1. “Rangers’ Cole Hamels donates $10 million mansion to charity ”

2. In August, Cole Hamels put a mansion he’d had been building in southwest Missouri on the market, at an asking price of almost $10 million. However, the Texas Rangers pitcher recently announced that he gave away the property to a charity (Camp Barnabas)that helps children with special needs and chronic illnesses. Now the organization, which says its goal is to “meet the needs of people with disabilities so they can have an incredible camp experience and learn more about Christ,” has much more space in which to do so. “There are tons of amazing charities in southwest Missouri. Out of all of these, Barnabas really pulled on our heartstrings,” Hamels said in a statement. “Seeing the faces, hearing the laughter, reading the stories of the kids they serve; there is truly nothing like it. Barnabas makes dreams come true, and we felt called to help them in a big way.” The 32,000-square foot home includes 10 bedrooms, 13 bathrooms, six half-baths, a second kitchen, exercise room, and an elevator.

3. In Other News
Life expectancy in the U.S. fell for the second year in a row in 2016, nudged down again by a surge in fatal opioid overdoses, federal officials report Thursday. "I'm not prone to dramatic statements," says Robert Anderson, chief of the mortality statistics branch at the National Center for Health Statistics. "But I think we should be really alarmed. The drug overdose problem is a public health problem and it needs to be addressed.” The trend is especially concerning because life expectancy is considered an important indicator of the general well-being of a nation. Life expectancy, which is the average time someone is expected to live, generally has been rising steadily for decades. Life expectancy hasn't fallen two years in a row in the U.S. since the early 1960s.
EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITY!! Beat the clock and Ms. Fetters to extra credit! Thurs. at halftime of the girls’ basketball game One person will have the opportunity to challenge Ms. Fetters to a layup, free throw and three pointer. If you win, earn EC for the marking period.