FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – Darlene Thomas and Alicia Calder are organizing a walk, jog, wheel event at the Pomeroy walking track in an effort to raise $5000 for Hope Air on July 23rd.Last year, 638 Fort St. John residents received flights for medical care. The goal of $5000 will give another 20 flights to those who need it the most.This is the 4th year for the event and for those that participate, Hope Air is a recognized charity and any donations over $10 will receive a receipt.- Advertisement -For more information, contact Darlene Thomas at 250-785-6488 or 778-256-5474.
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Infantino has ‘support of Africa’ in FIFA re-election bid
0Shares0000FIFA President Gianni Infantino is standing for re-election next year © AFP / MOHAMED EL-SHAHEDSHARM EL SHEIKH, Egypt, Sep 30 – African nations would support Gianni Infantino for re-election as FIFA president, the head of the continental football federation Ahmad Ahmad said on Sunday.“I feel it is my duty… to announce this support from Africa,” Ahmad said at a special meeting of the Confederation of African Football Executive Committee, which Infantino attended, in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. Infantino, a former deputy head of UEFA, was first elected in 2016 to succeed Sepp Blatter, when the scandal that engulfed the governing body of world football was at its height.The next presidential election will be held in Paris in June 2019 and Infantino has said he will stand.Infantino expressed his gratitude for the African backing.“It means a lot to me,” said the Swiss. “Since long before my election, I had said, and since I have done everything, to make sure that the future really is Africa.”Infantino is believed to have supported Ahmad when he ousted the long-time CAF president Issa Hayatou in March 2017.Infantino described the election as a “vote of change”.“It’s about taking football forward, it’s about making progress together,” Infantino told CAF delegates, calling for “a real impact.”According to reports, Infantino was investigated by the FIFA ethics committee for interfering in the CAF election when he removed leading members of the committee. He later sacked the chairman and members of the ethics committee, effectively ending the probe.Ahmad said that despite the failure of African nations during the World Cup in Russia, where none of the five African nations made it to the last 16, the continent needed “regular and increased” participation.“Deep analysis” makes it possible to “see more clearly the various problems that undermine African football,” he said.Ahmad said that participation (in the World Cup) “stabilises some of the national teams of our continent… and gives them experience.”0Shares0000(Visited 1 times, 1 visits today)
Qatar unveils 2022 World Cup logo round the globe
0Shares0000The official logo of the 2022 Qatar World Cup was around the globe © AFP / GABRIEL BOUYSDOHA, Qatar, Sep 3 – Qatar unveiled the logo for the 2022 World Cup which will be hosted by the Gulf emirate, displaying it in public spaces in Doha and cities around the world on Tuesday.The design is a stylised Arabic white unisex shawl with maroon patterning, which is displayed in a figure-of-eight symbolising infinity while creating a heart shape above the words “FIFA WORLD CUP Qatar 2022”. It was projected onto the vast facade of the country’s National Archives in the capital’s southern Msheireb district to fanfare that included a procession of soldiers on horseback watched by a crowd of hundreds.The building was illuminated with the emblem at exactly 20:22 local time (1722 GMT) — the same as the year of the tournament.“The logo is very elegant and showing local culture with the (burgundy) colour of the Qatari flag,” Algerian hospitality worker Mourad Bencheikh, 36, told AFP as visitors crowded to photograph the new branding.“By time, people will like it.”The emblem was also displayed in Madrid, Buenos Aires and Beirut along with several other major cities.– ‘It’s wonderful’ –“This one is unique for Qatar,” said Sri Lankan quantity surveyor Mohammed Fairoos, 30, as he and a group of friends took a selfie in front of the National Archives projection.“It’s wonderful.”The Qatari organisers said the logo “was inspired by traditional woollen shawls worn during the winter months”.The 2022 event will be held in November and December to avoid the scorching Gulf summer.“Like football, the shawls’ popularity is a unifying force, woven into the everyday fabric of people’s lives,” added the Supreme Committee in a statement.Preparations for the global soccer spectacle in Qatar have accelerated in recent months.In May, the 40,000 seat al-Janoub stadium — the first purpose-built ground to be launched for the tournament — was inaugurated with an almost capacity domestic cup final.The arena, designed by late British-Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid and located in a coastal town south of Doha, is estimated to have cost around $575 million.Of the eight stadiums Qatar is building or refurbishing for 2022, Khalifa International was already open and will host this year’s World Athletics Championships.The Championships will be a major test of Qatar’s readiness to host a global sporting event. Tens of thousands of spectators are expected to descend on the desert nation ahead of the tournament which begins on September 27.A major road overhaul is also underway across Doha to expand capacity at key junctions and traffic hotspots.Parts of an ambitious metro rail project opened to the public in May. The rest of the three-line network expected to be launched in 2020 — well ahead of the tournament.The network will connect nearly all of Qatar’s stadiums, transport hubs and tourist attractions, when it is completed.FIFA faced a number of negative headlines in recent months including a decision in May to shelve plans for 48 nations to participate in the 2022 contest.FIFA boss Gianni Infantino had pushed to extend the tournament.In June, former European football president Michel Platini was questioned by French anti-corruption investigators for several hours in relation to the 2010 award of hosting rights to Qatar.0Shares0000(Visited 39 times, 1 visits today)
REALLY? The Premier League’s BIGGEST FOULER revealed
2) Victor Wanyama (Southampton): 58 fouls committed – Big Vic is an imposing figure and has been a solid performer for Southampton since arriving in a £12m deal in 2013. 7 7 7 5) Mame Biram Diouf (Stoke) and Connor Wickham (Sunderland): 50 fouls committed – Who guessed a Stoke player would be on here? 7 7 4) Graziano Pelle (Southampton): 56 fouls committed – Pelle started the season brightly and has also been using his physical presence to his advantage. We have seen a lot of bad challenges in the Premier League this season.People made fun of Steven Gerrard’s cameo for Liverpool against Man United when the midfielder was sent off 30 seconds after coming on. MOST FOULED PREMIER LEAGUE PLAYER REVEALEDChelsea and Burnley’s Premier League game saw Ashley Barnes and Nemanja Matic tangle and both Diego Costa and Martin Skrtel have received bans for stamping.Here, talkSPORT looks at which player has committed more fouls than anyone else in the Premier League this season. Stats correct as of 16/05/15. 7) Marouane Fellaini (Man United)i and Moussa Sissoko (Newcastle): 48 fouls committed – Fellaini is pretty handy with his elbows, so talkSPORT was surprised not to see him feature higher. Sissoko’s all action displays in midfield has seen him commit 48 fouls. 9) Alex Song (West Ham), Fernandinho (Man City) and Gareth Barry (Everton) – 47 fouls committed: Click the arrow to see who has been penalised more! – When we discovered who the most fouled player in the Premier League is, the next natural step was to ask who has committed more fouls than anyone else in the 2014/15 season. Propping up the list are Man City midfielder Fernandinho, West Ham’s Alex Song and Everton man Gareth Barry. 3) Leonardo Ulloa (Leicester): 57 fouls committed – Big Vic is an imposing figure and has been a solid performer for Southampton since arriving in a £12m deal in 2013. 7 7 1) Ashley Barnes (Burnley): 65 fouls committed – Barnes has so far committed 65 fouls and was at the centre of controversy in March when his challenge on Nemanja Matic led to the Chelsea midfielder shoving the Burnley man to the floor in anger.
Tupuola steps up to lead Torrance
AD Quality Auto 360p 720p 1080p Top articles1/5READ MOREGame Center: Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, 10 a.m.“Katie played with a lot of poise and maturity. Her presence was big for us,” Jones said. The victory kept Torrance third in the Pioneer League, behind North Torrance (17-3, 6-0) and South Torrance (20-8, 5-1). Torrance will have an opportunity to gain ground when it visits South Tuesday and attempts to avenge a 3-1 loss from its match in September. “We’ll know more about ourselves after we play South,” Jones said. “This is a tough league and we’ve got our work cut out for us.” Also in the Pioneer League … North Torrance 3, Centennial 0: Amanda Smith had seven kills, Loralyn Thompson had five kills and three aces and Wendy Barrios had 20 assists for host North (17-3, 6-0) in a 25-5, 25-2, 25-7 victory. South Torrance 3, Lawndale 0: Megan Exum had 10 kills, 2 blocks and 2 aces to lead host South (20-8, 5-1) to a 25-14, 25-11, 25-13 victory. Janelle Miller had seven kills and three blocks and Chelsey Altough added six kills, five digs and 16 assists for South. Peninsula defeated Western, 11-7, and Loara, 14-2, in pool play in the Canyon Tournament at Canyon High. David Skophammer scored five goals for Peninsula (14-6, 3-2) in the win over Western. Peninsula will continue Canyon Tournament play today in the winners pool. In nonleague matches … Torrance 16, Whitney 7 : Nathan Bee and Phillip Collins both had three goals to lead host Torrance. Kevin Holper had eight saves for Torrance (9-14, 0-6). Miya Gin swept her three singles sets to lead Chadwick to a 14-4 Prep league victory over host Pasadena Poly. Swati Yamamadala also swept her three singles sets for Chadwick (8-4, 6-0). Kerry O’Brien had 19 kills to lead El Camino College (18-1, 7-0) to a 30-20, 30-16, 30-15 South Coast Conference win over visiting Cerritos. Boys water polo Girls tennis JC women’s volleyball JC men’s soccer Rhys Orp had two goals for El Camino in a 3-2 South Coast Conference loss at Compton. Elmer Rodriguez had seven saves for El Camino (6-6-5, 1-3-2). Also in the SCC … Long Beach City 1, Harbor College 1: Miguel Veliz scored in the 81st minute to break a scoreless tie for Harbor (6-5-7, 1-3-4), but host Long Beach City (1-3-4 in SCC) answered with a penalty kick in the 90th minute.160Want local news?Sign up for the Localist and stay informed Something went wrong. Please try again.subscribeCongratulations! You’re all set! From staff reports Chelsea Tupuola had 14 kills, 12 digs, four blocks and two aces to lead Torrance’s girls volleyball team to a 29-27, 19-25, 25-22, 25-20 Pioneer League victory over El Segundo Friday at Torrance. “Chelsea played well for us tonight,” Torrance coach Nathan Jones said. “This was an important one for us and she stepped up.” Katie Judd had 13 kills, nine digs and two aces, and Arianna Holguin had 42 assists against El Segundo (2-4 in league). 
YOUNG DONEGAL ATHLETE HITS EUROPEAN MARK
Brendan O’DonnellA young Donegal athlete has hammered home his mark for the season ahead. Lifford Strabane AC’s Brendan O’Donnell had an outstanding start to the season yesterday when he achieved the European Youths Qualifying standard at a Throws Meet in Dunboyne, Co Meath.Last year’s European Youth Olympics finalist, O’Donnell was hoping for some early good season form in his first competition of the New Year. However, with his sixth throw of the competition, O’Donnell launched the hammer out to 64.72m, surpassing the 63.50m European standard by well over a metre and propelling the young Donegal lad into the top 10 throwers in Europe.Reaching the standard today was more than just reward for the 16 year old, having put in a dedicated winter of conditioning training to prepare him for the step up to this level. Under the watchful eye of his coach and father John, Brendan has developed into one of the most exciting young prospects to emerge from the county in recent years.The European Youths take place in Tblisi, Georgia in July, the venue for last years European Youth Olympics where O’Donnell finished an impressive 7th place in the Final.O’Donnell is now the third Irish athlete to achieve the European Youths standard and with his outstanding throw today, the Lifford Strabane athlete can look forward to further improvement and development in the coming months and the target of another European Final on the horizon come July. YOUNG DONEGAL ATHLETE HITS EUROPEAN MARK was last modified: March 6th, 2016 by StephenShare this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window) Tags:Brendan O’DonnellHAMMERLifford
‘Makes Morata look like Ronaldo’ – Arsenal striker ridiculed after woeful miss
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been ridiculed by fans after his atrocious miss against Chelsea.The Arsenal striker should have equalised for the visitors in their huge London derby at Stamford Bridge, a game you can hear live on talkSPORT. REVEALED gameday How the Premier League table could change after the Boxing Day fixtures WOOOOOOOOOOOW AUBAMEYANG WHAT ARE YOU DOING?— FutbolBible (@FutbolBible) August 18, 2018 Every current Premier League club’s best kit from the past decade Maurizio Sarri’s side took the lead when Pedro finished off a lovely, free-flowing move inside nine minutes.And fans were certainly not slow to remind Aubameyang he should have equalised! Check out the best Tweets below. silverware OH MY WORD AUBAMEYANG!Was actually harder to miss that chance!— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) August 18, 2018 When you spend all of you XP upgrading pace instead of shooting #Aubameyang— Andy Castell (@AJ3) August 18, 2018 Aubameyang should have buried his chance to equalise Premier League latest OH MY GOD! WHAT A MISS! Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang skies it from 6-yards out. Open goal. Shocker. #CFC #AFC⚽️🔵🔴— Football Tweet (@Football__Tweet) August 18, 2018 Which teams do the best on Boxing Day in the Premier League era? NEW ERA 
Tottenham predicted XI to face Brighton with Mourinho expected to make big changes How Arsenal could line up in Arteta’s first official game in charge – Ozil return? Tottenham v Brighton LIVE: talkSPORT commentary and team news for Boxing Day opener REVEALED Where Ancelotti ranks with every Premier League boss for trophies won ALTERED possible standings Another big game choke job from Aubameyang. Again, I was the first to tell you and I got abused.— MW (@mediocentroEN) August 18, 2018 Aubameyang making Morata look like Ronaldo— Andy Castell (@AJ3) August 18, 2018 1 smart causal England’s most successful clubs of the past decade, according to trophies won Almost immediately after the Gabon striker missed his gilt-edged chance, the Blues went up the other end and doubled their lead thanks to Alvaro Morata.After great work from Henrikh Mkhitaryan on the right hand side, all Aubameyang had to do was roll the ball into a virtually empty net.However, he skied his shot from six yards and was left to rue missing such a golden opportunity.
Krohn leads CSUN women to ninth win in a row
Sophomore Kristy Krohn scored for the fourth straight match to lead Cal State Northridge’s women’s soccer team to a 1-0 Big West Conference victory Sunday afternoon over visiting Long Beach State at Matador Soccer Field. The victory was the ninth in a row for CSUN (10-1-0), which improved to 2-0-0 in Big West play. Long Beach State (8-3-1) fell to 1-1 in conference action. Krohn picked up a loose ball, headed up the right flank and beat 49ers goalkeeper Liz Ramos in the 58th minute to break a defensive stalemate. The teams combined for six shots on goal. Krohn’s goal was her eighth this season. The Matadors outshot Long Beach State 12-10, and junior goalkeeper April Cline needed to make only one save – and easy stop of Kim Silos in the 72nd minute – to post the shutout. Silos had one other chance, seconds after Krohn’s goal, but defender Julie Hauserman cleared the shot off the goal line. The match was CSUN’s first at home after a six-game road swing. The Matadors’ home game Friday against UC Irvine was moved to Orange County because of smoke from the Topanga Fire. CSUN plays two away games next weekend, at 19th-ranked Cal State Fullerton on Friday and at UC Riverside on Sunday. UCLA 2, Pepperdine 1: Sophomore Danesha Adams scored her ninth and 10th goals of the season as the fourth-ranked Bruins (10-1) handed host Pepperdine its first loss of the season, rallying for a nonconference victory at Tari Frahm Rokus Field in Malibu. Adams scored from Bristyn Davis’ through ball in the 64th minute, then broke a 1-1 tie on another breakaway, from Mexican national-teamer Iris Mora’s pass, in the 67th. Chatsworth High product Lindsey Redlin gave the 10th-ranked Waves (9-1-1) a 17th-minute lead from Megan Woods’ assist. Redlin has scored six goals this season. Loyola Marymount 1, Utah 0: The Lions bounced back from successive shutout losses, edging the visiting Utes on Kelly Lewandowski’s third goal of the season. Lewandowski scored from Lori Sims’ pass in the 24th minute, and Joslyn Slovek made four saves to record her fifth shutout as LMU improved to 4-5-3. Lewandowski’s goal was her 16th as a Lion, third-best in LMU history. Mountain West Conference power Utah fell to 7-5-0. MEN’S SOCCER: UCLA TOPS STANFORD FOR 2ND PAC-10 WIN Ninth-ranked UCLA recorded its sixth shutout of the season and second in as many Pacific-10 Conference men’s soccer games, beating Stanford 2-0 Sunday afternoon at Drake Stadium. Jordan Harvey and Kamani Hill scored goals for the Bruins (6-2-0), who are 4-0-0 at home and have not surrendered a goal at Drake. Stanford (3-5-2) fell to 0-1-1 in the Pac-10 and suffered its eighth successive loss to UCLA. Harvey provided a 34th-minute lead, taking a cross from freshman Sal Zizzo and beating Cardinal goalkeeper Andrew Kartunen. Hill took advantage of a poor back pass to make it 2-0 in the 59th minute, intercepting the ball, passing to Ramon Manak and scoring from Manak’s through ball. UCLA honored its 1985 team — the first of four Bruins NCAA championship teams — at halftime. In attendance were Eric Biefeld, Andy Burke, Peter Drummond, Dale Ervine, Drew Leonard, Anton Nistl, Peter Pelle, Hubert Rotteveel, Thomas Silvas, Nick Skvarna, Doug Swanson, and coach Sigi Schmid. Star Paul Caligiuri was unavailable because he is the men’s and women’s coach at Cal Poly Pomona. Biefeld is the brother of former U.S. women’s star (and former UCLA women’s coach) Joy Fawcett. Cal State Northridge 3, Cal Poly 1: Daniel Paladini scored in the eighth and 54th minutes, and the Matadors improved to 2-0 in the Big West Conference with a victory over the visiting Mustangs. The game, initially scheduled for Saturday, was postponed because of smoke from the Topanga Fire. Paladini gave CSUN (6-2-1) an early lead, firing from 25 yards off a pass from U.S. U-20 national-teamer Sean Franklin. Jason Hedley pulled Cal Poly (4-6-0) even in the 33rd minute, scoring from a give-and-go with Nikhil Erlebach. Willie Sims broke the tie, scoring his eighth goal of the season in the 59th minute from freshman Devin Deldo’s pass. Sims also hit the post twice, and Franklin hit it once, as the Matadors outshot Cal Poly 21-12. CSUN plays Saturday at UC Santa Barbara in a showdown of the Big West’s top two teams. The 7 p.m. game will be shown Monday, Oct. 10, at 7 p.m. on College Sports Television (CSTV). Portland 1, Loyola Marymount 0: Michael Gavin’s goal in the 26th minute lifted the Pilots (3-4-1) past the visiting Lions (3-3-2) in a West Coast Conference game at Merlo Field. LMU outshot Portland 13-7 and nearly scored two goals. Garrett Maloney found the net from Bobby Burling’s feed in the 70th minute, but the goal was disallowed over an offside call. Pilots goalkeeper Luis Robles, who notched his 15th career shutout, made a diving save on Jawaan Delaney’s header in the 76th minute. Both teams are 1-1 in WCC play. WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL: SANTA CLARA SNAPS PEPPERDINE WIN STREAK Santa Clara had a .382 hitting percentage and received 24 kills from Brittany Lowe and 21 from Cassie Perret to post a 3-1 West Coast Conference women’s volleyball victory Sunday afternoon over Pepperdine at Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu. The Waves (8-6) fell to 1-1 in WCC play and saw their five-match winning streak stopped in the 30-26, 25-30, 30-28, 30-23 loss. Santa Clara, ranked 15th, improved to 2-0 in conference action. Pepperdine hit .318 and was led by Katy Daly (19 kills), Julie Rubenstein (18), Lecca Roberts (14) and Sophia Milo (13). Milo hit .600, Daly and Rubenstein each contributed 10 digs, and Kekai Crabbe added 18 digs. San Diego 3, Loyola Marymount 2: Kristen Carlson had 35 kills and 11 digs, and the 12th-ranked Toreros (11-1) posted a .600 hitting percentage in the decisive game to pull out a 27-30, 30-25, 26-30, 30-26, 15-6 WCC victory Saturday night at Gersten Pavilion. The Lions (11-4) hit .302 for the match and outblocked San Diego but fell to 0-2 in the WCC. San Diego, upset Friday by Pepperdine, is 1-1. Heather Hughes had 16 kills and 14 assists and freshman Emily Day added a career-high 13 kills for LMU. MEN’S WATER POLO: LMU WINS AIR FORCE TOURNEY TITLE Loyola Marymount won two more games at the East Meets West men’s water polo tournament at Colorado Springs, Colo., beating Brown twice to win the event’s championship. The ninth-ranked Lions won five games in the tournament, played at the Air Force Academy’s Cadet Natatorium, to improve to 10-7. Both LMU victories over Brown were by 10-6 scorelines. Tim Hummel and Matt Reynolds scored two goals apiece in the first game, and Scott Marshall scored three in the championship. LMU’s Endre Rex-Kiss was the tournament MVP, and Reynolds and goalie Ian Elliott were selected for the all-tournament team. AD Quality Auto 360p 720p 1080p Top articles1/5READ MOREThe top 10 theme park moments of 2019 160Want local news?Sign up for the Localist and stay informed Something went wrong. Please try again.subscribeCongratulations! You’re all set!
Trojans return to Earth
LOS ANGELES – There was no sign of celebration Tuesday at USC. Rather, there was a sense of urgency. That was the sentiment of coach Pete Carroll three days after the top-ranked Trojans came up with one of the most dramatic and important victories in school history, extending their winning streak to 28. AD Quality Auto 360p 720p 1080p Top articles1/5READ MOREWalnut’s Malik Khouzam voted Southern California Boys Athlete of the Week Thus, the Trojans (6-0 overall, 3-0 Pac-10) remained on track for an unprecedented third straight national championship. USC has trailed at halftime in three of its last four games before beating No. 15 Oregon 45-13, then-No. 14 Arizona State 38-28, and, finally, the ninth-ranked Fighting Irish. Those games all were on the road and at three of the most difficult stadiums to play in the country. But Carroll didn’t sound impressed. “I’m disappointed that we’re not playing closer to what our potential is,” he said. “I think we’re just being realistic. In addressing our team about it, I was pleased to see they responded like crazy. We had our best Monday that we’ve had all season. “The game brings us much more down to earth than you might think,” Carroll said of USC’s 34-31 triumph at Notre Dame. “We didn’t play very well. We struggled in all facets. The truth is, we have to play better. I think everyone realizes we were fortunate to get the win.” The Trojans moved 75 yards in the final two minutes, gaining 61 yards on a Matt Leinart-to-Dwayne Jarrett pass on fourth-and-9 to reach the Notre Dame 13-yard line. They won on Leinart’s 1-yard quarterback sneak with three seconds left. 
“We need to play better, we need to perform better. That’s what I’m concerned about at the halfway point. Earlier in the year, I thought we were performing at a higher level.” USC beat Hawaii 63-17 and Arkansas 70-17 in its first two games. The next four games were far more competitive, but the caliber of the opposition certainly has something to do with that. The Trojans don’t figure to be seriously challenged in their next three games, starting Saturday at Washington (1-5, 0-3). They follow that up with home games against Washington State (3-3, 0-3) and Stanford (3-2, 2-1) before traveling to play California (5-2, 2-2). “We’ve taken great pride in coming back the next game after getting all that attention,” Carroll said, referring to the fact that if USC is ever primed for a letdown, this would be the time. As he pointed out, the Trojans have had problem areas. The defense has shown vulnerability, at least in part because of injuries. The opposition is averaging 350.3 yards per game and 40.9 percent in third-down conversions. The last three foes have averaged nearly 27 points. In addition, the Trojans are averaging 74.8 yards per game in penalties, third-highest in the conference. “In our eyes and (Carroll’s) eyes, we’re underachieving,” linebacker Oscar Lua said. “Our expectations are so high. Last week felt like a loss. We gave up so many penalties, our defense gave up so much. When you analyze the situation later, it’s like, ‘Man, why was this such a close game?’ “It’s kind of gut-check time. We’ve got to take our game to the next level and accomplish even more.” Lua also issued a warning. “I think it’s when all of the hype gets to the players, a team falls,” he said. “It’s been a factor. I don’t foresee it as a problem. It’s a tough situation to try and fight through.” Leinart, who usually makes an appearance at USC’s weekly news conference, wasn’t around Tuesday, and neither was Reggie Bush. Carroll said the spotlight is an issue for Leinart, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner. “He’s just a young man trying to make it,” Carroll said. “It’s only normal that he would have to shoulder all this. It’s challenging. He’s doing the best he can trying to manage it as best as possible.” Carroll confirmed that Desmond Reed, the team’s third-leading rusher who also averaged 38.8 yards on five kickoff returns, sustained a season-ending knee injury at Notre Dame. “Everything he does, he does well. He does so many unique things,” Carroll said. “It’s like losing two or three guys. I can’t emphasize how much we will miss this guy.” Bush apologizes Tailback Reggie Bush said he told his teammates he was sorry for intentionally slowing down near the end of a touchdown run that resulted in him nearly getting tackled. “That was just on my part wasn’t good leadership,” Bush said. “I got caught up in frustration that the offense wasn’t clicking. I tried to make a statement. I apologized to the team.” Bush also said he didn’t think he pushed quarterback Matt Leinart that hard into the end zone. It is illegal to push another player. “It was the greatest quarterback sneak ever. Everybody else says it was illegal but it was quick. I don’t know why people keep talking about it after. “After (Leinart) rolled to the left, I pushed him from the side. If I got behind him, maybe they would have called something.” He remains hampered by a sore knee suffered against Arizona. “That’s going to bother me awhile because of the bruise,” Bush said. “I just rested it. That (Notre Dame) game was exhausting. I just tried to rest up for the weekend.” 160Want local news?Sign up for the Localist and stay informed Something went wrong. Please try again.subscribeCongratulations! You’re all set!
Too much on plastic
And that’s among the reasons why the federal government prompted credit card companies to raise rates on minimum payments, said Kevin Mukri, spokesman for the Comptroller of the Currency Administrator of the National Banks. In 2003, the Comptroller issued a mandate that would not only help consumers chip away at their credit card debt, but also make the creditors more liquid. “Regulators didn’t feel the negative amortization was in their (the consumer and creditor’s) best interest,” said Mukri, who also noted that most, if not all, major creditors will raise their minimum payments by 2006. But some credit counselors argue that the increase will push consumers over the edge. Should that happen, consumers may be faced with second mortgages and other investment vehicles that essentially augment debt. “All of a sudden, making that minimum payment becomes a dangerous thing,” said David Jones, president of the Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies. To counter such a scenario, Jones suggests rebudgeting and figuring out a way to handle the minimum payment. For some, that’s as simple as not purchasing a cup of coffee on a daily basis. For others, it will require a sit-down with a credit counselor. “And the counseling should initially be free. If an agency wants to charge you right off the bat, run for the hills,” Jones said. Sirin Boonyaratsuntron, 27, chose a different route. The interest rate on her credit card was almost 25 percent when she decided to do something about it. She signed up for a zero-percent interest rate credit card and transferred over all the debt. After repeating the process several times, she eventually dug herself out of several thousand dollars worth of debt. “Now I only pay with cash,” said Boonyaratsuntron, an assistant manager at Westfield Fashion Square in Sherman Oaks. Another method is debt consolidation. The process involves consolidating all credit cards to one, and then focusing on that account until the debt dissolves. That’s how Bill Wong deals with debt. The manager at Consumer Counseling Services in Long Beach said he expects an increase in business this winter after new regulations governing bankruptcy protection went into effect last month. The law sets new limits on personal bankruptcy filings and requires debtors to get professional credit counseling advice before they file petitions. “Oh, we’re going to be very busy in the next month,” said Wong, who often works with people at least 30 to 40 payments away from paying off their debt. “And once we consolidate, they cannot use their credit cards anymore.” Even though consolidation and zero percent interest rates can help those with debt woes, others believe such options are mere patches on a tire. At least, that’s Robert Becerra’s perspective. For a more permanent game plan, the enrolled agent at Triple I Concepts in San Bernardino said it’s worth taking a look at tax withholdings. For example, instead of anticipating a large tax refund at the end of the year, “try to figure out a way you can break even,” Becerra said. “Then you’ll have more money throughout the year to pay off your credit card debt.” But if tax preparation isn’t financially convenient, Becerra and other credit counselors offer the following advice: Revisit cellular phone and cable contracts. Many cellular phone and cable companies offer competitive rates, and therefore it could be time to sign up with a new provider. Pay a credit card bill before the due date. The earlier you pay the bill, the less likely you’ll have to endure steep interest rates. You may even consider making two payments during the billing period. Lock in fixed-rate loans when applicable as opposed to adjustable. The better the consumer can anticipate the payment of a bill, the more financially organized the consumer. Evan Pondel, (818) 713-3662 evan.pondel@dailynews.com 160Want local news?Sign up for the Localist and stay informed Something went wrong. Please try again.subscribeCongratulations! You’re all set! Louise Clinton smelled great, but her financial savvy stank. Every spritz of Dolce & Gabbana perfume cost Clinton several dollars more than it should because she paid for the luxury Italian scent on her credit card. As the designer perfume bills added up, the double-digit interest rates took their toll. Eventually, the mother of two from Toluca Lake had to say arrivederci to her beloved D&G mist. “That’s why I’m cash-only this holiday season,” Clinton said. “So what if I have to go downtown and buy some imitation perfume that smells just as good? I don’t want to have to pay the minimum on my credit card again.” AD Quality Auto 360p 720p 1080p Top articles1/5READ MOREBlues bury Kings early with four first-period goals Consumer credit watchers say the recent federal mandate requiring credit card companies to raise minimum payments should cause shoppers to think twice about whipping out the plastic this holiday season. While it’s designed to protect consumers in the long run by forcing them to pay off more principal and thereby cut interest payments, consumers will pay more in the short term. Some credit watchers are expecting minimum payments to double or even quadruple. “This is not the holiday to be reaching for cards. And I’m not talking greeting cards,” said Catherine Williams, vice president of financial literacy for Money Management International in Chicago. Instead, Williams recommends contacting your creditor immediately. Few consumers realize that creditors are often willing to negotiate to keep the customer happy, she said. But the notion of facing your debt woes is often more difficult than calling a creditor. More than 16 percent of U.S. homeowners’ personal income was used to pay off debt and other financial obligations in the second quarter of 2005, according to the Federal Reserve Board. That figure has remained relatively consistent in the past decade. 