thousand wonderful people, or, as I call it, a small intimate dinner with some friends. Or as Hillary calls it, her largest crowd of the season,” Trump quipped during his 2016 remarks.

CARDINAL DOLAN ‘UPSET’ THAT HARRIS SKIPPING AL SMITH DINNER

“People look at the Statue of Liberty and they see a proud symbol of our history as a nation of immigrants. A beacon of hope for people around the world. Donald sees the Statue of Liberty and sees a 4. Maybe a 5 if she loses the torch and tablet and changes her hair,” Clinton joked amid her remarks.

Comedian Jim Gaffigan will emcee this year’s dinner. Gaffigan has notably joined “Saturday Night Live” in recent weeks to play the role of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Harris’ running mate, during sketches mocking the election cycle.

Carvey, Rudolph, and Gaffigan as Biden, Harris, and Walz

From left: “Saturday Night Live” special guests Dana Carvey, Maya Rudolph and Jim Gaffigan pose backstage on Sept. 28. (Rosalind O’Connor/NBC via Getty Images)

Trump has celebrated his third return to the dinner as the GOP’s presidential nominee, while also taking a shot at Harris for skipping attending the event.

MORNING GLORY: WHY IS KAMALA HARRIS SKIPPING THE AL SMITH DINNER IN NEW YORK CITY?

“It will be an honor to attend the SOLD OUT 79th ANNUAL AL SMITH DINNER on October 17th in New York. It will be great to see so many wonderful people there, including Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan. We know the Spirit of Al Smith, the first Catholic Nominee of a Major Party, and John F. Kennedy, the FIRST Catholic President, will be in the room with us that night,” Trump posted on Truth Social last month.

Former President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. (Screenshots/Univision)

“It was a virtual event in 2020, and I was delighted to speak to our Catholic friends that day and, of course, it was a HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL evening in 2016 when we were there in person with Crooked Hillary Clinton. The reviews of my remarks were TREMENDOUS. It’s sad, but not surprising, that Kamala has decided not to attend. I don’t know what she has against our Catholic friends, but it must be a lot, because she certainly hasn’t been very nice to them, in fact, Catholics are literally being persecuted by this Administration. Any Catholic that votes for Comrade Kamala Harris should have their head examined,” he added.

The 2020 Al Smith dinner was held virtually as the pandemic and its government-mandated lockdowns upended society. Both Trump and President Biden virtually attended that year’s dinner.

Dolan said he anticipates the dinner to raise roughly $9 million, which will be given to various charities to assist women and children in need, as part of the Church’s pro-life mission, according to a press release from the foundation.

This year’s event will be held at New York Hilton Midtown, and kicks off at 7 p.m.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Read the full article from Here

Boston, MA

Celebrating 100 years: Bruins unveil special edition sweater

Published

1 hour ago

October 17, 2024

Press Room

Celebrating 100 years: Bruins unveil special edition sweater

Anthony Gharib, ESPNOct 17, 2024, 07:20 PM ET

The Boston Bruins are celebrating their centennial game in style, unveiling special uniforms Thursday. The limited-edition sweater will be worn against the Montreal Canadiens on Dec. 1.

That date marks the 100th anniversary of the Bruins’ first game against the Montreal Maroons on Dec. 1, 1924.

The look combines multiple elements of the past with a vision for the future. An example is the anniversary crest, which fuses the vintage spokes worn by legends Bobby Orr and Ray Bourque with the varsity “B” the franchise has worn since 2007.

A historic jersey for a historic celebration. pic.twitter.com/MzUjwxFoAZ
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) October 17, 2024
Advertisement

A few more frames of the fits 🔥
📸 ➡️ https://t.co/WhdesPv7PT pic.twitter.com/cV2w45brVT
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) October 17, 2024

The jersey draws inspiration from the 1980s, a decade in which the Bruins had four 100-win seasons and embodies the franchises’ core values, according to a news release. The sleeves and socks are gold with a modern take on traditional striping, a nod to previous players who donned the Spoked-B.

A new centennial patch is featured with a nod to Dec. 1 and brings back the metallic gold as an accent around the Bruins bear.

“The Centennial Game will be a special moment for our organization and more importantly, our fans, so the jersey design had to be fit for the occasion,” Boston Bruins president Cam Neely said. “There are so many elements for both fans and the players to enjoy.”

An element that Neely highlighted appears on the bottom hemline. The team’s core values — tradition, grit, passion and heart — are embedded there, alongside the score of their first game displayed on the collar.

Source link

Pittsburg, PA

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. New York Jets X-Factors: Can Russell Wilson surge offense to win?

Published

2 hours ago

October 17, 2024

Press Room

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. New York Jets X-Factors: Can Russell Wilson surge offense to win?

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers will welcome the New York Jets for Sunday Night Football this week, and with a change at quarterback coming down the pipeline on top of that, it seems like the Steelers will have the spotlight on them. The Jets just made a huge trade for Davante Adams, and the hope is that the star wide receiver can spark the offense even more, especially since the Jets now sit at 2-4.

With that being said, here are the two X-Factors for this matchup:

Jets X-Factor: Garrett Wilson

I am picking the other top Jets wide receiver as the X-Factor here, mainly because the Steelers’ focus will almost certainly be on Adams himself. Adams is the superstar and the guy with Rodgers’ trust, and so Joey Porter Jr. will be tested out there. However, Garrett Wilson is a one-on-one cheat code that could create significant issues for the Steelers from the slot. His matchup against Beanie Bishop is one that is terrifying, and he is easily the best second wide receiver Pittsburgh has seen this year.

Wilson and Rodgers’ relationship has not come super naturally just yet, but those are two talented people that make you respect them. In particular, what happened against the Colts with Josh Downs makes this a very concerning matchup for the Steelers. If Wilson goes off, even if they hold Adams down for the most part, Pittsburgh will likely be giving up multiple third down conversions from that slot, just like they did against the Colts.

Steelers X-Factor: Russell Wilson

There is no overthinking this one, and the Steelers have a lot of matchups to watch on both sides of the ball. The biggest one not mentioned here is center Ryan McCollum against Jets star Quinnen Williams. Zach Frazier being out is a huge hit for the Steelers in this game. Yet, Russell Wilson remains the forefront of the argument. Can the deep ball pop against a talented defense with a battered secondary?

The Jets will rightfully sell out to stop Najee Harris, who could get some success against them. New York has missed the most tackles in the NFL against running backs this season, and were just carved up by Ray Davis. Wilson, if he can supplement Harris with quality play-action passing and keep the negative plays, especially sacks, to a minimum, can engineer Pittsburgh to a win in what looks like a very winnable game on paper.

BETTING: Check out our guide to the best PA sportsbooks, where our team of sports betting experts has reviewed the experience, payout speed, parlay options and quality of odds for multiple sportsbooks.

Source link

Connecticut

UConn looking to address low enrollment for 70 majors

Published

3 hours ago

October 17, 2024

Press Room

UConn looking to address low enrollment for 70 majors

The University of Connecticut is reviewing enrollment numbers for 70 programs, causing concern for the professors who teach them.

UConn says they are not directing programs to end or end majors, but they are asking educators for ideas on how to address programs with low enrollment.

“The majority of classes I’ve taken at UConn have been 20 people or less,” UConn senior Victoria Clingan said. She’s majoring in both French and philosophy.

Clingan says she’s benefitted from the tight-knit community from the programs, both in her relationships with professors and her ability to learn the material.

“There’s a lot of marketability towards very specific majors — in particular the language majors,” said Clingan.

Both of her majors, and 68 others, are being reviewed because they have graduated 100 or fewer students in a five-year period.

The university is asking educators to provide ideas to improve those numbers.

Low enrollment isn’t just found in humanities majors. Other programs being reviewed include some math and sciences, like structural biology and environmental studies. Social work, languages, and other majors are also being reviewed.

“We just have a sense that something very bad is coming down when you have 70 programs suddenly have to justify their existence or be terminated. We’ve never seen that before,” said Christopher Vials, the president of the UConn chapter of the American Association of University Professors.

Vials says the concern is that the potential of cuts would be a permanent solution to what he says is a temporary budget shortfall at the university.

“A lot of these programs, not only are their classes filled with students, but a lot of them are recruiting tools for faculty who do research and cutting-edge interdisciplinary fields,” said Vials.

Data NBC Connecticut obtained shows the program with the highest number of graduates in a five-year period on average is Health Care Management, with 19 students.

Other programs on the list, like Turfgrass and Soil Science, have had no graduates on average in a five-year period.

UConn says reviewing enrollment is not targeting a particular field, and the programs were selected for review based on numbers.

“These reviews provide an opportunity to demonstrate how the various programs can use their strengths and creativity to evolve and draw more enrollment, producing graduates with a range of interesting and satisfying career paths. They also ensure we are responsible stewards of our resources,” said UConn spokesperson Stephanie Reitz in a statement to NBC Connecticut.

“Like every university, UConn has a process for evaluating programs with low enrollment and completion. This is essential to ensure that we maintain the right balance of programs to support our institutional mission, meet the needs of our students, and make the best use of resources,” Reitz said.

The review of these courses is due on November 1. Documents from UConn’s Administration obtained by NBC Connecticut indicate that more decisions will be reported at UConn’s Board of Trustees meeting in December.

Vials says the Association of American University Professors will be pushing back until then.

Here is the list of majors under examination for low enrollment: