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Compared with the devil, angels carry more credence in America.
Angels even get more credence than, well, hell. More than astrology, reincarnation, and the belief that physical things can have spiritual energies.
In fact, about 7 in 10 U.S. adults say they believe in angels, according to a new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
“People are yearning for something greater than themselves — beyond their own understanding,” said Jack Grogger, a chaplain for the Los Angeles Angels and a longtime Southern California fire captain who has aided many people in their gravest moments.
That search for something bigger, he said, can take on many forms, from following a religion to crafting a self-driven purpose to believing in, of course, angels.
“For a lot of people, angels are a lot safer to worship,” said Grogger, who also pastors a nondenominational church in Orange, California, and is a chaplain for the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks.
People turn to angels for comfort, he said. They are familiar, regularly showing up in pop culture as well as in the Bible. Comparably, worshipping Jesus is far more involved; when Grogger preaches about angels it is with the context that they are part of God’s kingdom.
American’s belief in angels (69%) is about on par with belief in heaven and the power of prayer, but bested by belief in God or a higher power (79%). Fewer U.S. adults believe in the devil or Satan (56%), astrology (34%), reincarnation (34%), and that physical things can have spiritual energies, such as plants, rivers or crystals (42%).
The widespread acceptance of angels shown in the AP-NORC poll makes sense to Susan Garrett, an angel expert and New Testament professor at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Kentucky. It tracks with historical surveys, she said, adding that the U.S. remains a faith-filled country even as more Americans reject organized religion.
But if the devil is in the details, so are people’s understandings of angels.
“They’re very malleable,” Garrett said of angels. “You can have any one of a number of quite different worldviews in terms of your understanding of how the cosmos is arranged, whether there’s spirit beings, whether there’s life after death, whether there’s a God … and still find a place for angels in that worldview.”
Talk of angels, Garrett said, is often also about something else, like the ways God interacts with the world and other hard-to-articulate ideas.
The large number of U.S. adults who say they believe in angels includes 84% of those with a religious affiliation — 94% of evangelical Protestants, 81% of mainline Protestants and 82% of Catholics — and 33% of those without one. And of those angel-believing religiously unaffiliated, that includes 2% of atheists, 25% of agnostics and 50% of those identified as “nothing in particular.”
The broad acceptance is what fascinates San Francisco-based witch and author Devin Hunter: Angels show up independently in different religions and traditions, making them part of the fabric that unites humanity.
“We’re all getting to the same conclusion,” said Hunter, who spent 16 years as a professional medium, and started communicating as a child with what he believed were angels.
Hunter estimates that a belief in angels applies to about half of those practicing modern witchcraft today, and for some who don’t believe, their rejection is often rooted in the religious trauma they experienced growing up.
“Angels become a very big deal” for long-time practitioners who’ve made occultism their primary focus, said Hunter, an angel-loving occultist. “We cannot escape them in any way, shape or form.”
Jennifer Goodwin of Oviedo, Florida, also is among the roughly seven in 10 U.S. adults who say they believe in angels. She isn’t sure if God exists and rejects the afterlife dichotomy of heaven and hell, but the recent deaths of her parents solidified her views on these celestial beings.
Goodwin believes her parents are still keeping an eye on the family — not in any physical way or as a supernatural apparition, but that they manifest in those moments when she feels a general sense of comfort.
“I think that they are around us, but it’s in a way that we can’t understand,” Goodwin said. “I don’t know what else to call it except an angel.”
Angels mean different things to different people, and the idea of loved ones becoming heavenly angels after death is neither an unusual belief nor a universally held one.
In his reading of Scripture as an evangelical Protestant, Grogger said he believes angels are something else entirely — they have never been human and are on another level in heaven’s hierarchy. “We are higher than angels,” he said. “We do not become an angel.”
Angels do interact with humans though, said Grogger, but what “that looks like we’re not 100% sure.” They worship God who created this angelic legion of unknown numbers, he said, adding that evangelicals often attribute the demonic forces in the world to the angels who fell from heaven when the devil rebelled.
The Western ideas about angels can be traced through the Bible — and to the worldviews of its monotheistic authors, Garrett said. Those beliefs have changed and developed for millennia, influenced by cultures, theologians and even the ancient polytheistic beliefs that came before the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, she said.
“There are sort of lines of continuity from the Bible that you can trace all the way up to the New Age movement,” said Susan Garrett, who wrote “No Ordinary Angel: Celestial Spirits and Christian Claims about Jesus.”
The angels in the Bible do God’s bidding, and angelic violence is one part of their job description, said Esther Hamori, author of the upcoming book, “God’s Monsters: Vengeful Spirits, Deadly Angels, Hybrid Creatures, and Divine Hitmen of the Bible.”
“The angels of the Bible are just as likely to assassinate individuals and slaughter entire populations as they are to offer help and protect and deliver,” said Hamori. She doesn’t believe in these angels, but studies them as a Hebrew Bible professor at Union Theological Seminary in New York where she teaches a popular “Monster Heaven” class.
“They’re just God’s obedient soldiers doing the task at hand, and sometimes that task is in human beings’ best interests, and sometimes it’s not,” she said.
The perception that angels act angelic and look like the idyllic, winged figurines atop Christmas trees could be attributed to an early centuries belief that people are assigned one good angel and one bad — or have a good and bad spirit to guide them, Garrett said.
This idea shows up on the shoulders of cartoon characters and is likely what Abraham Lincoln was alluding to in his famous appeal for unity when he referenced “the better angels of our nature” in his first inaugural address, she said.
“It’s also tied in with ideas about guardian angels, which again, very ancient views that got developed over the centuries,” Garrett said.
For Sheila Avery of Chicago, angels are protectors, capable of keeping someone from harm. Avery, who belongs to a nondenominational church, credits them with those moments like when a person’s plans fall through, but ultimately it saves them from being in the thick of an unexpected disaster.
“They turn on the news and a terrible tragedy happened at that particular place,” Avery said, suggesting it was an “angel that was probably watching over them.”
___
Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/news/national/ap-do-you-believe-in-angels-about-7-in-10-u-s-adults-do-a-new-ap-norc-poll-shows/ | 2023-07-29T15:12:42 | 1 | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/news/national/ap-do-you-believe-in-angels-about-7-in-10-u-s-adults-do-a-new-ap-norc-poll-shows/ |
(NEXSTAR) – The current Mega Millions jackpot is now tied for the fourth-largest in the game’s history after yet another drawing produced no grand-prize winners.
Friday’s winning numbers — 5, 10, 28, 52, 63, and Mega Ball 18 — went unmatched, continuing a 29-drawing trend that began after the last jackpot-winner was announced on April 18.
The current jackpot now stands at an estimated $1.05 billion, with a cash option of $527.9 million. That amount officially qualifies as the fourth-largest grand prize in Mega Millions history, tied with a jackpot awarded in Jan. 2021.
The current jackpot has steadily grown since April, after a ticketholder in New York matched all six numbers to win a $20-million prize. (The previous jackpot, awarded days before on April 14, was worth $483 million.) A total of 46 players, meanwhile, have won second-tier prizes worth $1 million or more since the last jackpot was won, the Mega Millions lottery confirmed in a press release.
Friday night’s drawing produced five of those second-tier winners, including one each in Arizona, California and New York, and two in Pennsylvania. One of the winning ticketholders in Pennsylvania had also purchased the Megaplier option (which multiplied Friday’s winnings by five times), making that ticket worth $5 million.
“In the current Mega Millions matrix and Megaplier configuration, which has been in place since October 28, 2017, there has never been a Megaplier of 5x drawn at this extraordinary jackpot level,” reads a portion of the Mega Millions press release. “That means a lot of prizes in other tiers have been multiplied by a factor of five!”
The next Mega Millions drawing is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 1. | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/news/national/mega-millions-jackpot-exceeds-1-billion-now-4th-largest-in-games-history/ | 2023-07-29T15:12:48 | 0 | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/news/national/mega-millions-jackpot-exceeds-1-billion-now-4th-largest-in-games-history/ |
(NEXSTAR) — For many of us, flying is a relatively easy experience. Your flight leaves on time, your seatmates are polite, and you arrive at your destination safely.
But, in some cases, one of those aspects of flying may not go exactly as planned. You may find one of your fellow flyers committing an air travel faux pas: being barefoot.
You’ve seen the photos online of people’s toes peeking out between the seats. Maybe you’ve encountered it yourself. Either way, it’s largely frowned upon. In some cases, barefoot flying can even get you grounded.
Within its contract of carriage, United Airlines considers being barefoot, as well as being “not properly clothed,” an offense that justifies “refusal or removal of a passenger.” The carrier lists it as one of the many infractions that could impact safety for the passenger or others on the plane.
American Airlines says bare feet “aren’t allowed” from passengers, adding that “violent” or “inappropriate actions” could prevent you from boarding, being removed from the terminal, or facing legal prosecution.
Delta Airlines also warns that it can “refuse to transport or may remove passengers from its aircraft” if the passenger is barefoot. A barefoot passenger may be prohibited from boarding the plane, or may be forced to leave the plane, according to Spirit Airlines’ contract of carriage.
Frontier Airlines says it can refuse service to a passenger who is over the age of 3 and barefoot, “unless required to be barefoot for medical reasons.” Southwest Airlines and JetBlue state in their contracts of carriage that they can refuse to let a passenger fly if they are barefoot and older than five years of age, unless required due to a disability.
If these warnings from airlines aren’t enough to sway you from taking off your shoes while flying, maybe consider how many other people have also taken their shoes off on a plane – and what else has touched the floor.
“I would never fly barefoot on a plane,” a veteran flight attendant for a major carrier told Nexstar. “Passengers these days can be quite messy and we see everything from spills to dirty diapers thrown on the floor.”
Planes are tidied between flights, she explains, but the floors won’t be cleaned “unless there is a major mess.” That includes floors in the bathroom, too.
“That is most likely not water on the floor,” she adds. “Think of old men and young boys trying to aim in turbulence. Not good. Also, people love to throw trash anywhere but in the bathroom trash can so it usually ends up on the floor.”
If you still want to take your shoes off, she recommends bringing an old pair of socks to wear, then throwing them away after the flight.
United, American, Delta, Spirit, Frontier, JetBlue, and Southwest did not respond to Nexstar’s request for comment or its inquiry into whether any passengers have been removed or barred from flying over being barefooted.
Barefoot flyers are likely among the least of many airlines’ concerns. Over the last three years, airlines have reported record-setting incidents of disruptive passengers. That includes passengers accused of assaulting flight crews, opening emergency doors, and refusing to wear masks during the height of the COVID pandemic.
More recently, a Las Vegas-bound flight was forced to divert to Denver after an apparent fight broke out between some passengers. Two women were escorted off the plane, according to a passenger that captured video of the incident.
Causing a disturbance on a plane is a federal crime, and unruly passengers can face criminal prosecution or even fines. | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/news/national/no-shoes-no-service-what-can-happen-if-you-fly-barefoot/ | 2023-07-29T15:12:50 | 0 | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/news/national/no-shoes-no-service-what-can-happen-if-you-fly-barefoot/ |
(NEXSTAR) – With heat records already falling this summer, you may be running your ceiling fan nearly non-stop, but did you know you may not be as cool as you could be?
If you’ve ever taken a close look at the fan, you may have noticed a small switch located on the side of the fan base. The switch, which is found on nearly every fan, can change the direction the fan spins.
Using that switch according to the season will not only keep you more comfortable, but it can also help you save money.
In the summer, make sure that your fan is going in a counterclockwise direction, which forces cool air directly downward and creates a “wind chill effect,” according to Home Depot. In the winter, you can switch it up so the fan rotates clockwise at a low speed, circulating the warm air that gets trapped near the ceiling.
If you have ceiling fans as well as air conditioning, using the fan correctly will allow you to raise the thermostat by roughly 4 degrees Fahrenheit and still feel just as comfortable, according to the Department of Energy. In moderately hot weather, you may even be able to turn off the AC. The DOE reminds people to turn off fans in unoccupied rooms.
According to Energy Star, if you raise your thermostat by just two degrees and use your ceiling fan, you can lower the cost of air conditioning by up to 14%.
If you’re in the market for a ceiling fan, larger fan blades will move more air than smaller ones, but you have to make sure it’s an appropriate size for the space.
The Department of Energy recommends blades be 7 to 9 feet above the floor and 10 to 12 inches away from the ceiling. The blades should be no closer than 8 inches from the ceiling and 18 inches from any walls. | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/news/national/overlooked-ceiling-fan-switch-could-make-you-cooler-this-summer/ | 2023-07-29T15:12:56 | 0 | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/news/national/overlooked-ceiling-fan-switch-could-make-you-cooler-this-summer/ |
(The Conversation) – Like any millennial pop music fan active on social media, I’ve been following Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour – the surprise songs, the scramble to get tickets, her brief romance with that guy from The 1975 with a history of racist comments.
But as a political scientist, I was intrigued by something else: reaction to the tour by government officials. New Jersey renamed the state’s famed Taylor ham, egg and cheese in her honor – it’s now the “Taylor Swift Ham, Egg, and Cheese” official state sandwich.
Pittsburgh’s mayor briefly renamed the city “Swiftsburgh” when her tour hit town.
And in my neck of the woods, Swift Street in North Kansas City was temporarily rebranded “Swift Street (Taylor’s Version).”
Local or state governments have lauded Swift in some way at virtually every stop on her tour. While these honors make for great photo opportunities for Swifties, the politics of these moves is worth examining. Do politicians have something to gain in appealing to Swift’s fans?
Celebrities can help politicians
Unlike many celebrities, Swift does not involve herself much in politics. One particular tool of politicians looking to boost their numbers is to get celebrity endorsements. But Swift’s use of endorsements has been limited, save for backing two Democrats in her adopted home state of Tennessee: Phil Bredesen in his Senate race and U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper in his 2018 reelection campaign. Swift also endorsed Joe Biden in 2020.
Bredesen’s peak in Google search interest from 2010 to the present coincided with Swift’s endorsement in October 2018. Cooper saw more Google search traffic with Swift’s endorsement than at any point since his vote for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in March 2010.
While the specific impact of Swift’s endorsements is difficult to assess, an Emerson College poll of Tennesseans in 2018 found that 11.7% of those surveyed said Swift’s endorsement would make them more likely to support Bredesen – a number unlikely to make a difference in a race Bredesen lost by nearly 11 points despite Swift’s support. Cooper easily won reelection in his heavily Democratic Nashville-based district.
Although Swift’s endorsements likely did not sway these particular races, celebrity endorsements can matter in close races, particularly when the celebrity making the endorsement is viewed favorably – a likely scenario in Swift’s case.
Fawning = attention
A slight majority of Americans consider themselves at least something of a fan of Swift’s music – that includes me – and a June 2023 Echelon Insights poll showed 50% of likely voters view Swift at least somewhat favorably. This is a higher favorability rating than Joe Biden, Donald Trump and both major political parties.
We’re not talking about endorsements here, though – we’re talking about politicians aligning themselves with Swift with no reciprocity. One clear benefit to public officials fawning over Swift? Attention – not unlike that seen for Bredesen and Cooper in 2018.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy’s tweet declaring the “Taylor Swift ham, egg, and cheese” garnered 5,700 likes; his next unrelated tweet had fewer than 100.
A cursory analysis of social media data seems to support the idea that the use of Swift’s name in honorary government actions produces a result similar to that of Swift’s endorsements: it drives engagement. Murphy’s Instagram post lauding Swift garnered the most likes on any post of his in 2023, with the exception of an early June post on the state’s air-quality crisis.
OK, so politicians need publicity, and they can use Taylor Swift’s name to get it. But what about Swifties as a voting bloc?
The idea that Swifties might be a key demographic in future elections is not far-fetched given their location and age. A majority of Swift’s fans live in the suburbs, the swing territory of American politics. Further, most are Gen Zers or Millennials. These groups encompass an increasing share of the electorate with each passing year – up to 31% in 2020. Swift’s favorability among those ages 18 to 29 stands at 72%, and by one poll’s estimate, 21% in that age cohort say they would vote for Swift over Trump and Biden.
Taylor Swift Post Office?
World leaders from numerous countries have taken to social media to ask Swift to bring her tour to their countries. There’s an economic angle to this, of course, as a Swift tour stop can generate huge sums in consumer spending. In the U.S., however, the honorifics bestowed upon Swift have come since her tour dates were confirmed.
There is a question of whether these Swift-adjacent stunts boil down to campaigning thinly disguised as official government action. This is perhaps best demonstrated in Canada, where a member of Parliament filed a parliamentary grievance over the singer’s lack of Canadian tour dates.
Such behavior is perhaps analogous to, on a larger scale, the renaming of post offices in the U.S. Congress. While generally innocuous and locally meaningful, these moves still require government resources and staffers to put their attention toward them as opposed to substantive policy matters.
Taylor Swift is an enormously popular figure, particularly among demographic groups that will be increasingly important in future American elections. In close races, voices such as Swift’s could prove critical – not necessarily because she influences how fans vote, but because her voice provides attention and credibility to candidates. | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/news/national/the-taylor-swift-official-state-sandwich-politicians-understand-swifties-are-a-key-demographic/ | 2023-07-29T15:13:10 | 0 | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/news/national/the-taylor-swift-official-state-sandwich-politicians-understand-swifties-are-a-key-demographic/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — A top Pentagon official has attacked this week’s widely watched congressional hearing on UFOs, calling the claims “insulting” to employees who are investigating sightings and accusing a key witness of not cooperating with the official U.S. government investigation.
Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick’s letter, published on his personal LinkedIn page and circulated Friday across social media, criticizes much of the testimony from a retired Air Force intelligence officer that energized believers in extraterrestrial life and produced headlines around the world.
Retired Air Force Maj. David Grusch testified Wednesday that the U.S. has concealed what he called a “multi-decade” program to collect and reverse-engineer “UAPs,” or unidentified aerial phenomena, the official government term for UFOs.
Part of what the U.S. has recovered, Grusch testified, were non-human “biologics,” which he said he had not seen but had learned about from “people with direct knowledge of the program.”
A career intelligence officer, Kirkpatrick was named a year ago to lead the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, or AARO, which was intended to centralize investigations into UAPs. The Pentagon and U.S. intelligence agencies have been pushed by Congress in recent years to better investigate reports of devices flying at unusual speeds or trajectories as a national security concern.
Kirkpatrick wrote the letter Thursday and the Defense Department confirmed Friday that he posted it in a personal capacity. Kirkpatrick declined to comment on the letter Friday.
He writes in part, “I cannot let yesterday’s hearing pass without sharing how insulting it was to the officers of the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community who chose to join AARO, many with not unreasonable anxieties about the career risks this would entail.”
“They are truth-seekers, as am I,” Kirkpatrick said. “But you certainly would not get that impression from yesterday’s hearing.”
In a separate statement, Pentagon spokeswoman Sue Gough denied other allegations made by Grusch before a House Oversight subcommittee.
The Pentagon “has no information that any individual has been harmed or killed as a result of providing information” about UFO objects, Gough said. Nor has the Pentagon discovered “any verifiable information to substantiate claims that any programs regarding the possession or reverse-engineering of extraterrestrial materials have existed in the past or exist currently.”
Kirkpatrick wrote, “AARO has yet to find any credible evidence to support the allegations of any reverse engineering program for non-human technology.”
He had briefed reporters in December that the Pentagon was investigating “several hundreds” of new reports following a push to have pilots and others come forward with any sightings.
Kirkpatrick wrote in his letter that allegations of “retaliation, to include physical assault and hints of murder, are extraordinarily serious, which is why law enforcement is a critical member of the AARO team, specifically to address and take swift action should anyone come forward with such claims.”
“Yet, contrary to assertions made in the hearing, the central source of those allegations has refused to speak with AARO,” Kirkpatrick said. He did not explicitly name Grusch, who alleged he faced retaliation and declined to answer when a congressman asked him if anyone had been murdered to hide information about UFOs.
Messages left at a phone number and email address for Grusch were not returned Friday. | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/politics/ap-politics/ap-the-ufo-congressional-hearing-was-insulting-to-us-employees-a-top-pentagon-official-says/ | 2023-07-29T15:13:16 | 0 | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/politics/ap-politics/ap-the-ufo-congressional-hearing-was-insulting-to-us-employees-a-top-pentagon-official-says/ |
(iSeeCars) — When it comes to car buying, you may be torn between buying and leasing.
While leasing a car might be an attractive option if you want a different car every few years, you might be turned off by the high monthly payments for the cars you’re interested in. What you might not realize is that you can also lease a used car.
Although used cars make up only a small percentage of the leased car market, it’s still possible to lease a used car. And with used car prices still higher than pre-pandemic levels, leasing a used car could be a smart financial decision.
So how can you lease a used car, and is it a good idea? We have the answers.
Which Used Cars Can be Leased?
Used cars that are available to lease are typically Certified Pre Owned cars (also known as CPO) from car dealerships. A certified pre-owned vehicle is a late-model used car that is sold by a franchised dealer after it has been thoroughly inspected, and comes with a factory-backed extended-powertrain warranty and bumper-to-bumper warranty. Each manufacturer has different criteria for their CPO vehicles, but they generally will be less than 6 years old and will not have more than 48,000 miles on the odometer.
You can also take over a lease from someone who wants to get out of their lease. It could be because they are facing a hardship or because they no longer require a vehicle. Whatever the reason, they will post their car on a leasing company website like SwapALease.com or LeaseTrader in hopes that someone can take over their lease so they won’t have to incur the penalties associated with breaking their lease contract. In this case you won’t be required to make a down payment, and you can likely negotiate with the seller to have them pay the transfer fees. However, when taking over someone’s lease, you should estimate how much you plan on driving the vehicle to make sure that you don’t exceed the mileage limit. If you do go over the mileage limit, you will have to pay a penalty when you turn the car in.
How To Find a Used Car to Lease
Used-car leases from dealerships are rare and aren’t widely advertised. The best way to find a leased used car is to do the legwork yourself. All major manufacturers, both mainstream and luxury, offer CPO vehicle leases. However, some automakers, including Stellantis, Ford, and Nissan, require outside financing, while Toyota’s finance department does provide financing for used vehicle leases.
The best way to find a used lease is to decide what vehicle you are interested in, and call around to franchised dealerships to see if they offer used car leases on their CPO inventory.
How to Shop For a Used Car Lease
When deciding if leasing a used car is right for you, you should always shop around. Just as you should compare prices when shopping for used vehicles, you should contact multiple dealerships to see which offer the best pricing.
You should also compare the cost of leasing a used car with the cost of a new car. New car leases often come with better finance rates and may also have incentives and special offers. This cost difference between a new-car lease and used-car lease will be smaller with used Honda and Toyota cars, while the savings will be more significant on luxury vehicles from Acura or Lexus.
The smartest used car lease purchases are for later model year cars, two-to-three-years old and still under warranty, or that offer extended warranties. Otherwise, you are responsible for costly repairs on a car you don’t own. Keep in mind auto insurance is often more expensive for leased cars, so make sure to get a quote from your insurer and factor it into your budget.
As with any used car purchase, you should make sure you get the car fully inspected by an independent mechanic before leasing. You should also use helpful online research tools like the iSeeCars free VIN check that provides a free CARFAX or Autocheck vehicle history report as part of its comprehensive VIN check tool. A comprehensive VIN check will complement the vehicle history report to provide all the important information an interested buyer should know before making a used car purchase.
How Does Used Car Leasing Work?
Used-car leases are similar in structure to new car leases. Just as with a new car lease, the lender will base payments off of a car’s residual value compared to its sales price. The lender will also determine a money factor, which is the vehicle’s interest rate. Just as used cars usually have higher interest rates than new cars, a used car lease will likely have a higher interest rate than a new car lease when it comes to a car loan. However, because a used car has already taken its depreciation hit, the used vehicle will have a lower sales price and lower depreciation rate, which will result in a lower monthly payment than a new car lease. Savings between new and used car leases tend to be more significant when leasing luxury cars.
Used Car Leases: Benefits
The main draw to leasing a used car is the lower monthly payments. It may also allow you to afford a more expensive car than what you would be able to afford with a new car lease. If you don’t care about having the latest new car technology, but want to get rid of a car before it’s too dated, a used car lease might be an appealing option. Additionally, you may have lower car insurance costs than what you would pay on a new car since rates are based on a car’s value.
Used Car Leases: Drawbacks
By leasing a used car, you are responsible for repairs after the vehicle runs past its warranty. You also won’t be able to enjoy the main benefit of new car leasing, which is driving a brand new car with the latest technology. By leasing a used car, although the payments are likely lower, you are still making monthly payments and maintenance costs for a vehicle you don’t own. You may also be charged at the end of the lease if the vehicle is not in good shape or you drive it past the mileage limit as stated in your lease agreement. In many instances, buying a practical used car and keeping it for several years will save you money in the long run compared to leasing.
Bottom Line
If you’re interested in leasing a car and want to lower your monthly lease payments or upgrade to a more expensive vehicle while keeping costs down, a used car lease might be a smart decision. However, used car leases are hard to find, so you should be prepared to do some extra legwork to find the best used car lease deals. Also, be sure to compare prices and lease rates to other used CPO leases as well as new vehicle leases. Avoid leased vehicles that extend beyond a car’s warranty so you won’t be responsible for expensive repairs.
Lastly, once your lease term ends, you’ll have the option for a lease buyout with a purchase price based on the residual value of the car. If you don’t buy the car, you’ll need to find another car to lease. That’s why purchasing a used car outright, that you can keep as long as you want, is often the smartest long-term financial decision.
More from iSeeCars.com:
If you’re interested in a new car or a used car, be sure to check out iSeeCars’ award-winning car search engine. It uses advanced algorithms to help shoppers find the best car deals across all used cars and provides key insights and valuable resources, like the iSeeCars free VIN check report and Best Cars rankings. Filter by make, model, price, CPO vehicles, and special features to find the best deal on your next vehicle.
This article, Can You Lease a Used Car? originally appeared on iSeeCars.com. | https://www.cbs42.com/automotive/can-you-lease-a-used-car-3/ | 2023-07-29T15:13:20 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/automotive/can-you-lease-a-used-car-3/ |
TOKYO — Toshihiro Mutsuda was only 5 years old when he last saw his father, who was drafted by Japan's Imperial Army in 1943 and killed in action. For him, his father was a bespectacled man in an old family photo standing by a signed good-luck flag that he carried to war.
On Saturday, when the flag was returned to him from a U.S. war museum where it had been on display for 29 years, Mutsuda, now 83, said: "It's a miracle."
The flag, known as "Yosegaki Hinomaru," or Good Luck Flag, carries the soldier's name, Shigeyoshi Mutsuda, and the signatures of his relatives, friends and neighbors wishing him luck. It was given to him before he was drafted by the Army. His family was later told he died in Saipan, but his remains were never returned.
The flag was donated in 1994 and displayed at the museum aboard the USS Lexington, a WWII aircraft carrier, in Corpus Christi, Texas. Its meaning was not known until it was identified by the family earlier this year, said the museum director Steve Banta, who brought the flag to Tokyo.
Banta said he learned the story behind the flag earlier this year when he was contacted by the Obon Society, a nonprofit organization that has returned about 500 similar flags as non-biological remains, to the descendants of Japanese servicemembers killed in the war.
The search for the flag's original owner started in April when a museum visitor took a photo and asked an expert about the description that it had belonged to a "kamikaze" suicide pilot. When Shigeyoshi Mutsuda's grandson saw the photo, he sought help from the Obon Society, group co-founder Keiko Ziak said.
"When we learned all of this, and that the family would like to have the flag, we knew immediately that the flag did not belong to us," Banta said at the handover ceremony. "We knew that the right thing to do would be to send the flag home, to be in Japan and to the family."
The soldier's eldest son, Toshihiro Mutsuda, was speechless for a few seconds when Banta, wearing white gloves, gently placed the neatly folded flag into his hands. Two of his younger siblings, both in their 80s, stood by and looked on silently. The three children, all wearing cotton gloves so they wouldn't damage the decades-old flag, carefully unfolded it to show to the audience.
The soldier's daughter, Misako Matsukuchi, touched the flag with both hands and prayed. "After nearly 80 years, the spirit of our father returned to us. I hope he can finally rest in peace," Matsukuchi said later.
Toshihiro Mutsuda said his memory of his father was foggy. However, he clearly remembers his mother, Masae Mutsuda, who died five years ago at age 102, used to make the long-distance bus trip almost every year from the farming town in Gifu, central Japan, to Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine, where the 2.5 million war dead are enshrined, to pay tribute to her husband's spirit.
The shrine is controversial, as it includes convicted war criminals among those commemorated. Victims of Japanese aggression during the first half of the 20th century, especially China and the Koreas, see Yasukuni as a symbol of Japanese militarism. However, for the Mutsuda family, it's a place to remember the loss of a father and husband.
"It's like an old love story across the ages coming together ... It doesn't matter where," Banta said, referring to the Yasukuni controversy. "The important thing is this flag goes to the family."
That's why Toshihiro Mutsuda and his siblings chose to receive the flag at Yasukuni and brought the framed photos of their parents.
"My mother missed him and wanted to see him so much and that's why she used to pray here," Toshihiro Mutsuda said. "Today her wish finally came true, and she was able to be reunited."
Keeping the flag on his lap, he said, "I feel the weight of the flag."
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.nprillinois.org/2023-07-29/a-wwii-japanese-soldiers-good-luck-flag-is-returned-to-his-family-from-u-s-museum | 2023-07-29T15:13:20 | 0 | https://www.nprillinois.org/2023-07-29/a-wwii-japanese-soldiers-good-luck-flag-is-returned-to-his-family-from-u-s-museum |
TRAVERSE CITY — Oliver Springsteen said he began working in a food truck when he was about 12 years old.
He said his dad Russell Springsteen, who owns Right Brain Brewery, asked him to help when they had staffing shortages.
He continued to cook around town, working in the kitchen at Sleder’s Family Tavern and Lil Bo for several years. He bought a food truck from bar owner Jennifer Scott and started getting it ready to roll over the last year.
His own food truck is called Underdawg’s Hot Dogs and is parked outside of Right Brain Brewery. Springsteen said he wanted to fill a void he saw in the area.
“I noticed there wasn’t really a good hot dog spot in town,” he said. “There’s a gap in the market, so I can come in.”
He mentioned eateries like House of Doggs and Glizzy’s Coney Dogs are closed.
Springsteen said he only serves Koegel’s beef and pork hot dogs, but he offers some different varieties too. The Hot Diggity Dawg involves hot Cheetos, sriracha ketchup, cheddar cheese and bacon.
“That’s a fun one,” he said. “I thought, ‘I need something original to put on here.’”
The menu also includes a Flint-style Coney, Chicago, BLT, chili cheese and several other hot dogs. The Flint-style is made with Coney sauce, mustard and onion. The Chicago style is topped with onion, tomato, pickle, chili peppers, mustard and relish.
“I tried to get all the regional hot dogs,” Springsteen said. “I’m planning on getting some vegetarian dogs.”
Right Brain Brewery Marketing Director Jim Young said they have had food trucks on site before, but Underdawg’s is “the most permanent.” Last year, they hosted King Wubbz, mostly a burgers and fries eatery.
This season, Young said, people can come for their beer and a hot dog, which both have “standards and weird stuff too.”
“It’s a huge variety of hot dogs,” he said. “Food is always good with beer, too.”
Underdawg’s Hot Dogs is open from noon to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday at Right Brain Brewery, 225 E. 16th St. The food truck will be there at least through the fall.
For the full menu and more information, visit https://www.underdawgstc.com/. | https://www.record-eagle.com/news/food/food-truck-serves-hot-dogs-at-local-brewery/article_e93ffc4e-2b25-11ee-abed-ffc13909b1ac.html | 2023-07-29T15:13:20 | 0 | https://www.record-eagle.com/news/food/food-truck-serves-hot-dogs-at-local-brewery/article_e93ffc4e-2b25-11ee-abed-ffc13909b1ac.html |
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — The United States will expand its military industrial base by helping Australia manufacture guided missiles and rockets for both countries within two years, the allies announced on Saturday as they ramped up defense cooperation to counter China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific.
The new cooperation on guided weapon production follows a trilateral partnership announcement in March that will see Britain provide Australia with a fleet of eight submarines powered by U.S. nuclear technology.
The greater integration of U.S. and Australian militaries was announced after annual talks between U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken and their Australian counterparts, Defense Minister Richard Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong.
They agreed to cooperate on Australia producing Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems by 2025, a communique said.
U.S. companies Raytheon and Lockheed Martin only established an Australian enterprise to build such weapons last year. That followed the drain on Western countries’ munitions caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Austin said the move on missiles would strengthen the two allies’ defense industrial base and technological edge.
“We’re racing to accelerate Australia’s priority access to munitions through a streamlined acquisition process,” Austin told reporters in Brisbane, Australia.
Marles welcomed U.S. support to achieve Australian missile production within two years.
“We are really pleased with the steps that we are taking in respect of establishing a guided weapons and explosive ordnance enterprise in this country,” Marles said.
The two governments also agreed to upgrade joint military facilities in Australia and to increase U.S. nuclear submarine visits as the United States increases its focus on the South Pacific.
The region came to the forefront of the U.S. competition with China for influence last year, when Beijing signed a security pact with Solomon Islands and raised the prospect of a Chinese naval base being established there.
Austin became the first U.S. defense secretary to visit Papua New Guinea and Blinken visited New Zealand and Tonga before they arrived in Australia.
Saturday’s meeting was overshadowed by the loss of an Australian Army helicopter with four air crew late Friday, during military exercises with the U.S. off the northeastern coast of Australia.
U.S., Australian and Canadian militaries are taking part in the search for potential survivors near Whitsunday Islands off the Queensland state coast.
Austin and Marles will travel to north Queensland on Sunday to inspect Talisman Sabre, a biennial military exercise between the two countries that this year includes 13 nations and more than 30,000 military personnel. | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/politics/ap-politics/ap-us-pledges-to-help-australia-manufacture-guided-missiles-by-2025/ | 2023-07-29T15:13:24 | 1 | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/politics/ap-politics/ap-us-pledges-to-help-australia-manufacture-guided-missiles-by-2025/ |
HOOVER, Ala. (WIAT) – Carlee Russell was arrested Friday on two misdemeanor charges related to her faked kidnapping on July 13. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall was invited in by the Hoover Police Department to prosecute the case.
Marshall said it’s common for attorney generals to take on cases like these, but some other prosecutors can’t remember the last time an attorney general took on a misdemeanor case.
“We will continue to monitor this investigation to determine whether or not there are any additional charges that need to be brought, and we’ll evaluate those as the facts are presented,” Marshall said.
Alabama law states falsely reporting an incident and falsely reporting to law enforcement are Class A misdemeanors — the same classification as domestic violence, some assault and some theft.
“Judging from the amount of phone calls and emails we’ve received from all over the country, I know many are shocked and appalled that Ms. Russell is only being charged with two misdemeanors despite all the panic and disruption her actions caused,” HPD Chief Nick Derzis said. “Let me assure you, I too share the same frustration.”
Former U.S. prosecutor Raymond Johnson said attorney generals have concurrent jurisdiction, meaning they can be invited onto a case by a municipality. Carlee Russell’s case will be handled in municipal court instead of district court, which Derzis said is because of the charges being only misdemeanor.
“Why not let the district attorney handle this?” Johnson said. “As I said, the district attorney has capable and skilled prosecutors at the district attorney’s office that can prosecute this case very successfully if they wish to do so.”
During Friday’s press conference, the HPD said it wanted to go before legislators this fall to ask them to change state law, creating harsher punishments for people who falsely report kidnapping and other violent crimes. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/crime/alabama-attorney-general-asked-to-prosecute-carlee-russell-case/ | 2023-07-29T15:13:26 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/crime/alabama-attorney-general-asked-to-prosecute-carlee-russell-case/ |
Editor’s note: We’ve asked some of our Traverse City farmers market purveyors to share stories with us about their time on the farm and at the market. Enjoy!
Tomatoes are a race against time. Fran determines what variety and how many seeds we need in December. We get the ground worked up as early in the spring as we can. In the meantime, Fran has started the seeds in the greenhouse based on reverse engineering the outcome (determine what date we want the tomatoes for market and determine what date to start them in the greenhouse based on the seed packet recommendation on how long they take to grow to harvest). Then the race is on.
Tomato plants are a top-heavy structure, and depending on the variety, can be really tall and really top-heavy. Sooner or later the base of the plant will fail and the whole plant will lay in the dirt, get diseases and ruin the tomatoes. The seedlings, the weather and the soil conditions all have to be right before you can plant.
We plant as a team. We mark the rows with a string and stakes, and I man a shovel while Fran plants the seedlings. We do what we’re good at. I’d take all day trying to get the seedlings in the hole, and more often than not would get whacked upside the head with the shovel handle if we traded jobs, so we’ve learned to make peace with the process.
We try to plant the rows east and west to take advantage of the winds to help keep disease away. Once the seedlings are in the ground and growing tall enough, I install the tomato stakes — wooden stakes between each plant that are about 5-feet tall. Next we lay down a paper weed barrier. This barrier is organic certified and impregnated with fertilizer. The beauty of it is that by the time winter comes, it has simply vanished and we’re ready for the next season. In the meantime, it suppresses weeds and keeps the ground moist for the tomatoes.
After the barrier is down, we tuck in straw around the base of the tomatoes. This does three things: weed suppression, moisture retention, AND rainwater deflection. I read somewhere that tomato diseases are in the soil and will always be with us. What happens is the rain hits the soil around the plant and splashes diseases back up and onto the plants. With straw, the rain hits the straw and is deflected down. We do everything we can not to use sprays of any kind.
When the plants have grown tall enough, we start stringing about every 8 inches tall until we run out of stake or plant throughout the whole summer.
That being said, DO NOT GET THIS OUT OF SEQUENCE!!!! One year I put the paper down before getting the stakes in and while we were at market, must have had a good old Michigan windstorm and gully washer hit the farm. When we got home it looked like we had alien crop circles in the tomato field. The paper mulch had not torn but had wind-whipped the poor tomato babies to death. If you have ever seen a farmer cry, I was really close that time.
I told you all that so I could tell you about the stakes. In the early days, starting in March I’d sort all the stakes and re-tip the ends so they pound easier. I use a 3-pound sledgehammer. Each stake takes roughly 10 whacks. Three-thousand plants would then take 30,000 whacks. Pretty rough on the old guy. There had to be a better way. My first idea was to make a tool for an air impact driver. Not good. Inefficient and I’d have to figure a way to get an air compressor way out in the field.
Idea No. 2: I read somewhere that bamboo was three times stronger than wood. Probably true, so I ordered 5,000 stakes as big around as my thumb and eagerly awaited their arrival. That’s it! I’m a genius! The big day came, and I grabbed a bamboo stake and my sledge and started to whack it. BBBBOOOOIIIINNNGGG!!!!!! It looked like Wyle E. Coyote getting hit with a frying pan! Bamboo also bends, and you cannot drive it in the ground. Now what do I do?
Genius idea No. 3: Pressure washer! I took the tip off my pressure washer, drilled holes in the dirt with one hand and stuck the bamboo stakes in the ground with the other hand as fast as you could pick them up. That’s it! Back to being a genius again, I’m going to get my picture in some tomato magazine for sure this time. Worked great — for about three weeks. As previously mentioned, tomatoes get top-heavy the bigger the tomatoes get. We came home from the market and found whole rows lying on the ground bent over by a summer storm and bendable bamboo stakes. Not only not a genius, but in the doghouse. There goes all my fame. Many steel fence posts for reinforcement got us through that year.
About that time, I started seeing ads for garden augers to plant flower bulbs. Nice, but short, and I still had to drag a drill and a cord out in the field.
A few years later, they made a longer auger, and a battery powered drill big enough to do the job. Now we plant the seedlings, drill holes in the ground between the plants, insert a stake and stomp the ground around the stake. No need for a nice point on the end of the stake any longer. Done.
Back to being a tomato genius. | https://www.record-eagle.com/news/food/tales-from-the-farm-much-at-stake-for-tomatoes/article_f9247cc0-2cb0-11ee-ab87-7f9f3eae81d3.html | 2023-07-29T15:13:27 | 1 | https://www.record-eagle.com/news/food/tales-from-the-farm-much-at-stake-for-tomatoes/article_f9247cc0-2cb0-11ee-ab87-7f9f3eae81d3.html |
FUKUOKA, Japan (AP) — Here’s why Katie Ledecky is one of the greatest freestyle swimmers in the history of the sport. She’s never quite satisfied.
The 26-year-old American won the 800-freestyle on Saturday at the World Aquatics Championships to become the first swimmer to win six golds in the same event at the worlds. It was also her 16th individual world title, breaking a tie with legendary Michael Phelps for the most golds at the worlds.
She’s also a seven-time Olympic gold medalist and the record holder in both the 800 and 1,500.
But that winning time — 8 minutes, 08.87 seconds, which is the seventh quickest she’d even swum — wasn’t quite good enough in her favorite event.
“I’m just always trying to think of new ways to improve. I mean I’ve already got everything turning in my head right now. I kind of wanted to be better than I was tonight,” she said, twirling her right hand beside her right ear, trying to stir up ideas.
“I’m pretty tough on myself,” she said. “But I think I have found the balance of being tough on myself but also having that grace.”
The 800 was Ledecky’s second individual gold following her win in the 1,500 free on Tuesday. She also took silver in the 400 free. Li Bingjie of China took silver in 8:13.31, and Ariarne Titmus of Australia got the bronze in 8:13.59.
“It’s fun to leave a meet with your favorite event, and I just wanted to leave it all in the pool,” Ledecky said.
It was only the fourth gold for the United States in the seventh of eight days in the pool. Meanwhile, Australia has been piling it on with 13 golds, matching its best in the worlds. Australia also won three more golds on Saturday.
The Americans lead the overall table with 31 medals (16 silver), Australia has 20 and China 13.
Kaylee McKeown of Australia made history of her own with gold in the women’s 200 backstroke. McKeown’s victory gave her a sweep of all three backstroke events after earlier wins in the 50 and 100. She became the first swimmer ever to sweep all three backstrokes at the worlds.
It all made up for disqualification earlier in the meet in the 200 IM.
“You can’t change the rules,” she said. “I got ruled out. It’s just the cards I was dealt with and I couldn’t do much more than that. So I just had to carry myself the best I could and channel all my anger and turn a huge negative into a positive.”
Regan Smith of the United States picked up the silver in 2:04.94, while Peng Xuwei of China got the bronze in 2:06.74.
Sarah Sjoestroem of Sweden continued her dominance with gold in the women’s 50-meter butterfly. The 29-year-old won in 24.77 and has now won the event five consecutive times at the worlds. The win brought Sjoestroem’s individual medals at the worlds to 20, equaling Phelps’ mark.
Sjoestroem also broke her own record in the 50 freestyle, going 23.61 in a semifinal heat. Her old record was 23.67 set in 2017.
“There are not too many secrets,” Sjoestroem said to her longevity. “Just do the work every day, go to practice, and stay humble.”
Zhang Yufei of China, who took gold in the 100 fly, claimed the silver in 25.05, while American Gretchen Walsh got the bronze in 25.46.
Japanese fan favorite Rikako Ikee finished seventh (25.78) in the 50 fly but was greeted warmly by the home crowd.
The 23-year-old Ikee won six gold medals at the 2018 Asian Games and was to be a favorite in the Tokyo Olympics. But she was diagnosed with leukemia in February of 2019. Her comeback continues to resonate with both the Japanese public and her fellow competitors.
Cameron McEvoy of Australia led all the way to capture the gold in the men’s 50 free in 21.06. It was his first individual gold in the worlds or Olympics.
American Jack Alexy collected his second silver of the worlds in 21.57 to go with his silver in the 100 free. Benjamin Proud of Britian, last year’s world champion, took the bronze in 21.58.
Dressell won the event in Tokyo but did not qualify for the American team, taking a little break from the sport. McEvoy’s time was quicker than Dressell’s winning time in Tokyo — 21.07
Maxime Grousset of France won gold in the men’s 100 fly in 50.14. The 24-year-old took the early lead and held on for the victory. Josh Liendo of Canada earned the silver in 50.34, while American Dare Rose made the podium with the bronze (50.46).
Ruta Meilutyte of Lithuania equaled the world record of 29.30 in her semifinal in the women’s 50 breaststroke.
Australia won the 4×100 mixed freestyle relay in a world record of 3:18.83. The Americans took the silver in 3:20.82, with Britain getting the bronze in 3:21.68. The relay is not an Olympic event.
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AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-katie-ledecky-passes-michael-phelps-for-most-individual-golds-at-world-championships/ | 2023-07-29T15:13:30 | 0 | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-katie-ledecky-passes-michael-phelps-for-most-individual-golds-at-world-championships/ |
(NEXSTAR) – The current Mega Millions jackpot is now tied for the fourth-largest in the game’s history after yet another drawing produced no grand-prize winners.
Friday’s winning numbers — 5, 10, 28, 52, 63, and Mega Ball 18 — went unmatched, continuing a 29-drawing trend that began after the last jackpot-winner was announced on April 18.
The current jackpot now stands at an estimated $1.05 billion, with a cash option of $527.9 million. That amount officially qualifies as the fourth-largest grand prize in Mega Millions history, tied with a jackpot awarded in Jan. 2021.
The current jackpot has steadily grown since April, after a ticketholder in New York matched all six numbers to win a $20-million prize. (The previous jackpot, awarded days before on April 14, was worth $483 million.) A total of 46 players, meanwhile, have won second-tier prizes worth $1 million or more since the last jackpot was won, the Mega Millions lottery confirmed in a press release.
Friday night’s drawing produced five of those second-tier winners, including one each in Arizona, California and New York, and two in Pennsylvania. One of the winning ticketholders in Pennsylvania had also purchased the Megaplier option (which multiplied Friday’s winnings by five times), making that ticket worth $5 million.
“In the current Mega Millions matrix and Megaplier configuration, which has been in place since October 28, 2017, there has never been a Megaplier of 5x drawn at this extraordinary jackpot level,” reads a portion of the Mega Millions press release. “That means a lot of prizes in other tiers have been multiplied by a factor of five!”
The next Mega Millions drawing is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 1. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/mega-millions-jackpot-exceeds-1-billion-now-4th-largest-in-games-history/ | 2023-07-29T15:13:32 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/mega-millions-jackpot-exceeds-1-billion-now-4th-largest-in-games-history/ |
BALTIMORE (AP) — Anthony Santander said it felt like a playoff game at Camden Yards.
A few more performances like this, and the Baltimore Orioles will be there.
Santander homered off Tommy Kahnle in the ninth inning to give the Orioles a 1-0 victory over New York on Friday night, spoiling Aaron Judge’s return for the Yankees. Judge walked three times in his first game back from a toe injury, but the Orioles kept New York off the scoreboard with a spectacular defensive effort.
In the eighth inning alone, Santander made a lunging, sliding catch in right field, and second baseman Adam Frazier made a diving stop on Anthony Rizzo’s grounder with a man on second.
“Great defense, great pitching, that’s how we win baseball games,” Santander said.
Orioles rookie Grayson Rodriguez pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings, going toe to toe with New York’s Gerrit Cole, who went seven. Félix Bautista (6-1) struck out two in a scoreless ninth. Kahnle (1-1) couldn’t match that in the bottom half, allowing Santander’s one-out drive that went well beyond the fence in right-center field.
The Orioles remained 1 1/2 games ahead of Tampa Bay atop the AL East, and they now lead the last-place Yankees by nine.
The game was delayed 2 hours, 32 minutes by rain, but that did little to dampen the enthusiasm of a crowd that included a mix of Yankees fans cheering Judge and Orioles fans embracing their first-place team.
“Right before the start of the game, it felt like a playoff game,” Santander said. “That’s good to have those fans to support us. Hopefully they can continue to do that.”
Judge lined out to right field on the first pitch to him in the first, but he reached base the other three times he came up.
Anthony Volpe was robbed twice by stellar Baltimore defense. Third baseman Ramón Urías made a diving stop on his one-hopper in the fifth. In the eighth, Volpe led off with a fly to right that Santander reached out and caught before sliding on his stomach across the grass.
New York eventually had two on and two out that inning when Rizzo’s grounder looked headed to right field. Frazier’s diving play prevented that.
“Defense won us the game,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “Adam Frazier, diving play off Rizz. Santander with a great diving catch. We turned some double plays.”
Each team had only four hits. Rodriguez was one of Baltimore’s prized prospects, and after being sent back to the minors for a bit, he may be finding a groove.
“I just love his delivery right now and the tempo of his delivery,” Hyde said. “Just really, really competitive.”
DEADLINE OUTLOOK
Orioles general manager Mike Elias said it’s no secret that the Orioles are working on potentially adding pitching upgrades at the trade deadline. He said the team has the wherewithal to make “good baseball trades” even if it means adding payroll.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Orioles: Elias said he hopes OFs Cedric Mullins (right adductor groin strain) and Aaron Hicks (left hamstring strain) can return and play a large part of August. … Elias said LHP John Means (left elbow UCL surgery) and RHP Mychal Givens (right shoulder inflammation) will probably be pitching in games in the Florida Complex League in the early part of August.
UP NEXT
Baltimore’s Tyler Wells (7-5) takes the mound against New York’s Clarke Schmidt (6-6) on Saturday night. Schmidt will be on extended rest, having last pitched July 21.
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Follow Noah Trister at https://twitter.com/noahtrister
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-santander-hits-9th-inning-homer-to-give-orioles-1-0-win-over-yankees-and-spoil-judges-return/ | 2023-07-29T15:13:37 | 1 | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-santander-hits-9th-inning-homer-to-give-orioles-1-0-win-over-yankees-and-spoil-judges-return/ |
(NEXSTAR) — For many of us, flying is a relatively easy experience. Your flight leaves on time, your seatmates are polite, and you arrive at your destination safely.
But, in some cases, one of those aspects of flying may not go exactly as planned. You may find one of your fellow flyers committing an air travel faux pas: being barefoot.
You’ve seen the photos online of people’s toes peeking out between the seats. Maybe you’ve encountered it yourself. Either way, it’s largely frowned upon. In some cases, barefoot flying can even get you grounded.
Within its contract of carriage, United Airlines considers being barefoot, as well as being “not properly clothed,” an offense that justifies “refusal or removal of a passenger.” The carrier lists it as one of the many infractions that could impact safety for the passenger or others on the plane.
American Airlines says bare feet “aren’t allowed” from passengers, adding that “violent” or “inappropriate actions” could prevent you from boarding, being removed from the terminal, or facing legal prosecution.
Delta Airlines also warns that it can “refuse to transport or may remove passengers from its aircraft” if the passenger is barefoot. A barefoot passenger may be prohibited from boarding the plane, or may be forced to leave the plane, according to Spirit Airlines’ contract of carriage.
Frontier Airlines says it can refuse service to a passenger who is over the age of 3 and barefoot, “unless required to be barefoot for medical reasons.” Southwest Airlines and JetBlue state in their contracts of carriage that they can refuse to let a passenger fly if they are barefoot and older than five years of age, unless required due to a disability.
If these warnings from airlines aren’t enough to sway you from taking off your shoes while flying, maybe consider how many other people have also taken their shoes off on a plane – and what else has touched the floor.
“I would never fly barefoot on a plane,” a veteran flight attendant for a major carrier told Nexstar. “Passengers these days can be quite messy and we see everything from spills to dirty diapers thrown on the floor.”
Planes are tidied between flights, she explains, but the floors won’t be cleaned “unless there is a major mess.” That includes floors in the bathroom, too.
“That is most likely not water on the floor,” she adds. “Think of old men and young boys trying to aim in turbulence. Not good. Also, people love to throw trash anywhere but in the bathroom trash can so it usually ends up on the floor.”
If you still want to take your shoes off, she recommends bringing an old pair of socks to wear, then throwing them away after the flight.
United, American, Delta, Spirit, Frontier, JetBlue, and Southwest did not respond to Nexstar’s request for comment or its inquiry into whether any passengers have been removed or barred from flying over being barefooted.
Barefoot flyers are likely among the least of many airlines’ concerns. Over the last three years, airlines have reported record-setting incidents of disruptive passengers. That includes passengers accused of assaulting flight crews, opening emergency doors, and refusing to wear masks during the height of the COVID pandemic.
More recently, a Las Vegas-bound flight was forced to divert to Denver after an apparent fight broke out between some passengers. Two women were escorted off the plane, according to a passenger that captured video of the incident.
Causing a disturbance on a plane is a federal crime, and unruly passengers can face criminal prosecution or even fines. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/no-shoes-no-service-what-can-happen-if-you-fly-barefoot/ | 2023-07-29T15:13:38 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/no-shoes-no-service-what-can-happen-if-you-fly-barefoot/ |
AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — United States midfielder Savannah DeMelo can speak some Portuguese and may be able to put it to use in the Women’s World Cup.
The U.S. plays Portugal on Tuesday to wrap up the tournament’s group stage, and a fter a disappointing 1-1 draw against the Netherlands, the Americans needs a win. At stake is both the top spot in Group E and also a much-needed boost to team confidence.
That’s where DeMelo can help.
The 25-year-old’s dad, Robert, is from Portugal and had a successful career as a player in that country before becoming a coach. DeMelo has dual citizenship and understands Portuguese.
“I’ll definitely be listening for it,” she laughed.
DeMelo made her first international start for the United States against Vietnam in the group opener, a 3-0 victory for the Americans.
Prior to the World Cup, DeMelo had played in only one other match for the United States: she was a substitute in the team’s send-off match against Wales in San Jose in early July. DeMelo, who plays for Racing Louisville FC in the National Women’s Soccer League, was the first U.S. player since Shannon Boxx in 2003 and third overall to be named to the World Cup roster without any previous appearances for the national team.
U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski started DeMelo in the both of the American’s World Cup matches. She played both opening halves before being subbed off for veteran Rose Lavelle, who has been playing limited minutes for the United States because of a knee injury suffered in April.
The journey from being named to the team to getting a start in the World Cup has “been a crazy roller coaster of emotions,” said DeMelo.
“But I think I’ve had a lot of great people, including the girls on the team, who have been super helpful with getting me acclimated to the team,” she said. “And I’m just super grateful to be here.”
The United States may need to switch up its tactics against Portugal.
The Americans are tied on points with the Netherlands in Group E and have an advantage over the Dutch on goal difference. The top two teams in the group advance to the knockout round.
But the results haven’t been as emphatic as they were in 2019, when the U.S. opened with a 13-0 victory over Thailand and went on to win their second straight World Cup title, and fourth overall.
The United States trailed the Netherlands by a goal in the first half before Lindsey Horan scored a game-tying header in the 62nd minute.
One reason for the less-than-dominant play could be inexperience. DeMelo is among 14 U.S. players appearing in their first World Cup.
Fellow midfielder Andi Sullivan, who is also making her tournament debut, said it takes some adjustment to play together as newcomers.
“That’s definitely a challenge that we’re going through, is that we just kind of came together,” Sullivan said. “It’s not like a team that you’re training with all year round, constantly. You’re in and out all the time. So I think you’re constantly adjusting.
“But the way that you get in sync is we watch a lot of stuff together, we communicate constantly. We’re very direct when something’s not going the way we want it to go,” Sullivan added. “You have to be direct and clear and honest and loud.”
DeMelo is also among six players at the World Cup who play for Racing Louisville. Among the Racing Louisville representatives are Ary Borges, who scored a hat trick for Brazil in its 4-0 victory over Panama to start the tournament.
DeMelo, who said her father never pushed her into soccer growing up, could have played for Portugal at the senior level.
“It could have been an option,” she said, “but I think my heart was always with the United States.”
___
AP Women’s World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-womens-world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-savannah-demelos-ability-to-speak-portuguese-may-help-us-in-critical-womens-world-cup-match/ | 2023-07-29T15:13:43 | 0 | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-savannah-demelos-ability-to-speak-portuguese-may-help-us-in-critical-womens-world-cup-match/ |
(NEXSTAR) – With heat records already falling this summer, you may be running your ceiling fan nearly non-stop, but did you know you may not be as cool as you could be?
If you’ve ever taken a close look at the fan, you may have noticed a small switch located on the side of the fan base. The switch, which is found on nearly every fan, can change the direction the fan spins.
Using that switch according to the season will not only keep you more comfortable, but it can also help you save money.
In the summer, make sure that your fan is going in a counterclockwise direction, which forces cool air directly downward and creates a “wind chill effect,” according to Home Depot. In the winter, you can switch it up so the fan rotates clockwise at a low speed, circulating the warm air that gets trapped near the ceiling.
If you have ceiling fans as well as air conditioning, using the fan correctly will allow you to raise the thermostat by roughly 4 degrees Fahrenheit and still feel just as comfortable, according to the Department of Energy. In moderately hot weather, you may even be able to turn off the AC. The DOE reminds people to turn off fans in unoccupied rooms.
According to Energy Star, if you raise your thermostat by just two degrees and use your ceiling fan, you can lower the cost of air conditioning by up to 14%.
If you’re in the market for a ceiling fan, larger fan blades will move more air than smaller ones, but you have to make sure it’s an appropriate size for the space.
The Department of Energy recommends blades be 7 to 9 feet above the floor and 10 to 12 inches away from the ceiling. The blades should be no closer than 8 inches from the ceiling and 18 inches from any walls. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/overlooked-ceiling-fan-switch-could-make-you-cooler-this-summer/ | 2023-07-29T15:13:44 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/overlooked-ceiling-fan-switch-could-make-you-cooler-this-summer/ |
(The Conversation) – Like any millennial pop music fan active on social media, I’ve been following Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour – the surprise songs, the scramble to get tickets, her brief romance with that guy from The 1975 with a history of racist comments.
But as a political scientist, I was intrigued by something else: reaction to the tour by government officials. New Jersey renamed the state’s famed Taylor ham, egg and cheese in her honor – it’s now the “Taylor Swift Ham, Egg, and Cheese” official state sandwich.
Pittsburgh’s mayor briefly renamed the city “Swiftsburgh” when her tour hit town.
And in my neck of the woods, Swift Street in North Kansas City was temporarily rebranded “Swift Street (Taylor’s Version).”
Local or state governments have lauded Swift in some way at virtually every stop on her tour. While these honors make for great photo opportunities for Swifties, the politics of these moves is worth examining. Do politicians have something to gain in appealing to Swift’s fans?
Celebrities can help politicians
Unlike many celebrities, Swift does not involve herself much in politics. One particular tool of politicians looking to boost their numbers is to get celebrity endorsements. But Swift’s use of endorsements has been limited, save for backing two Democrats in her adopted home state of Tennessee: Phil Bredesen in his Senate race and U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper in his 2018 reelection campaign. Swift also endorsed Joe Biden in 2020.
Bredesen’s peak in Google search interest from 2010 to the present coincided with Swift’s endorsement in October 2018. Cooper saw more Google search traffic with Swift’s endorsement than at any point since his vote for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in March 2010.
While the specific impact of Swift’s endorsements is difficult to assess, an Emerson College poll of Tennesseans in 2018 found that 11.7% of those surveyed said Swift’s endorsement would make them more likely to support Bredesen – a number unlikely to make a difference in a race Bredesen lost by nearly 11 points despite Swift’s support. Cooper easily won reelection in his heavily Democratic Nashville-based district.
Although Swift’s endorsements likely did not sway these particular races, celebrity endorsements can matter in close races, particularly when the celebrity making the endorsement is viewed favorably – a likely scenario in Swift’s case.
Fawning = attention
A slight majority of Americans consider themselves at least something of a fan of Swift’s music – that includes me – and a June 2023 Echelon Insights poll showed 50% of likely voters view Swift at least somewhat favorably. This is a higher favorability rating than Joe Biden, Donald Trump and both major political parties.
We’re not talking about endorsements here, though – we’re talking about politicians aligning themselves with Swift with no reciprocity. One clear benefit to public officials fawning over Swift? Attention – not unlike that seen for Bredesen and Cooper in 2018.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy’s tweet declaring the “Taylor Swift ham, egg, and cheese” garnered 5,700 likes; his next unrelated tweet had fewer than 100.
A cursory analysis of social media data seems to support the idea that the use of Swift’s name in honorary government actions produces a result similar to that of Swift’s endorsements: it drives engagement. Murphy’s Instagram post lauding Swift garnered the most likes on any post of his in 2023, with the exception of an early June post on the state’s air-quality crisis.
OK, so politicians need publicity, and they can use Taylor Swift’s name to get it. But what about Swifties as a voting bloc?
The idea that Swifties might be a key demographic in future elections is not far-fetched given their location and age. A majority of Swift’s fans live in the suburbs, the swing territory of American politics. Further, most are Gen Zers or Millennials. These groups encompass an increasing share of the electorate with each passing year – up to 31% in 2020. Swift’s favorability among those ages 18 to 29 stands at 72%, and by one poll’s estimate, 21% in that age cohort say they would vote for Swift over Trump and Biden.
Taylor Swift Post Office?
World leaders from numerous countries have taken to social media to ask Swift to bring her tour to their countries. There’s an economic angle to this, of course, as a Swift tour stop can generate huge sums in consumer spending. In the U.S., however, the honorifics bestowed upon Swift have come since her tour dates were confirmed.
There is a question of whether these Swift-adjacent stunts boil down to campaigning thinly disguised as official government action. This is perhaps best demonstrated in Canada, where a member of Parliament filed a parliamentary grievance over the singer’s lack of Canadian tour dates.
Such behavior is perhaps analogous to, on a larger scale, the renaming of post offices in the U.S. Congress. While generally innocuous and locally meaningful, these moves still require government resources and staffers to put their attention toward them as opposed to substantive policy matters.
Taylor Swift is an enormously popular figure, particularly among demographic groups that will be increasingly important in future American elections. In close races, voices such as Swift’s could prove critical – not necessarily because she influences how fans vote, but because her voice provides attention and credibility to candidates. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/the-taylor-swift-official-state-sandwich-politicians-understand-swifties-are-a-key-demographic/ | 2023-07-29T15:13:50 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/the-taylor-swift-official-state-sandwich-politicians-understand-swifties-are-a-key-demographic/ |
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Freedom Festival is back live and in person and they want everyone to come celebrate.
“We want our residents we want tourists to come here at 10 a.m. tomorrow enjoy the empowerment sessions and if they want to enjoy that music it’s only $20,” said Uche Bean, the Deputy Director, Division of Social Justice and Racial Equity for the City of Birmingham.
Friday night, crews took to Kelly Ingram Park and 16th St. to prepare for the festivities.
Although it’s expected to be a lot of fun, there’s a deeper purpose behind it all.
“The significance of what we’re trying to do with freedom fest is really engage our residents and any tourists coming in two ways with empowerment our panels and our sessions to discuss civil rights and social justice topics and black excellence,” said Bean.
The festival is set to take place in the Civil Rights District. It intends to shine light on the 60 years since the start of Birmingham’s Civil Rights campaign in 1963.
The goal of the festival is to educate attendees about the history of Birmingham, all while empowering.
“Empowerment panels kick us off so they start at 10 a.m., we have panels that will be at 16th St. Baptist church,” said Rashada Leroy, the Executive Producer of Birmingham Freedom Festival.
“The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, those panels will focus on a few things. We have wealth and equity 60 years later.”
Food trucks will be parked along 16th St. and there will be free parking at the Birmingham Parking Authority deck 7.
The empowerment sessions are free and tickets to attend the music performances are $20. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/organizers-prepare-for-annual-freedom-festival/ | 2023-07-29T15:13:56 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/organizers-prepare-for-annual-freedom-festival/ |
Editor’s note: Throughout 2023, OPB is taking a deep look at the biggest social and economic challenges facing Oregon today — their origins, their impacts and possible solutions. This week, we’re looking at Oregon’s housing cost crisis.
Isobel Charle and Noa Curtis spent much of their early adulthood living with upwards of a dozen people at a time. The two friends met in the Portland area in their 20s, when they were living in “intentional communities” — living spaces in which a large number of people share responsibilities. Sort of like a chosen family, as opposed to a biological one.
After years of group living — and enduring regular hours-long roommate meetings to hash out chores and interpersonal dynamics — Charle and Curtis wanted a chance to downsize the number of people they lived with. They were also tired of being at the whim of increasing rents, though neither could afford a home on their own.
“So we made that decision to buy a house together,” Curtis says, sitting in what is now their living room in Northeast Portland, which they closed on in November last year.
Although they had a solid decade-long friendship, the decision to make such a major investment with a friend wasn’t easy. Charle recalls feeling fear and uncertainty: “Am I really going to do this? Am I ready? Is this going to work?”
Ultimately, this seemed like the best option for two people with modest incomes. Charle is a substitute teacher and freelance journalist and Curtis is a medical social worker.
“I was like, ‘This is as close as I’m ever going to come to being able to do this,’” Curtis says. “And it felt like the market is just going to get more and more expensive. I don’t know if my salary is going to match that.”
Across the state — from big and mid-size cities to small, rural towns — Oregonians are straining under the pressure of an increasingly unaffordable housing market. First-time homebuyers are looking outside expensive cities, causing suburbs and small towns to experience their own shrinking housing stock and increase in prices. Some homebuyers, like Curtis and Charle, are getting creative by purchasing homes with friends.
Renters are the hardest hit. More than half of renters in the state don’t have enough money after paying rent to afford other basics, including food, child care, internet access and transportation. Because the state’s housing inventory is so limited — Oregon simply doesn’t have enough units for the number of people who need them — there are limited rental vacancies, so landlords can raise rents with few repercussions. As a result, Oregon is among states with the lowest supply of rentals that are affordable to people at or below poverty levels. (A unit is considered affordable if it costs someone 30% or less of their income.)
“We have the worst affordability,” said state economist Josh Lehner. “Low vacancies and high prices is indicative of a housing shortage. And I think that’s clearly what we’ve been in for a while now.”
As housing has become more unaffordable, more people have been pushed into homelessness. In a 2022 national homelessness report, Oregon had a 22% increase in people experiencing homelessness between 2020 and 2022 — the second highest increase in the country, behind California. An additional 2,591 people in Oregon became homeless during those two years.
Housing experts say homelessness is intertwined with the availability of affordable housing in a given area. And the crux of Oregon’s housing affordability issues, Lehner and other local researchers say, is decades of underproduction. Oregon just hasn’t been building enough homes for everyone. And while much of the country is experiencing a housing crunch, Oregon is among the worst cases: It ranks fourth in underproducing housing, behind California, Colorado and Utah.
It’s tempting to oversimplify how Oregon’s housing market failed to keep up with demand. Some people blame the state’s stringent land-use laws for restricting the ability to expand where new construction could go. Others blame the private sector’s control of real estate, or developers who only want to build large single-family homes, or bureaucratic permitting processes.
“It’s a really complex issue, and there are all these different parts, and pointing the finger at one thing — that’s what makes us lose sight of the overall systematic issues,” said Rebecca Lewis, an associate professor in planning public policy and management at the University of Oregon.
Lewis is among several researchers who have been digging into studies and data to help policymakers figure out how Oregon reached a point of being 140,000 housing units short of what’s needed — and what it will take to dig the state out of this hole.
They say the state’s history of restrictive housing laws and laissez faire approach to increasing and diversifying housing stock — as well as a national shortage of builders, rising materials costs and stagnant incomes — are among a web of factors impacting people’s ability to pay for housing. Researchers say there isn’t a quick fix to undo decades of underbuilding and a nationwide culmination of socioeconomic stressors. Still, there are things policymakers and regular Oregonians can do now to help ease the strain.
How we got here
When Oregon lawmakers passed the state’s ground-breaking land-use law back in 1973, the nation was emerging from a revolutionary environmental movement.
The federal government had just passed the Clean Water Act, and people across the world organized their first Earth Day celebrations. Locally, Oregonians had their own conservation movement, one that was more of a reaction to the suburban sprawl infecting their southern neighbor, California. There they saw farms and forests eaten up by large residential tracts of single-family homes, permanent changes to the state’s landscape. Oregonians were determined not to let that happen here.
So Oregon lawmakers passed Senate Bill 100, which established boundaries for urban development as a tool to protect open spaces. If a local government wanted to expand its urban growth boundary, say to make room for more homes or businesses, it would need to ensure the change conformed with statewide planning goals. Since the 1970s, those 19 codified goals have governed how the state utilized land for agriculture, forestry, economic development, open spaces, natural resources and more.
The tenth goal, covering housing, says cities and counties need to regularly inventory their buildable lands and accommodate future housing needs.
“But the way that that’s actually been implemented at the local level for a really, really long time has not actually fulfilled the goal itself,” said Ethan Stuckmayer, senior housing planner at the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development, the agency that oversees statewide planning
Goal 10 didn’t capture the nuance of the state’s housing needs and how they would change over time. It didn’t, for instance, call on governments to encourage the creation of multiple types of housing beyond single-family homes. While it tasked local governments with regularly publishing their housing strategies, it didn’t give them a time frame — some cities and counties operated on the same plans for decades without revisiting ever-changing housing dynamics. It also didn’t provide counties and cities with the funding they’d need to complete those plans — a struggle for rural areas with fewer taxpayers. Goal 10 also didn’t address Oregon’s historically racist and classist housing policies that restricted homeownership among people of color, leading to a wealth gap that continues to exist today.
Oregon’s response to single-family zoning
In the early 1900s, American cities started implementing single-family zoning policies in certain neighborhoods. These policies, which got their start on the West Coast, only allow single-family homes to be built there — so no apartment buildings, duplexes, or condos, forms of housing that are usually more affordable. The earliest single-family zoning policies in Oregon also came with racial covenants that specifically barred homeowners from renting or selling to people of color.
By segregating multifamily housing units from single-family homes, cities effectively segregated communities by class and race, and they prevented families of color from growing the generational wealth that came with owning property within high-value neighborhoods.
Over time, homeowners in these zones pushed for more control over the look and feel of their neighborhoods to ensure they continued growing property values. Cities created ordinances governing everything from how many garages a home needed to have to the overall lot size. In turn, single-family homes became larger and more expensive to build, and small single-family homes for new families began to vanish. Residential construction started requiring more land, even as it became increasingly scarce.
Policymakers are only recently coming to terms with the effects these policies have had on housing availability. In 2019, Oregon grabbed national attention after it became the first state to eliminate most exclusive single-family zoning statewide. The new law requires cities to allow duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, townhomes and cottage clusters (small detached homes that typically share a courtyard) in areas zoned only for single-family housing, depending on the size of the city.
That year state lawmakers also required cities to develop strategies for increasing housing production, and it provided them with funding to create those plans. The same law tasked state agencies with producing a regional housing needs analysis outlining how the state could address housing shortages regionally.
“I think 2019 was this year where we were maybe a decade into a severe shortage of housing units — feeling the crunch, feeling the the burden of a small supply of housing that’s not adequately meeting the demand,” said Stuckmayer, the lead planner for the new housing division. “It was a coalescing of all of those issues, with increased conversation about the rising cost of housing and the inequities that resulted.”
The coronavirus pandemic the following year worsened Oregon’s housing struggles in many ways. Oregon’s poverty rate increased as the lowest-earning workers lost pay. The number of workers entering the construction industry plummeted as people opted for more flexible remote jobs, making it harder to build homes necessary to meet demand, and supply chain issues made it harder and more expensive to get construction materials even when developers could find enough workers.
During those early pandemic years, a record number of Oregonians, particularly Millennials, chose to form families, leading to a housing formation boom and skyrocketing demand for housing. Some economic factors played a role — wages increased in 2021 as a result of a labor shortage, and three rounds of pandemic-related stimulus checks helped young people save enough money for mortgage down payments.
By 2022, researchers published the Oregon Housing Needs Analysis, saying the state needed to build 555,000 more housing units to meet demand over the next 20 years. In response to the report, Gov. Tina Kotek, just after taking office, issued three states of emergency related to housing. One called on the state to build 36,000 homes a year — an 80% increase from current production. The executive order also created an advisory council to put the plan to action.
“This level of production is very ambitious,” Kotek said at the council’s inaugural meeting in March. “It will require all of us working hard, exhibiting bold action to accomplish this goal.”
Lawmakers this year also passed a massive $200 million package to help cities address the housing crisis. In addition to money for homelessness services and to help people stay in their current homes, the package requires cities to set building targets for buyers at different income levels, and it streamlines the process for expanding urban growth boundaries. Senate Republicans’ six-week walkout over the summer paused the state’s headway on housing policies. When lawmakers returned, they pushed forward a flurry of additional housing bills, including stricter rent-control measures and help for first-time homebuyers.
“Oregon is absolutely leading the nation on the work that we are doing on housing policy and investment,” said Lorelei Juntunen, president and CEO of ECONorthwest, a consulting company often hired by the state for housing research.
But it could take years, possibly decades before these policies to produce results, and that doesn’t help the tens of thousands of people who need homes today.
“We are in such a large deficit right now that all of the planning and regulatory moves in the world are not going to get us out of the hole,” Juntunen said. “We just simply have to have to put some money into it.”
Potential next steps for policymakers
While experts agree that Oregon needs more housing for people at all income levels, the biggest hole the state must fix is affordable housing. That’s something the state can’t rely on the private sector to build, not without financial incentives.
Because of what it costs to build a new home — land values, building materials, permitting and labor costs have all risen sharply in recent years — new construction is rarely affordable to people with low incomes. By federal standards, a housing unit is considered affordable when it costs someone 30% or less of their income. Over time, new homes may become more affordable as they age, but that can take decades.
The Oregon Housing Needs Analysis calls on lawmakers to make significant investments in publicly supported affordable housing. That could look like increasing “gap funding” — basically, paying developers subsidies so they can pursue affordable housing projects without losing money. Oregon already has programs for that — the LIFT homeownership and rental programs, for instance, helps fund projects that create more affordable units to rent or buy. But at current funding levels, the LIFT programs can produce only a small fraction of what’s needed, according to the OHNA report.
Construction also takes time; builders can’t just plop a housing subdivision on an empty piece of land. They need what’s called “buildable land” — that is, land that has access to water, sewer, roads and electricity. It’s usually up to cities and counties to provide that infrastructure, but many local governments can hardly afford maintaining the infrastructure they already have. That struggle is particularly acute in rural areas where there are fewer taxpayers, and in coastal areas where roads and water systems are more strained.
“Sewer systems degrade, asphalt needs to be repaved, and so on, and cities are going to face a huge financial obligation to do the capital improvements and maintenance on those facilities,” said Robert Parker, co-director of the Institute for Policy Research and Engagement at the University of Oregon.
Infrastructure might also become more expensive as the state focuses on squeezing more homes within urban-growth boundaries.
“Nobody’s thinking about the long-term asset management of the infrastructure that’s serving all of these low-density neighborhoods,” Parker said.
The federal government used to fund local infrastructure, but that funding significantly declined after the 1960s. Since then, cities and counties have mostly handled those costs. Because Oregon has fairly strict regulations on what cities can collect through property taxes, local governments pass infrastructure costs onto developers through fees called system development charges. A study by ECONorthwest found system development charges are increasing faster than inflation because cities and counties have so few alternative funding sources. These fees in effect make housing more expensive, because it costs more money for developers to build, who then pass those costs onto buyers. The study proposes local governments take a “nuanced approach” to such fees — wherein they could provide reductions or exemptions for affordable housing projects.
What Oregonians can do
Housing affordability may be a topic heavily reliant on policy, and thereby policymakers, but the general public has a history of impacting what gets built, and where. It’s how the term “not in my backyard,” or NIMBY, came about, implying vocal groups of people who use public meetings to oppose new projects in their neighborhoods. When it comes to affordable housing, NIMBY-ism is often fueled by fear and prejudices and can perpetuate housing segregation.
State economist Josh Lehner said sometimes the message is subtle: Someone will say they support the creation of more housing, just not in a certain residential block, or they support an apartment building, but only if it’s a couple of stories shorter.
“It’s understandable where some of those viewpoints might come from on an individual level,” Lehner said. “But at a societal level, it’s clearly resulted in an underbuilding of housing, as well.”
A “yes in my backyard” movement has emerged in recent years, including one in Bend, where people take to public forums to support housing developments and ensure public officials are doing what they can to encourage affordable housing.
Homeowners can also help add to housing stock. If they have the space and resources to build, many Oregon cities and counties have relaxed ordinances related to accessory dwelling units on single-family lots. If that’s not feasible, renting out a bedroom can also help. A nonprofit called Home Share Oregon helps connect homeowners with roommates, including seniors who need affordable housing.
Tess Fields, executive director of Home Share Oregon, says the organization’s main goal is to promote a culture of homesharing.
“Prior to World War II, or even the 1930s, people had boarding houses all the time,” said Fields. “But when we got into the 80s, it really kind of fell out, and we started hammering the single-family home mentality.”
Fields said single-family zoning laws have helped push Americans into this housing crisis. She says they’ve also fueled a loneliness epidemic, as more people over time opted to ditch multigenerational households, where they could raise children alongside grandparents and extended family members, for insular nuclear family models. With that, Fields said, Americans lost a sense of community.
For Isobel Charle and Noa Curtis, the two friends who purchased a house together, home sharing wasn’t only a means of gaining the economic benefits of owning a home; it was a way to create a sense of belonging. They say they plan to build additional units on their property to rent out to friends and family.
“I feel, generally, the structure of the strict nuclear family that we have doesn’t work for me,” Charle said. “I find it limiting and isolating. I love to be around people. I love the challenge of figuring out how to live together and work together and make decisions together. It taps into a part of our humanity.”
This examination of Oregon’s housing obstacles was written and reported by April Ehrlich, edited by Anna Griffin and produced for the web by Meagan Cuthill, with photo editing by Kristyna Wentz-Graff and photos by April Ehrlich, Caden Perry and Kristyna Wentz-Graff. This series exploring both the biggest problems facing Oregon and potential solutions is sponsored by the Oregon Community Foundation.
Copyright 2023 Oregon Public Broadcasting. To see more, visit Oregon Public Broadcasting. | https://www.ijpr.org/housing/2023-07-29/oregon-has-an-extreme-housing-shortage-heres-what-could-be-done | 2023-07-29T15:16:40 | 0 | https://www.ijpr.org/housing/2023-07-29/oregon-has-an-extreme-housing-shortage-heres-what-could-be-done |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two weeks into the the actors strike, Max Greenfield is urging the studios and their CEOs to return to the bargaining table.
“Be the heroes, come to the table, make a deal,” said Greenfield, who co-stars in the CBS sitcom “The Neighborhood.” “My hope is these guys get organized and have a real conversation with both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA so that we can get to a resolution,” he said, referencing the unions for the writers and actors, respectively.
Greenfield spoke at a charity ping pong event at Dodger Stadium on Thursday night, joined by his co-star Cedric the Entertainer.
“We struck because our deal was up and it’s time to adjust to what has changed in the business. To make a minor adjustment feels disproportionate to what has obviously changed in a massive, massive way,” Greenfield said. “Until we feel like we’re getting fair compensation and we feel like we’re protected, this is going to continue to go on.”
Bryan Cranston, who had fiery words for Disney CEO Bob Iger at a New York rally on Tuesday, acknowledged things are “going very, very slowly.”
“Until we’re able to get back to the table, which we are more than willing to do and we’ve told them so, we want to keep talking through this strike,” he said. “We want to end this as soon as possible.”
On July 14, actors joined striking screenwriters who walked out in May. The stoppage has shuttered nearly all film and television production.
The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the Writers Guild of America are striking for fair pay and protections involving the use of artificial intelligence, among other issues.
There has reportedly been no negotiating between the unions and the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers since shortly after the actors hit the picket lines.
“I think when people realize that the artists are the people that are making this and nothing is going to get made without the actors and the writers, maybe that will force a little more flexibility in the negotiations,” Oscar-winning actor Casey Affleck said.
Actor and entrepreneur Danny Trejo urged the studios to look beyond Hollywood’s highest-paid actors and consider the financial plight of those working behind the scenes.
“One of the problems is people on top are making a lot of money right now and they don’t want to share,” he said. “We’ve got people that are in SAG that can’t even afford to live in LA. It’s like, wait a minute guys, we got to just be fair.
“Figure if one of your kids was trying to get into the movies and was working as an extra or just made it into SAG, they couldn’t live in LA,” Trejo said, imagining the offspring of a Hollywood CEO. “Oh no wait, yes they could. They could live in Beverly (expletive) Hills with you, punk.”
Trejo filed for Chapter 11 reorganization bankruptcy earlier this year and owes over $2 million in back taxes to the IRS, according to a report by KABC-TV.
“I make good money, but right now I’m buried in taxes, so I have to work that out,” he said. “This strike is killing me. I can’t pay what I’m supposed to be paying for my taxes, so man, imagine the guy that’s making $18 an hour and not working all the time.”
Actor Holly Robinson-Peete, a SAG member since 1977, said it’s important for the actors’ union to communicate the economic issues behind the strike.
“We’re not just a bunch of spoiled people that want more and we’re greedy,” she said. “The majority of our union are people who are not working very often, can’t really make a living at this. It’s going to take an incredible amount of patience and messaging, and we just got to stick to it.” | https://www.wivb.com/entertainment-news/ap-actor-max-greenfield-urges-studio-ceos-to-be-the-heroes-and-make-a-deal-in-hollywood-strikes/ | 2023-07-29T15:16:40 | 1 | https://www.wivb.com/entertainment-news/ap-actor-max-greenfield-urges-studio-ceos-to-be-the-heroes-and-make-a-deal-in-hollywood-strikes/ |
This week, the California secretary of state announced that supporters of a measure that would let cities put new restrictions on how much landlords can hike the rent have gathered enough signatures to put it on the November 2024 ballot.
Sound familiar? You may have voted on something like this before.
- Voters didn’t bite in 2018 when Prop. 10, a similar measure, failed by 19 points.
- In 2020, Prop. 21 went down by 20 points.
At a virtual press conference on Thursday, Michael Weinstein, the controversial head of the Los Angeles-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation and the chief financial backer of all three campaigns to date, said the third time may be the charm — if only because the rent continues to be too damn high for so many Californians.
- Weinstein: “The situation has gotten so extreme and dire and catastrophic…. We can never give up, that’s the bottom line.”
California’s relationship with rent control is complicated.
A nearly three-decade-old state law blocks local governments from setting rent caps on homes built after 1995,, or to any single-family homes. The law also lets landlords hike the rent as much as they like once a tenant moves out.
The proposed proposition — like its two unsuccessful forebears — would repeal that law, allowing local governments “to maintain, enact or expand residential rent control” however they see fit.
A more recent state law put a California-wide cap on rent hikes of no more than 5% plus inflation with an absolute maximum of 10%. That ceiling is too high for the coalition of tenant organizers, labor groups and local Democratic politicians backing the ballot measure.
If 2018 and 2020 are anything to go by, they’ll have a few obstacles to overcome in 2024:
- Voters: Though their share of the population has inched up over the last decade, renters still represent a minority of Californians — and historically they’re less likely to vote.
- Confusion: In the past, some voters seem to have been confused about what the measure would actually do.
- Money: The last two go-rounds, landlords and business groups outspent supporters by more than two-to-one.
And rent control’s foes are ready to open their wallets again.
- Mike Nemeth, a spokesperson for the California Apartment Association: “In recent years, we joined a broad coalition of pro-housing groups in soundly defeating similar measures…we will prepare to fight this latest proposition.”
CalMatters is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics. | https://www.ijpr.org/housing/2023-07-29/third-times-the-charm-for-expanding-rent-control-in-california | 2023-07-29T15:16:46 | 0 | https://www.ijpr.org/housing/2023-07-29/third-times-the-charm-for-expanding-rent-control-in-california |
DALLAS (AP) — The combat boots and dog tags Alan Alda wore while playing the wisecracking surgeon Hawkeye on the beloved television series “M-A-S-H” sold at auction Friday for $125,000.
Alda held onto the boots and dog tags for more than 40 years after the show ended but decided to sell them through Heritage Auctions in Dallas to raise money for his center dedicated to helping scientists and doctors communicate better.
The buyer’s name wasn’t released.
Alda, 87, said he wore the boots and dog tags for the 11-season run of the show about a Korean War medical unit. His character, Benjamin Franklin “Hawkeye” Pierce, was a talented surgeon who helped ease the stress of working in a war zone with quips and practical jokes. The show’s final episode, which aired in 1983 and was written and directed by Alda, was the most watched TV show in U.S. history.
The boots and dog tags, given to him by the costume department, “made an impression on me every day that we shot the show,” said Alda, who won five Emmys for his work on the sitcom.
Alda said auctioning off the dog tags and boots now made sense. “I saw this as a chance to put them to work again,” he said.
The money raised from the auction will go to the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science at Stony Brook University in New York, which aims to help scientists and doctors communicate better through the use of improvisational exercises and other strategies.
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Associated Press writer Ken Miller in Oklahoma City contributed to this report. | https://www.wivb.com/entertainment-news/ap-boots-and-dog-tags-alan-alda-wore-on-m-a-s-h-sell-at-auction-for-125000-that-will-go-to-charity/ | 2023-07-29T15:16:47 | 1 | https://www.wivb.com/entertainment-news/ap-boots-and-dog-tags-alan-alda-wore-on-m-a-s-h-sell-at-auction-for-125000-that-will-go-to-charity/ |
The pile-on effect of mounting legal charges against former President Trump may be starting to take a toll, according to the latest NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll.
Republicans and Republican-leaning independents saying they believe Trump has done "nothing wrong" dropped 9 points in the last month, from 50% to 41%.
Trump also dropped 6 points in support with that same group when asked whether they were more likely to support Trump or another candidate, if he continues to run for president.
Still, a solid majority — 58% — continue to say they would support Trump as their standard-bearer, so more polling and time would be necessary to see if this is a trend, if it continues and if it has a real effect on his chances in the GOP primary. He continues to lead the field by wide margins.
At the same time, though, Trump has become increasingly toxic with the political middle, and this survey bears that out. A slim majority — 51% — of respondents overall said they think Trump did something illegal, including 52% of independents.
The findings come as Trump is likely set to face yet another indictment, his third, for his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection, and potentially a fourth in a Georgia election interference case.
The survey of 1,285 adults, including 455 Republicans was conducted from Monday through Thursday. When all adults are noted, there is a +/- 3.6 percentage point margin of error, meaning the results could range from about 4 points lower to 4 points higher. When Republicans and Republican-leaning independents are noted, there is a higher +/- 6.1 percentage point margin of error.
The poll was conducted before the latest news Thursday afternoon of Trump facing an additional charge in the federal classified documents case against him.
This is nothing more than a continued desperate and flailing attempt by the Biden Crime Family and their Department of Justice to harass President Trump and those around him
Trump responds as the base looks on
Trump has responded to the looming indictment and the additional charge of willful retention of National Defense Information he's now facing by blasting the Justice Department and the Biden administration and claiming to be targeted because of politics.
"This is nothing more than a continued desperate and flailing attempt by the Biden Crime Family and their Department of Justice to harass President Trump and those around him," the Trump campaign said in a written statement of the new charge.
In an interview with the conservative web site Breitbart, Trump claimed "harassment" and "election interference" on the part of the government.
"They did this to try and get me out," he said, also claiming, "It's lifted my numbers."
But the results of this survey show that's not completely true. Just as Trump's ironclad grip last year seemed to be loosening, the search at his Florida home did lift his numbers with Republicans.
The search helped to solidify him with a significant swath of the base, which believes Trump's assertions that he's the victim of political persecution. But some Republicans are now arguing that Trump is not electable and brings too much baggage.
Many of Trump's top GOP primary opponents have not made a public case against Trump relating to his legal woes. Two political action committees, however, have begun to run millions of dollars worth of ads in early states taking direct aim at Trump's "baggage" and "drama."
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.ijpr.org/politics-government/2023-07-29/gop-support-for-trump-softens-as-the-former-presidents-legal-troubles-mount | 2023-07-29T15:16:52 | 0 | https://www.ijpr.org/politics-government/2023-07-29/gop-support-for-trump-softens-as-the-former-presidents-legal-troubles-mount |
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A judge in Florida on Friday refused to dismiss a lawsuit brought by Gov. Ron DeSantis appointees against Disney’s efforts to neutralize the governor’s takeover of Disney World’s governing district.
The judge in state court in Orlando denied Disney’s motion in the lawsuit that says the company wrongly stripped appointees of powers over design and construction at Disney World when it made agreements with predecessors, who were supporters.
The case is one of two lawsuits stemming from the takeover, which was retaliation for the company’s public opposition to the so-called Don’t Say Gay legislation championed by DeSantis and Republican lawmakers. In the other lawsuit, in federal court in Tallahassee, Disney says DeSantis violated the company’s free speech rights.
The governor has touted his yearlong feud with Disney in his run for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, often accusing the entertainment giant of being too “woke.” Disney has accused the governor of violating its First Amendment rights.
Attorneys for Disney had argued that any decision in state court would be moot since the Republican-controlled Legislature already has passed a law voiding agreements that the company made with a prior governing board made up of Disney supporters that gave design and construction powers to the company.
The entertainment giant had asked that the state court case be put on hold if it’s not dismissed until the federal lawsuit in Tallahassee was resolved since they covered the same ground and that lawsuit was filed first.
In that case, Disney sued DeSantis and his appointees to the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District in an effort to stop the takeover, saying the governor was violating the company’s free speech and “weaponizing the power of government to punish private business.”
DeSantis wasn’t a party in the state court lawsuit.
The fight between DeSantis and Disney began last year after the company, facing significant pressure internally and externally, publicly opposed a state law banning classroom lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades, a policy critics call “Don’t Say Gay.”
As punishment, DeSantis took over the district through legislation passed by Florida lawmakers and appointed a new board of supervisors to oversee municipal services for the sprawling theme parks and hotels. But before the new board came in, the company made agreements with previous oversight board members who were Disney supporters that stripped the new supervisors of their authority over design and construction.
In response, DeSantis and Florida lawmakers passed the legislation that repealed those agreements.
Disney announced in May that it was scrapping plans to build a new campus in central Florida and relocate 2,000 employees from Southern California to work in digital technology, finance and product development. Disney had planned to build the campus about 20 miles (30 kilometers) from the giant Walt Disney World theme park resort.
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Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at @MikeSchneiderAP | https://www.wivb.com/entertainment-news/ap-judge-refuses-to-dismiss-lawsuit-against-disneys-efforts-to-neutralize-governing-district-takeover/ | 2023-07-29T15:16:54 | 1 | https://www.wivb.com/entertainment-news/ap-judge-refuses-to-dismiss-lawsuit-against-disneys-efforts-to-neutralize-governing-district-takeover/ |
The 75th Emmy Awards are the latest production to be put on pause due to the Hollywood strikes and will not air as planned in September.
A person familiar with the postponement plans but not authorized to speak publicly pending an official announcement confirmed the delay Friday. No information about a new date was immediately available.
The Emmy Awards were scheduled to be broadcast on Fox on Sept. 18. Rules laid out by the actors’ union, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, say stars cannot campaign for the Emmys or attend awards shows while on strike.
Writers are also not permitted to work on awards shows until the strike ends.
Whenever the next Emmy Awards are held, HBO will walk in as the leading contender. The network is up for 74 awards for three of its top shows: “ Succession,” “The White Lotus” and “The Last of Us.”
“Ted Lasso” has the most comedy category nominations with 21, including best comedy series and best actor for Jason Sudeikis.
Roughly 65,000 SAG-AFTRA actors and 11,500 Writers Guild of America screenwriters are on strike, calling for better pay, structure with residual payments and protection from the use of artificial intelligence. | https://www.wivb.com/entertainment-news/ap-the-emmy-awards-are-postponed-due-to-the-hollywood-actors-and-writers-strike-source-says/ | 2023-07-29T15:17:00 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/entertainment-news/ap-the-emmy-awards-are-postponed-due-to-the-hollywood-actors-and-writers-strike-source-says/ |
Nearly 70% of U.S. adults believe in angels and heaven, according to a new AP-NORC poll.
About 8 in 10 Americans agree that some things cannot be explained by science or natural causes.
In addition, 72% believe in the power of prayer.
"People are yearning for something greater than themselves — beyond their own understanding," said Jack Grogger, a chaplain for the Los Angeles Angels and a longtime fire captain who has helped people in some of their darkest moments, according to the Associated Press.
Grogger, who also pastors a nondenominational church in Orange, California, said people find comfort in angels.
But the belief in heaven and angels is greater than those who believe in hell, 58%, and those who think the devil exists, 56%.
Half of U.S. adults believe that the spirits of those who have crossed over can interact with the living.
AP-NORC's poll also found that 42% of people in the U.S. believe that spiritual energy can be rooted in physical objects.
About a third of Americans believe in reincarnation, astrology, and yoga as a spiritual practice.
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | https://www.abcactionnews.com/do-angels-and-heaven-exist-here-s-what-most-americans-think | 2023-07-29T15:17:03 | 1 | https://www.abcactionnews.com/do-angels-and-heaven-exist-here-s-what-most-americans-think |
Two supermoons in August mean double the stargazing fun
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The cosmos is offering up a double feature in August: a pair of supermoons culminating in a rare blue moon.
Catch the first show Tuesday evening as the full moon rises in the southeast, appearing slightly brighter and bigger than normal. That’s because it will be closer than usual, just 222,159 miles (357,530 kilometers) away, thus the supermoon label.
The moon will be even closer the night of Aug. 30 — a scant 222,043 miles (357,344 kilometers) distant. Because it’s the second full moon in the same month, it will be what’s called a blue moon.
“Warm summer nights are the ideal time to watch the full moon rise in the eastern sky within minutes of sunset. And it happens twice in August,” said retired NASA astrophysicist Fred Espenak, dubbed Mr. Eclipse for his eclipse-chasing expertise.
The last time two full supermoons graced the sky in the same month was in 2018. It won’t happen again until 2037, according to Italian astronomer Gianluca Masi, founder of the Virtual Telescope Project.
Masi will provide a live webcast of Tuesday evening’s supermoon, as it rises over the Coliseum in Rome.
“My plans are to capture the beauty of this ... hopefully bringing the emotion of the show to our viewers,” Masi said in an email.
“The supermoon offers us a great opportunity to look up and discover the sky,” he added.
This year’s first supermoon was in July. The fourth and last will be in September. The two in August will be closer than either of those.
Provided clear skies, binoculars or backyard telescopes can enhance the experience, Espenak said, revealing such features as lunar maria — the dark plains formed by ancient volcanic lava flows — and rays emanating from lunar craters.
According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the August full moon is traditionally known as the sturgeon moon. That’s because of the abundance of that fish in the Great Lakes in August, hundreds of years ago.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbtv.com/2023/07/29/two-supermoons-august-mean-double-stargazing-fun/ | 2023-07-29T15:17:03 | 1 | https://www.wbtv.com/2023/07/29/two-supermoons-august-mean-double-stargazing-fun/ |
If you have a bare patch in your yard that needs some color and life — and bees and butterflies to boot — you may want to consider planting a wildflower garden. Wildflowers come in a range of colors and sizes, and add textural and visual appeal to any green space.
For those who don’t consider themselves to be expert gardeners, wildflowers can be a low-maintenance alternative to other flower varieties. However, while they are easier to care for than other flowers, they do require some legwork to get up and running.
Before you start your new garden, here’s what you need to know about wildflowers and how to plant and care for them.
What Are Wildflowers?
As the name suggests, wildflowers are flowers that can be found naturally in the wild. Unlike commercial flowers, wildflowers have not been cultivated or bred to have certain characteristics. In fact, all commercial flower varieties originate from wildflowers, and only after years of breeding and genetic manipulation have become what we cultivate in home gardens today.
Wildflowers can be found in woodlands, prairies and wetlands, and some states have even designated special refuges and reserves where you can observe them. They tend to be native species, ideally suited for the ecosystems where they live, and have been around as long as 100 million years, according to some fossil records.
MORE: 5 ways to attract dragonflies to your yard to help eliminate mosquitoes
In the U.S., the best time to see wildflowers can vary widely from state to state. In climates that are warmer year-round, you may find them blooming all year. In those that have cooler winters, wildflowers will typically surface in the springtime — and even then bloom time may still vary depending on the variety.
Because by definition wildflowers are native to their regions, they have co-evolved with other local plant species, allowing a symbiotic relationship between other native, non-invasive plants and animals such as pollinators.
Benefits Of Planting a Wildflower Garden
While many may consider planting a wildflower garden solely for visual appeal, the truth is that wildflowers serve a much more altruistic purpose. The World Wildlife Federation shares that one healthy wildflower field may contain a minimum of 100 different types of wildflowers, which can attract insects — then birds who prey on those insects — as well as other mammals that contribute to the overall biodiversity of an area.
Wildflowers are also a key food source for pollinators such as bees and butterflies, which are critical to our food supply chain. As bee populations have declined considerably over the years, wildflower gardens can become a safe haven for them to feed, which assists in boosting their numbers.
While a backyard wildflower garden is a considerably smaller scale, it can still attract pollinators and may even help keep garden pests at bay.
MORE: Did you know hostas are edible? Here’s how to prepare them
Planting wildflowers, which have extensive root systems, in a rain garden can also help reduce flooding and erosion in your yard while improving water quality.
On top of that, they require less water and fertilizer, are less likely to get disease and are more tolerant of pests. Experts at The Spruce say that because local wildflowers are native to your region, they’re already adapted to the soil and other growing conditions, and can thrive with minimal intervention.
Make Sure to Choose A Diverse Variety of Plants
Clay Bolt, a natural history photographer and communications lead for World Wildlife Fund’s Northern Great Plains program, explained to National Geographic how important it is to make sure you are planting a wide variety of different plants in your garden.
“The greater diversity of plants that you have, the more robust the habitat is for a variety of pollinators and wildlife,” he said. “All of these plants are also connected through fungi in the soil. Their roots create a network where they share resources, strengthening one another.”
Furthermore, if you plant a wider variety of flowers, they’ll bloom at different times over a couple of months, extending your wildflower season considerably.
One of the first things to consider before selecting your wildflower seeds is whether or not the flowers are native to your region. If they are not native, they may have a harder time thriving, and may even be considered an invasive species. As with anything you plant in your garden, know your USDA Hardiness zone before planting to make sure the plants are a good match for your area.
To find which varieties of flowers work best near you, you can contact local extension experts or nonprofit organizations.
MORE: Everything you need to know about caring for and growing lilacs
Which Wildflowers Will Attract Pollinators?
If one of your goals in planting a wildflower garden is to attract specific pollinators, it’ll help to know which plants work best for which pollinators. If you want to attract butterflies, some examples of flowers to plant include black-eyed Susans, cornflower and yarrow. If you want to attract hummingbirds, you can plant zinnia, nasturtium and cleome. And lastly, if you want to attract beneficial insects, be sure to add fennel, bishop’s weed and aromatic aster to your list.
How To Plant and Care For Wildflowers
To thrive, wildflowers prefer to be planted in an area where they can receive full to partial sun. If you must plant in an area that doesn’t receive enough light, some flowers can tolerate more shade than others, such as black-eyed Susans, common foxglove and Shasta daisies. Otherwise, you’ll need to make sure your flowers are getting between six to eight hours of sun a day.
It’s best to plant your wildflower garden in the spring; this will ensure they have enough time to set. If you decide to plant later, they’ll need a minimum of 10 weeks before the first frost to self-sow.
Before you plant your seeds, you’ll want to make sure that your garden is free of prior vegetation to create the best growing conditions. Next, you’ll want to till your soil at approximately 3 inches deep, and then rake and level out the soil.
Now it’s time to plant. If you decide to buy a seed mixture, be sure to follow the instructions on the back of the package that say how much space you’ll need to distribute the seeds. You may also want to add sand to your mixture to make it easier to spread out. After you’ve spread the seed, rake the ground once more, and then generously water the soil. After 10 to 21 days, you’ll begin to see your first plants.
The great thing about wildflower gardens is that they require a very small amount of care. With that said, experts do suggest watering during dry spells, staying on top of weeds and being sure to mow down the area to 4 to 6 inches in the late fall. Then, enjoy your profusion of dreamy flowers!
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Check out Simplemost for additional stories. | https://www.abcactionnews.com/how-to-plant-and-grow-a-thriving-wildflower-garden | 2023-07-29T15:17:07 | 0 | https://www.abcactionnews.com/how-to-plant-and-grow-a-thriving-wildflower-garden |
Austin Riley Player Prop Bets: Braves vs. Brewers - July 29
Published: Jul. 29, 2023 at 10:29 AM EDT|Updated: 47 minutes ago
Austin Riley -- hitting .350 in his past 10 games -- will be in action for the Atlanta Braves against the Milwaukee Brewers, with Julio Teheran on the hill, on July 29 at 7:20 PM ET.
He strung together two hits (going 2-for-4 with a home run and an RBI) in his last game against the Brewers.
Austin Riley Game Info & Props vs. the Brewers
- Game Day: Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Game Time: 7:20 PM ET
- Stadium: Truist Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Brewers Starter: Julio Teheran
- TV Channel: BSSE
- Hits Prop: Over/under 1.5 hits (Over odds: +160)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 home runs (Over odds: +290)
- RBI Prop: Over/under 0.5 RBI (Over odds: +100)
- Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 runs (Over odds: -139)
Looking to place a prop bet on Austin Riley? Check out what's available at BetMGM and use bonus code "GNPLAY" when you sign up with this link!
Explore More About This Game
Austin Riley At The Plate
- Riley is batting .274 with 18 doubles, a triple, 23 home runs and 35 walks.
- Among qualified batters in baseball, he ranks 38th in batting average, 65th in on-base percentage, and 23rd in slugging.
- In 69.3% of his 101 games this season, Riley has picked up at least one hit. He's also had 33 multi-hit games.
- He has homered in 20.8% of his games in 2023, and 5.2% of his trips to the dish.
- In 38.6% of his games this year, Riley has had at least one RBI. He's picked up more than one in 15.8% and driven in three or more of his team's runs in five contests.
- He has scored in 51.5% of his games this season, with two or more runs scored in 14.9%.
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Austin Riley Home/Away Batting Splits
Brewers Pitching Rankings
- The 8.6 strikeouts per nine innings put together by the Brewers pitching staff ranks 17th in MLB.
- The Brewers have a 3.96 team ERA that ranks 10th among all league pitching staffs.
- The Brewers rank 21st in baseball in home runs allowed (127 total, 1.2 per game).
- Teheran gets the start for the Brewers, his 11th of the season. He is 2-4 with a 3.75 ERA and 40 strikeouts through 57 2/3 innings pitched.
- The right-hander last appeared on Sunday against the Atlanta Braves, when he tossed six innings, allowing one earned run while giving up three hits.
- In 10 games this season, the 32-year-old has amassed an ERA of 3.75, with 6.2 strikeouts per nine innings. Opponents are hitting .230 against him.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/austin-riley-mlb-player-prop-bets/ | 2023-07-29T15:17:08 | 0 | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/austin-riley-mlb-player-prop-bets/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — Rapper Travis Scott has released “Utopia,” his first album in five years and his first major release since 10 people died at his 2021 Astroworld music festival.
The star-studded 19-track “Utopia” features Beyoncé, SZA, Drake, Sampha, Young Thug, Playboi Carti, Daft Punk’s Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, Future, Bon Iver, James Blake, Kid Cudi, 21 Savage, and many more.
The LP, Scott’s fourth full-length, was originally announced back in 2020 and follows 2018’s “Astroworld.” In November 2019, 10 people died as a result of compression asphyxia during a massive crowd surge during Scott’s Astroworld festival. A grand jury declined to file charges against Scott earlier this year.
Also Friday, Houston police released files that showed that some workers were concerned about the crowd conditions at the show. The 1,300-page report also included a summary of an interview with Scott in which he said he did not hear calls from the crowd to stop the show.
The first track from the album, the popetón -adjacent “K-pop”, was released on July 21 and features the Weeknd and Bad Bunny. The release spans genres — an eclectic mix of autotune ambient ballads (“My Eyes”), ferocious bars (“Looove”), futuristic trap (“Lost Forever,” Telekinesis”), and beyond.
In addition to the album, Scott hosted a one-night-only release of his feature film, “Circus Maximus” at select theaters on Thursday night.
“Utopia” was originally scheduled to be celebrated with a livestreamed concert at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, but was canceled due to “complex production issues,” Live Nation said in a statement. | https://www.wivb.com/entertainment-news/ap-travis-scott-drops-utopia-his-first-album-since-the-astroworld-festival-tragedy/ | 2023-07-29T15:17:07 | 1 | https://www.wivb.com/entertainment-news/ap-travis-scott-drops-utopia-his-first-album-since-the-astroworld-festival-tragedy/ |
Tesla is ramping up efforts to open showrooms on tribal lands where it can sell directly to consumers, circumventing laws in states that bar vehicle manufacturers from also being retailers in favor of the dealership model.
Mohegan Sun, a casino and entertainment complex in Connecticut owned by the federally recognized Mohegan Tribe, announced this week that the California-based electric automaker will open a showroom with a sales and delivery center this fall on its sovereign property where the state’s law doesn’t apply.
The news comes after another new Tesla showroom was announced in June, set to open in 2025 on lands of the Oneida Indian Nation in upstate New York.
“I think it was a move that made complete sense,” said Lori Brown, executive director of the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters, which has lobbied for years to change Connecticut’s law.
“It is just surprising that it took this long, because Tesla had really tried, along with Lucid and Rivian,” she said, referring to two other electric carmakers. “Anything that puts more electric vehicles on the road is a good thing for the public.”
Brown noted that lawmakers with car dealerships that are active in their districts, no matter their political affiliation, have traditionally opposed bills allowing direct-to-consumer sales.
The Connecticut Automotive Retail Association, which has opposed such bills for years, says there needs to be a balance between respecting tribal sovereignty and “maintaining a level playing field” for all car dealerships in the state.
“We respect the Mohegan Tribe’s sovereignty and the unique circumstance in which they operate their businesses on Tribal land but we strongly believe that this does not change the discussion about Tesla and other EV manufacturers with direct-to-consumer sales, and we continue to oppose that model,” Hayden Reynolds, the association’s chairperson, said in a statement. “Connecticut’s dealer franchise laws benefit consumers and provide a competitive marketplace.”
Over the years in numerous states, Tesla has sought and been denied dealership licenses, pushed for law changes and challenged decisions in courts. The company scored a victory earlier this year when Delaware’s Supreme Court overturned a ruling upholding a decision by state officials to prohibit Tesla from selling its cars to directly customers.
At least 16 states have effectively changed their laws to allow Tesla and other direct-to-consumer manufacturers to sell there, said Jeff Aiosa, executive director of the Connecticut dealers association. He doesn’t foresee Connecticut changing its law, noting that 32 “original equipment manufacturers,” a list that includes major car companies like Toyota and Ford, currently abide by it.
“It’s not fair to have an unlevel playing field when all the other manufacturers abide by the state franchise laws and Tesla wants this exception to go around the law,” he said. “I would suggest their pivoting to the sovereign nation is representative of them not wanting to abide by the law.”
Tesla opened its first store as well as a repair shop on Native American land in 2021 in New Mexico. The facility, built in Nambé Pueblo, north of Santa Fe, marked the first time the company partnered with a tribe to get around state laws, though the idea had been in the works for years.
Brian Dear, president of the Tesla Owners Club of New Mexico, predicted at the time that states that are home to tribal nations and also have laws banning direct car sales by manufacturers would likely follow New Mexico’s lead.
“I don’t believe at all that this will be the last,” he said.
Tesla’s facility at Mohegan Sun, dubbed the Tesla Sales & Delivery Center, will be located at a shopping and dining pavilion within the sprawling casino complex. Customers will be able to test drive models around the resort. and gamblers will be able to use their loyalty rewards toward Tesla purchases.
Tesla also plans to exhibit its solar and storage products at the location. | https://www.wivb.com/news/business/ap-automaker-tesla-is-opening-more-showrooms-on-tribal-lands-to-avoid-state-laws-barring-direct-sales/ | 2023-07-29T15:17:14 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/news/business/ap-automaker-tesla-is-opening-more-showrooms-on-tribal-lands-to-avoid-state-laws-barring-direct-sales/ |
Eddie Rosario Player Prop Bets: Braves vs. Brewers - July 29
Published: Jul. 29, 2023 at 10:30 AM EDT|Updated: 47 minutes ago
The Atlanta Braves and Eddie Rosario (.367 slugging percentage over his past 10 games, including one homer), take on starter Julio Teheran and the Milwaukee Brewers at Truist Park, Saturday at 7:20 PM ET.
In his most recent game, he strung together two hits (going 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI) against the Brewers.
Eddie Rosario Game Info & Props vs. the Brewers
- Game Day: Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Game Time: 7:20 PM ET
- Stadium: Truist Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Brewers Starter: Julio Teheran
- TV Channel: BSSE
- Hits Prop: Over/under 0.5 hits (Over odds: -238)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 home runs (Over odds: +360)
- RBI Prop: Over/under 0.5 RBI (Over odds: +145)
- Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 runs (Over odds: +105)
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Eddie Rosario At The Plate
- Rosario has 17 doubles, two triples, 15 home runs and 21 walks while hitting .252.
- Among the qualified batters, he ranks 88th in batting average, while his on-base percentage ranks 125th and he is 42nd in slugging.
- In 59.6% of his 89 games this season, Rosario has picked up at least one hit. He's also had 21 multi-hit games.
- He has homered in 13 games this year (14.6%), homering in 4.6% of his trips to the plate.
- In 28.1% of his games this year, Rosario has had at least one RBI. He's picked up more than one in 13.5% and driven in three or more of his team's runs in five contests.
- In 36.0% of his games this season, he has scored at least once. And he's had seven games with multiple runs (7.9%).
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Eddie Rosario Home/Away Batting Splits
Brewers Pitching Rankings
- The pitching staff for the Brewers has a collective 8.6 K/9, which ranks 17th in MLB.
- The Brewers have a 3.96 team ERA that ranks 10th among all MLB pitching staffs.
- Brewers pitchers combine to rank 21st in baseball in home runs surrendered (127 total, 1.2 per game).
- Teheran gets the start for the Brewers, his 11th of the season. He is 2-4 with a 3.75 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 57 2/3 innings pitched.
- In his last appearance on Sunday, the right-hander went six innings against the Atlanta Braves, giving up one earned run while surrendering three hits.
- The 32-year-old has an ERA of 3.75, with 6.2 strikeouts per nine innings, in 10 games this season. Opposing hitters have a .230 batting average against him.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/eddie-rosario-mlb-player-prop-bets/ | 2023-07-29T15:17:14 | 0 | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/eddie-rosario-mlb-player-prop-bets/ |
Marcell Ozuna Player Prop Bets: Braves vs. Brewers - July 29
Published: Jul. 29, 2023 at 10:29 AM EDT|Updated: 47 minutes ago
The Atlanta Braves, including Marcell Ozuna (.111 batting average in his past 10 games), take on starter Julio Teheran and the Milwaukee Brewers at Truist Park, Saturday at 7:20 PM ET.
In his most recent game, he collected two extra-base hits (2-for-4 with a double, a home run and an RBI) against the Brewers.
Marcell Ozuna Game Info & Props vs. the Brewers
- Game Day: Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Game Time: 7:20 PM ET
- Stadium: Truist Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Brewers Starter: Julio Teheran
- TV Channel: BSSE
- Hits Prop: Over/under 1.5 hits (Over odds: +200)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 home runs (Over odds: +310)
- RBI Prop: Over/under 0.5 RBI (Over odds: +130)
- Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 runs (Over odds: -111)
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Marcell Ozuna At The Plate
- Ozuna is batting .232 with 10 doubles, 19 home runs and 32 walks.
- In 53 of 85 games this season (62.4%) Ozuna has had a hit, and in 16 of those games he had more than one (18.8%).
- He has hit a long ball in 21.2% of his games in 2023, and 5.6% of his trips to the dish.
- Ozuna has driven in a run in 28 games this year (32.9%), including 12 games with more than one RBI (14.1%). He has also driven in three or more of his team's runs in two contests.
- In 33 of 85 games this year, he has scored, and five of those games included multiple runs.
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Marcell Ozuna Home/Away Batting Splits
Brewers Pitching Rankings
- The 8.6 strikeouts per nine innings compiled by the Brewers pitching staff ranks 17th in the league.
- The Brewers' 3.96 team ERA ranks 10th across all MLB pitching staffs.
- The Brewers rank 21st in baseball in home runs surrendered (127 total, 1.2 per game).
- The Brewers are sending Teheran (2-4) to the mound for his 11th start of the season. He is 2-4 with a 3.75 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 57 2/3 innings pitched.
- In his most recent time out on Sunday against the Atlanta Braves, the righty tossed six innings, giving up one earned run while surrendering three hits.
- The 32-year-old has an ERA of 3.75, with 6.2 strikeouts per nine innings, in 10 games this season. Opponents have a .230 batting average against him.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/marcell-ozuna-mlb-player-prop-bets/ | 2023-07-29T15:17:21 | 1 | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/marcell-ozuna-mlb-player-prop-bets/ |
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Europe’s banking sector could withstand a severe economic downturn without depleting their financial buffers against losses, the European Central Bank said Friday.
A survey of 98 large and medium-sized banks done by the ECB’s supervisory arm in conjunction with the European Banking Authority showed that even in the most adverse scenario — a fall of almost 10% in economic outpoint over three years — banks would still have enough capital to cover losses and then some.
The stress test was not a pass-fail exercise for banks in the 20 countries that use the euro currency. Rather, results for individual banks will be used by banking regulators in determining how much capital they need to hold in reserve.
Banks are crucial to the European economy because companies get most of their financing from them, instead of from financial markets — the opposite of the situation in the U.S.
The ECB took over supervision of the biggest banks after the eurozone debt crisis more than a decade ago, when bank losses led to heavy bailout costs for governments. National supervisors were perceived to have been less than vigilant on developing risks.
Scrutiny of bank finances has grown after the failure of three U.S. banks amid rising interest rates that led to losses on investments and mass withdrawal of deposits. The financial turmoil then hit Credit Suisse, a globally significant bank that had long-running problems, leading the Swiss government to engineer an emergency takeover by rival UBS to prevent further banking chaos.
Switzerland is not part of the European Union, where some of the safeguards instituted after the 2008-2009 global financial crisis were more widely applied. | https://www.wivb.com/news/business/ap-europes-banks-could-survive-a-drastic-economic-downturn-stress-test-shows/ | 2023-07-29T15:17:20 | 1 | https://www.wivb.com/news/business/ap-europes-banks-could-survive-a-drastic-economic-downturn-stress-test-shows/ |
How to Watch the Marlins vs. Tigers Game: Streaming & TV Channel Info for July 29
Luis Arraez and the Miami Marlins will see Beau Brieske starting for the Detroit Tigers on Saturday at 4:10 PM ET.
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Marlins vs. Tigers Live Stream, TV Channel and Game Info:
- Date: Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Time: 4:10 PM ET
- TV Channel: Fox Sports 1
- Location: Miami, Florida
- Venue: LoanDepot park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
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Marlins Batting & Pitching Performance
- The Marlins are third-worst in MLB play with 93 home runs.
- Miami ranks 20th in MLB, slugging .398.
- The Marlins' .264 batting average is fourth-best in the majors.
- Miami is the fifth-lowest scoring team in MLB action, averaging 4.1 runs per game (428 total).
- The Marlins rank 13th in baseball with an on-base percentage of .320.
- The Marlins strike out eight times per game to rank seventh in baseball.
- Miami's pitching staff ranks third in MLB with a collective 9.6 strikeouts per nine innings.
- Miami's 4.11 team ERA ranks 13th among all MLB pitching staffs.
- The Marlins average MLB's 12th-ranked WHIP (1.267).
Tigers Batting & Pitching Performance
- The Tigers rank 26th in Major League Baseball with just 96 home runs as a team.
- Detroit is 29th in MLB with a slugging percentage of only .365 this season.
- The Tigers have a team batting average of just .231 this season, which ranks 28th among MLB teams.
- Detroit is among the lowest scoring teams in baseball, ranking 28th with just 406 total runs (3.9 per game) this season.
- The Tigers have an on-base percentage of .299 this season, which ranks 28th in the league.
- The Tigers rank 18th in strikeouts per game (8.9) among MLB offenses.
- Detroit strikes out 8.4 batters per nine innings as a pitching staff, 21st in MLB.
- Detroit has pitched to a 4.53 ERA this season, which ranks 22nd in baseball.
- Tigers pitchers have a 1.253 WHIP this season, eighth-best in the majors.
Marlins Probable Starting Pitcher
- The Marlins are sending Johnny Cueto (0-1) to make his third start of the season.
- His most recent appearance was on Saturday against the Colorado Rockies, when the righty tossed six innings, surrendering one earned run while allowing two hits.
Tigers Probable Starting Pitcher
- The Tigers will send Brieske to the mound for his first start this season.
- The 25-year-old righty has pitched in relief five times already this season, but will make his first start.
Marlins Schedule
Tigers Schedule
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/marlins-vs-tigers-mlb-live-stream-tv/ | 2023-07-29T15:17:27 | 0 | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/marlins-vs-tigers-mlb-live-stream-tv/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — The fate of U.S. trucking company Yellow Corp. isn’t looking good.
After years of financial struggles, Yellow is reportedly preparing for bankruptcy and seeing customers leave in large numbers — heightening risk for future liquidation. While no official decision has been announced by the company, the prospect of bankruptcy has renewed attention around Yellow’s ongoing negotiations with unionized workers, a $700 million pandemic-era loan from the government and other bills the trucker has racked up over time.
Yellow, formerly known as YRC Worldwide Inc., is one of the nation’s largest less-than-truckload carriers. The Nashville, Tennessee-based company has some 30,000 employees across the country.
Here’s what you need to know.
Not yet. But industry experts suspect that a bankruptcy filing could come any day now.
People familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal that the company could seek bankruptcy protection as soon as this week — with some noting that a significant amount of customers have already started to leave the carrier.
Meanwhile, according to FreightWaves, employees were told to expect the filing Monday. Yellow laid off an unknown number of employees Friday, the outlet later reported, citing a memo that stated the company was “shutting down its regular operations.”
According to Satish Jindel, president of transportation and logistics firm SJ Consulting, Yellow handled an average of 49,000 shipments per day in 2022. As of this week, he estimates that number is down to between 10,000 and 15,000 daily shipments.
With customers leaving — as well reports of Yellow stopping freight pickups earlier this week — bankruptcy would “be the end of Yellow,” Jindel told The Associated Press, noting increased risk for liquidation.
“The likelihood of them surviving and remaining solvent diminishes really by the day,” added Bruce Chan, a research director at investment banking firm Stifel.
Yellow media contacts did not immediately respond to the Associated Press’ requests for comment on Friday. In a Wednesday statement to The Journal, the company said it was continuing “to prepare for a range of contingencies.” On Thursday, Yellow said it was in talks with multiple parties about selling its third-party logistics organization.
Even if Yellow was able to sell its logistics firm, it would “not generate a sufficient amount of cash to keep them operational on any sort of permanent basis,” Chan said. “Without a major equity injection, it would be very difficult for them to survive.”
As of late March, Yellow had an outstanding debt of about $1.5 billion. Of that, $729.2 million was owed to the federal government.
In 2020, under the Trump administration, the Treasury Department granted the company a $700 million pandemic-era loan on national security grounds. Last month, a congressional probe concluded that the Treasury and Defense Departments “made missteps” in this decision — and noted that Yellow’s “precarious financial position at the time of the loan, and continued struggles, expose taxpayers to a significant risk of loss.”
The government loan is due in September 2024. As of March, Yellow had made $54.8 million in interest payments and repaid just $230 million of the principal owed, according to government documents.
Yellow’s current finances and prospect of bankruptcy “is probably two decades in the making,” Chan said, pointing to poor management and strategic decisions dating back to the early 2000s. “At this point, after each party has bailed them out so many times, there is a limited appetite to do that anymore.”
In May, Yellow reported a loss of $54.6 million, a decline of $1.06 per share, for its first quarter of 2023. Operating revenue was about $1.16 billion in the period.
A Wednesday investors note from financial service firm Stephens estimated that Yellow could be burning between $9 million and $10 million each day. Using a liquidity disclosure from earlier this month, Yellow had roughly $100 million in cash at the end of June, the note added — estimating that the company has been burning through increasing amounts of money through July.
“It is reasonable to believe that the Company could breach its $35 mil. liquidity requirement at any moment,” Stephens analyst Jack Atkins and associate Grant Smith wrote.
The reports of bankruptcy preparations arrive just days after a strike from the Teamsters, which represents Yellow’s 22,000 unionized workers, was averted.
A series of heated exchanges have built up between the Teamsters and Yellow, who sued the union in June after alleging it was “unjustifiably blocking” restructuring plans needed for the company’s survival. The Teamsters called the litigation “baseless” — with general president Sean O’Brien pointing to Yellow’s “decades of gross mismanagement,” which included exhausting the $700 million federal loan.
On Sunday, a pension fund agreed to extend health benefits for workers at two Yellow Corp. operating companies, averting a strike — and giving Yellow “30 days to pay its bills,” notably $50 million that Yellow failed to pay the Central States Health and Welfare Fund on July 15, the union said. While the strike didn’t occur, talks of a walkout may have caused some Yellow customers to pull back, Chan said.
Talks between Yellow and the Teamsters, which also represents UPS’s unionized workers, are ongoing. The current contract expires in March 2024.
“The financial struggles of Yellow are not related to the union and the contracts,” Jindel said, pointing to management’s responsibility around its services and prices. He added the union wages from Yellow are “lower than any competitor.”
If Yellow files for bankruptcy and customers continue to take their shipments to other carriers, like FedEx or ABF Freight, prices will go up.
Yellow’s prices have historically been the cheapest compared to other carriers, Jindel said. “That’s why they obviously were not making money,” he added. “And while there is capacity with the other LTL carriers to handle the diversions from Yellow, it will come at a high price for (current shippers and customers) of Yellow.”
Chan adds that we’re in an interesting time for the LTL marketplace — noting that, if Yellow declares bankruptcy and liquidates, “the freight would find a home” with other carriers, which may not have been true in recent years.
“It may take time, but there’s room for it to be absorbed,” he said. | https://www.wivb.com/news/business/ap-trucking-company-yellow-corp-is-reportedly-preparing-for-bankruptcy-heres-what-you-need-to-know/ | 2023-07-29T15:17:28 | 1 | https://www.wivb.com/news/business/ap-trucking-company-yellow-corp-is-reportedly-preparing-for-bankruptcy-heres-what-you-need-to-know/ |
Marlins vs. Tigers Probable Starting Pitchers Today - July 29
The Detroit Tigers (46-58) will aim to stop a four-game losing streak when visiting the Miami Marlins (56-48) at 4:10 PM ET on Saturday.
The Marlins will give the nod to Johnny Cueto (0-1) versus the Tigers and Beau Brieske.
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Marlins vs. Tigers Pitcher Matchup Info
- Date: Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Time: 4:10 PM ET
- TV: Fox Sports 1
- Location: Miami, Florida
- Venue: LoanDepot park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Probable Pitchers: Cueto - MIA (0-1, 4.50 ERA) vs Brieske - DET (0-0, 4.76 ERA)
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Marlins Probable Starting Pitcher Tonight: Johnny Cueto
- Cueto will get the start for the Marlins, his third of the season.
- The right-hander last pitched on Saturday against the Colorado Rockies, throwing six innings and giving up one earned run.
- He has pitched in three games this season with an ERA of 4.50, a 3 strikeout to walk ratio and a WHIP of .900.
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Tigers Probable Starting Pitcher Tonight: Beau Brieske
- Brieske gets the call to start for the Tigers, his first of the season.
- The 25-year-old righty has appeared out of the bullpen five times this season.
- In five appearances this season, he has a 4.76 ERA and 7.9 strikeouts per nine innings while opponents are batting .261 against him.
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/marlins-vs-tigers-mlb-probable-starting-pitchers/ | 2023-07-29T15:17:33 | 1 | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/marlins-vs-tigers-mlb-probable-starting-pitchers/ |
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Two taxi drivers have been arrested in the Mexican city of Cancun for assaulting a van carrying foreign tourists, prosecutors said Friday.
The events in the Caribbean coast resort on Thursday were the latest in a months-long string of assaults on vehicles that medallion-cab drivers suspect of being operated by ride-hailing apps such as Uber.
Prosecutors in the Caribbean coast state of Quintana Roo said such behavior will not be tolerated.
“Strong action will be taken to ensure that the state is a safe destination for local inhabitants and visitors,” the state prosecutor’s office said in a statement.
Local residents posted video on social media showing at least two uniformed cab drivers bashing a Chevy Suburban with poles and other objects.
The van driver attempts to escape with the vehicle’s tailgate open, according to the footage, and the tourists’ luggage spills into the street. Three women can later be seen retrieving their luggage from the street.
“What are you doing?” cries one woman in English as belligerent cabbies mill around the scene, carrying what looked like improvised cudgels. “That is not okay.”
A local business owner who filmed the incident invited the women to take refuge in her store. The video shows the taxi drivers chasing the driver of the Suburban down the street until he reached a police officer.
The state prosecutors’ office said two taxi drivers were charged with robbery, and causing damage and injuries.
Local media reported the Suburban was not run through a ride-hailing app but by a local, non-medallion limousine service. Past incidents of taxi drivers attacking private vehicles in Cancun were based on the mistaken assumption they were Uber cars.
Cancun residents organized a boycott of medallion taxis in January following a week of blockades and violent incidents by drivers protesting the ride-hailing app Uber.
Road blockades, stone throwing and cabbies physically getting in the way had prevented tourists from boarding Uber vehicles. The U.S. issued a travel advisory warning that “past disputes between these services and local taxi unions have occasionally turned violent, resulting in injuries to U.S. citizens in some instances.”
Ride-hailing app s were blocked in Cancun until January, when a court granted an injunction allowing Uber to operate. | https://www.wivb.com/news/business/ap-two-taxi-drivers-arrested-in-mexican-resort-of-cancun-for-assaulting-van-carrying-foreign-tourists/ | 2023-07-29T15:17:35 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/news/business/ap-two-taxi-drivers-arrested-in-mexican-resort-of-cancun-for-assaulting-van-carrying-foreign-tourists/ |
Matt Olson Player Prop Bets: Braves vs. Brewers - July 29
Published: Jul. 29, 2023 at 10:29 AM EDT|Updated: 48 minutes ago
After going 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in his most recent game, Matt Olson and the Atlanta Braves take on the Milwaukee Brewers (who will start Julio Teheran) at 7:20 PM ET on Saturday.
He hit a home run while going 2-for-4 in his most recent game against the Brewers.
Matt Olson Game Info & Props vs. the Brewers
- Game Day: Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Game Time: 7:20 PM ET
- Stadium: Truist Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Brewers Starter: Julio Teheran
- TV Channel: BSSE
- Hits Prop: Over/under 1.5 hits (Over odds: +195)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 home runs (Over odds: +175)
- RBI Prop: Over/under 0.5 RBI (Over odds: -111)
- Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 runs (Over odds: -167)
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Matt Olson At The Plate
- Olson leads Atlanta with 99 hits, batting .256 this season with 54 extra-base hits.
- Among the qualified batters in MLB, he ranks 73rd in batting average, 27th in on-base percentage, and third in slugging.
- Olson has picked up a hit in 65.3% of his 101 games this year, with multiple hits in 25.7% of them.
- He has hit a long ball in 28 games this year (27.7%), homering in 7.3% of his plate appearances.
- Olson has an RBI in 44 of 101 games this year, with multiple RBI in 22 of them. He has also driven in three or more of his team's runs in 11 contests.
- He has scored in 54.5% of his games this year (55 of 101), with two or more runs 19 times (18.8%).
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Matt Olson Home/Away Batting Splits
Brewers Pitching Rankings
- The pitching staff for the Brewers has a collective 8.6 K/9, which ranks 17th in the league.
- The Brewers have a 3.96 team ERA that ranks 10th among all league pitching staffs.
- Brewers pitchers combine to rank 21st in baseball in home runs surrendered (127 total, 1.2 per game).
- Teheran (2-4 with a 3.75 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 57 2/3 innings pitched) gets the start for the Brewers, his 11th of the season.
- In his last time out on Sunday against the Atlanta Braves, the righty tossed six innings, giving up one earned run while surrendering three hits.
- The 32-year-old has amassed an ERA of 3.75, with 6.2 strikeouts per nine innings, in 10 games this season. Opponents are batting .230 against him.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/matt-olson-mlb-player-prop-bets/ | 2023-07-29T15:17:40 | 1 | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/matt-olson-mlb-player-prop-bets/ |
NEW YORK (WABC) -- As a heat advisory remains in effect for most parts of the city, those looking to step outside will be able to enjoy some summer fun as part of New York City's annual Summer Streets program.
With more than 20 miles of car-free streets over five Saturdays across all five boroughs, this year's program is the largest since the Summer Streets launched in 2008.
For the first time since the start of the program, there will be designated streets in all five boroughs, including Harlem.
Starting things off this year will be Queens and Staten Island.
Over in Queens, the event starts at 12 p.m. on Vernon Boulevard, while Richmond Terrace on Staten Island begins at 10:30 a.m.
"We encourage everyone that day to wake up early that day to start walking, using their bikes," said New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. "There's going to be great entertainment, cultural performances happening also along those avenues."
More than 500,000 people walked, ran, cycled or played on Summer Streets last year.
The overall aim for the program is to provide vibrant public spaces across the city.
Summer Streets this year will operate during its traditional hours between 7:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. on the following dates and streets:
Saturday, July 29: Queens and Staten Island
Summer Streets in Queens will run along Vernon Boulevard, from 44th Drive to 30th Drive, while the program in Staten Island will run along Richmond Terrace from York Avenue to Bard Avenue.
Saturday, August 5, 12, and 19: Manhattan
In Manhattan the program will extend the traditional route from Brooklyn Bridge all the way into Harlem, traveling along Lafayette Street and Park Avenue up to 109th Street; on Central Park North from Fifth Avenue to Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard; and finally along Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard from 110th Street to 125th Street.
Saturday, August 26: Brooklyn and the Bronx
Summer Streets in Brooklyn will travel along Eastern Parkway, from Grand Army Plaza to Buffalo Avenue, connecting Prospect Heights and Brownsville along the same route as the Caribbean Day Parade.
In the Bronx, the Grand Concourse will be open, from East Tremont Avenue to Mosholu Parkway.
WABC is an official broadcast partner of Summer Streets. | https://abc7ny.com/13568449/ | 2023-07-29T15:17:41 | 1 | https://abc7ny.com/13568449/ |
DETROIT (AP) — The U.S. government wants to raise the fuel economy of new vehicles 18% by the 2032 model year so the fleet would average about 43.5 miles per gallon in real world driving.
The proposed numbers were released Friday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which eventually will adopt final mileage requirements.
Currently the fleet of new vehicles must average 36.75 mpg by 2026 under corporate average fuel economy standards adopted by the administration of President Joe Biden, who reversed a rollback made by former President Donald Trump.
The highway safety agency says it will try to line up its regulations so they match the Environmental Protection Agency’s reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. But if there are discrepancies, automakers likely will have to follow the most stringent regulation.
In the byzantine world of government regulation, both agencies essentially are responsible for setting fuel economy requirements since the fastest way to reduce greenhouse emissions is to burn less gasoline.
“I want to make clear that EPA and NHTSA will coordinate to optimize the effectiveness of both agency standards while minimizing compliance costs,” NHTSA Acting Administrator Ann Carlson said.
A large auto industry trade group which includes General Motors, Toyota, Ford, Stellantis and others said requirements from the agencies should be lined up. “If an automaker complies with EPA’s yet-to-be-finalized greenhouse gas emissions rules, they shouldn’t be at risk of violating CAFE rules (from NHTSA) and subject to civil penalties,” John Bozzella, CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, said in a statement.
However the alliance has said the EPA’s proposed cut in carbon emissions will require a huge increase in electric vehicle sales that’s not attainable by 2032. The EPA says the industry can reach the greenhouse gas emissions goals if 67% of new vehicles sold in 2032 are electric. Currently, EVs make up about 7% of new vehicle sales.
NHTSA said its proposal includes a 2% annual improvement in fuel mileage for passenger cars, and a 4% increase for light trucks. It’s proposing a 10% improvement per year for commercial pickup trucks and work vans. Automakers can meet the requirements with a mix of electric vehicles, gas-electric hybrids and efficiency improvements in gas and diesel vehicles.
The agency says the new regulations will save more than $50 billion on fuel over the vehicles’ lifetimes and save more than 88 billion gallons of gasoline through 2050 if NHTSA’s preferred alternative is adopted. The standards would cut new-vehicle fuel consumption nearly in half by the 2035 model year, and benefits will exceed costs by $18 billion, the agency said.
NHTSA will take comments from the public for 60 days before drafting a final regulation. | https://www.wivb.com/news/business/ap-us-proposes-18-fuel-economy-increase-for-new-vehicle-fleet-from-2027-through-2032/ | 2023-07-29T15:17:42 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/news/business/ap-us-proposes-18-fuel-economy-increase-for-new-vehicle-fleet-from-2027-through-2032/ |
Michael Harris II Player Prop Bets: Braves vs. Brewers - July 29
Published: Jul. 29, 2023 at 10:35 AM EDT|Updated: 41 minutes ago
Michael Harris II and his .417 on-base percentage over his past 10 games (93 points higher than his season-long percentage), will be in action for the Atlanta Braves against the Milwaukee Brewers and Julio Teheran on July 29 at 7:20 PM ET.
In his last game he had a one-hit performance (1-for-4) against the Brewers.
Michael Harris II Game Info & Props vs. the Brewers
- Game Day: Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Game Time: 7:20 PM ET
- Stadium: Truist Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Brewers Starter: Julio Teheran
- TV Channel: BSSE
- Hits Prop: Over/under 0.5 hits (Over odds: -250)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 home runs (Over odds: +425)
- RBI Prop: Over/under 0.5 RBI (Over odds: +160)
- Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 runs (Over odds: -118)
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Discover More About This Game
Michael Harris II At The Plate
- Harris II is batting .274 with 15 doubles, two triples, nine home runs and 18 walks.
- Harris II is batting .375 during his last outings and is riding a 10-game hitting streak.
- Harris II has gotten a hit in 51 of 79 games this season (64.6%), including 15 multi-hit games (19.0%).
- He has hit a long ball in eight games this year (10.1%), homering in 3.1% of his chances at the plate.
- Harris II has had an RBI in 18 games this year (22.8%), including six multi-RBI outings (7.6%). He has also driven in three or more of his team's runs in three contests.
- He has scored in 28 games this season (35.4%), including multiple runs in seven games.
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Michael Harris II Home/Away Batting Splits
Brewers Pitching Rankings
- The 8.6 strikeouts per nine innings put together by the Brewers pitching staff ranks 17th in the league.
- The Brewers have the 10th-ranked team ERA among all league pitching staffs (3.96).
- Brewers pitchers combine to rank 21st in baseball in home runs allowed (127 total, 1.2 per game).
- Teheran gets the start for the Brewers, his 11th of the season. He is 2-4 with a 3.75 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 57 2/3 innings pitched.
- The right-hander last pitched on Sunday against the Atlanta Braves, when he tossed six innings, allowing one earned run while giving up three hits.
- In 10 games this season, the 32-year-old has amassed an ERA of 3.75, with 6.2 strikeouts per nine innings. Opponents are hitting .230 against him.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/michael-harris-ii-mlb-player-prop-bets/ | 2023-07-29T15:17:46 | 0 | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/michael-harris-ii-mlb-player-prop-bets/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Democrats are demanding the release of a transcript from a new FBI witness that they say contradicts Republicans’ claims in the expanding congressional inquiry into President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden.
Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on House Oversight Committee, sent a letter Friday to Rep. James Comer, the Republican chair of the committee, asking him to produce the transcribed interview this month with an FBI agent who worked on the investigation into the younger Biden’s taxes and foreign business dealings. The witness was interviewed on July 17.
“This failure to release a transcript is the latest in your troubling pattern of concealing key evidence in order to advance a false and distorted narrative about your ‘investigation of Joe Biden’ that has not only failed to develop any evidence of wrongdoing by President Biden but has, in fact, uncovered substantial evidence to the contrary,” Raskin wrote in the letter, which was obtained by The Associated Press.
The Maryland lawmaker claimed the closed-door interview with the unidentified agent conducted by committee staff “directly undermined” testimony released by Republicans last month from two IRS whistleblowers who allege that the Justice Department interfered with their yearslong investigation into Hunter Biden.
Republicans said the transcript will be released but is not yet ready. “The transcript is going through the normal review process where the witness reviews it and makes any corrections needed,” the GOP majority tweeted Thursday night. “Once that process has been completed, we will release it.”
House rules allow only the majority party to release transcribed interviews from a committee investigation, meaning minority Democrats have no direct power over the matter.
Raskin says in the letter that it is unusual for the release of a transcript to take this long. However, it is not unusual for committee staff to handle whistleblowers cautiously and keep sensitive information tightly held.
The letter from Raskin comes days after Hunter Biden’s plea deal in a criminal case unraveled during a court hearing. A federal judge in the case raised concerns about the terms of the agreement. Republicans like Comer claimed vindication, having slammed the agreement as a “sweetheart deal.”
“The judge did the obvious thing, they put a pause on the plea deal, so I think that was progress,” Comer said Wednesday. “I think it adds credibility to what we’re doing.”
The president’s youngest son was charged last month with two misdemeanor crimes of failure to pay more than $100,000 in taxes on over $1.5 million in income in both 2017 and 2018. He had been expected to plead guilty Wednesday after he made an agreement with prosecutors, who wanted two years of probation.
Prosecutors said Wednesday that Hunter Biden remains under active investigation, but would not reveal details. | https://www.wivb.com/news/political-news/ap-politics/ap-democrats-claim-the-gop-is-withholding-evidence-contradicting-claims-in-hunter-biden-probe/ | 2023-07-29T15:17:49 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/news/political-news/ap-politics/ap-democrats-claim-the-gop-is-withholding-evidence-contradicting-claims-in-hunter-biden-probe/ |
MLB Probable Starting Pitchers Tonight: Saturday, July 29
As we approach Saturday's MLB slate, let's take a look at the probable starters for each contest. One of the day's most anticipated matchups pits the Yankees (Clarke Schmidt) against the Orioles (Tyler Wells).
Keep reading to find the pitching matchups for every game on the schedule for July 29.
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Today's Probable Starting Pitchers
Angels at Blue Jays Probable Pitchers
The Los Angeles Angels will send Reid Detmers (2-7) to the mound as they play the Blue Jays, who will counter with Alek Manoah (2-8) for the game between the teams on Saturday.
Vegas Odds for Angels at Blue Jays
- TOR Odds to Win: -125
- LAA Odds to Win: +105
- Total: 9.5 runs
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Live Stream Angels at Blue Jays
- Game Time: 3:07 PM ET
- Streaming: MLB Network (regional restrictions may apply)
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Tigers at Marlins Probable Pitchers
The Detroit Tigers will send Beau Brieske (0-0) to the bump as they face the Marlins, who will look to Johnny Cueto (0-1) for the matchup between the teams Saturday.
Vegas Odds for Tigers at Marlins
- MIA Odds to Win: -155
- DET Odds to Win: +130
- Total: 8 runs
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Live Stream Tigers at Marlins
- Game Time: 4:10 PM ET
- Streaming: Fox Sports 1 (regional restrictions may apply)
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Phillies at Pirates Probable Pitchers
The Philadelphia Phillies will send Aaron Nola (9-6) to the bump as they play the Pirates, who will hand the ball to Quinn Priester (1-1) when the teams meet Saturday.
Vegas Odds for Phillies at Pirates
- PHI Odds to Win: -185
- PIT Odds to Win: +150
- Total: 9 runs
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Live Stream Phillies at Pirates
- Game Time: 7:05 PM ET
- Streaming: SportsNet PT (regional restrictions may apply)
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Twins at Royals Probable Pitchers
The Minnesota Twins will send Bailey Ober (6-4) to the mound as they take on the Royals, who will give the start to Jordan Lyles (1-12) when the teams play on Saturday.
Vegas Odds for Twins at Royals
- MIN Odds to Win: -190
- KC Odds to Win: +155
- Total: 9.5 runs
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Live Stream Twins at Royals
- Game Time: 7:10 PM ET
- Streaming: BSKC (regional restrictions may apply)
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Guardians at White Sox Probable Pitchers
The Cleveland Guardians will send Logan Allen (4-3) to the hill as they take on the White Sox, who will give the start to Touki Toussaint (1-3) when the teams meet on Saturday.
Vegas Odds for Guardians at White Sox
- CHW Odds to Win: -
- CLE Odds to Win: -
- Total: 9.5 runs
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Live Stream Guardians at White Sox
- Game Time: 7:10 PM ET
- Streaming: NBCS-CHI (regional restrictions may apply)
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Nationals at Mets Probable Pitchers
The Washington Nationals will send Patrick Corbin (6-11) to the mound as they play the Mets, who will counter with Carlos Carrasco (3-4) when the teams play Saturday.
Vegas Odds for Nationals at Mets
- NYM Odds to Win: -175
- WSH Odds to Win: +145
- Total: 9.5 runs
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Live Stream Nationals at Mets
- Game Time: 7:10 PM ET
- Streaming: SNY (regional restrictions may apply)
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Red Sox at Giants Probable Pitchers
The Boston Red Sox will send James Paxton (6-2) to the mound as they face the Giants, who will counter with Ryan Walker (3-0) for the game between the teams on Saturday.
Vegas Odds for Red Sox at Giants
- BOS Odds to Win: -115
- SF Odds to Win: -105
- Total: 8 runs
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Live Stream Red Sox at Giants
- Game Time: 7:15 PM ET
- Streaming: FOX (regional restrictions may apply)
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Cubs at Cardinals Probable Pitchers
The Chicago Cubs will send Jameson Taillon (4-6) to the hill as they play the Cardinals, who will look to Adam Wainwright (3-4) when the teams play on Saturday.
Vegas Odds for Cubs at Cardinals
- STL Odds to Win: -115
- CHC Odds to Win: -105
- Total: 10 runs
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Live Stream Cubs at Cardinals
- Game Time: 7:15 PM ET
- Streaming: BSMW (regional restrictions may apply)
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Rays at Astros Probable Pitchers
The Tampa Bay Rays will send Taj Bradley (5-6) to the mound as they take on the Astros, who will give the start to Hunter Brown (6-7) when the teams play Saturday.
Vegas Odds for Rays at Astros
- HOU Odds to Win: -140
- TB Odds to Win: +115
- Total: 8.5 runs
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Live Stream Rays at Astros
- Game Time: 7:15 PM ET
- Streaming: FOX (regional restrictions may apply)
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Yankees at Orioles Probable Pitchers
The New York Yankees will send Schmidt (6-6) to the mound as they play the Orioles, who will counter with Wells (7-5) for the matchup between the clubs Saturday.
Vegas Odds for Yankees at Orioles
- BAL Odds to Win: -125
- NYY Odds to Win: +105
- Total: 9 runs
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Live Stream Yankees at Orioles
- Game Time: 7:15 PM ET
- Streaming: FOX (regional restrictions may apply)
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Brewers at Braves Probable Pitchers
The Milwaukee Brewers will send Julio Teheran (2-4) to the hill as they play the Braves, who will hand the ball to Bryce Elder (7-2) when the clubs play Saturday.
Vegas Odds for Brewers at Braves
- ATL Odds to Win: -200
- MIL Odds to Win: +165
- Total: 10 runs
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Live Stream Brewers at Braves
- Game Time: 7:20 PM ET
- Streaming: BSSE (regional restrictions may apply)
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Mariners at Diamondbacks Probable Pitchers
The Seattle Mariners will send Bryan Woo (1-3) to the bump as they play the Diamondbacks, who will give the start to Brandon Pfaadt (0-4) when the teams play on Saturday.
Vegas Odds for Mariners at Diamondbacks
- SEA Odds to Win: -125
- ARI Odds to Win: +105
- Total: 9.5 runs
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Live Stream Mariners at Diamondbacks
- Game Time: 8:10 PM ET
- Streaming: ARID (regional restrictions may apply)
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Athletics at Rockies Probable Pitchers
The Oakland Athletics will send Paul Blackburn (1-2) to the hill as they face the Rockies, who will counter with Chris Flexen (0-0) when the teams meet Saturday.
Vegas Odds for Athletics at Rockies
- COL Odds to Win: -115
- OAK Odds to Win: -105
- Total: 12 runs
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Live Stream Athletics at Rockies
- Game Time: 8:10 PM ET
- Streaming: SportsNet RM (regional restrictions may apply)
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Rangers at Padres Probable Pitchers
The Texas Rangers will send Martin Perez (8-3) to the hill as they take on the Padres, who will hand the ball to Yu Darvish (7-7) for the matchup between the teams Saturday.
Vegas Odds for Rangers at Padres
- SD Odds to Win: -160
- TEX Odds to Win: +135
- Total: 9 runs
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Live Stream Rangers at Padres
- Game Time: 8:40 PM ET
- Streaming: SDPA (regional restrictions may apply)
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Reds at Dodgers Probable Pitchers
The Cincinnati Reds will send Luke Weaver (2-2) to the hill as they play the Dodgers, who will look to Emmet Sheehan (3-1) for the game between the clubs Saturday.
Vegas Odds for Reds at Dodgers
- LAD Odds to Win: -200
- CIN Odds to Win: +165
- Total: 10.5 runs
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Live Stream Reds at Dodgers
- Game Time: 9:10 PM ET
- Streaming: SportsNet LA (regional restrictions may apply)
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/mlb-probable-starting-pitchers/ | 2023-07-29T15:17:53 | 1 | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/mlb-probable-starting-pitchers/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump asked a federal appeals court Friday to reverse a federal judge’s decision to keep his hush-money criminal case in a New York state court that the former president claims is “very unfair” to him.
Trump’s lawyers filed a notice of appeal with the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan after U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein last week rejected his bid to move the case to federal court, where his lawyers were primed to argue he was immune from prosecution.
U.S. law allows criminal prosecutions to be moved from state to federal court if they involve actions taken by federal government officials as part of their official duties, but Hellerstein ruled that the hush-money case involved a personal matter, not presidential duties.
Trump’s appeal notice came at the end of another busy week of legal action for the twice-indicted Republican as he seeks a return to the White House in next year’s election. On Thursday, he was indicted on new criminal charges in a separate case in federal court in Florida involving allegations that he illegally hoarded classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office, which is prosecuting the hush-money case and fought to keep it in state court, declined to comment on Trump’s appeal.
Trump pleaded not guilty April 4 in state court to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to hide reimbursements made to his longtime personal lawyer Michael Cohen for his role in paying $130,000 to the porn actor Stormy Daniels, who claims she had an extramarital sexual encounter with Trump years earlier.
Cohen also arranged for the National Enquirer to pay Playboy model Karen McDougal $150,000 for the rights to her story about an alleged affair, which the supermarket tabloid then squelched in a dubious journalism practice known as “catch-and-kill.”
Trump denied having sexual encounters with either woman. His lawyers argue the payments to Cohen were legitimate legal expenses and not part of any cover-up.
He is scheduled to stand trial in state court on March 25, 2024. In the meantime, his lawyers have asked the state court judge presiding over the case, Juan Manuel Merchan, to step aside, arguing that he’s biased in part because his daughter does political consulting work for some of Trump’s Democratic rivals. Trump has referred to Merchan as “a Trump-hating judge” with a family full of “Trump haters.” The judge has yet to rule on the request.
In seeking to try the hush-money case tried in federal court, Trump’s lawyers have argued that some of his alleged conduct amounted to official presidential duties because it occurred in 2017 while he was president, including checks he purportedly wrote while sitting in the Oval Office.
Moving the case from state court to federal court would have significant legal and practical consequences for Trump. In federal court, for example, his lawyers could then try to get the charges dismissed on the grounds that federal officials have immunity from prosecution over actions taken as part of their official job duties.
A shift to federal court would also mean a more politically diverse jury pool — drawing not only from heavily Democratic Manhattan, where Trump is wildly unpopular, but also from suburban counties north of the city where he has more political support. | https://www.wivb.com/news/political-news/ap-politics/ap-donald-trump-appeals-judges-decision-to-keep-hush-money-case-in-new-york-state-court/ | 2023-07-29T15:17:56 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/news/political-news/ap-politics/ap-donald-trump-appeals-judges-decision-to-keep-hush-money-case-in-new-york-state-court/ |
Orlando Arcia Player Prop Bets: Braves vs. Brewers - July 29
Published: Jul. 29, 2023 at 10:35 AM EDT|Updated: 42 minutes ago
The Atlanta Braves, including Orlando Arcia and his .514 slugging percentage over his past 10 games, take on starting pitcher Julio Teheran and the Milwaukee Brewers at Truist Park, Saturday at 7:20 PM ET.
He had two hits (going 2-for-4 with two RBI) in his last appearance against the Brewers.
Orlando Arcia Game Info & Props vs. the Brewers
- Game Day: Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Game Time: 7:20 PM ET
- Stadium: Truist Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Brewers Starter: Julio Teheran
- TV Channel: BSSE
- Hits Prop: Over/under 0.5 hits (Over odds: -238)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 home runs (Over odds: +650)
- RBI Prop: Over/under 0.5 RBI (Over odds: +195)
- Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 runs (Over odds: +115)
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Read More About This Game
Orlando Arcia At The Plate
- Arcia is batting .290 with 12 doubles, 10 home runs and 22 walks.
- Arcia has picked up a hit in 52 of 80 games this season, with multiple hits 25 times.
- Looking at the 80 games he has played this season, he's hit a home run in 10 of them (12.5%), and in 3.2% of his trips to the dish.
- Arcia has picked up an RBI in 31.3% of his games this season, with more than one RBI in 13.8% of his games.
- In 37.5% of his games this year (30 of 80), he has scored, and in 10 of those games (12.5%) he has scored more than once.
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Orlando Arcia Home/Away Batting Splits
Brewers Pitching Rankings
- The Brewers pitching staff ranks 17th in MLB with a collective 8.6 strikeouts per nine innings.
- The Brewers have a 3.96 team ERA that ranks 10th among all MLB pitching staffs.
- Brewers pitchers combine to rank 21st in baseball in home runs surrendered (127 total, 1.2 per game).
- Teheran (2-4) takes the mound for the Brewers in his 11th start of the season. He's put together a 3.75 ERA in 57 2/3 innings pitched, with 40 strikeouts.
- In his last time out on Sunday, the right-hander tossed six innings against the Atlanta Braves, giving up one earned run while surrendering three hits.
- The 32-year-old has amassed a 3.75 ERA and 6.2 strikeouts per nine innings across 10 games this season, while allowing a batting average of .230 to his opponents.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/orlando-arcia-mlb-player-prop-bets/ | 2023-07-29T15:18:00 | 0 | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/orlando-arcia-mlb-player-prop-bets/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will host the leaders of Japan and South Korea next month for a summit at Camp David, the White House announced Friday.
The Aug. 18 meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is the latest sign of warming relations between Japan and South Korea as they move to set aside generations of tensions and mistrust while the United States deepens its commitment to Asia.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement that the leaders “will discuss expanding trilateral cooperation across the Indo-Pacific and beyond.” Expected topics include the threat posed by North Korea and ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and with the Pacific Islands.
The invitation spun out of a brief photo-op that the three leaders had at the Group of Seven summit in Hiroshima, Japan, in May. The Biden administration has been urging stronger economic and defense ties between South Korea and Japan as it looks to bolster the region against China’s assertive territorial moves, as well as to secure their cooperation to support Ukraine fight off Russia’s invasion. | https://www.wivb.com/news/political-news/ap-politics/ap-president-biden-to-host-the-leaders-of-japan-and-korean-for-an-august-summit-at-camp-david/ | 2023-07-29T15:18:03 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/news/political-news/ap-politics/ap-president-biden-to-host-the-leaders-of-japan-and-korean-for-an-august-summit-at-camp-david/ |
Ozzie Albies Player Prop Bets: Braves vs. Brewers - July 29
Published: Jul. 29, 2023 at 10:35 AM EDT|Updated: 42 minutes ago
The Atlanta Braves, including Ozzie Albies (.135 batting average in his past 10 games), battle starting pitcher Julio Teheran and the Milwaukee Brewers at Truist Park, Saturday at 7:20 PM ET.
He had a one-hit showing in his last game (1-for-5) against the Brewers.
Ozzie Albies Game Info & Props vs. the Brewers
- Game Day: Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Game Time: 7:20 PM ET
- Stadium: Truist Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Brewers Starter: Julio Teheran
- TV Channel: BSSE
- Hits Prop: Over/under 1.5 hits (Over odds: +170)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 home runs (Over odds: +325)
- RBI Prop: Over/under 0.5 RBI (Over odds: +100)
- Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 runs (Over odds: -154)
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Read More About This Game
Ozzie Albies At The Plate
- Albies is batting .256 with 17 doubles, three triples, 24 home runs and 31 walks.
- Among the qualified hitters in MLB play, he ranks 73rd in batting average, 95th in on-base percentage, and 21st in slugging.
- Albies has picked up a hit in 66 of 101 games this year, with multiple hits 25 times.
- In 22 games this season, he has hit a long ball (21.8%, and 5.5% of his trips to the plate).
- Albies has driven in a run in 40 games this season (39.6%), including 21 games with more than one RBI (20.8%). He has also driven in three or more of his team's runs in 10 contests.
- He has scored in 51 of 101 games this season, and more than once 10 times.
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Ozzie Albies Home/Away Batting Splits
Brewers Pitching Rankings
- The 8.6 strikeouts per nine innings put together by the Brewers pitching staff ranks 17th in the league.
- The Brewers have a 3.96 team ERA that ranks 10th among all MLB pitching staffs.
- Brewers pitchers combine to surrender 127 total home runs at a rate of 1.2 per game (to rank 21st in baseball).
- Teheran makes the start for the Brewers, his 11th of the season. He is 2-4 with a 3.75 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 57 2/3 innings pitched.
- In his last outing on Sunday against the Atlanta Braves, the righty went six innings, allowing one earned run while surrendering three hits.
- In 10 games this season, the 32-year-old has an ERA of 3.75, with 6.2 strikeouts per nine innings. Opponents are hitting .230 against him.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/ozzie-albies-mlb-player-prop-bets/ | 2023-07-29T15:18:06 | 0 | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/ozzie-albies-mlb-player-prop-bets/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell has repeatedly said he is “fine” since he froze up midsentence during a press conference on Wednesday. And now his office is trying to tamp down speculation that he might not fill out his term as leader because of his health.
In a statement, his office said McConnell appreciates the continued support of his colleagues and “plans to serve his full term in the job they overwhelmingly elected him to do.”
The statement, first reported by Politico, comes after McConnell, 81, has suffered health problems in recent months. At his weekly press conference this week, he froze and stared vacantly for about 20 seconds before his GOP colleagues standing behind him grabbed his elbows and asked if he wanted to go back to his office. He later returned to the news conference and answered questions as if nothing had happened.
When asked about the episode, he said he was “fine,” a statement he repeated in a hallway to reporters later that day. Neither McConnell nor his office would answer questions about whether he got medical help afterward.
Even as McConnell tried to brush off the concerns, the episode raised new questions among his colleagues about his health and also whether McConnell, who was first elected to the Senate in 1984 and has served as Republican leader since 2007, might soon step aside from his leadership post.
He was elected to a two-year term as leader in January by a large majority of his conference, despite an insurgent challenge from Florida Sen. Rick Scott. He would be up for re-election as leader again after the 2024 elections.
By then, he will have to decide also if he wants to run again for another Senate term. He is up for re-election in 2026.
In March, McConnell suffered a concussion and a broken rib after falling and hitting his head after a dinner event at a hotel. He didn’t return to the Senate for almost six weeks. He has been using a wheelchair in the airport while commuting back and forth to Kentucky. And his speech has recently sounded more halting.
But McConnell, famously reticent and often private about his personal life and health, has said very little about what is going on.
Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota said after Wednesday’s episode that McConnell’s job as leader calls for more transparency than it would for others.
“We should find out, you know, fairly soon what happened and how serious it is,” Cramer said. “But I don’t have to tell you, Mitch is also, as an individual, a pretty private guy. So we’ll see.”
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said he talked to McConnell on Wednesday night and he seemed “strong and alert.” But he said what happened at the news conference on Wednesday was disturbing to watch.
“Mitch is strong, he’s stubborn as a mule,” Cruz said. “My prayers are with them. I hope that — we’re going into the August recess — I hope he has time to fully recuperate.”
GOP senators who are seen as potential successors have been cautious in their reaction.
“He’s fine, he’s back to work,” said South Dakota Sen. John Thune, the No. 2 Senate Republican and one of the senators standing behind McConnell when he froze up.
“I support Senator McConnell as long as he wants to serve as leader,” said Texas Sen. John Cornyn, another potential replacement.
Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, the No. 3 Senate Republican and a former orthopedic surgeon, guided McConnell back to his office to rest during the news conference. Afterwards, he told reporters that he has been concerned since McConnell was injured earlier this year, “and I continue to be concerned.”
Barrasso then added: “I said I was concerned when he fell and hit his head a number of months ago and was hospitalized. And I think he’s made a remarkable recovery, he’s doing a great job leading our conference and was able to answer every question the press asked him today.”
Several other GOP senators projected confidence in the Republican leader.
“I do have confidence in his leadership,” said Wyoming Sen. Cynthia Lummis. “At lunch yesterday, he spoke. He was completely on his game using numbers that were pulled out of his head and he was completely with it. So I don’t know what precipitated the freeze, but he’ll be careful to evaluate his own capabilities.”
Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall said he was “a little concerned” after the news conference.
“He said that he got a little overheated, a little dehydrated,” said Marshall, who is also a doctor. “That’s what it looks like to me. I can tell you, he’s got a strong, strong voice in our conference. He’s providing steady leadership. And I think he’s doing a great job as leader.”
McConnell had polio in his early childhood and he has long acknowledged some difficulty as an adult in climbing stairs. In addition to his fall in March, he also tripped and fell four years ago at his home in Kentucky, causing a shoulder fracture that required surgery.
The Republican leader carried on with his full schedule after the episode on Wednesday. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he spoke with his Republican counterpart at an event Wednesday evening for Major League Baseball owners.
“I said I’m so glad you’re here,” Schumer said. “And he made a very good speech.”
The Republican leader is one of several senators who have been absent due to health issues this year. Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, 90, was out of the Senate for more than two months as she recovered from a bout of shingles. And Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., 53, took leave for several weeks to get treatment for clinical depression.
—-
Associated Press writer Lisa Mascaro and AP videojournalist Mike Pesoli contributed to this report. | https://www.wivb.com/news/political-news/ap-politics/ap-sen-mcconnell-says-he-plans-to-serve-his-full-term-as-leader-despite-questions-about-his-health/ | 2023-07-29T15:18:10 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/news/political-news/ap-politics/ap-sen-mcconnell-says-he-plans-to-serve-his-full-term-as-leader-despite-questions-about-his-health/ |
Ronald Acuña Jr. Player Prop Bets: Braves vs. Brewers - July 29
Published: Jul. 29, 2023 at 10:30 AM EDT|Updated: 46 minutes ago
The Atlanta Braves, including Ronald Acuna Jr. (.324 slugging percentage in past 10 games, including no home run), battle starter Julio Teheran and the Milwaukee Brewers at Truist Park, Saturday at 7:20 PM ET.
He had two hits (going 2-for-3 with an RBI) in his last game against the Brewers.
Ronald Acuña Jr. Game Info & Props vs. the Brewers
- Game Day: Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Game Time: 7:20 PM ET
- Stadium: Truist Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Brewers Starter: Julio Teheran
- TV Channel: BSSE
- Hits Prop: Over/under 1.5 hits (Over odds: +125)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 home runs (Over odds: +310)
- RBI Prop: Over/under 0.5 RBI (Over odds: +120)
- Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 runs (Over odds: -222)
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Discover More About This Game
Ronald Acuña Jr. At The Plate
- Acuna has an OPS of .981, fueled by an OBP of .412 to go with a slugging percentage of .569. All three of those stats rank first among Atlanta hitters this season.
- Among qualifying batters, he ranks third in batting average, while his on-base percentage ranks fourth and he is fourth in slugging.
- Acuna has picked up a hit in 78 of 101 games this season, with multiple hits 42 times.
- He has hit a home run in 20.8% of his games in 2023 (21 of 101), and 5% of his trips to the dish.
- Acuna has driven in a run in 38 games this season (37.6%), including 13 games with more than one RBI (12.9%). He has also driven home three or more of his team's runs in eight contests.
- He has scored in 62.4% of his games this year (63 of 101), with two or more runs 22 times (21.8%).
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Ronald Acuña Jr. Home/Away Batting Splits
Brewers Pitching Rankings
- The 8.6 strikeouts per nine innings compiled by the Brewers pitching staff ranks 17th in MLB.
- The Brewers have a 3.96 team ERA that ranks 10th across all MLB pitching staffs.
- Brewers pitchers combine to rank 21st in baseball in home runs given up (127 total, 1.2 per game).
- Teheran (2-4 with a 3.75 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 57 2/3 innings pitched) gets the start for the Brewers, his 11th of the season.
- His last appearance came on Sunday against the Atlanta Braves, when the right-hander went six innings, surrendering one earned run while giving up three hits.
- The 32-year-old has a 3.75 ERA and 6.2 strikeouts per nine innings across 10 games this season, while allowing a batting average of .230 to opposing hitters.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/ronald-acuna-mlb-player-prop-bets/ | 2023-07-29T15:18:13 | 1 | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/ronald-acuna-mlb-player-prop-bets/ |
Nearly 70% of U.S. adults believe in angels and heaven, according to a new AP-NORC poll.
About 8 in 10 Americans agree that some things cannot be explained by science or natural causes.
In addition, 72% believe in the power of prayer.
"People are yearning for something greater than themselves — beyond their own understanding," said Jack Grogger, a chaplain for the Los Angeles Angels and a longtime fire captain who has helped people in some of their darkest moments, according to the Associated Press.
Grogger, who also pastors a nondenominational church in Orange, California, said people find comfort in angels.
But the belief in heaven and angels is greater than those who believe in hell, 58%, and those who think the devil exists, 56%.
Half of U.S. adults believe that the spirits of those who have crossed over can interact with the living.
AP-NORC's poll also found that 42% of people in the U.S. believe that spiritual energy can be rooted in physical objects.
About a third of Americans believe in reincarnation, astrology, and yoga as a spiritual practice.
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | https://www.kivitv.com/do-angels-and-heaven-exist-here-s-what-most-americans-think | 2023-07-29T15:18:14 | 0 | https://www.kivitv.com/do-angels-and-heaven-exist-here-s-what-most-americans-think |
WASHINGTON (AP) — A freshman Republican congressman from Wisconsin is refusing to apologize after he yelled and cursed at high school-aged Senate pages during a late night tour of the Capitol this week, eliciting a bipartisan rebuke from Senate leaders.
Rep. Derrick Van Orden, speaking in a round of interviews Friday on Wisconsin conservative talk radio, did not refute reports of his actions or back down from what he did.
Van Orden used a profanity to describe the pages as lazy and and another to order them off the floor of the Capitol Rotunda on Wednesday night, according to a report in the online political newsletter PunchBowl News. The pages were laying down to take photos in the Rotunda, according to the publication.
“I’m not going to apologize for making sure that anybody — I don’t care who you are and who you’re related to — defiles this House,” Van Orden said on “The Dan O’Donnell Show.” “It’s not going to happen on my watch, man.”
Van Orden said he was protecting the integrity of the Capitol Rotunda because it served as a field hospital during the Civil War and it’s where presidents have lain in state upon their deaths. He said the young people he confronted were “goofing off” and that Democrats were making it an issue.
“Would this be an issue if those young people did not have political connections?” Van Orden said on “The Jay Weber Show.” “Why do you think this is an issue, pal?”
A former Navy SEAL who was outside of the Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection, Van Orden also appeared to embrace the presence of alcohol in his office the same evening he encountered the pages. Images were posted on social media showing bottles of liquor and beer cans on a desk in his office. Van Orden said on X, the platform previously known as Twitter, that the alcohol was from constituents.
And his spokeswoman Anna Kelly posted: “As the Congressman says, once you cross the threshold to our office, you are in Wisconsin!” She followed that with a beer mug emoji.
Van Orden represents Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District, a GOP-leaning jurisdiction that comprises parts of central, southwestern and western Wisconsin, including moderate exurbs of Minnesota’s Twin Cities.
On Thursday evening, just before the Senate left for its August recess, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., rebuked Van Orden’s behavior and thanked the pages, high school-age students who serve as helpers and messengers around the Senate. Several of the pages were sitting on the Senate floor at the time, smiling and nodding as dozens of senators stood and gave them a standing ovation.
Without mentioning Van Orden by name, Schumer said he was “shocked” to hear about the behavior of a member of the House Republican majority and “further shocked at his refusal to apologize to these young people.” He noted that Thursday was the final day for this class of pages.
“They’re here when we need them,” Schumer said. “And they have served this institution with grace.”
McConnell said he associated himself with Schumer’s words. “Everybody on this side of the aisle feels exactly the same way,” he said.
When asked about McConnell’s rebuke, Van Orden said Friday “I don’t know what it was because I honestly have not tracked any of this stuff.”
Van Orden was elected to Congress in 2022 after a losing bid in 2020. He has insisted that he did not enter the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and on Friday again condemned those who did, calling them “buffoons.” That didn’t stop fellow Wisconsin Rep. Mark Pocan, a Democrat, from invoking the Jan. 6 attack in criticizing Van Orden.
“Wonder if he told that to his fellow insurrectionists, who were beating police officers on the same ground?” Pocan said on X.
Rebecca Cooke, a Democrat who is running to challenge Van Orden in 2024, called him an embarrassment and a hypocrite. She called Van Orden a “serial harasser” and referenced an incident in June 2021 when Van Orden was upset about a display of LGBTQ+ books at a southwestern Wisconsin library and yelled at a teenager who was working there.
“For someone to perhaps drunkenly, and definitely belligerently, yell at these kids for enjoying our nation’s Capitol is just stupid,” Pocan said Friday. “He would be best to say it was stupid and just move on.”
___
EDITORS’ NOTE: An earlier version of this story misidentified the name of “The Dan O’Donnell Show.”
___
Bauer reported from Madison, Wisconsin. | https://www.wivb.com/news/political-news/ap-politics/ap-senate-rebukes-wisconsin-congressman-who-yelled-vulgarities-at-high-school-age-pages/ | 2023-07-29T15:18:17 | 1 | https://www.wivb.com/news/political-news/ap-politics/ap-senate-rebukes-wisconsin-congressman-who-yelled-vulgarities-at-high-school-age-pages/ |
Sean Murphy Player Prop Bets: Braves vs. Brewers - July 29
Published: Jul. 29, 2023 at 10:34 AM EDT|Updated: 42 minutes ago
Sean Murphy -- with an on-base percentage of .295 in his past 10 games, 86 points lower than his season-long percentage -- will be in action for the Atlanta Braves versus the Milwaukee Brewers, with Julio Teheran on the mound, on July 29 at 7:20 PM ET.
In his previous game he had a one-hit showing (1-for-4) against the Brewers.
Sean Murphy Game Info & Props vs. the Brewers
- Game Day: Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Game Time: 7:20 PM ET
- Stadium: Truist Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Brewers Starter: Julio Teheran
- TV Channel: BSSE
- Hits Prop: Over/under 0.5 hits (Over odds: -278)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 home runs (Over odds: +360)
- RBI Prop: Over/under 0.5 RBI (Over odds: +145)
- Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 runs (Over odds: -115)
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Read More About This Game
Sean Murphy At The Plate
- Murphy has 18 doubles, 17 home runs and 33 walks while batting .282.
- Murphy has gotten at least one hit in 62.7% of his games this year (47 of 75), with multiple hits 19 times (25.3%).
- He has gone deep in 21.3% of his games in 2023, and 5.5% of his trips to the dish.
- In 38.7% of his games this year, Murphy has had at least one RBI. He's picked up more than one in 20.0% and driven in three or more of his team's runs in eight contests.
- He has scored in 34 of 75 games this season, and more than once 10 times.
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Sean Murphy Home/Away Batting Splits
Brewers Pitching Rankings
- The 8.6 strikeouts per nine innings compiled by the Brewers pitching staff ranks 17th in MLB.
- The Brewers have a 3.96 team ERA that ranks 10th across all league pitching staffs.
- Brewers pitchers combine to rank 21st in baseball in home runs surrendered (127 total, 1.2 per game).
- Teheran gets the start for the Brewers, his 11th of the season. He is 2-4 with a 3.75 ERA and 40 strikeouts through 57 2/3 innings pitched.
- In his most recent appearance on Sunday against the Atlanta Braves, the righty went six innings, giving up one earned run while surrendering three hits.
- The 32-year-old has an ERA of 3.75, with 6.2 strikeouts per nine innings, in 10 games this season. Opponents have a .230 batting average against him.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/sean-murphy-mlb-player-prop-bets/ | 2023-07-29T15:18:19 | 1 | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/sean-murphy-mlb-player-prop-bets/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — A top Pentagon official has attacked this week’s widely watched congressional hearing on UFOs, calling the claims “insulting” to employees who are investigating sightings and accusing a key witness of not cooperating with the official U.S. government investigation.
Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick’s letter, published on his personal LinkedIn page and circulated Friday across social media, criticizes much of the testimony from a retired Air Force intelligence officer that energized believers in extraterrestrial life and produced headlines around the world.
Retired Air Force Maj. David Grusch testified Wednesday that the U.S. has concealed what he called a “multi-decade” program to collect and reverse-engineer “UAPs,” or unidentified aerial phenomena, the official government term for UFOs.
Part of what the U.S. has recovered, Grusch testified, were non-human “biologics,” which he said he had not seen but had learned about from “people with direct knowledge of the program.”
A career intelligence officer, Kirkpatrick was named a year ago to lead the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, or AARO, which was intended to centralize investigations into UAPs. The Pentagon and U.S. intelligence agencies have been pushed by Congress in recent years to better investigate reports of devices flying at unusual speeds or trajectories as a national security concern.
Kirkpatrick wrote the letter Thursday and the Defense Department confirmed Friday that he posted it in a personal capacity. Kirkpatrick declined to comment on the letter Friday.
He writes in part, “I cannot let yesterday’s hearing pass without sharing how insulting it was to the officers of the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community who chose to join AARO, many with not unreasonable anxieties about the career risks this would entail.”
“They are truth-seekers, as am I,” Kirkpatrick said. “But you certainly would not get that impression from yesterday’s hearing.”
In a separate statement, Pentagon spokeswoman Sue Gough denied other allegations made by Grusch before a House Oversight subcommittee.
The Pentagon “has no information that any individual has been harmed or killed as a result of providing information” about UFO objects, Gough said. Nor has the Pentagon discovered “any verifiable information to substantiate claims that any programs regarding the possession or reverse-engineering of extraterrestrial materials have existed in the past or exist currently.”
Kirkpatrick wrote, “AARO has yet to find any credible evidence to support the allegations of any reverse engineering program for non-human technology.”
He had briefed reporters in December that the Pentagon was investigating “several hundreds” of new reports following a push to have pilots and others come forward with any sightings.
Kirkpatrick wrote in his letter that allegations of “retaliation, to include physical assault and hints of murder, are extraordinarily serious, which is why law enforcement is a critical member of the AARO team, specifically to address and take swift action should anyone come forward with such claims.”
“Yet, contrary to assertions made in the hearing, the central source of those allegations has refused to speak with AARO,” Kirkpatrick said. He did not explicitly name Grusch, who alleged he faced retaliation and declined to answer when a congressman asked him if anyone had been murdered to hide information about UFOs.
Messages left at a phone number and email address for Grusch were not returned Friday. | https://www.wivb.com/news/political-news/ap-politics/ap-the-ufo-congressional-hearing-was-insulting-to-us-employees-a-top-pentagon-official-says/ | 2023-07-29T15:18:24 | 1 | https://www.wivb.com/news/political-news/ap-politics/ap-the-ufo-congressional-hearing-was-insulting-to-us-employees-a-top-pentagon-official-says/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States has announced $345 million in military aid for Taiwan, in what is the Biden administration’s first major package drawing on America’s own stockpiles to help Taiwan counter China.
The White House said Friday the package would include defense, education and training for the Taiwanese. Washington will send man-portable air defense systems, or MANPADS, intelligence and surveillance capabilities, firearms and missiles, according to two U.S. officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.
U.S. lawmakers have been pressuring the Pentagon and White House to speed weapons to Taiwan. The goals are to help it counter China and to deter China from considering attacking, by providing Taipei enough weaponry that it would make the price of invasion too high.
While Chinese diplomats protested the move, Taiwan’s representative office in the U.S. said the administration’s decision to pull arms and other materiel from its stores provided “an important tool to support Taiwan’s self-defense.” In a statement, it pledged to work with the United States to maintain “peace, stability and the status quo across the Taiwan Strait.”
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense also expressed its appreciation in a statement that thanked “the U.S. for its firm commitment to Taiwan’s security.”
The package is in addition to nearly $19 billion in military sales of F-16s and other major weapons systems that the U.S. has approved for Taiwan. Delivery of those weapons has been hampered by supply chain issues that started during the COVID-19 pandemic and have been exacerbated by the global defense industrial base pressures created by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The difference is that this aid is part of a presidential authority approved by Congress last year to draw weapons from current U.S. military stockpiles — so Taiwan will not have to wait for military production and sales. This gets weapons delivered faster than providing funding for new weapons.
The Pentagon has used a similar authority to get billions of dollars worth of munitions to Ukraine.
Taiwan split from China in 1949 amid civil war. Chinese President Xi Jinping maintains China’s right to take over the now self-ruled island, by force if necessary. China has accused the U.S. of turning Taiwan into a “powder keg” through the billions of dollars in weapons sales it has pledged.
The U.S. maintains a “One China” policy under which it does not recognize Taiwan’s as an independent country and has no formal diplomatic relations with the island in deference to Beijing. However, U.S. law requires a credible defense for Taiwan and for the U.S. to treat all threats to the island as matters of “grave concern.”
Getting stockpiles of weapons to Taiwan now, before an attack begins, is one of the lessons the U.S. has learned from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Pentagon deputy defense secretary Kathleen Hicks told The Associated Press earlier this year.
Ukraine “was more of a cold-start approach than the planned approach we have been working on for Taiwan, and we will apply those lessons,” Hicks said. Efforts to resupply Taiwan after a conflict erupted would be complicated because it is an island, she said.
China regularly sends warships and planes across the center line in the Taiwan Strait that provides a buffer between the sides, as well as into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone, in an effort to intimidate the island’s 23 million people and wear down its military capabilities.
Liu Pengyu, a spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, said in a statement that Beijing was “firmly opposed” to U.S. military ties with Taiwan. The U.S. should “stop selling arms to Taiwan” and “stop creating new factors that could lead to tensions in the Taiwan Strait,” Liu said. | https://www.wivb.com/news/political-news/ap-politics/ap-us-to-announce-345-million-military-aid-package-for-taiwan/ | 2023-07-29T15:18:32 | 1 | https://www.wivb.com/news/political-news/ap-politics/ap-us-to-announce-345-million-military-aid-package-for-taiwan/ |
Former President Donald Trump has been indicted on three additional charges in a case that accuses him of illegally possessing classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate, allegations that add fresh detail to the criminal case initially issued last month.
Here’s a look at the charges, the special counsel’s investigation and how Trump’s case differs from those of other politicians known to be in possession of classified documents:
WHAT ARE THE NEW CHARGES?
There are three new charges against Trump, as well as a new defendant in the case.
Prosecutors accuse the former president of trying to “alter, destroy, mutilate, or conceal evidence,” and of inducing another person to do so. They say Trump asked a staffer — Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira — to delete camera footage at his Florida estate in an effort to obstruct the federal investigation into his possession of classified documents.
Prosecutors allege that De Oliveira schemed with Trump and his valet, Walt Nauta, to conceal the footage from investigators.
A third count also accuses Trump of willfully retaining national defense information related to a presentation about military activity in another country.
Investigators say Trump showed a classified document during July 2021 meeting at his Bedminster, New Jersey, resort to the writer and publisher of the memoir of his former chief of staff Mark Meadows. Details about that document and the meeting were included in the original indictment, but none of the charges had related to it until now.
Trump had returned that document to the government on Jan. 17, 2022 — nearly a year after he left office, according to the indictment.
Trump was indicted last month on 37 counts related to the mishandling of classified documents. The charges include counts of retaining classified information, obstructing justice and making false statements, among other crimes.
Trump is accused of keeping documents related to “nuclear weaponry in the United States” and the “nuclear capabilities of a foreign country,” along with documents from White House intelligence briefings, including some that detail the military capabilities of the U.S. and other countries, according to the indictment. Prosecutors alleged Trump showed off the documents to people who did not have security clearances to review them and later tried to conceal documents from his own lawyers as they sought to comply with federal demands to find and return documents.
The top charges carry a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
After leaving office in 2021, the former president showed someone working for his political action committee a map that detailed a military operation in a foreign country, prosecutors allege in the document. On another occasion that year, Trump showed a writer, a publisher and two of his staffers — none of whom had security clearances — a military plan of attack.
HOW IS TRUMP REACTING?
A Trump campaign statement dismissed the new charges as “nothing more than a continued desperate and flailing attempt” by the Biden administration “to harass President Trump and those around him” and to influence the 2024 presidential race.
In an interview Thursday night with Breitbart News, Trump called the superseding indictment “harassment,” repeating his insistence that his activities were “protected by the Presidential Records Act.”
On Friday, Trump and a dozen other Republicans seeking the 2024 presidential nomination were expected at an Iowa GOP event.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
De Oliveira is due in court in Florida on Monday.
Both Trump and Nauta have pleaded not guilty to the original 38-count indictment.
Their trial is currently scheduled for May 20, 2024 — deep into the presidential nominating calendar, and probably well after the Republican nominee is known — and it was unclear if the addition of a new defendant could result in a postponement.
Prosecutors, who had wanted the case to go to trial in December, wrote in a separate court filing Thursday that the new charges “should not disturb” the May trial date, “and the Special Counsel’s Office is taking steps related to discovery and security clearances to ensure that it does not do so.”
Trump’s lawyers have claimed that he can’t get a fair trial before the 2024 election.
HOW DID THIS CASE COME ABOUT?
Officials with the National Archives and Records Administration contacted representatives for Trump in spring 2021 when they realized that important material from his time in office was missing.
According to the Presidential Records Act, White House documents are considered property of the U.S. government and must be preserved.
A Trump representative told the National Archives in December 2021 that presidential records had been found at Mar-a-Lago. In January 2022, the National Archives retrieved 15 boxes of documents from Trump’s Florida home, later telling Justice Department officials that they contained “a lot” of classified material.
That May, the FBI and Justice Department issued a subpoena for remaining classified documents in Trump’s possession. Investigators who went to visit the property weeks later to collect the records were given roughly three dozen documents and a sworn statement from Trump’s lawyers attesting that the requested information had been returned.
But that assertion turned out to be false. With a search warrant, federal officials returned to Mar-a-Lago in August 2022 and seized more than 33 boxes and containers totaling 11,000 documents from a storage room and an office, including 100 classified documents.
In all, roughly 300 documents with classification markings — including some at the top secret level — have been recovered from Trump since he left office in January 2021.
HOW DID A SPECIAL COUNSEL GET INVOLVED?
Last year, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland picked Jack Smith, a veteran war crimes prosecutor with a background in public corruption probes, to lead investigations into the presence of classified documents at Trump’s Florida estate, as well as key aspects of a separate probe involving the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and efforts to undo the 2020 election.
Smith’s appointment was a recognition by Garland of the politics involved in an investigation into a former president and current White House candidate. Garland himself was selected by Democratic President Joe Biden, whom Trump is seeking to challenge for the White House in 2024.
Special counsels are appointed in cases in which the Justice Department perceives itself as having a conflict or where it’s deemed to be in the public interest to have someone outside the government come in and take responsibility for a matter.
According to the Code of Federal Regulations, a special counsel must have “a reputation for integrity and impartial decision making,” as well as “an informed understanding of the criminal law and Department of Justice policies.”
DIDN’T BIDEN AND FORMER VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE HAVE CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS, TOO?
Yes, but the circumstances of their cases are vastly different from those involving Trump.
After classified documents were found at Biden’s think tank and Pence’s Indiana home, their lawyers notified authorities and quickly arranged for them to be handed over. They also authorized other searches by federal authorities to search for additional documents.
There is no indication either was aware of the existence of the records before they were found, and no evidence has so far emerged that Biden or Pence sought to conceal the discoveries. That’s important because the Justice Department historically looks for willfulness in deciding whether to bring criminal charges.
A special counsel was appointed earlier this year to probe how classified materials ended up at Biden’s Delaware home and former office. But even if the Justice Department were to find Biden’s case prosecutable on the evidence, its Office of Legal Counsel has concluded that a president is immune from prosecution during his time in office.
As for Pence, the Justice Department informed his legal team this month that it would not be pursuing criminal charges against him over his handling of the documents.
DOES A FEDERAL INDICTMENT PREVENT TRUMP FROM RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT?
No. Neither the indictment itself nor a conviction would prevent Trump from running for or winning the presidency in 2024.
And, as his indictment earlier this year in a New York hush-money case showed, criminal charges have historically been a boon to his fundraising. The campaign announced that it had raised over $4 million in the 24 hours after that indictment became public, smashing its previous record after the FBI search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club.
___
Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP | https://www.wivb.com/news/political-news/ap-politics/ap-with-trump-newly-indicted-heres-what-to-know-about-the-documents-case-and-whats-next/ | 2023-07-29T15:18:39 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/news/political-news/ap-politics/ap-with-trump-newly-indicted-heres-what-to-know-about-the-documents-case-and-whats-next/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Justice Samuel Alito says Congress lacks the power to impose a code of ethics on the Supreme Court, making him the first member of the court to take a public stand against proposals in Congress to toughen ethics rules for justices in response to increased scrutiny of their activities beyond the bench.
“I know this is a controversial view, but I’m willing to say it. No provision in the Constitution gives them the authority to regulate the Supreme Court—period,” Alito said in an interview he gave to the Wall Street Journal opinion pages. An account of the interview, which the paper said took place in New York in early July, was published Friday.
Democrats last week pushed Supreme Court ethics legislation through a Senate committee, though the bill’s prospects in the full Senate are dim.
All federal judges other than the justices already adhere to an ethics code that was developed by the federal judiciary. But the Supreme Court’s unique status — it’s the only federal court created by the Constitution — puts it outside the reach of those standards that apply to other federal jurists.
Democrats first sought to address that after ProPublica reported earlier this year that Justice Clarence Thomas participated in lavish vacations and a real estate deal with a top Republican donor — and after Chief Justice John Roberts declined to testify before the committee about the ethics of the court.
Since then, ProPublica also revealed that Alito had taken a luxury vacation in Alaska with a Republican donor who had business interests before the court. The Associated Press reported in early July that Justice Sonia Sotomayor, aided by her staff, has advanced sales of her books through college visits over the past decade.
The 73-year-old Alito, who joined the court in 2006, has rejected the idea that he should have disclosed the Alaska trip or stepped away from cases involving the donor, hedge fund owner Paul Singer. Alito penned his own Wall Street Journal op-ed, which was published hours before ProPublica posted its story.
Alito said that he is unwilling to leave allegations unanswered, though he acknowledged judges and justices typically don’t respond to their critics.
“And so at a certain point I’ve said to myself, nobody else is going to do this, so I have to defend myself,” he said in the newest column.
While no other justice has spoken so definitively about ethics legislation, Roberts has raised questions about Congress’ authority to oversee the high court.
In his year-end report in 2011, Roberts wrote that the justices comply with legislation that requires annual financial disclosures and limits their outside earned income. “The Court has never addressed whether Congress may impose those requirements on the Supreme Court. The Justices nevertheless comply with those provisions,” Roberts wrote.
The justices have so far resisted adopting an ethics code on their own, although Roberts said in May that there is more the court can do to “adhere to the highest standards” of ethical conduct, without providing specifics.
The column is co-written by James Taranto, the paper’s editorial features editor, and David Rivkin, a Washington lawyer. Rivkin represents Leonard Leo, the onetime leader of the conservative legal group The Federalist Society, in his dealings with Senate Democrats who want details of Leo’s dealings with the justices. Leo helped arrange Alito’s trip to Alaska.
Rivkin, in a letter Tuesday to leading Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said the request was politically motivated and violates Leo’s constitutional rights. Rivkin also wrote that a congressionally imposed ethics code for the Supreme Court would falter on constitutional grounds. Separately, Rivkin represents a couple whose tax case will be argued before the court in the fall.
Alito talked with the Taranto and Rivkin for four hours in interviews in April and July, they wrote. They published an account of the earlier interview in April. | https://www.wivb.com/news/u-s-headlines/ap-justice-alito-says-congress-lacks-the-power-to-impose-an-ethics-code-on-the-supreme-court/ | 2023-07-29T15:18:46 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/news/u-s-headlines/ap-justice-alito-says-congress-lacks-the-power-to-impose-an-ethics-code-on-the-supreme-court/ |
The rapper G Herbo pleaded guilty Friday to his role in a scheme that used stolen credit card information to pay for a lavish lifestyle including private jets, exotic car rentals, a luxury vacation rental and even expensive designer puppies.
Under a deal with prosecutors, the 27-year-old Chicago rapper, whose real name is Herbert Wright III, entered a guilty plea in federal court in Springfield, Massachusetts, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and making false statements. In exchange, prosecutors dismissed several counts of aggravated identity theft.
He also agreed to forfeit nearly $140,000, the amount he benefited from what prosecutors have said was a $1.5 million scheme that involved several other people.
“Mr. Wright used stolen account information as his very own unlimited funding source, using victims’ payment cards to finance an extravagant lifestyle and advance his career,” acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy said in a statement.
Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 7, and he faces a maximum of 25 years in prison. A voicemail seeking comment was left with his attorney.
From at least March 2017 until November 2018, G Herbo and his promoter, Antonio Strong, used text messages, social media messages and emails to share account information taken from dark websites, authorities said.
On one occasion, the stolen account information was used to pay for a chartered jet to fly the rapper and members of his entourage from Chicago to Austin, Texas, authorities said. On another, a stolen account was used to pay nearly $15,000 for Wright and seven others to stay several days in a six-bedroom Jamaican villa.
In court documents, prosecutors said G Herbo “used the proceeds of these frauds to travel to various concert venues and to advance his career by posting photographs and/or videos of himself on the private jets, in the exotic cars, and at the Jamaican villa.”
G Herbo also helped Strong order two designer Yorkshire terrier puppies from a Michigan pet shop using a stolen credit card and a fake Washington state driver’s license, according to the indictment. The total cost was more than $10,000, prosecutors said.
When the pet shop’s owner asked to confirm the purchase with G Herbo, Strong directed her to do so through an Instagram message, and G Herbo confirmed he was buying the puppies, authorities said.
Because the stolen credit card information was authentic, the transactions went through and it wasn’t until later that the real credit card holders noticed and reported the fraud.
G Herbo was also charged in May 2021 with lying to investigators by denying that he had any ties to Strong when in fact the two had worked together since at least 2016, prosecutors said.
Strong has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.
G Herbo’s music is centered on his experiences growing up on the East Side of Chicago in a neighborhood dubbed Terror Town, including gang and gun violence.
He released his debut mix tapes “Welcome to Fazoland” and “Pistol P Project” in 2014, both named for friends who had been killed in the city. His first album was 2017’s “Humble Beast,” and his latest is “Survivor’s Remorse,” released last year.
His 2020 album “PTSD” debuted at number 7 on the Billboard 200.
G Herbo also started a program in Chicago called Swervin’ Through Stress, aimed at giving urban youths tools to navigate mental health crises, after publicly acknowledging his own struggle with PTSD. In 2021 he was named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 music list. | https://www.wivb.com/news/u-s-headlines/ap-rapper-g-herbo-pleads-guilty-in-credit-card-fraud-that-paid-for-private-jets-and-designer-puppies/ | 2023-07-29T15:18:53 | 1 | https://www.wivb.com/news/u-s-headlines/ap-rapper-g-herbo-pleads-guilty-in-credit-card-fraud-that-paid-for-private-jets-and-designer-puppies/ |
A New York man who stole a badge and radio from a police officer brutally beaten by other rioters during the attack on the U.S. Capitol was sentenced on Friday to more than four years in prison.
Thomas Sibick, of Buffalo, pleaded guilty in March for his role in the attack on Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone, who has described fighting for his life to defend the Capitol as lawmakers inside fled from the angry mob on Jan. 6, 2021.
In a letter to the judge, Sibick, 37, called the trauma Fanone experienced “undeniably sickening” and said he takes full responsibility for his “uncivilized display of reckless behavior.”
“It was an attack on the institutions of our democracy and not as some would make you believe legitimate political discourse. The attack was far from peaceful, my actions played a role that will follow me for the rest of my life,” Sibick wrote.
Judge Amy Berman Jackson sentenced him to 50 months in prison during a hearing in Washington’s federal court.
Sibick’s attorney Stephen Brennwald did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Following his arrest, Sibick spent eight months behind bars but was released on home confinement in October 2021 after his lawyer pressed the judge to free him while his case played out.
Sibick’s attorney had asked for a sentence of home confinement, writing in court papers that a mental health misdiagnosis resulted in his client taking medication on Jan. 6 that “severely and negatively impacted him.” Sibick’s attorney said, unlike other rioters, his client did not physically assault Fanone, and their interaction was limited to Sibick grabbing Fanone’s radio and badge.
“Mr. Sibick has made a remarkable change in his life since he received his correct mental health diagnosis and has begun cognitive behavioral therapy,” Brennwald wrote. “Because he sees January 6 for what it was, he is not a threat to re-offend in the future.”
Rioters kicked, punched, grabbed and shocked Fanone with a stun gun after pulling him away from other officers who were guarding a tunnel entrance on the Capitol’s Lower West Terrace. Another rioter threatened to take Fanone’s gun and kill him. Fanone said the attack gave him a heart attack and a traumatic brain injury and ultimately cost him his career.
Fanone’s body camera captured Sibick removing the officer’s badge and radio from his tactical vest, according to a court filing accompanying his guilty plea.
Others in the crowd escorted Fanone back to the police line. Before FBI agents showed Sibick the body camera video, he initially claimed that he tried in vain to pull the officer away from his attackers.
Sibick said he buried Fanone’s badge in his backyard after returning home to Buffalo. He returned the badge, but Fanone’s $5,500 radio hasn’t been recovered.
Other rioters have been charged with attacking Fanone, who lost consciousness and was taken to an emergency room.
Albuquerque Cosper Head, a Tennessee man who dragged Fanone into the crowd, was sentenced in October 2022 to seven years and six months in prison. Another man, Daniel Rodriguez of California, was sentenced last month to more than 12 years in prison for driving a stun gun into Fanone’s neck as the officer screamed out in pain. | https://www.wivb.com/news/u-s-headlines/ap-rioter-who-stole-badge-radio-from-beaten-officer-on-jan-6-gets-more-than-4-years-in-prison/ | 2023-07-29T15:19:00 | 1 | https://www.wivb.com/news/u-s-headlines/ap-rioter-who-stole-badge-radio-from-beaten-officer-on-jan-6-gets-more-than-4-years-in-prison/ |
SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — Tom Durden, the Georgia district attorney who kick-started the prosecution of Ahmaud Arbery’s killing by calling in state investigators to take over the languishing case, has died at age 66.
The Atlantic Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office, which Durden led for 24 years before stepping down last year, confirmed Durden’s death in a Facebook post Friday. No cause of death was given.
During his career of nearly four decades, Durden served briefly as the second outside prosecutor overseeing the investigation into the February 2020 killing of Arbery. The 25-year-old Black man was fatally shot as he ran from white men in pickup trucks who chased him through their Georgia neighborhood. The shooter said he fired in self-defense.
The case stalled without charges for more than two months before Durden asked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to take over from local police. GBI agents rapidly made arrests that led to three murder convictions. Durden stepped aside soon after the arrests, saying the case needed a DA with a larger staff.
“He played a significant role, as we know the others before him did nothing,” said Thea Brooks, one of Arbery’s aunts. “No matter how long he had it on his desk, he did the right thing.”
Following Arbery’s killing outside the port city of Brunswick in 2020, the local district attorney recused herself and the first outside prosecutor assigned, George Barnhill, opposed bringing criminal charges before he stepped aside.
Georgia’s attorney general then appointed Durden, who had the case for roughly a month amid a growing outcry for arrests. Durden asked the GBI to get involved after cellphone video of the killing leaked online May 5, 2020.
Father and son Greg and Travis McMichael were arrested on murder charges the day after GBI agents arrived in Brunswick. A neighbor, William “Roddie” Bryan, was charged soon after.
“The fact that he sent it to the GBI was a positive turn in the case for us, and I think he deserves credit for it,” said the Rev. John Perry, who led Brunswick’s NAACP chapter at the time Arbery was killed.
The job of prosecuting the McMichaels and Bryan was passed to the district attorney for Cobb County in metro Atlanta. All three men were ultimately convicted of murder in 2021 and sentenced to life in prison.
Durden joined the district attorney’s office as an assistant prosecutor in 1984, two years after earning his law degree from Mercer University. He was elected DA after his predecessor retired in 1998.
Durden prosecuted hundreds of criminal cases in the Atlantic Circuit, which covers six southeast Georgia counties outside Savannah.
“Mr. Durden was a true public servant to the State of Georgia for close to 40 years,” Pete Skandalakis, executive director of the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia, said in a statement. “My sincerest condolences to Tom’s family.”
In 1998, Durden successfully prosecuted four family members and a friend in the killing of Thurmon Martin, a case that would become known as Georgia’s infamous “tomato patch” murder.
Martin, 64, was shot while sleeping in May 1997 and buried behind his home in rural Ludowici. The case gained notoriety for the tomato plants growing atop Martin’s grave, as well as the defendants’ harrowing courtroom accounts of being abused by the slain man. | https://www.wivb.com/news/u-s-headlines/ap-tom-durden-georgia-da-who-ordered-takeover-of-stalled-ahmaud-arbery-investigation-dies-at-66/ | 2023-07-29T15:19:06 | 1 | https://www.wivb.com/news/u-s-headlines/ap-tom-durden-georgia-da-who-ordered-takeover-of-stalled-ahmaud-arbery-investigation-dies-at-66/ |
YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — Armenia’s authorities on Friday called on the country’s international allies to put pressure on Azerbaijan after accusing it of carrying out a three-day blockade of humanitarian aid to Nagorno-Karabakh.
The accusations mark another flashpoint in the tense relationship between Armenia and Azerbaijan which have fought over the breakaway region for decades.
The Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister, Vahan Kostanyan, accused Azerbaijan of blocking the so-called Lachin Corridor and demanded international allies step in to allow 19 trucks with 400 tons of humanitarian aid to pass. According to Armenian authorities, the trucks have been stuck there since the evening of July 26.
“The additional pressure of our international partners on Baku is very important. We have heard statements from our various colleagues, but we don’t think this is enough,” he said.
Kostanyan previously also accused Azerbaijan of ignoring a ruling by the International Court of Justice ordering Azerbaijan authorities to ensure unimpeded movement in the Lachin Corridor, the only road from Armenia into Nagorno-Karabakh.
The ongoing dispute over the road has impeded food supplies to the region and aggravated tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which have fought two wars since the end of Soviet rule.
Nagorno-Karabakh had substantial autonomy under the Soviet Union and came under control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by the Armenian military in 1994 at the end of years of separatist fighting. Armenian forces also took sizable territory surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh itself.
In 2020, Azerbaijan regained most of that surrounding territory and pieces of Nagorno-Karabakh itself in a war which killed about 6,800 soldiers. Under a Russia-brokered armistice, transit along the Lachin Corridor was to continue under the guarantee of Russian peacekeepers.
According to Armenian media, trucks and foreign diplomats are currently in the village of Kornidzor on Armenia’s border with Nagorno-Karabakh, which is at one end of the Lachin Corridor.
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry said that it viewed Armenia’s attempt to send a convoy to Nagorno-Karabakh “under the guise of ‘humanitarian aid’” as a violation of Azerbaijan’s “territorial integrity and sovereignty.” Azerbaijan also accuses Armenia of smuggling weapons into Nagorno-Karabakh.
The latest flare-up comes weeks following talks in Brussels and Washington aimed at calming tensions between the two countries after Azerbaijan opened a checkpoint on the Lachin Corridor in April. At that point, the road had already been blocked for four months by demonstrators who were protesting what they claimed to be illegal mining and other ecological abuses by Armenians in the area. | https://www.wivb.com/news/world/ap-armenia-calls-on-allies-to-help-get-aid-to-nagorno-karabakh-during-tensions-with-azerbaijan/ | 2023-07-29T15:19:13 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/news/world/ap-armenia-calls-on-allies-to-help-get-aid-to-nagorno-karabakh-during-tensions-with-azerbaijan/ |
MIAMI (AP) — A federal judge in Miami on Friday criticized prosecutors for an apparent attempt to undercut a court order and take control of a oceanside condo belonging to a former Republican congressman ahead of a high-profile trial connected to a $50 million consulting contract with Venezuela’s socialist government.
When David Rivera and an associate were charged last November with money laundering and acting as unregistered foreign agents for President Nicolás Maduro’s government, prosecutors obtained a judge’s order freezing several banking and brokerage accounts as well as Florida properties that they said were the product of some $24 million in ill-gotten gains.
Prosecutors also blocked eight more properties belonging to Rivera and his associate in Florida and Georgia that, while unrelated to criminal activity, would likely be seized if the two are found guilty.
This month, in a harshly worded ruling, Magistrate Judge Edwin Torres said that the government had no right to take the “innocent” Florida assets without a conviction. Rather than lift the restraining order, the government then asked the court to reconsider and said that it had since determined that three of the properties — including a condo that Rivera and his wife purchased in 2019 for $301,000 in New Smyrna Beach, Florida — could also be traced to the defendants’ alleged lobbying on behalf of Maduro’s government.
Judge Darrin Gayles on Friday expressed frustration with the government’s change in strategy.
“This reeks of gamesmanship,” said Gayles, who reversed his own sealed order of a week ago granting prosecutors’ request that the real estate properties once again be frozen. “It seems like the government simply filed this because it lost.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nalina Sombuntham said prosecutors first learned from investigators that the property could be directly “tainted” by Rivera’s consulting work with Venezuela in May or June but didn’t alert the court until July 14 — a week after Magistrate Judge Edwin Torres issued his 23-page order freeing up the properties.
Gayles, who is overseeing the criminal case, was unimpressed. “It seems like you’re wasting the court’s time,” he said.
Rivera has been marred by scandals stretching back to his days in Congress from 2011 to 2013. He was arrested late last year on an eight-count criminal indictment alleging that at the start of the Trump administration he was part of a conspiracy to lobby on behalf of Venezuela to lower tensions with the U.S., resolve a legal dispute with a U.S. oil company and end U.S. sanctions against the South American nation — all without registering as a foreign agent.
As part of that effort, he arranged meetings in Washington, New York and Dallas for allies of Maduro with U.S. lawmakers and a top aide to former President Donald Trump, according to the indictment. To hide the sensitive nature of his work, prosecutors allege Rivera referred to Maduro in chat messages as the “bus driver,” a congressman as “Sombrero” and millions of dollars as “melons.”
Court records show Rivera’s consulting work was closely coordinated with Raúl Gorrín, a Venezuelan insider and media tycoon who has himself been sanctioned and indicted in the U.S. on money laundering charges. Part of the more than $20 million that Rivera was alleged to have received from Venezuela was used to pay maintenance on one of Gorrin’s yachts, according to prosecutors.
Rivera maintains that Gorrín was his attorney in Venezuela and that all of his work was conducted on behalf of PDV USA — a Delaware-based affiliate of Venezuelan-owned Citgo — and didn’t require he register as a foreign agent.
The dispute over Rivera’s assets has slowed the government’s prosecution of the high-profile case. Eight months after being charged, Rivera has yet to be formally arraigned — normally a routine procedural step — because he said he needs access to the disputed assets to pay his attorneys.
Rivera’s attorneys in filings have accused prosecutors of waging a “scorched earth attack” against the south Florida GOP stalwart who once shared an apartment in Tallahassee with now Sen. Marco Rubio when both were state lawmakers.
“They lost, they got caught and they came to this court and it is wrong,” David Oscar Markus, an attorney for Rivera’s co-defendant Esther Nuhfer said.
Rivera was triumphant following Friday’s hearing, accusing the prosecutors of “misconduct.” Judge Gayles was more restrained, making no such finding of wrongdoing even as he questioned prosecutors’ actions.
“Today’s decision shows that there are still honorable judges in America who will not tolerate misconduct from dishonest government prosecutors,” Rivera wrote The Associated Press in a text message. “Another victory for truth and justice.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Florida didn’t immediately comment.
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Joshua Goodman on Twitter: @APJoshGoodman | https://www.wivb.com/news/world/ap-judge-blasts-prosecutors-handling-of-venezuela-case-against-ex-miami-congressman/ | 2023-07-29T15:19:20 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/news/world/ap-judge-blasts-prosecutors-handling-of-venezuela-case-against-ex-miami-congressman/ |
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s navy located the boat of a missing American sailor off the country’s southern coast, but the Maryland man who had been piloting it solo wasn’t found, authorities said Friday.
Donald Lawson’s capsized trimaran was found Thursday night by a patrol boat involved in the search 356 nautical miles (about 410 miles or 660 kilometers) southwest of the resort city of Acapulco, according to the navy’s press office.
The navy said that it would continue its search for Lawson, 41, an experienced sailor.
A plane had reported spotting a boat similar to the description of Lawson’s on July 23 about 320 nautical miles (370 miles or 595 kilometers) south of Acapulco. The navy sent boats to the area, but it wasn’t until Thursday night that they found it.
Port authorities in Acapulco said that Lawson had arrived on Jan. 26 for repairs to a motor and hull of the boat. After the repairs were completed, Lawson left Acapulco on July 5, headed for the Panama Canal, where he planned to cross to the Caribbean Sea and continue north to Baltimore, Maryland.
His wife, Jacqueline Lawson, told local media outlets that on July 9, he had sent her a message saying he was having mechanical problems and the motor was losing power. Three days later, he told her a storm had knocked out his wind generator and he would try to return to Acapulco. The last satellite positioning message received for the Defiant was July 13.
Lawson, who is Black, grew up in Baltimore and from his first sailing opportunity at age 9, set his sights on making it his career.
“From that day forward, that was my goal – become a professional sailor,” Lawson said in a profile published by U.S. Sailing last year.
He started out cleaning boats, folding sails and stowing gear in Annapolis. Later, he and his wife founded the Dark Seas Project, an effort to increase diversity in the sport of sailing. He is the chairman of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee for U.S. Sailing.
Lawson was working toward challenging records for circumnavigating the globe solo. | https://www.wivb.com/news/world/ap-mexicos-navy-finds-boat-but-not-missing-us-sailor/ | 2023-07-29T15:19:27 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/news/world/ap-mexicos-navy-finds-boat-but-not-missing-us-sailor/ |
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Salvage crews dealing with a cargo ship loaded with cars that has been burning for more than two days off the northern Dutch coast boarded the vessel for the first time Friday as heat, flames and smoke eased, the Netherlands’ coast guard said.
“In the course of the morning, after measurements by the recovery companies, it turned out that the temperature on board the Fremantle Highway had dropped sharply. The fire is still raging but decreasing. The smoke is also decreasing,” the coast guard said in a statement.
Salvage workers boarded the ship and established “a new more robust towing connection,” the agency added. “This makes it easier to move the ship and keep it under control.”
Government officials are now “looking at various scenarios to determine the next steps,” the coast guard said.
One crew member died and others were injured after the blaze started. The entire crew was evacuated from the ship in the early hours of Wednesday, with some leaping into the sea and being picked up by a lifeboat. The cause of the fire hasn’t been established.
The Fremantle Highway was 23 kilometers (14 miles) north of the island of Terschelling on Friday afternoon, close to busy North Sea shipping lanes and an internationally renowned migratory bird habitat.
K Line, the company that chartered the ship, said Friday that it was carrying far more electric vehicles than initially reported by the coast guard.
Company spokesman Pat Adamson said the ship was carrying a total of 3,783 new vehicles, including 498 electric vehicles. The coast guard, citing an early freight list, had said it was carrying 2,857 cars, including 25 electric cars.
Adamson said K Line didn’t know the source of the initial lower number.
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board has warned about the possible dangers of electric vehicle battery fires, a hazard that stems from thermal runaway, a chemical reaction that causes uncontrolled battery temperature and pressure increases.
The burning vessel was close to the shallow Wadden Sea, a World Heritage-listed area that is considered one of the world’s most significant habitats for migratory birds. It’s also close to the Netherlands’ border with Germany, whose environment minister, Steffi Lemke, said Thursday that if the ship were to sink, it “could turn into an environmental catastrophe of unknown proportions.”
Earlier this month in Newark, New Jersey, firefighters took nearly a week to extinguish a similar blaze in a car transport ship. Two firefighters were killed and five others were injured battling the flames. | https://www.wivb.com/news/world/ap-salvage-crews-board-a-cargo-ship-burning-off-the-netherlands-the-smoke-and-flames-are-easing/ | 2023-07-29T15:19:34 | 1 | https://www.wivb.com/news/world/ap-salvage-crews-board-a-cargo-ship-burning-off-the-netherlands-the-smoke-and-flames-are-easing/ |
(iSeeCars) — When it comes to car buying, you may be torn between buying and leasing.
While leasing a car might be an attractive option if you want a different car every few years, you might be turned off by the high monthly payments for the cars you’re interested in. What you might not realize is that you can also lease a used car.
Although used cars make up only a small percentage of the leased car market, it’s still possible to lease a used car. And with used car prices still higher than pre-pandemic levels, leasing a used car could be a smart financial decision.
So how can you lease a used car, and is it a good idea? We have the answers.
Which Used Cars Can be Leased?
Used cars that are available to lease are typically Certified Pre Owned cars (also known as CPO) from car dealerships. A certified pre-owned vehicle is a late-model used car that is sold by a franchised dealer after it has been thoroughly inspected, and comes with a factory-backed extended-powertrain warranty and bumper-to-bumper warranty. Each manufacturer has different criteria for their CPO vehicles, but they generally will be less than 6 years old and will not have more than 48,000 miles on the odometer.
You can also take over a lease from someone who wants to get out of their lease. It could be because they are facing a hardship or because they no longer require a vehicle. Whatever the reason, they will post their car on a leasing company website like SwapALease.com or LeaseTrader in hopes that someone can take over their lease so they won’t have to incur the penalties associated with breaking their lease contract. In this case you won’t be required to make a down payment, and you can likely negotiate with the seller to have them pay the transfer fees. However, when taking over someone’s lease, you should estimate how much you plan on driving the vehicle to make sure that you don’t exceed the mileage limit. If you do go over the mileage limit, you will have to pay a penalty when you turn the car in.
How To Find a Used Car to Lease
Used-car leases from dealerships are rare and aren’t widely advertised. The best way to find a leased used car is to do the legwork yourself. All major manufacturers, both mainstream and luxury, offer CPO vehicle leases. However, some automakers, including Stellantis, Ford, and Nissan, require outside financing, while Toyota’s finance department does provide financing for used vehicle leases.
The best way to find a used lease is to decide what vehicle you are interested in, and call around to franchised dealerships to see if they offer used car leases on their CPO inventory.
How to Shop For a Used Car Lease
When deciding if leasing a used car is right for you, you should always shop around. Just as you should compare prices when shopping for used vehicles, you should contact multiple dealerships to see which offer the best pricing.
You should also compare the cost of leasing a used car with the cost of a new car. New car leases often come with better finance rates and may also have incentives and special offers. This cost difference between a new-car lease and used-car lease will be smaller with used Honda and Toyota cars, while the savings will be more significant on luxury vehicles from Acura or Lexus.
The smartest used car lease purchases are for later model year cars, two-to-three-years old and still under warranty, or that offer extended warranties. Otherwise, you are responsible for costly repairs on a car you don’t own. Keep in mind auto insurance is often more expensive for leased cars, so make sure to get a quote from your insurer and factor it into your budget.
As with any used car purchase, you should make sure you get the car fully inspected by an independent mechanic before leasing. You should also use helpful online research tools like the iSeeCars free VIN check that provides a free CARFAX or Autocheck vehicle history report as part of its comprehensive VIN check tool. A comprehensive VIN check will complement the vehicle history report to provide all the important information an interested buyer should know before making a used car purchase.
How Does Used Car Leasing Work?
Used-car leases are similar in structure to new car leases. Just as with a new car lease, the lender will base payments off of a car’s residual value compared to its sales price. The lender will also determine a money factor, which is the vehicle’s interest rate. Just as used cars usually have higher interest rates than new cars, a used car lease will likely have a higher interest rate than a new car lease when it comes to a car loan. However, because a used car has already taken its depreciation hit, the used vehicle will have a lower sales price and lower depreciation rate, which will result in a lower monthly payment than a new car lease. Savings between new and used car leases tend to be more significant when leasing luxury cars.
Used Car Leases: Benefits
The main draw to leasing a used car is the lower monthly payments. It may also allow you to afford a more expensive car than what you would be able to afford with a new car lease. If you don’t care about having the latest new car technology, but want to get rid of a car before it’s too dated, a used car lease might be an appealing option. Additionally, you may have lower car insurance costs than what you would pay on a new car since rates are based on a car’s value.
Used Car Leases: Drawbacks
By leasing a used car, you are responsible for repairs after the vehicle runs past its warranty. You also won’t be able to enjoy the main benefit of new car leasing, which is driving a brand new car with the latest technology. By leasing a used car, although the payments are likely lower, you are still making monthly payments and maintenance costs for a vehicle you don’t own. You may also be charged at the end of the lease if the vehicle is not in good shape or you drive it past the mileage limit as stated in your lease agreement. In many instances, buying a practical used car and keeping it for several years will save you money in the long run compared to leasing.
Bottom Line
If you’re interested in leasing a car and want to lower your monthly lease payments or upgrade to a more expensive vehicle while keeping costs down, a used car lease might be a smart decision. However, used car leases are hard to find, so you should be prepared to do some extra legwork to find the best used car lease deals. Also, be sure to compare prices and lease rates to other used CPO leases as well as new vehicle leases. Avoid leased vehicles that extend beyond a car’s warranty so you won’t be responsible for expensive repairs.
Lastly, once your lease term ends, you’ll have the option for a lease buyout with a purchase price based on the residual value of the car. If you don’t buy the car, you’ll need to find another car to lease. That’s why purchasing a used car outright, that you can keep as long as you want, is often the smartest long-term financial decision.
More from iSeeCars.com:
If you’re interested in a new car or a used car, be sure to check out iSeeCars’ award-winning car search engine. It uses advanced algorithms to help shoppers find the best car deals across all used cars and provides key insights and valuable resources, like the iSeeCars free VIN check report and Best Cars rankings. Filter by make, model, price, CPO vehicles, and special features to find the best deal on your next vehicle.
This article, Can You Lease a Used Car? originally appeared on iSeeCars.com. | https://www.wfla.com/automotive/can-you-lease-a-used-car-2/ | 2023-07-29T15:19:39 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/automotive/can-you-lease-a-used-car-2/ |
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TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Typhoon Doksuri weakened into a tropical storm late Friday night after bringing heavy winds and rain that left more than a million people without power in southern China.
After making landfall Friday morning in southern Fujian province, where at least 400,000 people were evacuated, the storm flooded streets and toppled electric transmission towers in the province. Over a million households were left without power, according to the state-backed Xiamen Evening News.
The typhoon was downgraded to a tropical storm at 11 p.m. Friday night, China’s state-owned broadcaster CCTV announced.
Businesses and summer school classes had been ordered suspended and the public was urged to stay indoors. In the city of Quanzhou by China’s southern coast, authorities reported some 50 individuals sustained minor injuries. Residents shared photos on social media showing downed trees with roots fully out of the ground Saturday morning.
The tropical storm is expected to move its way farther inland in China, bringing heavy rains to the capital, Beijing.
Earlier in the week, the storm grazed past Taiwan’s main island after hitting the Philippines ‘ main island of Luzon, where it produced landslides, flooding and downed trees. The storm displaced thousands and caused 41 deaths — including 27 killed in the capsizing of a passenger ship. About 20 others remained missing, including four coast guard personnel whose boat overturned while on a rescue mission in hard-hit Cagayan province, officials said Saturday, adding that they were monitoring another approaching storm. | https://www.wivb.com/news/world/ap-typhoon-doksuri-is-downgraded-to-tropical-storm-status-as-it-leaves-southern-china/ | 2023-07-29T15:19:41 | 1 | https://www.wivb.com/news/world/ap-typhoon-doksuri-is-downgraded-to-tropical-storm-status-as-it-leaves-southern-china/ |
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — An escaped inmate from New Hampshire was fatally shot by a police officer at a store in Miami Beach after threatening two women with a knife, the New Hampshire Department of Corrections said.
Darien Young, 29, was taken to a hospital on Thursday night, where he later died, the corrections department said in a news release. No one else was hurt.
The shooting happened at a Victoria’s Secret store. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement will investigate, Miami Beach police said.
Young had been placed on escape status on July 21 after he left the grounds of a minimum security transitional housing unit in Manchester, New Hampshire, and failed to return, the state corrections department said.
He was incarcerated on charges of receiving stolen property, burglary, drug and falsifying physical evidence. Young had a minimum parole eligibility date of July 31 and a maximum release date of Jan. 31, 2028, the department said. | https://www.wfla.com/news/florida/escaped-new-hampshire-inmate-fatally-shot-by-officer-in-florida-victorias-secret/ | 2023-07-29T15:19:44 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/news/florida/escaped-new-hampshire-inmate-fatally-shot-by-officer-in-florida-victorias-secret/ |
(NEXSTAR) – The current Mega Millions jackpot is now tied for the fourth-largest in the game’s history after yet another drawing produced no grand-prize winners.
Friday’s winning numbers — 5, 10, 28, 52, 63, and Mega Ball 18 — went unmatched, continuing a 29-drawing trend that began after the last jackpot-winner was announced on April 18.
The current jackpot now stands at an estimated $1.05 billion, with a cash option of $527.9 million. That amount officially qualifies as the fourth-largest grand prize in Mega Millions history, tied with a jackpot awarded in Jan. 2021.
The current jackpot has steadily grown since April, after a ticketholder in New York matched all six numbers to win a $20-million prize. (The previous jackpot, awarded days before on April 14, was worth $483 million.) A total of 46 players, meanwhile, have won second-tier prizes worth $1 million or more since the last jackpot was won, the Mega Millions lottery confirmed in a press release.
Friday night’s drawing produced five of those second-tier winners, including one each in Arizona, California and New York, and two in Pennsylvania. One of the winning ticketholders in Pennsylvania had also purchased the Megaplier option (which multiplied Friday’s winnings by five times), making that ticket worth $5 million.
“In the current Mega Millions matrix and Megaplier configuration, which has been in place since October 28, 2017, there has never been a Megaplier of 5x drawn at this extraordinary jackpot level,” reads a portion of the Mega Millions press release. “That means a lot of prizes in other tiers have been multiplied by a factor of five!”
The next Mega Millions drawing is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 1. | https://www.wfla.com/nextstar-news-wire/mega-millions-jackpot-exceeds-1-billion-now-4th-largest-in-games-history/ | 2023-07-29T15:19:44 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/nextstar-news-wire/mega-millions-jackpot-exceeds-1-billion-now-4th-largest-in-games-history/ |
(NEXSTAR) — For many of us, flying is a relatively easy experience. Your flight leaves on time, your seatmates are polite, and you arrive at your destination safely.
But, in some cases, one of those aspects of flying may not go exactly as planned. You may find one of your fellow flyers committing an air travel faux pas: being barefoot.
You’ve seen the photos online of people’s toes peeking out between the seats. Maybe you’ve encountered it yourself. Either way, it’s largely frowned upon. In some cases, barefoot flying can even get you grounded.
Within its contract of carriage, United Airlines considers being barefoot, as well as being “not properly clothed,” an offense that justifies “refusal or removal of a passenger.” The carrier lists it as one of the many infractions that could impact safety for the passenger or others on the plane.
American Airlines says bare feet “aren’t allowed” from passengers, adding that “violent” or “inappropriate actions” could prevent you from boarding, being removed from the terminal, or facing legal prosecution.
Delta Airlines also warns that it can “refuse to transport or may remove passengers from its aircraft” if the passenger is barefoot. A barefoot passenger may be prohibited from boarding the plane, or may be forced to leave the plane, according to Spirit Airlines’ contract of carriage.
Frontier Airlines says it can refuse service to a passenger who is over the age of 3 and barefoot, “unless required to be barefoot for medical reasons.” Southwest Airlines and JetBlue state in their contracts of carriage that they can refuse to let a passenger fly if they are barefoot and older than five years of age, unless required due to a disability.
If these warnings from airlines aren’t enough to sway you from taking off your shoes while flying, maybe consider how many other people have also taken their shoes off on a plane – and what else has touched the floor.
“I would never fly barefoot on a plane,” a veteran flight attendant for a major carrier told Nexstar. “Passengers these days can be quite messy and we see everything from spills to dirty diapers thrown on the floor.”
Planes are tidied between flights, she explains, but the floors won’t be cleaned “unless there is a major mess.” That includes floors in the bathroom, too.
“That is most likely not water on the floor,” she adds. “Think of old men and young boys trying to aim in turbulence. Not good. Also, people love to throw trash anywhere but in the bathroom trash can so it usually ends up on the floor.”
If you still want to take your shoes off, she recommends bringing an old pair of socks to wear, then throwing them away after the flight.
United, American, Delta, Spirit, Frontier, JetBlue, and Southwest did not respond to Nexstar’s request for comment or its inquiry into whether any passengers have been removed or barred from flying over being barefooted.
Barefoot flyers are likely among the least of many airlines’ concerns. Over the last three years, airlines have reported record-setting incidents of disruptive passengers. That includes passengers accused of assaulting flight crews, opening emergency doors, and refusing to wear masks during the height of the COVID pandemic.
More recently, a Las Vegas-bound flight was forced to divert to Denver after an apparent fight broke out between some passengers. Two women were escorted off the plane, according to a passenger that captured video of the incident.
Causing a disturbance on a plane is a federal crime, and unruly passengers can face criminal prosecution or even fines. | https://www.wfla.com/nextstar-news-wire/no-shoes-no-service-what-can-happen-if-you-fly-barefoot/ | 2023-07-29T15:19:44 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/nextstar-news-wire/no-shoes-no-service-what-can-happen-if-you-fly-barefoot/ |
(iSeeCars) — When it comes to car buying, you may be torn between buying and leasing.
While leasing a car might be an attractive option if you want a different car every few years, you might be turned off by the high monthly payments for the cars you’re interested in. What you might not realize is that you can also lease a used car.
Although used cars make up only a small percentage of the leased car market, it’s still possible to lease a used car. And with used car prices still higher than pre-pandemic levels, leasing a used car could be a smart financial decision.
So how can you lease a used car, and is it a good idea? We have the answers.
Which Used Cars Can be Leased?
Used cars that are available to lease are typically Certified Pre Owned cars (also known as CPO) from car dealerships. A certified pre-owned vehicle is a late-model used car that is sold by a franchised dealer after it has been thoroughly inspected, and comes with a factory-backed extended-powertrain warranty and bumper-to-bumper warranty. Each manufacturer has different criteria for their CPO vehicles, but they generally will be less than 6 years old and will not have more than 48,000 miles on the odometer.
You can also take over a lease from someone who wants to get out of their lease. It could be because they are facing a hardship or because they no longer require a vehicle. Whatever the reason, they will post their car on a leasing company website like SwapALease.com or LeaseTrader in hopes that someone can take over their lease so they won’t have to incur the penalties associated with breaking their lease contract. In this case you won’t be required to make a down payment, and you can likely negotiate with the seller to have them pay the transfer fees. However, when taking over someone’s lease, you should estimate how much you plan on driving the vehicle to make sure that you don’t exceed the mileage limit. If you do go over the mileage limit, you will have to pay a penalty when you turn the car in.
How To Find a Used Car to Lease
Used-car leases from dealerships are rare and aren’t widely advertised. The best way to find a leased used car is to do the legwork yourself. All major manufacturers, both mainstream and luxury, offer CPO vehicle leases. However, some automakers, including Stellantis, Ford, and Nissan, require outside financing, while Toyota’s finance department does provide financing for used vehicle leases.
The best way to find a used lease is to decide what vehicle you are interested in, and call around to franchised dealerships to see if they offer used car leases on their CPO inventory.
How to Shop For a Used Car Lease
When deciding if leasing a used car is right for you, you should always shop around. Just as you should compare prices when shopping for used vehicles, you should contact multiple dealerships to see which offer the best pricing.
You should also compare the cost of leasing a used car with the cost of a new car. New car leases often come with better finance rates and may also have incentives and special offers. This cost difference between a new-car lease and used-car lease will be smaller with used Honda and Toyota cars, while the savings will be more significant on luxury vehicles from Acura or Lexus.
The smartest used car lease purchases are for later model year cars, two-to-three-years old and still under warranty, or that offer extended warranties. Otherwise, you are responsible for costly repairs on a car you don’t own. Keep in mind auto insurance is often more expensive for leased cars, so make sure to get a quote from your insurer and factor it into your budget.
As with any used car purchase, you should make sure you get the car fully inspected by an independent mechanic before leasing. You should also use helpful online research tools like the iSeeCars free VIN check that provides a free CARFAX or Autocheck vehicle history report as part of its comprehensive VIN check tool. A comprehensive VIN check will complement the vehicle history report to provide all the important information an interested buyer should know before making a used car purchase.
How Does Used Car Leasing Work?
Used-car leases are similar in structure to new car leases. Just as with a new car lease, the lender will base payments off of a car’s residual value compared to its sales price. The lender will also determine a money factor, which is the vehicle’s interest rate. Just as used cars usually have higher interest rates than new cars, a used car lease will likely have a higher interest rate than a new car lease when it comes to a car loan. However, because a used car has already taken its depreciation hit, the used vehicle will have a lower sales price and lower depreciation rate, which will result in a lower monthly payment than a new car lease. Savings between new and used car leases tend to be more significant when leasing luxury cars.
Used Car Leases: Benefits
The main draw to leasing a used car is the lower monthly payments. It may also allow you to afford a more expensive car than what you would be able to afford with a new car lease. If you don’t care about having the latest new car technology, but want to get rid of a car before it’s too dated, a used car lease might be an appealing option. Additionally, you may have lower car insurance costs than what you would pay on a new car since rates are based on a car’s value.
Used Car Leases: Drawbacks
By leasing a used car, you are responsible for repairs after the vehicle runs past its warranty. You also won’t be able to enjoy the main benefit of new car leasing, which is driving a brand new car with the latest technology. By leasing a used car, although the payments are likely lower, you are still making monthly payments and maintenance costs for a vehicle you don’t own. You may also be charged at the end of the lease if the vehicle is not in good shape or you drive it past the mileage limit as stated in your lease agreement. In many instances, buying a practical used car and keeping it for several years will save you money in the long run compared to leasing.
Bottom Line
If you’re interested in leasing a car and want to lower your monthly lease payments or upgrade to a more expensive vehicle while keeping costs down, a used car lease might be a smart decision. However, used car leases are hard to find, so you should be prepared to do some extra legwork to find the best used car lease deals. Also, be sure to compare prices and lease rates to other used CPO leases as well as new vehicle leases. Avoid leased vehicles that extend beyond a car’s warranty so you won’t be responsible for expensive repairs.
Lastly, once your lease term ends, you’ll have the option for a lease buyout with a purchase price based on the residual value of the car. If you don’t buy the car, you’ll need to find another car to lease. That’s why purchasing a used car outright, that you can keep as long as you want, is often the smartest long-term financial decision.
More from iSeeCars.com:
If you’re interested in a new car or a used car, be sure to check out iSeeCars’ award-winning car search engine. It uses advanced algorithms to help shoppers find the best car deals across all used cars and provides key insights and valuable resources, like the iSeeCars free VIN check report and Best Cars rankings. Filter by make, model, price, CPO vehicles, and special features to find the best deal on your next vehicle.
This article, Can You Lease a Used Car? originally appeared on iSeeCars.com. | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/automotive/can-you-lease-a-used-car-2/ | 2023-07-29T15:19:46 | 1 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/automotive/can-you-lease-a-used-car-2/ |
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations has been forced to cut food, cash payments and assistance to millions of people in many countries because of “a crippling funding crisis” that has seen its donations plummet by about half as acute hunger is hitting record levels, a top official said Friday.
Carl Skau, deputy executive director of the World Food Program, told a news conference that at least 38 of the 86 countries where WFP operates have already seen cuts or plan to cut assistance soon — including Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen and West Africa.
He said WFP’s operating requirement is $20 billion to deliver aid to everyone in need, but it was aiming for between $10 billion and $14 billion, which was what the agency had received in the past few years.
“We’re still aiming at that, but we have only so far this year gotten to about half of that, around $5 billion,” Skau said.
He said humanitarian needs were “going through the roof” in 2021 and 2022 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine and its global implications. “Those needs continue to grow, those drivers are still there,” he said, “but the funding is drying up. So we’re looking at 2024 (being) even more dire.”
“The largest food and nutrition crisis in history today persists,” Skau said. “This year, 345 million people continue to be acutely food insecure while hundreds of millions of people are at risk of worsening hunger.”
Skau said conflict and insecurity remain the primary drivers of acute hunger around the world, along with climate change, unrelenting disasters, persistent food price inflation and mounting debt stress — all during a slowdown in the global economy.
WFP is looking to diversify its funding base, but he also urged the agency’s traditional donors to “step up and support us through this very difficult time.”
Asked why funding was drying up, Skau said to ask the donors.
“But it’s clear that aid budgets, humanitarian budgets, both in Europe and the United States, (are) not where they were in 2021-2022,” he said.
Skau said that in March, WFP was forced to cut rations from 75% to 50% for communities in Afghanistan facing emergency levels of hunger, and in May it was forced to cut food for 8 million people — 66% of the people it was assisting. Now, it is helping just 5 million people, he said. In Syria, 5.5 million people who relied on WFP for food were already on 50% rations, Skau said, and in July the agency cut all rations to 2.5 million of them. In the Palestinian territories, WFP cut its cash assistance by 20% in May and in June. It cut its caseload by 60%, or 200,000 people. And in Yemen, he said, a huge funding gap will force WFP to cut aid to 7 million people as early as August.
In West Africa, where acute hunger is on the rise, Skau said, most countries are facing extensive ration cuts, particularly WFP’s seven largest crisis operations: Burkina Faso, Mali, Chad, Central African Republic, Nigeria, Niger and Cameroon.
He said cutting aid to people who are only at the hunger level of crisis to help save those literally starving or in the category of catastrophic hunger means that those dropped will rapidly fall into the emergency and catastrophe categories, “and so we will have an additional humanitarian emergency on our hands down the road.”
“Ration cuts are clearly not the way to go forward,” Skau said.
He urged world leaders to prioritize humanitarian funding and invest in long-tern solutions to conflicts, poverty, development and other root causes of the current crisis. | https://www.wivb.com/news/world/ap-un-says-its-forced-to-cut-food-aid-to-millions-globally-because-of-a-funding-crisis/ | 2023-07-29T15:19:48 | 1 | https://www.wivb.com/news/world/ap-un-says-its-forced-to-cut-food-aid-to-millions-globally-because-of-a-funding-crisis/ |
(NEXSTAR) – The current Mega Millions jackpot is now tied for the fourth-largest in the game’s history after yet another drawing produced no grand-prize winners.
Friday’s winning numbers — 5, 10, 28, 52, 63, and Mega Ball 18 — went unmatched, continuing a 29-drawing trend that began after the last jackpot-winner was announced on April 18.
The current jackpot now stands at an estimated $1.05 billion, with a cash option of $527.9 million. That amount officially qualifies as the fourth-largest grand prize in Mega Millions history, tied with a jackpot awarded in Jan. 2021.
The current jackpot has steadily grown since April, after a ticketholder in New York matched all six numbers to win a $20-million prize. (The previous jackpot, awarded days before on April 14, was worth $483 million.) A total of 46 players, meanwhile, have won second-tier prizes worth $1 million or more since the last jackpot was won, the Mega Millions lottery confirmed in a press release.
Friday night’s drawing produced five of those second-tier winners, including one each in Arizona, California and New York, and two in Pennsylvania. One of the winning ticketholders in Pennsylvania had also purchased the Megaplier option (which multiplied Friday’s winnings by five times), making that ticket worth $5 million.
“In the current Mega Millions matrix and Megaplier configuration, which has been in place since October 28, 2017, there has never been a Megaplier of 5x drawn at this extraordinary jackpot level,” reads a portion of the Mega Millions press release. “That means a lot of prizes in other tiers have been multiplied by a factor of five!”
The next Mega Millions drawing is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 1. | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/national-news/mega-millions-jackpot-exceeds-1-billion-now-4th-largest-in-games-history/ | 2023-07-29T15:19:52 | 1 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/national-news/mega-millions-jackpot-exceeds-1-billion-now-4th-largest-in-games-history/ |
Amazon Essentials is offering low prices on pink apparel
If you are obsessed with the new “Barbie” movie, you aren’t alone. Not only is it an epic box office hit, but it’s the highest-grossing movie ever by a female director. Anyone who loves the flick understandably wants to update their wardrobe with pink clothing and accessories that Barbie would be proud to wear.
You can show your enthusiasm for Barbie by shopping Amazon’s private clothing line, Amazon Essentials, for deals on pink fashions. The retailer is celebrating with deals on everything from jackets to sandals that are sure to excite fans of all ages. We’ve rounded up our favorite Barbie-friendly fashion deals to help you shop.
Facts about the doll and the movie
“Barbie” has fans young and young at heart flocking to theaters to see what all the buzz is about. Here are a few facts about the movie and the iconic fashion doll:
- Greta Gerwig is the director of “Barbie.”
- Leading actress Margot Robbie is transformed into a real-life version of the beloved doll.
- The film made $470 million globally after only five days in theaters.
- The first Barbie doll was introduced on March 9, 1959, at the New York Toy Fair.
- All shades of pink are associated with Barbie, especially hot pink and bubble gum pink.
- Barbie merchandise is sold in 150-plus countries throughout the world.
Best Barbie pink apparel from Amazon Essentials
Amazon Essentials Pink Pullover Packable Windbreaker
You can sport your love of Barbie pink — even in inclement weather — with this bright pink windbreaker. It offers a pullover style with a protective hood and is packable for easy transport. It’s available at a low price too.
Sold by Amazon
Amazon Essentials Pink Thong Sandals
These simple thong sandals come in hot pink. They are perfect for hot summer days when you want to sport a splash of pink on casual outings.
Sold by Amazon
Amazon Essentials Classic Cap Sleeve Wrap Dress
If you want to dress like Barbie, you need a stylish dress in pink. This pretty one has a wrap-style that’s on-trend and figure-flattering. It’s available in a nice selection of sizes, from extra small to 6X.
Sold by Amazon
Amazon Essentials Neon Pink High-Rise Capri Leggings
With a vibrant pink color, these capri leggings are perfect for any Barbie enthusiast. Pair them with workout gear or a pretty tunic top for stylish looks in and out of the gym.
Sold by Amazon
Amazon Essentials Pink Knit Pull-On Shorts
These shorts boast a simple pull-style that’s easy to wear. They look great with flirty summer shirts for a warm-weather look that’s Barbie-approved.
Sold by Amazon
Amazon Essentials Pink Sleeveless Woven Shirt Dress
With a feminine design that offers a button-up front and waist bow, this fashionable dress certainly looks like something Barbie would wear. It has a stylish collar and flowing fit.
Sold by Amazon
Amazon Essentials Pink Tank Top
This affordable tank top comes in packs of two, which makes it a solid deal. The pink also comes with a white one, both of which can be paired with other pink items in summertime outfits.
Sold by Amazon
Amazon Essentials Pink Crop Puffer Jacket
Keep your Barbie style going when the weather turns chilly with this puffer jacket. The edgy crop style pairs perfectly with all types of pants and jeans. It has a cozy fill and high collar to lock out the cold.
Sold by Amazon
Amazon Essentials Hot Pink Swim Top
Pair this swim top with your favorite bikini bottoms for a Barbie look that’s ideal for the pool or beach. It’s made of a nylon blend that washes nicely and dries fast.
Sold by Amazon
Amazon Essentials Pink Active Seamless Long-Sleeve T-shirt
We love this long-sleeve T-shirt for yearlong wear with jeans, leggings or skirts. Featuring a comfortable fit and a breathable material, this shirt is likely to become your go-to pink top for casual days.
Sold by Amazon
Want to shop the best products at the best prices? Check out Daily Deals from BestReviews.
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Jennifer Manfrin writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wivb.com/reviews/br/apparel-br/shirts-tops-br/amazon-has-barbie-fever-too-and-the-fashion-deals-to-prove-it/ | 2023-07-29T15:19:54 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/reviews/br/apparel-br/shirts-tops-br/amazon-has-barbie-fever-too-and-the-fashion-deals-to-prove-it/ |
(NEXSTAR) — For many of us, flying is a relatively easy experience. Your flight leaves on time, your seatmates are polite, and you arrive at your destination safely.
But, in some cases, one of those aspects of flying may not go exactly as planned. You may find one of your fellow flyers committing an air travel faux pas: being barefoot.
You’ve seen the photos online of people’s toes peeking out between the seats. Maybe you’ve encountered it yourself. Either way, it’s largely frowned upon. In some cases, barefoot flying can even get you grounded.
Within its contract of carriage, United Airlines considers being barefoot, as well as being “not properly clothed,” an offense that justifies “refusal or removal of a passenger.” The carrier lists it as one of the many infractions that could impact safety for the passenger or others on the plane.
American Airlines says bare feet “aren’t allowed” from passengers, adding that “violent” or “inappropriate actions” could prevent you from boarding, being removed from the terminal, or facing legal prosecution.
Delta Airlines also warns that it can “refuse to transport or may remove passengers from its aircraft” if the passenger is barefoot. A barefoot passenger may be prohibited from boarding the plane, or may be forced to leave the plane, according to Spirit Airlines’ contract of carriage.
Frontier Airlines says it can refuse service to a passenger who is over the age of 3 and barefoot, “unless required to be barefoot for medical reasons.” Southwest Airlines and JetBlue state in their contracts of carriage that they can refuse to let a passenger fly if they are barefoot and older than five years of age, unless required due to a disability.
If these warnings from airlines aren’t enough to sway you from taking off your shoes while flying, maybe consider how many other people have also taken their shoes off on a plane – and what else has touched the floor.
“I would never fly barefoot on a plane,” a veteran flight attendant for a major carrier told Nexstar. “Passengers these days can be quite messy and we see everything from spills to dirty diapers thrown on the floor.”
Planes are tidied between flights, she explains, but the floors won’t be cleaned “unless there is a major mess.” That includes floors in the bathroom, too.
“That is most likely not water on the floor,” she adds. “Think of old men and young boys trying to aim in turbulence. Not good. Also, people love to throw trash anywhere but in the bathroom trash can so it usually ends up on the floor.”
If you still want to take your shoes off, she recommends bringing an old pair of socks to wear, then throwing them away after the flight.
United, American, Delta, Spirit, Frontier, JetBlue, and Southwest did not respond to Nexstar’s request for comment or its inquiry into whether any passengers have been removed or barred from flying over being barefooted.
Barefoot flyers are likely among the least of many airlines’ concerns. Over the last three years, airlines have reported record-setting incidents of disruptive passengers. That includes passengers accused of assaulting flight crews, opening emergency doors, and refusing to wear masks during the height of the COVID pandemic.
More recently, a Las Vegas-bound flight was forced to divert to Denver after an apparent fight broke out between some passengers. Two women were escorted off the plane, according to a passenger that captured video of the incident.
Causing a disturbance on a plane is a federal crime, and unruly passengers can face criminal prosecution or even fines. | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/national-news/no-shoes-no-service-what-can-happen-if-you-fly-barefoot/ | 2023-07-29T15:19:59 | 1 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/national-news/no-shoes-no-service-what-can-happen-if-you-fly-barefoot/ |
(NEXSTAR) – With heat records already falling this summer, you may be running your ceiling fan nearly non-stop, but did you know you may not be as cool as you could be?
If you’ve ever taken a close look at the fan, you may have noticed a small switch located on the side of the fan base. The switch, which is found on nearly every fan, can change the direction the fan spins.
Using that switch according to the season will not only keep you more comfortable, but it can also help you save money.
In the summer, make sure that your fan is going in a counterclockwise direction, which forces cool air directly downward and creates a “wind chill effect,” according to Home Depot. In the winter, you can switch it up so the fan rotates clockwise at a low speed, circulating the warm air that gets trapped near the ceiling.
If you have ceiling fans as well as air conditioning, using the fan correctly will allow you to raise the thermostat by roughly 4 degrees Fahrenheit and still feel just as comfortable, according to the Department of Energy. In moderately hot weather, you may even be able to turn off the AC. The DOE reminds people to turn off fans in unoccupied rooms.
According to Energy Star, if you raise your thermostat by just two degrees and use your ceiling fan, you can lower the cost of air conditioning by up to 14%.
If you’re in the market for a ceiling fan, larger fan blades will move more air than smaller ones, but you have to make sure it’s an appropriate size for the space.
The Department of Energy recommends blades be 7 to 9 feet above the floor and 10 to 12 inches away from the ceiling. The blades should be no closer than 8 inches from the ceiling and 18 inches from any walls. | https://www.wfla.com/nextstar-news-wire/overlooked-ceiling-fan-switch-could-make-you-cooler-this-summer/ | 2023-07-29T15:20:00 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/nextstar-news-wire/overlooked-ceiling-fan-switch-could-make-you-cooler-this-summer/ |
Written by Laura Duerr
For better sleep without replacing your bed, try one of these mattress toppers
Do you feel like you’re not getting enough sleep, even if the clock says you slept eight hours? A mattress topper may be the solution. Mattress toppers help support your sleeping position, soften firm mattresses and minimize disruptive movement from your partner, all without making you replace your entire bed. Mattress toppers are available in several types of foam, gel and feathers, making it easy to customize your bed for a more comfortable night’s sleep.
Shop this article: Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt Supreme Mattress Topper, Sleep On Latex Pure Green Natural Latex Mattress Topper, Linenspa Gel-Infused Memory Foam Mattress Topper
The best mattress toppers tested
Our BestReviews Testing Lab tried out two popular mattress toppers. Key features to look for in a mattress topper include temperature regulation and the right balance between softness and support. Mattress toppers are generally between 2 and 4 inches thick, though toppers up to 6 inches thick are available. Finally, if you’re hoping to reduce disruption caused by a partner’s restless sleep, look for a memory foam or gel mattress topper with low transmission of movement.
Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt Supreme Mattress Topper review
Made by trusted mattress brand Tempur-Pedic, the Tempur-Adapt Supreme Mattress Topper transformed the tester’s bed into a luxury sleep experience. The soft memory foam delivered uninterrupted sleep and felt deep and soft yet still supportive. Its sturdy corner straps keep the mattress topper from sliding around, and our tester reported that after several weeks of use, the mattress topper felt just as soft and comfortable as it did on the first day.
Testing Sleep On Latex Pure Green Natural Latex Mattress review
This foam mattress topper, made from latex from organically grown rubber trees, provides sturdy support that’s still comfortable to sleep on. Our tester reports that the Pure Green mattress topper helped them sleep more comfortably than ever, thanks to how well it supported their back and bad shoulder. Plus, it was ready to use right away because the foam unrolled and lay flat instantly, without the uncurling period many mattress toppers need.
Best mattress toppers
Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt Supreme Mattress Topper
The memory foam in this mattress topper conforms to support the body while retaining bounce-back comfort. It’s made from moisture-wicking, hypoallergenic materials and adds 3 inches of height to mattresses.
Sold by Amazon
Sleep On Latex Pure Green Natural Latex Mattress Topper
This 3-inch thick mattress topper is made from organic latex foam and is OEKO-TEX certified free from harmful chemicals. It’s durable and supportive, while small air chambers throughout the pad help promote airflow for a cooler sleep.
Sold by Amazon
Linenspa Gel-Infused Memory Foam Mattress Topper
This budget-friendly pick is infused with cooling gel, making it good for those who sleep too warm. The extra-soft foam is available in 2- and 3-inch thicknesses.
Sold by Amazon
Sleep Innovations Dual Layer Memory Foam Mattress Topper
At 4 inches thick, this mattress topper is extremely soft and comfortable. It’s made with a layer of memory foam topped with a down alternative pillow-top cover.
Sold by Amazon
This popular mattress topper features targeted zones designed to relieve pressure on different body parts. It’s also helpful for temperature regulation and stays in place well.
Sold by Amazon
Want to shop the best products at the best prices? Check out Daily Deals from BestReviews.
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Laura Duerr writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wivb.com/reviews/br/bed-bath-br/bedding-br/these-mattress-toppers-make-upgrading-your-bedroom-easy-and-inexpensive/ | 2023-07-29T15:20:01 | 1 | https://www.wivb.com/reviews/br/bed-bath-br/bedding-br/these-mattress-toppers-make-upgrading-your-bedroom-easy-and-inexpensive/ |
(NEXSTAR) – With heat records already falling this summer, you may be running your ceiling fan nearly non-stop, but did you know you may not be as cool as you could be?
If you’ve ever taken a close look at the fan, you may have noticed a small switch located on the side of the fan base. The switch, which is found on nearly every fan, can change the direction the fan spins.
Using that switch according to the season will not only keep you more comfortable, but it can also help you save money.
In the summer, make sure that your fan is going in a counterclockwise direction, which forces cool air directly downward and creates a “wind chill effect,” according to Home Depot. In the winter, you can switch it up so the fan rotates clockwise at a low speed, circulating the warm air that gets trapped near the ceiling.
If you have ceiling fans as well as air conditioning, using the fan correctly will allow you to raise the thermostat by roughly 4 degrees Fahrenheit and still feel just as comfortable, according to the Department of Energy. In moderately hot weather, you may even be able to turn off the AC. The DOE reminds people to turn off fans in unoccupied rooms.
According to Energy Star, if you raise your thermostat by just two degrees and use your ceiling fan, you can lower the cost of air conditioning by up to 14%.
If you’re in the market for a ceiling fan, larger fan blades will move more air than smaller ones, but you have to make sure it’s an appropriate size for the space.
The Department of Energy recommends blades be 7 to 9 feet above the floor and 10 to 12 inches away from the ceiling. The blades should be no closer than 8 inches from the ceiling and 18 inches from any walls. | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/national-news/overlooked-ceiling-fan-switch-could-make-you-cooler-this-summer/ | 2023-07-29T15:20:05 | 0 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/national-news/overlooked-ceiling-fan-switch-could-make-you-cooler-this-summer/ |
(The Conversation) – Like any millennial pop music fan active on social media, I’ve been following Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour – the surprise songs, the scramble to get tickets, her brief romance with that guy from The 1975 with a history of racist comments.
But as a political scientist, I was intrigued by something else: reaction to the tour by government officials. New Jersey renamed the state’s famed Taylor ham, egg and cheese in her honor – it’s now the “Taylor Swift Ham, Egg, and Cheese” official state sandwich.
Pittsburgh’s mayor briefly renamed the city “Swiftsburgh” when her tour hit town.
And in my neck of the woods, Swift Street in North Kansas City was temporarily rebranded “Swift Street (Taylor’s Version).”
Local or state governments have lauded Swift in some way at virtually every stop on her tour. While these honors make for great photo opportunities for Swifties, the politics of these moves is worth examining. Do politicians have something to gain in appealing to Swift’s fans?
Celebrities can help politicians
Unlike many celebrities, Swift does not involve herself much in politics. One particular tool of politicians looking to boost their numbers is to get celebrity endorsements. But Swift’s use of endorsements has been limited, save for backing two Democrats in her adopted home state of Tennessee: Phil Bredesen in his Senate race and U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper in his 2018 reelection campaign. Swift also endorsed Joe Biden in 2020.
Bredesen’s peak in Google search interest from 2010 to the present coincided with Swift’s endorsement in October 2018. Cooper saw more Google search traffic with Swift’s endorsement than at any point since his vote for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in March 2010.
While the specific impact of Swift’s endorsements is difficult to assess, an Emerson College poll of Tennesseans in 2018 found that 11.7% of those surveyed said Swift’s endorsement would make them more likely to support Bredesen – a number unlikely to make a difference in a race Bredesen lost by nearly 11 points despite Swift’s support. Cooper easily won reelection in his heavily Democratic Nashville-based district.
Although Swift’s endorsements likely did not sway these particular races, celebrity endorsements can matter in close races, particularly when the celebrity making the endorsement is viewed favorably – a likely scenario in Swift’s case.
Fawning = attention
A slight majority of Americans consider themselves at least something of a fan of Swift’s music – that includes me – and a June 2023 Echelon Insights poll showed 50% of likely voters view Swift at least somewhat favorably. This is a higher favorability rating than Joe Biden, Donald Trump and both major political parties.
We’re not talking about endorsements here, though – we’re talking about politicians aligning themselves with Swift with no reciprocity. One clear benefit to public officials fawning over Swift? Attention – not unlike that seen for Bredesen and Cooper in 2018.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy’s tweet declaring the “Taylor Swift ham, egg, and cheese” garnered 5,700 likes; his next unrelated tweet had fewer than 100.
A cursory analysis of social media data seems to support the idea that the use of Swift’s name in honorary government actions produces a result similar to that of Swift’s endorsements: it drives engagement. Murphy’s Instagram post lauding Swift garnered the most likes on any post of his in 2023, with the exception of an early June post on the state’s air-quality crisis.
OK, so politicians need publicity, and they can use Taylor Swift’s name to get it. But what about Swifties as a voting bloc?
The idea that Swifties might be a key demographic in future elections is not far-fetched given their location and age. A majority of Swift’s fans live in the suburbs, the swing territory of American politics. Further, most are Gen Zers or Millennials. These groups encompass an increasing share of the electorate with each passing year – up to 31% in 2020. Swift’s favorability among those ages 18 to 29 stands at 72%, and by one poll’s estimate, 21% in that age cohort say they would vote for Swift over Trump and Biden.
Taylor Swift Post Office?
World leaders from numerous countries have taken to social media to ask Swift to bring her tour to their countries. There’s an economic angle to this, of course, as a Swift tour stop can generate huge sums in consumer spending. In the U.S., however, the honorifics bestowed upon Swift have come since her tour dates were confirmed.
There is a question of whether these Swift-adjacent stunts boil down to campaigning thinly disguised as official government action. This is perhaps best demonstrated in Canada, where a member of Parliament filed a parliamentary grievance over the singer’s lack of Canadian tour dates.
Such behavior is perhaps analogous to, on a larger scale, the renaming of post offices in the U.S. Congress. While generally innocuous and locally meaningful, these moves still require government resources and staffers to put their attention toward them as opposed to substantive policy matters.
Taylor Swift is an enormously popular figure, particularly among demographic groups that will be increasingly important in future American elections. In close races, voices such as Swift’s could prove critical – not necessarily because she influences how fans vote, but because her voice provides attention and credibility to candidates. | https://www.wfla.com/nextstar-news-wire/the-taylor-swift-official-state-sandwich-politicians-understand-swifties-are-a-key-demographic/ | 2023-07-29T15:20:06 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/nextstar-news-wire/the-taylor-swift-official-state-sandwich-politicians-understand-swifties-are-a-key-demographic/ |
These school supplies deals will save you money when you shop for the new school year
Shopping for back-to-school can be expensive. Kids need new clothes, shoes and accessories plus numerous classroom items before the new school year begins. The good news is that you can save on school essentials by finding them on sale.
This time of year, many popular retailers mark down the prices of the things kids need to head to class. Our back-to-school collection of must-have deals includes everything from shirts to calculators to help you stay within your budget as you shop.
Shop this article: Texas Instruments TI 84 Plus CE Graphing Calculator, Adidas Big Boys Iconic Tricot Pants and Castle Art Supplies Set of 72 Colored Pencils
How to shop for back-to-school deals
The key to successful back-to-school shopping is to think about what your kids need and prefer. After all, what good is a discounted jacket or budget-friendly backpack if your favorite students don’t like them or can’t use them? You can take control of your back-to-school shopping endeavors with a few helpful tips.
Look for on-trend styles
It may seem like various types of attire go out of style as quickly as they become hot items, but kids know what is trending. Get their guidance as you shop so they will be happy with any new additions to their wardrobe. When in doubt, you can’t go wrong with the basics such as jeans and T-shirts.
Think about their shoe needs
Most kids need more than one pair of shoes for school. In addition to current styles such as chunky platform shoes and casual sneakers, athletic shoes are necessary for sports or gym class.
Focus on classroom items
Pencils, calculators, notebooks, pens, erasers and highlighters are some of the most popular essentials that students need when they head back to class. This isn’t a complete list, and the items needed vary depending on the age of the student and class requirements. However, now is a good time to find low prices on these classroom must-haves.
Invest in coursework-friendly tech
Students of all ages work on computers or tablets to conduct research and do assignments. Devices such as headphones and earbuds will help them concentrate. What’s more, a simple home printer makes it possible for kids to print assignments to present to their teachers. When you shop early, you can save big on student-friendly tech.
Consider bags and packs
Don’t forget that kids need something to carry their gear to class. Backpacks, lunch boxes, pencil cases and gym bags are on the lists of most parents as they help their kids gather the items they’ll take back to school.
Best back-to-school deals for school supplies and clothing
Texas Instruments TI 84 Plus CE Graphing Calculator
Even if they are dreading it, many students will have to go to advanced math classes when school is back in session. The TI 84 Plus model is perfect for equations that require graphing to solve. A large vivid screen, lightweight build and rechargeable battery are other features students appreciate.
Sold by Amazon
There are good reasons that the Aspire 5 is a popular choice for students. Although it sports a vivid 15.6-inch screen that’s ideal for working on assignments, the design is trim and easy to stash in a backpack. The responsive 11th-generation Intel processor can easily keep up with important work. Parents will also appreciate the budget-friendly price.
Sold by Amazon
Under Armour Hustle 5.0 Backpack
Kids won’t run out of room in this spacious backpack, as it has ample pockets including one that’s large and padded for a laptop. It even has a lower compartment for stashing gear such as gym shoes.
Sold by Amazon
Epson WorkForce All-in-One Printer
This printer proves that you don’t have to spend a lot of money for a versatile model. Although inexpensive, it prints, scans and copies. It’s also capable of faxing and double-sided printing. Additionally, it has wireless connectivity and can pair with devices that offer voice control via Alexa or Siri.
Sold by Walmart
Adidas Big Boys Iconic Tricot Pants
Lightweight and comfortable, these classic Adidas pants are practical for warming up, playing sports or heading to class. They feature the iconic three-stripe pattern on the legs. Parents will also love how easy the polyester fabric is to wash.
Castle Art Supplies Set of 72 Colored Pencils
Colored pencils are great for kids who have art classes as part of their schedules. This set is perfect for exploring their creative side, as it’s packed with 72 pencils in every color of the rainbow. It includes a case to keep them organized and ready for use.
Sold by Amazon
Available in numerous colors, this pencil case features ample space for numerous writing tools and accessories. It has five elastic holders to keep important pencils and pens easy to access. Several smaller interior pockets will keep small items such as change and paper clips organized.
Sold by Amazon
These fan-favorite earbuds distance themselves from competitors for their amazing sound and reliable noise-canceling technology. These features are beneficial to students when using them to hone in on audio assignments or block out interruptive sounds. Transparency mode is there when they need it to hear outside sounds. They are comfortable to wear, too.
Sold by Amazon
Celebrity Pink Juniors’ High-Rise Wide-Leg Frayed Jeans
Pants with wide legs and denim with rips are both in style this year. This pair of jeans offers both, with an ultra-relaxed fit and on-trend frays. In addition to a casual, comfortable fit, they come in a nice selection of sizes and in a choice of two shades of blue.
Sold by Macy’s
Nike Big Kids Court Borough 2 SE Casual Sneakers
Regardless of your kid’s favorite styles, there’s a good chance that these sneakers will look great with them. They are designed for comfort and have laid-back casual looks that are perfect for class or weekends. They come in trendy white with a colorful Nike swoosh.
Sold by Macy’s
Other back-to-school deals worth checking out
- The Tommy Hilfiger Big Girls’ Ruffle Stripped Jersey Dress is perfect for special school days.
- Oxford Spiral Notebooks can be used for multiple classes thanks to their pocket dividers and three subjects.
- The Under Armour Boys’ Pennant Jacket is both stylish and warm.
- This Boys’ Nike Character T-shirt will look great with your little man’s favorite pair of jeans.
- Soundcore Life Q20 Hybrid Active Wireless Noise-canceling Headphones offer a nice blend of affordability and quality.
- A kids’ Bentgo Lunch Box provides room for their favorite foods and snacks.
Want to shop the best products at the best prices? Check out Daily Deals from BestReviews.
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Jennifer Manfrin writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wivb.com/reviews/br/education-br/test-prep-br/back-to-school-2022-these-retailers-are-offering-deep-discounts-on-clothing-and-supplies/ | 2023-07-29T15:20:08 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/reviews/br/education-br/test-prep-br/back-to-school-2022-these-retailers-are-offering-deep-discounts-on-clothing-and-supplies/ |
(The Conversation) – Like any millennial pop music fan active on social media, I’ve been following Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour – the surprise songs, the scramble to get tickets, her brief romance with that guy from The 1975 with a history of racist comments.
But as a political scientist, I was intrigued by something else: reaction to the tour by government officials. New Jersey renamed the state’s famed Taylor ham, egg and cheese in her honor – it’s now the “Taylor Swift Ham, Egg, and Cheese” official state sandwich.
Pittsburgh’s mayor briefly renamed the city “Swiftsburgh” when her tour hit town.
And in my neck of the woods, Swift Street in North Kansas City was temporarily rebranded “Swift Street (Taylor’s Version).”
Local or state governments have lauded Swift in some way at virtually every stop on her tour. While these honors make for great photo opportunities for Swifties, the politics of these moves is worth examining. Do politicians have something to gain in appealing to Swift’s fans?
Celebrities can help politicians
Unlike many celebrities, Swift does not involve herself much in politics. One particular tool of politicians looking to boost their numbers is to get celebrity endorsements. But Swift’s use of endorsements has been limited, save for backing two Democrats in her adopted home state of Tennessee: Phil Bredesen in his Senate race and U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper in his 2018 reelection campaign. Swift also endorsed Joe Biden in 2020.
Bredesen’s peak in Google search interest from 2010 to the present coincided with Swift’s endorsement in October 2018. Cooper saw more Google search traffic with Swift’s endorsement than at any point since his vote for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in March 2010.
While the specific impact of Swift’s endorsements is difficult to assess, an Emerson College poll of Tennesseans in 2018 found that 11.7% of those surveyed said Swift’s endorsement would make them more likely to support Bredesen – a number unlikely to make a difference in a race Bredesen lost by nearly 11 points despite Swift’s support. Cooper easily won reelection in his heavily Democratic Nashville-based district.
Although Swift’s endorsements likely did not sway these particular races, celebrity endorsements can matter in close races, particularly when the celebrity making the endorsement is viewed favorably – a likely scenario in Swift’s case.
Fawning = attention
A slight majority of Americans consider themselves at least something of a fan of Swift’s music – that includes me – and a June 2023 Echelon Insights poll showed 50% of likely voters view Swift at least somewhat favorably. This is a higher favorability rating than Joe Biden, Donald Trump and both major political parties.
We’re not talking about endorsements here, though – we’re talking about politicians aligning themselves with Swift with no reciprocity. One clear benefit to public officials fawning over Swift? Attention – not unlike that seen for Bredesen and Cooper in 2018.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy’s tweet declaring the “Taylor Swift ham, egg, and cheese” garnered 5,700 likes; his next unrelated tweet had fewer than 100.
A cursory analysis of social media data seems to support the idea that the use of Swift’s name in honorary government actions produces a result similar to that of Swift’s endorsements: it drives engagement. Murphy’s Instagram post lauding Swift garnered the most likes on any post of his in 2023, with the exception of an early June post on the state’s air-quality crisis.
OK, so politicians need publicity, and they can use Taylor Swift’s name to get it. But what about Swifties as a voting bloc?
The idea that Swifties might be a key demographic in future elections is not far-fetched given their location and age. A majority of Swift’s fans live in the suburbs, the swing territory of American politics. Further, most are Gen Zers or Millennials. These groups encompass an increasing share of the electorate with each passing year – up to 31% in 2020. Swift’s favorability among those ages 18 to 29 stands at 72%, and by one poll’s estimate, 21% in that age cohort say they would vote for Swift over Trump and Biden.
Taylor Swift Post Office?
World leaders from numerous countries have taken to social media to ask Swift to bring her tour to their countries. There’s an economic angle to this, of course, as a Swift tour stop can generate huge sums in consumer spending. In the U.S., however, the honorifics bestowed upon Swift have come since her tour dates were confirmed.
There is a question of whether these Swift-adjacent stunts boil down to campaigning thinly disguised as official government action. This is perhaps best demonstrated in Canada, where a member of Parliament filed a parliamentary grievance over the singer’s lack of Canadian tour dates.
Such behavior is perhaps analogous to, on a larger scale, the renaming of post offices in the U.S. Congress. While generally innocuous and locally meaningful, these moves still require government resources and staffers to put their attention toward them as opposed to substantive policy matters.
Taylor Swift is an enormously popular figure, particularly among demographic groups that will be increasingly important in future American elections. In close races, voices such as Swift’s could prove critical – not necessarily because she influences how fans vote, but because her voice provides attention and credibility to candidates. | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/national-news/the-taylor-swift-official-state-sandwich-politicians-understand-swifties-are-a-key-demographic/ | 2023-07-29T15:20:11 | 1 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/national-news/the-taylor-swift-official-state-sandwich-politicians-understand-swifties-are-a-key-demographic/ |
With great power comes limited pre-order availability
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, from developer Insomniac Games, is one of the biggest games scheduled to release this year. The first game, released in 2018, and the Miles Morales spinoff, released in 2020, were massive critical and commercial hits, so expectations are sky-high.
To capitalize on the fervor, Sony is releasing a special, limited edition PlayStation 5 console packed with Spider-Man goodness. If you already have a PS5, don’t fret. All of the bundle’s contents are also available separately. You’d better act fast, though. Some pieces are already sold out at certain retailers.
What’s in the bundle?
The Spider-Man 2 bundle is composed of four parts. The console, special console covers, a special controller and a digital copy of the game. The total price of the bundle is $599.99. That’s a huge savings compared to the cost of each item separately: $714.96.
The console
There are two versions of the PS5 console. One with a disk drive, which costs $499.99, and one without, which costs $399.99.
The console included in the bundle is the disk version of the console. There’s nothing special or different about the console itself, such as improved performance. It’s just a regular disc PS5.
The console covers
Typically, limited edition console bundles featured special designs painted right onto the system. But, because the PS5 uses detachable covers instead of a built-on body, this bundle just includes covers that come pre-attached to the console. This means you can mix and match any covers you may have or get later.
Console covers for the PS5 generally cost anywhere from $25 to $70 depending on the seller. The limited edition Spider-Man 2 covers cost $64.99. Be careful when purchasing these separately; there is a different version for both the disc and the discless PS5.
The controller
The PS5 controller, known as the “DualSense” controller, has unique features such as a special rumble feature that can mimic the surfaces your character walks on in-game and triggers with adjustable tension so you can feel the weight of pulling a bowstring, for example. It costs $69.99.
The special Spider-Man 2 controller is no different from any other DualSense, save for its design mimicking that of the console cover. It costs $79.99.
The game
Likely the reason you’re considering grabbing any of the above items in the first place, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is set to greatly expand on the gameplay found in the first two games in the series. Some of the biggest changes include being able to swap between Peter Parker and Miles Morales at will, and the introduction of gliding on web wings in your suit. Story-wise, Kraven the Hunter and Venom have been revealed as two big antagonists.
There are three versions of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 you can buy.
- Base version: Also called the Launch Edition, this includes special bonuses for pre-ordering. That’s the version included in the console bundle, and it costs $69.99.
- Digital Deluxe: This includes the Launch Edition bonuses and further extras such as more suits and Photo Mode items. It costs $79.99. If you want those bonuses after buying the base version, you can later upgrade your copy of the game for $9.99.
- Collector’s Edition: This version includes everything in the Digital Deluxe version, plus a SteelBook case and a statue of Peter and Miles fighting Venom. It costs $229.99.
Limited edition purchase details
The Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 limited edition console bundle and all of the individual items are currently available for pre-order. All of the above items are set to start shipping out on Sept. 1. The game itself, however, is not due for release until Oct. 20. If you buy the console bundle with the digital code, you can still redeem it. You simply can’t access the software until the game officially releases.
Best Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 items
PlayStation Limited Edition Spider-Man 2 PlayStation 5 Console Bundle
This set includes everything you need to get started on your next-generation Spider-Man journey once the game launches. The console included is the version with a disc drive.
Sold by Amazon
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Launch Edition
The special Launch Edition of the game includes early unlocks of one suit each for Peter Parker and Miles Morales, three color variants for each suit, an early unlock of the Web Grabber skill and three free skill points.
Sold by Amazon
PlayStation Limited Edition Spider-Man 2 DualSense Controller
This gorgeous controller sports the same “Venom taking over Spider-Man” design featured on the limited edition PS5. The Spider-Man symbol from the video game’s version of Spider-Man’s main suit is front and center on the touchpad.
Sold by Amazon
PlayStation Limited Edition Spider-Man 2 PlayStation 5 Console Covers
These slick Venom-black covers are for the disc drive version of the console. Use caution when taking off your original ones and attaching these to avoid any damage to your system.
Sold by Best Buy
Want to shop the best products at the best prices? Check out Daily Deals from BestReviews.
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Jordan C Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wivb.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/gaming-accessories-br/how-to-pre-order-the-spider-man-2-ps5-and-accessories/ | 2023-07-29T15:20:14 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/gaming-accessories-br/how-to-pre-order-the-spider-man-2-ps5-and-accessories/ |
Comparing the Roomba i3 EVO and i7 models
Vacuuming is no one’s favorite chore, but a robot vacuum does make it a whole lot easier. After more than two decades in business, iRobot, maker of the Roomba, has become synonymous with convenient, low-effort vacuuming, thanks to their impressive range of models. But if you’re trying to decide between the Roomba i3 EVO and the i7, there are some key differences to consider before choosing the best fit for your home.
We put the i3 EVO and i7 to the test in the BestReviews Testing Lab and found that both offer similar performance on most types of flooring as well as smart mapping of your home, which allows for more thorough cleaning. However, the i3 EVO beats the i7 on battery life and dustbin capacity as well as price (the i3 EVO is about $250 cheaper).
But the i7 is no slouch, either. It wins on navigation, thanks to its onboard camera, which gives it advanced capabilities and provides more opportunities to customize your cleaning. It also proved to have better suction power, making it ideal for homes with carpeting.
iRobot Roomba i3 EVO vs. iRobot Roomba i7 specs
When it comes to their performance on hard flooring, the Roomba i3 EVO and Roomba i7 are fairly similar. But small differences in a few key specs affect the overall user experience and ground they can cover.
iRobot Roomba i3 EVO specs
The testing team is checking the dustbin on the iRobot Roomba i3 EVO
Product specifications
Battery life: 96 minutes | Dimensions: 13.26” L x 13.26” W x 3.63” H | Dustbin capacity: 0.5 L | Weight: 7.44 lb | Mapping: Yes | Self-emptying: No | Voice commands: Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri | Scheduling: Yes
Released in 2020 as a new and improved Roomba i3 with better mapping features, the Roomba i3 EVO is similar in size to many other robot vacuums. Compared to the i7, which came out in 2018, it’s slightly narrower by less than a tenth of an inch, which won’t likely make too much of a difference in regard to maneuverability. It has a fairly average-sized dustbin among robot vacuums and is 0.2 liters larger than the i7’s dustbin. It also has a longer battery life, allowing it to clean for 20 minutes more than the i7. Unlike the i3+ EVO, this model isn’t self-emptying, so depending on the size of the space and how dirty it is, vacuuming may be interrupted when the bin is full.
Like many Roombas, the i3 EVO has smart-mapping capabilities that help it to learn your home and navigate the space more effectively. It identifies specific areas and rooms, so you can send the robot out for targeted cleaning by selecting a chosen room in the app’s drop-down menu when scheduling cleaning or sending the robot out for a one-off vacuuming run. Unlike some Roombas (including the i7), however, it doesn’t recognize Keep-Out Zones, which means you can’t prevent it from entering areas you don’t want it to clean.
The i3 EVO is compatible with voice commands through a home assistant, such as Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant. It also lets you set up scheduled cleaning sessions with the iRobot app. You can choose specific days and times for cleaning or set the robot to clean as soon as it detects you’ve left the house.
iRobot Roomba i7 specs
The testing team is using the iRobot app to navigate the iRobot Roomba i7.
Product specifications
Battery life: 75 minutes | Dimensions: 13.34” L x 13.34” W x 3.63” H | Dustbin capacity: 0.3 L | Weight: 7.44 lb | Mapping: Yes | Self-emptying: No | Voice commands: Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri | Scheduling: Yes
Though it’s about the same size as the i3 EVO, the Roomba i7 offers a battery life that’s about 20 minutes shorter. Additionally, its dustbin is approximately 40% smaller than the i3, which means it will likely need to be emptied more frequently during vacuuming to keep the robot cleaning, as it’s not a self-emptying model like the i7+.
Like the i3 EVO and many other robot vacuums, the i7 uses smart-mapping technology to learn your home’s floor plan. However, unlike the i3 EVO, it has an onboard camera for more advanced navigation. As a result, the i7 can clean specific rooms or zones on a vacuuming run and avoid certain areas using Keep-Out Zones. It is also compatible with Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant for voice commands, but its range of commands is more extensive than those offered by the i3 EVO and other entry-level robots. For example, in addition to telling the robot to start, pause or stop vacuuming, you can also ask the i7 to vacuum a specific room like the living room or clean near a certain object like under the kitchen table.
The i7 allows for scheduling in the iRobot app. You can set certain times each week or have the robot “sense” when you’re out (via location services or a connected device signal through the app) to begin vacuuming. Through the app, you can also choose cleaning preferences for your i7’s scheduled jobs, including the suction power and number of passes.
Design comparison
The i3 EVO and i7 both feature a classic round robot vacuum shape, but their appearance is slightly different. The i3 EVO features a two-tone gray design mainly composed of plastic. However, it also has a textured fabric-like ring around its top that definitely stood out for its stylish appearance during our testing. On the other hand, the i7 is made entirely of plastic and has a sleek black-and-gray design.
Both models have rubber rolls with enough flexibility to discourage hair from tangling around them. During testing, we found a small amount of easily removed hair around the i3’s brushes and little to no hair around the i7’s rollers. Both models also have plastic wheels that felt sturdy when we tested them. Additionally, the i3 EVO and i7 have a pop-out caster wheel at their front, which is extremely easy to remove if dirt or hair gets stuck around it.
Overall, the i3 EVO and i7 felt equally durable during testing. Because they’re mostly made of sturdy plastic, both models can take a pretty good beating without showing signs of wear and tear. However, we found that the i3 EVO’s textured fabric ring didn’t just give it a more distinctive look than the i7 — it also prevented the robot from showing fingerprints and dust as easily, so it seemed to stay cleaner during our testing.
Navigation comparison
While the i3 EVO and i7 both offer smart mapping, their navigational abilities differ fairly significantly. The i3 EVO maps a space using floor-tracking sensors on its bottom, while the i7 has an camera that provides more thorough, accurate mapping. The i3 EVO can only support a single smart map, while the i7 can recognize up to 10. That makes the i7 a better choice if you want to clean multiple floors of your home or move it between two locations, such as your home and office.
During our testing, we observed a clear difference in the robots’ performance based on these mapping capabilities. The i3 EVO and i7 both map specific rooms or zones, so we sent them out to clean in certain areas. This feature is highly convenient in homes with children and/or pets because the robot can go clean up a mess as soon as it happens.
However, the i7 learned specific rooms as well as objects, so we also sent it out to clean around certain objects, such as in front of the kitchen counter or under the dining table. Unlike the i3 EVO, the i7 also recognizes Keep-Out Zones, which proved a highly convenient feature. During testing, we were able to prevent it from going into areas that didn’t need cleaning or had obstacles that might cause it to get stuck. Overall, this led to more efficient vacuuming.
Neither model offers an obstacle-avoidance feature, so both had issues with objects in their path. The i7 got caught up on string-like items, including power cords and the fringe on a rug. The i3 EVO bumped into small objects in its way, such as a handbag, a shoe and a rubber dog toy, several times before it finally pivoted away from them.
Ultimately, the i7’s advanced navigation makes it the better choice for a cluttered or busy home where you might want to prevent the robot from entering certain areas. For example, the Keep-Out Zone feature can prevent the vacuum from going into a playroom where children’s toys might be scattered on the floor or into the space where your pets’ food and water bowls are located. The i3 EVO still offers strong navigation skills, but it would work best in a home that doesn’t have any real no-go areas.
Features comparison
If you want to ensure your floors get the deepest clean possible, both the Roomba i3 EVO and i7 feature dirt-detect technology, which uses sensors on their underside to detect dirt and debris. These sensors alert the robots when there is a higher concentration of dirt in a given area, so it knows to work harder in those spots. They will continue to clean those areas until the sensors identify fewer debris particles.
During testing, we observed the smart maps for the i3 EVO and i7 after they went out for vacuuming runs. Both models indicated areas on their map where heavier dirt was detected with dark green triangles, so we could see where the dirt-detect technology was triggered. We didn’t observe any noticeable debris in those spots afterward, indicating that the robots had successfully cleaned those dirtier areas.
The Roomba i3 EVO and i7 also work with voice commands when paired with a home assistant like Alexa or Google Assistant. During testing, we used voice control to send the robots out to clean, and both models responded within seconds.
However, the available commands for the i3 EVO are fairly basic. We tested prompts like “start vacuuming,” “pause vacuuming,” “resume vacuuming” and “return to Home Base,” and all worked well. The i7 offers a broader range of voice commands, so we asked it to clean specific rooms like the living room and around certain objects like under the dining table for targeted cleaning. These additional commands can come in handy in a home with children or pets because you can simply command the robot to clean up messes as they happen.
Neither the Roomba i3 EVO nor i7 are self-emptying. If you want a model that empties itself, you’ll need to upgrade to the i3+ EVO or i7+.
Suction comparison
During testing, we found that the Roomba i3 EVO and i7 both performed well on hard flooring, including hardwood and tile. Like many robot vacuums, these models sometimes blew particles out of the path, which required a second pass to capture. Overall, though, they removed nearly all visible debris on hard flooring.
However, our testing found that the i7 offered better suction power when it came to carpeting. We only ran into one issue with it on carpeting — it sometimes got caught on the tasseled edge of a rug. Otherwise, it thoroughly cleaned all carpeted surfaces.
On the other hand, the i3 EVO struggled slightly on carpeting. It left behind a few visible particles of coarse kosher salt and some pieces of pet hair from a larger clump we’d placed in its path. It picked up kitty litter more effectively but also had trouble capturing cereal. It actually crushed a couple of pieces and ground the crumbs into the carpet without removing all the debris, making it the less effective option of the two.
Price
The iRobot Roomba i3 EVO typically retails for $349.99 and can be found at Amazon. The iRobot Roomba i7 usually costs $600 and is available at Amazon. Note that iRobot now only makes the self-emptying versions of these models: the Roomba 3+ EVO and Roomba i7+.
Bottom line
The Roomba i3 EVO and i7 offer many similar features, but their performance differs quite a bit on carpeting. Because of its superior suction power and advanced navigation capabilities, we give the i7 the overall edge. Its performance on carpet and Keep-Out Zones feature make it an excellent choice for a home with small children or pets because you can clean up crumbs and pet hair easily and prevent the robot from going into areas where they might get stuck on toys or bump into pet bowls.
The i3 EVO is still worth consideration, though. It has a longer-running battery and a bigger dustbin, so we recommend it for larger homes with more space to clean. It’s also more affordable than the i7, making it a perfect option if you’re on a budget.
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Jennifer Blair writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wivb.com/reviews/br/home-br/vacuums-br/roomba-i3-evo-vs-i7-which-is-best-for-you/ | 2023-07-29T15:20:20 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/reviews/br/home-br/vacuums-br/roomba-i3-evo-vs-i7-which-is-best-for-you/ |
Two supermoons in August mean double the stargazing fun
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The cosmos is offering up a double feature in August: a pair of supermoons culminating in a rare blue moon.
Catch the first show Tuesday evening as the full moon rises in the southeast, appearing slightly brighter and bigger than normal. That’s because it will be closer than usual, just 222,159 miles (357,530 kilometers) away, thus the supermoon label.
The moon will be even closer the night of Aug. 30 — a scant 222,043 miles (357,344 kilometers) distant. Because it’s the second full moon in the same month, it will be what’s called a blue moon.
“Warm summer nights are the ideal time to watch the full moon rise in the eastern sky within minutes of sunset. And it happens twice in August,” said retired NASA astrophysicist Fred Espenak, dubbed Mr. Eclipse for his eclipse-chasing expertise.
The last time two full supermoons graced the sky in the same month was in 2018. It won’t happen again until 2037, according to Italian astronomer Gianluca Masi, founder of the Virtual Telescope Project.
Masi will provide a live webcast of Tuesday evening’s supermoon, as it rises over the Coliseum in Rome.
“My plans are to capture the beauty of this ... hopefully bringing the emotion of the show to our viewers,” Masi said in an email.
“The supermoon offers us a great opportunity to look up and discover the sky,” he added.
This year’s first supermoon was in July. The fourth and last will be in September. The two in August will be closer than either of those.
Provided clear skies, binoculars or backyard telescopes can enhance the experience, Espenak said, revealing such features as lunar maria — the dark plains formed by ancient volcanic lava flows — and rays emanating from lunar craters.
According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the August full moon is traditionally known as the sturgeon moon. That’s because of the abundance of that fish in the Great Lakes in August, hundreds of years ago.
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbrc.com/2023/07/29/two-supermoons-august-mean-double-stargazing-fun/ | 2023-07-29T15:20:22 | 1 | https://www.wbrc.com/2023/07/29/two-supermoons-august-mean-double-stargazing-fun/ |
Written by Allen Foster
Here’s what we learned about the robot vacuums everyone loves to hate
You want your home clean, but you don’t necessarily want to do it yourself. That’s fine. It’s why iRobot created the Roomba. These little machines have come a long way in the past two decades, so BestReviews Testing Lab tested iRobot’s 2023 line to find out which was the best robotic vacuum.
To get a comprehensive understanding of iRobot’s line, the BestReviews Testing Lab evaluated 10 models. In order of performance during testing, they are:
- Roomba s9+ Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum
- Roomba j7+ Combo Mop and Robot Vacuum
- Roomba j7+ Self Emptying Vacuum
- Roomba i4 Robot Vacuum
- Roomba i8+ Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum
- Roomba i7 Robot Vacuum
- Roomba i1+ Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum
- Roomba 694 Robot Vacuum
- Roomba 692 Robot Vacuum
- Roomba i3+ EVO Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum
Each of these models was tested in a real-world environment so we could understand how they performed on hardwood and carpet, as well as in homes with pets. The goal is to provide consumers with valuable information that can help them simplify their purchasing decision without getting lost in a sea of tech specs.
Roombas’ performance varies widely
In a nutshell, BestReviews learned that the models’ capabilities vary dramatically. For example, while the 600 series models missed some areas and only had power for a little over an hour, the s9+ ran for almost 2 hours on a single charge and performed an exceptional deep clean in all areas.
If you are interested in purchasing a Roomba, you must take into consideration the size of your home, whether you have a pet, and how much you have in your budget. While iRobot makes Roombas for a variety of users at different price points, the Testing Lab learned if you don’t match your needs to the product’s abilities, you will be disappointed.
What was our favorite Roomba?
While most of the iRobot Roombas had desirable features and could not be considered a poor choice — especially if you are balancing price and performance — the clear winner was the s9+ model. It scored impressively high when cleaning all floor types. It also offers impressive navigation and scored top marks in quality, ease of setup, performance and user experience. If you want the best, the Roomba s9+ Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum is the way to go.
Do the hybrid Roomba/Mops compete with the main Roombas?
After testing all 10 of the iRobot Roombas, the BestReviews Testing Lab realized that there was no compromise made when manufacturing the combo model — it offers roughly the same amount of power, intelligence and convenience as the one that doesn’t mop. So the hybrid Roomba is not only comparable to the regular version, it is superior, because a robot that can vacuum and mop at the same time cuts down on cleaning time while increasing efficiency.
What was our least favorite?
While the BestReviews Testing Lab found the two 600 series vacuums to be merely adequate, the lower price helped make those models a slightly better value. The Roomba i3+ EVO Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum, however, has a higher price without substantially more to offer, so it wins the prize for “least favorite.”
Besides having a considerably shorter runtime and questionable cleaning skills, its Wi-Fi range was not impressive and its navigation left a lot to be desired. Since there are far better and comparably priced vacuums in the line, it’s best to steer clear of the i3+.
Testing a Roomba with dog poop
Because it is not a hygienically sound idea, the BestReviews Testing Lab did not encourage a dog to make a mess inside. The lab also did not bring feces into the home just for the purpose of a test. Instead, we approximated the situation using different items so we could discern how the robot vacuums would handle encountering a small unexpected obstacle.
The ideal response was avoidance. Because there’s no guarantee of dryness and solidity, any other option might just spread the mess throughout the home, creating a very unsanitary condition.
After testing a variety of sizes and configurations, the lab found most Roomba models either tried to pass directly through the obstacle or tested it out, by bumping into it and backing up. The only successful avoidance occurred with the j7+ models.
The 10 Roombas that were tested
Roomba s9+ Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum
This model offers deep multi-surface cleaning. It is easy to set up, and the vacuum remembers specific objects and locations, making spot cleaning effortless. It efficiently transitions between all surfaces and is effective at removing debris of all sizes. This is what it is the BestReviews top pick.
Sold by: Amazon
Roomba j7+ Combo Mop and Robot Vacuum
If you’re looking for a thorough, versatile cleaning robot, this is the BestReviews runner-up pick. It vacuums and mops, is powerful enough for pet owners and only takes a few minutes to get up and running. The j7+ combo passed all the Testing Lab’s cleaning challenges with ease and worked well on all types of floors.
Sold by: Amazon
Roomba j7+ Self-Emptying Vacuum
This self-emptying option is also one of BestReviews’ favorite models. It has an impressive range and cleans up all sizes of debris quickly and thoroughly. Besides mapping out the home, this vacuum is smart enough to detect and avoid new obstacles and has admirable real-time reactions.
Sold by: Amazon
While the i4 is a little lacking in features (when compared to high-end models), the price to performance ratio is high enough to make this a solid option for the right home. The main issue with this model is it can take several passes to pick everything up as the brushes have a tendency to spread debris out on the first pass. But eventually, it gets the job done.
Sold by: Amazon
Roomba i8+ Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum
The Testing Lab wouldn’t place this model at the top with regard to power, but it is smart, has a decent amount of runtime and thoroughly cleaned a 250-square-foot room in under 30 minutes. While it had a little trouble with dry cereal, it was impressive in its ability to remove pet hair.
Sold by: Walmart
The i7 isn’t quite as impressive as the j7+. It does a decent job of cleaning, but it doesn’t have a self-emptying feature, which for the price is a little disappointing. As far as performance, this model is satisfactory, doing an okay job in most situations.
Sold by: Amazon
Roomba i1+ Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum
This offering does a satisfactory job. It gives you the convenience of self-emptying and is powerful enough to keep a home with a pet relatively clean. Occasionally, it can get stuck and may miss a patch of tiny debris, but if you are after general maintenance, this model will satisfy.
Sold by: Walmart
Unfortunately, the Roomba 694 has a few flaws. When testing, the lab noticed it could miss small sections. The unit also didn’t communicate when it was full, so average users might run into some frustration. However, the lower price might make this an acceptable option for some consumers.
Sold by: Amazon
While this model tries, and often delivers an exceptional clean, there are times the brushes scatter smaller debris around instead of picking them up. The BestReviews Testing Lab also noticed this model did a lot of bumping into objects, including walls, making its navigating ability less than impressive. However, it performs well enough for entry-level consumers
Sold by: Amazon
Roomba i3+ EVO Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum
The i3+ has its share of pros and cons. It is a self-emptying model, so you get the benefit of forgetting about vacuuming for weeks at a time, but the navigation isn’t super-impressive and the setup can be a little finicky. While it was BestReviews’ least favorite in the line, it still offers adequate performance. That may be enough for some, but we really can’t give it a glowing review.
Sold by: Amazon
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Allen Foster writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wivb.com/reviews/br/home-br/vacuums-br/we-tested-10-roombas-in-3-days-heres-what-we-learned/ | 2023-07-29T15:20:27 | 1 | https://www.wivb.com/reviews/br/home-br/vacuums-br/we-tested-10-roombas-in-3-days-heres-what-we-learned/ |
Austin Riley Player Prop Bets: Braves vs. Brewers - July 29
Published: Jul. 29, 2023 at 9:29 AM CDT|Updated: 51 minutes ago
Austin Riley -- hitting .350 in his past 10 games -- will be in action for the Atlanta Braves against the Milwaukee Brewers, with Julio Teheran on the hill, on July 29 at 7:20 PM ET.
He strung together two hits (going 2-for-4 with a home run and an RBI) in his last game against the Brewers.
Austin Riley Game Info & Props vs. the Brewers
- Game Day: Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Game Time: 7:20 PM ET
- Stadium: Truist Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Brewers Starter: Julio Teheran
- TV Channel: BSSE
- Hits Prop: Over/under 1.5 hits (Over odds: +160)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 home runs (Over odds: +290)
- RBI Prop: Over/under 0.5 RBI (Over odds: +100)
- Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 runs (Over odds: -139)
Looking to place a prop bet on Austin Riley? Check out what's available at BetMGM and use bonus code "GNPLAY" when you sign up with this link!
Explore More About This Game
Austin Riley At The Plate
- Riley is batting .274 with 18 doubles, a triple, 23 home runs and 35 walks.
- Among qualified batters in baseball, he ranks 38th in batting average, 65th in on-base percentage, and 23rd in slugging.
- In 69.3% of his 101 games this season, Riley has picked up at least one hit. He's also had 33 multi-hit games.
- He has homered in 20.8% of his games in 2023, and 5.2% of his trips to the dish.
- In 38.6% of his games this year, Riley has had at least one RBI. He's picked up more than one in 15.8% and driven in three or more of his team's runs in five contests.
- He has scored in 51.5% of his games this season, with two or more runs scored in 14.9%.
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Austin Riley Home/Away Batting Splits
Brewers Pitching Rankings
- The 8.6 strikeouts per nine innings put together by the Brewers pitching staff ranks 17th in MLB.
- The Brewers have a 3.96 team ERA that ranks 10th among all league pitching staffs.
- The Brewers rank 21st in baseball in home runs allowed (127 total, 1.2 per game).
- Teheran gets the start for the Brewers, his 11th of the season. He is 2-4 with a 3.75 ERA and 40 strikeouts through 57 2/3 innings pitched.
- The right-hander last appeared on Sunday against the Atlanta Braves, when he tossed six innings, allowing one earned run while giving up three hits.
- In 10 games this season, the 32-year-old has amassed an ERA of 3.75, with 6.2 strikeouts per nine innings. Opponents are hitting .230 against him.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/austin-riley-mlb-player-prop-bets/ | 2023-07-29T15:20:28 | 1 | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/austin-riley-mlb-player-prop-bets/ |
The email shouldn’t have made me nervous.
She didn’t want her sister to waste that much time disliking a part of herself. So, Detrick-Jules taught herself photography. She then photographed 101 Black women with different natural hairstyles and compiled those images in a book she titled, “My Beautiful Black Hair.”
I told you about that book in a column two years ago.
If at the time Detrick-Jules had told me that she was also planning to publish a children’s book, I wouldn’t have felt nervous for her. Not even a little bit.
But the country has changed in the last few years. We are now witnessing a war on children’s books that is expanding in ways that would be laughable if they weren’t so concerning.
The push to pull books that address race, ethnicity and LGBTQ issues out of public spaces has lately been growing even uglier and more unpredictable.
People have gone from focusing mostly on school libraries to now making demands of public libraries. A recent Washington Post article detailed what that has looked like for a community in Virginia. In Front Royal, people have overwhelmed the library staff with hundreds of book “reconsideration” requests, convinced lawmakers to withhold library funding until concerns are addressed and accused the library of sexualizing and brainwashing children. “Bearing the brunt of the anger is the library’s staff and its 15-member, all-volunteer Board of Trustees, who include a retired Air Force general, a lawyer, an accountant, parents, grandparents, churchgoers and home-schoolers,” wrote my colleague Gregory S. Schneider in that article.
People across the county are also now taking aim at picture books. That’s right, they are now scrutinizing those brightly illustrated books created to capture the attention of babies, toddlers and young readers and filing complaints with school systems about them.
Some of the illustrated books that have received complaints, according to an article my colleague Hannah Natanson recently wrote are: “Julián Is a Mermaid,” a book that features a boy who dresses as a mermaid, “Peanut Goes for the Gold,” a book about a nonbinary guinea pig, and “Skippyjon Jones,” a book about a cat who believes he is a swordfighter.
The person who filed a complaint about that last book, according to the article, argued that it “promotes negative stereotypes towards Mexicans and the Spanish language” because the letter “O” is added to the end of the words throughout the book. The cat sings at one point, “My name is Skippito Friskito. / I fear not a single bandito. / My manners are mellow, / I’m sweet like the Jell-O, / I get the job done, yes indeed-o.”
Yes indeed-o — that is how ridiculous the fight over the children’s sections of libraries has become.
I remember reading “Skippyjon Jones” once to my sons when they were younger. I’m Mexican American and I didn’t find it offensive. I found the rhythm catchy, and I was glad the story held the attention of two squirmy boys for a few minutes.
But that was just my impression of the book. I don’t expect everyone to share it. I can respect that some people will want to put down the books I want to pick up. What I can’t respect is their belief that they have the right to snatch from my hands, and the hands of other parents, books that we want to read to our children. That picture books are now coming under attack shows that their fight was never about supporting parental choice. It’s always been about eliminating choice.
The titles and themes of the books that these groups want to ban may differ, but they all share this: They empower the people those groups would rather see weakened.
“I’m deeply concerned about the current slew of book bans across the country,” Detrick-Jules told me. “I’m concerned for Black and Brown students, for LGBTQ+ students, for immigrant students, for students with disabilities … Our kids — collectively, as in, the kids of America — deserve to feel seen, represented, and valued.”
After Detrick-Jules published “My Beautiful Black Hair,” her book was mentioned by name in a column by conservative author Ann Coulter. In it, Coulter wrote that “white schoolchildren are being browbeaten about their ‘white privilege’ and instructed to ‘unpack’ their ‘white privilege knapsack.’”
When people share their stories with me, I get invested in them, which is why I was nervous to read Detrick-Jule’s new book. I knew the story behind it — that it had grown out of White children teasing a Black child. I also knew that other children’s books that have dared to point out how racism has harmed, and continues to harm, Black people have become targets for book bans.
But when I opened her book, which was illustrated by Tabitha Brown and will be available to buy in September, I realized she didn’t tell that part of the story. It was a picture book, after all. The book is titled, “My Hair is like the Sun” and the pages feature photos of Black children with different hairstyles next to images from nature.
Detrick-Jules said the idea for the book came to her when she was interviewing one of the women for her other book. The woman told her that her classmates used to call her “Tree Girl” because she wore an Afro. The nickname was meant as an insult, but it got Detrick-Jules thinking about how curls can resemble the waves of an ocean and how locs can flow downward like the rain.
“So much of what we admire in nature — its power, its strength, its freedom, its beauty, its joy — can be found in our own kinks and curls,” she told me. “For so many Black kids, and adults, our hair is seen as a chore, as something that needs to be done. I want ‘My Hair Is Like the Sun’ to be a reminder that our hair is actually a gift, and it’s a blessing that we get to experience it in so many forms.”
One page of the book reads: “My hair is like a waterfall, rushing toward the ground.”
Another page: “My hair is like a river, winding all around.”
When I finished flipping through the book, I felt sure of one thing and unsure of another. The book will no doubt empower some children. Less certain is whether it will also upset some adults. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/07/29/black-hair-children-book-bans/ | 2023-07-29T15:20:31 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/07/29/black-hair-children-book-bans/ |
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — The troubled brother of the late NFL player Aaron Hernandez was charged Friday, now in federal court, with new counts of threatening and stalking after authorities say he threatened to shoot up the University of Connecticut and kill three people in another state.
Dennis Hernandez was ordered to be held in custody after his appearance in the court in Hartford. A message seeking comment was sent Friday night to his attorney.
The new charges came days after it emerged that Hernandez was arrested July 18 on state charges after police said he threatened to kill officers and then urged them to shoot him at his home in Bristol. Officers had gone there after two people close to him raised concerns about his mental health, police said.
The arrest report said the 37-year-old had sent threatening messages, including ones about carrying out a shooting at UConn. He was a Huskies quarterback and wide receiver who went by DJ Hernandez in the mid-2000s.
Court filings in the new federal case include the same messages. Some say the writer is struggling financially, is frustrated at seeing other people get hired as coaches, feels owed by UConn, is planning on “taking down everything” and doesn’t care “who gets caught in the crossfire.”
“I’ve died for years now and now its others peoples turn,” read a July 7 message sent to a woman in Hernandez’s life. It followed a message the day before that warned: “UConn’s gonna see how accurate I am too with my targets.”
Hernandez told another person that he drove July 7 to UConn’s campus in Storrs and to Brown University, in Providence, Rhode Island, where he coached quarterbacks during the 2010-11 season, according to court papers.
He had been due in state court that day on another case stemming from allegations that he threw a bag containing a brick and a note over a fence and onto ESPN’s property in Bristol.
UConn police confirmed that a vehicle linked to Hernandez was on campus that day. Brown has said that its investigation didn’t indicate Hernandez had been on campus in recent weeks.
Hernandez is due back in state court Tuesday and in federal court Aug. 11.
His younger brother, former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, killed himself in 2017 while serving a murder sentence. | https://www.wivb.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-aaron-hernandezs-brother-now-facing-federal-charges-over-alleged-threatening-messages/ | 2023-07-29T15:20:35 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-aaron-hernandezs-brother-now-facing-federal-charges-over-alleged-threatening-messages/ |
Eddie Rosario Player Prop Bets: Braves vs. Brewers - July 29
Published: Jul. 29, 2023 at 9:30 AM CDT|Updated: 50 minutes ago
The Atlanta Braves and Eddie Rosario (.367 slugging percentage over his past 10 games, including one homer), take on starter Julio Teheran and the Milwaukee Brewers at Truist Park, Saturday at 7:20 PM ET.
In his most recent game, he strung together two hits (going 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI) against the Brewers.
Eddie Rosario Game Info & Props vs. the Brewers
- Game Day: Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Game Time: 7:20 PM ET
- Stadium: Truist Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Brewers Starter: Julio Teheran
- TV Channel: BSSE
- Hits Prop: Over/under 0.5 hits (Over odds: -238)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 home runs (Over odds: +360)
- RBI Prop: Over/under 0.5 RBI (Over odds: +145)
- Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 runs (Over odds: +105)
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Eddie Rosario At The Plate
- Rosario has 17 doubles, two triples, 15 home runs and 21 walks while hitting .252.
- Among the qualified batters, he ranks 88th in batting average, while his on-base percentage ranks 125th and he is 42nd in slugging.
- In 59.6% of his 89 games this season, Rosario has picked up at least one hit. He's also had 21 multi-hit games.
- He has homered in 13 games this year (14.6%), homering in 4.6% of his trips to the plate.
- In 28.1% of his games this year, Rosario has had at least one RBI. He's picked up more than one in 13.5% and driven in three or more of his team's runs in five contests.
- In 36.0% of his games this season, he has scored at least once. And he's had seven games with multiple runs (7.9%).
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Eddie Rosario Home/Away Batting Splits
Brewers Pitching Rankings
- The pitching staff for the Brewers has a collective 8.6 K/9, which ranks 17th in MLB.
- The Brewers have a 3.96 team ERA that ranks 10th among all MLB pitching staffs.
- Brewers pitchers combine to rank 21st in baseball in home runs surrendered (127 total, 1.2 per game).
- Teheran gets the start for the Brewers, his 11th of the season. He is 2-4 with a 3.75 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 57 2/3 innings pitched.
- In his last appearance on Sunday, the right-hander went six innings against the Atlanta Braves, giving up one earned run while surrendering three hits.
- The 32-year-old has an ERA of 3.75, with 6.2 strikeouts per nine innings, in 10 games this season. Opposing hitters have a .230 batting average against him.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/eddie-rosario-mlb-player-prop-bets/ | 2023-07-29T15:20:35 | 1 | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/eddie-rosario-mlb-player-prop-bets/ |
BALTIMORE (AP) — The New York Yankees have been a sub-.500 team since Aaron Judge injured his toe in early June. Now they hope his return can help them rally for a postseason spot.
The Yankees reinstated Judge from the injured list Friday before the opener of their weekend road series against the Baltimore Orioles. Judge admits he isn’t fully recovered but says he’s healthy enough to play.
“It’s feeling all right, feeling good. It’s not 100%. I don’t think it’ll be 100% until the end of the year,” he said. “I think our biggest goal is just getting to a point where I could play, I could tolerate it.”
The Yankees lost 1-0 to the Orioles on Anthony Santander’s ninth-inning homer. Judge lined out to right field on the first pitch he saw in the top of the first. Then he walked his next three times up.
Judge had been out since tearing a ligament in his right big toe June 3 when he crashed into the right-field fence while making a catch at Dodger Stadium. In the eighth inning Friday, he appeared to foul a pitch off his foot, but it was his left one.
Judge played a simulated game Wednesday at the team’s complex in Tampa, Florida, and returned to New York after that. The 2022 American League MVP faced live pitching Sunday at Yankee Stadium for the first time since the injury. Manager Aaron Boone said Judge homered during a simulated game Tuesday in Florida. He also played the field and ran the bases.
Judge was penciled into the lineup as the designated hitter, batting second Friday night. Boone said he could have potentially played in the field, but that will be a day-by-day decision.
“Obviously, as much as there’s urgency for us, we’ve got to be smart about that and make sure that in talking to Aaron, making sure he’s honest with his feedback about how he’s recovering, how he’s bouncing back,” Boone said. “Obviously, how the toe’s doing, but how everything else is doing.”
New York was 19-23 since Judge got hurt in Los Angeles. After Friday’s loss, the Yankees are 30-20 with the star outfielder, who also missed 10 games earlier this season with a right hip strain.
Judge set an AL record with 62 home runs last year. He is batting .290 with 19 homers and 40 RBIs in the first season of a $360 million, nine-year contract he signed last offseason.
“I guess he’s back and he’s ready,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said before the game. “So we’ll have to pitch to him well.”
Baltimore has a 1 1/2-game lead in the AL East over Tampa Bay. The Yankees are five games over .500 but at the bottom of the ultracompetitive division. New York is nine games behind the Orioles and 3 1/2 behind the Toronto Blue Jays and Houston Astros for the American League’s final two wild cards.
Judge was asked if the team’s offensive struggles without him made him even more anxious to come back.
“No, I just wanted to get back,” Judge said after a noticeable pause. “Any time you’re sitting out, even if we were winning and we had an eight-game lead in the division, or we were 10 games out of it, I want to be back out there battling with the guys.”
Boone said Judge had an MRI in the last few days, and Judge indicated that was a factor in his return.
“I didn’t want to come back and make it worse, and this is something that leads into the next year and the following year,” he said. “Ligament’s stable. Last couple MRIs didn’t really show much healing, but this one did.”
To make room for Judge, the Yankees optioned infielder Oswald Peraza to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wivb.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-aaron-judge-comes-off-injured-list-before-yankees-open-series-at-baltimore/ | 2023-07-29T15:20:41 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-aaron-judge-comes-off-injured-list-before-yankees-open-series-at-baltimore/ |
Marcell Ozuna Player Prop Bets: Braves vs. Brewers - July 29
Published: Jul. 29, 2023 at 9:29 AM CDT|Updated: 51 minutes ago
The Atlanta Braves, including Marcell Ozuna (.111 batting average in his past 10 games), take on starter Julio Teheran and the Milwaukee Brewers at Truist Park, Saturday at 7:20 PM ET.
In his most recent game, he collected two extra-base hits (2-for-4 with a double, a home run and an RBI) against the Brewers.
Marcell Ozuna Game Info & Props vs. the Brewers
- Game Day: Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Game Time: 7:20 PM ET
- Stadium: Truist Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Brewers Starter: Julio Teheran
- TV Channel: BSSE
- Hits Prop: Over/under 1.5 hits (Over odds: +200)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 home runs (Over odds: +310)
- RBI Prop: Over/under 0.5 RBI (Over odds: +130)
- Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 runs (Over odds: -111)
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Marcell Ozuna At The Plate
- Ozuna is batting .232 with 10 doubles, 19 home runs and 32 walks.
- In 53 of 85 games this season (62.4%) Ozuna has had a hit, and in 16 of those games he had more than one (18.8%).
- He has hit a long ball in 21.2% of his games in 2023, and 5.6% of his trips to the dish.
- Ozuna has driven in a run in 28 games this year (32.9%), including 12 games with more than one RBI (14.1%). He has also driven in three or more of his team's runs in two contests.
- In 33 of 85 games this year, he has scored, and five of those games included multiple runs.
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Marcell Ozuna Home/Away Batting Splits
Brewers Pitching Rankings
- The 8.6 strikeouts per nine innings compiled by the Brewers pitching staff ranks 17th in the league.
- The Brewers' 3.96 team ERA ranks 10th across all MLB pitching staffs.
- The Brewers rank 21st in baseball in home runs surrendered (127 total, 1.2 per game).
- The Brewers are sending Teheran (2-4) to the mound for his 11th start of the season. He is 2-4 with a 3.75 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 57 2/3 innings pitched.
- In his most recent time out on Sunday against the Atlanta Braves, the righty tossed six innings, giving up one earned run while surrendering three hits.
- The 32-year-old has an ERA of 3.75, with 6.2 strikeouts per nine innings, in 10 games this season. Opponents have a .230 batting average against him.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/marcell-ozuna-mlb-player-prop-bets/ | 2023-07-29T15:20:41 | 1 | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/marcell-ozuna-mlb-player-prop-bets/ |
How to Watch the Marlins vs. Tigers Game: Streaming & TV Channel Info for July 29
Luis Arraez and the Miami Marlins will see Beau Brieske starting for the Detroit Tigers on Saturday at 4:10 PM ET.
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Marlins vs. Tigers Live Stream, TV Channel and Game Info:
- Date: Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Time: 4:10 PM ET
- TV Channel: Fox Sports 1
- Location: Miami, Florida
- Venue: LoanDepot park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
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Marlins Batting & Pitching Performance
- The Marlins are third-worst in MLB play with 93 home runs.
- Miami ranks 20th in MLB, slugging .398.
- The Marlins' .264 batting average is fourth-best in the majors.
- Miami is the fifth-lowest scoring team in MLB action, averaging 4.1 runs per game (428 total).
- The Marlins rank 13th in baseball with an on-base percentage of .320.
- The Marlins strike out eight times per game to rank seventh in baseball.
- Miami's pitching staff ranks third in MLB with a collective 9.6 strikeouts per nine innings.
- Miami's 4.11 team ERA ranks 13th among all MLB pitching staffs.
- The Marlins average MLB's 12th-ranked WHIP (1.267).
Tigers Batting & Pitching Performance
- The Tigers rank 26th in Major League Baseball with just 96 home runs as a team.
- Detroit is 29th in MLB with a slugging percentage of only .365 this season.
- The Tigers have a team batting average of just .231 this season, which ranks 28th among MLB teams.
- Detroit is among the lowest scoring teams in baseball, ranking 28th with just 406 total runs (3.9 per game) this season.
- The Tigers have an on-base percentage of .299 this season, which ranks 28th in the league.
- The Tigers rank 18th in strikeouts per game (8.9) among MLB offenses.
- Detroit strikes out 8.4 batters per nine innings as a pitching staff, 21st in MLB.
- Detroit has pitched to a 4.53 ERA this season, which ranks 22nd in baseball.
- Tigers pitchers have a 1.253 WHIP this season, eighth-best in the majors.
Marlins Probable Starting Pitcher
- The Marlins are sending Johnny Cueto (0-1) to make his third start of the season.
- His most recent appearance was on Saturday against the Colorado Rockies, when the righty tossed six innings, surrendering one earned run while allowing two hits.
Tigers Probable Starting Pitcher
- The Tigers will send Brieske to the mound for his first start this season.
- The 25-year-old righty has pitched in relief five times already this season, but will make his first start.
Marlins Schedule
Tigers Schedule
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The Pac-12 Conference issued a statement aimed at stability after Colorado became the third school in a year to announce plans to leave. The nine schools remaining for the 2024-25 season were largely silent Friday.
Colorado on Thursday announced it would join the Big 12 beginning in 2024, joining Big Ten-bound Southern California and UCLA in an exodus that could continue in coming weeks and months. Their departures coincide with the expiration of the league’s current media rights deals and the Pac-12 has not yet announced a lucrative deal going forward.
Shortly after CU’s regents approved the move to the Big 12, the Pac-12 issued a statement pledging to soldier on. Possible Pac-12 expansion targets could include San Diego State and SMU.
“We are focused on concluding our media rights deal and securing our continued success and growth,” the Pac-12 said. “Immediately following the conclusion of our media rights deal, we will embrace expansion opportunities and bring new fans, markets, excitement and value to the Pac-12.”
The Pac-12’s media rights contract expires at the end of the 2023-24 academic year, and Commissioner George Kliavkoff has not noted any progress in landing a new deal.
Oregon State was the only Pac-12 school to comment following the Colorado announcement. A founding member of the league in 1915, Oregon State is considered one of the least likely schools to be poached by another conference.
“Oregon State Athletics trusts that the Pac-12 will secure a media rights deal that will strongly benefit the institutions that are remaining loyal to this conference,” Oregon State athletic director Scott Barnes said. “All of us at Oregon State will continue to work hard and diligently to continue the long-term membership and success of our athletic department at a national level.”
Oregon State President Jayathi Murthy said her school joins other members in reaffirming its commitment to the Pac-12.
“We are united by our shared values, our passion for the highest level of intercollegiate athletic competition, our leadership roles as Tier 1 research universities and our support for student-athletes’ academic and athletic excellence,” Murthy said.
The administrations and athletic departments at Utah and Washington declined comment. Arizona State, California and Washington State athletic departments also declined comment, as did the Arizona and Oregon president’s offices.
Stanford did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Arizona, Arizona State and Utah are believed to be potential targets for further Big 12 expansion, though those schools publicly committed to the Pac-12 prior to Colorado’s announced departure. The Big 12 has a six-year, $2 billion contract that is projected to net annual revenue of $31 million for each school.
Under then-Commissioner Kevin Warren, the Big Ten still had eyes out west even after landing USC and UCLA, with Oregon and Washington having the most appeal of the remaining Pac-12 schools. But Warren is gone now and his replacement, Tony Pettit, said earlier this week that the Big Ten isn’t eager to expand more.
___
AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/ap_top25 | https://www.wivb.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-beleaguered-pac-12-says-it-will-pursue-expansion-with-colorado-usc-and-ucla-all-leaving-next-year/ | 2023-07-29T15:20:48 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-beleaguered-pac-12-says-it-will-pursue-expansion-with-colorado-usc-and-ucla-all-leaving-next-year/ |
Marlins vs. Tigers Probable Starting Pitchers Today - July 29
The Detroit Tigers (46-58) will aim to stop a four-game losing streak when visiting the Miami Marlins (56-48) at 4:10 PM ET on Saturday.
The Marlins will give the nod to Johnny Cueto (0-1) versus the Tigers and Beau Brieske.
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Marlins vs. Tigers Pitcher Matchup Info
- Date: Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Time: 4:10 PM ET
- TV: Fox Sports 1
- Location: Miami, Florida
- Venue: LoanDepot park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Probable Pitchers: Cueto - MIA (0-1, 4.50 ERA) vs Brieske - DET (0-0, 4.76 ERA)
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Marlins Probable Starting Pitcher Tonight: Johnny Cueto
- Cueto will get the start for the Marlins, his third of the season.
- The right-hander last pitched on Saturday against the Colorado Rockies, throwing six innings and giving up one earned run.
- He has pitched in three games this season with an ERA of 4.50, a 3 strikeout to walk ratio and a WHIP of .900.
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Tigers Probable Starting Pitcher Tonight: Beau Brieske
- Brieske gets the call to start for the Tigers, his first of the season.
- The 25-year-old righty has appeared out of the bullpen five times this season.
- In five appearances this season, he has a 4.76 ERA and 7.9 strikeouts per nine innings while opponents are batting .261 against him.
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CINCINNATI (AP) — Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow could miss “several weeks” with a right calf strain, coach Zac Taylor said Friday.
The 26-year-old franchise quarterback hobbled on one leg and then went to the ground after a scramble play near the end of Thursday’s practice. He rode off the field in a medical cart.
“It will take several weeks, and that’s all the information we have,” Taylor said.
Burrow did not practice Friday, with backup QBs Jake Browning and Trevor Siemian taking the snaps. The Bengals play their first preseason game on Aug. 11 and open the regular season Sept. 10.
Taylor said Burrow “has seen the doctors” and was present for meetings at the team’s training facility Friday. The quarterback was wearing a compression sleeve on his right calf when he pulled up with the injury, but Taylor said Friday he was unaware there was anything wrong before that play.
Burrow is still negotiating with the Bengals on a long-term contract that could make him one of the NFL’s highest-paid players.
The team’s top draft pick in 2020 had talked Wednesday about how good he felt at the opening of camp after his first three NFL training camps were disrupted and how he hoped to play in some preseason games.
Preseason practice was truncated in Burrow’s rookie year in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. In 2001, he was still rehabbing after knee surgery the previous December. On the first day of camp last year, he was stricken with appendicitis.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://www.wivb.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-bengals-qb-joe-burrow-could-miss-several-weeks-with-calf-strain-coach-taylor-says/ | 2023-07-29T15:20:55 | 1 | https://www.wivb.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-bengals-qb-joe-burrow-could-miss-several-weeks-with-calf-strain-coach-taylor-says/ |
Matt Olson Player Prop Bets: Braves vs. Brewers - July 29
Published: Jul. 29, 2023 at 9:29 AM CDT|Updated: 51 minutes ago
After going 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in his most recent game, Matt Olson and the Atlanta Braves take on the Milwaukee Brewers (who will start Julio Teheran) at 7:20 PM ET on Saturday.
He hit a home run while going 2-for-4 in his most recent game against the Brewers.
Matt Olson Game Info & Props vs. the Brewers
- Game Day: Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Game Time: 7:20 PM ET
- Stadium: Truist Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Brewers Starter: Julio Teheran
- TV Channel: BSSE
- Hits Prop: Over/under 1.5 hits (Over odds: +195)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 home runs (Over odds: +175)
- RBI Prop: Over/under 0.5 RBI (Over odds: -111)
- Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 runs (Over odds: -167)
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Matt Olson At The Plate
- Olson leads Atlanta with 99 hits, batting .256 this season with 54 extra-base hits.
- Among the qualified batters in MLB, he ranks 73rd in batting average, 27th in on-base percentage, and third in slugging.
- Olson has picked up a hit in 65.3% of his 101 games this year, with multiple hits in 25.7% of them.
- He has hit a long ball in 28 games this year (27.7%), homering in 7.3% of his plate appearances.
- Olson has an RBI in 44 of 101 games this year, with multiple RBI in 22 of them. He has also driven in three or more of his team's runs in 11 contests.
- He has scored in 54.5% of his games this year (55 of 101), with two or more runs 19 times (18.8%).
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Matt Olson Home/Away Batting Splits
Brewers Pitching Rankings
- The pitching staff for the Brewers has a collective 8.6 K/9, which ranks 17th in the league.
- The Brewers have a 3.96 team ERA that ranks 10th among all league pitching staffs.
- Brewers pitchers combine to rank 21st in baseball in home runs surrendered (127 total, 1.2 per game).
- Teheran (2-4 with a 3.75 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 57 2/3 innings pitched) gets the start for the Brewers, his 11th of the season.
- In his last time out on Sunday against the Atlanta Braves, the righty tossed six innings, giving up one earned run while surrendering three hits.
- The 32-year-old has amassed an ERA of 3.75, with 6.2 strikeouts per nine innings, in 10 games this season. Opponents are batting .230 against him.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/matt-olson-mlb-player-prop-bets/ | 2023-07-29T15:21:01 | 1 | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/matt-olson-mlb-player-prop-bets/ |
EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France (AP) — Celine Boutier posted a 2-under 69 in the second round of the Evian Championship to move to 7 under overall, giving her a one-shot lead on Friday.
But surprise overnight leader Paula Reto dropped down the leaderboard after a 4-over 75.
The 29-year-old Boutier, who was two shots back from Reto overnight, is looking to become the first Frenchwoman to win the tournament, which became a major in 2013.
“It’s really great to feel the support from the fans when you play some good shots and some good putts go in,” Boutier said. “This kind of support used to put me under pressure in the past, and I didn’t cope well with it, but this year I’m trying to stay very relaxed.”
Her solid round kept her narrowly ahead of Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit, who carded 67, and Japan’s Yuka Saso (69), in a tie for second.
They are one shot ahead of Nasa Hataoka of Japan (67), Mexico’s Gaby Lopez (68) and American Alison Lee (71).
Reto struggled badly on the back nine, with a double bogey on the 12th hole followed by three bogeys over the next four holes.
The 33-year-old South African ended the day in a tie for eighth at 3 under overall along with defending champion Brooke Henderson of Canada, who finished on 70.
Boutier was level with 2015 champion Lydia Ko of New Zealand overnight, but Ko drifted way back into a tie for 22nd after a dismal round of 76 at the Evian Resort Golf Club.
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wivb.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-boutier-holds-a-1-shot-lead-after-2nd-round-of-evian-championship/ | 2023-07-29T15:21:02 | 1 | https://www.wivb.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-boutier-holds-a-1-shot-lead-after-2nd-round-of-evian-championship/ |
Michael Harris II Player Prop Bets: Braves vs. Brewers - July 29
Published: Jul. 29, 2023 at 9:35 AM CDT|Updated: 45 minutes ago
Michael Harris II and his .417 on-base percentage over his past 10 games (93 points higher than his season-long percentage), will be in action for the Atlanta Braves against the Milwaukee Brewers and Julio Teheran on July 29 at 7:20 PM ET.
In his last game he had a one-hit performance (1-for-4) against the Brewers.
Michael Harris II Game Info & Props vs. the Brewers
- Game Day: Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Game Time: 7:20 PM ET
- Stadium: Truist Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Brewers Starter: Julio Teheran
- TV Channel: BSSE
- Hits Prop: Over/under 0.5 hits (Over odds: -250)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 home runs (Over odds: +425)
- RBI Prop: Over/under 0.5 RBI (Over odds: +160)
- Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 runs (Over odds: -118)
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Discover More About This Game
Michael Harris II At The Plate
- Harris II is batting .274 with 15 doubles, two triples, nine home runs and 18 walks.
- Harris II is batting .375 during his last outings and is riding a 10-game hitting streak.
- Harris II has gotten a hit in 51 of 79 games this season (64.6%), including 15 multi-hit games (19.0%).
- He has hit a long ball in eight games this year (10.1%), homering in 3.1% of his chances at the plate.
- Harris II has had an RBI in 18 games this year (22.8%), including six multi-RBI outings (7.6%). He has also driven in three or more of his team's runs in three contests.
- He has scored in 28 games this season (35.4%), including multiple runs in seven games.
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Michael Harris II Home/Away Batting Splits
Brewers Pitching Rankings
- The 8.6 strikeouts per nine innings put together by the Brewers pitching staff ranks 17th in the league.
- The Brewers have the 10th-ranked team ERA among all league pitching staffs (3.96).
- Brewers pitchers combine to rank 21st in baseball in home runs allowed (127 total, 1.2 per game).
- Teheran gets the start for the Brewers, his 11th of the season. He is 2-4 with a 3.75 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 57 2/3 innings pitched.
- The right-hander last pitched on Sunday against the Atlanta Braves, when he tossed six innings, allowing one earned run while giving up three hits.
- In 10 games this season, the 32-year-old has amassed an ERA of 3.75, with 6.2 strikeouts per nine innings. Opponents are hitting .230 against him.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/michael-harris-ii-mlb-player-prop-bets/ | 2023-07-29T15:21:07 | 1 | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/michael-harris-ii-mlb-player-prop-bets/ |