NEW YORK (AP) — The swift collapse of cryptocurrency exchange FTX 
sent more shockwaves through the crypto world on Thursday, with 
authorities now investigating the firm for potential securities 
violations and analysts bracing for a further downturn in crypto prices.

FTX
 had agreed earlier this week to sell itself to bigger rival Binance 
after experiencing the cryptocurrency equivalent of a bank run. 
Customers fled the exchange after becoming concerned about whether FTX 
had sufficient capital.

A person familiar with matter said that 
the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission are
 examining FTX to determine whether any criminal activity or securities 
offenses were committed. The person could not discuss details of the 
investigations publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition 
of anonymity.

This week's developments marked a shocking turn of 
events for FTX CEO and founder Sam Bankman-Fried, who was hailed as 
somewhat of a savior earlier this year when he helped shore up a number 
of cryptocurrency companies that ran into financial trouble.

The 
investigation into Bankman-Fried and FTX by those in the crypto world as
 well as securities regulators is centering on the possibility that the 
firm may have used customers’ deposits to fund bets at Bankman-Fried’s 
hedge fund, Alameda Research. In traditional markets, brokers are 
expected to separate client funds from other company assets. Violations 
can be punished by regulators.

Meanwhile, investors in popular 
digital currencies got some relief from the latest crypto crisis 
Thursday after days of selling. Bitcoin rose to $17,691 after dropping 
as low as $15,512 on Wednesday. Ethereum rose 12%. The gains came after a
 government report showing inflation cooled a bit last month gave a lift
 to riskier assets.

The crypto world had hoped that Binance, the 
world's largest crypto exchange, might be able to rescue FTX and its 
depositors. However, after Binance had a chance to look at the books of 
FTX, it became clear that the smaller exchange's problems were too big 
to solve.

A person familiar with the dealings between FTX and 
Binance described the books as a “black hole” where it was impossible to
 differentiate between the assets and liabilities of FTX the exchange 
and those of Alameda Research. This person spoke on condition of 
anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly about the 
matter.

This person said Bankman-Fried committed the “ultimate sin” by tapping into FTX's custodial assets to fund Alameda Research.

In
 a further illustration of FTX’s financial straits, Bankman-Fried asked 
his investors Wednesday for $8 billion to cover withdrawal requests, 
according to The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed sources.

In a
 series of Tweets on Thursday, the FTX founder and CEO said that he did 
not have enough liquidity to cover withdrawals and that he was more 
leveraged than he had thought.

“I f(asterisk)(asterisk)(asterisk)ed up, and should have done better,” he said.

The
 latest crisis in the crypto industry prompted renewed calls for 
stricter regulation. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said
 the FTX developments "highlights why prudent regulation of 
cryptocurrencies is indeed needed. The White House, along with the 
relevant agencies, will again closely monitor the situation as it 
develops.”

The collapse of the cryptocurrency’s third largest 
exchange is likely to cause further disruption across the entire crypto 
world, analysts say, meaning Thursday's rally could be temporary.

"The
 unwinding of FTX, as well as its shock of confidence to the system, 
will cause crypto prices to fall even further leading to “a new cascade 
of margin calls,” said analysts at J.P. Morgan in a note to investors. 
This would be similar to the selloff that happened after the collapse of
 the stable coin Terra earlier this year, where prices continued to 
decline weeks after its failure.

“This deleveraging is likely to 
last for at least a few weeks unless a rescue for Alameda Research and 
FTX is agreed quickly,” J.P. Morgan analysts wrote.

The crypto 
industry is waiting to see what other companies are impacted by the FTX 
collapse. The venture capital fund Sequoia Capital said Thursday it is 
writing down its entire $150 million investment in FTX.

NEW YORK (AP) — The swift collapse of cryptocurrency exchange FTX 
sent more shockwaves through the crypto world on Thursday, with 
authorities now investigating the firm for potential securities 
violations and analysts bracing for a further downturn in crypto prices.FTX
 had agreed earlier this week to sell itself to bigger rival Binance 
after experiencing the cryptocurrency equivalent of a bank run. 
Customers fled the exchange after becoming concerned about whether FTX 
had sufficient capital.A person familiar with matter said that 
the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission are
 examining FTX to determine whether any criminal activity or securities 
offenses were committed. The person could not discuss details of the 
investigations publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition 
of anonymity.This week's developments marked a shocking turn of 
events for FTX CEO and founder Sam Bankman-Fried, who was hailed as 
somewhat of a savior earlier this year when he helped shore up a number 
of cryptocurrency companies that ran into financial trouble.The 
investigation into Bankman-Fried and FTX by those in the crypto world as
 well as securities regulators is centering on the possibility that the 
firm may have used customers’ deposits to fund bets at Bankman-Fried’s 
hedge fund, Alameda Research. In traditional markets, brokers are 
expected to separate client funds from other company assets. Violations 
can be punished by regulators.Meanwhile, investors in popular 
digital currencies got some relief from the latest crypto crisis 
Thursday after days of selling. Bitcoin rose to $17,691 after dropping 
as low as $15,512 on Wednesday. Ethereum rose 12%. The gains came after a
 government report showing inflation cooled a bit last month gave a lift
 to riskier assets.The crypto world had hoped that Binance, the 
world's largest crypto exchange, might be able to rescue FTX and its 
depositors. However, after Binance had a chance to look at the books of 
FTX, it became clear that the smaller exchange's problems were too big 
to solve.A person familiar with the dealings between FTX and 
Binance described the books as a “black hole” where it was impossible to
 differentiate between the assets and liabilities of FTX the exchange 
and those of Alameda Research. This person spoke on condition of 
anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly about the 
matter.This person said Bankman-Fried committed the “ultimate sin” by tapping into FTX's custodial assets to fund Alameda Research.In
 a further illustration of FTX’s financial straits, Bankman-Fried asked 
his investors Wednesday for $8 billion to cover withdrawal requests, 
according to The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed sources.In a
 series of Tweets on Thursday, the FTX founder and CEO said that he did 
not have enough liquidity to cover withdrawals and that he was more 
leveraged than he had thought.“I f(asterisk)(asterisk)(asterisk)ed up, and should have done better,” he said.The
 latest crisis in the crypto industry prompted renewed calls for 
stricter regulation. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said
 the FTX developments "highlights why prudent regulation of 
cryptocurrencies is indeed needed. The White House, along with the 
relevant agencies, will again closely monitor the situation as it 
develops.”The collapse of the cryptocurrency’s third largest 
exchange is likely to cause further disruption across the entire crypto 
world, analysts say, meaning Thursday's rally could be temporary."The
 unwinding of FTX, as well as its shock of confidence to the system, 
will cause crypto prices to fall even further leading to “a new cascade 
of margin calls,” said analysts at J.P. Morgan in a note to investors. 
This would be similar to the selloff that happened after the collapse of
 the stable coin Terra earlier this year, where prices continued to 
decline weeks after its failure.“This deleveraging is likely to 
last for at least a few weeks unless a rescue for Alameda Research and 
FTX is agreed quickly,” J.P. Morgan analysts wrote.The crypto 
industry is waiting to see what other companies are impacted by the FTX 
collapse. The venture capital fund Sequoia Capital said Thursday it is 
writing down its entire $150 million investment in FTX.

AP source: US authorities investigate crypto exchange FTX

ROCHESTER,
 N.Y. (AP) — The National Toy Hall of Fame's new honorees include an 
object dating to ancient times, a line of muscle-bound action figures 
and an iconic art set whose medium is colorful pegs. The hall on 
Thursday announced the top, Masters of the Universe and Lite-Brite as 
this year's inductees.

The trio was chosen from a field of 12 
finalists that also included bingo, Breyer Horses, Catan, Nerf, the 
piñata, Phase 10, Pound Puppies, Rack-O and Spirograph.

The Toy 
Hall of Fame inducts a new class of toys each year in a ceremony at The 
Strong museum in Rochester, where the hall is housed.

The top 
earned a place by being a childhood staple of cultures in Asia, Europe, 
the Americas, and Australia, according to the hall, which noted that 
ancient Greek pottery shows people playing with the twirling objects 
more than 2,000 years ago.

“The top is one of the oldest toys and 
an integral part of many cultures, where it developed independently as a
 plaything,” Chief Curator Christopher Bensch said in a news release. 
“With more than 5,000 years of history behind it, it’s about time that 
the top spun its way into the National Toy Hall of Fame!”

The hall recognizes toys that have inspired creativity and endured over time.

Hasbro’s
 Lite-Brite has maintained its popularity for more than 50 years, after 
being introduced 1966. Marketed in 1968 as a “magic light box,” the toy 
encourages kids to create glowing pictures by pushing colorful pegs into
 an illuminated black background.

Masters of the Universe grew in 
popularity in the 1980s, when the cartoon series “He-Man and the Masters
 of the Universe” allowed Mattel to introduce new characters and toys to
 the line, hall of fame experts said. A 2021 Netflix series underscored 
the franchise’s staying power.

“The team at Mattel understood that
 kids spend lots of time in fantasy play and like the opportunity to 
project themselves into the role of the hero,” curator Michelle 
Parnett-Dwyer said. “Masters of the Universe characters had the 
strength, weapons, and power to defeat the villain—and give kids 
confidence.”

The new inductees will be displayed alongside past 
honorees that range from everyday objects like the stick and cardboard 
box to technologic entries like Nintendo's Game Boy. American Girl 
Dolls, Risk and sand were inducted last year.

Anyone can nominate a toy. A panel of experts votes in the winners.

The
 Strong museum also houses the World Video Game Hall of Fame, the Brian 
Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play, the Woodbury School, and the 
American Journal of Play.

ROCHESTER,
 N.Y. (AP) — The National Toy Hall of Fame's new honorees include an 
object dating to ancient times, a line of muscle-bound action figures 
and an iconic art set whose medium is colorful pegs. The hall on 
Thursday announced the top, Masters of the Universe and Lite-Brite as 
this year's inductees.The trio was chosen from a field of 12 
finalists that also included bingo, Breyer Horses, Catan, Nerf, the 
piñata, Phase 10, Pound Puppies, Rack-O and Spirograph.The Toy 
Hall of Fame inducts a new class of toys each year in a ceremony at The 
Strong museum in Rochester, where the hall is housed.The top 
earned a place by being a childhood staple of cultures in Asia, Europe, 
the Americas, and Australia, according to the hall, which noted that 
ancient Greek pottery shows people playing with the twirling objects 
more than 2,000 years ago.“The top is one of the oldest toys and 
an integral part of many cultures, where it developed independently as a
 plaything,” Chief Curator Christopher Bensch said in a news release. 
“With more than 5,000 years of history behind it, it’s about time that 
the top spun its way into the National Toy Hall of Fame!”The hall recognizes toys that have inspired creativity and endured over time.Hasbro’s
 Lite-Brite has maintained its popularity for more than 50 years, after 
being introduced 1966. Marketed in 1968 as a “magic light box,” the toy 
encourages kids to create glowing pictures by pushing colorful pegs into
 an illuminated black background.Masters of the Universe grew in 
popularity in the 1980s, when the cartoon series “He-Man and the Masters
 of the Universe” allowed Mattel to introduce new characters and toys to
 the line, hall of fame experts said. A 2021 Netflix series underscored 
the franchise’s staying power.“The team at Mattel understood that
 kids spend lots of time in fantasy play and like the opportunity to 
project themselves into the role of the hero,” curator Michelle 
Parnett-Dwyer said. “Masters of the Universe characters had the 
strength, weapons, and power to defeat the villain—and give kids 
confidence.”The new inductees will be displayed alongside past 
honorees that range from everyday objects like the stick and cardboard 
box to technologic entries like Nintendo's Game Boy. American Girl 
Dolls, Risk and sand were inducted last year.Anyone can nominate a toy. A panel of experts votes in the winners.The
 Strong museum also houses the World Video Game Hall of Fame, the Brian 
Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play, the Woodbury School, and the 
American Journal of Play.

Top, Lite-Brite, Masters of the Universe in toy hall of fame

By MARCIA DUNN Associated Press

CAPE
 CANAVERAL, Fla. — A large section of the destroyed space shuttle 
Challenger has been found buried in sand at the bottom of the Atlantic, 
more than three decades after the tragedy that killed a schoolteacher 
and six others.

NASA’s Kennedy Space Center announced the discovery Thursday.

“Upon
 first hearing about it, it brings you right back to 1986,” said Michael
 Ciannilli, a NASA manager in charge of the remains of both lost 
shuttles, Challenger and Columbia.

In a NASA interview, he said it's one of the biggest pieces of Challenger ever found in the decades since the accident.

Divers
 for a TV documentary crew first spotted the piece in March while 
seeking wreckage of a World War II plane. NASA recently verified through
 video that the piece was part of the shuttle that broke apart shortly 
after liftoff on Jan. 28, 1986. All seven on board were killed, 
including the first schoolteacher bound for space, Christa McAuliffe.

The
 remnant is more than 15 feet by 15 feet (4.5 meters by 4.5 meters); 
it's likely bigger because part of it is covered with sand. Because of 
the presence of square thermal tiles, it’s believed to be from the 
shuttle’s belly, officials said.

The fragment remains on the ocean
 floor just off the Florida coast near Cape Canaveral, as NASA 
determines the next step. It remains the property of the U.S. 
government.

Ciannilli said the families of all seven Challenger crew members have been notified.

A History Channel documentary detailing the discovery airs Nov. 22.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668103314056.png" alt="NASA photo" />
 <figcaption>NASA photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By MARCIA DUNN Associated PressCAPE
 CANAVERAL, Fla. — A large section of the destroyed space shuttle 
Challenger has been found buried in sand at the bottom of the Atlantic, 
more than three decades after the tragedy that killed a schoolteacher 
and six others.NASA’s Kennedy Space Center announced the discovery Thursday.“Upon
 first hearing about it, it brings you right back to 1986,” said Michael
 Ciannilli, a NASA manager in charge of the remains of both lost 
shuttles, Challenger and Columbia.In a NASA interview, he said it's one of the biggest pieces of Challenger ever found in the decades since the accident.Divers
 for a TV documentary crew first spotted the piece in March while 
seeking wreckage of a World War II plane. NASA recently verified through
 video that the piece was part of the shuttle that broke apart shortly 
after liftoff on Jan. 28, 1986. All seven on board were killed, 
including the first schoolteacher bound for space, Christa McAuliffe.The
 remnant is more than 15 feet by 15 feet (4.5 meters by 4.5 meters); 
it's likely bigger because part of it is covered with sand. Because of 
the presence of square thermal tiles, it’s believed to be from the 
shuttle’s belly, officials said.The fragment remains on the ocean
 floor just off the Florida coast near Cape Canaveral, as NASA 
determines the next step. It remains the property of the U.S. 
government.Ciannilli said the families of all seven Challenger crew members have been notified.A History Channel documentary detailing the discovery airs Nov. 22.

Section of destroyed shuttle Challenger found on ocean floor

DETROIT
 (AP) — General Motors is recalling nearly 340,000 big SUVs in the U.S. 
because their daytime running lights may not shut off when the regular 
headlights are on.

The National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration says in documents poste on its website Thursday that 
having both lights on at the same time could cause glare for oncoming 
drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.

The recall covers certain 2021 Chevrolet Tahoes and Suburbans, as well as some GMC Yukons and Cadillac Escalades.

GM says it has no reports of any crashes or injuries caused by the problem.

Dealers will update software that controls the lights. Owners will be notified by mail starting Dec. 19.

DETROIT
 (AP) — General Motors is recalling nearly 340,000 big SUVs in the U.S. 
because their daytime running lights may not shut off when the regular 
headlights are on.The National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration says in documents poste on its website Thursday that 
having both lights on at the same time could cause glare for oncoming 
drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.The recall covers certain 2021 Chevrolet Tahoes and Suburbans, as well as some GMC Yukons and Cadillac Escalades.GM says it has no reports of any crashes or injuries caused by the problem.Dealers will update software that controls the lights. Owners will be notified by mail starting Dec. 19.

GM recalls 340,000 SUVs over running light concerns

Fox's NFL pregame show is going international for the first time in 13 years for the annual Veterans Day show.

This
 week's “Fox NFL Sunday” will originate from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
 The last time the pregame crew went outside the United States was 2009,
 when the show was at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan.

“It is our 
favorite show of the year and one of the cool things I hear from people,
 even this week, is that viewers also tell me it is their favorite 
show,” said “Fox NFL Sunday” host Curt Menefee. “It means a lot to the 
people. One of the things I remember from when we did 2009 was that it 
meant so much to the troops there because I think they feel forgotten 
when they're on the other side of the world.”

The show — which 
also includes Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, Michael Strahan, Jimmy Johnson
 and Jay Glazer — has originated from service academies two of the past 
three years. It was at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, 
last year and U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York, in 2019.

The
 two-hour program, which will begin at 11 a.m. EST, will spotlight the 
75th anniversary of the Air Force featuring General Charles Q. Brown Jr.
 It will include features on Hall of Fame coach Tom Landry and former 
Dallas Cowboys defensive back Chad Hennings.

Landry, who passed 
away in 2000, flew B-17 Bomber missions during World War II before his 
playing and coaching career. Hennings graduated from the Air Force 
Academy and was drafted in the 11th round by the Cowboys in 1988, 
eventually being a part of three Super Bowl teams during a nine-year 
career.

Glen Powell of “Top Gun: Maverick” will narrate the show's opening at the top of the first and second hours.

Qatar is eight hours ahead of New York, meaning the show will take place during the evening.

The
 program will serve as an unofficial kickoff to Fox's coverage of the 
FIFA Men's World Cup, which begins Nov. 20. U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter 
and lead FOX analyst Alexi Lalas will make appearances.

“From a 
company standpoint, having everybody kind of together is big,” said Fox 
Sports EVP Bill Wanger. “I don’t think there’s anything that as a group 
we’re more proud of.”

Fox has the doubleheader on Sunday, with the featured game of the Dallas Cowboys at the Green Bay Packers.

Associated PressFox's NFL pregame show is going international for the first time in 13 years for the annual Veterans Day show.This
 week's “Fox NFL Sunday” will originate from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
 The last time the pregame crew went outside the United States was 2009,
 when the show was at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan.“It is our 
favorite show of the year and one of the cool things I hear from people,
 even this week, is that viewers also tell me it is their favorite 
show,” said “Fox NFL Sunday” host Curt Menefee. “It means a lot to the 
people. One of the things I remember from when we did 2009 was that it 
meant so much to the troops there because I think they feel forgotten 
when they're on the other side of the world.”The show — which 
also includes Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, Michael Strahan, Jimmy Johnson
 and Jay Glazer — has originated from service academies two of the past 
three years. It was at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, 
last year and U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York, in 2019.The
 two-hour program, which will begin at 11 a.m. EST, will spotlight the 
75th anniversary of the Air Force featuring General Charles Q. Brown Jr.
 It will include features on Hall of Fame coach Tom Landry and former 
Dallas Cowboys defensive back Chad Hennings.Landry, who passed 
away in 2000, flew B-17 Bomber missions during World War II before his 
playing and coaching career. Hennings graduated from the Air Force 
Academy and was drafted in the 11th round by the Cowboys in 1988, 
eventually being a part of three Super Bowl teams during a nine-year 
career.Glen Powell of “Top Gun: Maverick” will narrate the show's opening at the top of the first and second hours.Qatar is eight hours ahead of New York, meaning the show will take place during the evening.The
 program will serve as an unofficial kickoff to Fox's coverage of the 
FIFA Men's World Cup, which begins Nov. 20. U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter 
and lead FOX analyst Alexi Lalas will make appearances.“From a 
company standpoint, having everybody kind of together is big,” said Fox 
Sports EVP Bill Wanger. “I don’t think there’s anything that as a group 
we’re more proud of.”Fox has the doubleheader on Sunday, with the featured game of the Dallas Cowboys at the Green Bay Packers.

Fox's NFL pregame will do Veterans Day show from Qatar

VERO BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Tropical Storm Nicole hit Florida as a 
hurricane Thursday, washing away the remaining protections for a stretch
 of beachfront properties that lost their seawall during Hurricane Ian 
only weeks before. In Daytona Beach Shores, surging ocean water 
threatened the foundations of at least a dozen high-rise condos and 
houses.

Nicole remains a sprawling tropical storm, covering nearly
 the entire weather-weary state of Florida early Thursday while also 
reaching into Georgia and the Carolinas. Damaging winds extended as far 
as 450 miles (720 kilometers) from the center in some directions as 
Nicole turned northward over central Florida Thursday morning.

Krista
 Dowling Goodrich, who manages 130 rental homes in Daytona Beach Shores 
as director of sales and marketing at Salty Dog Vacations, witnessed the
 beachfront disappear behind some of the properties as evacuations were 
under way.

“While we were there the whole backyard just started 
collapsing into the ocean. It went all the way up to the house,” she 
said. The water also compromised the remaining land between a row of 
tall condominium buildings nearby, she said.

Officials in <a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/Officials in Daytona Beach Shores deemed unsafe at least a half dozen, multi-story, coastal residential buildings, and authorities went door-to-door telling people to grab their possessions and leave.">Daytona Beach Shores deemed multiple multi-story coastal residential buildings unsafe</a>, and went door-to-door telling people to grab their possessions and leave.

“These
 were the tall highrises. So the people who wouldn’t leave, they were 
physically forcing them out because it’s not safe,” Goodrich said. “I’m 
concerned for the infrastructure of the area right now because once the 
seawalls are gone, they’re not going to just let people go back in ... 
there will be a lot of people displaced for a while."

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hurricanes-miami-florida-storms-weather-3132c7afa0d80797296f7bc6cd9d3a97">The rare November hurricane</a>
 prompted officials to shut down airports and theme parks and order 
evacuations in areas that included former President Donald Trump’s 
Mar-a-Lago club. Authorities warned that Nicole’s storm surge could 
further erode many beaches <a href="https://apnews.com/article/ron-desantis-hurricanes-biden-government-and-politics-florida-0e744d06ce002f399e37b0f968854e89">hit by Hurricane Ian in September</a>.

Nicole
 made landfall near Vero Beach as a Category 1 hurricane at about 3 a.m.
 Thursday, more than a hundred miles south of Daytona Beach Shores, 
before its maximum sustained winds dropped to 60 mph (100 kph), the 
Miami-based center said. The storm was centered about 30 miles (50 
kilometers) southeast of Orlando. It was moving west-northwest near 14 
mph (22 kph).

Robbie Berg, a hurricane specialist at the National 
Hurricane Center in Miami advised people to understand that hazards from
 Tropical Storm Nicole “will exist across the state of Florida today.” 
Nicole came could briefly emerge over the northeastern corner of the 
Gulf of Mexico Thursday afternoon before moving over the Florida 
Panhandle and Georgia, he said.

The storm left south Florida sunny
 and calm as it moved north, but could dump as much as 6 inches (15 
centimeters) of rain over Blue Ridge Mountains by Friday, the hurricane 
center said.

A few tornadoes were possible through early Thursday 
across east-central to northeast Florida, the forecasters said. Flash 
and urban flooding will be possible, along with renewed river rises on 
the St. Johns River, across the Florida Peninsula on Thursday. Heavy 
rainfall will spread northward into the eastern Ohio Valley, 
Mid-Atlantic, and New England through Saturday.

Nicole became a 
hurricane Wednesday evening as it slammed into Grand Bahama Island. It 
was the first to hit the Bahamas since Hurricane Dorian, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/latin-america-caribbean-ap-top-news-international-news-hurricane-dorian-fdf681086b13478699154c20ea9f3629">a Category 5 storm that devastated the archipelago</a> in 2019.

For <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment">storm-weary Floridians</a>,
 it is only the third November hurricane to hit their shores since 
recordkeeping began in 1853. The previous ones were the 1935 Yankee 
Hurricane and Hurricane Kate in 1985.

Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s club and
 home, was in one of the evacuation zones, built about a quarter-mile 
inland from the ocean. The main buildings sit on a small rise that is 
about 15 feet (4.6 meters) above sea level and the property has survived
 numerous stronger hurricanes since it was built nearly a century ago. 
The resort’s security office hung up Wednesday when an Associated Press 
reporter asked whether the club was being evacuated, and there was no 
sign of evacuation by Wednesday afternoon.

There is no penalty for ignoring an evacuation order, but rescue crews will not respond if it puts their members at risk.

Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort announced they likely would not open as scheduled Thursday.

Forty-five
 of Florida’s 67 counties were under a state of emergency declaration. 
President Joe Biden also approved an emergency declaration for the 
Seminole Tribe of Florida, ordering federal help for the tribal nation, 
many of whose members live on six reservations around the state. The 
tribe also owns the Hard Rock Cafe franchise, with several of its hotels
 and casinos in Nicole's path.

At a news conference Wednesday in 
Tallahassee, Gov. Ron DeSantis said that winds were the biggest concern 
and significant power outages could occur, but that 16,000 linemen were 
on standby to restore power as well as 600 guardsmen and seven search 
and rescue teams.

“It will affect huge parts of the state of Florida all day,” DeSantis said of the storm’s expected landing.

Almost
 two dozen school districts were closing schools for the storm and 15 
shelters had opened along Florida’s east coast, the governor said.

Parts of Florida were <a href="https://apnews.com/article/hurricanes-health-mental-fort-myers-natural-disasters-434f72c8db042bf074fb10b313b553b6">devastated by Hurricane Ian</a>, which struck as a Category 4 storm. Ian <a href="https://apnews.com/article/hurricanes-business-florida-storms-climate-and-environment-3bf3bd02e973b1ff61d779680bb4f939">destroyed homes and damaged crops</a>,
 including orange groves, across the state — damage that many are still 
dealing with — and sent a storm surge of up to 13 feet (4 meters) 
onshore, causing widespread destruction.

VERO BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Tropical Storm Nicole hit Florida as a 
hurricane Thursday, washing away the remaining protections for a stretch
 of beachfront properties that lost their seawall during Hurricane Ian 
only weeks before. In Daytona Beach Shores, surging ocean water 
threatened the foundations of at least a dozen high-rise condos and 
houses.Nicole remains a sprawling tropical storm, covering nearly
 the entire weather-weary state of Florida early Thursday while also 
reaching into Georgia and the Carolinas. Damaging winds extended as far 
as 450 miles (720 kilometers) from the center in some directions as 
Nicole turned northward over central Florida Thursday morning.Krista
 Dowling Goodrich, who manages 130 rental homes in Daytona Beach Shores 
as director of sales and marketing at Salty Dog Vacations, witnessed the
 beachfront disappear behind some of the properties as evacuations were 
under way.“While we were there the whole backyard just started 
collapsing into the ocean. It went all the way up to the house,” she 
said. The water also compromised the remaining land between a row of 
tall condominium buildings nearby, she said.Officials in <a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/Officials in Daytona Beach Shores deemed unsafe at least a half dozen, multi-story, coastal residential buildings, and authorities went door-to-door telling people to grab their possessions and leave.">Daytona Beach Shores deemed multiple multi-story coastal residential buildings unsafe</a>, and went door-to-door telling people to grab their possessions and leave.“These
 were the tall highrises. So the people who wouldn’t leave, they were 
physically forcing them out because it’s not safe,” Goodrich said. “I’m 
concerned for the infrastructure of the area right now because once the 
seawalls are gone, they’re not going to just let people go back in ... 
there will be a lot of people displaced for a while."<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hurricanes-miami-florida-storms-weather-3132c7afa0d80797296f7bc6cd9d3a97">The rare November hurricane</a>
 prompted officials to shut down airports and theme parks and order 
evacuations in areas that included former President Donald Trump’s 
Mar-a-Lago club. Authorities warned that Nicole’s storm surge could 
further erode many beaches <a href="https://apnews.com/article/ron-desantis-hurricanes-biden-government-and-politics-florida-0e744d06ce002f399e37b0f968854e89">hit by Hurricane Ian in September</a>.Nicole
 made landfall near Vero Beach as a Category 1 hurricane at about 3 a.m.
 Thursday, more than a hundred miles south of Daytona Beach Shores, 
before its maximum sustained winds dropped to 60 mph (100 kph), the 
Miami-based center said. The storm was centered about 30 miles (50 
kilometers) southeast of Orlando. It was moving west-northwest near 14 
mph (22 kph).Robbie Berg, a hurricane specialist at the National 
Hurricane Center in Miami advised people to understand that hazards from
 Tropical Storm Nicole “will exist across the state of Florida today.” 
Nicole came could briefly emerge over the northeastern corner of the 
Gulf of Mexico Thursday afternoon before moving over the Florida 
Panhandle and Georgia, he said.The storm left south Florida sunny
 and calm as it moved north, but could dump as much as 6 inches (15 
centimeters) of rain over Blue Ridge Mountains by Friday, the hurricane 
center said.A few tornadoes were possible through early Thursday 
across east-central to northeast Florida, the forecasters said. Flash 
and urban flooding will be possible, along with renewed river rises on 
the St. Johns River, across the Florida Peninsula on Thursday. Heavy 
rainfall will spread northward into the eastern Ohio Valley, 
Mid-Atlantic, and New England through Saturday.Nicole became a 
hurricane Wednesday evening as it slammed into Grand Bahama Island. It 
was the first to hit the Bahamas since Hurricane Dorian, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/latin-america-caribbean-ap-top-news-international-news-hurricane-dorian-fdf681086b13478699154c20ea9f3629">a Category 5 storm that devastated the archipelago</a> in 2019.For <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment">storm-weary Floridians</a>,
 it is only the third November hurricane to hit their shores since 
recordkeeping began in 1853. The previous ones were the 1935 Yankee 
Hurricane and Hurricane Kate in 1985.Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s club and
 home, was in one of the evacuation zones, built about a quarter-mile 
inland from the ocean. The main buildings sit on a small rise that is 
about 15 feet (4.6 meters) above sea level and the property has survived
 numerous stronger hurricanes since it was built nearly a century ago. 
The resort’s security office hung up Wednesday when an Associated Press 
reporter asked whether the club was being evacuated, and there was no 
sign of evacuation by Wednesday afternoon.There is no penalty for ignoring an evacuation order, but rescue crews will not respond if it puts their members at risk.Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort announced they likely would not open as scheduled Thursday.Forty-five
 of Florida’s 67 counties were under a state of emergency declaration. 
President Joe Biden also approved an emergency declaration for the 
Seminole Tribe of Florida, ordering federal help for the tribal nation, 
many of whose members live on six reservations around the state. The 
tribe also owns the Hard Rock Cafe franchise, with several of its hotels
 and casinos in Nicole's path.At a news conference Wednesday in 
Tallahassee, Gov. Ron DeSantis said that winds were the biggest concern 
and significant power outages could occur, but that 16,000 linemen were 
on standby to restore power as well as 600 guardsmen and seven search 
and rescue teams.“It will affect huge parts of the state of Florida all day,” DeSantis said of the storm’s expected landing.Almost
 two dozen school districts were closing schools for the storm and 15 
shelters had opened along Florida’s east coast, the governor said.Parts of Florida were <a href="https://apnews.com/article/hurricanes-health-mental-fort-myers-natural-disasters-434f72c8db042bf074fb10b313b553b6">devastated by Hurricane Ian</a>, which struck as a Category 4 storm. Ian <a href="https://apnews.com/article/hurricanes-business-florida-storms-climate-and-environment-3bf3bd02e973b1ff61d779680bb4f939">destroyed homes and damaged crops</a>,
 including orange groves, across the state — damage that many are still 
dealing with — and sent a storm surge of up to 13 feet (4 meters) 
onshore, causing widespread destruction.Cover image courtesy Pixabay

Florida takes another pounding as Tropical Storm Nicole arrives

National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

COOPERSTOWN, NY — The National Baseball Hall of 
Fame and Museum this week announced the eight-player ballot that will be 
considered by its Contemporary Baseball Era Players Committee for Hall 
of Fame election for the Class of 2023. The Contemporary Era Committee 
will meet on Dec. 4 at baseball’s Winter Meetings in San Diego, Calif. 

Six batters and two pitchers comprise the eight-name Contemporary 
Baseball Era player ballot, which features candidates whose primary 
contribution to the game came since 1980. 

The Contemporary Baseball Era player ballot includes Albert Belle, 
Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Don Mattingly, Fred McGriff, Dale Murphy, 
Rafael Palmeiro and Curt Schilling. All candidates are living.

The results of the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee vote will be 
announced live on MLB Network’s “MLB Tonight” at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, 
Dec. 4.

Any candidate who receives votes on 75 percent of the ballots cast by
 the committee will earn election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame 
and will be inducted in Cooperstown on July 23, 2023, along with any 
electees who emerge from the 2023 Baseball Writers’ Association of 
America election, to be announced on Jan. 24, 2023. 

The Contemporary Baseball Era Players Committee is one of three 
groups eligible for consideration as part of the Era Committee process, 
which provides an avenue for Hall of Fame consideration to managers, 
umpires and executives, as well as players retired for more than 15 
seasons. The Contemporary Baseball Era features two distinct ballots: 
One for players (considered this fall) and one for managers, executives 
and umpires (considered in the fall of 2023).

Following the restructuring of the Era Committee process in the 
spring of 2022, the two Contemporary Baseball Era ballots were 
instituted, along with the Classic Baseball Era, which includes all 
candidates whose primary contribution to the game came prior to 1980. 
The Classic Baseball Era Committee will meet for the first time in the 
fall of 2024.

The eight Contemporary Baseball Era player finalists were selected by
 the BBWAA-appointed Historical Overview Committee from all eligible 
candidates among players whose most significant career impact was 
realized since 1980. Eligible candidates include players who played in 
at least 10 major league seasons and have been retired for 15 or more 
seasons. All candidates must not be on Baseball’s Ineligible List.

The Contemporary Baseball Era player ballot was determined this fall 
by the Historical Overview Committee, comprised of 11 veteran 
historians: Bob Elliott (Canadian Baseball Network); Jim Henneman (formerly Baltimore Sun); Steve Hirdt (Stats Perform); Rick Hummel (St. Louis Post-Dispatch); David O’Brien (The Athletic); Jack O’Connell (BBWAA); Jim Reeves (formerly Fort Worth Star-Telegram); Tracy Ringolsby (InsideTheSeams.com); Glenn Schwarz (formerly San Francisco Chronicle); Susan Slusser (San Francisco Chronicle); and Mark Whicker (Los Angeles News Group).  

The 16-member Hall of Fame Board-appointed electorates charged with 
the review of the Contemporary Baseball Era player ballot will be 
announced later this fall. The Committee will meet to discuss and review
 the candidacies of the eight finalists as part of baseball’s Winter 
Meetings on Dec. 4 in San Diego, Calif.

The eight candidates for Contemporary Baseball Era Committee consideration for the Class of 2023: 

•	Albert Belle played 12 seasons with the Indians, 
White Sox and Orioles before a hip injury cut short his career. A 
five-time All-Star and five-time Silver Slugger Award winner, Belle was 
three-time American League RBI champion who finished second or third in 
the league’s Most Valuable Player balloting in each season from 1994-96.
 He remains the only player in history to post a 50 home run/50 double 
season, having done so in 1995.

•	Barry Bonds played 22 seasons with the Pirates and
 Giants, winning seven National League Most Valuable Player Awards and 
eight Gold Glove Awards in the outfield. MLB’s all-time home run leader 
with 762, Bonds set single-season records for home runs (73 in 2001) and
 walks (232 in 2004). He led the NL in on-base percentage 10 times and 
paced the league in batting average twice.

•	Roger Clemens pitched 24 seasons for the Red Sox, 
Blue Jays, Yankees and Astros, winning seven Cy Young Awards. Clemens 
was named the 1986 AL Most Valuable Player and earned All-Star Game 
berths in 11 seasons. A two-time World Series champion with the Yankees 
(1999-2000), Clemens led his league in earned-run average seven times 
and was a five-time 20-game winner. 

•	Don Mattingly played 14 big league seasons – all 
with the Yankees – and compiled a .307 batting average while earning six
 All-Star Game selections, nine Gold Glove Awards at first base and the 
1985 American League Most Valuable Player Award. A three-time Silver 
Slugger Award winner and the 1984 AL batting champion, Mattingly has 
managed in the big leagues for 12 seasons and was named the 2020 
National League Manager of the Year.

•	Fred McGriff totaled 493 home runs over 19 seasons
 with the Blue Jays, Padres, Braves, Devil Rays, Cubs and Dodgers that 
included eight 100-RBI campaigns and six years where he finished in the 
Top 10 of his league’s MVP voting. The 1994 All-Star Game MVP and one of
 the leaders of the 1995 Braves team that won the World Series, McGriff 
led his league in homers twice while compiling a .377 career on-base 
percentage.

•	Dale Murphy earned back-to-back NL Most Valuable 
Player Awards with the Braves in 1982-83 during a five-year stretch 
where he won five Gold Glove Awards in center field and four Silver 
Slugger Awards. A seven-time All-Star who played 18 seasons with the 
Braves, Phillies and Rockies, Murphy led the league in home runs twice, 
RBI twice and slugging percentage twice while posting a 30 homer/30 
steal season in 1983.

•	Rafael Palmeiro totaled 3,020 hits, 569 homers and
 1,835 RBI over 20 big league seasons with the Cubs, Rangers and 
Orioles, earning four All-Star Game selections, three Gold Glove Awards 
at first base and two Silver Slugger Awards. He posted 10 seasons with 
at least 100 RBI and 10 seasons with at least 30 home runs while 
finishing his career with more walks (1,353) than strikeouts (1,348).

•	Curt Schilling is one of only four retired 
pitchers with at least 3,000 strikeouts and fewer than 1,000 walks. 
Schilling was named the 2001 World Series co-MVP and owns an 11-2 mark 
with a 2.23 ERA in 19 career Postseason appearances. He won 216 regular 
season games over 20 seasons with the Orioles, Astros, Phillies, 
Diamondbacks and Red Sox and was named to six All-Star Games.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668093554851.jpeg" alt="baseball hall" />
 <figcaption>baseball hall</figcaption>
 </figure>National Baseball Hall of Fame and MuseumCOOPERSTOWN, NY — The National Baseball Hall of 
Fame and Museum this week announced the eight-player ballot that will be 
considered by its Contemporary Baseball Era Players Committee for Hall 
of Fame election for the Class of 2023. The Contemporary Era Committee 
will meet on Dec. 4 at baseball’s Winter Meetings in San Diego, Calif. Six batters and two pitchers comprise the eight-name Contemporary 
Baseball Era player ballot, which features candidates whose primary 
contribution to the game came since 1980. The Contemporary Baseball Era player ballot includes Albert Belle, 
Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Don Mattingly, Fred McGriff, Dale Murphy, 
Rafael Palmeiro and Curt Schilling. All candidates are living.The results of the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee vote will be 
announced live on MLB Network’s “MLB Tonight” at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, 
Dec. 4.Any candidate who receives votes on 75 percent of the ballots cast by
 the committee will earn election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame 
and will be inducted in Cooperstown on July 23, 2023, along with any 
electees who emerge from the 2023 Baseball Writers’ Association of 
America election, to be announced on Jan. 24, 2023. The Contemporary Baseball Era Players Committee is one of three 
groups eligible for consideration as part of the Era Committee process, 
which provides an avenue for Hall of Fame consideration to managers, 
umpires and executives, as well as players retired for more than 15 
seasons. The Contemporary Baseball Era features two distinct ballots: 
One for players (considered this fall) and one for managers, executives 
and umpires (considered in the fall of 2023).Following the restructuring of the Era Committee process in the 
spring of 2022, the two Contemporary Baseball Era ballots were 
instituted, along with the Classic Baseball Era, which includes all 
candidates whose primary contribution to the game came prior to 1980. 
The Classic Baseball Era Committee will meet for the first time in the 
fall of 2024.The eight Contemporary Baseball Era player finalists were selected by
 the BBWAA-appointed Historical Overview Committee from all eligible 
candidates among players whose most significant career impact was 
realized since 1980. Eligible candidates include players who played in 
at least 10 major league seasons and have been retired for 15 or more 
seasons. All candidates must not be on Baseball’s Ineligible List.The Contemporary Baseball Era player ballot was determined this fall 
by the Historical Overview Committee, comprised of 11 veteran 
historians: Bob Elliott (Canadian Baseball Network); Jim Henneman (formerly Baltimore Sun); Steve Hirdt (Stats Perform); Rick Hummel (St. Louis Post-Dispatch); David O’Brien (The Athletic); Jack O’Connell (BBWAA); Jim Reeves (formerly Fort Worth Star-Telegram); Tracy Ringolsby (InsideTheSeams.com); Glenn Schwarz (formerly San Francisco Chronicle); Susan Slusser (San Francisco Chronicle); and Mark Whicker (Los Angeles News Group). The 16-member Hall of Fame Board-appointed electorates charged with 
the review of the Contemporary Baseball Era player ballot will be 
announced later this fall. The Committee will meet to discuss and review
 the candidacies of the eight finalists as part of baseball’s Winter 
Meetings on Dec. 4 in San Diego, Calif.The eight candidates for Contemporary Baseball Era Committee consideration for the Class of 2023: •	Albert Belle played 12 seasons with the Indians, 
White Sox and Orioles before a hip injury cut short his career. A 
five-time All-Star and five-time Silver Slugger Award winner, Belle was 
three-time American League RBI champion who finished second or third in 
the league’s Most Valuable Player balloting in each season from 1994-96.
 He remains the only player in history to post a 50 home run/50 double 
season, having done so in 1995.•	Barry Bonds played 22 seasons with the Pirates and
 Giants, winning seven National League Most Valuable Player Awards and 
eight Gold Glove Awards in the outfield. MLB’s all-time home run leader 
with 762, Bonds set single-season records for home runs (73 in 2001) and
 walks (232 in 2004). He led the NL in on-base percentage 10 times and 
paced the league in batting average twice.•	Roger Clemens pitched 24 seasons for the Red Sox, 
Blue Jays, Yankees and Astros, winning seven Cy Young Awards. Clemens 
was named the 1986 AL Most Valuable Player and earned All-Star Game 
berths in 11 seasons. A two-time World Series champion with the Yankees 
(1999-2000), Clemens led his league in earned-run average seven times 
and was a five-time 20-game winner. •	Don Mattingly played 14 big league seasons – all 
with the Yankees – and compiled a .307 batting average while earning six
 All-Star Game selections, nine Gold Glove Awards at first base and the 
1985 American League Most Valuable Player Award. A three-time Silver 
Slugger Award winner and the 1984 AL batting champion, Mattingly has 
managed in the big leagues for 12 seasons and was named the 2020 
National League Manager of the Year.•	Fred McGriff totaled 493 home runs over 19 seasons
 with the Blue Jays, Padres, Braves, Devil Rays, Cubs and Dodgers that 
included eight 100-RBI campaigns and six years where he finished in the 
Top 10 of his league’s MVP voting. The 1994 All-Star Game MVP and one of
 the leaders of the 1995 Braves team that won the World Series, McGriff 
led his league in homers twice while compiling a .377 career on-base 
percentage.•	Dale Murphy earned back-to-back NL Most Valuable 
Player Awards with the Braves in 1982-83 during a five-year stretch 
where he won five Gold Glove Awards in center field and four Silver 
Slugger Awards. A seven-time All-Star who played 18 seasons with the 
Braves, Phillies and Rockies, Murphy led the league in home runs twice, 
RBI twice and slugging percentage twice while posting a 30 homer/30 
steal season in 1983.•	Rafael Palmeiro totaled 3,020 hits, 569 homers and
 1,835 RBI over 20 big league seasons with the Cubs, Rangers and 
Orioles, earning four All-Star Game selections, three Gold Glove Awards 
at first base and two Silver Slugger Awards. He posted 10 seasons with 
at least 100 RBI and 10 seasons with at least 30 home runs while 
finishing his career with more walks (1,353) than strikeouts (1,348).•	Curt Schilling is one of only four retired 
pitchers with at least 3,000 strikeouts and fewer than 1,000 walks. 
Schilling was named the 2001 World Series co-MVP and owns an 11-2 mark 
with a 2.23 ERA in 19 career Postseason appearances. He won 216 regular 
season games over 20 seasons with the Orioles, Astros, Phillies, 
Diamondbacks and Red Sox and was named to six All-Star Games.

Bonds, Clemens on contemporary Hall of Fame ballot

By AMAKA CHUKWUMA Wealth of Geeks, courtesy Associated Press

Every
 year, the IRS sends between 5 and 1o million math error notices. And 
that's just one of several red flags that can pop up on tax returns, 
even before an audit is triggered.

In the grand scheme of things, 
the most minor of actions can significantly impact your finances and tax
 situation. To avoid a penalty, you must file your 2022 taxes by April 
18th, 2023. But you don't have to wait. In fact, there are several 
actions you can take now, or before the end of the year, which can 
substantially impact your tax liability.

Help
 those in need and lower your tax bill by donating to charity before the
 end of the year. Typically, you can only deduct charitable donations if
 you itemize your tax deductions. If your itemized deductions are more 
than the amount of the standard deduction, you can claim them.

According to Levon Galstyan, a certified public accountant at <a href="https://www.ovlg.com/">Oak View Law Group</a>,
 the IRS allows you to lower your tax liability by a fixed amount, known
 as a standard deduction. For the 2022 tax year (returns due in 2023), 
the standard deduction amounts are as follows:

Galstyan
 advises checking using The IRS's Tax Exempt Organization Search Tool to
 see if your preferred charity accepts tax-deductible donations before 
you donate.

Pretax 
contributions to retirement accounts have the benefit of lowering your 
current-year income tax obligation. Before you pay taxes, you can put 
money into a retirement plan at work, like a <a href="https://www.playlouder.com/what-is-a-self-directed-401k/">traditional 401(k)</a>. Consider contributing to your 401(k) with your final paycheck in 2022.

If
 you are 50 years or older, you may contribute an additional $6,500 to 
surpass the $27,000 contribution limit since employer contributions are 
not subject to contribution limits.

This works perfectly because, 
in 2022, the combined total of your and your employer's contributions 
can be at most $61,000. If you're self-employed, consider establishing a
 self-employed retirement plan and making the maximum contribution to 
reduce your tax obligation in 2023.

Ensure
 you're withholding the right amount of tax from your pay. Incorrect 
withholding could place you on the hook for a big tax bill or snag a 
refund. According to Galstyan, not withholding enough <a href="https://wealthofgeeks.com/how-to-file-taxes-as-an-influencer/">tax may result in owing money when filing</a> your income taxes and receiving unexpected bills.

Alternatively,
 if you withhold too much and receive a sizable tax refund, you may 
choose to adjust your taxes to receive more money in each paycheck.

It's
 good practice to review the amount of taxes withheld from your pay, 
especially if your job or family dynamics have changed recently. Use the
 IRS tax withholding estimator, a self-service tool, to see if you've 
taken out the right amount of money from your pay.

You
 can delay getting paid to pay less in taxes this year if your company 
has a policy of paying year-end bonuses the following year. As Galstyan 
points out, if you work for yourself, are a freelancer, or offer 
consulting services, you have more freedom. For instance, delaying 
billings until the end of December can ensure that you won't be paid 
until the following year.

Whether employed or self-employed, you 
can delay income by taking capital gains in 2023 rather than in 2022. 
However, this strategy is only worthwhile if you expect to be in the 
same or a lower tax band the following year.

You want to avoid 
paying more in taxes the following year if you could be subject to a 
higher tax rate due to increased income. "If you think that's likely," 
Galstyan says, "you might try to advance your income into 2022, so you 
can pay taxes on it sooner rather than later at a lower bracket."

If you stash money in a <a href="https://www.sec.gov/reportspubs/investor-publications/investorpubsintro529htm.html">529 plan</a>
 before year-end, it may lower your state tax tab. Most states allow you
 to deduct at least a portion of your 529 plan contributions from state 
income taxes. In such states, you must contribute to your own state's 
plan to get the tax deduction, but several states allow you to deduct 
contributions to any state's plan.

You can deduct up to $10,000 
($20,000 if filing jointly) from your federal income tax return and 
avoid state income tax on qualified higher education expenses. Rollovers
 from other states' 529 plans can be deductible (but not earnings). Only
 donations made in a given year by December 31st are tax-deductible.

An
 investment loss can be used to offset income or capital gains, and a 
tax offset can lower your gains tax. If you have more losses than gains,
 you can only deduct $3,000 in excess losses to offset other ordinary 
income and carry the balance over to the following year.

Year-end 
is the most typical time, primarily because of the December 31st 
deadline for claiming capital losses to offset capital gains. However, 
Tax-loss harvesting can be done throughout the year.

Accelerating <a href="https://www.playlouder.com/21-tax-deductions-small-businesses-need-to-know/">tax deductions</a>
 can cost you money if you've unknowingly triggered the AMT or are 
subject to it. "This is a problem at the end of the year because some 
expenses that are deductible under the regular rules but not under the 
AMT can be paid quickly," says Galstyan. "For example, under the AMT, 
you can't deduct state and local income taxes or property taxes."

Consequently,
 Galstyan cautions that if you expect to have to pay the AMT in 2022, 
don't pay the installments due in January 2023 on December 2022. Doing 
so triggers or increases AMT liability for next year.

Buy Mutual Funds in a Tax-Advantaged Account or Wait

Mutual
 funds distribute their owners' capital gains at the end of each year. 
Most funds distribute in December, so if you own the fund in a taxable 
account, you will immediately have a taxable gain. This suggests that 
you are getting a taxable return on your principal and not keeping all 
the distribution because you are giving up a portion for taxes.

Purchase
 the fund in a tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA, instead of a 
taxable account to prevent distribution costs from costing you money. 
With a tax-advantaged account, you can purchase at any time because the 
account protects you from capital gains tax. Otherwise, there would be 
no reason to buy shares before the distribution. Essentially, you are 
paying taxes on income that you haven't earned.

Tax
 credits lower your tax bill by the same amount as the credit. With the 
Child Tax Credit program, you can get a $1,000 discount on your <a href="https://www.benefits.gov/benefit/938#:~:text=The%20Child%20Tax%20Credit%20program,credit%20starting%20in%20summer%202021.">federal tax bill</a>
 for each qualifying child under the age of 17. Families can get $3,600 
for each child under the age of 6 and $3,000 for each child between the 
ages of 6 and 17.

If a family's annual income is less than 
$150,000, or if one parent earns less than $112,500, the entire family 
is eligible for the credit. You should investigate all potential tax 
deductions right now. Tax credits are preferable to deductions because 
they directly reduce your taxable bill. Other IRS tax breaks include:

Employees
 who have a flexible spending account (FSA) can put money away for 
various expenses, from child care to medical costs. Contributions to an 
FSA are tax deductible for income and Social Security purposes, but any 
money still in the account at the end of the year may be forfeited.

To
 find out if your plan's deadline can be extended till early next year, 
check your balance and get in touch with the administrator. With an FSA,
 your money is only good if you spend it. Employers normally keep any 
contributions that remain unused. According to an analysis by <a href="https://money.com/fsa-contributions-workers-forfeit-money/">Money</a>, American workers lose about $3 billion in FSA contributions they didn't use every year.

It's
 getting late in the year, and time is running out on several excellent 
tax-saving moves you can make. Identifying what you need to do and what 
can wait is a crucial task at the moment. Tax preparation is best 
approached in a proactive manner rather than a reactive one. Since 
everyone's financial and tax circumstances are different, it's essential
 to consult with professionals before deciding how to minimize your tax 
liability.

More Articles From the Wealth of Geeks Network:

This article was produced by <a href="https://playlouder.com/best-year-end-tax-moves-to-reduce-your-taxes">Play Louder!</a> and syndicated by <a href="https://wealthofgeeks.com/year-end-tax-moves/">Wealth of Geeks</a>.

By AMAKA CHUKWUMA Wealth of Geeks, courtesy Associated PressEvery
 year, the IRS sends between 5 and 1o million math error notices. And 
that's just one of several red flags that can pop up on tax returns, 
even before an audit is triggered.In the grand scheme of things, 
the most minor of actions can significantly impact your finances and tax
 situation. To avoid a penalty, you must file your 2022 taxes by April 
18th, 2023. But you don't have to wait. In fact, there are several 
actions you can take now, or before the end of the year, which can 
substantially impact your tax liability.<h2>Donate to Charity</h2>Help
 those in need and lower your tax bill by donating to charity before the
 end of the year. Typically, you can only deduct charitable donations if
 you itemize your tax deductions. If your itemized deductions are more 
than the amount of the standard deduction, you can claim them.According to Levon Galstyan, a certified public accountant at <a href="https://www.ovlg.com/">Oak View Law Group</a>,
 the IRS allows you to lower your tax liability by a fixed amount, known
 as a standard deduction. For the 2022 tax year (returns due in 2023), 
the standard deduction amounts are as follows:<ul>
 <li>$25,900 for taxpayers who are married filing jointly or who are qualified widow(er).</li><li>$12,950 for taxpayers who are single or married and file separately.</li><li>$19,400 for taxpayers who are head of household.</li>
 </ul>Galstyan
 advises checking using The IRS's Tax Exempt Organization Search Tool to
 see if your preferred charity accepts tax-deductible donations before 
you donate.<h2>Contribute More to Your 401(k)</h2>Pretax 
contributions to retirement accounts have the benefit of lowering your 
current-year income tax obligation. Before you pay taxes, you can put 
money into a retirement plan at work, like a <a href="https://www.playlouder.com/what-is-a-self-directed-401k/">traditional 401(k)</a>. Consider contributing to your 401(k) with your final paycheck in 2022.If
 you are 50 years or older, you may contribute an additional $6,500 to 
surpass the $27,000 contribution limit since employer contributions are 
not subject to contribution limits.This works perfectly because, 
in 2022, the combined total of your and your employer's contributions 
can be at most $61,000. If you're self-employed, consider establishing a
 self-employed retirement plan and making the maximum contribution to 
reduce your tax obligation in 2023.<h2>Verify Tax Withholding</h2>Ensure
 you're withholding the right amount of tax from your pay. Incorrect 
withholding could place you on the hook for a big tax bill or snag a 
refund. According to Galstyan, not withholding enough <a href="https://wealthofgeeks.com/how-to-file-taxes-as-an-influencer/">tax may result in owing money when filing</a> your income taxes and receiving unexpected bills.Alternatively,
 if you withhold too much and receive a sizable tax refund, you may 
choose to adjust your taxes to receive more money in each paycheck.It's
 good practice to review the amount of taxes withheld from your pay, 
especially if your job or family dynamics have changed recently. Use the
 IRS tax withholding estimator, a self-service tool, to see if you've 
taken out the right amount of money from your pay.<h2>Defer Income</h2>You
 can delay getting paid to pay less in taxes this year if your company 
has a policy of paying year-end bonuses the following year. As Galstyan 
points out, if you work for yourself, are a freelancer, or offer 
consulting services, you have more freedom. For instance, delaying 
billings until the end of December can ensure that you won't be paid 
until the following year.Whether employed or self-employed, you 
can delay income by taking capital gains in 2023 rather than in 2022. 
However, this strategy is only worthwhile if you expect to be in the 
same or a lower tax band the following year.You want to avoid 
paying more in taxes the following year if you could be subject to a 
higher tax rate due to increased income. "If you think that's likely," 
Galstyan says, "you might try to advance your income into 2022, so you 
can pay taxes on it sooner rather than later at a lower bracket."<h2>Contribute to a 529 Plan</h2>If you stash money in a <a href="https://www.sec.gov/reportspubs/investor-publications/investorpubsintro529htm.html">529 plan</a>
 before year-end, it may lower your state tax tab. Most states allow you
 to deduct at least a portion of your 529 plan contributions from state 
income taxes. In such states, you must contribute to your own state's 
plan to get the tax deduction, but several states allow you to deduct 
contributions to any state's plan.You can deduct up to $10,000 
($20,000 if filing jointly) from your federal income tax return and 
avoid state income tax on qualified higher education expenses. Rollovers
 from other states' 529 plans can be deductible (but not earnings). Only
 donations made in a given year by December 31st are tax-deductible.<h2>Tax Loss Harvesting</h2>An
 investment loss can be used to offset income or capital gains, and a 
tax offset can lower your gains tax. If you have more losses than gains,
 you can only deduct $3,000 in excess losses to offset other ordinary 
income and carry the balance over to the following year.Year-end 
is the most typical time, primarily because of the December 31st 
deadline for claiming capital losses to offset capital gains. However, 
Tax-loss harvesting can be done throughout the year.<h2>Beware of the Alternative Minimum Tax</h2>Accelerating <a href="https://www.playlouder.com/21-tax-deductions-small-businesses-need-to-know/">tax deductions</a>
 can cost you money if you've unknowingly triggered the AMT or are 
subject to it. "This is a problem at the end of the year because some 
expenses that are deductible under the regular rules but not under the 
AMT can be paid quickly," says Galstyan. "For example, under the AMT, 
you can't deduct state and local income taxes or property taxes."Consequently,
 Galstyan cautions that if you expect to have to pay the AMT in 2022, 
don't pay the installments due in January 2023 on December 2022. Doing 
so triggers or increases AMT liability for next year.<h2>Buy Mutual Funds in a Tax-Advantaged Account or Wait</h2>Mutual
 funds distribute their owners' capital gains at the end of each year. 
Most funds distribute in December, so if you own the fund in a taxable 
account, you will immediately have a taxable gain. This suggests that 
you are getting a taxable return on your principal and not keeping all 
the distribution because you are giving up a portion for taxes.Purchase
 the fund in a tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA, instead of a 
taxable account to prevent distribution costs from costing you money. 
With a tax-advantaged account, you can purchase at any time because the 
account protects you from capital gains tax. Otherwise, there would be 
no reason to buy shares before the distribution. Essentially, you are 
paying taxes on income that you haven't earned.<h2>Maximize Child Tax Credit and Others</h2>Tax
 credits lower your tax bill by the same amount as the credit. With the 
Child Tax Credit program, you can get a $1,000 discount on your <a href="https://www.benefits.gov/benefit/938#:~:text=The%20Child%20Tax%20Credit%20program,credit%20starting%20in%20summer%202021.">federal tax bill</a>
 for each qualifying child under the age of 17. Families can get $3,600 
for each child under the age of 6 and $3,000 for each child between the 
ages of 6 and 17.If a family's annual income is less than 
$150,000, or if one parent earns less than $112,500, the entire family 
is eligible for the credit. You should investigate all potential tax 
deductions right now. Tax credits are preferable to deductions because 
they directly reduce your taxable bill. Other IRS tax breaks include:<ul>
 <li>Education credit</li><li>Child and dependent care credit</li><li>Adoption credit</li><li>Retirement savings contributions credit</li><li>Earned income tax credit (EITC)</li><li>First-time homebuyer credit</li>
 </ul><h2>Empty FSA Accounts</h2>Employees
 who have a flexible spending account (FSA) can put money away for 
various expenses, from child care to medical costs. Contributions to an 
FSA are tax deductible for income and Social Security purposes, but any 
money still in the account at the end of the year may be forfeited.To
 find out if your plan's deadline can be extended till early next year, 
check your balance and get in touch with the administrator. With an FSA,
 your money is only good if you spend it. Employers normally keep any 
contributions that remain unused. According to an analysis by <a href="https://money.com/fsa-contributions-workers-forfeit-money/">Money</a>, American workers lose about $3 billion in FSA contributions they didn't use every year.<h2>Make Your Final Tax Preparations</h2>It's
 getting late in the year, and time is running out on several excellent 
tax-saving moves you can make. Identifying what you need to do and what 
can wait is a crucial task at the moment. Tax preparation is best 
approached in a proactive manner rather than a reactive one. Since 
everyone's financial and tax circumstances are different, it's essential
 to consult with professionals before deciding how to minimize your tax 
liability.More Articles From the Wealth of Geeks Network:<ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.playlouder.com/w4-vs-w2-vs-w9-vs-1099-tax-forms-what-are-the-differences/">W4 vs W2 vs W9 vs 1099 Tax Forms: What Are the Differences?</a></li><li><a href="https://www.playlouder.com/quickbooks-vs-freshbooks-vs-xero-vs-quicken/">The 4 Most Popular Bookkeeping Programs for Your Business</a></li>
 </ul>This article was produced by <a href="https://playlouder.com/best-year-end-tax-moves-to-reduce-your-taxes">Play Louder!</a> and syndicated by <a href="https://wealthofgeeks.com/year-end-tax-moves/">Wealth of Geeks</a>.

Make these year-end financial moves to reduce your taxes

NEW YORK (AP) — Snoop Dogg is getting a big-screen biopic.

Universal
 Pictures announced Wednesday that the studio is developing a film about
 Snoop Dogg's life to be produced by the 51-year-old rapper. The film 
will be written by Joe Robert Cole, who co-wrote the two “Black Panther”
 films, and directed by Allen Hughes, the filmmaker of “Menace II 
Society.”

“I waited a long time to put this project together 
because I wanted to choose the right director, the perfect writer, and 
the greatest movie company I could partner with that could understand 
the legacy that I’m trying to portray on screen, and the memory I’m 
trying to leave behind," Snoop said in a statement. "It was the perfect 
marriage. It was holy matrimony, not holy macaroni.”

Universal 
previously turned the story of rap group N.W.A. into the hit 2015 film 
“Straight Outta Compton" and also released the acclaimed Eminem biopic 
“8 Mile” in 2002. Cole said the studio “has proven they can guide a 
movie like this to something special.”

Donna Langley, chairman of 
Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, said she met with Snoop shortly 
after he acquired Death Row Records. His acquisition was announced just 
days before <a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-sports-50-cent-kendrick-lamar-eminem-152c957ecffac7f8f85709ac47ba3d92">Snoop performed in the Super Bowl halftime show</a> in February with Dr. Dre, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar.

Snoop
 Dogg broke through in the early ‘90s as part of the West Coast rap 
scene as a collaborator of Dr. Dre’s. He's sold more than 35 million 
albums worldwide in his three-decade career. He'll produce the film 
along with Sara Ramaker and Hughes.

NEW YORK (AP) — Snoop Dogg is getting a big-screen biopic.Universal
 Pictures announced Wednesday that the studio is developing a film about
 Snoop Dogg's life to be produced by the 51-year-old rapper. The film 
will be written by Joe Robert Cole, who co-wrote the two “Black Panther”
 films, and directed by Allen Hughes, the filmmaker of “Menace II 
Society.”“I waited a long time to put this project together 
because I wanted to choose the right director, the perfect writer, and 
the greatest movie company I could partner with that could understand 
the legacy that I’m trying to portray on screen, and the memory I’m 
trying to leave behind," Snoop said in a statement. "It was the perfect 
marriage. It was holy matrimony, not holy macaroni.”Universal 
previously turned the story of rap group N.W.A. into the hit 2015 film 
“Straight Outta Compton" and also released the acclaimed Eminem biopic 
“8 Mile” in 2002. Cole said the studio “has proven they can guide a 
movie like this to something special.”Donna Langley, chairman of 
Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, said she met with Snoop shortly 
after he acquired Death Row Records. His acquisition was announced just 
days before <a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-sports-50-cent-kendrick-lamar-eminem-152c957ecffac7f8f85709ac47ba3d92">Snoop performed in the Super Bowl halftime show</a> in February with Dr. Dre, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar.Snoop
 Dogg broke through in the early ‘90s as part of the West Coast rap 
scene as a collaborator of Dr. Dre’s. He's sold more than 35 million 
albums worldwide in his three-decade career. He'll produce the film 
along with Sara Ramaker and Hughes.

Snoop Dogg biopic is in development with Universal Pictures

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Qatar on Wednesday unveiled a 6,000-cabin fan 
village in an isolated lot near its airports, an offering for housing 
toward the lower end of what's available for the upcoming World Cup just
 days away from starting.

As journalists toured the cabins, desert
 winds kicked up sand at the 3.1 square-kilometer (1.1 square-mile) 
site, which housed a metro station, a bus stop, and a planned temporary 
restaurant and convenience store. The area could in theory hold as many 
as 12,000 people if booked at capacity, officials said.

Artificial
 green grass coveredare the walkways outside, with common areas filled 
with large bean-bag style chairs under a gray sky Wednesday. Competing 
nations' flags flapped in the strong desert wind, a large screen also 
present at the site for fans to watch matches. Workers milled about the 
site, checking on its final touches.

The brightly colored cabins, 
each with thin walls, are designed to hold one or two people with twin 
beds, a nightstand, a small table and chair, air conditioning, a toilet 
and a shower inside.

Each will go for around $200 a night — $270 
with board — as the tournament goes on. Some 60% of the cabins are 
already booked for the tournament, said Omar al-Jaber, the head of 
accommodation at Qatar's Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy for 
the tournament.

There will be other rooms offered at $80 a night 
farther out than this site near Doha International Airport and Hamad 
International Airport, both of which will be seeing flights at all hours
 during the tournament. Planes rumbled overhead during the visit 
Wednesday.

Those staying at the Fan Village can expect a 40-minute commute to stadium sites.

“Most
 of the fan(s) they prefer if it’s not a hotel, they prefer the 
apartment and villa,” al-Jaber said, noting those options are managed by
 French hospitality company Accor. However, those wanting budget 
accommodation will come to this site and the other for cheaper options, 
he said.

In the lead-up to the tournament, concerns about hotel 
room space and high prices for the rooms available have trailed Qatar, 
which lacks hotel capacity for all teams, workers, volunteers and fans 
at the World Cup. So Doha has created <a href="https://apnews.com/article/travel-soccer-sports-international-world-cup-be7873252ed55295ad0d75c83b8fcbd8">camping and cabin sites, hiring cruise ships, and encouraging fans to stay in neighboring countries and fly in for games.</a>

Qatar has estimated it will have 130,000 rooms per day for the tournament.

Already, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-soccer-sports-health-travel-1fadb56a4ffb7b45837f7c26f168a436">nearby Dubai in the United Arab Emirates has planned for an influx of World Cup fans</a> who want to stay there where their money may go further.

“Now,
 the shuttle flights option, it’s one of the options for the people who 
stay already in our neighbor countries and ... they would like to just 
to spend a day for to attend the match,” al-Jaber said. “So this is a 
good option for them in a state of their case.”

He added: “If they
 would like to come and stay, they are more than welcome, of course, and
 there is a many, many options for them."

There are still multiple
 options available for fans in Qatar available to rent, ranging from 
hotels, cruise ship rooms, traditional dhow sailing vessels and tents, 
the fan village, porta cabins and caravans. al-Jaber said.

“We 
have enough accommodation and people still they can come and enjoy the 
tournament and of course they can choose what they are looking for from 
the accommodation," he said.

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Qatar on Wednesday unveiled a 6,000-cabin fan 
village in an isolated lot near its airports, an offering for housing 
toward the lower end of what's available for the upcoming World Cup just
 days away from starting.As journalists toured the cabins, desert
 winds kicked up sand at the 3.1 square-kilometer (1.1 square-mile) 
site, which housed a metro station, a bus stop, and a planned temporary 
restaurant and convenience store. The area could in theory hold as many 
as 12,000 people if booked at capacity, officials said.Artificial
 green grass coveredare the walkways outside, with common areas filled 
with large bean-bag style chairs under a gray sky Wednesday. Competing 
nations' flags flapped in the strong desert wind, a large screen also 
present at the site for fans to watch matches. Workers milled about the 
site, checking on its final touches.The brightly colored cabins, 
each with thin walls, are designed to hold one or two people with twin 
beds, a nightstand, a small table and chair, air conditioning, a toilet 
and a shower inside.Each will go for around $200 a night — $270 
with board — as the tournament goes on. Some 60% of the cabins are 
already booked for the tournament, said Omar al-Jaber, the head of 
accommodation at Qatar's Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy for 
the tournament.There will be other rooms offered at $80 a night 
farther out than this site near Doha International Airport and Hamad 
International Airport, both of which will be seeing flights at all hours
 during the tournament. Planes rumbled overhead during the visit 
Wednesday.Those staying at the Fan Village can expect a 40-minute commute to stadium sites.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666968926967.jpeg" alt="AP Photo/Darko Bandic" />
 <figcaption>AP Photo/Darko Bandic</figcaption>
 </figure>“Most
 of the fan(s) they prefer if it’s not a hotel, they prefer the 
apartment and villa,” al-Jaber said, noting those options are managed by
 French hospitality company Accor. However, those wanting budget 
accommodation will come to this site and the other for cheaper options, 
he said.In the lead-up to the tournament, concerns about hotel 
room space and high prices for the rooms available have trailed Qatar, 
which lacks hotel capacity for all teams, workers, volunteers and fans 
at the World Cup. So Doha has created <a href="https://apnews.com/article/travel-soccer-sports-international-world-cup-be7873252ed55295ad0d75c83b8fcbd8">camping and cabin sites, hiring cruise ships, and encouraging fans to stay in neighboring countries and fly in for games.</a>Qatar has estimated it will have 130,000 rooms per day for the tournament.Already, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-soccer-sports-health-travel-1fadb56a4ffb7b45837f7c26f168a436">nearby Dubai in the United Arab Emirates has planned for an influx of World Cup fans</a> who want to stay there where their money may go further.“Now,
 the shuttle flights option, it’s one of the options for the people who 
stay already in our neighbor countries and ... they would like to just 
to spend a day for to attend the match,” al-Jaber said. “So this is a 
good option for them in a state of their case.”He added: “If they
 would like to come and stay, they are more than welcome, of course, and
 there is a many, many options for them."There are still multiple
 options available for fans in Qatar available to rent, ranging from 
hotels, cruise ship rooms, traditional dhow sailing vessels and tents, 
the fan village, porta cabins and caravans. al-Jaber said.“We 
have enough accommodation and people still they can come and enjoy the 
tournament and of course they can choose what they are looking for from 
the accommodation," he said.

Qatar unveils 6,000-cabin World Cup fan village near airport

In a Securities and Exchange Commissioner filing Wednesday, Gannett Co. Inc. said <a href="https://www.poynter.org/business-work/2022/maribel-perez-wadsworth-is-leaving-gannett/">Maribel Perez Wadsworth</a>, president of Gannett Media, has announced her intention to resign from the company.

Gannett is the owner of the USA Today Network. Its predecessor company, Gatehouse, formerly owned the Hays Daily News before selling it and several other properties to Cherryroad Media.

In Kansas, Gannett still operates newspapers in Hutchinson, Salina and Topeka.

Gannett, which still operates more than 200 newspapers across the country, recently announced it had lost $54 million in the second quarter — <a href="https://www.poynter.org/business-work/2022/gannett-announces-new-cuts-including-mandatory-unpaid-leave-and-buyouts/">a result that led to the severe cost-cutting measures, including layoffs, mandatory furloughs and suspension of 401(k) contributions.</a>

Hays PostIn a Securities and Exchange Commissioner filing Wednesday, Gannett Co. Inc. said <a href="https://www.poynter.org/business-work/2022/maribel-perez-wadsworth-is-leaving-gannett/">Maribel Perez Wadsworth</a>, president of Gannett Media, has announced her intention to resign from the company.Gannett is the owner of the USA Today Network. Its predecessor company, Gatehouse, formerly owned the Hays Daily News before selling it and several other properties to Cherryroad Media.In Kansas, Gannett still operates newspapers in Hutchinson, Salina and Topeka.Gannett, which still operates more than 200 newspapers across the country, recently announced it had lost $54 million in the second quarter — <a href="https://www.poynter.org/business-work/2022/gannett-announces-new-cuts-including-mandatory-unpaid-leave-and-buyouts/">a result that led to the severe cost-cutting measures, including layoffs, mandatory furloughs and suspension of 401(k) contributions.</a>

Gannett Media president announces resignation

DENVER (AP) — A vote to decide whether Colorado will become the second state, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-oregon-elections-a7bf2c4477ca38a31bd140848c023061">after Oregon</a>, to create a legalized system for the use of psychedelic mushrooms was too early to call Tuesday.

The
 ballot initiative would decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms for those 
21 and older and create state-regulated “healing centers” where 
participants can experience the drug under the supervision of a licensed
 “facilitator.” The measure would establish a regulated system for using
 substances like psilocybin and psilocin, the hallucinogenic chemicals 
found in some mushrooms. It also would allow private personal use of the
 drugs.

If passed, the initiative would take effect toward the end
 of 2024. It also would permit a state advisory board to add other 
plant-based psychedelic drugs to the program in 2026. Those include 
dimethyltryptamine, also known as DMT, ibogaine and mescaline not 
derived from peyote, which is considered sacred by some Native 
Americans.

Proponents argued that Colorado’s current approach to 
mental health has failed and that naturally occurring psychedelics, 
which have been used for hundreds of years, can treat depression, PTSD, 
anxiety, addiction and other conditions. They also said jailing people 
for the nonviolent offense of using naturally occurring substances costs
 taxpayers money.

But critics noted the Food and Drug 
Administration has not approved the substances as medicine. They also 
argued allowing healing centers to operate and permitting personal use 
would jeopardize public safety and send the wrong message to kids and 
adults alike that the substances are healthy.

The move comes a 
decade after Colorado voted to legalize recreational marijuana after 
initially allowing its use for medical reasons, which led to a 
multibillion-dollar industry with hundreds of dispensaries popping up 
across the state. Critics of the latest ballot initiative say the same 
deep-pocketed players who were involved in legalizing recreational 
marijuana are using a similar playbook to create a commercial market, 
and eventually recreational dispensaries, for dangerous substances.

Voter
 James Hampl said Tuesday he worries that legalizing the medical use of 
mushrooms would also open the door to legalizing their recreational use 
and cause more drug addiction.

“I don’t think we need more psychos running around the street,” he said. “I need to worry about my family.”

But
 Laura Owsly, 28, who works in the tourism industry, said she supported 
the measure because she is hopeful psychedelic mushrooms could help 
people struggling with PTSD.

Allowing their medical would be an 
important step in researching the efficacy of mushrooms, Owsly said. She
 was was not concerned it would lead to an increase in addiction.

“It didn’t happen with marijuana, and it’s not going to happen with hallucinogens,” she said.

Under
 the measure, the psychedelics that would be decriminalized are listed 
as schedule 1 controlled substances under state and federal law and are 
defined as drugs with no currently accepted medical use with a high 
potential for abuse.

Even so, the FDA has designated psilocybin a 
“breakthrough therapy” to treat major depressive disorder. The 
designation can expedite research, development and review of a drug if 
it might offer substantial improvements over existing treatments.

Colorado’s
 ballot initiative would allow those 21 and older to grow, possess and 
share the psychedelic substances but not sell them for personal use. It 
also would allow people who have been convicted of offenses involving 
the substances to have their criminal records sealed.

In 2020, 
Oregon became the first state in the nation to legalize the therapeutic,
 supervised use of psilocybin after 56% of voters approved Ballot 
Measure 109. But unlike the Colorado measure, Oregon allows counties to 
opt out of the program if their constituents vote to do so.

Oregon’s initiative is expected to take effect at the beginning of next year.

Washington,
 D.C., and Denver have partially decriminalized psychedelic mushrooms by
 requiring law enforcement officers to treat them as their lowest 
priority.

DENVER (AP) — A vote to decide whether Colorado will become the second state, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-oregon-elections-a7bf2c4477ca38a31bd140848c023061">after Oregon</a>, to create a legalized system for the use of psychedelic mushrooms was too early to call Tuesday.The
 ballot initiative would decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms for those 
21 and older and create state-regulated “healing centers” where 
participants can experience the drug under the supervision of a licensed
 “facilitator.” The measure would establish a regulated system for using
 substances like psilocybin and psilocin, the hallucinogenic chemicals 
found in some mushrooms. It also would allow private personal use of the
 drugs.If passed, the initiative would take effect toward the end
 of 2024. It also would permit a state advisory board to add other 
plant-based psychedelic drugs to the program in 2026. Those include 
dimethyltryptamine, also known as DMT, ibogaine and mescaline not 
derived from peyote, which is considered sacred by some Native 
Americans.Proponents argued that Colorado’s current approach to 
mental health has failed and that naturally occurring psychedelics, 
which have been used for hundreds of years, can treat depression, PTSD, 
anxiety, addiction and other conditions. They also said jailing people 
for the nonviolent offense of using naturally occurring substances costs
 taxpayers money.But critics noted the Food and Drug 
Administration has not approved the substances as medicine. They also 
argued allowing healing centers to operate and permitting personal use 
would jeopardize public safety and send the wrong message to kids and 
adults alike that the substances are healthy.The move comes a 
decade after Colorado voted to legalize recreational marijuana after 
initially allowing its use for medical reasons, which led to a 
multibillion-dollar industry with hundreds of dispensaries popping up 
across the state. Critics of the latest ballot initiative say the same 
deep-pocketed players who were involved in legalizing recreational 
marijuana are using a similar playbook to create a commercial market, 
and eventually recreational dispensaries, for dangerous substances.Voter
 James Hampl said Tuesday he worries that legalizing the medical use of 
mushrooms would also open the door to legalizing their recreational use 
and cause more drug addiction.“I don’t think we need more psychos running around the street,” he said. “I need to worry about my family.”But
 Laura Owsly, 28, who works in the tourism industry, said she supported 
the measure because she is hopeful psychedelic mushrooms could help 
people struggling with PTSD.Allowing their medical would be an 
important step in researching the efficacy of mushrooms, Owsly said. She
 was was not concerned it would lead to an increase in addiction.“It didn’t happen with marijuana, and it’s not going to happen with hallucinogens,” she said.Under
 the measure, the psychedelics that would be decriminalized are listed 
as schedule 1 controlled substances under state and federal law and are 
defined as drugs with no currently accepted medical use with a high 
potential for abuse.Even so, the FDA has designated psilocybin a 
“breakthrough therapy” to treat major depressive disorder. The 
designation can expedite research, development and review of a drug if 
it might offer substantial improvements over existing treatments.Colorado’s
 ballot initiative would allow those 21 and older to grow, possess and 
share the psychedelic substances but not sell them for personal use. It 
also would allow people who have been convicted of offenses involving 
the substances to have their criminal records sealed.In 2020, 
Oregon became the first state in the nation to legalize the therapeutic,
 supervised use of psilocybin after 56% of voters approved Ballot 
Measure 109. But unlike the Colorado measure, Oregon allows counties to 
opt out of the program if their constituents vote to do so.Oregon’s initiative is expected to take effect at the beginning of next year.Washington,
 D.C., and Denver have partially decriminalized psychedelic mushrooms by
 requiring law enforcement officers to treat them as their lowest 
priority.

'Magic mushrooms' vote too early to call in Colorado

Facebook parent Meta is laying off 11,000 people, about 13% of its workforce, as it <a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-earnings-reports-8d24203456813802a4239e54d1b444d4">contends with faltering revenue</a> and broader tech industry woes, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in <a href="https://about.fb.com/news/2022/11/mark-zuckerberg-layoff-message-to-employees/">a letter to employees</a> Wednesday.

The job cuts come just a week after widespread layoffs at Twitter under its new owner, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-twitter-inc-technology-business-climate-and-environment-9ab47198753931c7bea91f6e678f1d17">billionaire Elon Musk</a>. There have been numerous job cuts at other tech companies that hired rapidly during the pandemic.

Zuckerberg
 as well said that he had made the decision to hire aggressively, 
anticipating rapid growth even after the pandemic ended.

“Unfortunately,
 this did not play out the way I expected,” Zuckerberg said in a 
prepared statement. “Not only has online commerce returned to prior 
trends, but the macroeconomic downturn, increased competition, and ads 
signal loss have caused our revenue to be much lower than I’d expected. I
 got this wrong, and I take responsibility for that.”

Meta, like 
other social media companies, enjoyed a financial boost during the 
pandemic lockdown era because more people stayed home and scrolled on 
their phones and computers. But as the lockdowns ended and people 
started going outside again, revenue growth began to falter.

Of particular concern to investors, Meta poured over <a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-entertainment-lifestyle-business-fiction-c5702329ad3c52f7e39a2179165e07d4">$10 billion a year into the “metaverse”</a>
 as it shifts its focus away from social media. Zuckerberg predicts the 
metaverse, an immersive digital universe, will eventually replace 
smartphones as the primary way people use technology.

Spooked 
investors have sent company shares tumbling more than 71% since the 
beginning of the year and the stock now trades at levels last seen in 
2015.

An economic slowdown and a grim outlook for online 
advertising — by far Meta’s biggest revenue source — have contributed to
 Meta's woes as well. This summer, Meta posted its <a href="https://apnews.com/article/meta-first-ever-revenue-decline-a7632a8ef1a970dc69753980e03c026b">first quarterly revenue decline in history</a>, followed by another, bigger decline in the fall.

Associated PressFacebook parent Meta is laying off 11,000 people, about 13% of its workforce, as it <a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-earnings-reports-8d24203456813802a4239e54d1b444d4">contends with faltering revenue</a> and broader tech industry woes, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in <a href="https://about.fb.com/news/2022/11/mark-zuckerberg-layoff-message-to-employees/">a letter to employees</a> Wednesday.The job cuts come just a week after widespread layoffs at Twitter under its new owner, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-twitter-inc-technology-business-climate-and-environment-9ab47198753931c7bea91f6e678f1d17">billionaire Elon Musk</a>. There have been numerous job cuts at other tech companies that hired rapidly during the pandemic.Zuckerberg
 as well said that he had made the decision to hire aggressively, 
anticipating rapid growth even after the pandemic ended.“Unfortunately,
 this did not play out the way I expected,” Zuckerberg said in a 
prepared statement. “Not only has online commerce returned to prior 
trends, but the macroeconomic downturn, increased competition, and ads 
signal loss have caused our revenue to be much lower than I’d expected. I
 got this wrong, and I take responsibility for that.”Meta, like 
other social media companies, enjoyed a financial boost during the 
pandemic lockdown era because more people stayed home and scrolled on 
their phones and computers. But as the lockdowns ended and people 
started going outside again, revenue growth began to falter.Of particular concern to investors, Meta poured over <a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-entertainment-lifestyle-business-fiction-c5702329ad3c52f7e39a2179165e07d4">$10 billion a year into the “metaverse”</a>
 as it shifts its focus away from social media. Zuckerberg predicts the 
metaverse, an immersive digital universe, will eventually replace 
smartphones as the primary way people use technology.Spooked 
investors have sent company shares tumbling more than 71% since the 
beginning of the year and the stock now trades at levels last seen in 
2015.An economic slowdown and a grim outlook for online 
advertising — by far Meta’s biggest revenue source — have contributed to
 Meta's woes as well. This summer, Meta posted its <a href="https://apnews.com/article/meta-first-ever-revenue-decline-a7632a8ef1a970dc69753980e03c026b">first quarterly revenue decline in history</a>, followed by another, bigger decline in the fall.Some of the pain is company-specific, while some is tied to broader economic and technological forces.Last week, Twitter laid off about half of its 7,500 employees, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-twitter-inc-business-layoffs-c0334da78b3af9faf2f43cf3f6e52ffa">part of a chaotic overhaul</a>
 as Musk took the helm. He tweeted that there was no choice but to cut 
the jobs “when the company is losing over $4M/day," though did not 
provide details about the losses.Meta and its advertisers are bracing for a potential recession. There’s also the challenge of <a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-general-news-technology-a96d8900ab6167f1fd9ca1f26b9556e1">Apple's privacy tools</a>,
 which make it more difficult for social media platforms like Facebook, 
Instagram and Snap to track people without their consent and target ads 
to them.Competition from TikTok is also an a growing threat as 
younger people flock to the video sharing app over Instagram, which Meta
 also owns.“We’ve cut costs across our business, including 
scaling back budgets, reducing perks, and shrinking our real estate 
footprint," Zuckerberg said. ”We’re restructuring teams to increase our 
efficiency. But these measures alone won’t bring our expenses in line 
with our revenue growth, so I’ve also made the hard decision to let 
people go."A hiring freeze at the company will be extended 
through the first quarter of 2023, Zuckerberg said. The company has also
 slashed its real estate footprint and he said that with so many 
employees working outside of the office, the company will transition to 
desk sharing for those that remain.More cost cuts at Meta will be rolled out in coming months, Zuckerberg said.Zuckerberg
 told employees Wednesday that they will receive an email letting them 
know if they are among those being let go. Access to most company 
systems will be cut off for people losing their jobs, he said, due to 
the sensitive nature of that information.“We’re keeping email addresses active throughout the day so everyone can say farewell,” Zuckerberg said.Former
 employees will receive 16 weeks of base pay, plus two additional weeks 
for every year with the company, Zuckerberg said. Health insurance for 
those employees and their families will continue for six months.Shares of Meta Platforms Inc. jumped almost 5% before the opening bell Wednesday.

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